Free Republic

Cass Sunstein, President Barack Obama’s regulatory “czar,” contends that “most Americans are too wealthy for their own good. They are hogging more than a fair share of the world’s resources and becoming fat and lazy in the process.” Sunstein suggested that “penalties for this country’s contribution to global warming would be an effective and efficient mechanism for achieving the transfer. Who can argue against saving the planet? And if it means American families couldn’t afford that second car or have to eat less meat, they’ll learn to walk more and eat their vegetables—boosting their own health along the way.” The...

* Fresh concerns over economy spark sell-off * Lower commodity prices hit resource shares * Goldman Sachs downgrades Wal-Mart, stock slides * Dow off 2.1 pct, S&P off 2.4 pct; Nasdaq off 2.3 pct * For up-to-the-minute market news click [STXNEWS/US] (Updates with volume, adds details on volatility) By Leah Schnurr NEW YORK, June 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks tumbled, marking their worst slide in a month on Monday after regional manufacturing data dented optimism about the economy's health and resource shares fell alongside commodity prices. After a series of signs the economy may be stabilizing, investors are looking for...

The Gulf of Mexico contains very thick and concentrated gas-hydrate-bearing reservoir rocks which have the potential to produce gas using current technology. Recent drilling by a government and industry consortium confirm that the Gulf of Mexico is the first offshore area in the United States with enough information to identify gas hydrate energy resource targets with potential for gas production. Gas hydrate, a substance comprised of natural gas and water, is thought to exist in great abundance in nature and has the potential to be a significant new energy source to meet future energy needs. However, prior to this expedition,...

Several ways to get involved in national service:

I am doing a personal survey, wondering what others are doing, on and off the Internet, in terms of resources and organizations in the following areas: "Freedom's Monitors"; some examples are - The Federalist Society, ACLJ, FIRE, Christian Freedom International, etc. "Commentary and Analysis"; some examples are - National Review Online, Townhall, Front Page Magazine, etc. "News Watchers"; an example is - Newsbusters "Conservative Blogs and Activism Organizations" "Issue Groups" - groups whose activity is dedicated to primarily a single issue - like a "Right to Life" group might be considered "Economic Analysis" - for example - CATO, or The...

Stunned that several hundred homeowners turned out for a public hearing that had to be canceled because of overcrowding, state water officials said Wednesday they will reschedule the session and probably extend the deadline for comments. Sonoma County fire inspectors told hearing officers for the State Water Resources Control Board to call off Tuesday night’s meeting when the 400-seat Harry Merlo theater at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts swelled beyond capacity. People filled the aisles, crowded the lobby and backed up traffic on Highway 101 and Old Redwood Highway. “We are disappointed that the authorities shut us down,...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's utilities, refineries and large factories must transform their operations to cut greenhouse gas emissions as part of a new climate plan before state regulators. On Thursday, the California Air Resources Board was expected to adopt what would be the nation's most sweeping global warming plan, outlining for the first time how individuals and businesses would meet a landmark 2006 law that made the state a leader on global climate change. It would hold California's worst polluters accountable for the heat-trapping emissions they produce _ transforming how people travel, utilities generate power and businesses use electricity. At...

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The FBI, after years spent focusing on national security, is struggling to find agents and resources to investigate wrongdoing tied to the country's economic crisis, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions. Citing current and former FBI officials, the Times said cutbacks in its criminal investigative workforce following the September 11 attacks left the FBI weaker in areas like white collar crime. The cutbacks were the result of a shift in focus to terrorism and intelligence matters. More than 1,800 agents, or nearly one-third of all those in criminal programs, moved into those areas, the...

Saying we need to break the country’s addiction to fossil fuels, presidential candidate Senator Obama proposed that the nation “exploit it abundant human resources.” Rather than permit oil drilling in Alaska or offshore, Obama suggested that clean energy could be generated by “pedal-power.” Obama boasted that his plan would “not only address the energy crisis, but would simultaneously fight obesity and unemployment.” “We see that a majority of Americans are overweight,” Obama observed. “Why not put these people to work in a way that will not only supply power, but help them slim down?” Under the plan, the 5 million...

Dear Senator Durbin, I just saw your recent televised announcement, stating approximately that ‘if you picked any acre on the federal Outer Continental Shelf [OCS], it would take 8 to 14 years to see any production.’ That is simply not true. There are numerous oil fields that were discovered on the federal OCS years ago, which could produce significant quantities of oil, if the Democratic Party (at the federal, state, & local level) would simply stop its across-the-board opposition to such production. Allow me to draw your attention to this official federal government web site (which you no doubt have...

