tagged w/ Trade
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Russian Northern coast is a vast territory lays for a few thousand of miles and all this coastline is inside the Polar Circle. Long polar winters mean no daylight at all, just one day changes another without any sign of the Sun rising above the horizon. There is only polar night for 100 day a year.
But across this Northern coast there was always a short way for the cargo boats to travel from Eastern part of Russia to the Western. Now this trip can be made fairly easy with the appearance of all the satellite navigation equipment like GPS and others, but during the Soviet Era they had none of this.
So, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union decided to build a chain of lighthouses to guide ships finding their way in the dark polar night across uninhabited shores of the Soviet Russian Empire. So it has been done and a series of such lighthouses has been erected. They had to be fully autonomous, because they were situated hundreds and hundreds miles aways from any populated areas. After reviewing different ideas on how to make them work for a years without service and any external power supply, Soviet engineers decided to implement atomic energy to power up those structures. So, special lightweight small atomic reactors were produced in limited series to be delivered to the Polar Circle lands and to be installed on the lighthouses. Those small reactors could work in the independent mode for years and didn’t require any human interference, so it was very handy in the situation like this. It was a kind of robot-lighthouse which counted itself the time of the year and the length of the daylight, turned on its lights when it was needed and sent radio signals to near by ships to warn them on their journey. It all looks like ran out the sci-fi book pages, but so they were.
Then, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the unattended automatic lighthouses did it job for some time, but after some time they collapsed too. Mostly as a result of the hunt for the metals like copper and other stuff which were performed by the looters. They didn’t care or maybe even didn’t know the meaning of the “Radioactive Danger” sign and ignored them, breaking in and destroying the equipment. It sounds creepy but they broke into the reactors too causing all the structures to become radioactively polluted.
Those photos are from the trip to the one of such structures, the most close to the populated areas of the Russian far east. Now, there are signs “RADIOACTIVITY” written with big white letters on the approaching paths to the structure but they don’t stop the abandoned exotics lovers.
http://englishrussia.com/?p=2198Russian Northern coast is a vast territory lays for a few thousand of miles and all... more
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Obama can learn a thing or two from Europe's scheme.
The Obama administration has, as expected, re-engaged the U.S. in the negotiations for a global climate change mitigation regime after the Kyoto protocol expires at the end of 2012. A bill setting greenhouse gas reduction targets is currently progressing through Congress, with strong backing from the president. But apart from the warm feeling that comes with an improvement in America's international image, what is likely to be achieved in real terms, and at what cost?
To get a good idea, U.S. policy makers need only look across the Atlantic. The European Union, keen to show global leadership, introduced the world's first Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in January 2005, just before the Kyoto protocol came into force. The principle of this and similar schemes -- including the proposed U.S. cap and trade regime -- is that certain sectors of industry are allocated permits to emit fixed amounts of carbon dioxide, held to be the primary driver of climate change. If they manage to reduce emissions more than planned, companies can sell their excess permits; if they need more, they have to buy them.
Advocates of the system like it because "the polluter pays." Setting aside for the moment the question of whether it is justifiable to call carbon dioxide a pollutant, companies of course do not simply absorb these extra costs. Instead, they pass them on to their customers who are also, by and large, taxpayers. Not only does the taxpayer carry the cost of any cap and trade scheme, but their money also provides profit for a whole new industry: the new carbon trading sector, the middlemen who make the system work
more at the link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124587942001349765.htmlObama can learn a thing or two from Europe's scheme.
The Obama administration... more
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http://itpoliticsnews.blogspot.com/2009/12/odd-d5-world-trade-protest.html
From It! Politics:
"This week marks the 10th anniversary of the famous Seattle protests, which succeeded in temporarily shutting down World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. The implications of its success were considerable, but I mention it now primarily for irony's sake. For on December 5th there will be nation-wide protests against the policies of the WTO in remembrance of the Battle of Seattle. One of the larger gatherings has been put together in Portland by an organization called D5. Okay...so far, so good.
