Author: Serkadis

Sony is partnering with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to bolster the global fight to end poverty by 2015, with a special focus on the campaign to reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS. Stopping the rise of HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases is one of eight key Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) UN member nations are striving to achieve within the next five years. The other goals are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; to establish universal primary education; to promote gender equality; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; to ensure environmental sustainability.

The partnership’s AIDS-awareness campaign in Africa, called “Public Viewing in Africa,” will focus on bringing health information to vulnerable communities in Cameroon and Ghana. This summer, Sony will set up large screens to broadcast live, for free, approximately 20 FIFA World Cup matches, allowing people in areas where TVs are scarce to see the matches. Throughout the games, UNDP, JICA and local partners will also be offering the viewers HIV and AIDS counseling, and advocacy materials. Both countries’ national football teams will be participating in the World Cup, to be held in South Africa this June and July.

“I am delighted that Sony can contribute to the prevention of HIV and AIDS through our partnership with JICA and UNDP, while also delivering great football experiences to the people of Cameroon and Ghana through our cutting-edge technology and sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation. “Sony will continue to support the UN’s efforts to achieve the MDGs, as a central part of our ongoing CSR activities.”

UNDP and Sony will be working together on several global initiatives throughout the year to advocate for the Millennium Development Goals through the use of Sony’s advanced technology, and its worldwide presence. Sony has also launched an innovative website and effort called “Earth F.C.” that we will be detailing in a future post.

“The World Cup brings people together, both as teams, and as nations cheering on their players. The same can be true for the Millennium Development Goals,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark. “There can be no spectators in the fight against poverty. Everyone has a role to play in scoring the 8 Millennium Development Goals, which if reached would improve the quantity and quality of life for many hundreds of millions of people across developing countries.”

This year, by conducting the joint project during the biggest sporting event of the year, the World Cup, the partners aim to attract approximately 13,000 participants, and ensure there are approximately 1,800 recipients of HIV tests.

“FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa is a wonderful opportunity to reaffirm the world’s solidarity with Africa,” said JICA President, Sadako Ogata. “Sony, UNDP and JICA together will take a step forward to open the door to be closer to Africa. Collaborative efforts between people in Africa and all over the world are indispensable to bring about global peace and prosperity.”

Although football is the most popular and closely followed sport in Cameroon and Ghana, the countries are characterized by low rates of household TV penetration (22 percent in Cameroon, and 21 percent in Ghana) with many people unable to watch football matches on TV and support their home country.

Some of you may also remember our previous story in late 2009 about this matter, called “Sony And JICA Team Up To Combat HIV/AIDS.”

Filed under: Etc.

The American Automobile Association of America (AAA) has revealed its top picks in commuter vehicles, with an eyebrow-raising potluck of conveyances from which to choose. Judged on “practicality, safety, comfort, fuel efficiency and affordability” the Honda Insight comes in first, one of three Hondas in the top ten. They are joined by the Ford Fusion at number two, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI at three, and a Chevy, Mazda, Hyundai, and two Subarus to round it out.

The expanded list that includes vehicles that offer more than just commuting pleasure, namely the Chevy Corvette and Mercedes GL. Perhaps it isn’t really surprising, but not a single Toyota appears on the list. You can read the entire rundown and the reasons in the presser after the jump, or check out the top picks in the gallery below.

[Source: Auto Remarketing]

Continue reading AAA lists top picks for commuters

AAA lists top picks for commuters originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Katie Fehrenbacher

(Earth2Tech, March 24, 2010) There was an almost five month gap between when the Department of Energy announced the winners of the smart grid stimulus grants at the end of October and when the first funds started to trickle in earlier this month. But now it looks like the logjam has finally been broken, and this morning one of the largest grants — a $200 million grant for utility CenterPoint Energy — has been finalized.  Utilities were starting to get worried about how long it was taking to see any of the funds. At the Wall Street Journal’s Economics conference earlier this month, the CEO of Florida power company FPL Group, Lewis Hay III, expressed his concern that his company had not seen “a dime” of the $200 million smart grid stimulus grant it had been awarded.   One of the reasons for the delay was a lack of clarity around whether the smart grid stimulus awards were going to be treated as taxable income. But two weeks ago that issue was resolved when the DOE and the IRS announced that the IRS will provide a “safe harbor” for utilities that are in line for a piece of the billions in stimulus backing for smart grid projects.  Click here to read more…

Motor Trend reported yesterday that the Cadillac XTS large luxury sedan has been given the thumbs up for production by GM executives and that the production model should arrive within two years.

