Even the capitalists are beginning to ask if earth’s resources are now being exhausted: BusinessWeek’s article The Age of Scarcity asks if this is our Malthusian moment. They offer evidence to support that point of view but conclude that policy changes will allow new technologies to make resources go further. Unfortunately this is wishful thinking. …
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Author:astraea
Check out the BBC website
It looks as though the BBC website has been revamped recently. And its even better. (No we don’t get commissions.) The main pages have better summaries. There is more audio and video. The navigation is easier. It looks good. Maybe even make it your home page (if astraea.net isn’t 🙂 ) – its not a …
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Costly prejudice against eco-homes
A UK study shows that consumers perceive costs of eco-homes but are unaware of the benefits. The survey suggests that people believe the quality of domestic services in eco-homes to be lower but more costly. This is in contrast to those that are buying or building eco-homes who do so because energy savings repay build …
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GM contamination proves more persistent
Swedish researchers have found transgenic seed persists in nature far longer than previously thought – further evidence that the permissive policy of governments and bio-tech companies is damaging nature in a more disastrous way than advertised. This should concern all of us as our food supply has now been jeopardiesd by the open sowing of …
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Bernanke thinks there might be a recession – duh!
“Fed boss says recession possible.” Its a bit worrying when the big cheese is pussyfooting around with language like “we’ll have to wait till the data is in” and “the economy might shrink in the first and second quarter” and ” a recession is a technically defined term” … When the ship is in trouble, …
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Are you in the wrong job?
A UK poll suggests that 20% of people are in a job unsuited to their skills. This is certainly wasteful but may be unsurprising given the preoccupation people have with griping about work. But is it really that bad? It is probably better than it has been historically because job mobility in higher than in …
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US planned financial overhaul likely to miss the point
The US Treasury announced plans to overhaul regulation of financial markets once the current turmoil subsides. While this will be beneficial if it motivates fiduciaries to behave better, the approach will not address the underlying failure of financial systems – evaporation of trust. Trust is not built upon regulations but on a culture of integrity. …
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Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense
London Times Sunday, 31st March 2008 Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He …
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Turn off the lights …
Cities switch off lights for earth hour … well its a start …
BT notes – March – a fun and busy spring
Although March started late, there being an extra day in February this leap year, there’s been lots going on. In the first week heavy winds brought down trees which then needed to be cleared. This was an extension to the normal logging routine which is coming to an end as summer approaches. Cousins arrived for …
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