Are solar, wind and nuclear power an impractical pipe dream?
If you answered “yes,” it’s time to review and update your thinking.

Due to a global supply and demand imbalance, crude
oil prices are skyrocketing and will continue to do so
for years to come.

The price per barrel most likely will increase to $75 in a few months and easily top $100 this year, driving up consumer gas
prices.

No new oil refineries have been built in the USA since 1976, some 30 years ago. Existing American refineries operate at 99% capacity.

Globally, 50 to 70 more refineries need to be built in the next five years, as escalating demand from China and India increases global demand substantially.

To make matters worse, many of the largest supplier nations of crude oil are very politically unstable, rabidly
anti-American–or both.

Abrupt cutoffs are possible at a whim, driving down supply very dramatically and sending prices through the roof.

Some of these countries appear to have overstated their remaining supplies underground.

What, then, can be done? Are we doomed? No. Not at all.

History shows we had a similar problem in 1888. Whale oil ran out. Panic set in. Fishermen no longer could find whales to kill by harpoon. Whale oil was used in lamps.

America was close to utter darkness. But along came petroleum oils of the Industrial Revolution to save the day–just in time.

But nothing lasts forever and in abundant, inexpensive supply, including petroleum oil.

America’s way out of our energy situation now is the
continued use of crude oilplus increased nuclear plants, solar, and wind power technologies.

All three are emission free, better for the environment, with no toxins to dump into the ground.

In bygone days of yore, solar and wind were dismissed as silly, costly “alternative” approaches.

Thanks to modern technology, nuclear, solar and wind energy costs are coming down speedily while the cost of petroleum escalates rapidly.

Nuclear plants can produce power at 1.72 cents per
kilowatt hour, far less than existing alternatives.

We need 103 new nuclear plants in the USA and 442 worldwide in 31 nations. Only 30 are under construction in the USA
now.

Technology has changed for the better, making nuclear plants far safer.

Uranium prices have increased-great for investors. But uranium, needed for reactors, is almost everywhere in the world,
reducing our reliance on just a few flaky nations.

Solar panels, too, have improved and are being used much more. They can provide enough power from the sun to power a home or commercial building completely.

These are being used in new construction, and they are made
with exterior panels with a marvelous appearance which blend nicely into exterior appearance of the building.

Wind power is the third new big energy source. An article in the November 2005 “Lubes’n'Greases,” not exactly a looney tunes
publication, says that “fossil fuels are part of the Industrial Revolution.”

The magazine predicts that energy from wind power will reach 20% of all energy over time.

Of megawatts now produced from wind power, 36% comes from Germany, 18% from Spain, 14% from the USA, and 13% from the rest of the world.

Here again, improvements in technology and high petroleum prices make wind power practical and increasingly cost effective.

Why pay for power when the sun and wind provide it at no cost?

As you make or update your business or personal plans, do not expect that petroleum fuels will be either consistently abundant or believe that prices will be even close to stable–for the
next few years.

Plan to thrive on chaos. And view energy from a global perspective.

Understand that, within 10 years, solar, wind and nuclear energy will be widely available, helping America enjoy multiple sources of energy, still including petroleum products.

Do not dismiss wind, solar and nuclear energy. Learn all you can
about them, including how to make money investing
in the right opportunities.

If you approach the energy issue wisely, you can prosper as part of the solution, not part of the problem.

John J. Alquist owns and operates Alquist Enterprises, a firm offering consulting, business writing and professional speaking.
Visit John online at http://www.tell-it-well.com and email him at
john@tell-it-well.com

Is modern technology making the human species weaker? Some think it is and many have nearly lost their sense of smell, sense of taste and intuition, which is a common trait throughout the animal kingdom, which includes people. Technology and Change always comes under fire from those who fear change, yet are we failing to heed the warning this time? Are we really moving technology so fast that people are not people anymore?

Recently one humanist made a biting comment and said; “You see, the technology that many are promoting now has actually caused us to “devolve” yet is being promoted under the guise of progressive “evolution”.

