tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312978792024-03-13T11:44:10.579+01:00Eco and Ethicseco-
pref.
Ecology; ecological: ecosystem.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-52795711852380904002009-07-18T14:18:00.002+02:002009-07-18T15:47:59.077+02:00Eco and Ethics Has Moved to Greenpress.com!After having been contacted by Chris from <a href="http://greenpress.com/">Greenpress</a> - whom wanted to see Eco and Ethics move to their green blog format - I decided to switch to Greenpress because I feel that it is the right decision for me and my blog right now. <br /><br />We're at a point in time when we have to re-think our strategies and global tactics not only to embrace technological breakthroughs, but also to enhance them in order for us to learn how to cultivate and harvest energy in new ways.<br /><br />Not only do we have to learn how to deal with e-waste and garbage, we also have to try and figure out how to use our resources better and how to globally avoid disasters and to diminish wars over water, oil and natural resources.<br /><br />Logistics per se, and how we understand this concept, will change over time, and it is up to governments and citizens of the world to decide whether or not we want to limit our way of life or keep on going as before, and at the same time doing something about it.<br /><br />Citizens can be encouraged to influence politics both locally and globally. They could empower themselves to hack their environments, through individual actions involve their peers as well as governmental structures in microtactical collective actions, in order to clean up their local environments, lakes, parks or even public gardens. I ask myself why there aren't initiatives that strive to clean up in deserted and zero degree spaces. Why aren't we all making these spaces more beautiful and inhabitable? I reallt want to dwell more in secret and unknown locations.<br /><br />Governments and nations could in cooperation with citizens engage in macrotactical manouvres in order to learn how to spawn new solutions, new ways of understanding energy, develop ways and tools in order to grow and cultivate energy as well as re-using our existent e-waste materials as well as excess materials.<br /><br />The reason why I am moving my blog to Greenpress is that I want to learn more about technologies, development of democracy in relation to speed and politics, democracy and citizenship in relation to a more transparent state as well as studying the very constitution of governments, in accordance with forward thinking democratic tools and projects. <br /><br />A very powerful way of becoming engaged in politics and different environmental issues is to spawn net political clusters. I will come back to this in a later post, however, clusters can come up with a lot of good ideas, solutions as well as informative actions just by teaming up and creating assemblages and ideas through communication and chaotic teamwork. <br /><br /><a href="http://werebuild.eu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page">We Rebuild.EU</a> has got a wiki for a variety of topics of concern and importance such as net censorship, openness, net neutrality, data retention etc. However, the wiki is also used as a "tink tank" (a sort of tool oriented and idea oriented think tank), and I hope that'll be able to get someone to translate "<a href="http://werebuild.eu/wiki/index.php/Patent_och_klimatkampanjen">Patent och klimatkampanjen</a>" into English, since this kind of individual and collective cluster not only spawns new ideas and creates and interest for pressing issues, it also manifest a new idea and a new way of "tinking" and doing politics.<br /><br />Citizenship is about enhancing transparency between government, institutions and citizens. It is also about acting and doing something in this day and age, and the surrounding political climate that we now face.<br /><br />We are all quite naive in thinking that our protests against governments, and the complaints against the democratic reorganisation neither will spawn new solutions nor shrinking the gap between the national and the global, between the citizen and the politician and between the individual and the collective. It is time to write more about how citizens can spawn, create and to cultivate ideas and solutions in order for governments to try and implement these solutions into a global problem solving scheme. <br /><br /><a href="http://ecoandethics.greenpress.com/">Eco and Ethics</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-12091116362242206512009-06-13T16:44:00.003+02:002009-06-13T16:58:01.737+02:00Ray Kurzweil Talks About Technological AdvancementRay Kurzweil's latest data shows that technological development will continue to accelerate even though we're currently in an economic recession. <br /><br />If we look at the graphs we can clearly see that the technological development has gone through periods of recession in the past, and we ought to continue developing information technologies etc. in order to spread fortwardthinking ideas and progressive technologies to mankind.<br /><br />In this TED talk, Kurzweil also unveils his new project, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Singularity University</span>, to study technology on the verge of breakthrough and find ways to <span style="font-style:italic;">share</span> this technology in order to benefit humanity.<br /><br />In the talk you will also be able to hear some remarks and thoughts about the environmental and global issues we all have to deal with in new updated ways. <br /><br />We need to <a href="http://werebuild.eu/">rebuild</a> the ethical environment, perspectives on problem solving and political attitudes.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ray Kurzweil is an engineer who has radically advanced the fields of speech, text, and audio technology. </span><br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/RayKurzweil_2009U-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/RayKurzweil-2009U.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=560" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/RayKurzweil_2009U-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/RayKurzweil-2009U.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=560"></embed></object>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-88879427687508425202009-05-29T12:46:00.003+02:002009-05-29T13:40:32.776+02:00Hans Rosling's Talks on TED<span style="font-weight:bold;">Have you seen Hans Rosling's talks on TED yet? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I encourage you to see these talks because they are already classics as well as very inspiring. They will challenge your preconceptions and your way of thinking about globalization, markets, economy and data. The first talk was filmed Feb 2006 and the second talk was filmed Mar 2007.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/hans_rosling.html">Hans Rosling</a> (b.1948 in Uppsala, Sweden) is Professor of International Health at <a href="http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp;jsessionid=aZL4Rj9vFA29ty0dmg?l=en&d=130">Karolinska Institutet</a> and Director of the <a href="http://www.gapminder.org/">Gapminder Foundation</a>, which developed the Trendalyzer software system. From 1967 to 1974 he studied statistics and medicine at Uppsala University, and in 1972 he studied public health at St John's Medical College, Bangalore. He became a licenced physician in 1976 and from 1979 to 1981 he served as District Medical Officer in Nacala in northern Mozambique.