Now let's take a look at the itinerary:
12pm- Meet under the Hawthorne Bridge
1pm- March to the World Trade Center
2pm- Indoor Rally and Concert at Portland State Univers-
--wait, what!? An indoor concert at PSU? Why would we want to cut our own protest short by having a concert inside a building 10 blocks away from the World Trade Center? What a half-ass attempt at activism. I wonder if we think listening to certain music will directly change the world, or if we've simply given up..."http://itpoliticsnews.blogspot.com/2009/12/odd-d5-world-trade-protest.html
From It!... more
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With the upcoming trial, 5 men will come face to face with the death sentence for the atrocities of 9/11. Without question the people who are at fault deserve to be punished but is it fair to limit the trial to only 5 possible suspects? If the answer is yes. Consider changing your mind after watching this...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5435410551639504683#.
Now I know, 20 minutes is longer than our attention span but give it a chance, if you aren't convinced there's more to the story after 5 minutes, keep watching. By the end if you're still not convinced there is a higher power creating this awe-full situation then, "We've got a Winner" and you're it.
The full version of this Truth Movement Doctrine or "Zeitgeist: The movie" can be found all over the internet but at it's source here...http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com
PEACE
www.causes.com/WorldPeaceWith the upcoming trial, 5 men will come face to face with the death sentence for the... more
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Dickle
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2 years ago
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Victims of modern Slave Trade
Victims of justice
Ya Rab (GOD) Bless those Who are poor , helpless, hungry, Victims of war, Victims of modern slave trade, Victims of justice, Victims of color, Victims of faith, Victims of race, Victims of name. Victims of religious asylum, Victims of human rights. Victam of Basic Freedom. Blessing on Humanity from American Slave Ajmal Mehdi (Imam) and Adam Mehdi (Jesus Christ) of humanfealty the father and the son with Holy Spirit!
Saint Human faith of humanfealtyVictims of modern Slave Trade
Victims of justice
Ya Rab (GOD) Bless those Who are... more
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fealty
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Consumer demand for organic, fair trade chocolate is helping to revive an entire sector of the economy in Sao Tome. Thanks to an initiative first proposed by IFAD, 1400 farmers on this island 230 kilometres of the west coast of Africa have switched to organic cocoa production and are earning more money as a result.Consumer demand for organic, fair trade chocolate is helping to revive an entire... more
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IFAD
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After baptizing the remaining HD DVD faithful, Warner has moved on to teaching new Blu-ray converts the five pillars of faith with a trade-up program. Send in your old DVDs (just the box art won't cut it this time around, better buy some blanks and get to ripping if you still enjoy Training Day on long car trips), $7.95 - $9.95 per movie plus $4.95 for s&h (orders over $25 ship for free) and expect HD versions back in 4 - 5 weeks. Is it worth it? Depends on how many of the 55 flicks on the approved list you own (included after the break) but for most you're probably better off keeping the ones you have and eyeing budget bins carefully, nabbing catalog flicks like Harold & Kumar for less than $15 without any mail-in shenanigans shouldn't be too hard for the truly thrifty.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/19/warners-dvd2blu-trade-in-swaps-blu-rays-for-your-dvds-leland-g/After baptizing the remaining HD DVD faithful, Warner has moved on to teaching new... more
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The longer we sit home and imagine the Chinese buying our sh**ty cars or exotic financial securities, the shorter the road to serfdom for more generations of US citizens who will be stuck paying off the reckless debts of our elders ...The longer we sit home and imagine the Chinese buying our sh**ty cars or exotic... more
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President Barack Obama faces tensions with China over trade and Tibet on his first visit to the emerging superpower for a summit that will grapple with economic imbalances and the future of the yuan.President Barack Obama faces tensions with China over trade and Tibet on his first... more
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China is now Wisconsin's (and the country's) third-biggest export market, buying more American soybeans, oil seeds, hides and animal skins, raw cotton, copper, nonferrous metals, wood pulp, semiconductors and miscellaneous chicken parts (a.k.a. chicken feet) than anyone else. Get used to dancing to their tune.China is now Wisconsin's (and the country's) third-biggest export market,... more
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After activists block their permit, Canadian company uses US trade agreement to sue Salvadoran gov'tAfter activists block their permit, Canadian company uses US trade agreement to sue... more
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This pod is a quick look at the holy town of Pushkar and its Camel Festival that just took place in Rajasthan, India. This is my first pod... and first time out filming... so apologies for the shaky footage and beginner's editing! Despite all of this, I highly recommend a visit to Pushkar, in the middle Rajasthan's deserts, to witness the pilgrims at the ghats and enjoy the backpacker scene. Milkman is an incredible hostel to stay at, for those interested. Be warned, however, that hawkers, beggars and others will try for your money constantly. All in all, a worthwhile place to stop by on a trip to India.This pod is a quick look at the holy town of Pushkar and its Camel Festival that just... more
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Iraqi and U.S. officials have expressed concerns about the traffic of weapons and drugs across the country's porous borders, but there is also an older and more surprising commodity being smuggled into Iraq — cadavers.