The folks at Inside Line decided to do some digging and contacted Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell to confirm the report by Motor Trend.

Caldwell said: ”We intend to produce a car that’s in a class above the CTS period. How much of it will be like the [XTS] concept, I can’t talk about. We’re obviously developing new products, including something above the CTS.

Click here to get prices on the 2010 Cadillac CTS.

When asked if the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept as given the green light for production Caldwell said: “I don’t think anything has taken place there. “We’ve made no such announcement. [But] we don’t do things that we don’t actually consider doing. All of our concepts are rooted in something we could do.”

For those of you that are probably a bit disappointed right now – don’t worry – because no matter what Motor Trend or Inside Line report, the XTS is definitely slated for production (since Caddy needs a replacement for the DTS and STS), we just don’t know when it will hit the streets.

Click here for more news on the Cadillac XTS.

2010 Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Inside Line

Filed under: Ford, Earnings/Financials

That’s a rhetorical question – of course he’s worth it. Put another way, imagine if Bill Ford were asked this question a few years ago: “Hey Bill, you can have Alan Mulally not only return Ford to profits that end in “billions,” he’ll raise the stock price, deal with the UAW, burnish Ford’s public perception by avoiding bankruptcy, and start giving U.S. buyers the products they’ve been begging for. That will only cost you $18 million a year, just $1.4 million of it in cash. Or you and your shareholders can have… let’s see… something that looks a lot like ‘oblivion.’ Take your time answering.”

Alan Mulally didn’t do it all by himself, but he was brought in to steer the ship and he appears to have done everything he was installed to do. Sure, $18 million is double the amount that General Motors‘ Ed Whitacre gets in total compensation, and a little more than double what GMAC CEO Michael Carpenter gets – but if you asked each of those two companies if they would double their CEO pay to be where Ford is, we have a feeling we know the answer already.

[Source: Detroit News]

Ford’s Alan Mulally earns $18m in 2009. Is he worth it? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click here to purchase your ticket!

On April 8-11, Campaign for Liberty will build off of last month’s success at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) by bringing liberty-minded activists and supporters to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC) in the grand city of New Orleans!

When CPAC ended, there was no doubt that our movement, our enthusiasm for the principles of liberty and our dedication to reclaiming our country are stronger than ever. While Congressman Ron Paul was a huge success at CPAC, he has also been invited to speak at the SRLC to promote liberty and defend the Constitution. We are proud to report that he has accepted the speaking invitation!

Thanks to the support of a generous C4L donor, Campaign for Liberty is also proud to announce a massively discounted rate on SRLC tickets for our supporters at $30 a ticket.

Please come out and join other liberty supporters and show that we are a force to be reckoned with and a strong presence at SRLC. Not only will you have the opportunity to see Congressman Paul speak in person on Saturday (April 10), but the conference shares the weekend with the French Quarter Festival where you can enjoy over 150 musical performances, cuisine and culture of the Big Easy.

Make a weekend of it. Come out with other friends of liberty and support Ron Paul.

Click here to purchase your ticket!

Click here for conference, lodging and transportation information.

Related posts:

1. Ron Paul at CPAC 2010 Ron Paul is participating in the following events at the…
2. Nationwide Tax Protests: Party Like It’s 2007 On December 16, 2007, during the first political Tea…

While plenty of folks are still digging through what the new health care reform (really medical insurance reform) law really means (and it’s likely not what you hear most of the TV pundits talking about), it’s unfortunate to hear that the provision to ban “pay for delay” schemes from pharma companies was removed. We talked about these sneaky deals last year. Basically, big pharma companies threaten (and often sue) the makers of generic drugs, just before a drug is about to go off patent. There is no actual patent infringement as the basis of the lawsuit, but the lawsuit acts as a negotiating ploy, with part of the “settlement” being an agreement from the generic drug maker not to enter the market. It’s a blatantly anti-competitive move. Basically, the pharma companies leverage their gov’t granted monopoly to build up a bunch of cash, which they can then use to pay off potential competitors in order to keep that monopoly for years past the expiration of the patent.

It makes drugs much more expensive for everyone while being a clearly anti-competitive practice. So it seemed like a good thing that the health care reform bill was supposed to ban it. Until… of course… it was removed days before the bill was approved. No matter what your take is on health care reform, it’s hard to see any reason to allow this kind of practice to continue, and even if it wasn’t included in the the health care reform bill, and isn’t included in the current patent reform bill, it seems like there’s no reason the FTC can’t just step in and make the point that this is blatantly anti-competitive. The FTC knows this is a problem — and has even said that these sorts of deals have cost US citizens $3.5 billion per year in higher drug costs.

