We're on the brink of disaster | Salon
We're on the brink of disaster | Salon: "The global economic meltdown has already caused bank failures, bankruptcies, plant closings and foreclosures and will, in the coming year, leave many tens of millions unemployed across the planet. But another perilous consequence of the crash of 2008 has only recently made its appearance: increased civil unrest and ethnic strife."
The Credit Card Debt Crisis: The Next Economic Domino
The Credit Card Debt Crisis: The Next Economic Domino: "Hot on the heels of the banking crisis, the employment crisis, and the mortgage/foreclosure crisis, the country is on the verge of experiencing a credit card crisis. According to the Federal Reserve, the total outstanding credit card debt carried by Americans reached a record $951 billion in 2008 -- a number that will only climb higher as more and more people reach for the plastic to make ends meet. What's more, roughly a third of that is debt held by risky borrowers with low credit ratings."
Hydrogen Sulfide May Kill Us, Bring Us Back to Life, Paleontologist Peter Ward Says
Hydrogen Sulfide May Kill Us, Bring Us Back to Life, Paleontologist Peter Ward Says: "Millions of years before the dinosaurs were apparently killed by an asteroid hitting our planet, the Earth experienced another mass extinction that was far more devastating. The cause for that, paleontologist Peter Ward says, was actually homegrown: Hydrogen sulfide in the oceans and atmosphere turned the sky green and choked off oxygen for plants, animals and marine life."
Hydrogen Sulfide, Not Carbon Dioxide, May Have Caused Largest Mass Extinction
Hydrogen Sulfide, Not Carbon Dioxide, May Have Caused Largest Mass Extinction: "While most scientists agree that a meteor strike killed the dinosaurs, the cause of the largest mass extinction in Earth's history, 251 million years ago, is still unknown, according to geologists."
Loan Defaults by Franchisees Soar - WSJ.com
This will hit the highstreet hard. Loan Defaults by Franchisees Soar - WSJ.com: "The recession is bruising businesses across the franchising industry. From ice-cream parlors to tanning salons, franchisees' defaults on loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration are piling up in amounts unseen in years. A list of loans at 500 franchises shows the number of defaults by franchisees increased 52% in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2008, from fiscal 2007. Loan losses totaled $93.3 million, a 167% jump from $35 million just 12 months earlier. The figures, a stark barometer of the downturn's severity and scope, could give pause to banks that have loan money about where to lend next. Banks that make SBA-guaranteed loans say they use the annual list as guidance in assessing future commitments."
‘Black Swan’ Author Sees Trouble Exceeding 1930s - DealBook Blog - NYTimes.com
‘Black Swan’ Author Sees Trouble Exceeding 1930s - DealBook Blog - NYTimes.com: "The author of “The Black Swan,” Nassim Nicholas Taleb, predicts that the global financial crisis will be harder to end than the Great Depression and it may force the United States government to nationalize some banks. The world has a much more complex financial system than in the 1930s, Mr. Taleb told Bloomberg Television, and that makes the current problems worse. Bonuses paid on Wall Street encouraged risk-taking with no regard for losses, he added."
Recipe for Disaster: The Formula That Killed Wall Street - Boing Boing
Recipe for Disaster: The Formula That Killed Wall Street - Boing Boing: "A year ago, it was hardly unthinkable that a math wizard like David X. Li might someday earn a Nobel Prize. After all, financial economists—even Wall Street quants—have received the Nobel in economics before, and Li's work on measuring risk has had more impact, more quickly, than previous Nobel Prize-winning contributions to the field. Today, though, as dazed bankers, politicians, regulators, and investors survey the wreckage of the biggest financial meltdown since the Great Depression, Li is probably thankful he still has a job in finance at all. Not that his achievement should be dismissed. He took a notoriously tough nut—determining correlation, or how seemingly disparate events are related—and cracked it wide open with a simple and elegant mathematical formula, one that would become ubiquitous in finance worldwide. For five years, Li's formula, known as a Gaussian copula function, looked like an unambiguously positive breakthrough, a piece of financial technology that allowed hugely complex risks to be modeled with more ease and accuracy than ever before. With his brilliant spark of mathematical legerdemain, Li made it possible for traders to sell vast quantities of new securities, expanding financial markets to unimaginable levels. His method was adopted by everybody from bond investors and Wall Street banks to ratings agencies and regulators. And it became so deeply entrenched—and was making people so much money—that warnings about its limitations were largely ignored. Then the model fell apart. Cracks started appearing early on, when financial markets began behaving in ways that users of Li's formula hadn't expected. The cracks became full-fledged canyons in 2008—when ruptures in the financial system's foundation swallowed up trillions of dollars and put the survival of the global banking system in serious peril. David X. Li, it's safe to say, won't be getting that Nobel anytime soon. One result of the collapse has been the end of financial economics as something to be celebrated rather than feared. And Li's Gaussian copula formula will go down in history as instrumental in causing the unfathomable losses that brought the world financial system to its knees."