Russia plans Arctic military build-up By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow Last Updated: 10:49PM BST 11/06/2008Russia has raised the stakes in the international scramble for the Arctic by announcing it will boost its military presence in the region to protect its "national interests". The defence ministry said naval vessels would be sent to the Arctic Ocean, which is believed to be home to 25 percent of the world's untapped energy resources, as part of a Summer training zone. Gen Vladimir Shamanov, the head of the combat training directorate, stated that Russia had "highly trained military units" prepared for Arctic warfare. He...

With its resource-hungry push into the sub-Sahara, Beijing puts the planet to the test.

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2008 – President Bush praised his choice as the new commander of U.S. Central Command and vowed that U.S. commanders will receive all available resources to defeat Iraq-based terrorists during his visit to Fort Bragg, N.C., today. In his address, Bush welcomed thousands of 82nd Airborne Division soldiers who’d returned stateside after combat duty tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. The commander in chief also bestowed several military awards. The surge strategy overseen by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus as commander of Multinational Force Iraq has achieved notable results, Bush told thousands of 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers....

"Water is precious and we've got to realise that water's not always there. You need to save it," says Sonia, a pupil at Wattle Park Primary School in Melbourne. That is the lesson children in Melbourne are learning every day. After 10 years of drought, water restrictions have always been part of their lives. When they wake up they use timers to take two minute showers, and collect the water in buckets so it can be re-used in the garden. At school they have "scarecrow monitors" whose job it is to oversee the filling of more buckets from under the...

It is unfair to blame China for the situation in Darfur and other African issues as China does not have as much influence there as some people believe, Kenyan scholar Firoze Manji said here Wednesday. Manji was speaking at a seminar titled "China in the World: Implications for Development," sponsored by the Canadian Council for International Cooperation at the University of Ottawa

In the 1930s, when the United States was mired in a Great Depression, Congress wisely and with great vision approved the O&C Lands Act to guide the management of federal lands that once belonged to the Oregon & California Railroad... The act established a method for funding Oregon counties, allowing them to provide such vital services as public safety and road maintenance. Now, because of the efforts of the environmental movement and its litigious attorneys, the O&C funding formula that was successful for decades has been severed. Environmental groups and their allies argue that tourism can take the place of...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2008 – Wounded servicemembers have a helping hand available when it comes to transitioning back into their communities. The VetConnect program is designed to “provide wounded warriors with a critical link to resources … and to engage local community and business leaders in the reorientation of disabled veterans to their communities,” Scott Heintz, the program’s director, said. The program is run by “Enable America,” a non-profit group dedicated to increasing employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities. VetConnect also offers early intervention support by matching wounded warriors with casualty mentors and coordinating their participation in wellness activities,...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2008 – A shortage of resources for the NATO effort in Afghanistan has necessitated a risk-management approach to operations there, the commander of the alliance’s International Security Assistance Force said at a Pentagon news conference today. U.S. Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill said NATO nations have not filled the force specified in the alliance’s combined joint statement of requirements. “Even if NATO filled the requirement, it would still provide the minimal force,” McNeill said. Afghanistan is half again as big as Iraq and has a population of roughly 28 million. The general said that if NATO followed...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2008 – President Bush used his final State of the Union address tonight to praise strides made in Iraq over the past year and to urge Congress to ensure U.S. troops have the resources and support they need to build on that success. With Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several invited Iraq war veterans looking on, Bush told a joint session of Congress the new strategy in Iraq that became fully operational in mid-June “has achieved results few of us could have imagined just one year ago.” “When we met...

ZE07111109 - 2007-11-11Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-20979?l=englishSolidarity a Global Challenge, Says Pope Urges Sharing of Resources, Including Technology VATICAN CITY, NOV. 11, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says he is convinced that solidarity is the great challenge of the globalized world. "[O]nly through a common commitment to sharing [is it] possible to respond to the great challenge of our time: that of building up a world of peace and justice in which every man can live with dignity," the Pope said today before leading the praying of the midday Angelus in St. Peter's Square.He added, "This can happen if a global model of authentic...

