As the years fly by...

As I approach another birthday this Wednesday, it brings to mind a few birthday thoughts...both positive and negative.

A few of the positive ones would be:

Whew...made it through another year in relatively good health with life and limbs intact...

Its nice to have friends and family who want to do something for or with you at least once a year...

Hopefully I have a few more insights from this past year's experiences and reading accomplishments to help me keep piecing it all together...

You're only as old as you feel or the girl you sleep with...in those respects...doin GOOD...

BUT then a few negative thoughts lurk into the forefront as well:

I am LOOKING older this year and too many people are guessing my age and calling me "sir"...

Where did these past 50+ years go? I want to start over...

Hmmm...what about those retirement funds...

Being on the backside of an average lifespan, I don't have time for this _ _ _ _ !

It is nice to think as you get older that you have learned a few things and have more experience to fall back on. Hopefully you won't repeat any of your significant mistakes or errors in judgment. Yet, you also find people calling you "over qualified" or not wanting to hire you because you may be too opinionated or stuck in your ways...and you suddenly realize that yes, you are getting a bit more opinionated and locked into your own manner and style. You're not much of a "team player" and you don't really care about flexing with public opinion or new styles.

You sleep less and dream more. Hopefully you are still DOING some of the things you are dreaming about...but reality is some of those dreams just need to be filed away to "nice idea but not likely".

And you start losing relatives and friends who meant a lot to you to the "dark angel"...and each time that happens it reminds you of your own mortality. You start blessing each new day more..and cursing each interruption to that day more as well.

You also find yourself more nostalgic and wondering what some of your old friends and family you haven't seen in years are doing...what became of them? Some of them have even managed to pass away without your knowing. How rude (of you or them).

So now I have a few more value judgments to make. Every decision going forward is more and more crucial because I have less time to recover or make up for mistakes. I'm a die hard risk taker...but I owe it to myself and my partner to store up for that potentially long winter of diminishing returns.

Its also confusing to decide whether I should stop and smell the roses more, or run as fast and as far as I can in pursuit of all the dreams that have as yet eluded me but still drive me. I don't know...is it better to flame out, or coast out to the great beyond?

Ah...so many thoughts and decisions thrust upon me just because its my birthday and everyone is measuring things more than I am. At least I will be spending it doing what I love...making music...and probably drinking a few more tequilas than usual...while I still can.

Stop and hear the music...

This video sent to me by a friend today "struck home", probably more so because of how I relate to the situation. Having studied classical music for almost 10 years as a child and devoting a number of my earliest years to the "business of music" touring full time on the road as a musician in my 20s...I can relate to the challenge of reaching the average person with the art of music. Even now 30 years later I find myself amazed at how clueless and non tuned-in the average human is to real art, whether it be musical or visual.

Our lives have been overrun so much by the push for the almighty dollar and acceptance in the eyes of society around us...most of us have no awareness of all there is around us to absorb and experience from a spiritual or emotional sense. More and more we appear as robots, guided by what is programmed into us by the mass media and the immediate social influences around us. Individuality is a dying art as most humans apply every waking moment to "fitting in" or measuring up to the expectations of external forces. How can anyone truly be open to their senses and core humanity with all this flak bouncing off our brains like errant electrons around a nucleus?

One thing living in a 3rd world country will do if you are in touch with where you are is make you appreciate the potential simplicity of life...remembering the importance of taking time to "smell the roses" or "hear the music". I was quite encouraged this week as I played with my band here in Panama at a popular place I call my neighborhood "hangout". Many of the people in the crowd were people I have known for a year or more but had not been aware of my music background. It was interesting to observe the reactions of some. Some of the people I knew seemed actually quite uncomfortable to see me in the role of performer/musician. I find that many people are uncomfortable if you don't fit the stereotypes or confinements of the box they had you pegged for. And if you are trying to convey a song or meaning of a piece of art on them...there is this look of a "deer peering into the headlights". They really want to see and understand...but their inability to understand completely makes them nervous and in many cases they want to hustle out of there...much like many of the people in the above video scurried away from the performance of a world renown violinist.

