Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts

20081204

Big 3's Slim Fast solution

US automotive industry is dead because, in spite of decades of decay, it decided to stick to "US automotive industry" instead of switching to "global mobility services".

Ford being Ford, only GM and Chrysler are openly talking about bankruptcy* in what looks like a slim-fast solution before a merger of equals (obese couch potato dummies lacking a vision for the future) : "just give us some cash, we'll deliver green cars as soon as we can and oh... if you don't mind we'll deliver a few pink slips even sooner".

Flint survivor Michael Moore wants**, like most Americans, the US to put money in sustainable transportation infrastructures, and to pull the plug for dumb, dumber and dumberer, to which I answer "which plug, Mike ? Isn't it time to install one ?"


* see for instance "
GM, Chrysler Said to Consider Bankruptcy to Get U.S. Bailout" (Bloomberg 20081204)
** see my e-mail box, in the spam section : "Saving the Big 3 for You and Me ...a message from Michael Moore" (20081203), somewhere between an ad for blue chips (take a blue pill and recover your lost highs on Wall Street) and a message from a desperate whitehousewife ("take my advice, O Great Bama, and please pardon my sins for I don't want to go to jail. Yours Truly, Karl Rove").

20080807

Riding The Bullet


"Where Have You Gone, John ?"

Good question and excellent answers by Jonathan Atler*.

McCain 2008 is definitely becoming a caricature of Bush 2004, and doesn't have much left in common with McCain 2000.

Already swiftboated in muddy waters by 527 Groups**, Barack Obama is now being parishiltoned by John's own Nightmare Team of campaigners, headed by The Bullet himself, Steve Schmidt, the ant behind The Architect in Karl Rove's masterpiece : George W. Bush 2004 election (remember ? Dubya lost in 2000 but Jeb won Florida for him).

How low can it go indeed ? Back in 2003, The Dixie Chicks would clearly denounce Bush's invasion of Iraq. Five years later, Paris Hilton is actually campaigning for John McCain. No wonder : compared to Nathalie Maines, this perfab rehab celeb has the IQ of a fencepost. Ever the superficial caricature of herself, she is not criticizing the Republican candidate for his program or character but for his age, the only field where she can outscore him (Mac also underwent cosmetic surgery, but for serious reasons - and no, I never considered dumbness a sexy attribute).

The air is almost getting fouler in pre-election America than in pre-olympic Beijing. Yet, even under this blanket of slime and mud, a serious debate seems to be emerging on energy issues. Obama knows the quickest way to curb emissions is to change behaviors, and McCain knows nuclear power should remain a major option.

Even nowadays, after the World's leader in percentage of electricity generated by nuclear plants disclosed series of embarassing incidents involving its beloved plants.

After all, there's been some improvement since 2004 : if France is still not really helping the GOP champion, at least Paris joined the Party.



* see his latest column (Newsweek
20080811) - and my previous blogules on this tragic Mac Drive : "The McCainistan War" (20080718), and "Values Question Marks" (20080512)
** see "
The Case Against Barack Obama ? More propaganda from mud loving PIGs" (20080703)

20070315

"Kurdistan, the other Iraq"... or "Kurdistan, the other other Vietnam" ?

Iraq's Kurdistan region opened, through the Kurdistan Development Corporation, a lobbying office in Washington, DC*. Headed by Qubad al-Talabani, son of Jalal Talabani, the President of Iraq as a whole (a black hole some may say), this unit officially promotes investments and tourism in the region. Autonomy and independance could be part of the discussions.

I do feel some sympathy for Kurds in general and I do wish them a peaceful future. Yet, I'm not so sure this is the way everybody wants it and even if Talabani were honest, other players would join the lobbying frenzy.

I remember the intense Iraqi lobbying between the two wars. Who could forget Ahmed Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress ? Among the different approaches for the liberation of Iraq, US theocons deliberately favored the factions that were bound to cause maximum damage. The parting of Iraq and the strengthening of fundamentalists across the region (especially and Iran and Israel) was not only expected but planned from the start.

If I were a US fundamentalist, I surely wouldn't want a democratic and peaceful Kurdistan to emerge in the dead middle of my playground.