Two wooden piers that once extended into Lake Mead, Nevada, now loom over a desert landscape, monuments to the insatiable need for water in nearby Las Vegas and other parts. A "No Fishing" sign perhaps 600 hundred yards from the shrinking lake and a ring of white magnesium deposits marks the high water level like a giant, half-full bath tub that has dropped more than 100 feet in seven years. The dramatic desiccation amid a multi-year Western drought highlights the difficult situation facing Las Vegas, one of America's fastest growing cities, whose economic future depends on the continued supply of...

I was doing searches this morning and wondered what resources for research or anything else freepers would recommend?

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2007 – The new security plan for Baghdad needs a chance to succeed, and troops serving in Iraq deserve the resources they need to make sure it does, President Bush said at the Pentagon today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace welcome President Bush to the Pentagon, May 10. Photo by Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen, USAF  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Bush spoke to reporters following a two-hour meeting with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of...

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2007 – One of our greatest blessings as Americans is that we have brave citizens who step forward to defend us, President Bush said during his weekly radio address today. “Every man or woman who wears our nation’s uniform is a volunteer, a patriot who has made the noble decision to serve a cause larger than self,” Bush said the day before Easter. “This weekend, many of our service men and women are celebrating the holidays far from home.” Noting that men and women in uniform deserve the gratitude of every American, Bush stressed military members...

Gen (Ret) McCaffrey thinks we are winning in Afghanistan. He says: "The Afghan economy is booming at 12% growth rate a year. $14 billion has been spent on aid since 2001. Six TV channels and a hundred free/uncensored publications are available to the people. Literacy is increasing rapidly. The ring road is now 2/3 complete. The 40,000 soldiers of the ANA are growing rapidly in numbers and capability. There are 45,000 NATO and US troops in-country. There is a functioning democracy with an elected Parliament ---and a serious, dedicated Afghan President in office." Afghanistan can be a strategic victory in...

Chinese President Hu Jintao presides over a China more aware than ever that without access to vast amounts of natural resources including petroleum, copper, zinc and other elements China’s booming economic dynamo could be slowed and even forced into disarray if not chaos. Consequently President Hu is in Africa this week on his third trip to the resources rich continent. China has a ten year record of heavy investments in needed projects in Africa in a deal that brings home to China millions of barrels of oil and billions of tons of other resources. President Hu has taken a very...

China has the money to secure future energy reserves China has signalled that it could use its vast foreign exchange reserves to bolster its strategic energy resources. Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said China needed to speed up the hunt for fresh oil and natural gas supplies. China's foreign exchange reserves are the world's largest at more than $1 trillion (£511bn), supported by the country's strong global exports. China is keen to secure future reserves of oil, coal and other raw materials needed to fuel its booming economy. Earlier this year, Beijing hosted a summit of African leaders, at which access...

NASA is on a flight path to replant astronauts on the Moon, looking to sustain a human presence on that cratered, airless orb on a “go-as-the nation-can-afford-to-pay” basis. That approach is seen as letting people step back onto the lunar surface no later than 2020. Space engineers have honed in on one possible site for a lunar outpost: the Moon’s south pole. It’s a tactical setting on the rim of Shackleton Crater, a feature some 12 miles (19 kilometers) in diameter. There’s real estate here that basks in near-perpetual sunlight. Also, it’s a region that is a doorway into the...

11 Nations-8 of which are Islamic-are contributing heavily to the bloody conflict in Somalia,according to Reuters. Reuters does not mention a 12th country : China, which has its eyes on the prize of mineral wealth, and which is a prime supplier of heavy-duty weaponry.

There has been alot of discussion on FR about minority status in the War Between the States. This thread is a collection of links and articles for reference. Please add others if applicable. /Enjoy>>BLACKSBlacks, Jews Fight on Side of the SouthThe Washington Times ^ | June 15, 2002 | Thomas C. MandesBlacks join Confederate Army heritage groupThe Michigan Citizen ^ | 20 Feb 04 | Keisha Stewart Black Confederate veteran to get proper memorial at Blandfordprogress index ^ | 17 sept 2004 | F.M. WIGGINGSBlack service, on both sides, in the Civil War The State ^ | 19 February 2004...

The world's future wars will be fought not over oil but water: an ominous prediction made by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the British ministry of defence and even by some officials of the World Bank. But experts and academics meeting at an international conference on water management in the Swedish capital are dismissing this prediction as unrealistic, far-fetched and nonsensical."Water wars make good newspaper headlines but cooperation (agreements) don't," says Arunabha Ghosh, co-author of the upcoming Human Development Report 2006 themed on water management. The annual report, commissioned by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), is to be released...