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General Motors of Europe is planning more extended-range electric-vehicles for the continent, including models that will be positioned above and below the new Opel/Vauxhall Ampera. According to Opel/Vauxhall boss Nick Reilly, each model will have its own distinct style with hints from the Flextreme GT/E Concept that was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

The new models will be based on the next-generation Corsa platform and the Insignia’s Epsilon platform. However, modifications will be made to accommodate the E-REV drivetrain for each car.

As for the Opel/Vauxall Ampera, Reilly says that sales are scheduled to begin during the summer of 2011. He said that Opel already has several sizable orders from European governments and fleets, enough to sell the 2011 allocation.

Will any of the European electric-vehicles influence GM to add additional EREVs in the U.S.? We’re leaning towards yes but Detroit has yet to confirm anything. You’ll have to enjoy looking at the Chevrolet Volt for now.

Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Inside Line

Photo credit: First Solar

On Dec. 21, 2009, the largest thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the United States began its commercial operations in little-known Blythe, Calif. The new facility – located roughly 200 miles southeast of Los Angeles in Riverside County – was developed by Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar, Inc. and purchased by NRG Solar, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. The Blythe facility will help California meet its goal of generating 33 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.  NRG has a 20-year power purchase agreement with the local electric utility, Southern California Edison (SCE), which guarantees that SCE will purchase all of the energy produced by this independently operated facility.  According to Marc Ulrich, SCE Vice President of Renewables and Alternative Power, “Solar is the great untapped resource in California.” Southern California Edison estimates that the 21-megawatt (MW) plant will power nearly 17,000 homes.

While California continues to struggle with rising unemployment, the construction of the Blythe facility was a boon for local workers, employing 296 union members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 440 over the course of three months. This included 109 journeyman electricians, 129 registered apprentices, and 58 electrician trainees.  According to Roger Roper, president of IBEW Local 440, the average base pay for union electricians is $35.50 per hour plus $14.00 per hour in benefits, with an additional $10.00 per hour in subsistence pay due to the remote location. Older and more experienced workers make considerably more. Project developers collaborated with the Workforce Development Board to hire local residents seeking work, which resulted in the hiring of 23 local electrical workers, including 16 from the city of Blythe itself. Furthermore, collaboration with “Helmets to Hardhats,” an organization that helps transition military veterans into the civilian workforce, put more than two-dozen electricians with military backgrounds into apprenticeships during the construction of the Blythe facility.

Currently, the only PV solar plant in the United States larger than Blythe is the Desoto Next Generation Solar Center in Arcadia, Florida, with production capabilities of 25 MW. However, the Blythe Solar Plant uses thin-film PV panels made of cadmium telluride, which have significantly lower manufacturing costs than traditional silicon PV panels. Though thin-film PV panels require a larger surface area to generate a comparable amount of electricity, they are more flexible, lighter, durable, and have a slower degradation rate than silicon-based solar panels.

While large-scale solar projects like the Blythe Solar Plant create some U.S. manufacturing jobs, more than 90 percent of worldwide PV solar panel production occurs outside the United States, according to the Solar Energy Industry Association.  America can reverse this disturbing trend and create high-quality manufacturing jobs here at home by increasing investment in the domestic manufacture of renewable energy systems and components through legislation such as U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technologies (IMPACT) Act, which would provide domestic manufacturers with the capital they need to retool to meet increased clean energy demand.

In a press statement about the Blythe project, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said: “It is no surprise that America’s largest thin-film solar project was built right here in California, where my Administration has successfully created a climate where green businesses can thrive. It is forward-thinking businesses such as First Solar that will help California reach its nation-leading greenhouse gas reduction and Renewable Portfolio Standard goals, as well as create the new green jobs that will help spur our economic recovery.”

The rapid job creation that occurred at the Blythe facility bodes well for future solar projects. In August 2009, First Solar and Southern California Edison announced plans for two more large-scale PV plants in Desert Center and San Bernardino County. Together, these two plants will have production capabilities of 550 MW. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012 and 2013, respectively, with a projected completion date of 2015. According to First Solar and NRG, these plants will power 170,000 California homes, produce 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of clean energy annually, and will create thousands of local jobs.

With more renewable energy projects on the way, the commencement of operations in Blythe represents an important transformation occurring in the California energy sector, and a symbol of the bright and renewable future ahead.

