Dear Sir,

We are using this opportunity to inform you that our company is in need of the following workers to work in a Factory / Hotels in  Canada with the reference of our power of attorney, we therefore require you to supply us the following manpower as follows:

HOTEL PERSONNELS
Waiters
Waitress
Cooks
Caregivers
Tea Ladies
Barbers
Gardeners
Fishermens
Store Keepers
Receptionists
Bar Attendants
Room Cleaners
Office Cleaners
Shop Assistants
Security Guards
Laundry/Washer man

Light Drivers and Heavy Drivers

Hotel Managers and Supervisors.

MEDICAL DOCTORS – Specialists / General Physicians / Surgeons / Staff Nurses

CONSTRUCTION PERSONNELS: Welders, Foreman, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Painters

All this vacancy is available now, the visas, Tickets, Accommodation,Transport and Hospitality for the workers are in company charge.

If your company is interesting in our vacancies, you should please reply us immediately so that we can forward to you our company details and the mode of operations.

Note that your company are entitled to one month salary of each workers supplied as agency commission and it will be paid to you on arrival of the workers at their respective duty post.

IMPORTANT INFO
Pls be informed that any workers who will not be ready for the final deployment by Oct,Nov 2010 are not eligible to apply

Kind Regards,
Captain Barley Gordon Smith DIRECT LINE+447045726140

UK OPERATIONAL OFFICE

HR GROUPS CONSULTING INC.

Regent’s Park London NW1 4SA United Kingdom
Tel+447031842231+447024971364 /+44703898643

CORPORATE OFFICE
HR GROUPS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
Suite 105, 4990-92 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

HOURS OF DUTY.
Opening Hours:Monday-Thursday 07:30 -17:30 Friday: 07:30 -12:30
Telephone Hours:Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 to 17:30,Closed on Saturdays

Subject: Youth Forum Empowering Youth with Earth Observation Information for Climate Actions 1-6 October 2010, ICIMOD, Kathmandu.

Dear Colleagues,

Realising the important role of young minds in ensuring sustainability in the region and to promote application of earth observation systems, particularly on climate change adaptation, we are organising a six-days long YOUTH Forum on ‘Benefiting from Earth Observation: Bridging the Data Gap for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region’, from 1-6 October 2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Youth Forum is managed by ICIMOD together with the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN), Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA), GIS Society of Nepal and other local partners working on youth capacity building. We are expecting to invite some 30 youth professional to attend this programme from ICIMOD Regional Member Countries, which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. This initiative is being organized in the framework of SERVIR- Himalaya initiative and is supported by USAID and NASA.

We would appreciate your support in sharing this announcement with the suitable candidates and encouraging to join the forum.

Best,

Tek

On behalf of the YOUTH Forum preparation committee

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Background:

The Youth Forum, 1-6 October 2010, is being organized recognising the far reaching consequences of climate change in the Himalaya and to make aware young professionals in the region about how parts of these problems can be addressed though application of modern day technologies, like earth observation (EO).

The Forum will serve as a platform to share and learn experiences regarding climate change issues, for which we will bring about 30 youth climate enthusiasts from the region , who will be familiarised with potential benefits of EO derived information and demonstrated relevant practical actions.

The Youth Forum is one of the key attractions of the International Symposium on ‘Benefiting from Earth Observation: Bridging the Data Gap for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region’, 4 – 6 October 2010 being organised by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain development (ICIMOD) together with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the GIS Development, India.

The event will provide opportunity among youths to familiarize with basic RS/GIS skills with practical hands-on sessions, demonstrate case studies related to use of EO in climate actions, internet related resources and project work to take local action in community. This initiative is being organized in the framework of SERVIR- Himalaya initiative and is supported by USAID and NASA.

Who should apply?

Young climate change enthusiasts, media persons, youth activists, development professionals etc. However you don’t have to be an expert on earth observation, climate change or mountain development, but you should have familiarity with the environmental issues mountains are facing and a strong commitment to contribute towards problem solving process with the use of modern tools and approaches like EO, particularly in the context of changing climate, which has posed serious threats to mountain ecosystems.