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Rosling">[]</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"You've never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, statistics guru Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called "developing world.""</span><br /><br /><object width="334" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/HansRosling_2006-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HansRosling-2006.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=320&vh=240&ap=0&ti=92" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="334" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/HansRosling_2006-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HansRosling-2006.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=320&vh=240&ap=0&ti=92"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Researcher Hans Rosling uses his cool data tools to show how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. He demos Dollar Street, comparing households of varying income levels worldwide. Then he does something really amazing."</span><br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/HansRosling_2007-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HansRosling-2007.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=140" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/HansRosling_2007-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HansRosling-2007.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=140"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Link:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.gapminder.org/">Gapminder.org</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-17425316504641522062009-05-19T09:04:00.001+02:002009-05-19T09:08:23.267+02:00The Skeptic's Handbook"Rise above the mud-slinging in the Global Warming<br />debate. Here are the strategies and tools you need<br />cut through the red-herrings and avoid the traps."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.heartland.org/books/PDFs/SkepticsHandbook.pdf">The Skeptic's Handbook</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-23888778314026419612009-04-08T21:58:00.001+02:002009-04-08T22:01:42.263+02:00Juan Enriquez: Why can't we grow new energy?<a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/juan_enriquez_wants_to_grow_energy.html">Juan Enriquez: Why can't we grow new energy?</a><br /><br />"Juan Enriquez challenges our definition of bioenergy. Oil, coal, gas and other hydrocarbons are not chemical but biological products, based on plant matter -- and thus, growable. Our whole approach to fuel, he argues, needs to change."<br /><br />"Juan Enriquez thinks and writes about the profound changes that genomics and other life sciences will cause in business, technology, politics and society. <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/juan_enriquez.html">Full bio and more links</a>"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED: Ideas worth spreading</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-13195099503959189112009-04-08T18:16:00.002+02:002009-04-08T18:32:35.862+02:00Is Climate Alarmism A Threat?I've done a lengthy blog post on a report from the swedish think tank <a href="http://www.timbro.se">Timbro</a>, about the climate debate as a potential environmental threat. If you know some swedish then you can read about it <a href="http://danielrisberg.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/ar-klimatdebatten-ett-miljohot/">here</a>.<br /><br />If you are interested in knowing more about this report, then contact Timbro by going to their <a href="http://www.timbro.se/innehall/?omr=180">site</a>.<br /><br />The report from Holdstock and Poirier Martinsson does bring up a connection between the reports from a governmental institution working with environmental goals, and the swedish media. <br /><br />H & PM show that the reports have become more centralised in favouring the climate goal, thus pushing the other environmental goals away from the agenda.<br /><br />H & PM bring up a lot of interesting data and connections which makes me think that this is a real phenomenon. However, they only mention the possibility that media reports and their climate alarmism can be a threat to the environment. They do not really link anything substantial to this claim.<br /><br />Nevertheless, this report is rather interesting since the results show that the media have been favouring certain kinds of reports rather than others.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-19010354675882121032009-03-19T15:24:00.003+01:002009-03-19T15:55:50.637+01:00Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus On "Global Warming Alarmism"The Czech Republic President <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaclav_Klaus">Vaclav Klaus</a>, who holds the European Union presidency at the moment, condems "global warming alarmism" in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk0hl4lffDU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F%3Fhl%3Dsv%26tab%3Dwy&feature=player_embedded">a recent speech</a>.<br /><br />The "alarmists" are not concerned about environmental micro management and they do not have an acceptable view concerning risks. They are infact misusing climate change information in their quest to expand the role of government. <br /><br />In other words, they are using climate crisis as a scapegoat to expand profits and the role of government. This is a very negative attitude and citizens lose their sense of knowing which threats are worth fighting and which risks that should be taken seriously - both locally and globally.<br /><br />We <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> allowed to doubt views that are taken for granted in the name of science. Doubt and skepticism is also science and should be taken seriously. If <span style="font-style:italic;">all</span> views are allowed within a scientific community, then different views will in time, come to dissolve themselves. Stupid or unpredictable research or hypothetical frameworks, will over time, fall apart and shift towards a new paradigm. However, we have to <span style="font-style:italic;">allow</span> theoretical and hypotetical frameworks that are against the current paradigm.<br /><br />All scientific facts are always already packaged interpretations, which come from interpretation of scientific data and imagined models.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-7987038292339929662009-02-22T22:03:00.003+01:002009-02-22T23:26:52.668+01:00Swedish Toxicologist On Environmental Frenzy<span style="font-weight:bold;">Swedish toxicologist professor Robert Nilsson at Stockholm University</span> had an article in today's <a href="http://www.dn.se/opinion/debatt/stoppa-den-svenska-miljoextremismen-1.804494">DN</a> about the environmental frenzy. His concern is directed towards the fact that swedish governmental insitutions lack the general insights as to what real threats against our environment are.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What is a real environmental threat anyway?</span> Environmental extremism or fundamentalism can really cloud our judgements as to what is a real threat and we cannot really trust our governmental institutions in these matters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">If you want to know more about radiation, particles in the air and other toxic related stuff, then you have to gather information from several sources.