Bob Morris @ Mar 31st 2008 22:04 - Category: Credit crisis ;
A pay day loan is typically for a few hundred dollars, with a term of two weeks, and an interest rate as high as 800 percent. The average borrower ends up paying back $793 for a $325 loan, according to the Center.
A quick Google of “payday loans online” showed several sites charging 900% APR for a $100 7 day loan.
Why is this legal?
Bob Morris @ Mar 31st 2008 18:00 - Category: Unfiled ;
Bob Morris @ Mar 31st 2008 14:46 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: bifuel;
Whether we have arrived at this point in time by a superior technological approach, sheer luck or a redneck can-do attitude, the fact remains that microalgae can outperform the current feedstocks utilized for conversion to biodiesel and ethanol, yet do not impact the consumable food markets or fresh water resources.
Algae-to-biofuel could be a disruptive technology, as it permits biofuel to be made in commercial quantities without major environmental impact. If it can scale big, it will replace entire industries.
Bob Morris @ Mar 31st 2008 10:15 - Category: Anti-war ;
Although in the last several years there has been scarce any mobilization against the war to speak of, a majority of the North American and European citizens are still in favor of the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq: however, their voices are not being heard by the political establishment. There is a growing crisis of political representation in the West. Democracy is becoming hollow.
Well, there have been a few sizable mobilizations but none have approached the massive millions in the streets of 2003. Maybe people got discouraged, or got turned off by hard Left speeches at the marches, or didn’t feel directly affected because there’s no draft. Hard to know just what happened, but it certainly appears that people in the streets (unless they number in the tens of millions) can’t force political solutions.
Yes, such protests and demonstrations were successful and effective during the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War protests. But that was a different era. Things are much more media-driven now, with rapid response teams and spin doctors instantly ready to diffuse or counter antiwar sentiment. Most of all though, maybe it’s because mass antiwar protests simply aren’t compelling or even newsworthy any more. “Been there, done that” seems to be the view, for both those opposed to the wars and for the mass media.
Also, if the populace generally opposes the wars but clearly is not interested in joining in mass protests, then we are not reaching them and need to listen to what they are saying, then devise new tactics and approaches.
Bob Morris @ Mar 31st 2008 06:25 - Category: Energy conservation ;
Vacuum-insulated glass being developed by Guardian Industries will deliver a startling R-12 insulation level, making it equal to walls. The price is expected to be reasonable and here’s the kicker.
“This performance level would convert most windows in heating climates into net energy suppliers, providing more energy to the home via passive solar gain (even facing north) than the window loses”
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