Young professionals of 18 to 29 years of age (by September 1, 2010) and coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan are eligible to apply. Please use this form to apply for the youth forum. All applications will be reviewed by an international review committee. Based on the evaluation of the quality of the application by the review committee and taking into account the need for a balanced group in regard to scientific discipline, geographical background and gender, about 30 applications will be accepted for participation in the Forum. Accepted applicants will be notified by 6 September 2010.

Please note, all the accepted applicants are expected to prepare a poster (hand-made or printed or in any other forms) reflecting their understanding about mountain environment, earth observation and climate change adaptation or any other relevant topics. Further details on this will be communicated later.

In case you have any problems in accessing the application form please write to tmahat@icimod.org.

Financial support:

Participation cost (round-trip airfare, local transport, and food and accommodation in Kathmandu during the Youth Forum will be covered by ICIMOD)

Important dates and links:

Application deadline 1 September

Selection notification 6 September

Youth Forum 1-6 October

Event details: http://geoportal.icimod.org/Symposium2010/SpecialEvent.aspx

Application form: http://bit.ly/defa4g OR

https://spreadsheets2.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dC13Qjc2Z3FXU3gyel9Gb0lCYUFSNVE6MQ#gid=0

Tek Jung Mahat, Node Manager

Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN)

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Tel +977-1-5003222 Ext 104 Fax +977-1-5003277 Web www.icimod.org AND www.icimod.org/apmn E-mail tmahat@icimod.org

From day two we pick the event at the headquarters of FIRST – that
stands for -  “FOR INSPIRATION and RECOGNITION of SCIENCE and
TECHNOLOGY.”

FIRST was created 20 years ago by Dean Kamen who says he never gets a
paycheck – nobody wanted to hire me – I have a strong incentive to
deliver things. He also explained that when you open the book and
there is no answer – an unintended consequence of the way education
works in the US – you end up not getting the answer- that’s it. True -
you must get an education but you actually need more then what you get
- you must know to question and seek the answer that is not ready for
you for the taking from the book.

We spent some six hours in trying to find out what Kamen has in mind
and we learned what Senator Sheehan is proposing to US Senate.

Their idea is that an addition to the budget appropriation bill will
create a competitive grant program for non-traditional education
initiatives according to lines that were set up by FIRST.

These lines include four different programs tailored specifically to
age groups and class levels of students.

These programs must be fun to the students and involve robotics and
play. A problem is set and the student groups address the problem and
work on finding solutions. They also learn to work within a given
budget and they develop the very important skill of how to compete.

Starting with Junior First Lego League for ages – kindergarten to to
third grade (6-9 years old) – the Jr FLL – then the Full FLL for ages
9-14 years old or 4-8 graders.

The First Tech Challenge is the 9-12 grades or ages 14-18, and the
First Robotics competition FRC is for the 14-18 years old or the 9-12
grades high-schoolers.

We are talking of 200,000 kids worldwide involved in the four FIRST
programs, and they are being helped by 85,000 volunteeres that can be
professional; engineers, teachers, parents, and others that help with
the projects. We talk now of groups in 66 countries – with main
concentration on the US, Canada and the Netherlands. This year Israel
joint strongly and with government help.

Here in Manchester, New Hampshire – we were 7 journalists from China -
Washington and New York based, one from Japan – Washington based and
one from Austria – New York based. I am sure that all of these will
help spread the word.

We watched an actual competition, listened to people working at DEKA
(Dean Kamen) Research and Development Corporation, looked at some of
the products born in their minds and being shaped into creations ready
for commercialization, then we watched students competing with their
devised robots, and even better then everything else, a young kid was
there with his parents who took the tour with us – and this kid knew
to ask incisive questions that made him appear as an ideal participant
in this budding new educational program that Senator Shaheen is trying
to help create via legislation and government funding.

The US must face it – it is behind education in math, engineering,
science and technology and creating high-tech knowledge centers and
grooming the personnel that has developed the gift for innovation
rather then be stunted because of static education, is the imperative
of this hour when lack of scientific curiosity has been blunted by
beliefs in creationism and of dead words in books they refuse to
search for their real inherent intent.