TECATE The number of immigrants illegally jumping the California-Mexico border appears to be increasing as enforcement gets tougher in Arizona, Border Patrol arrest statistics suggest. It's known as the water-balloon effect: Squeeze one spot and illegal immigration will bulge elsewhere along the 1,952-mile frontier. While overall arrests have fallen a modest 3 percent since October, they are up sharply in some places, including the San Diego area. Thanks to a surge in hiring new agents, the Border Patrol says it's ready for a shift in traffic. Skeptics aren't so sure. In the early 1990s, San Diego was overrun by border...

Freely excerpting: "The real truth is that we don't know enough to relieve global warming, and -- barring major technological breakthroughs -- we can't do much about it. This was obvious nine years ago; it's still obvious." ... "Having postulated a crash energy diet, the IEA [International Energy Agency] simulates five scenarios with differing rates of technological change. In each, greenhouse emissions in 2050 are higher than today. The increases vary from 6 percent to 27 percent." ... "No government will adopt the draconian restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might...

WASHINGTON -- The House Committee on Resources approved a proposal to lift moratoriums on drilling for oil and gas along much of the U.S. coastline. The Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act, which passed 29-9, also contains measures allowing states to keep drilling activities well beyond the view from shore and to share in what could be billions of dollars of royalties from production on the federally owned outer continental shelf off their coasts. Some Democrats denounced the bill as a "raid on the Treasury," because the U.S. now collects 100% of the royalties from oil and gas produced on federal...

The hydrogen economy is closer than we think. At least, that's the image portrayed by this TV news report from FOX 26 (as far as I can tell, the report aired last year, and I'm not sure which city this FOX 26 is in. For our purposes, these details don't really matter). The report focuses on Denny Klein, president of Hydrogen Technology Applications, and his water-powered car. There is some impressive imagery at work in the piece. Seeing someone pour water into an engine and getting energy out of it is pretty amazing. And slicing through metal with a water-based...

Recent water shortages in Rockland County, N.Y., reveal an increasing mismatch between water demand and supply following rapid growth in the Northeast during period of abnormally high precipitation. With the summer approaching, new research has shown that recent water emergencies in the Northeast have resulted from more than just dry weather. Instead, researchers from The Earth Institute at Columbia University found droughts had more direct, human causes. The result is a condition known as demand-driven drought that may catch more water managers and residents off-guard in coming years. The study, which appeared in a recent issue of Journal of the...

I would challenge you democtatic underground lurkers (or a freeper with a DU account) to post this over there and see what sort of repsonses come from the left... I keep hearing how oil dependent we are and how higher consumption is driving up prices... I hear how it is adversely affecting 75% of americans, It seems like if that was the case, 75% of americans would cut the amount they use! I know I cant be the only person in america that has drastically cut the amount of fuel I use over the past year. I want to know...

Probably one of the biggest myths about aboriginal people is that we’re a drain on the Canadian taxpayer. That’s pretty funny, since lots of us pay taxes, too. But that old nugget sure gets tons of play by certain groups and politicians. So let’s pick up a magnifying glass and inspect this little piece of muck a bit closer. First off, Canada does gain a great deal of revenue through taxation. In fact, Revenue Canada said it received about $125 billion in tax revenue in 2003-04 alone. Some experts said prior to the $5.1-billion Kelowna accord last November that Ottawa...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2006 – Two organizations have teamed up to send valentines to troops in Baghdad in a union made possible by "America Supports You." From left, Shauna Fleming, Peter Angel, and Paul Holton stand in front of a FedEx truck, loaded with 200,000 valentines, Feb. 7 in California. Fleming, the 16-year-old founder of "A Million Thanks" has partnered on this project with Holton, founder of "Operation Give," to send the shipment to troops in Baghdad just in time for Valentine's Day. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Since November 2004, the Defense Department program to...

China's internal problems haunt US 2 hours, 37 minutes ago When President George W. Bush was asked at a recent public forum about his strategy to contain China's geopolitical ambitions, the US leader dwelled instead on the internal problems confronting Beijing, such as unemployment and energy shortage. The United States is concerned by the increasing social, environmental and other domestic issues facing China's leadership and wants to work with Beijing to help shape some of the choices it makes to sustain rapid economic growth, officials say. Washington is anxiously watching how Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao...