More Information

California Energy Commission Web Page on the Blythe Solar Power Project

Alan Bernheimer, Corporate Communications
First Solar INC
510-625-7447, [email protected]

Roger Roper, President / Asst Business Manager
IBEW 440
951-684-5665, [email protected]

NEWS RELEASE
March 24, 2010                                                           Contact: Frank Murray, 542-4835

The third annual Columbia Basin College Foundation scholarship banquet raised more than $94,000 for scholarships at a gala event on the CBC campus March 19.

The event included dinner, silent and live auctions, and a concert by pianist Anthony Padilla. A Richland native, Padilla is professor of piano and chamber music at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin.

The highlight of the evening was a testimonial from Foundation board member, Marsha Halverson, a CBC graduate. Halverson is a longtime Pasco elementary school teacher and her personal endorsement helped raise nearly $24,000 from guests who raised their paddles.

The money raised will go toward this year’s scholarship awards for students.

 

 

 

Both charts are outstanding and deserve study. – click to enlarge -  Federal Debt and Taxes: An Overview  – Doug Short – Seeking Alpha
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MUST READ – America’s Hidden Inflation and How You’re Getting Screwed – Larry Doyle explains how you can have deflation and inflation at the same time. – Sense on Cents 

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CHART OF THE DAY: Are Higher Oil Prices Already Prompting Auto Usage To Roll Over? – Joe Weisenthal and Kamelia Angelova  – Clusterstock at Business Insider

 

Are Fewer New Homes Good For America? – By Peter G. Miller – We really don’t need more new homes in the sense of supply and demand, but we also don’t want to demolish the homebuilding industry and lose the related jobs and spending.  … The real solution to these problems is stop the bias against real estate investors. That would bring more buyers and dollars into the marketplace, demand would increase and then more supply could be absorbed. … – OurBroker.com

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       What’s Driving Mortgage Delinquencies? – Author: Frank Nothaft (of Freddie Mac) – … Our seriously delinquent rate is lower than the industry average for a couple of important reasons. First, Freddie Mac primarily operates in the prime, conventional conforming mortgage market – and we mostly buy 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages.  In addition, Freddie Mac has been a leader in identifying and addressing delinquencies before they become foreclosures. … – Riskcenter.com

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Treasury’s Geithner Urges End to Fannie, Freddie ‘Ambiguity’ – By Rebecca Christie and Phil Mattingly – … Geithner said the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will issue a request for comment by April 15 on how to overhaul the U.S. housing-finance system and its regulatory structure. The government needs to make sure there is “no ambiguity over the status or allowable activities of any private entity which enjoys any benefits or protections from the government,” he said. … – Bloomberg

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gaming the law? – A California-Brewed Recipe For Litigation – BY T. ROBERT FINLAY -  As many readers may recall, the California Legislature enacted Civil Code Section (§) 2923.5 in July 2008, requiring that the foreclosing party contact the borrower in an attempt to work out a loan modification prior to initiating foreclosure. … Many borrowers are trying to take advantage of this opportunity not by seeking a loan modification, but rather by challenging the form of the declaration attached to or included in the notice of default … – MortgageOrb

 

The Fed’s Dennis Lockhart Reveals The Three Ways The Greek Crisis Could Hurt The US – Joe Weisenthal – Money Game at Business Insider
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scary if you read this – It’s the End of the World as We Know It – Paco Ahlgren – refers to article and comments by Niall Ferguson – ‘Collapse of All Empires:’ 5 stages repeating through the ages – shows America in each cycle – The Bottom Violation

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Looming retirement crisis needs bolder policy action – By Ronald P. O’Hanley – Pensions & Investments
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long and thoughtful – maybe no inflation? – The Contrarian Trade of the Decade: the U.S. Dollar – Charles Hugh Smith  – charts and commentary on the lack of inflation coming, and strength of the dollar – Of Two Minds

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Inflation: Why I Don’t Expect It – By Bob McTeer – … To summarize: I don’t expect an acceleration of inflation because money growth has been moderate despite the expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet, and also because productivity gains have reduced unit labor costs. Charts showing a recent pick-up in year over year inflation rates have very depressed rates as their base.  … – Bob McTeer’s Blog

Το Transformers 3 θα βρίσκεται στις κινηματογραφικές αίθουσες την 1η Ιουλίου του 2011 με τον σκηνοθέτη της Micheal Bay, να ανακοινώνει σε μια φιλανθρωπική εκδήλωση της Ferrari που έγινε αυτήν την εβδομάδα  στο Los Angeles για την Αϊτή, ότι η 458 Italia θα προστεθεί στην «ομάδα» των Autobots. Τώρα τι θα προσέχουμε περισσότερο στην ταινία δεν ξέρω. Την «θεά» Megan Fox ή το νέο κομψοτέχνημα των Ιταλών; Και οι δύο έχουν υπέροχες καμπύλες.

Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι στην φιλανθρωπική εκδήλωση που έγινε στο LA, μια 458 Italia πλειοδοτήθηκε έναντι του ποσού των $530.000 ενώ μια φόρμα του Ferndando Alonso και 2 εισιτήρια για το Grand Prix του Καναδά πλειοδοτήθηκαν έναντι του ποσού των $72.000. Το συνολικό πόσο των $601.000 θα δοθεί στην Αιτή μέσω του CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) και του ιδρύματος William J. Clinton.

Διαβάστε Περισσότερα »

Ford’s 3.5L V6 EcoBoost has been selling well for the Dearborn automaker helping boost its image of performance and fuel-efficiency. According GM Inside News General Motors is also joining the turbocharged V6 segment with a new twin-turbo 3.0L V6 in the works.

GM’s engineering sources say that development on the engine is so far along that it has a RPO code of “LF3.” The naturally aspirated 3.0L debuted in several 2010 vehicles with direct injection and has the code “LF1.”

Unfortunately, GMI was unable to squeeze out horsepower and torque ratings from the engineers.

The twin-turbo 3.0L V6 is expected to debut in the production Cadillac XTS and sources say that it will also find its way under the hood of that Cadillac ATS and probably the next Chevrolet Camaro.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: GMI

from imc-uk, 24 March 2010: “An animal rights campaigner jailed for 10 years for plotting a fire bomb attack on Oxford University has had his conviction overturned. He appealed against his conviction earlier this year and, after taking more than a month to consider the verdict, Lord Justice Thomas returned to the Court of Appeal today to quash the conviction. After an application by crown prosecutors, the judge ordered that Mr Broughton, who was not present in court, be retried on the allegation as soon as possible…” more

During a panel organized by U.S. News & World Report entitled “Going Green: America’s Cities and the Role of Government,” Carol Browner, Director, Office of Energy and Climate Policy, The White House, said now that healthcare has been tackled, President Obama will focus on a comprehensive climate change and energy program. A new climate and energy plan is critical if the U.S. is to remain competitive in renewable energy. Browner said, “There has been a global clean energy revolution. How are we going to participate?”

While Waxman-Markey will not pass in the Senate, new legislative proposals are being developed by Senators Kerry, Lieberman and Graham that will involve direct fees or taxes on carbon instead of an economy-wide cap and trade system. The White House has been providing “technical assistance,” and the President has also visited a number of members on this issue. The Obama administration has yet to see the details of the new Kerry / Lieberman / Graham proposal, but Browner thinks we will have the “right debate on the right bill” soon.

Even if you don’t believe climate change is happening, Browner said, there are still reasons to support comprehensive climate and energy legislation. The most important reason: companies need clear market signals before they will invest further in green technologies. ”The U.S. hasn’t put the right policies into place so green companies don’t know if there is a market for their products.” Browner said clear directions on renewable energy are desperately needed if the U.S. is to maintain parity with China and India. “The U.S. figured out how to create solar panels. We should be at the forefront of this global market.” 

There is enormous domestic demand for clearer regulatory standards on renewable energy. To prove her point, Browner said there were some $2.3 billion in renewable energy recovery grants available, but the administration received more than $5 billion in requests, demonstrating “pent-up demand.” Browner also said clear regulations are needed to move markets in greener directions. The EPA has done this before sucessfully. ”The EPA set the standards for catalytic converters. Once we did this, there was a race to meet the requirements. One firm that took advantage and won that race is now a global leader for that technology.” In the same way, if rules are set on carbon, firms will find opportunities to innovate and make money. 

An agreement on car efficiency standards will be finalized this week, meaning that cars will need to hit 35 mpg by 2020. The new rules are expected to help reduce GHGs released from cars. Browner cited the key role of the EPA’s endangerment finding. “We needed the endangerment finding to get an agreement. This was a scientific finding, not a regulatory or political decision.” The recent Supreme Court decision allowing the EPA to regulate CO2 emissions from cars if they found they endanger public health laid the foundation for these new car rules.