On the other hand, I am always gratified when I see someone react to a song, especially if it is one they are hearing for the first time. When they stop in their tracks or in mid conversation at their table...it is one of those "ah hah" moments that to me is more worthwhile than what pittance of payment most artists gain. Its the moment when someone tunes into the "universal language" of music. And when couples or even individuals get out of their seats and dance to the music no matter that there is no dance floor or pressure to do so...well, that is another truly human connection moment...both for them and the performer.

I encourage all of us to spend more time in our short lives stopping to "hear the music" or observe the art...even if it is the art of nature around us. I believe it can add years to our lifespans...or at least quality to the relatively few years we have left to live.

Feeding on Tiger...

President Obama has just announced he is planning to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, global climate change as reported by the UN report is a farce and there are two versions of a National Healthcare plan running through congress right now that could continue the bankruptcy of the USA...but the most coverage time given by the media the past two days has been speculative reports on Tiger Wood's minor car accident. The media vampires are out in full force...and they have quite succeeded in bringing down another "American hero".

The story for me now is about the media's vicious frenzy regarding Tiger's supposed domestic conflicts at home based on reported liaisons with not just one, but as of today THREE extramarital affairs or trysts. I don't know if it is just me thinking this, but I find the media treatment as just the latest example of how sick our society and its media has become. Yep...my last blog was about the lack of media coverage on "Climategate"...and now they just prove my case further by giving 30 seconds coverage of these significant global issues followed by 20 minutes of "Tigergate". I can imagine hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent to hunt down any attractive, young woman that has come within 6 feet of Tiger in the past 3 years. Would that the media spent as much resource getting to the bottom of "Climategate", but apparently the sex lives of our star athletes is much more "newsworthy" and in the public interest.

This is just another sick day in our universe. For me it has nothing to do with Tiger, whether he has been faithful or not to his marriage, and for sure it has not been about pursuing the well-being either physically or mentally of the man. Tiger has become the new poster child of the highest brought down to the lowest. It is as if the media and all of us who participate in it are salivating at the thought that this whiz kid golf wonder might have some human tendencies towards pursuits of the flesh. The modern day media has revealed everything from Clinton's blow-jobs in the oval office, Jimmy Swaggert, the evangelist with a weakness for prostitutes, to David Lettermen's apparent penchant for sexcapades at his CBS offices. But that is apparently not enough, or at least those ratings have worn off to the point where Tiger's dalliances come at a perfect time in the seasons ratings wars. Somehow all of his accomplishments, his never to be matched golfing records, his various charities are all of no interest or mention...because we have discovered that the man may have some flaws and not deserving of his pedestal. We shouldn't put people on pedestals in the first place...they will all always let us down at some point if we think they are perfect.

I am not thinking or writing in defense of Tiger Woods. Perhaps these events and especially the public knowledge of them will give him a chance for a "normal" life again...whatever that is. I never looked at him as a saint and quite honestly have often thought him as a spoiled child that has been programmed, coddled, pedestalized, and paid WAY TOO MUCH MONEY for selling everything from golf balls to Buicks. After all, who pays for all those endorsements? You and me, the consumer. The agencies and the media have always worked hand in hand to build idols in our culture who might cause us to spend spend spend in order to golf...or heaven forbid, DRIVE...like Tiger Woods.

Hopefully in due time this will all blow over and our society and the media will find new targets of their criticism and disdain. There will always be someone else or their family to snoop on and find out their hidden secrets that make them a "phony" in our eyes...but I think it is time to call it what it is. "We", the public and little people, LOVE bringing down the heroes to our levels. We can't stand to think of someone for very long as being perfect or superior to us. We really WANT these guys to have some dirty laundry, some slimy secret that finally makes them...like us. And we along with the media smirk and joke with our "circle" about all of Tiger's travails. I fully expect a huge collection of racial slurs and dirty jokes to start pouring into my email inbox regarding Tiger Woods. I also believe some of his sacrosanct corporate endorsements will fall by the wayside at least for a little while as the public pressures them to "punish" our former hero for his bad bad boy behavior.

