Who killed the electric car? Please go and visit the website of this upcoming documentation. What an amazing site and what a chilling insight into the workings of car manufacturers and oil magnates. The go and buy a big gun and shot the bastards!
Make also sure to watch the trailer first to get into the story.
China currently produces 70% of the world shoe market. Since it’s killing the shoe industry in Europe they are considering some sort of import tariff. No problem said shoe retailers in Europe - we then simply buy them someplace else - like India or Bangladesh. The lesson: it’s hard to protect your economic sphere against dumping - and even harder when the rest of the world lives and works on a very different and cheaper economic scale.
The modern Anti-G8, Anti-WTO and Anti-Globalization movement is very mobile and well organized. These people travel all over the world to make their voices heard. Excellent!
May I suggest to you to fly to Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe next? These countries could use some real democratic protests and stone throwing. Make these governments realize their mistakes! The tickets are hardly more expensive then flying from London to Seattle or Genoa. I know you guys like to travel - I understand it’s for a good cause. Stone throwing is eco friendly, since it’s a sustainable form of violence. Stones get recycled.
A Saudi women - she can’t leave the house without a male, she can’t vote and she certainly can’t protest like you.
Saudi Arabia is still the richest and the most oppressive regime on this planet. Women’s rights are almost nonexistent. Saudi Arabia’s money supports terrorism all over the world. Saudi Arabian oils fuels global pollution. Plus Saudi Arabia sponsored terrorism - terrorism breeds war and causes even more waste of oil, dropped landmine’s …
Zimbabwe - or better say Mr Mugabe - basically plays the same stupid game like Mao/Stalin, trying to force his ideas onto a nation. But all he created is poverty and hunger on a grand scale. He could use some ‘green’ advice on how to build a functioning agricultural state. Why don’t you help your brothers and sisters down there with some protest advice and try to start a revolution there?
This is a HUGE smog cloud over China - any western protesters going there?
China - now there we have a colossal eco killer. The sky over China is so polluted you can see it in satellite pictures. According to the WHO about 100.000 Chinese citizens die from pollution each year. China’s industry could certainly use a lot of ‘green’ advice how to built an eco friendly industry and agriculture. Plus China is buying loads of assets in Africa - securing it’s share of resources - and they don’t care about any politics or human rights. They sell weapons whoever wants them and has something to trade.
So - next stop China, Saudi Arabia or Zimbabwe? I also recommend visits to Iran and North Korea.
Hey Al, you have been cheated out of your Presidency - but the rest of the world loves you and appreciates your tireless effort to save humanity. Not many politician are so dedicated and willing to fight again for an important cause after they received a kick in the butt.
Can’t wait to see all the venom and hate you get from the American rightwing for winning the Peace Nobel Price. Peace seems a hard thing to swallow for some people …
More? BBC some early reactions
One thing I hate about modern activists are their guilt tactics. Europeans and Americans ‘kill’ people in Africa, because we take away their resources.
First of all ‘guilt’ is not a very good motivation to help others. Guilt only creates anger and ignorance over time. We should CARE for our brothers and sisters in any country - but we should not feel guilt.
Second - we can’t disappear. Modern people consume a huge amount of resources. Sure you and I still can try to be a bit more modest and aware. Drive smaller cars, use public transport or buy only certain brands. But still our complex modern worlds need power for computers, commerce and traffic.
Third - we can only buy technologies that are on sales. To a certain amount we can vote with our wallets - and with tax. Yes, we developed countries still spent not enough money for better development, but we are not completely ignorant either.
Fourth - the ugly truth is that people die in shitty places all the time. Can we prevent every death? Nope. We can try to make living ‘nicer’ for all, but there is no remedy to the human tragedy.
From BBC News: A method of creating super-nutritious but flatulence-free beans has been developed by scientists. Beans are a cheap and key source of nutrition especially in the developing world, but many people are thought to be put off by anti-social side-effects.
A Venezuelan team says fermenting beans with certain friendly bacteria can cut the amount of wind-causing compounds, and boost beans’ nutritional value. The research appears in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Flatulence is caused by bacteria that live in the large intestine breaking down parts of food - such as soluble fibre - that have not been digested higher in the gut .
So - no reason anymore to blame your dog for anything!
Overpopulation is still one of our biggest problems. Humanities growth is unsustainable for our own good and the rest of nature. This becomes especially clear in the case of the global water crises. Here some insights from the ‘old’ (2004) BBC special report Planet under pressure. Check part 2 ‘running dry’ for some gruel news.