</span> <br /><br />I for one do not really know if all the particles, data and transmissions in the air is hazardous or not. I have no way of knowing this without looking at scientific facts or trying to sense how I am feeling. <span style="font-weight:bold;">I will not entirely trust any external sources in these matters nor will I force my beliefs onto someone else, but I cannot go and hide from all the dangerous stuff either; I will not avoid the debates and discussions concerning these matters.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The institutions rely on different kinds of labelling and categorization.</span> The climate friendly, ecological and the environmental friendly have gone from being serious concepts, to becoming static clusters of non-meaning with economic and political connotations. <br /><br />When I hear these concepts in the media or in politics they feel so dated and stagnated. I still buy a lot of ecological stuff when i buy food and I like to have that option, however, <span style="font-weight:bold;">politicians use our awareness and our fear in order to change and manipulate us, as well as the politics and our society as a whole.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Even though there are real threats, politicians tend to make us believe that everything is a threat.</span> There is a sort of notion in swedish politics that citizens are stupid and cannot know what is good for our society and our environment. The political situation is even worse when intellectuals and scientists are not allowed to have different opinions on these concepts and about the so called threats.<br /><br />The politics as well the different opinions and 'facts' are shoved down our throats and we are not allowed to have different opinions because different opinions can be 'dangerous'. That is the worst possible climate for an intellectual debate and a serious perspective on science. This is proof of a poor insight as to what type of threats we have to address first.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">We cannot shut down our socio-economical structures and industries when we are going to battle climate change.</span> We have to embrace all possibilities, technologies as well as be highly progressive. One has to realize that the world's climate is changing over time and that we cannot blame everything on mankind. The earth has always had different time periods of climate change. <br /><br />We cannot just neglect or reject all the research on our sun, the oceans as well as our air when we are looking into what is 'causing' this.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I presume that cause & effect in this matter is more complex than what politicians are willing to admit or even understand.</span> The one thing that I am concerned about is that people are excluded from the general media as well as debates simply because they have different opinions from the given facts handed down by <span style="font-weight:bold;">the European Parliament</span> as well as <span style="font-weight:bold;">the swedish government</span>. <br /><br />What about Nilsson then? What does he think? Well, he blames the ignorant and clueless politicians of course. He also points our that we have gotten worse products since the alarmism started and that these concepts have weakened our economy. <br /><br />Has anyone noticed how quiet all environmentalists became after the recent economic recession?Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-78652442984717688022009-01-31T15:18:00.002+01:002009-01-31T15:25:17.310+01:00PoetryI have not yet found any interesting thing to write about during '09, however, I am sure that I will have something to write about soon. I have been writing more for one of my other blogs and I have been neglecting <span style="font-weight:bold;">Eco & Ethics</span>.<br /><br />I just posted a text in swedish about forests and assemblages on my other blog, but I thought that I could post parts of it here as well. This is a poem by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Berry">Wendell Berry</a> on the topic of planting trees:<br /><br /><blockquote> <span style="font-style:italic;">Planting trees<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> av Wendell Berry<br /><br /> In the mating of trees,<br /> the pollen grain entering invisible<br /> the domed room of the winds, survives<br /> the ghost of the old forest<br /> that stood here when we came. The ground<br /> invites it, and it will not be gone.<br /> I become the familiar of that ghost<br /> and its ally, carrying in a bucket<br /> twenty trees smaller than weeds,<br /> and I plant them along the way<br /> of the departure of the ancient host.<br /> I return to the ground its original music.<br /> It will rise out of the horizon<br /> of the grass, and over the heads<br /> of the weeds, and it will rise over<br /> the horizon of men’s heads. As I age<br /> in the world it will rise and spread,<br /> and be for this place horizon<br /> and orison, the voice of the winds.<br /> I have made myself a dream to dream<br /> of its rising, that has gentled my nights.<br /> Let me desire and wish well the life<br /> these trees may live when I<br /> no longer rise in the mornings<br /> to be pleased by the green of them<br /> shining, and their shadows on the ground,<br /> and the sound of the wind in them.</blockquote>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-38154659257062962712008-12-17T16:43:00.003+01:002008-12-17T17:25:52.303+01:00European Parliament seals climate change packageNow I can understand why the <a href="http://eco-and-ethics.blogspot.com/2008/12/unpublished-article-on-climate.html">20 swedish researchers in various fields have had a hard time publishing their article</a> today.<br /><br />The European Parliament are as of today backing <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-44858-350-12-51-911-20081216IPR44857-15-12-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm">EU's new climate change package</a> which is meant to enable that the EU will live up to its climate targets by <span style="font-weight:bold;">2020</span>: <br /><br /><blockquote>"<span style="font-weight:bold;">a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, and a 20% share for renewables in the EU energy mix.</span>"</blockquote><br /><br />Looks good on paper but, isn't this rather <span style="font-weight:bold;">unrealistic</span>?<br /><br />A majority of the parliament voted <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">for</span></span> this package, however, <span style="font-weight:bold;">some swedish politicians are critical</span> concerning the fact that the percentage of the greenhouse gas emission reductions are going to be greater <span style="font-weight:bold;">"outside"</span> the European Union, than <span style="font-weight:bold;">"inside"</span>. <br /><br />Bear in mind that a lot of the economic heavyweights within the European Union are responsible for a lot of industrial emissions. Backing a package like this should mean that the restrictions and regressive actions should concern the European Union and solely members of this political and economical construct.<br /><br />The parliament are thereby favouring a proposition that means that other countries outside the European Union will be affected more than countries within the European Union itself. This means that poorly developed countries are threatened to reduce their emissions, leading to industrial regression rather than economical progression.