Before closing on this very short second report – let me reiterate
that Senator Shaheen wants to see government involved in funding
government programs, and in the legislative process, and her agreeing
as per our Scoop No.1 when talking about regulation by fiat – like in
the case of EPA taking over from a beaten Senate, these are the
exceptions – not the rule – and the rules when they take over  can
come about only if we agree that there is no other way.

————————————

Holly Ramer of AP was in Manchester, and her report made it in all local papers like the Portsmouth Herald that had it as an article titled: “ROBOTICS CLASS IN YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL.” Bill would fund programs that promote math, science careers.”

Foster’s Daily Democrat of Dover, N.H. titled it: “SHAHEEN, KAMEN PROMOTE SCIENCE EDUCATION IN N.H.”

WHEN: Program takes place October 10-13, deadline for applications varies, see background information

CONTACT: To apply go to www.wharton.upenn.edu/journalists

BACKGROUND: The Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists are dedicated to helping journalists gain a better understanding of key business and economic issues via intensive lectures conducted by senior Wharton School faculty.  Our Donald T. Sheehan International Fellowship is offered to help international or internationally-focused journalists who wish to attend the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists.  The Fellowship provides for tuition, most meals and all program materials but not travel or lodging.   The program takes place on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia, PA, October 10-13, 2010.  Please note:

1)         For the Sheehan Fellowship, deadline is Sept. 1, 2010. Note “Sheehan Fellowship” in the “current responsibilities” field of on the application page here: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/media_room/journalists/application.html

2)         For general applications, the deadline is Oct. 1, 2010

3)         Additional information:

•           Session Dates: Sunday-Wednesday, October 10-13, 2010

•           Fee [for those not receiving financial assistance]: The cost of the program is $1995.00 and includes tuition, materials, and most meals.  Final deadline date for all applications and payment is October 1, 2010.

•           Location: Classes will convene at the Wharton School’s state-of-the-art facility, Jon M. Huntsman Hall.

•           Accommodations: If registered by September 1, 2010, participants may reserve rooms at the Hilton Inn at Penn.

•           Program Agenda: Scheduled sessions and faculty are available here: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/media_room/journalists/courses.html

July 14, 2010

Members of the public can donate money towards the restoration of local schools, as their way of commemorating Mandela Day 2010.

On July 18 this year, all South Africans have been invited to give 67 minutes of their time to projects that honour the life and spirit of Nelson Mandela.

The NGO Men On the Side of the Road (MSR) has thrown its full support behind the Mandela Day campaign. MSR is a marketplace for casual workers where men gather at organised collection points in seven cities across South Africa.

MSR has decided to focus on the restoration of schools, as a way of linking with the education theme of this year’s Mandela Day.

“Not everyone can give their time to the Mandela Day campaign. Instead, why not donate 67 minutes of their earnings,” suggested Peter Kratz, national director for MSR. “Our registered painters and builders in seven cities can be called in to fix local schools in dire need of a facelift. The money donated by members of the public will make this restoration work possible and cover the costs of hiring workers and purchasing materials.”

Customers in seven cities can visit MSR collection points if they are looking for workers, on a part time or contract basis, that are able, trustworthy and skilled in particular areas. MSR have verified all their skills and workers have identity cards on them at all time.

With unemployment at critical levels, the MSR aims to facilitate the placement of skilled and semi skilled workers in part-time or full-time work. For as little as R120 per day potential employers can hire a reliable and trustworthy worker.

Kratz hopes that members of the public will nominate a school in their community which is in need of restoration work. The money they donate will be used for work on that specific school, to help make quality education a reality for its learners.

Donations can be deposited at Standard Bank, account name MEN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, account number 070-956-383 (reference MD).

Call 0861 WORKER (0861 967537), email info@employmen.co.za or visit www.employMen.co.za for more info.

