Intelligence & Wealth

Intelligence & Wealth

It takes a lot more than simply IQ to save money. Interesting study...

The Water of Our Life

The Next Planet

I can hear the ocean when it is quite from my window if I lean out. Right now the rain is coming down loudly. It makes the trees stand strong. Scientists have found the first Earth sized planet. They think it is within the habitable zone of the particular star. The star it circles is a long lived red dwarf (which means plenty of time for evolution as these live for a long time). Scientists think they have detected other planets circling this same star. This star is one of the 100 closest stars in the universe to us.

We will probably fight a war against another race of life forms on another planet so that human beings can expand. I think we will be the invaders.

Do we (human beings) have an obligation?

Are we still in the constant struggle? Have human beings, in general, risen above the level of mere animal in a causal relationship with nature? Have we moved to the point where we have a greater sense of duty to each other?

Some people will answer this question definitively. Yes. When we began to socialize and things like altruism began to be chosen for evolutionarily, I think we had already chosen that we should help one another. Normally, I would argue that altruism is a hard thing to verify. Aren't we all, always thinking in our own best interests? Doesn't walk the old lady across the street impress the girl in the cafe? Or doesn't picking up the books of the random person simply make us feel good? Who wants to go around in guilt because you didn't help someone?

On a separate very important level, for those of us who believe that we do in fact have inalienable rights that come to us simply for the fact that we exist, the question is a yes. Once you know that you have these rules which give you the RIGHT to do something, then you have a responsibility to allow for others to exercise their own rights. And in that, you have allowed for something greater. But again, this is out of an obligation. You, in order to have your own rights, must give some rights to another party. Otherwise, what is their motivation to follow through when you attempt to exercise your own rights?

But beyond both of those things...

I have the ability to reason. I can see reality in front of me. The human condition is one that can be horrific. The human mind is a amazing contraption with emotions and insecurities and passions and intelligence. With all of these things nearby, I cannot help but think that I, as a single individual who has a sense of free will, have a responsibility beyond simply my brethren, but to my genetic line. I have a responsibility to help. The gifts I have been given must be given back.

I owe no one nothing. Nothing is mine to hold back.

World Economic Movement

U.S. Stocks Gain, Erasing Losses From Rout, on Profit Optimism

G-7 Confident Global Trade, Growth Gaps Shrinking

The US stock market seems to keep pushing upward. The companies keep reporting profits that are increasing. Unemployment seems to be holding steady and possibly dropping from historic levels. Even with all of our issues we are maintaining a solid long term growth.

The world's economy is now pulling the US along a bit. The regions are starting to grow in significance. The world is no longer so influenced by the movement of one country. A multi pole universe will lead to a greater amount of stability and growth. Hopefully people will live better lives...

`Reassuring'

First-quarter earnings among S&P 500 companies probably rose 3.1 percent, ending a 14-quarter streak of at least 10 percent growth, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That streak is the longest since 1950.

Full-year earnings growth may slow to 6.2 percent, before reaccelerating to 10.9 percent in 2008, analyst estimates show.

The Green SocioEconomic Machine Rolls On...

The Power of Green

The changes that will occur in the future always give me a bit of apprehension. I have an aversion to change I guess. Humans in general have been know for their ability to adapt themselves and their environments to make living agreeable. Maybe we need a big roll back...

They argue that the world needs to deploy any seven of these 15 wedges, or sufficient amounts of all 15, to have enough conservation, and enough carbon-free energy, to increase the world economy and still avoid the doubling of CO² in the atmosphere.

Here are seven wedges we could chose from: "Replace 1,400 large coal-fired plants with gas-fired plants; increase the fuel economy of 2 billion cars from 30 to 60 miles per gallon; add twice today's nuclear output to displace coal; drive 2 billion cars on ethanol, using one-sixth of the world's cropland; increase solar power 700-fold to displace coal; cut electricity use in homes, offices and stores by 25 percent; install carbon capture and sequestration capacity at 800 large coal-fired plants."

News from afar...

The Tribe's Revolt

There has been conflict all over the world for a long time. Foolish sentence to say... The dynamics of those conflicts can sometimes be quite interesting. Here we see the infighting. Maybe there is a bit of unraveling. There must be a reason to kill a person of significance.