Well yes that is a valid point and worthy of consideration and I for one agree that is one good argument against the rapidly increasing technology. And the potential eventuality of a “Singularity” of Human Evolution as Ray Kurzweil the Famous Futurist often states. But have we really taken a good look at the human race lately? The average human being cannot even get out of their own way. I mean we have 80% of the African Continent at 85 IQ, rest of the world at barely over that. In the US we are doing about 100, with public servants not allowed to be over 105 or the police departments will not hire them?

Many believe that the future advances cannot go on without a total collapse of civilization and what it means to be human stating things like:

“This propaganda will never sustain itself because there are still human beings out there that can “feel” the lack of integrity in this marketing.”

Well wait a second now. We are about to solve all mankind’s problems and we are almost there. We will solve cancer issues, water crisis, weather control and so many problems which plague mankind through sciences of computers, biotech, new materials and robotics. And you see most humans really do not wish to work if they had their druthers, so why push them to do something they hate? Besides there really is no work ethic or integrity in most modern civilization anyway for that matter.

So if robotics as an example can solve these problems that is a good thing and the humans are free to have more leisure time to evolve and catch up, ponder ideas and move into the future undeterred. Take my industry for instance I am in the car wash business and no one really wants to work you see, so fine I will build robots to wash cars. And as we recently saw with the DARPA Grand Challenge we can build them and drive them selves too.

Additionally is technology causing humans to de-evolve or are humans sinking to the lowest common denominator? And is this modern technologies fault or is it a human problem? For instance, humans 30% would lie to you if they felt they might be able to make one dollar. Another 30% would lie to you to make $500 and 29% would for 1,000 to 10,000 dollars. So where is the lack of integrity that those who oppose technology are talking about here? It seems to me that de-evolution is happening in France with the riots lasting four weeks? Is that technologies fault? The warring tribes in Africa are killing each other and you do not see a lot of technology there? I hereby declare victory in the argument that modern advances in technology is de-evolving the human species and further wait for the next attack from those who fear change. Think on it.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Now, I cannot say I’m downright happy living alone and remain an honest woman. However, I’m not unsatisfied with the reality of life, either. I just mention it here as an ear-catching piece of info introducing what I will shortly discuss honestly.

A week ago today I was walking the dog, Trisha, pondering about joining a Dallas Singles dating service. You prolly couldn’t guess that, I stand to my readers as a happy member of the dating service. No kidding, I am. Its very comfortable and full of nice people! If you’ve been paying attention, you may be wondering, “Stop blabbering and tell me about it already.”

Here’s how it went down, I looked at these Great Expectations Reviews and can really get behind their approach. They’re for quality and professional singles who know dating doesn’t have to be so frivolous and stupid.

Because in all honesty I’d never been a fan of this silly social phenomenon most people so aptly entitled “Dating.” I faced it more than anyone should. Day and night people pester, “Are you seeing somebody?” and “Just get out there and date him!”

“Baloney!” I say to them, smiling ear to ear. “Not after that last blind date you set me up on.”

“Don’t be silly,” they level with me. “You have no way to know that!”

That’s just my sister (she’s the best) Trisha Holland. She offers the best ideas directly to my core 99% of the time. People never fail for fresh advice. No countering that, and I thank her for it.

Back to the message of this blog entry. As I browsed from thousands of combinations of outfits for my first date with Great Expectations, I acknowledged something real. Over the last year, I hadn’t had the greatest of figurative great expectations for dating and myself in the fun-filled path of being human. It’s good to be single, even more so if you use the freedom to date. Having great expectations makes a difference for those who believe.

<3, Denise Ross

Long time ago when I was a child, I recall that all the bedding in my house had to be white cotton ones. today there is a myriad diversity of such bedding stocked up in shops and you are actually spoiled for choice. The latest are available in attractive prints and colorings that change the look of your bedroom

Following are some factors that matter a lot when you purchase a bed sheet.

Evaluate the size of your bed

It is a common belief that one queen bed or king bed has the same dimensions which is so untrue. Also the top measurements, all the rest can be unusual depending on the brand. So make sure that you estimate all the measurements of your bed from top to bottom and also the thickness of the mattress you are using. Your bed could be shorter or taller than another one from the same maker. Measuring your bed will give you an idea of the sizing of your bedsheet before purchasing.