<br /><br />The package also includes new restrictions for automobile emissions. However, these restrictions are <span style="font-weight:bold;">less restricting</span> than the guidelines prior to the climate package. They are actually backing something that is <span style="font-weight:bold;">more fair</span> than before. We might see an increase of emissions caused by automobile industry due to this package! It is not that unlikely.<br /><br />Politicians are <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">saying</span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> something, but in reality they are <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">doing</span></span> something completely foreign as to what they are telling us.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-1250331788777956852008-12-17T12:56:00.004+01:002008-12-17T13:31:14.538+01:00An Unpublished Article On The Climate<a href="http://henrikalexandersson.blogspot.com/2008/12/klimatartikeln-som-aldrig-blev.html">20 swedish researchers in various fields have had a hard time getting published recently</a>. Why? you may ask. <br /><br />Well, they have written about the research on the climate crisis and climate change as something that, generally speaking, has been ignoring all other possible explanations on what causes the "global warming". <br /><br />There is a general consensus favouring of the carbon emissions thesis. Let me remind you that it is the thesis that has its own fabricated market with carbon "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset">offsets</a>". Moreover, it seems as if the computer generated models of the calculated effects of carbon emissions is a bigger problem than what the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPCC">IPCC</a> wants to admit or acknowledge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Perhaps the research community has to go back reading their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Samuel_Kuhn">Kuhn</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Popper">Popper</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Feyerabend">Feyerabend</a>, because if the general consensus is out to silence parts of a scientific community, then it's simply bad for science and the truth. </span><br /><br />If you are a scrutinizing researcher, then you know that it is dangerous to let a single consensus cloud your judgement.<br /><br />These professors have spent a lifetime researching about geography, mathematics, communications theory, geo science, physics, chemistry, oceanography etc. and the media does not want to publish a perfectly reasonable article demanding science to look in all directions for answers. That gives us an idea <span style="font-weight:bold;">how easily ideas can be told, spread and upheld in our society. </span><br /><br />A question that arises in my head is: what if peak-oil is a myth as well? The leading governments are treating is as a myth, for if they were to be serious about this then a lot more restrictions on production and the automobile industry would be enforced. The leading politicians are <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">saying</span></span> something about having to cut back on production and progression, but if they are serious they would be <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">doing</span></span> a lot more about it, such as legislating cut backs.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-51441487810130130882008-12-17T11:36:00.002+01:002008-12-17T11:41:53.418+01:00The Kyoto Protocol And The Fabricated Market In Carbon<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-kyoto-is-worthless-and-you-dont-have-to-be-a-sceptic-to-believe-that-now-1058032.html">Dominic Lawson: Kyoto is worthless (and you don't have to be a sceptic to believe that now)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><blockquote>"The truth, however, is that Kyoto, as a means to reduce carbon emissions, has been like Monty Python's parrot, long dead, despite all the protestations to the contrary by its salesmen."</blockquote></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><blockquote>"This fabricated market in carbon has at its heart the UN's Clean Development Mechanism. This is how the EU, which had an obligation under Kyoto to reduce its emissions by two per cent by 2012, has managed to claim success while actually increasing its emissions by 13 per cent. By purchasing so called "offsets" from countries such as China, Britain, for example, proclaims itself a "leader in the fight against climate change"."</blockquote></span>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-90973806142068851362008-12-16T13:42:00.004+01:002008-12-16T14:24:04.888+01:00A New Industrial Revolution?The American biologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Venter">Craig Venter</a>, who's been trying to create the first artificial living creature, have started researching on small organisms. I read it in a <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2009/2008/12/the_next_industrial_revolution.cfm">post</a> on <a href="http://www.economist.com/">The Economist</a>'s "<a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2009/">The World in 2009</a>" blog. <br /><br />He has been working with a bacterium called <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium">mycoplasma laboratorium</a></span></span> and will apparently be a bacterium stiched together in a lab and contained by a natural bacterium. According to Venter himself, he thinks that he will succeed during 2009. Venter also claims in an <a href="http://audiovideo.economist.com/?fr_story=2912c8b34ce67b2e5be82bb2de2f24063340e380&rf=bm">interview</a>, that it could be the start of <span style="font-weight:bold;">"a new industrial revolution"</span>. Is this evidence of a forthcoming shift from chemistry to biology driven industries? <br /><br />For instance, biology might be the future when it comes to creation of new fuel sources. Moreover, Venter has made a bold statement that his research team has discovered some sort of components that are <span style="font-weight:bold;">"far better than any science-fiction scenario that anybody could imagine."</span><br /><br />I will try and let you know if I see anything more in this matter. As for now, be sure to have a look at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Venter">the wiki article on Craig Venter</a> as well as the wiki on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_laboratorium">mycoplasma laboratorium</a>.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-72609951847914477162008-12-15T15:31:00.002+01:002008-12-15T16:17:45.680+01:00Preservatives & AdditivesIn a recent <a href="http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=572&a=863430&rss=1399">article in DN</a>, Marie-Louise Danielsson-Tham declared that we ought to keep certain additives and preservatives in our provisions. Her arguments are that people simply don't understand why certain additives and preservatives are used and that if we were to remove some of these substances, then there would be an increased risk of dying from eating sausages and other meats. <br /><br />The debate ought to be more transparent, instead of complaining about the consumer's ignorance, nutritionists need to educate us on what these foreign substances do to our provisions, how they effect us and what would happen if we were to remove certain substances. Thus acknowledging the chemical "grey zones" and teach us about different perspectives on substances and provisions.<br /><br />Perhaps we ought to eat less meat, or no meat at all? And how do we really now whether or not a substance makes us addicted or not? Danielsson-Tham's condescending manner is not something that other so called experts ought to apply when debating. Her tone and rehtoric do not impress me at all.