I just find myself wistful for the era and culture where it was rude and vulgar to pursue or inquire about someone's personal lives. I'm afraid we have grown into a culture of extreme hypocrisy and wantonness. We apparently have nothing better to do than put our collective noses into the painful realities of our heroes families and personal lives. We apparently expect our leaders to have no bad habits, human weaknesses or sexuality unless it is by our definitions of what is right and correct. We judge and cast stones from our glass houses...sneering at those who would demand their privacy and rights to determine their own lifestyle. There is no moral majority in this world anymore. We have been tainted and injured by all of the reality that has been forced on us by our media...and we now want to take our revenge on the likes of Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, and all those terrible, weak men who have not lived up to OUR expectations of them.

I have some news for everybody. Our culture is feeding on its own flesh...and it is quite an ugly sight. Pornographic in its own way. Instead of shutting our eyes and ears to "evil", we are pretending to be more righteous and cleaner than the next guy. We love pursuing "blood and gore" and pander for all the details. And while we may say we would never do what Tiger or other fallen heroes have done...maybe, just maybe, they are actually more honest than most of the rest of us. Instead of just "thinking or fantasizing" about whoever they are attracted to, they have acted on it. How DARE they! Yet there is a deep down principle that I still believe in from Judeo Christian writings that says "there is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?"..."let him who is without sin cast the first stone..."

So I must implore...stop "feeding on Tiger" and "get a life". And please Mr/Mrs reporter, spend as much time as you have pursuing Tiger's dark side on uncovering the truth about our wars, famine and hunger, corruption and government bailouts. It should be beneath you to sneak into people's bedrooms...either vicariously or in reality. Yes...the animals in the zoo are still having sex. Get over it.

Todays News Media

This is probably too big of a subject for a blog, but I want to get a FEW things off my chest about the news media, especially the USA version thereof.

From my last blog about my changing views on climate change and its affects on the environment, one friend of mine points out how tyrannical can it be NOT to have CBS, ABC, NBC or any of the "liberal" news agencies covering "Climategate". Apart from the "conservative" FOX network, the BBC and a number of online news companies...there is a deathly silence from mainstream news including CNN on this item which in many ways is a much BIGGER deal than "Watergate" was...for sure as it pertains to our global future. This "newsbuster" blog points this out quite poetically...

For me this is just the climax of a long history of observed decimation of the USA news media's ethics and integrity. It is becoming quite obvious to me that USA media companies are a huge factor in the dumbing down of, and control of, the American citizen and world perceptions of what America is all about. Yet, it is more complicated than it first appears to me. It is somewhat of a paradox for which it is hard to point to a core cause and affect for this phenomenon. Some would claim that media is just a pawn for government and corporate concerns to control the electorate's views on daily world happenings and government actions/decisions. Yet, there is enough significantly critical material against our government and leaders that it would be hard to imaging their having control on those media. Lets just say they are significant "players" in the battle over control of content in the media.

My current guess on why Climategate has not had airplay on much of the mainstream USA media is because of the significant leanings of the liberal owners of those media, many of whom have been significant spokesmen for the "Global Warming" cause. Also perhaps many of their key advertisers or even board members have jointly been working behind the scenes to "manipulate" this story "once they have determined which way the wind is blowing in public opinion". Many of the anti-global warming sources I have been reading this week quite believe these forces are "Fascists" on this subject. If you examine the meaning and history of Fascmism in the world, one begins to think this accusation is not far off the mark.