But I am afraid nothing has changed in the last two years - the poor are still thirsty:
* One billion people without access to clean drinking water
* 2.6 billion without adequate sanitation
* Rapid urbanization increasing pressure on water resources
* 30-40% of water ‘lost’ through illegal tapping and leaks
(Source: UN World Water Report)
If you are really interested you should also read the recent BBCs comment page regarding the water crises. We need conserve water, stop overpopulation and the total commercialization of water supply. Water is a common good, it needs to be protected, but not overpriced so it becomes unaffordable for the poor.
To be honest I am still surprised about Mr Warhols fame. He certainly was a great artist, but his work (in my eyes) are not as breath taking and special as Picasso’s. But I guess ‘The Factory’ which was not only just a cool place, but a celebrity hang out that played an important role. He was well connected and created his own fans and market in one go. I guess at a certain point he simply was a social anchor as well as Godfather to anything related to art in New York?
Another part of his fame is his commercial ’soup art’ - his understanding how to create mass media compatible mass art. I think in that respect he was truly groundbreaking:
In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.
I think in this quote he summed up everything you need to know about today’s media society (although today it’s 15 seconds of fame on YouTube). His art reflected mass produced images of the same people / themes over and over again. Art was no longer an unique object, but a mass produced variation of an idea / topic.
Mr Warhol was not just a rich and famous person. He also did volunteer work for social institutions. He not only painted soup, he also handed it out. This - more then anything - honors him.
More? Wikipedia
Munich is once again Barfing Capitol of the civilized world. Already over one million people have stormed the Oktoberfest to enjoy mass hysteria and a good time with many other drunks.
I grew up here, so I know it all, seen it all and done it all (barfing on a rollercoaster is a lot of fun for all those behind you).
Yeah, I am here for the culture too …
Since the early nineties the Oktoberfest has mutated into a total party zone. The traditional Lederhosen and Dirndls have been replaced with trendy and mostly slutty imitations. Drinking has become a martial art. And since all the beer tents are overrun and closed down almost immediately after they opened - it is almost impossible to get seats just for short visit.
The once enjoyable family has been replaced by disco anthems, combat drinking and fake tradition. Basically a yodelling tourist trap - that can be recreated anywhere.
So much for the original Oktoberfest …
Two down. Sad but true. But they will live on - on DVD, computer games, chewing gums, t-shirts, action figures … what a great way to be remembered!
Energy efficient light bulbs have been around for many years now. Have you replaced all of the old energy wasting bulbs in your home?
It is easy to hate big corporations!
It is easy to hate consumerism!
It is easy to hate globalization!
It is also easy to have nothing.
Instead of complaining about too much commerce, money and capitalism we should work on better distribution, competition and fair markets.
The Soviet Union for example was a rich country, but unable to create and maintain proper markets so people could earn money and buy stuff a decent price.
I hate being left out of the free multimedia frenzy.
I know many people in Europe (and other places) who download American TV episodes, because they can’t wait to see their newest favorite show.
Now many broadcasters like ABC and NBC offer free episodes - only for Americans. Many web sites have reported the free offers - without checking if it’s free for everyone or just a limited deal. The same is true for the iTunes store, that offers all these cool TV shows only for Americans as well. As an European I can’t buy an episode of ‘Lost’ or ‘Galactica’.
But the BBC is also restricting it’s video service to UK citizens or better say IPs.
Hello? Global market? Many of your ‘foreign pirates’ download your stuff, because it either takes several months before these episodes are released in their country or they simply don’t get your stuff at all. Who wants to watch a ‘hot’ V series after the hype is gone and you already know from the intranets the whole story?!
So if you want my money - you better open up your shop for me while I am hot to buy your wares. Otherwise I will look for the ‘warez’ someplace else …
Brother Comrade where have all the trees gone?
China has chopped down 80% of it’s trees. No surprise they have gigantic sandstorms and extreme pollution. Trees would save the people - even without hugging them.
BBC News: Italy urged to go on pasta strike
This sounds like a joke, but Italians face a price increase for it’s national meal up to 20%. Once again the production of bio fuels is part of the increased price. Pasta was always considered ‘cheap’ food, attainable for everyone.
So many spiritual and religious people expect a payback or rescue team from their favorite Gods for being ‘good’. But there are no angels out there to watch out for you. God’s gift to you is a brain and a heart that are very capable - they will save you if you are willing to use them.
I really wondering how the instant gratification & always on generation will cope with any serious problems that requires patience and long term thinking? Games only train easy and repeatable solution thinking within a short time frame. Even strategy and building games simulate only very simple methods to problem solving.
My perfect nightmare of tech and Kitsch in one overpriced package. Although I must admit I would love to turn up in a serious business meeting with that machine.