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-67403331743546508482008-11-30T14:50:00.004+01:002008-11-30T22:16:38.145+01:00WWF Report On BiofuelThe WWF has published a new report on biofuel. You can find it <a href="http://www.wwf.se/source.php?id=1202991">here</a>. [SWE]<br /><br />The general consensus is that biofuels cannot replace oil in the long term. The production of biofuel will, if increased, threaten nature and increase the possibility of explotation in countries which have the right type of environment.<br /><br />There are good and negative aspects when considering the production of biofuels. We cannot simply use biofuels per se as a means of lowering the need for oil as well as reducing the climate gases.<br /><br />The risks will increase alongside the increase of production. And the lesser nations will essentially be exploited by the more influential nations and corporations. When the market turns lucrative (I'm not critiquing the market itself), the production will affect food prices, cause more illegal forest explotation, destroy rainforests, damage soil from using fertilizers etc. People and local farmers will be driven away due to the expansion of the big corporations wanting to seige market and land as their own. How will the increased production affect the water? It will most likely become more polluted unless someone starts to financially support the need for improved water treatment plants.<br /><br />The report also raises the question about how important certifications are. They are important, but they also require restrictions and a lot of money. Certifications will mostly benefit the ones who have the funds to maintain them. Certifications are not in themselves enough to make a difference.<br /><br />The discussion about biofuels have been another binary affair. Those who are against it only seem to discuss the negative aspects and those who are for biofuels only see the pros. Why not flip these views in favour of a dialectic affair? Let the supporting forces disccuss the cons and the ones who are negative about it can discuss the pros. What a totally unrealistic suggestion, but still, it would benefit the general debate.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.alltommotor.se/artiklar/kronikor/biobransle-ar-bara-en-kortsiktig-losning-1.6442">Lasse Svärd @ DN recognizes that</a>, even though the WWF are biased, that the report is somewhat balanced. <br /><br />The report also features recommendations on what different countries, corporations and governmental structures (such as the European Union) ought to do in this matter. <br /><br />Key words:<br /><br />Certifications<br />Biofuels<br />Threats<br />Recommendation<br />Forests<br />Corporations<br />InvestmentsSpectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-69073600173710366652008-11-20T19:51:00.004+01:002008-11-20T20:16:36.325+01:00Another Post From HAX Concerning Climate & TechnologyThe blogger <a href="http://henrikalexandersson.blogspot.com/">HAX</a> has posted yet another <a href="http://henrikalexandersson.blogspot.com/2008/11/klimatet-igen.html">thoughtful and provoking post</a> about the myth-like claim that our societies should start dismantling our industries in order to save our environment. <br /><br />HAX raises some very good points here. Why should we dismantle our very means that enable technological breakthroughs? The same <a href="http://eco-and-ethics.blogspot.com/2008/11/wired-article-years-2007-10-craziest.html">breakthroughs</a> will help us either solve the problem (if we really are doomed unless we act) or enhance things like: energy conservation, environmental friendly products and recycling- and cleaning management.<br /><br /><a href="http://eco-and-ethics.blogspot.com/2008/11/combating-climate-change.html">It is hard to think outside of the box</a>, but the breakthroughs will come to those that dare to do it.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-71698421472597683622008-11-20T18:41:00.007+01:002008-11-20T21:25:34.480+01:00Greenpeace Tagged City Hall In Stockholm<a href="http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1298&a=854159">Greenpeace tagged City Hall in Stockholm</a> earlier today with a political statement against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMO">GMO</a>. With the help of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_projector">projector</a> (or some other digital device), their 'throwup' covered (what I think was) the tower's west wall, thus made the building their canvas and the city became a serene and dynamic backdrop to their message. Their message was white and said <span style="font-weight:bold;">"Keep our food safe - Stop GMOs"</span> signed with the <a href="http://www.iphoneworld.ca/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/greenpeace_logo_0710.jpg">Greenpeace logo</a>. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Perhaps they should have written "Keep mankind safe" instead.</span><br /><br />Sweden's government ought to look into GMO and really sit down and contemplate about this (along with a lot of problems on the agenda). I've come to realize that our government (politicians I mean) have made some terrible decisions recently, decisions that will lead to consequences; consequences which will radically alter our society over time and reshape the foundations of our society as we know it. <br /><br />I feel that politicians have been <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lobotomized"><span style="font-weight:bold;">lobotomized</span></a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopimi#Kopimi">kopimi</a>) to vote for or against certain legislations due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying">fierce lobbying</a>. The larger corporations have the economical means, manpower, lawyers and cunning to silence concerned people and to trick politicians into choosing sides with the economic heavy weights. More recently people in Sweden have been really concerned about laws such as "<a href="http://stoppafralagen.nu/">FRA</a>", as well as another directive our government wants to implement: namely <a href="http://www.stoppaipred.nu/">IPRED</a>. The government and our democratically elected politicians have more or less ignored large parts of the swedish people in these issues. Will they neglect information about GMO as well?<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activism">Activism</a> come in many forms, however, guerilla projects with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_projector">projectors</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_Throwies">led-throwies</a>, <a href="http://graffitiresearchlab.com/?page_id=76#video">laser tagging</a> and other ways of using light, is not a new phenomenon. For more info on what is possible to do with current technologies you should check out <a href="http://graffitiresearchlab.com/">Graffiti Research Lab</a>.<br /><br />As for GMO, do you want to see all organisms being claimed by shady conglomerates? Do you acknowledge that large corporations hypothetically will be able to buy all the legal rights and means/control for all the organisms (like fruits, vegetables etc.) that we'll eat in the future? <br /><br />For more info about related topics see:<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_jamming">Culture Jamming</a> & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacktivism">Hacktivism</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://knuff.se/q/FRA">FRA</a><br /><a href="http://knuff.se/q/IPRED">IPRED</a><br /><a href="http://knuff.se/q/lissabonf%F6rdraget">Lissabonfördraget</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-82145147955596919522008-11-18T14:33:00.005+01:002008-11-20T22:37:07.037+01:00Global Temperatures Lower Than Expected In October?