"In the economic sphere, many fascist leaders have claimed to support a "Third Way" in economic policy, which they believed superior to both the rampant individualism of unrestrained capitalism and the severe control of state socialism. This was to be achieved by establishing significant government control over business and labor."

From this one can easily contemplate the mentality behind world governments coming together such as in the upcoming "Copenhagen" meeting and using Climate Change as the unifier and igniter of a global re-order and for redistribution of wealth based on something other than pure capitalism or even socialism. These "leaders" seem to now be using this theme for renewed controls of the world economic order and increased GLOBAL taxation. I had read some of these accusations before this last week and had thought them to be extreme. Now...I find myself sadly agreeing this could indeed be the "hidden agenda" of these government bodies. They truly are not giving any credence to "Climategate".

All I can say is...thank God for the internet! While these powers are also trying in many ways to "control" and manipulate the "information highway"...so far we still have the freedom to write and access OUR choice of information. Those days may be limited my friends, but for now let us use our freedom to choose carefully what we read and listen too and make sure we INDEPENDENTLY interpret all that is out there. Unfortunately, there is never enough time for most of us who have jobs, pressures, kids to raise and bills to pay to independently study all these things. The sinister forces behind all this count on that reality that is yours. But as more of us WAKE UP as I did this week and realize how we are being manipulated, maybe more of us will prioritize better what we do with our time and attention. If we don't honestly evaluate and act on some of these huge issues, we will soon find ourselves living under some form of worldwide Fascism that will be a much bigger crisis than Nazi Germany or Mussolini ever dreamed of creating.

Of course, the biggest question on this theme to me is one of "cause and effect". Is the media a simple reflection of where public opinion wants to go, or are they leading public opinion? You could argue both sides of that coin. It is probably a scary combination of both. I see people blindly quote and believe in any sensationalist report that the media spews forth...especially IF it is aligned with their previous views. We all have a tendency to do that...but based on what I have been through on the Climategate issue these past years, I heartily suggest that we don't jump to any conclusions on any subject we do not know first hand until ALL the evidence is in and voices have been heard. Lets remember it took more than 100 years for most of humanity to accept that the world is not flat even once it was proven to them scientifically.

The biggest factor supporting a suppressed or manipulated media is the general antipathy of the market towards news topics of merit. The overall population is more interested in who won last nights "Dancing with the Stars", who is wearing what on the "red carpet" in Hollywood or the latest sensationalist rapist/serial killer than they are about observing the battle to control the Federal Reserve and money supply or price of gold versus the Dow Jones. There is no interest in "health-care" legislation until someone's "rights" to health-care are threatened. The average "Joe" does not care nor is really involved in markets and politics...so by default has left it in the secretive and manipulative hands of representative government. Only a very small percentage of our populations have enough money and education to really have a stake in what is going on in money supply or macro economics...and I am afraid our educational systems continue to foment that mentality. So to that end, capitalism and democratic government may not be very good bedfellows (oh oh...I think I have just incubated another blog topic).

My only solution for this media dilemma is to continue pursuing my "news and views" from a variety of independent and verifiable sources. I do most of my newspaper reading and even newscast viewing online now. Most of it is free and at my "fingertips" that way. I try and read or view material from a variety of leanings...left/right, republican/democrat, secular/non-secular...it all needs to be thrown into the mix over time to understand what makes up our complicated world affairs. Objectivity, wisdom and understanding takes a lifetime to accomplish...and hopefully I am only halfway through that process though I wish I was already smarter than I am.

Climategate...

(Part 2 of above interview...click here)

(This is about the most difficult blog I have written to date)

While I count myself an "environmentalist" and believe in green and clean energy for improving our health and future quality of life, that does not make me a typical "tree hugger" or green "activist" trying to make a religion or major political movement out of the issue of ecology and the environment. I now find myself in a major quandary as I try to sort out a variety of new information and voices coming out against the message of "Global Warming" and CO2 emissions as a primary cause of our polluted planet. Throughout my life I have tried to keep an open mind about most major issues or conflict of thought. I admit I have no science background in most anything though I do my best to read and understand those basic sciences that affect my life and well being. I also accept core scientific principles as being rational and full of "cause and effect".