For centuries, Shiite Muslims from all over the world have sought to be buried in what might be the world's largest cemetery, in the holy city of Najaf. During the past 30 years of rebellions, invasion and war with Iran, the traffic of the dead was halted. But it is now a big business once again.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120087941Iraqi and U.S. officials have expressed concerns about the traffic of weapons and... more
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Lion + Tiger = LIGER! Freckles was rescued from a failed backyard sanctuary in mississippi Dec 2008. 16 year old Freckles is one of the oldest Ligers around but she is one of the most recent arrivals to Big Cat Rescue. At the time of her rescue we could see a big hole in her jowl, and feared that it would lead to her demise, but she was in such bad shape that we just couldn't risk knocking her out to get a better look. Being a cranky old cat, she wasn't about to let us get a good look any other way either. She was given antibiotics in case it was just an injury, but now that she has become more calm in her new setting we can see that the problem stems from several broken teeth. Caged cats will often break off their teeth trying to chew their way out of their prison cells and when she was left behind to die in Mississippi she probably did just that.
The dental work was completed on Freckles without any problems and she as made a full recovery. Let's hope that the dental as taken away her pain and she will have no more problems in the future.Lion + Tiger = LIGER! Freckles was rescued from a failed backyard sanctuary in... more
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BigCat
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Anyone who read Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner’s bestselling Freakonomics and came away still wondering what the hell freakonomics was supposed to be, will gain some reassurance from its sequel. As the authors admit in their introduction, they didn’t know either. The title was dreamed up in a moment of desperation – their publishers hated it – and all they were really saying, they insist, was that people respond to incentives.
The fun part, though, came from the way in which they applied economic theory to areas where you’d never expect to find it – sumo wrestling, crack-dealing and so on. Essentially, Superfreakonomics consists of more of the same. This might get wearying were it not for the fact that Levitt and Dubner’s zeal for statistical anomalies is as undimmed as their eye for a good story.Anyone who read Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner’s bestselling Freakonomics and... more
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama deserves a failing grade for his handling of U.S. trade policy during his first nine months on the job, a senior Republican senator said on Monday.
"If you go to class, college, and you don't do anything, you get an F," Senator Charles Grassley said at the Reuters Washington Summit.
Grassley's tough language reflects Republican frustration with White House inaction on free trade pacts with Panama, Colombia and South Korea, which were negotiated by the administration of former President George W. Bush.
"If there's anything that would help us with this economic downturn, it would be to promote trade ... If you're in a recession and trade would help you get out of it, you shouldn't be doing nothing," Grassley said at the summit, held at the Reuters office in Washington.
The Iowa Republican also expressed concern about the recent drop in the value of the U.S. dollar, saying it sent a bad signal "to the rest of the world that the United States doesn't have its economy under control."
Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, gave Obama an A for his efforts to rescue the U.S. economy, in a separate interview. But like all presidents, his record on trade is "a mixed picture," Levin said, adding that Democrats have concerns about all three free trade pacts that must be addressed.