There will be blood
reportonbusiness.com: 'There will be blood': "Harvard author and financial crisis guru Niall Ferguson has landed with a thud in Ottawa, spreading messages that could make even the most confident policy makers squirm. The global crisis is far from over, has only just begun, and Canada is no exception, Mr. Ferguson said in an interview before delivering a presentation to public-policy think tank, Canada 2020."
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Failure hits Nasa's 'CO2 hunter'
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Failure hits Nasa's 'CO2 hunter': "Nasa's first mission to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) from space appears to have failed after a rocket malfunction. Officials said the fairing - the part of the rocket which covers the satellite on top of the launcher - had failed to separate properly. If the finding is confirmed, the mission will be lost."
The Raw Story | JPMorgan Chase slashes dividend to save cash
This will be a new theme I think. The Raw Story | JPMorgan Chase slashes dividend to save cash: "US banking giant JPMorgan Chase said Monday it was drastically cutting its dividend payments to shareholders to save an estimated five billion dollars in capital per year."
Police warn that Britain faces summer of rage due to recession | UK news | The Guardian
Police warn that Britain faces summer of rage due to recession | UK news | The Guardian: "Police are preparing for a 'summer of rage' as victims of the economic downturn take to the streets to demonstrate against financial institutions, the Guardian has learned. Britain's most senior police officer with responsibility for public order raised the spectre of a return of the riots of the 1980s, with people who have lost their jobs, homes or savings becoming 'footsoldiers' in a wave of potentially violent mass protests."
Seth's Blog: Is marketing evil?
Seth's Blog: Is marketing evil?: "If you spend time and money (with skill) you can tell a story that spreads, that influences people, that changes actions. Marketing can cause people to buy something that they wouldn't have bought without marketing, vote for someone they might not have considered and support an organization that would have been invisible otherwise."
BBC NEWS | Business | US shares at nearly 12-year low
BBC NEWS | Business | US shares at nearly 12-year low: "US shares have fallen sharply on concerns about the government's latest attempts to shore up the banks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 250.9 points, or 3.41%, at 7,114.8, its lowest since October 1997."
Google Earth exposes a U.S. drone base in Pakistan. - By William Saletan - Slate Magazine
Google Earth exposes a U.S. drone base in Pakistan. - By William Saletan - Slate Magazine: "The picture, taken from directly overhead, shows an airfield in Pakistan. It looks like a video frame from one of the American killer drones that have been hunting Taliban and al-Qaida fighters there. But that can't be: The drones are right there in the frame, sitting on the ground. So who took the picture?"
DIY: Roast Your Own Coffee
DIY: Roast Your Own Coffee: "Roasting your own coffee might seem like an arcane craft, but it's surprisingly easy. With some basic tools and a little practice, you'll be turning out top-notch, customized coffee without a hitch."
BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Text: HBOS whistleblower statement
Ouch!! BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Text: HBOS whistleblower statement: "In simple terms this crisis was caused, not because many bright people did not see it coming, but because there has been a completely inadequate 'separation' and 'balance of powers' between the executive and all those accountable for overseeing their actions and 'reining them in' i.e. internal control functions such as finance, risk, compliance and internal audit, non-executive Chairmen and Directors, external auditors, The FSA, shareholders and politicians. As I recently commented on the BBC Money Programme called HBOS: Breaking the Bank 'Being an internal risk and compliance manager at the time felt a bit like being a man in a rowing boat trying to slow down an oil tanker.' If we could turn that man in the rowing boat into a man with a tug boat or even the Pilot required to navigate big ships into port, I feel confident that things would have turned out quite differently. When I was Head of Group Regulatory Risk at HBOS, I certainly knew that the bank was going too fast (and told them), had a cultural indisposition to challenge (and told them) and was a serious risk to financial stability (what the FSA call 'Maintaining Market Confidence') and consumer protection (and told them)." "To mix a few well known similes / metaphors / stories, the current financial crisis is a bit like the story of the Emperor's new clothes. Anyone whose eyes were not blinded by money, power and pride (Hubris) who really looked carefully knew there was something wrong and that economic growth based almost solely on excessive consumer spending based on excessive consumer credit based on massively increasing property prices which were caused by the very same excessively easy credit could only ultimately lead to disaster. But sadly, no-one wanted or felt able to speak up for fear of stepping out of line with the rest of the lemmings who were busy organising themselves to run over the edge of the cliff behind the pied piper CEOs and executive teams that were being paid so much to play that tune and take them in that direction. I am quite sure that many many more people in internal control functions, non-executive positions, auditors, regulators who did realise that the Emperor was naked but knew if they spoke up they would be labelled "trouble makers" and "spoil sports" and would put themselves at personal risk. I am still toxic waste now for having spoken out all those years ago! I would be amazed if there were not many executives who, if they really examined their consciences closely, would not say that they knew this too. The real problem and cause of this crisis was that people were just too afraid to speak up and the balance and separation of powers was just far too weighted in favour of the CEO and their executive."