Choose your Depot

You will find a lot of top makes in bed linen available in a departmental storehouse near you. If you want something ethnic like embroidered bed sheets or luxurious ones there might be a shop selling what you want close by. Another alternative is to shop online for the largest variety. For those who still love their cotton sheets, a discount rate shop is where you should travel to.

Acquaint yourself with thread count in

A thread count refers to the number of threads carried in one square inch of the bed sheet in both directions of the weave. This count is mentioned on the label of the bed sheet itself. More the thread count, more is the richness of the fabric. Dont go for a higher thread count than desired as the thin single threads will not feel comfy. A soft bedsheet has a thread count that lies between 175 and 250.

Pick your bedsheet material

A material that is reasonably priced and feels nice to sleep on is the one for you. Cotton sheets are still liked, but blended cotton is preferable by those who dont like lines. Flannel is warm and can be used for winters. For a lavish look, go for satin, silk or microfiber.

Check out the sheet proportions

Measuring the bedsheet before buying is as important as measuring the bed size. With the bed sizing ready with you, check if the bed sheet you plan to purchase will fit your bed. Take into account the average 7% shrinking that all bed sheets undergo after the first wash. It is a good idea to stock up some extra sets of bed sheets. these extra sets come in handy if you have kids at home.

These little tips will surely help you in choosing the right bed sheet for you and make every night a night to recall!

Every year more and more homeowners are re-mortgaging their homes to benefit from mouth wateringly low interest rates. But beware, the lenders are hiking up their other add-on charges to bolster their profits.

Behind those irresistible headline offers – for example, 4.3% for a two year fixed deal – some of the big mortgage lenders have been busy with the small print! Many have introduced a whole range of add-on charges and if you don’t watch out, these can wipe out your savings.

The soaring charges are the lenders response to the borrowers increasing tendency to switch mortgages to take advantage of successive special offers. The industry are schizophrenic about switchers, on the one hand calling them “rate tarts” and then welcoming their business on the other! And re-mortgaging has certainly become big business. Last year, more than 1.1 million homeowners re-mortgaged for a total of £117 billion.

In fact, some lenders are now charging around £1,000 to switch to another mortgage product – even when it’s supplied by themselves!

The sort of charges we’re referring to are early redemption fees, valuation fees, exit fees, even telephone calls and photocopying! One well-known lender has even issued a list of 23 charges ranging from £35 for a telephone call to £26 for a letter and £20 for a replacement mortgage statement.

But the biggest concerns centre on exist fees. These are the fees which are charged when you decide to re-mortgage. Some lenders like the Royal Bank of Scotland and the National Westminster Bank, have increased them by 125% – from £100 to £225. Here are a few more examples:-

Mortgage Lender Fee in 2004 Fee in 2006

Abbey £179 £225

Alliance and Leicester £195 £250

Barclays/Woolwich £195 £275

Bristol & West £175 £195

Halifax £100 £175

Lloyds/TSB/Cheltenham & Gloucester £180 £225

Nationwide £0 £90

Northern Rock £195 £250

And how the lenders dress up the names for their various charges. For example, application fee, booking fee, arrangement fee, product fee and completion fee are all words for the same charge! Every one of these descriptions means the same thing! The multitude of words simply serves to confuse and make it difficult for people to make logical comparisons.

If this continues, people will become increasingly punch drunk and confused. It will become impossible for the average man or woman on the street to make sensible comparisons. And that will surely benefit the less scrupulous lenders. Maybe it’s time for the Financial Services Authority to step in with their notoriously heavy boots!

A spokesman for the Nationwide Building Society which at £90 has one of the lowest exit fees, served to confirm our view saying, “The mortgage market has become very fee orientated. Many larger banks are using fees to subsidise their lower rates. For example, many charge very high exit fees”.

However, some mortgage lenders still defend their price rises. A spokesman from the Halifax said insisted recently that, “Our fees must be amended from time to time to reflect the rising processing costs”. This comment was made in defence of the 25% increase in it’s arrangement fee over two years and the 75% jump in its exit fee.

Hands up who thinks cost inflation is running at 50% per year? Perhaps you should send an email to Gordon Brown copied of course, to the Halifax!

