| Ideal Economy Meets Human Needs, says US Writer
Washington, Apr 2 (Prensa Latina) Bill McKibben, an accomplished author of 10 books says the number one problem with world economy is that growth fails the affluent, destroys communities and threatens the Earth, according to a Bloomberg report. "Deep Economy" is McKibbens most recent work, a critique on ther line of John Kenneth Galbraiths "The Affluent Society", where the famous economist already recognized half a century ago that wealth hasnt erased poverty or inequity. ``A single-minded focus on increasing wealth has driven the planet's ecological system to the brink of failure, without making us happier," writes McKibben. A scholar in residence in environmental studies at Middlebury College in Vermont, he isn't an economist, but he has clearly thought long and hard about the matters in his book, including economic development.
Showing Mugabe the Door
Ever since Zimbabwe began imploding in 2000, the conventional punditry about its president, Robert Mugabe, has largely been of the good-leader-turns-bad variety. Now, as the country's economy enters its death throes -- hyperinflation at 1,700 percent and expected to exceed 5,000 percent by year's end; unemployment at 80 percent; the average person's purchasing power at 1953 levels; life expectancy the lowest in the world; and an exodus of Africa's most-educated population -- it would seem a good time to re-examine that orthodoxy and decide what the West can do to ease the dictator's departure. .
IPCC report highlights need for integrated climate/human behavior ...
Adapting to the global climate change impacts outlined in the IPCC's Working Group 2 Report, "Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability", will require new evaluation tools to help choose the best way forward, according to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), an international network of environmental scientists. .
Asean ministers vow to tackle volatility
Chiang Mai - Asean finance ministers agreed that stronger defences were needed to help the region cope with volatility in the financial markets. "Asean may have to think about building some new highways or bypasses on our roadmap to build the Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2015 to cope with financial and economic volatilities," said finance minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn. Dr Chalongphob, the chairman of the 11th Asean Finance Ministers' Meeting, said members remained committed to strengthening economic ties in the region. The AEC roadmap, first adopted in 2003, envisions the creation of a region-wide free-trade zone using the European Community as a model. .
FEMA gets president's okay to assist tornado victims, how you can ...
President Bush declared a major disaster in Curry and Quay counties Monday because of tornado damage, making residents in those regions eligible for federal funds.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said.
Gov. (Bill) Richardson already signed a declaration of disaster for New Mexico on March 25 that made funds available for public assistance, said Tucumcari Fire Chief Mike Cherry. What public assistance means is it will pay for 75 percent of city, county, state governments and co-op utilities clean up expenses. The declaration signed by President Bush is for the FEMA federal aid to assist the individual persons affected by the storms.
Ghawar Is Dead!
Screaming Ghawar is dead and lighting a lantern in the daylight, confirms one certifiable for most Americans. Peak oil is here now! Saying even this engenders looks of complete incomprehension among the masses! Peak oil means the death of the American dream embodied in those cold, dead, marvels of plasticity on Anna Nicoles chest. Hell, it means the end of plastic surgery! It means the end of economic growth and everything that entails. Our collective fake-life cant go on much longer after its real-life sources of nourishment dry up and become the ashes of history. It wont be long now until we realize that our world has come unplugged from the ancient sunlight that provides its artificial neon glow. Matthew S. Miller, Ph.D (MMiller33@ucok.edu) is a lecturer for the Department of Humanities and Philosophy at the University of Central Oklahoma.
UniBank goes to Kumasi
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, has said that the influx of foreign banks into the country is an indication of trust and confidence investors have in the banking sector in the country.
According to him, the stability of the economy in recent times has created a congenial atmosphere for the banking sector, thereby attracting more financial institutions to choose Ghana as their business destination.
Another factor that has made it possible for more banks to spring up in the country is the increasing saving habit the people have developed.
In a speech read for him by his deputy, Professor Baffuor Gyan, at the official opening of the Kumasi branch of the UniBank, Mr. Baah Wiredu called on commercial banks to take advantage of the stability of the Bank of Ghana's prime rate to minimize their lending rate and interest charges on loans granted to their customers.
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