This past week as has been widely publicized (see this article), the email database of perhaps the most prestigious Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in Britain was hacked. The hackers then released to the public over 1000 emails and 3000 documents detailing extreme conflicts between major proponents of climatic change over how to deal with or deny substantial new data that harpoons the now common perception that the polar icecaps are melting and CO2 emissions are leading us into a quick meltdown of our world as we know it. This is alarming to me primarily because I will be very disheartened to find out that these decades of alarm will have been a hoax and "much ado about nothing".

Until this news came to light, I had been giving short thrift to the naysayers and the seemingly minority who deny the level or danger of climatic change. On most themes in life I have tried not to be extremist on anything and like to take "the center" position until I am otherwise completely convinced on a debatable subject. Now that these emails and documents have hit the air, even if by underhanded, hacker oriented means...I find myself taking a big pause in my thinking before making blanket statements in a field I have little firsthand knowledge in. Is seems we are now in the middle of "infowars"...and those who came out against the UN climate report or Al Gore's campaign for the "Inconvenient Truth" are being heard from every side this week.

Added to that is a couple days of intense email conversation with a gentleman from Germany that I had seen posting on some blogs that I follow, and when I challenged him with a few of my presuppositions, he has come back at me with some pretty heavy information and resources that have to be considered in balance with all I have taken for granted until this time. In addition to the above video, here are a few links that he has sent me, and I welcome any of you interested or concerned for knowing the truth about this intense and infinitely important subject to check out these links and get back to me on how it affects YOUR thinking...

http://green-agenda.com/
Sea Ice Extend: http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/en/home/seaice_extent.htm
Temperature records since 1958: http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/meant80n.uk.php
Must read: http://www.john-daly.com/polar/arctic.htm
Antarctic Ice extend this winter reached an all time record http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/NEWIMAGES/antarctic.seaice.color.000.png
http://wattsupwiththat.com/
http://www.surfacestations.org
www.icecap.us
www.ilovemycarbondioxide.com
http://www.infowars.com/
http://sealevel.colorado.edu/

It seems that most of the anti "climate change", hoax accusers basically believe that governments don't care if climate change claims are fraudulent or not...they just want the taxes, power and control that this global mania can bring to their doorstep for "saving the planet". Now that these emails and documents are "out of the bag" regarding all the conflicts between scientists, business and government leaders on this theme, it might certainly derail the current plans for the major "Global warming" summits planned in Copenhagen and elsewhere in the coming weeks and months.

While I am still trying to grapple with the reasons why global government purveyors would see "global warming" or climate change as THE way to overcome the sovereign individuality of world powers...it is not implausible to me that there might be merit to that accusation. After all, we ARE seeing collusion between the G20 countries to eradicate tax competition in the world so they can snuff out small competitive tax regimes. I believe our own USA government has used the 9/11 hysteria in order to rush to war, limit its citizens privacy and core legal freedoms...a la the "Patriot Act". History has shown that if you give governments an inch, they will take a mile...and we are seeing this happen both within the superpower governments of the world and also attempts at consolidation of powers in the UN and other international bodies of trade and governance. You connect media outlets with this triumvirate of global powers, you have huge control over mass mind-share, even in these days of the internet.

In this age of the super-sized corporate industrial complex, super-sized governments, and super-sized banking powers behind all of that...it is obviously not an advantageous time to be an independent "little guy"...or even "little country". The powers that are amassing have huge sway over "the system", and it makes one more understanding of the extremists both in Leftist governments and the "Jihadists" who maybe have reasons for their strange and aggressive behaviors. I'm not saying they are "right" in their actions...but their "zaniness" might be understandable as a survival tactic against such odds of power and money over-running their choices in life.