——————————–

Issued by:
HWB Communications (Pty) Ltd

Contact:        Martin Slabbert

Telephone:     (021) 462 0416
Fax:             (021) 462 0427
Mobile :         079 500 1503
Email:           martin@hwb.co.za

On behalf of: Men on the Side of the Road (MSR)

——————————-

• MSR is a marketplace for thousands of casual workers.
• MSR has organised collection points in seven cities around South Africa.
• Customers can collect a worker for part-time, contract or full-time work, knowing that the people the hire are able, trustworthy and skilled in particular areas.
• Details of all MSR members are loaded onto a database, which carries a record of their identity number and photograph, skills training, references and recommendations, ensuring customers will be matched with the best worker for a particular job, be it building, rubble removal, gardening, cleaning or window washing, to name a few.
• MSR started out of a human rights initiative back in 2001 when men were being arrested for “loitering” (which implies without intent), while in fact they were gathering to find work at various collection points around the city. The Cape High Court ruled that these men had a right to seek work. A local businessman, Charles Maisel, took a particular interest in the case and the plight of these men to survive and founded MSR. Since then, Peter Kratz, who heard about the project on returning to South Africa after living abroad for six years, has become involved and is dedicates much of his time to developing the organization.
• MSR is now a nationwide force representing thousands of work seekers of both genders in all the main cities in the country.

An Entire Generation of India’s Brightest Students is Galvanized into Tackling Sustainability, Climate Change, Energy Security and the Environment.

IIT Madras to Host The 2010 Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition™, India, in Chennai, September 30 ? October 3, 2010.

——————

The The Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition^TM 2010 to be held at IIT Madras
September 30 – October 3, 2010.

Founded in early 2007, The Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition™, Asia’s first and most prestigious sustainable/clean technology business plan competition, brings green and sustainable technologies to market through entrepreneurship, to fortify energy security, enhance sustainability on the planet, and tackle climate change.

Now in its third year, the competition is the brainchild of Prof. Oopali Operajita, CEO, Cicero, A Trans National Advisory, a Senior Strategic and International Affairs Adviser to several of India’s prominent political leaders in India’s Parliament, and a former Distinguished Faculty Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University,USA.

The Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition^TM is a student-led business plan competition, which provides mentoring for, and exposure to, the development of sustainable technology ventures from around the world, to combat climate change and fortify energy security.  The competition supports the creation of real businesses that bring about positive change through new technologies in a sustainable manner.

The IIT Madras Finalist Team (Greenext Technology Solutions) from the 2009 Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition™ won the First Coveted ‘NYC Next Idea’ Prize from Mayor Bloomberg in New York City. Here’s a link to the story. Here‘s the coverage on the leading Indian television channel NDTV 24×7.

http://www.cicerotransnational.com/agstvc.html

or send us email mail at: agstvc (at) shaastra (dot) org        or agstvc (at) gmail (dot) com

07/16/2010  – SustainableBusiness.com News
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/20692
——–

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 — Less than two weeks after the formation of “UN Women,” to consolidate the UN’s agencies working on the issue, one of the agencies has gone forward with a major lease of real estate in Manhattan.

The UN Population Fund, UNFPA, has just reportedly signed a 15 year lease for three floors (131,000 square feet) at 605 Third Avenue in midtown Manhattan.

Meanwhile, multiple sources tell Inner City Press that during the negotiations to form UN Women, Qatar offered $100 million if it the headquarters would be put in Qatar.

But as Inner City Press reported earlier this month, Qatar is one of only three countries which has never sent a female athlete to the Olympic Games, along with Brunei and Saudi Arabia.

So now matter how much money is offered, some ask how could the headquarters of UN Women be in Qatar?

UN’s Ban and Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, $100 M not shown

————————————————————————————————————————————–

A Group of 77 source complained, as to UN agency headquarters, that an effect of the European Union’s push to form a UN Environment agency would be to undermine the status of Nairobi, where the current UN Environment Program is headquartered.

But maybe if UNEP stepped out and signed a big long term lease for more Kenyan real estate…

———–

At UN, As Rudd Meets Ban for 50 Minutes, Pasztor Is Present, Job for Climate Change in Air?

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 — When Kevin Rudd, just ousted as Australia’s prime minister, met late July 14 with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, there was one attendee rarely as such meetings: Janos Pasztor, the head of the UN’s climate change unit.

This came a day after Inner City Press reported that the UN is being urged by the Obama Administration to give Rudd a climate change job.