<a href="http://henrikalexandersson.blogspot.com/">HAX</a> posts yet another interesting little write up on global temperatures. If you read swedish you can find it <a href="http://henrikalexandersson.blogspot.com/2008/11/bistra-tider-fr-klimatalarmismen.html">here</a>.<br /><br />A lot of people are concerned about the status of our planet. However, it seems as if these concerns of ours raise a lot political motifs besides caring about out planet.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-50634692583304581812008-11-13T20:32:00.004+01:002008-11-20T20:12:01.421+01:00Another Perspective On Global WarmingThe danish researcher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Svensmark">Henrik Svensmark</a> has an alternate view on the problem of global warming. Check out the documentary <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1qGOUIRac0">here</a>.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-28156176940024981452008-11-12T16:48:00.003+01:002008-11-20T22:37:39.758+01:00Fight Against Monsanto's Marketing Practices<blockquote>With their fight against Monsanto's abusive marketing practices, Percy and Louise Schmeiser have given the world a wake-up call about the dangers to farmers and biodiversity everywhere from the growing dominance and market aggression of companies engaged in the genetic engineering of crops.</blockquote><br /><br /><a href="http://www.rightlivelihood.org/schmeiser.html">Percy and Louise Schmeiser</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-31607251948825182872008-11-06T22:23:00.004+01:002008-11-06T23:28:15.550+01:00Barack Hussein Obama - Difficult Actions Await You Sir<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aclu">The American Civil Liberties Union</a> (<span style="font-weight: bold;">ACLU</span>) have compiled a <span style="font-weight: bold;">massive list</span> on <a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/">Actions For Restoring America</a>.<br /><br />After eight years in office, Bush is the least popular president ever. By far. This is due to obvious actions such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_terror">the war on terror</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_War">the war in Iraq</a> as well as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_%282001%E2%80%93present%29">the war in Afghanistan</a>. Most importantly, it is due to the fact that the United States of American came together as a nation in the wrong way. They should have tried to reflect on what had happened and on their own actions in the world. This did not stop and ask themselves why there are people out there who hate their politics and ideals. As this isn't enough, the United States as <span style="font-weight:bold;">FAILED CONSIDERABLY</span> in nurturing their own economy and country:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Major economic concerns in the U.S. include national debt, external debt, entitlement liabilities for retiring baby boomers who have already begun withdrawing from their Social Security accounts, corporate debt, mortgage debt, a low savings rate, falling house prices, a falling currency, and a large current account deficit. As of June 2008, the gross U.S. external debt was over $13 trillion,the most external debt of all countries in the world. The 2007 estimate of the United States public debt was 65% of GDP. As of October 1, 2008, the total U.S. federal debt exceeded $10 trillion, about $31,700 per capita. Including unfunded Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare, and similar promised obligations, the government liabilities rise to a total of $59.1 trillion, or $516,348 per household</span></blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You should take this information from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_economy">Wikipedia</a> with a pinch of salt rather than truth. However, these tendencies are real and should be dealt with.</span><br /><br />After <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11">9/11</a>, there was no contemplation at all. Instead of looking forward and reevaluate their position + attitude towards the rest of the world, the administration went conservative and chose the aggressive perspective down a path oozing from conservatism and religious norm. Other countries had to be either on their side or against them. This rhetoric and thinking is stale and outdated, they should have been self critical. They should have let their laws and human rights do its job.<br /><br />A lot of people wanted Barack Obama to become president. Obama is the right choice right now. But will he govern as he preaches? Will he live up to the world's expectations? Will he turn out to be a puppet - A hawk like the rough republicans? Or will he pave the way for a new America, a new America which says NO to <a href="http://www.capitalismandschizophrenia.org/index.php/Panspectrocism">enhanced control of society</a> and NO to an increased influence from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbyists">lobbyists</a>?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">On the agenda for the forthcoming president of the United States:</span><br /><br /><div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436165">Stop Torture and Abuse</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436166">Close Guantanamo and Restore the Rule of Law for Detainees</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436167">End and Prohibit the Practice of Extraordinary Rendition</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436169">Warrantless spying.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436170">Watch lists.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436171">Freedom of Information - Ashcroft Doctrine.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436172">Monitoring of activists.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436173">DOJ's Civil Rights Division.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436174">Real ID Act.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436175">Abortion gag rule.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436176">Ban all workplace discrimination against sexual minorities by the federal government and its contractors.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436177"> Death penalty.</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436178">"Faith-based initiatives."