So, just how bad is the economy? - CNN.com
So, just how bad is the economy? - CNN.com: "Nelson says it took America four years to recover from the 1873 panic. Tens of thousands of workers -- many Civil War veterans -- became homeless. Thousands lined up for food and shelter in major cities. The Gilded Age, where wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few 'robber barons like John D. Rockefeller,' followed the panic. advertisement America, of course, pulled out of the panic. Nelson is just not quite sure how the nation is going to do it now. His ultimate assessment of today's economy is blunt: 'It looks grim.'"
Gone in 60 Days: Citi and Bank of America Won't Live to See May | Charting Stocks
Gone in 60 Days: Citi and Bank of America Won't Live to See May | Charting Stocks: "Citigroup (C) and Bank of America (BAC) won’t live to see May. The government will take them over within the next 60 days. The announcement may come as soon as tomorrow evening."
Convert video to iPod format: iPodME
I bought an iPod the other day (my favorite blog quote here " yes I joined the iLemming crowd"). I have to say I am really pleased with it. Of course now I want to take all my videos with me everywhere, but it doesn't recognise all formats. I found this utility on the web the other day, which I think has solved all my problems. It is great, seems to convert nearly everything you throw at it. Fantastic, thanks for this iPodME « Noda’s Dev Blog: "iPod Media Encoder converts video into an iPod-compatible format, the easy way. As I was bored with the already existing converters like Videora, Xvid4PSP etc, I made this simple & efficient video converter. The profiles should be easy enough to figure, keeping in mind that slower encoding also means better video quality."
Where is the city of Atlantis?
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Google dismisses 'Atlantis find': "The Lost City of Atlantis is still lost - despite hopes that Google Earth had located the fabled city on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Observers noted what seemed to be a grid of streets and the outlines of a big city on the sea floor about 960km (600 miles) off the African coast."
Somolia on the ground
"When you land at Mogadishu’s international airport, the first form you fill out asks for name, address, and caliber of weapon. Believe it or not, this disaster of a city, the capital of Somalia, still gets a few commercial flights. Some haven’t fared so well. The wreckage of a Russian cargo plane shot down in 2007 still lies crumpled at the end of the runway."
Liquid water on mars?
The Phoenix Mars Lander May Have Detected Liquid Water on the Martian Surface | Universe Today: "Liquid water may have been discovered by the late Phoenix Mars Lander. This astonishing (and controversial) claim comes from some very intriguing images of the lander's leg shortly after Phoenix landed on the Red Planet last year. The series of black and white images appear to show droplets of water hanging off the robot's bodywork in the shade; it seems possible that the water droplets were splashed from the surface during Phoenix's rocket-assisted landing. Far from being static blobs, they appear to grow, much like water droplets here on Earth as water vapour is absorbed from the atmosphere."
11 Bosses Betting Big on Sinking Ships at SmartMoney.com
11 Bosses Betting Big on Sinking Ships at SmartMoney.com: "Newsletter InsiderInsights counts 372 companies with insider buys last week versus 357 with sells. Some of these purchases seem like daredevil moves: big purchases of plummeting shares with few apparent signs of a turnaround to come. Maybe they're on to something, or maybe they're about to lose a bundle."
CANADA UNDER SIEGE
CANADA UNDER SIEGE: "Canada's cities are in the grip of a sharp, new cycle of gang violence fuelled by the country's growing appetite for illicit drugs and competition among the organized crime groups that supply them, say police and other experts."
Bloomberg.com: U.S.
Bloomberg.com: U.S.: "American Express Co., the biggest U.S. credit-card company by purchases, fell the most in 10 weeks of New York trading after overdue loans worsened in January."
