SustainabiliTank: Archives

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In Vienna there is a bit of the Mediterranean – a Citrus hot house at the Schoenbrunn Palace Orangery; then we found that in Koernten (Carinthia) there is even an active commercial Citrus Garden. Say – Austria wants part of the Mediterranean as well. (May 19th, 2013)
Thomas Friedman tells the world that the current uphevals in Syria started from lack of water, enhanced by the fast growing population ruled by a represive corrupt regime with outside money fomenting sectarian and religious passions. Then Assad’s cronies bought up the small farms, drilled for water, drove the farmers to the cities where they found it hard to make a living – so they rebelled. They say the drought came from Allah, but the misery from Assad and his Alawites. (May 19th, 2013)
UPDATED – President Obama’s Words and Deeds: Is he actually the Environmental President? Senator Boxer pointed out that There is No Need for an Environmental Law – President Nixon did this for us already – What is Needed is Simple Exercise of Presidential Power – and now it becomes clear that the World needs US leadership. (May 19th, 2013)
In the Middle East a present days STONE AGE is preferable to the ongoing finger-on-the-trigger performance (small arms) and immensely better then the introduction of Weapons of Mass Destruction – this despite what some say on the internet or mass media. (May 18th, 2013)
Meanwhile the European Commission says energy import dependence increased last 20 years and estimates the demand for oil and gas will increase by more than 80 percent by 2035. (May 18th, 2013)
About Reliance on Fossil Fuel – You can’t hit 400 ppm CO2 and still think “all of the above” is a rational energy strategy. Where is the leadership? It is feared that Climate Inaction could be a real Obama Administration Scandal. (May 18th, 2013)
When the bees die because of the lack of human husbandry of the planet, this is not a problem for the bee-keepers but for life on earth as we know it. (May 15th, 2013)
The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda met at UN Headquarters in New York for three days and today announced that they will meet again and deliver their report to the UN Secretary-General on the 30th of May as requested. (May 15th, 2013)
Second UPDATE: At the UN – It is true that unpaid internships are auctioned at high price, and former high government officials become high paid outside consultants. Mentioned were an internship on the UN-NGO Committee on Human Rights, and Messrs. Sarcozy and Blair getting high consultancy and lobbying fees. The Update is – the auctioning concluded successfully at $26,000 paid by a person called M. Alam. Will the UN let him/her in? (May 15th, 2013)
“A Song for Peace” – Mothers’ Day present to Vienna – a first All-Europe Jewish Choir Festival 70 Years after the Nazis tried to exterminate European Jewry. (May 13th, 2013)
The Independent Media complains about continuing problems at the UN with its adherence to rules of a Free Press. (May 13th, 2013)
Coal, tar sands and their pipelines, and fracked shale gas, just do not mix with wind, solar and water. At 400ppm, Reverend Billy and his choir will lead the green children in a protest when Obama is in New York Town Monday May 13, 2013 so he notes that 350ppm is the acceptable limit. (May 12th, 2013)
The Iranian Version of a Controlled Election got its two most interesting candidates today. Rafsanjani and the Ahmadi-Nejad backed Mashaei go for Opposition. Rutgers University based Amirahmadi was not mentioned and there might be 140 names on this second start line. The final-start is to be set by the list to be released May 16, 2013 for a First-Round on June 14th. (May 12th, 2013)
With both sides equally repugnant in the Syrian internal war, a voice is heard that says help the weaker side of the moment so the war is strategically sustained. (May 12th, 2013)
The UN Advisory Committee of Administrative and Budgetary Questions asks – Why is The Office of the UN Special Representative to the Sahel located in Rome, with Romano Prodi as its Head, while he was pursuing the Presidency of Italy? (May 11th, 2013)
Bollards are those 3 ft. tall figures that the 9/11 events positioned around our most important sites. They are barriers in our minds and a concession to the extremists that hate us. Could we not figure out now a defense following 4/16/2013 in Boston and 9/11/2012 in Benghazi? (May 11th, 2013)
The German University of Technology (GU Tech) in Oman got a brand new, prize winning, Green Campus, in a State that for now has no use for Conservation of Energy. This is a clear first in Oman – a return to consciousness that was common here in pre-oil times. (May 11th, 2013)
The CO2 Concentration in the air atop Mount Mauna Loa, Hawaii, surpased 400ppm (0.04%) which is the highest figure since 3 Million years ago. (May 11th, 2013)
Adaptation to Climate Change drives now course content at Oxford University. (May 11th, 2013)
One State, Two States – The Donkey of the Messiah marches on. The One State will lead to a Two or Three States solution. (May 10th, 2013)