A failed proof of concept Kurdistan could not only strengthen radicals in Iran but also infuriate and exacerbate fundamentalists in Turkey. To the contrary, I would seize the opportunity to bring chaos in this relatively protected part of the country, and to exacerbate radicalism everywhere. I would especially infuriate Turkish nationalists and fundamentalists, because as anybody can see these days, the radicalization of Turkey is key to the revival of Christian fundamentalism in Europe.

Don't mistake this initiative as an attempt to put a lock on Kirkuk oil fields : the aim of the game is to get rid of secularism in Turkey.



* see CMD's "The "Other Iraq" Opens a DC Lobbying Office" (20070302)

20070312

Halliburton and the 40 thieves (continued) - Dubai, we have a problem

Exeunt the Texan Oilers, welcome to the Emirate Drillers. Halliburton decides to move its franchise from Houston to Dubai, where CEO David J. Lesar will fell at home (show off new rich, bad taste contest and massive environmental plundering). The politically and environmentally correct TXU deal was just a farewell gift before the camel ride.
Like the KBR spin off. A prerequisite for the move since US military and national security is involved. The Bush administration* learned something from the DP World incident**.

Definitely, this administration can take lessons and good decisions. But only when it comes to this company***.




* Or should I say the Cheney administration ? As Jay Leno put it after the failed attack on the Veep in Afghanistan ("Red blogule to intel kept inside - Cheney caused 23 more deaths" - 20070303), the US were lucky : they could be ruled by George W. Bush now.
** "Red blogule to the DP World - P&O deal's Architects and winners" (20060224)

*** the priority of rescuers after Kathrina crushed the South (see my previous "Red blogule to Halliburton and the 40 thieves" - 20050911)

20070202

Department Of Climate Defense - 2007, ground zero of environment - Red blogule to Philip Cooney - White blogule to the IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its 4th Assessment Report* today in Paris. Yet another set of scenarios, and certainly not the worst case we've heard of so far. But considering the compromizes needed to produce it, this new finger pointing in our direction looks definitely frightening.

Philip Cooney resigned today. The White House Council on Environmental Quality's chief of staff had been on a hot seat for a couple of days and yes, global warming had something to do with it and yes again, human behavior too.The New York Times revealed how this former oil lobbyist edited many reports confirming both global warming and the impact of man. We can now measure the impact of one man, George W. Bush.

2007 is the ground zero of environment, where everybody gapes at the horror and starts to react. We certainly don't want the same leaders to take the same kind of decisions.
I'm sure the former next president of the United States would have done a better job. By joining the Kyoto community and putting more pressure on developping countries, Al Gore would have led the world to a slightly better trend at a decisive moment.

Gore wouldn't have prevented global warming, which is bound to rule for the next millenium at least. Besides, at the geological level, both Philip Cooney and the IPCC are insignificant. But we are enjoying global warming right now and what we are doing now is significant. At the personal, collective, national and international levels.


The IPCC does have a WMO / UNEP / UNO label, but the United Nations Environment Programme itself has no power. China and Russia are not likely to empower it that soon. Ditto at the WTO, even if Davos exposed interesting concerns across the entrepreneurial elite.

At the national level, I'd like the US to stand a little bit more sanely on this ground zero. Because this is also a matter of national security and defense. We are at war, we are defending our land, and the intervention of military is already often required. I'm not talking about financing federal environmental policies with the budget of defense : I mean defense should have its own environmental agenda, money to build natural fences, to fight the very causes of climate change. The budget of defense already contributes to R&D with civil applications, why not devote one fifth of it to the war on climate change ? For a change.


* download it at
ipcc.ch

20061130

White blogule to the EU's carbon cuts and the new ECSC

European Trading Scheme phase II (ETS 2) has cut member states' carbon permits by an average 7% for the years to come. If not disruptive, this is a first step beyond Kyoto.

A small step for environment but a giant leap for Europe : this international nobody had been asked for years to work on global warming, a much easier and popular task than political union.

Considering the EU was founded on the CECA (Communaute Europeenne du Charbon et de l'Acier) / ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community), we actually need less European Coal but an actual Steel Community as far as will is considered.