MI5 chief comments
BBC NEWS | UK | Ministers 'using fear of terror': A former head of MI5 has accused the government of exploiting the fear of terrorism and trying to bring in laws that restrict civil liberties.
Bankrupt Britain: Europe Blames America While U.K Warned of Bankruptcy :: The Market Oracle :: Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting Free Website
This is a good article on the state of the banking system Bankrupt Britain: Europe Blames America While U.K Warned of Bankruptcy :: The Market Oracle :: Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting Free Website: "The lower a bank is leveraged the lower the risk but the lower the potential reward, the higher it is leveraged the higher the risk, but higher the potential rewards. Every bank getting bailed out took too much risk and hence needed a bailout to avoid bankruptcy . Niall states that leveraging has averaged 12:1 in the U.S., whereas in Europe it was much higher with German banks having an average leverage ratio of 52:1. That's essentially $52 of debt based money for every $1 of real assets/money. So pointing the finger at the U.S. banking system is not a justifiable stance for a European politician. The chart below shows how excessive the leveraging was among many European banks: | Bank | Leverage Ratio June 2008 | Leverage Ratio
end 2007 | | HSBC | 20.1 | 18.4 | | RBS | 18.8 | 20.8 | | Deutsche Bank | 59.1 | 52.5 | | BNP Paribas | 36.1 | 31.5 | | Barclay's Bank | 61.3 | 52.7 | | Credit Agricole | 40.5 | 34.8 | | ING Group | 48.8 | 35.3 | | UBS | 46.9 | 63.9 | | Societe Generale | 30.3 | 39.3 | | UniCredit | 19 | 17.7 | | Fortis | 33.3 | 26.4 | | Credit Suisse | 33.4 | 31.5 | | Commerzbank | 39.9 | 38.2 | | Dexia | 64.4 | 41.6 | | Intesa Sanpaolo | 11.1 | 11.1 | | BBV Argentaria | 20.1 | 18.6 | | Lloyd's TSB | 34.1 | 31 | | Hypo Real Estate Holding | 83 | 65.9 | | KBC | 24.4 | 20.5 | | Standard Chartered | 19.5 | 15.8 | | Deutsche Postbank | 38.2 | 38.2 | | Banco Popular | 16.6 | 17.2 | | ( Source: CEPS , Sept 2008 ) |
Search for the Higgs boson
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Race for 'God particle' heats up: "Cern is losing ground rapidly in the race to discover the elusive Higgs boson, its American rival claims. Fermilab say the odds of their Tevatron accelerator finding it first are now 50-50 at worst, and up to 96% at best. Cern's Lyn Evans admitted the accident which will halt the $7bn Large Hadron Collider until September may cost them one of the biggest prizes in physics. The two rivals are trying to identify the 'God Particle' - one of the fundamental particles of matter. Finding the Higgs boson, whose existence has been predicted by theoretical physicists, might help to explain why matter has mass."
New Ponzi scheme
A 'fraud' bigger than Madoff - Americas, World - The Independent: "A 'fraud' bigger than Madoff Senior US soldiers investigated over missing Iraq reconstruction billions In what could turn out to be the greatest fraud in US history, American authorities have started to investigate the alleged role of senior military officers in the misuse of $125bn (£88bn) in a US -directed effort to reconstruct Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. The exact sum missing may never be clear, but a report by the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) suggests it may exceed $50bn, making it an even bigger theft than Bernard Madoff's notorious Ponzi scheme."
Tandoori Spice Recipe
Trying this recipe tonight, on salmon (linked to the Jamie Oliver recipe) Will let you know how it turns out. Tandoori Spice Recipe | Indian Recipes: "Ingredients 3 tablespoon garlic salt 2 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoon coriander 2 tablespoon cumin 2 tablespoon ginger 1 1/2 teaspoon cardamom 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon" Directions: How to Cook Tandoori SpiceToss bite-sized peeled carrots, potatoes and turnips in baking pan with a little olive oil and Tandoori Spice. Roast in a 400¡F oven 35 - 45 minutes. Sprinkle on fish fillets before broiling; on turkey or chicken cutlets before panfrying. Per serving: 171 Calories; 5g Fat (25% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 18478mg Sodium NOTES : Makes a scant 1 1/2 cup
How and Why Did Two Satellites Collide This Week? | Universe Today
This is a good article on the crash of the two satellites recently. How and Why Did Two Satellites Collide This Week? | Universe Today: "The collision this week involving an active U.S. commercial Iridium satellite and an inactive Russian Cosmos 2251 satellite in low Earth orbit has, if nothing else, raised public awareness of the growing problem of space debris. But how and why did this collision happen? If NORAD, the U.S. Air Forces's Space Surveillance Network, NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office and other entities are tracking space debris, did anyone know the collision was going to occur? Those who analyze data and track satellites say predicting collisions is difficult because of changes in satellite orbits which occur due to solar radiation and the gravitational effects of the Moon and Earth. Therefore, the orbit analysis is only as good as the data, which may be imprecise. 'The main problem here is the data quality for the data representing the satellites locations,' said Bob Hall, Technical Director of Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), the company that released video and images on Thursday recreating the collision event. 'Given the uncertainty in the accuracy of the TLE orbital data, I do not believe anyone was predicting or necessarily expecting an event.'"