Inconveniently, the IPCCC top post was recently awarded to Christina Figueres of Costa Rica. (Pasztor competed for the job, temporarily and partially recusing himself from his past and current job, but lost out.)

Now, while the U.S. wishes the IPCCC post were open, it appears that a new special envoy on global warming post would have to be created. One wonders what Pasztor thinks. Also present in the meeting were Ban’s chief of staff Vijay Nambiar and his deputy, but most senior advisor, Kim Won-soo.

UN’s Ban and Rudd

Prior to meeting Rudd, Ban had an audience with representatives of the Korean Red Cross. They bought a gift, which was waiting by the elevator. Moments before Rudd came in, Ban emerged from his office and began walking to his spot at the table.

Moments later, Pasztor joins

Then he stopped, remembering – he had forgotten to put on his glasses. He went back and got them. Then Rudd entered, then Pasztor. The photos were taken, and the photographers hustled out.

But Rudd did not leave until 6:20 p.m. — 50 minutes later….

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE SELECTS ROCHESTER AS A SITE FOR A FORUM DISCUSSION ABOUT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S NATIONAL EXPORT INITIATIVE

- NEI Aims to Double the Number of Exports by 2012 -

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – (July 2, 2010) — Rochester is the only Upstate New York City the U.S. Department of State has selected as the location for a forum discussion about President Barack Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI). NEI aims to double the United States’ number of exports by 2012 and create 2 million jobs nationwide, approximately the same number of jobs lost by the manufacturing sector during the economic downturn.

“The Department of State chose Rochester because the Greater Rochester Region is the largest exporting metro region in Upstate New York, and it is one of the top 5 exporting regions per capita in the United States,” said International Business Council (IBC) of Greater Rochester, NY Executive Director Laurie DeRoller. “This town hall style meeting will provide local businesses with valuable information they need to grow and create jobs.”

Thomas Engle, director of the Office of Monetary Affairs Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs for the U.S. Department of State, will speak at the event, which takes place Wednesday, July 14 from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Gleason Works Auditorium, located at 1000 University Avenue in Rochester.

The IBC is hosting the NEI Forum Discussion along with the United States Department of Commerce (USDOC) Export Assistant and the Upstate NY District Export Council (DEC). There is no cost for IBC and DEC members, and Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) board members and investors. There is a $20 cost for all other attendees. To register for the event, contact Heidi Schmitt at Heidi@Rochesterbiz.com or register at http://www.regonline.com/register/checkin.aspx?EventId=875859.

ABOUT IBC:

The International Business Council of Greater Rochester, NY (IBC) is a collaborative association established to promote and expand international opportunities by developing and
enhancing the expertise of its members. An affiliate of GRE, IBC is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the trade community programs, assistance, and opportunities to enhance international trade practices.

ABOUT GRE:

Located in the heart of New York’s technology corridor, Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) is a public-private partnership established to professionally market the Rochester metropolitan region as a competitive, high-profile place for business location and growth. Its efforts support business attraction and expansion, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation.  GRE collaborates with businesses, universities, not-for-profit organizations and government leaders to ensure a unified approach to regional economic development.  For more information, please go to www.RochesterBiz.com.
========================================

But not everything is smooth with the NEI – there is also criticism. We hope that the Rochester location will provide for a discussion of not only the job creation aspect of this initiative – but also of the quality of the jobs as sustainability can be achieved only if these are high quality new tech jobs – otherwise the effort will rather end up promoting jobs overseas at high subsidy expense. We expect a lively discussion in Rochester.

——————————————-

Obama Announces Export Council, Reports On Export Progress.

In his State of the Union speech President Obama announced the National Export Initiative, a campaign to double US exports within 5 years. Today he gave a progress report and announced the members of his Export Council, with a number of CEOs (and one labor leader) including Alan Mulally of the Ford Motor Company, Scott Davis of U.P.S., Glenn Tilton, United Airlines Chairman and CEO and Robert A. Iger of the Walt Disney Company.

The White House says that with a 17% increase in exports in the first 4 months of the year we are on track to double exports within 5 years.

Announcing the Export Council, Obama said, “We’ve got to compete for those customers. We mean to compete for those jobs and compete to win.”