I'm afraid our world is further on the edge of major revolt and conflict...primarily between the haves and the "have nots". This "climategate" could be just one more significant domino that falls into the cause and effect factors of global conflict and even war. It is VERY scary to carry some of these thought processes to their ultimate conclusion...and we need to be very careful and cautious before jumping on ANY bandwagons. It is a time for strong individualism and thought leadership...and I'm afraid I don't see or hear much of that in the leading media or publications.

If this "Climategate" proves to be true as manipulation of the masses for power trips and controls, I will be very embarrassed for many things I have said and written on this subject. Yet, I would rather apologize and get it right than allow myself to be forever manipulated by powers that be into actions or INactions that are not justified. As my grandfather told me decades ago..."the most dangerous lie is that which is based on truth". I still believe we have huge environmental and climatic challenges to control and improve. I'm just not quite as sure of the causes or who is going to truly come to the rescue...but I am more and more convinced that it is not going to be governments that find the causes...or the solutions. Lets get back to private, market driven new studies and technologies that will solve our world's problems. Government bodies simply by their natures cannot be trusted. And we surely don't need to give them more of our money as fuel for THEIR fires. Let them manage with less just like the rest of us "average" global citizens.

Once again...who is and where is "John Galt"?

November 27th...

Here is another significant video link on this subject as produced in England. The evidence of deception continues mounting...

http://www.moviesfoundonline.com/great_global_warming_swindle.php

November 28

More effective links of interest...

http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org
http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/27/cross-examining-the-climate-change-scammers
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/11/24/climategate-totally-ignored-tv-news-outlets-except-fox

November 29...new added links

http://www.prisonplanet.com/lord-monckton-end-the-un.html
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/reprint/markey_and_barton_letter.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMe5dOgbu40
http://online.wsj.com/video/copenhagen-collapse/C76E3358-3479-4455-98C2-FC99FF28E2DC.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703499404574559630382048494.html
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/11/the_warmist_pr_con_job.html
http://heliogenic.blogspot.com/

November 30
http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/Articles%202007/GWHoaxBorn.pdf
The Scientists Involved in Deliberately Deceiving the World on Climate

December 4
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/climategate.html
http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Alaska_Climate.pdf

Apple and others leaving American Chamber of Commerce

http://industry.bnet.com/energy/10002233/five-and-counting-apple-quits-chamber-of-commerce/?tag=content;top-active#comments

Sorry for this redundant subject this week, but I can't help but comment and give kudos to Apple, three utility companies, and Nike for resigning their memberships in the American Chamber of Commerce over the chamber's negative support of clean, green energy pursuits and legislation. It will be increasingly important to take moral stands on this subject that literally threatens mankind's existence. The need for clean energy and solutions to our polluted world and changing climates is so extreme that it might take a different kind of revolution in order to turn things around and give clean energy the priority it demands.

While I hate to see the politicization of such an important pursuit, it obviously requires support of the major world governments in order to turn this bus around. The corporate industrial complex has too many conflicts of interest to be the main thrusters of global change. It has become obvious that given the choice between short term profits or the long term survival of human existence as we know it...too many influential, powerful and moneyed interests prefer the short term windfall profits to long term quality of life for future generations.

It is unfortunate that many have pushed this agenda out of their minds or rationalized that it is all "natural" change and there is nothing we can do to affect our climate, the air we breathe or the water that we drink. I believe the mountain of evidence stresses otherwise, no matter what spokesman for the cause you have a problem with.

I applaud Apple and these other significant corporate leaders who have acknowledged the truth and demanded an honest approach to this global challenge from this important body of American corporate leaders. After all, it is mostly corporate concerns and profits that are perpetuating the annihilation of our world through pollution. It will take all of us caring humans to force them to turn this around...and it especially helps when some of these "big dogs" join the hunt for a better environment to live in. After all, what is money and profits if you have no health or freedom to enjoy them?