</a></div><div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436180">Torture and Abuse</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436181">Guantanamo</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436182">Extraordinary Rendition</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436183">Spying on Americans</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436184">Monitoring of activists</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436185">Real ID Act</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436186">Watch lists</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436187">Financial watch lists</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436188">Employee databases</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436189">Secure Flight</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436190">Harmonize privacy rules</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436191">Civil Liberties Oversight Board</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436192">DNA databases</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436193">Freedom of Information</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436194">FOIA ombudsman</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436195">Scientific freedom</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436196">Signing statements</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436197">Presidential documents</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436198">Federal websites</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436199">DOJ politicization</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436200">Overclassification</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436201">Death penalty</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436202">Human rights treaties</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436203">Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436204">'Special Administrative Measures' for prisoners</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436205">Prisoner communications</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436206">Crack/Powder Sentencing</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436207">Medical marijuana</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436208">Discrimination against sexual minorities with federal dollars</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436209">The Civil Rights Division</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436210">Other Agencies' Civil Rights Enforcement</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436211">Federal Racial Profiling</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436212">Affirmative action</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436213">Rights of the disabled</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436214">School harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436215">Benefit plans covering domestic partners</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436216">Same-sex couples under Medicaid</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436217">Discrimination against sexual minorities in adoption and foster care</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436218">Discrimination By the Federal Government and Federal Contractors Against People with HIV</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436219">Political protest</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436220">Media Consolidation</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436221">Network neutrality</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436222">Online censorship of soldiers</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436223">Fleeting expletives</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436224">World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436225">The faith-based initiative</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436226">Broaden the mandate of the Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436228">Local immigration enforcement</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436229">Immigration raids</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436230">ID theft prosecutions</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436231">Deportation to nations that torture</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436232">Detention standards</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436233">Expedited removal</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436234">Board of Immigration Appeals</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436235">Single-sex education</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436236">Fair housing for domestic violence victims</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436237">Discrimination remedies</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436238">Home health care workers</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436239">Global gag rule on abortion</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436240">Abortion restrictions</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436241">Emergency contraceptives</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436242">Regulations on birth control and religious refusals</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436243">Abortion clinic violence</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436244">Affordable birth control</a></div> <div id="toolsItem" style="margin-left: 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://www.aclu.com/transition/#_Toc212436245">The shackling of pregnant prisoners</a></div><br />By the way, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony">I think he will find the time to save the global environment during his first year...</a><br /><br />Other links:<br /><br />CNN - <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/06/obama.priorities/index.html">Obama's First Priority: Fixing The Economy</a><br />Economist - <a href="http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?source=hptextfeature&story_id=12562373">America's election: Great Expectations</a><br />NY Times - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06elect.html?_r=1&oref=slogin"><span style="font-size:100%;">For Obama, No Time to Bask in Victory As He Starts to Build a Transition Team</span></a><br />The Wall Street Journal - <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593428295403711.html">Difficult Choices Await New President</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-21953380770362321012008-11-06T21:48:00.002+01:002008-11-06T22:07:42.840+01:00Correction Concerning The Article On GMOI was sloppy (or tired?) when I wrote the about <a href="http://eco-and-ethics.blogspot.com/2008/11/gmo.html">GMO</a>. and did not post the correct information about who wrote the <a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/debatt-om-gmo-i-goteborgs-fria-tidning/">article I referred to </a>. The article was written by both Maria Hagberg AND <a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/">Jimmy Sand</a>. Jimmy writes a lot about problems and issues concerning culture, philosophy, society and politics. If you read swedish then you should check out his blog "<a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/">Strötankar och sentenser</a>". <br /><br />If he writes something else about GMO or eco related stuff in the future, then I'll post about it.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-77193246059089070312008-11-04T00:05:00.002+01:002008-11-04T00:36:23.497+01:00U.S. ElectionsJohn McCain or Barack Obama? We will know the outcome during the forthcoming week. Who will be the one to lead a nation in crisis? The United States is facing a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recession">recession</a> and the financial crisis is far from over. Will <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_terror">the war on terror</a> come to an end over the next four years?