For example, they are setting up “business assistance centers” abroad to help American companies get business, and increasing credit through the Export/Import bank.. They are fighting barriers that other countries have set up to keep out American products, so far increasing our export of things like pork by $1 billion. “When we give other countries the privilege of free and fair access we expect it in return.”

—————–

Leo Hindery, Chairman of the US Economy/Smart Globalization Initiative at the New America Foundation, writes at Huffington Post,

There are three problems with this pledge.

First, doubling U.S. exports would create just 10 percent of the 22 million new jobs we need, and yet, combined with multiple new free trade agreements (FTAs), it seems to be the only specific jobs policy coming from the White House.

Second, this strategy wrongly overshadows the more critical imperative of ‘import substitution’.

Third, the first three FTAs being proposed — with South Korea, Panama and Colombia — are very poorly negotiated and will cause even more American jobs to be lost overseas.

. . . And as the economist Clyde Prestowitz has determined, with plenty of supporting evidence, “the more free trade agreements the U.S. has entered into, the bigger America’s trade imbalances have become and the less our allies have seemed to like or pay attention to us”.

Hindery explains how past “free trade” agreement have failed American workers,

When NAFTA was proposed in 1993, five promises were made about the positive effects that were certain to come to the U.S., not one of which has been kept. The two ‘biggies,’ of course, were that (1) “NAFTA will generate a U.S. trade surplus with Mexico of around $100 billion between the years 2000 and 2010″ — in fact, our trade deficit with Mexico for these ten years will be around $527 billion; and (2) “NAFTA will create many new high-wage jobs in the United States” — instead, at least two million American workers have already lost their jobs.

. . . But even more imbalanced has been China’s entry into the WTO, which occurred a decade ago. Back then, President Clinton promised that this would be “a hundred-to-nothing deal for America when it comes to the economic consequences” — instead, our overall trade deficit with China has increased 173 percent since 2000, China is now responsible for around 75 percent of our overall annual trade deficit in manufactured goods, and we’ve lost more than one-third of our manufacturing jobs, mostly to China (and Mexico).

But Hindery’s beef is not that Obama is pushing Bush-negotiated agreements with Korea, Columbia and Panama, it is that this appears to be the only job-creation plan that Obama is offering.

Hindery offers a number of steps to improve the situation, including scrapping Bush-negotiated trade agreements and negotiating fair and balanced agreements that lift us and our partners instead of giving big corporations a hammer to use to lower American wages and eliminate American jobs.

Increasing exports is important. Fighting trade barriers is important. This will help the economy recover. Bravo to the President for this.

Now, how about recognizing that there is a jobs emergency and pushing hard on the Congress to set up some direct government job-creation programs?

—–   —–    —–

We want to add here again – that job creation is important but one must remember to look under the rug and make sure that these are jobs in the technologies of the future. In the past the US exported wind mill technology under the otherwise corrupt ENRON Corporation – but with ENRON we also lost the wind – and that is something that needs correction – so our point is that the US needs exports that are for the long term – exports of technologies for the future.

 http://www.globalwhisperer.com/2010/06/c…

T. Boone Pickens – Oil Baron, Corporate Takeover Specialist, and… wind power advocate?

Oil Baron, Natural Gas Advocate and Corporate Raider T. Boone Pickens, is also the 117th richest person in America. His corporate acquisitions and takeovers have placed him into many industries, mostly relating to energy. A takeover of Gulf Oil, placed him on the cover of time magazine in March of 1985.

He was a huge financial supporter of President George W. Bush, as well as the Republican Party. He contributed to the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, which ran an advertising campaign against Bush’s rival, John Kerry. He supported Rudy Giuliani’s presidential committee.

Local farmer’s would be paid to place turbines on their land.

Then in 2008, a new side of T. Boone revealed itself. He announced that his company, Mesa Power had filed documents with the state of Texas announcing he would be adding 4 gigawatts of electricity to the state grid. He planned to buy 2,700 wind turbines placing them on up to 200,000 acres.

“We are now meeting with Panhandle landowners and negotiating wind lease and easement agreements,” said Pickens. “We are excited at how quickly the pieces are falling into place.”