20060201

Red blogule to demokracy - professor Bush's vision

There were eventually quite a few changes between the final version of Dubya's State of the Union speech and the complete and uncut version I published last week. But as for surprises, I didn't get a lot.
I don't need to learn from such a lousy teacher "terrorists have chosen the weapon of fear". I don't need the President of the United States to quote an unknown soldier (Dan Clay) to paint a thin emotional layer of justification on his strategic mistakes. I don't need W to speak directly to the people of Iran the same way he did with the people of Irak right before invading their country.
Democracy definitely is on its way and here are the results : fundamentalists won in Iran and made their highest scores ever in Saudi Arabia or Egypt in 2005, and fundamentalists won in Palestine in 2006 because fundamentalists won in the US in 2004.

When George W Bush is talking about "a nation now held hostage by a small clerical elite that is isolating and repressing its people", is he talking about Iran of the Amerika that harrassed and fired all the good law people within its own administration who confessed some doubts regarding the use of torture ? The Amerika that reserved the best positions for the promoters of Intelligent Design and crucified the ones who refused to mix religion and science ?
And yet, this man is asking for more support : "tonight I ask for yours. Together, let us protect our country, support the men and women who defend us, and lead this world toward freedom". The freedom of being either with him or against him, the freedom of facing the consequences, the freedom of either being a good Amerikan citizen/churchgoer or abandoning all rights and dignity, the freedom of contributing to the economic domination of the Liberator or undergoing boycott and pressure.
And what is his ultimate goal, the final point of his brilliant speech ? "By applying the talent and technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our environment … move beyond a petroleum-based economy … and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past." What an inspiring vision... I suggest another wording for this back-to-square-one agony : "Help me outta there ! I've been stuck to that damn Texan pit ever since I started digging for my life but I've never been able to collect anything but mud, debts and shame."

20060126

White blogule to the State of the Union speech - complete and uncut edition

Exclusive - a blogules scoop: Here is the original speech to be delivered by President George W. Bush today. The text may undergo some edition but the key issues shall remain valid.

Dear fellow Amerikans,


You didn't elect me on my 2000 program, where I presented myself as a "compassionate conservatist". I had to get my mandate through other channels.
You did elect me on my action during my first term, though, and on an openly radical and fundamentalist agenda.


The least one can say is I've been delivering the goods. You can count on me to go further in the same direction and with the same determination once my lifetime nomination is confirmed. I will durably lead Our Beautiful Country towards Freedom, Obscurantism and Absolutism.

I've been criticized for not nominating Billy Graham at the Supreme Court, but I simply had in mind a position more suited for his outstanding talent : from now on, Your Government will have a Chief Evangelist to whom will report, beyond the Supreme Court : the Department Of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department Of Education. The Chief Evangelist will only report to God and the President and will always be nominated by the latter. He and his teams won't have to report to the Congress. On the contrary, the Chief Evangelist will nominate one third of all congressmen, selecting the most reliable candidates according to their knowledge of the scriptures and their devotion to the Intelligent Design.

Dear fellow Amerikans, despite being focused on the fight against Evil and Terror, Your Government keeps in mind other major challenges. Confronted to the rise of such countries as India or China, Our Wonderful Country can leverage on over 9 million square kilometers of land, but on a little bit less than 300 million people. We should be able to reach the density of - say - France, which would help us reach the one billion citizen mark.
Verily, verily, I say to you : Grow and Multiply ! Your Government will facilitate the building of new colonies across our most remote territories. We will for instance make sure every part of Alaska is not only suitable for well heated housing projects but also for tobacco or cotton fields. This dream can be fulfilled thanks to the immense reserves of this vast part of Our Glorious Nation.
We will also facilitate the circulation of all Amerikans between Alaska and the Mainland in spite of the wall we had to erect along the Canadian borders in order to stop their murderous terror attacts and their weaselish infiltrations of subversive ideologies.

I solemny remind the Canadian Government how seriously they should consider our ultimatum. Their pathetic gesticulations at what's left of the UN in Geneva won't help them escape their duties : we expect the full disclosure of their WMD programs and our british allies fully support this most vital request.
We will prevail : abandoned by the Commonwealth, the Canadian Government are in the last throes of their insurrection against their own people.

More than two centuries after its foundation, Our Lovely Country has never been so close to fulfil its dream of Freedom across the whole territory it was meant to liberate. We soon will be able to get rid of the absurd local administrations that paralyze our institutions. Inch'Allah, The United States of America shall become The United State of Amerika.

Long life to Liberty, long life to Freedom and God bless you all, Amen.