E.T. - Energy Technology

(Final paragraphs from Thomas Friedman's Op-Ed piece at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/opinion/18friedman.html?_r=1&em )

"The world keeps getting flatter — more and more people can now see how we live, aspire to our lifestyle and even take our jobs so they can live how we live. So not only are we adding 2.5 billion people by 2050, but many more will live like “Americans” — with American-size homes, American-size cars, eating American-size Big Macs.

“What happens when developing nations with soaring vehicle populations get tens of millions of petroleum-powered cars at the same time as the global economy recovers and there’s no large global oil supply overhang?” asks Felix Kramer, the electric car expert who advocates electrifying the U.S. auto fleet and increasingly powering it with renewable energy sources. What happens, of course, is that the price of oil goes through the roof — unless we develop alternatives. The petro-dictators in Iran, Venezuela and Russia hope we don’t. They would only get richer.

So either the opponents of a serious energy/climate bill with a price on carbon don’t care about our being addicted to oil and dependent on petro-dictators forever or they really believe that we will not be adding 2.5 billion more people who want to live like us, so the price of oil won’t go up very far and, therefore, we shouldn’t raise taxes to stimulate clean, renewable alternatives and energy efficiency.

Green hawks believe otherwise. We believe that in a world getting warmer and more crowded with more “Americans,” the next great global industry is going to be E.T., or energy technology based on clean power and energy efficiency. It has to be. And we believe that the country that invents and deploys the most E.T. will enjoy the most economic security, energy security, national security, innovative companies and global respect. And we believe that country must be America. If not, our children will never enjoy the standard of living we did. And we believe the best way to launch E.T. is to set a fixed, long-term price on carbon — combine it with the Obama team’s impressive stimulus for green-tech — and then let the free market and innovation do the rest.

So, as I said, you don’t believe in global warming? You’re wrong, but I’ll let you enjoy it until your beach house gets washed away. But if you also don’t believe the world is getting more crowded with more aspiring Americans — and that ignoring that will play to the strength of our worst enemies, while responding to it with clean energy will play to the strength of our best technologies — then you’re willfully blind, and you’re hurting America’s future to boot."

While I am not convinced Obama or US government "leaders" truly see or understand what is at stake in the energy game, it was at least nice to see President Obama make a stab at some sort of clean energy initiatives with China this past week. At least he admitted in the global news conference that without the USA and China agreeing to clean up the environment, nothing will get done since those two countries alone provide about 42% of the carbon emissions on the globe.

What I really like about Mr. Friedmans model on this subject is the idea that the next great economies will come from whoever and wherever they produce new and cleaner energy. New energy is the key to surviving the coming population boom and reshaping of global populations due to climate change, famines and devastation both natural and man-made.

My step dad suggested when I was 18 and clueless that "waste management" was going to be a great industry of the future. I don't think he intended me to be a "garbage man" running around in a truck, but I have since met some people who became very wealthy by finding solutions to the growing mountains of human waste. Wish I was 18 again and looking for a future career. Energy Technology would be it.

(Nov 19)
A small update on this theme I just have to add today. A news piece I read this morning reinforces to me the theme of this blog. Sorry this article is only in Spanish...but it basically points out the irony of the energy situation here in Latin America where "el Nino" weather patterns are causing drought in many countries. Most of these country's energy is hydro-electric dependent. Because of climate change, even during the current rainy season in the tropics many areas continue with drought conditions reducing water levels for energy production. There have been blackouts in Brazil and Venezuela. The article points out the almost funny suggestions of President Chavez of how to "conserve" energy during these times by using a flashlight instead of turning on the lights when they get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. A pathetic non-response to what will be an ongoing problem in Venezuela and the world. ALL of these countries are in dire need of new, sustainable energy sources that don't count on oil or hydro electric dams. Its time for them to add solar, wind and natural gas solutions to their energy equations.