Carol Guthrie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office, defended the administration's record, saying "USTR has racked up a significant list of trade-promoting accomplishments" since Obama took office.
They include negotiating a market-opening agreement for U.S. beef in Europe, taking China to the World Trade Organization for restrictions on raw material exports that push up costs for steel producers and working to keep markets open to U.S. farm products during the swine flu crisis, she said.
...More...WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama deserves a failing grade for his... more
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Nature News reported last week that vulcanologists have concluded that climate disruption will increase the number of volcanic eruptions. According to the article, the reason is that climate disruption is expected to reduce the amount of ice present atop volcanoes and thus reduce the amount of material keeping volcanoes from erupting.
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Last week, the EPA’s Office of the Inspector General found that approximately 11% of the standard gases for blends of SO2, CO2, and nitrous oxide (NO) they had purchased and had independently tested were different from the stated amount of gas by 3% or more when the acceptable range was within 2% of the stated amount.
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According to a NYTimes article, two German vessels, the Beluga Fraternity and Beluga Foresight, steamed north from South Korea and transited the Northeast Passage, also known as the Northern Sea Route. This route was largely ice free this year, and the two ice-hardened specialty cargo vessels took advantage of the clear waters to cut thousands of miles off the southern route via the Suez Canal.
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According to an investigative report in the UK’s Daily Mail, there is a massive fleet of idled shipping vessels anchored off the coast of Singapore and southern Malaysia. These ships, and others taken out of service around the world, represent 12% of the the entire global merchant marine fleet, sitting idle.
And much more at the link.Nature News reported last week that vulcanologists have concluded that climate... more
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The nerve of this Blue Dogshit half wit apparently knows no bounds. But not to worry, nobody on either side of Health Care reform has any interest in his pointless, self-indulgent bill.
Sen. Max Baucus - D Mont.
Just another in a long line of Democratic disgraces. The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has for some reason convinced himself that he’s more important than the President of the United States.
This Baucus, in his arrogance, has presumed to draft his own Health Care Legislation.
It reads like HR 3200 but with a few differences.
The Baucus bill mandates that all Americans buy insurance. But offers nothing to those who cannot afford it except that they pay the penalties for not being able to afford it.
It supports “co-ops” which as history teaches us, grow up to become FOR PROFIT entities like the ones we’re trying to save the country from now.
In other words, Max Baucus wrote legislation that changes nothing.
LOL, What an asshole.
Max Baucus is a tool who is bought and paid for by the insurance industry. Hence the anti-American, pro-Corporate legislation….
Securities & Investment $839,650
Lawyers/Law Firms $684,354
Insurance $558,075
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $507,313
Health Professionals $504,641
Fuck you, Max. That’s about all that need be said.
Baucus Fact Box:
Connections to Jack Abramoff
In December 2005, following the public corruption probe of con man Jack Abramoff, Baucus returned $18,892 in contributions that his office found to be connected to Abramoff. Included in the returned donations was an estimated $1,892 that was never reported for the use of Abramoff’s skybox at a professional sports stadium and concert venue in downtown Washington in 2001.[13]
Economic issues
Baucus has a 74% pro-business voting record as rated by the United States Chamber of Commerce. He twice voted to make filing bankruptcy more difficult for debtors,[14] once in July, 2001 to restrict rules on personal bankruptcy, and a second time in March 2005 to include means-testing & restrictions for bankruptcy filers.
He has frequently visited places of employment within the state and has personally participated in activities that he calls “Work Days.” He has also hosted economic development conferences.
Trade
In March 2005, Baucus voted against repealing tax subsidies that benefit companies that move US jobs offshore. On January 4, 2007, he wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal calling on Democrats to renew Bush’s fast-track authority for international trade deals.[15] In response, the Montana State Senate passed a 44-6 resolution “that the U.S. Congress be urged to create a replacement for the outdated fast track system” [16]The nerve of this Blue Dogshit half wit apparently knows no bounds. But not to worry,... more
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asherp
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2 years ago
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