20060103

Red blogule to the 2006 Cold War - Gazprom and Gazpogrom

Because Viktor Yushchenko refused Putin's diktat, Gazprom just cut their Ukrainian pipes. Vlad the Impaler wanted Yushchenko dead but could just alter his face : now he doesn't care whether people die in this indecent and unfair armwrestling contest.
Russia is back to fascism but no one seems to care. Germany ? Gerhard Schröder just joined the board of a Gazprom subsidiary. The US ? Dubya can't locate "Ukrainia" on the map of Texas and has trouble translating his one-size-fits-all terror / freedom / democracy speech in Uzbek (hell, making friends with local despot Islam Karimov fulfills his understanding of Islam agenda). France, then ? Duh ! We're not interested in human rights either... actually, we're not even fighting for our gas or oil supplies anymore since we found the best way to solve both heating and gas consumption problems : we burn our own cars.
Sign of the times, Jews are fleeing Russia. Those who didn't reach Israel's shores land in Germany, where the Berlin community is blooming a beautiful way.

Back to Red Square One. So much for the U-turn of the Century.

20051213

Red blogule to die hard habits - blood on your face, big disgrace

At last, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined the club of the really tough guys : instead of injecting steroïds in his own body, he had something more directly lethal injected in the body of Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Driving a Hummer wasn't enough for a Prez candidate, especially one pushing a rather environmentaly ambitious agenda ; hardliners prefer Gubernator when he's praising Adolf Hitler or when he's actually killing some punk (even without using his NRA right to shoot). Am I my brother's keeper ? Am I my Beta Kappa ? You are a beta beta now, Arnie ; welkome to the Fraternity.
At last, Saudi Arabians are diversifying their economy : instead of leading the world in oil production, they're going for a much more noble output : fertilizers. Smart move : at least, next generations will still find some stinking stuff when they dig their deserts.

20050927

Red blogules to Walkers - oil for fool programs

George Walker B. asking US citizens to drive less in order to save gas* ? That Born Again Drunk Driver ? That very ruler of the Kingdom of SUV ? Next thing you know, Tom Waits will ask'em to quit smokin'... Amerika is running on empty, the budget trunk is empty, even the Pretzel Prez is empty. Coke wasn't strong enough for him : OD'ed on oil, then snorted pretzels and now gags on Greenhouse Gases. Yuck.

John B. Walker (head of the Independent Petroleum Association of America - or is it Petroleum Association Independant of America ? anyway, certainly not America Independant of Petroleum Association) seizes the opportunity and resumes lobbying : Alaska must save Amerika. Yuck.

America must save Alaska, but who will save America ? Joan Baez ? A new Kennedy ? Pat-Barack O'Bama ? Democrats ?
Nope : can't wait that long. Besides, the Reps must clean their own mess. They want to keep the power next year ? They'd better sideline the people who ruined their reputations. I expected this war of secession to start earlier but better late than sorry.


* "To Conserve Gas, President Calls for Less Driving" (NYT 20050927)

20050911

Red blogule to Halliburton and the 40 thieves

Remember last sunday, when George W. Bush was criticized for not acting quickly enough in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath ? To the contrary, the Prez proved to show a lot of compassion for his most beloved citizens, Halliburton management : on monday, The Houston Business Journal noticed Kellog Brown & Root had already begun work on a $500 M U.S. Navy contract in the Gulf (the Hurricane Katrina damaged Gulf of Mexico, that is*).
No wonder both the Administration and Cheney Inc set the same priorities : earlier this year, the company subsidiary hired Joe Allbaugh, Bush's former campaign manager. A man who would know all about spotting a potential jackpot since he chaired the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) after leading Dubya to the crown in 2000.
Wars and natural disasters meant as business opportunities. Budget deficits built for big corporation profits. An again, please don't show any picture of these dead bodies, will you ? Let the official Propaganda celebrate the 4th anniversary of the destruction of the Twin Towers and The Pentagon by Saddam Hussein. Welcome to the Banana Republic of the Divided States of Amerika.
Impeachment ? No way, unless the Reps flunk badly next year, which I doubt since The Architect, the ultimate Intelligent Designer of smear campaigns, the very Karl Rove who should be charged for treason, is at work too.

* Regarding the other Gulf, more about "Ali Burton and the forty thieves" in my 2003-2004
hand-made blogules.