T. Boone explained that the wind corridor that runs up through Texas and the U.S. should absolutely be utilize to provide a good chunk of the United States Power. The project would be the largest wind farm in the world.

He didn’t wait long to take action. In January of 2008 T. Boone estimated that the cost of the turbines would be in the $200-$300 million range. The first order of 6667 turbines was placed with General Electric in May of 2008. In July, the Texas Public Utilities Commission approved funding of $4.98 billion in electric transmission lines to connect the wind farms to the electric grid.

Then, with the credit crunch, the project began suffering setbacks.

“When we were looking at the project, we felt like we could do it with 30 percent equity and 70 percent debt,” The New York Times quoted Pickens saying on Wednesday. “The 70 percent debt is where we’re having a little slowdown.” “The 70 percent debt is where we’re having a little slowdown.”

“To put it plainly, T. Boone is out to save America,” – Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club.

T. Boone insists this is only a setback, the Texas grid lines need to be laid, but the state has committed to the project.

The land the wind turbines will be located on also benefits local farmers.

The farmers who own the land could makes $500 a month for each wind turbine on his property. T. Boone estimates the entire project could cost as much as 10 billion. To compare, costs of this year’s Gulf Oil spill areapproaching 22 billion (Source).

An unlikely partnership?

T. Boone has since released his own energy plan, called Pickens Plan, which called for huge investments in Solar, Wind and Natural Gas. Then in May of 2010, T. Boone paired up with his previous rival, John Kerry. They worked together to incorporate many of the ideas of Picken’s Plan into Kerry’s climate legislation bill, which is expected to hit the floor this year.

T. Boone insists that if Kerry’s bill fails, the Picken’s Plan ideas will be moved into a different energy bill that can make through Congress. As it stands now, no republicans have stepped up to support the bill. Kerry hopes with T. Boone’s advocacy, it will gain some bi-partisan support.

“To put it plainly, T. Boone is out to save America,” said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, after meeting with Pickens in 2008.

Creating Jobs, Greening Buildings

New bill would lessen energy dependence on hostile foreign regimes.

By US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from New York.

As I meet people during my travels across the state, New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds have the same thing on their minds: jobs. With unemployment in New York City still in double digits, and an estimated 15 percent of our state’s construction workers out of work, it is clear that we must continue to help working families weather the economic storm. For example, since the downturn began, more than 40,000 construction and manufacturing workers in New York state lost their jobs, and millions more workers across the country suffered significant losses.

Tough times demand bold action and seizing opportunities. One of those opportunities is reducing our dependence on foreign fossil fuels. Bush-era policies were about talking tough when it came to fighting terror and defending America, but it was their policy that sent a billion dollars a day to oil-producing countries that some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world call home.

That is money that should be spent here. By decreasing our dangerous reliance on foreign oil and making smart, green investments, we can create quality jobs and put our construction labor force back to work.

The Building Star legislation, which I am pushing in the U.S. Senate, would create as many as 12,500 new, good-paying jobs for hardworking New Yorkers, providing incentives to retrofit co-ops, apartment buildings and commercial buildings and rid them of dirty fuels and pollutants.

Not only would this proposal boost our national security and save condo-owners, landlords and building managers millions in energy costs, but it would also protect New York City families by cleaning the air we breathe. According to a recent air survey by the New York City Health Department, the Upper East Side and Midtown’s business district are just two of the neighborhoods in the city with alarming levels of dangerous contaminants in the air. Many of the city’s residential and commercial buildings burn heavy amounts of heating oil and emit large amounts of sulfur dioxide and other pollutants. If these buildings were to use cleaner fuels, you could see reductions of harmful emissions between 65 and 95 percent.

City landlords and building owners concerned about the high cost of replacing outdated boilers or switching to cleaner fuels, such as natural gas, would benefit from the Building Star rebates, which are designed to cover 20 to 33 percent of the installed cost of equipment. This initiative also covers other energy efficient programs to help ease installation costs, including window renovations, duct testing and sealing, and energy audits.

The process for applying for a rebate would be clear and straightforward: An owner would run an energy audit on a building, then submit an application to the Department of Energy. Once the department verifies the project, a rebate would be issued within 30 days.