But the current "tribal uprising" is not against all foreigners. It appears to be confined to the IMU. Other aliens -- Arabs, Chechens, Central Asians and Chinese -- have been left untouched or been the targets of the Uzbeks. For example, it was the killing by the IMU of Sheik Asadullah on 13 March that tipped skirmishes with the tribesmen into war. Asadullah was a Saudi and said to be the main financier for the Araba Al-Qaeda allied groups in the tribal areas. He was also a lucrative source of trade and patronage for the tribes.

It is Our Responsibility. Unless we wish to be worthless.

Presidential Candidate Hopefuls and their Money

The President of the United States carries a large amount of international weight. That person represents the 300,000,000 people who live in a very influential community in the world. The decisions made, the social movements began, the opinions expressed and the Presidential support given can move the world. We need be intelligent in our choices. We need to know why and how we vote. We need to give the privilege only to those who are worthy and competent.



The reports also indicate the relatively narrow base of big donors behind each of the Republican primary's two fund-raising leaders. Romney raised about $9.2 million, nearly half his first-quarter total, from about 4,000 contributors who gave the maximum $2,300 allowed under campaign finance laws. Giuliani's primary campaign raised about $7.6 million, more than half its total, from about 3,300 donors who paid the maximum. About 430 gave an additional $2,300 to Giuliani's general election fund, as well.

With 32,000 donors, Romney's average contribution was about $650. With about 28,000 donors, Giuliani's average contribution was about $490. In contrast, the campaign of Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, had 50,000 donors. The campaign of Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, had more than 100,000. Both had average contributions of about $250 a donor, based on their disclosures so far.

When it snows forever and never...

Walking in the cold...

Interactive and pretty (all of this via a good blend)

Why should a scientist study the desert landscape of Antarctica? Because there is the possibility that a large portion of this planet will have that type of an environment in the future. Snowball Earth is another happy theory in the news today. They speak about how some people think the past Earth one time froze up so much that even the oceans were solid.

Our Solar system is very interesting to look at. You wonder if Venus has always been as clouded as it is. You figure it has always been to warm for life, as we know it of course, but maybe there can be continual high level compounds that can come into life where it is so hot. Mars is the figment of many a dream, as it is so very similar relative to our other neighbors. It even has water. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus & Neptune are all giant balls of gas, with Jupiter being so very close to igniting on its own. There are a few moons that are of great interest as well. Methane oceans. Frozen lakes of liquid. An alien landscape.

We would be able to survive on certain level. And we would eventually leave this planet. It would take a while.

America Assists Illegal Arms Purchase Involving N. Korea

"Ethiopia bought arms from North Korea with U.S. assent"

Wow. This reminds me of the many known instances of action in opposition to what we might normally consider the good of the general population in order to get certain things done (Pinochet, Castro, Pahlavi, Hussein, Iran-Contra...I could go on, but I am tired). Now, much like many of the things in our sordid American history, the actions can easily be rationalized to make sense. In order to appease a nation we truly believe, in he end, will bend to our will we allow some money to support the people. And the money they are receiving comes from a country fighting the evil terrorists. It is a bit (a lot more than abit) idealists to believe that countries will act in the best interests of the humans that live on the world, but I think idealism should at least be reached for. Missiles for money...

"Nor is this the first time the Bush administration has made an exception for allies in their dealings with Pyongyang. In 2002, the Spanish military intercepted a ship carrying Scud missiles from North Korea to Yemen. At the time, Yemen was working with the United States to hunt members of Al Qaeda operating within its borders, and after its government protested, Washington asked that the freighter be released."

The Beauty

Iran let the Brit loose, eh?

Just imagine the Iranians caught the Brits for the purpose of letting them go so they could in some way make even the British government not support a war with said Iranians.

Iran might conjure at the broad table that they are in fact an active participating member of the international community and, as seen by our recent activity in the region, always follow our acts with appropriate action in regard to international law. By the way, what happenned to our Iranian brethren in the hands of the American government? How do we negotiate? And when do the Afghanis and Iraqis and all the other folk that are part of the war on terror get trials?

The world is fickle.

Read the article...if I had read it first I would have noticed they said all that I said...

Large Numbers of Eggs

Large Numbers of Eggs

I deserve some of the blame associated with people who do things like this due to my reading and distributing of the sites that prey upon them for "news."

Japanese Business Owners Kidnapped in Paraguay

Taken at gunpoint, ransom apparently called in

Traveling in all kinds of places in the world is scary. Not just the United States. :-)