Kings College Brokers are a website that specialise in remortgages.

In 2008, according to independent financial adviser website Unbiased.co.uk, the average Briton will spend 70 days working to pay just the interest on their credit card and loan debt – without reducing the debts themselves. When that money needs to be spent on something other than debt repayments, borrowers could face legal problems as well as growing debts.

We’re forced to draw on existing savings, which we once viewed as a safety net against potential hardship – or hoped to spend on something fun and / or extravagant. Most debt advisers warn us to set aside at least three months’ income for a rainy day, to keep ourselves out of debt if our income drops or disappears.

Finally, when every penny we’re earning goes towards bills and debts, there’s simply no way to save up today for tomorrow’s expenses, whether that means college or homeownership, marriage or retirement.

Looking ahead, the Building Society found little optimism among its respondents. Over the next three months, 79% expect their food bills to go up, and those who are still managing to save expect to save less – on average, 13% less per month.

“Today’s prices are clearly pushing many people into financial difficulty,” said a spokesperson for financial solutions company thinkmoney.com. “They’re forcing some into debt and forcing others deeper into debt – the people who had been on top of their debt repayments but simply can’t keep up now that their other costs have escalated.”

“We would advise anyone who’s worried about their finances to get in touch with an expert debt adviser as soon as possible. There are plenty of debt solutions – from debt management and debt consolidation to IVAs (Individual Voluntary Arrangements) – that can bring down their debt repayments and free up the cash they need for their everyday expenses. In general, the sooner they do this, the more options they’ll have and the easier it’ll be to get out of debt.”

The healthcare industry call an enlarged prostate gland benign prostate hyperplasia, or BPH. This means that the prostate, a gland which envelops the urethra and is situated just under the bladder, becomes larger and this can compromise or even stop urinary flow. As many males mature, their prostatic gland enlarges and as a result can result in various symptoms for example urination problems, weakened urinary stream, and also an impression of the bladder still being uncomfortably full even after passing water. Frequent night time urination and continual urinary tract inflammation can additionally be arise from an enlarged prostate gland. So What Is BPH?

Men in their sixties commonly have a swollen prostate gland. Current recommendations are that males in their 50’s undergo an exam by their doctors on a yearly basis, even should no symptoms look to be present, for the maintenance of prostate health. Seek medical intervention at once if blood is discovered in the urine or if unable to micturate.

Surgical operations and the use of pharmaceuticals are routine treatments for an enlarged prostate. Regrettably, erectile dysfunction and inability to control micturition may be observed after a surgical procedure. An alpha blocker or medicines which reduce the prostate can also be given for better prostatic health, but medications frequently lead to unwanted results. Which choices are available?

Problems with a Swollen Prostate? A Holistic Way to a More Healthy Prostate: — To promote improved prostate gland function and avoid the symptoms connected with prostate enlargement, a few remedies can be indicated. African pygeum inflammation, providing ease from any more disagreeable symptoms. The treatment African Pygeum has been extensively utilized for quite a few years by Europeans as a formula for better prostatic health, it is derived from anAfrican tree.

Trimming Back the dietary fat can provide relief, and in addition excercising more, the pressure in the prostate may be eased through ejaculating often, it is also better to try to avoid sitting for a long period of time. Taking over-the-counter antihistamines and even decongestant medicines can worsen any symptoms of an enlarged prostate, consume these with this in mind. Additional suggestions include not drinking within a few hours of retiring for the night in cutting back urination at night, and reducing alcoholic beverages and coffee, tea and cola intake may reduce the symptoms experienced.

Prostate health may be additionally respond to other natural remedies e.g. saw palmetto, starflower oil, selenium, and lycopene, which can be extracted from tomatoes. Before you begin whichever alternative treatment plan don’t forget to discuss your intent with your doctor.

Euromillions the smarter way to play! Have you ever daydreamt of finding them? Lurking in the midst of your mind that some day you will experience unlimited financial freedom or do you even think that you may never have to go to the office ever again. All The Same, there are occasions when you learn about people winning the Euro lottery and then waltzing off with a ridiculous amount of money.