Neanderthals 'distinct from us'
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Neanderthals 'distinct from us': "Scientists studying the DNA of Neanderthals say they can find no evidence that this ancient species ever interbred with modern humans."
Online games reach the long tail - Telegraph
Online games reach the long tail - Telegraph: "If you have a moment, visit bailoutbrown.com and lob a wad of cash at Gordon Brown. If that leaves you unsatisfied, head over to sockandawe.com and add to the 84,503,339 shoes that have been hurled at former President Bush – I managed a pretty poor 10 loafers in my allotted 30 seconds. Now this all sounds a little silly, but simple, free internet games like these, often launched within hours of an incident happening in the real world, are a growing phenomenon. And potentially they are big business."
New high-res moon map
This was be interesting to see, esp the dark side of the moon.... New high-res map suggests little water inside moon | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference: "COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The most detailed map of the Moon ever created has revealed never-before-seen craters at the lunar poles. The map is also revealing secrets about the Moon's interior -- and hinting about Mars's interior as well."
Architecture of chatrooms
This is interesting, I think the same to a certain extent happens in ordinary live conversations. James Harkin: The architecture of chatrooms has no straight lines – how do we improve the quality of online debate? | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk: "Online conversations have a habit of proceeding in peculiar ways. Let's take the parody here of an online chatroom discussion, penned by Tim Dowling for the Guardian in 2005, and use it as a case study. Anyone who has ever tried to chat with more than one other person on the net will find it familiar, because communication there tends to break down in predictable ways. So why does it happen, and what can it tell us about the architecture of Cyburbia that it does?"
Orbiting satellites collide
I suppose this is going to happen, however given the size of space, even with the large number of satellites the probability must be small. The debris however could be another matter and true hazard, tiny bullet size pieces orbiting at km/sec. Not good. Orbiting satellites collide | Herald Sun: "TWO communications satellites have collided in the first-ever crash of two intact spacecraft in orbit. The collision occurred yesterday about 800 kilometres over Siberia, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The crash produced a pair of massive debris clouds, and the magnitude of the situation won't be known for weeks at least, said NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries told AP. However, any risk to the international space station, which orbits below the collision course, is thought to be low. There also should be no danger to the upcoming space shuttle flight, targeted for liftoff no earlier than February 22, 'but they're continuing to analyse any possible risk', Ms Humphries told AP. The collision involved an Iridium commercial satellite, which was launched in 1997, and a Russian satellite launched in 1993 and believed to be nonfunctioning. Each satellite weighed well over 450kg. There have been four other cases in which space objects have collided accidentally in orbit, NASA said. But AP said those were considered minor events and involved parts of spent rockets or small satellites."
World's top 10 scariest airports -- Signs of the Times News
World's top 10 scariest airports -- Signs of the Times News: "Nervous fliers, stop reading! Travel & Leisure has come up with a list of the world's scariest runways that can make even the most relaxed travellers grip their armrest."
Cold warrior Henry Kissinger woos Russia for Barack Obama
Cold warrior Henry Kissinger woos Russia for Barack Obama: "Henry Kissinger, the pioneer of Cold War detente during the Nixon era, has made a return to frontline politics after President Barack Obama reportedly sent him to Moscow to win backing from Vladimir Putin's government for a nuclear disarmament initiative."
Latin America poverty 'may soar'
BBC NEWS | Americas | Latin America poverty 'may soar': "The global financial crisis could cause poverty to rise in Latin America by as much as 15% this year, a senior UN official has warned."