The decision, Browner said, also enables the EPA to “move into other areas” of CO2 emissions. Through the EPA, “we can take on other emitters beyond cars.” However, Browner argues that comprehensive legislation on Capitol Hill was favorable to EPA movement on regulating all sources of CO2 emissions.

While others have been critical of expensive carbon capture and sequestration schemes, Browner said this was a possible solution for mitigating the adverse environmental effects of coal-generated power. “Coal is going to be part of our energy mix for a long time. We need to invest in technologies to make coal production cleaner.” 

On water, Browner concurred with an audience member who said “energy consumes water and water consumes energy.” She said there are more efficient ways to treat water, namely preventing pollution from going in in the first place. “We spend lots of money polluting water, and then lots more to take out the pollution.”

In contrast to the critics of the UNFCCC Copenhagen meeting, she thought it was a success because it was the first time India and China have released detailed GHG emission reduction plans. To participate in the next stages of the process, the U.S. “must get its own house in order.” This is not only needed to reach a global agreement, but also to create more domestic jobs. “We need a whole new generation of jobs.”

Watch a video of Browner’s remarks.

Image credit: Inhabitat

Big news out from China Daily. We’re not exactly sure what it  means, except that the central government is desperate to slam the brakes on the real estate market and looking to call a time out:

—-

China Daily

Sale of residential land temporarily halted

By WANG QIAN (China Daily)

BEIJING – The Ministry of Land and Resources has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of land for housing in a renewed measure to ease soaring real estate prices.

Yun Xiaosu, vice-minister of land and resources, said local authorities should not sell land for residential purposes until this year’s housing land supply plan is released in early April.

“Residential land supply will increase and low-income housing projects will top local governments’ agendas,” Yun said during a video-conference on Monday.

In his government work report early this month, Premier Wen Jiabao said China will build 3 million housing units for low-income families and renovate 2.8 million shanty units with a total of 63.2 billion yuan ($9.25 billion) allocated this year, a year-on-year increase of about 15 percent.

“The low-income houses and shanty units must be included in this year’s land supply, while large-sized housing projects must be controlled in big cities,” Yun said.

He emphasized that land used for low-income housing, for rebuilding shanty areas and for self-occupied small- or medium-sized houses must account for more than 70 percent of the overall supply this year.

“The ministry encourages local governments in second and third tier cities to explore new policies and measures to curb the escalating housing prices,” Yun said.

On March 11, the Ministry of Land and Resources issued a directive ordering developers to take a 50 percent down payment on all land put up for auction within one month of signing the contract, or they will lose the land along with their deposit.

Shortly after the directive, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council ordered 78 central State-owned enterprises to quit the housing market on March 18. Only China Ocean Shipping Company, China’s largest group in modern logistics, said it will quit the sector within six months.

On Monday, the administration said that the 78 companies must work out their quitting plans within 15 days.

Since March, a five-month campaign across the country is under way to crack down on illegal land use and land hoarding.

Cao Jianhai, director of the investment and market research office in the Institute of Industrial Economics of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the soaring prices cannot be controlled unless the ministry makes clear the percentage of low-income houses among the overall supply.

“The ministry only guarantees 70 percent of the overall supply will be used for low-income housing, rebuilding shanty areas and self-occupied small- or medium-sized houses, but doesn’t elaborate the percentage of low-income houses,” Cao said.

“The government is trying to ignore the key point for its own profits,” he added.

Land transfer fees are a major part of the local governments’ annual revenues.

Xie Xuren, minister of finance, said on March 6 that land transfer fees across the country reached about 1,424 billion yuan in 2009, a year-on-year increase of nearly 27 percent.

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from yorkshireanarchist, 23 March 2010: “Oh God it’s another General Erection! We know – all elections are a waste of time. Politicians of all parties fill their pockets, you couldn’t tell their policies apart without a microscope, the power of the rich, the global corporations and financiers continues merrily whoever is elected; well-meaning do-gooders get elected, then become sucked in or ground down by the weight of the system…” more

It seems that with Google now taking a stand on Chinese policies, other companies are at least stepping up a bit as well. GoDaddy, who I believe is the largest domain registrar around, is going to stop offering .cn domains, after China put in place new rules, requiring registering with the government and providing all sorts of personal info, including a photograph and identity cards. GoDaddy says it sees these new rules as a “threat to the security of individuals,” though it almost certainly has noticed the good publicity Google has received for its stance, combined with the political winds suggesting new laws to punish American companies that help censorship abroad.

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