20050824

Red blogule to Ayatollah Pat Robertson

Tell me the difference between Christian fundamentalists and Islamist fundamentalists now that both are issuing fatwahs. According to Ayatollah Pat Robertson, killing Chavez wouldn't cost $200 bns and killing Chavez is "a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. And I don't think any oil shipments will stop".
I don't think any craziness will stop soon either.
I'm just amazes me how Bu(ll)shites manage to make the weaker minds feel even more sympathy for such madhatters as Osama Bin Laden or Hugo Chavez.

20050614

Red blogule to President Cheney and his "unlawful combatants"

Hypocrisy is not Lobby Dick's middle name. You can easily translate Dubya's doubletalk by catching the not so innocent pieces of ultraconservative wisdom his VP keeps releasing with the precision of a Swiss clock. Who was there to put some (Halliburton ?) oil on the fire at the peak of North Korean tension last week ? President Cheney. Who is there to defend Guantanamo under fire ? Richard The Second.
According to the
NYT, the man a heartbeat away from becoming the world leader of democracy said Guantanamo detainees do not qualify for treatment under the Geneva Conventions because they are "unlawful combatants" who have not "operated in accordance with the laws of war" because they don't wear uniforms and have targeted civilians.
Here are the facts, Mr Cheney :

  • Yes, atrocities are also committed by American people because you told them not to abid to any laws. Refusing the Geneva Conventions and any other kind of accountability goes beyond "unlawfulness" : you are training outlaws and torturers and this administration brought the shame on your country like no other one before.
  • Yes, terrorists did and do commit atrocities - against the American people but more fundamentally (indeed !)against moderate muslims who are now defenseless because of the illegal war you sold - these are the perfect target civilians who get killed while you, as usual, stay safe far away from the actual war.
  • Yes, this can also be said about you : you are "unlawful", you have not "operated in accordance with the laws of war", you don't wear uniforms and your so called war on terror mainly targeted civilians (the fact that US soldiers die because of you doesn't hurt the feelings of your buddies : after all, you traded their big corporation losses for a massive public deficit).

You say you want to bring Osama to justice but I wonder what kind of justice USA can bring under the helm of a known promoter of torture and at a time when even paedophiles are acquitted.

20050501

Red blogule to the "oil for fools" program

- "Am I my brother's keeper ?"
Jeb should answer "sorry Georgie but I'm affraid you ain't. Bush '08 relies on the Architect's craft again. Say... what have you done for America ?"
Terror is on the rise (and the next generation gets all the motivation it needs from Uncle Sam), WMDs are blooming in North Korea and still nowhere to be found in Iraq, and George II is almost rejoicing to the perspective of using anti-nuclear devices against his fellow tyrant Kim Jong-Il. Besides, lies and torture have been institutionalized by Amerika and the "age of diplomacy" is about destroying the international bodies the Bush Administration snubbed during the first mandate (in order to get rid of these embarrassing bodies, Bolton is supposed to act as a UN-bomber and Wolfie to take the money and run). The Axis of Evil got stronger, the Axis of Weasels exhibited courage and King Dubya is still leading the Axis of Liars, a lame duck asking for a few lame bucks...
Yet, Neocondi still has a crush on "my husband", and her disdainous snarl keeps resembling that of Lobby Dick by the day.
Barf bag anyone ?

20050320

Red blogule to Paul Wolfowitz

The US are withdrawing from all international bodies but the ones they initiated, especially when they can help putting some of the Iraqi mess away from the national flags (casualties, deficits, counter-propaganda). But the nomination of Paul Wolfowitz for the head of the World Bank sounds like the ultimate insult to the international community.
The man is anything but "a compassionate and decent man", as a master in both compassion and decency, George Walker Bush, dared dub him. How could an expert in dissimulation promote transparency ? How can this man handle the World Bank's priorities ? I just pick 3 out of the 6 "hot topics" mentioned on the World Bank's website : "Chad-Cameroon pipeline", "extractive industries transparency initiative" and "Iraq"... Come on !!! The World Bank is about reducing poverty ? It sure will if you consider Halliburton a poor entity. Look at the chest Wolfie will be able to pump from :
  • IBRD : The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development , $11bn in 2004
  • IDA : The International Development Association, $9bn in 2004
  • IFC : The International Finance Corporation, $4.8bn in 2004
  • MIGA : The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, $1.1bn in 2004
  • ICSID : The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (that definitely settles it, doesn't it ?)

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