The ECB raised EU interest rates yesterday to 4.25% as expected. The stated rationale is to control inflation in the medium term (18 months). That’s the accepted wisdom anyway. But mostly its a signal to the market. Interest rates have been relatively stable over recent years and much of the volatility is underpinned by leveraging …
Continue reading EU interest rates up …
Author:astraea
Google’s greed may punish its users – legal ruling
Ever since we heard through google-watch.org of Google’s possessive retention of user data and its web of ownership connecting it to some unsavoury individuals, we have been using Yahoo! instead. Now it seems that our concerns are being justified as a US court has ruled that Google must hand over all its logs of YouTube …
Continue reading Google’s greed may punish its users – legal ruling
World Values Survey shows we’re getting happier
The recent publication of this year’s World Values survey shows that the world is getting happier. The survey is simple, but revealing and you can download much data here. Two aspects are particularly interesting: In general the Human Development trend points towards stronger secular-rational values and stronger self-expression values. There is a diminishing marginal return …
Continue reading World Values Survey shows we’re getting happier
Natural capitalism’s time is now
While doing research to design a community that lives in and with nature, I came across Rocky Mountain Institute’s declaration of core principles, which are an excellent template for any person or business. One of these advocates Natural Capitalism, which is an inevitable evolutionary step in humanity’s social development as we must now recognise our …
Continue reading Natural capitalism’s time is now
Mothers’ junk food diet harms child
New evidence has been published that shows that junk food eaten by a pregnant woman is likely to harm the gestating foetus. Its not only that the unborn child might pick up bad habits – a craving for fatty, salty food, but may also suffer long term health risks. This is a very strong argument …
Continue reading Mothers’ junk food diet harms child
Changing Games in the Global Casino
Hazel Henderson has pioneered natural capitalism for several decades and writes tirelessly on the dysfunctioning of iniquitous economic systems. In mid-June she published a summary and analysis of current events which is reproduced below and on EthicalMarkets.com here. Changing Games in the Global Casino © Hazel Henderson, 2008 Ever since the 1980s when Britain’s Margaret …
Continue reading Changing Games in the Global Casino
Linux being promoted by Acer for “speed and cost”
Acer has decided to promote linux instead of Windoze on its computers because of better performance. In particular it will be loaded on its micro notebook EEE machines. See Acer bets big on Linux – Vendor shifts towards open source ‘because of Microsoft’
The United States of Advertising and our dysfunctional perspective
This funny article and video clip give a good insight in to the difficulty we all face of having a sensible and balanced view of our world. The author mainly discusses the differences between advertising in the US and elsewhere, such as the promotion of prescription drugs – “if your doctor isn’t prescribing this, ask …
Continue reading The United States of Advertising and our dysfunctional perspective
Constitutional conundrum for EU
Well, the Irish voted NO in their referendum on the Lisbon treaty. That will prove to be a pain for the EU Commission and has already initiated some unsavoury feudal voices from those that promoted the treaty. Ireland is the only country that had a democratic vote on the treaty. It was required by its …
Continue reading Constitutional conundrum for EU
The 11th Hour
The documentary sponsored by Leonardo Di Caprio which seeks to raise awareness of the human footprint on our biosphere. It is worth watching and will likely stimulate some new thinking even in experienced environmentalists. It consists of many statements by a range of experts on the behaviour and consequences of humanity interwoven with striking …
Continue reading The 11th Hour