Thunderbird UFO over Dorset
Photo: Briton photographs Thunderbird UFO over Dorset -- Signs of the Times News: "British UFO experts looked into orbit on Thursday in order to find a UFO that is reminiscent of the military aircraft Thunderbird that was recently photographed flying over Bournemouth in Great Britain, reports Thaindian News"
US credit card delinquencies at record high
FT.com / Companies / Banks - US credit card delinquencies at record high: "US credit card delinquencies hit a record high in January, and further deterioration is likely as the economy slows down and unemployment rises, Fitch Ratings says. Payments at least 60 days late rose almost half a percentage point last month to a record 3.75 per cent, said Fitch. Credit card lenders also wrote off loans to delinquent borrowers at close to record levels, and such “charge-offs” were expected to breach records in the coming months."
FICO Credit Score Calculations Change Today
Credit Report: FICO Credit Score Calculations Change Today: "In the current economic downturn, the last thing you want to see is your credit score go to hell. Today, a new system for determining your credit score has rolled out, and here are the highlights." Big news
HiRISE Captures Bolide Break-up and Impact on Mars -- Signs of the Times News
HiRISE Captures Bolide Break-up and Impact on Mars -- Signs of the Times News: "Incoming! Hundreds of small objects, mostly asteroid fragments, impact Mars every year. Sometimes, like on Earth, objects break up in the Martian atmosphere. But Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, meaning more stuff hits the ground on the Red Planet. If a bolide breaks apart and but doesn't disintegrate, the result can be a cluster of craters. The image here is an example of that, with this group of recently made small impact craters. Although small Martian crater clusters are common, this example is unusual because there is a dark line between the two largest craters. The HiRISE scientists hypothesize that atmospheric breakup created two nearly equal-size objects that impacted close together in space and time so the air blasts interacted with each other to disturb the dust along this line. Wow!"
Belize chilli sauce recipe
I had trouble finding this again, so have posted for reference. This is the best. I think I doubled the chilli's (maybe more). Really good, tasty with afterkick. Link also below. How to make Belizean Style Habanero Sauce... The ChilliWorld guide to making great Chilli sauces.: "Belizean Habanero Sauce. The Belizeans have created a very distinctive style of sauce which is characterised by the addition of carrots. If you can get organic or even better home-grown then the carrot influence will be all the more pronounced. 1 small Onion -- chopped 2 cloves Garlic -- chopped 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil 1 cup chopped Carrots 2 cups Water 4 Scotch Bonnet Habanero Peppers, seeded and fine chopped 3 tablespoons fresh Lime Juice 3 tablespoons white Vinegar 1 teaspoon Salt | Remove stems and seeds from peppers - take the necessary precautions when handling hot peppers. | | Saute onion in oil until soft but not browned. Add carrots and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, add vinegar and simmer until the carrots are soft. Remove from heat . Add chilies, lime juice and salt to the carrot mixture. Place in processor and puree until smooth." | | Put into sterilized jars and refrigerate. |
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Violent unrest rocks China as crisis hits - Times Online
Violent unrest rocks China as crisis hits - Times Online: "Bankruptcies, unemployment and social unrest are spreading more widely in China than officially reported, according to independent research that paints an ominous picture for the world economy."
U.S. dollar devaluation on its way - Diane Francis
U.S. dollar devaluation on its way - Diane Francis: "Now it is 2009 and what appears to be looming, according to one authoritative press report this weekend, is a massive pre-emptive devaluation of the U.S. dollar as Team Obama readies itself to announce the “Big Bang” – a gigantic bailout of the frozen U.S. economy involving trillions of dollars."
Chinese earthquake may have been man-made, say scientists - Telegraph
Chinese earthquake may have been man-made, say scientists - Telegraph: "An earthquake that killed at least 80,000 people in Sichuan last year may have been triggered by an enormous dam just miles from the epicentre"
The energy efficiency of energy procurement systems
The Oil Drum: Europe | The energy efficiency of energy procurement systems: "We are set on a disastrous course. Governments must accept that the way we use energy must change and that a painful period of adjustment lies ahead. The energy efficiency of energy use and procurement should lie at the heart of decision-making and a good starting point is to ensure that reliable efficiency data is available to guide this process." Interesting graph here.
7 Underwater Wonders of the World
7 Submerged (Underwater) Wonders of the World | WebUrbanist: "A wealth of human history lies submerged in ancient cities at the bottoms of lakes, seas and oceans of the world. Some of these were sent into the water via earthquakes, tsunamis or other disasters thousands of years ago. Many have just recently been rediscovered, by accident or through emergent technological innovations. Some have even caused scientists to question the history of human civilization." These are a must see it looks
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