BEIJING (AFP) Dec 29, 2005 Salt tides are severely threatening fresh water supplies in southern China's Guangdong province, with residents in some cities advised not to drink tap water, state press reported Thursday. The tidal phenomenon, caused by drought, is at its worst in several years with the salt water levels in some local rivers 12 times higher than standard drinking requirements, the China Daily said. "The biggest salt water tide this year has now reached the province and it will last... until January 3," the paper quoted Guangdong's Department of Water Resources vice director Huang Qingliang as saying. Fresh...

Dell plant supporters oppose lawsuit 10/13/2005 9:21 AM By: Associated Press GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A motion filed in Wake County Superior Court asks for the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the roughly $300 million incentives deal with Dell Inc. The motion was filed Wednesday on behalf of the state, the city of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, Dell and others. The North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law charges in its lawsuit filed in June that the incentives violate state constitutional prohibitions against the use of public resources for private benefit and fail to treat taxpayers equally. In exchange for creating at least...

SEOUL, Sept 28 Asia Pulse - South Korea and Russia have agreed on cooperation in developing natural gas in Russia and other energy resources, South Korea's Finance Ministry said Wednesday. According to the ministry, the two countries also agreed to sign an agreement within this year to promote cooperation in the development of natural gas fields in Siberia and construction of pipelines for transportation of Russian natural gas to South Korea. The agreement was made at a meeting in Russia on Monday between South Korean Finance and Economy Minister Han Duck-soo and Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin. The two countries...

...In 1981, there were 325 refineries in the U.S. with a capacity of 18.6 million barrels per day. Today, there are 148, with a capacity of about 17 million barrels -- though U.S. demand for gasoline has increased more than 20%.... One explanation for this performance is the historically low gas prices over much of the past 20 years; there has often been little incentive to build new capacity. But just as big a problem are onerous and costly regulatory burdens that have sucked profits from the industry. This includes a permitting process that is subject to endless bureaucratic delay...

MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti)-Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the country's stocks of oil and natural gas were underestimated and that they would be enough for coming generations. "They are larger than we think and they will be enough for us and coming generations," Putin said speaking on live television and radio. "Of course, we must treat them carefully, but it is also necessary to change the energy balance in the country."

While it is difficult to see beyond the incalculable suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina, the impact on U.S. fuel supply is undeniable. For days, we watched the storm move toward Louisiana’s oil and natural gas operations. As feared, the storm disrupted a tenth of U.S. refining capacity and 25 percent of oil production. Now, analysts expect gas prices to squeeze to $4 per gallon. At this time, it is difficult to assess the price spike’s duration because the extent of structural damage is unknown. What is absolutely clear, however, is that too much reliance on a single energy source is...

  For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretarySeptember 24, 2005 President's Radio Address      Audio      THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend I will visit U.S. Northern Command in Colorado where we're monitoring Hurricane Rita. As the hurricane continues along its destructive path, the American people can know courageous and dedicated men and women are responding to our citizens in need. We are marshaling resources of the federal government to save lives and property, and bring comfort to those who have evacuated because of this storm.  Radio Address 20052004200320022001  Radio Interviews 20052004 Over the past week, federal, state and local governments...

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2005 – Earlier this year, President Bush asked Congress to pass critical legislation to give U.S. troops the resources they need to fight and win the war on terror. That was one of the key victories accomplished during the congressional session that wrapped up this week, the president said during his weekly radio address this morning. Bush signed into law on May 11 legislation that provides $82 billion in supplemental funding, most of it to help cover the cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure provides $75.9 billion for the Defense Department, including funds for...

Changing planet revealed in atlasAn atlas of environmental change compiled by the United Nations reveals some of the dramatic transformations that are occurring to our planet. It compares and contrasts satellite images taken over the past few decades with contemporary ones. These highlight in vivid detail the striking make-over wrought in some corners of the Earth by deforestation, urbanisation and climate change. The atlas has been released to mark World Environment Day. The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) produced One Planet Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment in collaboration with other agencies such as the US Geological Survey and...

Could the petroleum joyride - cheap, abundant oil that has sent the global economy whizzing along with the pedal to the metal and the AC blasting for decades - be coming to an end? Some observers of the oil industry think so. They predict that this year, maybe next - almost certainly by the end of the decade - the world's oil production, having grown exuberantly for more than a century, will peak and begin to decline. And then it really will be all downhill. The price of oil will increase drastically. Major oil-consuming countries will experience crippling inflation, unemployment...