<br /><br />The United States is facing a probable bankruptcy due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_reserve">Federal Reserve</a> with their dodgy ways, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid">medicaid</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_(United_States)">medicare</a> among other highly complex and large economic and sociocultural sequences. This is taken from <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12516666">an article</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_economist">The Economist</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Abroad a greater task is already evident: welding the new emerging powers to the West. That is not just a matter of <span style="font-weight:bold;">handling the rise of India and China, drawing them into global efforts, such as curbs on climate change; it means reselling economic and political freedom to a world that too quickly associates American capitalism with Lehman Brothers and American justice with Guantánamo Bay.</span> This will take patience, fortitude, salesmanship and strategy.</blockquote><br /><br />I am highly sceptical that these 'problems' will be solved unless radical changes were to be made within economics, sociolinguistics, politicals, foreign/national relations, academics and education. However, <span style="font-weight:bold;">not changes within systems</span> but <span style="font-weight:bold;">changes concerning how people alter or 'hack' complex processes</span>. The US citizens will have to say no to a society based on control by <span style="font-weight:bold;">doing something about it</span>. <br /><br />The world awaits an answer to this question...Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-87712237603261019872008-11-03T22:28:00.006+01:002008-11-20T20:13:20.061+01:00GMOI recently posted an article related to GMO, highlighting the book <a href="http://www.google.se/search?hl=sv&q=Tomorrow%27s+Table+Organic+Farming%2C+Genetics%2C+and+the+Future+of+Food&btnG=Google-s%C3%B6kning&meta="><span style="font-style: italic;">Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food</span></a> by Pamela Ronald, Raoul Admachak published in april 2008.<br /><br />I have come across an <a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/debatt-om-gmo-i-goteborgs-fria-tidning/">article</a> in swedish with the same controversial outlook as the one which I was focusing on. This stance creates a new perspective and critiques the methodological approach within the eco community and its scepticism against GMO. The article is written by Maria Hagberg from the political party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_Initiative_%28Sweden%29">Feminist Initiative</a> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(EDIT: AND </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/om-mig/">Jimmy Sand</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">).</span><br /><br />Even though the argumentation and rhetoric is based on binary oppositions and choices, one still gets to confront the idea that GMO isn't 'bad' or 'evil' <span style="font-style: italic;">per se</span>. She mentions the problem with large corporations and their profitable market approach through investment in chemicals - they are deliberatly blocking positive advancements of the eco community and even GMO. Other problems that are mentioned includes: the issues of patents, 'third-world countries' with their needs, as well as ethics & trading. Be sure to read the criticism from Kathleen McCaughey, GMO-spoke sperson @ <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/sweden/">Greenpeace</a> and Lars Igeland of <a href="http://www.mjv.se/">Miljöförbundet Jordens Vänner</a>. The chemical market and the GMO market <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto">seem to be intertwined</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>The Monsanto Company is an American multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed as "Roundup". Monsanto is also by far the leading producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed, holding 70%–100% market share for various crops. Agracetus, owned by Monsanto, exclusively produces Roundup Ready soybean seed for the commercial market. In March 2005, it finalized the purchase of Seminis Inc, making it also the largest conventional seed company in the world. It has over 18,800 employees worldwide, and an annual revenue of USD$8.563 billion reported for 2007</blockquote><br />Oh the problem of patents... <a href="http://www.piratpartiet.se/">haven't we heard this before?</a>. This problem has to be addressed and not looked down upon! Have a look at this <a href="http://www.piratpartiet.se/international/english">Pirate Party</a> related text on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent">the patent system</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">An abolished patent system</span><br /><br />Pharmaceutical patents kill people in third world countries every day. They hamper possibly life saving research by forcing scientists to lock up their findings pending patent application, instead of sharing them with the rest of the scientific community. The latest example of this is the bird flu virus, where not even the threat of a global pandemic can make research institutions forgo their chance to make a killing on patents.<br /><br />The Pirate Party has a constructive and reasoned proposal for an alternative to pharmaceutical patents. It would not only solve these problems, but also give more money to pharmaceutical research, while still cutting public spending on medicines in half. This is something we would like to discuss on a European level.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Patents in other areas range from the morally repulsive (like patents on living organisms)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span> through the seriously harmful (patents on software and business methods) to the merely pointless (patents in the mature manufacturing industries).<br /><br />Europe has all to gain and nothing to lose by abolishing patents outright. If we lead, the rest of the world will eventually follow.</blockquote><br /><br />Moreover, Later on in the article Greenpeace seems to be positive about the technology of genetics but still criticizing the 'unnatural' GMO.<br /><br /><a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/debatt-om-gmo-i-goteborgs-fria-tidning/">"The debate on GMO"</a> was published in <a href="http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6teborgs_Fria_Tidning">Göteborgs Fria Tidning</a> (which aims to be non-profitable and free from ads) and can be read (Swedish) at <a href="http://jimpan.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/debatt-om-gmo-i-goteborgs-fria-tidning/">Jimpan's blog</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goteborgsfria.nu/">Göteborgs Fria Tidning</a>Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31297879.post-80949036975821942782008-11-03T17:27:00.004+01:002008-11-03T21:55:13.277+01:00Combating Climate ChangeScience and sci-fi come together in the most radical forms when scientists want to hack and modify the earh's environment on a large scale.<br /><br />I read another article from <a href="http://www.wired.com">Wired</a>, this time about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoengineering">geoengineering</a>, which Wired describes as:<br /><br /><blockquote>the large-scale, deliberate modification of the planet to counteract the consequences of ever-increasing concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gas.</blockquote> <br /><br />The article is called <a href="http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-07/ff_geoengineering">Can a Million Tons of Sulfur Dioxide Combat Climate Change?</a> and it's from 2007.Spectrazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11807626099128379497noreply@blogger.com0