There is much to lose and little to gain if we do not begin to rebuild our economy by putting more money back into the pockets of city residents and taking them out of the hands of hostile regimes. For every dollar we invest in energy efficiency, we save $3 in energy use down the road. In the long run, residential and commercial buildings citywide could save up to $407 million in energy costs, nearly $160 million of which would benefit Manhattan alone.

Manhattan renters, owners and residents have an opportunity to make the most of their energy dollars and move away from decades of dependence on foreign oil. It’s time to act. 

—
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand sits on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Subcommittee on Green Jobs & the New Economy.

 http://yestermorrowschool.blogspot.com/2…

Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont, offers over 150 hands-on courses per year in design, construction, woodworking, and architectural craft and offers a variety of courses concentrating in sustainable design. Now in its 29th year, Yestermorrow is one of the only design/build schools in the country, teaching both design and construction skills. Our 1-day to 2-week hands-on courses are taught by top architects, builders, and craftspeople from across the country. For people of all ages and experience levels, from novice to professional.

Friday, April 23, 2010

New Design/Build Program in Yucatan, Mexico

Yestermorrow  announces a new partnership with the Yucatan Institute for Sustainability to offer two design/build courses this summer. {yucatan.program@gmail.com, (802) 496-5545, Yestermorrow Design/Build Mexico, Hacienda Kancaba}.

The Yucatan Institute for Sustainability is dedicated to preserving traditional knowledge and promoting sustainable design through education and research, while involving and supporting the local Maya community. Our vision merges principles of sustainability and alternative energy systems with traditional cultural knowledge to shape the interface of human cultures with their environment. The campus serves as a hands-on, real-world laboratory for experimentation and education. The goal is to provide a center where international scholars from diverse disciplines can work, study, interact, create, and exchange ideas while exploring common themes of sustainability, preservation, and innovation. It also supports the neighboring Maya community of Espita while its members confront the challenges of maintaining their cultural heritage.

Course Overview:

The Maya have lived in the dry tropical forests of northern Yucatan for over 3,000 years. Despite the environmental hardships of periodic droughts and thin soils, ancient populations were able to prosper, as the elaborate architecture of their abandoned ancient cities attests. This course frames modern principles of sustainability and ecological design within a broader perspective gleaned from thousands of years of human habitation. Students will learn traditional building and design techniques collaborating with the local Maya community. Students joining this initial season of a new educational venture will literally have a hand in guiding its development as we explore the intersection of traditional culture, ecology, and sustainability. The result will be an unforgettable experience helping to design and build a new center for research and education in a tropical setting.

Course Objectives:

Students will complete the course having gained an intimate standing of human-landscape relationships in Yucatan from a millennia – long perspective. The course will illustrate the challenges and advantages to sustainable design in a tropical environment. Students will gain an understanding of the principles of historic conservation and learn traditional building techniques varying from wattle-and-daub and thatching to masonry walls and lime plastering. Finally students will have the chance to help design an educational and research facility completely off the grid. The master planning and design component will shape the direction for future courses.

The two course sessions will be offered this summer:
Session 1: June 14 – July 4, 2010
Session 2: July 5 – 25, 2010

Tuition for each session is $2200.

For more information, please visit http://neogeo.kent.edu/yis/

Having discussed with someone in the know of the four men and one woman on the Indonesian list we posted here, it seems that Mr. Hassan Wirajud who is now Member of the Advisory Council to President Yudhyono and was the Foreign Minister who led Indonesia’s delegation at the 2007 Bali conference, has the upper hand as he is considered to be a gifted diplomat and that is what Indonesia think it will be most appreciated in New York.

The other most prominent name is Mr. Rachmat Witoelar the continuing Environment minister who was the actual President of Bali’s Conference of the Parties (COP) 13 in 2007.

The strength of both these men is that they hark back to Bali – the pre-Poznan and pre-Copenhagen times – that is when in effect the last real UNFCCC document was forged. We still think that a Brazilian candidate could find much backing also. This could be seen on the other hand as disengagement from the Dutch leadership that was started with Ms. Joke Waller-Hunter, and the look for new ideas as we witnessed in Copenhagen.

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