Clean Energy Centers Growing Worldwide, Not in U.S.

Clean Energy Centers Growing Worldwide, Not in U.S.

The US could be a leader in innovative new energy development and technology, resulting in new jobs and cleaner energy, but instead the USA is losing it's leadership and other countries are forging ahead. We will be the losers and end up purchasing the techology from other that we could have developed and sold. It's a shame. We ought to be in the forefront, especially as one of the primary users of energy. 

Click on the above title to read more about this.

Tapping cell phones | Spyware | Mobile Phones | Spy Software - WTHR |

Tapping cell phones | Spyware | Mobile Phones | Spy Software - WTHR |

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This is scary stuff. Protect yourself. Don't leave your phone lying around unattended, for one thing.

Overrated Optimism: The Peril of Positive Thinking

Overrated Optimism: The Peril of Positive Thinking

Like so many other psychological fads, overdoing positive thinking can lead to terrible results when we dump realism for unbridled optimism. this Barbara Ehrenreich piece is worth reading and thinking about.

As someone who was once accused of being negative on the job because I insisted on being realistic, I know how it feels to be pounced upon for looking at a situation with clear-eyed realism instead of unjustified enthusiasm.

Sometimes optimism and good cheer is wonderful; sometimes it's invaluable. And sometimes it's a trap.

For Those of You on Your Way to Church This Morning ...a note from Michael Moore | MichaelMoore.com

For Those of You on Your Way to Church This Morning ...a note from Michael Moore | MichaelMoore.com

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Michael Moore's essay is well worth reading and pondering. It echoes thoughts I have had for a long time. I wonder often how some of our people can profess to be Christians, not just because of greed and selfishness, but because of the way they look down on those who have less. We should be ashamed.

Asteroid attack: Putting Earth's defences to the test - space - 23 September 2009 - New Scientist

Asteroid attack: Putting Earth's defences to the test - space - 23 September 2009 - New Scientist

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This article in New Scientist is mind-jarring. Until I saw Peter Garretson's (mentioned in this article as leading a Pentagon exercise to evaluate response capabilties) briefing a couple of years ago, I thought the possibility of an asteroid or large meteor striking earth and doing serious damage was primarily science fiction despite the fact that I had known about Meteor Crater in Arizona since I was a child.

There's not much use going around our daily lives panicked about the possibility of being wiped out by an asteroid collision, but we are foolish if we don't at least make what plans we can to minimize death, and look to the future for both notification of these "near earth objects" and what we might do to protect ourselves.

Asteroid Attack: Putting Earth's Defenses to the Test

It's not just science fiction. Excellent video that accompanies the article above.

Debtors Revolt Publicity Pays Off for Ann Minch

Debtors Revolt Publicity Pays Off for Ann Minch

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Credit cards ought to be called by their right name: LOAN cards or DEBT cards. That's what we are really doing when we use them, taking out a loan and increasing our debt, but can you even imagine agreeing to a car loan at 25% interest? How about a home loan? NO WAY. But somehow, we are foolish enough to "agree" to interest rates like that on credit cards. Just using them means we "agree."

I pay off my balances every month. Never late. But today I got a letter from one of my card banks saying they were raising the interest rate on that card to over 25%. Imagine what that would mean if I didn't pay it off monthly. At even simple interest, a $100 item costs over $125 with a year's interest. Someone who runs a balance of $1000 is paying over $250 EXTRA for whatever they bought. Think what that extra $250 could buy you if you weren't paying it!

The banks are rushing to raise credit card interest rates as fast as they can before the new laws go into effect. They shot themselves in the proverbial feet by not only extending but PUSHING credit to people who could little afford it and who would be tempted to buy things they couldn't pay off, and now when they get a lot of defaults, the rest of us are paying for it.

I'm for this woman's revolt. DON'T PAY their exorbitant interest. If you use credit cards, use them wisely and pay them off monthly. If you can't pay them off, at least minimize the amount on the card and look for one that isn't charging you usurious rates. Where to find good information about better cards? Here's a reputable site that can help, and also has a lot of other excellent financial information:

bankrate.com

Jesus H. Christ cancels Healing Insurance for the poor

Jesus H. Christ cancels Healing Insurance for the poor

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Federal appeals court to decide suit over wounded veterans -- latimes.com

Federal appeals court to decide suit over wounded veterans -- latimes.com

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It's pathetic that our wounded and sick veterans have to resort to a lawsuit to try to get the VA to process their claims and needs in a reasonably timely fashion, but as the judge says, he can't make that happen. The injuries and other service-connected health problems that are forced upon the members of our military services are one of the consequences of wars. Our goverment always pays great lip service to taking care of them, but when it comes to actually doing it, is unprepared and doesn't have the necessary money and facilities. Of course not . . . raising taxes is seen as anathema. They need to think about that when they send people to war.

Disgusted with the media

I'm thoroughly fed up with the media, and this evening, especially with television news. We have an entire world of important stories and issues and what do they spend hours and hours on? Again? Serena Williams and someone else's outbursts on the tennis court. Congressman Wilson's outburst during Obama's health care speech. And several other rude bloopers. On and on about apologies, and what should be done, and censures, fines, etc. This is ridiculous tempest-in-a-teapot journalism. Not one of these incidents is worth spending more than two minutes on. Instead, we are subjected to endless "reports" and discussions about them instead of anything actually important or substantive. Same with the death of Michael Jackson.

Come on people, get on with it. REPORT on something worth caring about and worth educating us about.