Good for them, for us though, it seems euro millions the smarter way to play are in all probability the most efficient way to collectively pick those lucky euro millions winning numbers. The concept exploits one simple rule and that is the more lotto tickets your particular consortium buys the better your probability of scooping the jackpot. There are however those individuals that gain with just 1 ticket whilst they are unusual though a couple of people are capable of winning the euro millions by buying one or two tickets on their way home from work. However more and more of them are joining lottery syndicates . This tried and tested method presents you with a great deal more chances to gain by purchasing heaps of euro millions tickets as possible. So then, why not become a lottery syndicate leader

To be able to be the syndicate leader and buy the lottery tickets you have to reside in the United Kingdom. This does not mean that it is needed for you to live in the United Kingdom to participate in the UK lottery though. all that is required is to organise or sign-up to e-lottery syndicates consortium and then have the lottery tickets bought in the UK. As soon as the lotto draw has been made then all you have to do is scratch-off your particular lotto winning numbers. Fellow workers, friends and colleagues putting their money in the pot to purchase lots of lottery tickets – is not a new conception! On that point
umpteen reports of factory workers and colleagues that have hit the jackpot. Astonishingly though, still when they have gained a huge sum of money with their lotto numbers, they nonetheless go back to employment as normal.

It is becoming difficult in these times of recession and economic gloominess.,There are compelling reasons in the present financial mood to view available saving options. Some Cash ISAs move at a variable rate following the base rate that is set by the Bank of England. However, new dramatic reductions in base rate have seen interest rates decrease to a historical low. In this low-level rate environment, it means that it could be time for savers to look at a Fixed Rate Cash ISA, which guarantees a rate for a set period. If a Cash ISA is right for you it is a tax-free savings account.,It is a very attractive option for individuals who want to save. You place your money into a Cash ISA much like a normal savings account but the interest will not be liable to capital gains tax (CGT) or personal income tax liability. Nonetheless, it is crucial to realise that your tax free cash allowance is limited to £3,600 each tax year.

Various products allow you to place your money in an ISA in the form of a one-off lump sum, multiple lump amounts or smaller regular payments. Although the sum you can save each year is limited to £3600, any amount you tuck away retains its tax free status, permitting you to grow your tax free balance every year. However, if you decide not to use your allowance in a single tax year, you cannot roll it over to the next – so basically use it or lose it! So ensure that you put away any sum of money for the 08/09 tax year before the new tax year commences in April.

A fixed rate deal can offer protection during uncertain financial times. By acting fast you can set the rate on your savings to get the healthiest deal possible during the present-day financial downswing. There is an excellent chance here for those people who are keen to make the most of thier cash.

Are you a travel photographer? Looking for a photo opportunity? Then take a vacation in Thailand – your camera will be in your mitts the entire time! Why? Because Thailand is bustling with life. For a start, everyday life lends itself to photography with a real social gathering on the streets : foodstalls, youngsters playing, mobile “kitchens” attached to motorbikes (Thai version of fast food?), and even elephants lazily plodding the streets. Not only that, the weather can be quite spectacular, with thunderstorms appearing and disappearing in moments. There are unlimited opportunities to take photos in Thailand.

Thailand is a “what you see is what you get” type of country – full of amiable people, dangerous drivers, food stalls on every corner, and dogs everywhere. Nevertheless, guesthouses give you 4 star service at 1 star prices. In point of fact, no matter where you are, anticipate an amiable and professional service.

So you want some examples of such photos of Thailand to inspire you? Then visit thailandimpression.com. Our site boasts photos from all different types of settings in Thailand : from countryside photos, to sunset photos, photos in Bangkok and other urban photos, as well as more traditional photos of Thai temples. On this website we show you our impression of Thailand, not only through the lens of a photographic camera, but in manipulation of the resulting photograph via photographic software – to bend the reality into sometimes subtle, sometimes radical new views of what the camera caught. We hope the photos you see on our site will sway you to come to “The Land of Smiles” with your own camera. Even if for some unaccountable reason you felt you’d exhausted all the possibilities “The Land of Smiles” has to offer you, there are the neighbouring nations of Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia to discover too!