Category Archives: Economy

Pure Speculation

9/22/2011 – 3:38 pm

Along toward the end of August, I received an email from my state’s junior senator, Bernie Sanders (I).  I look forward to these because a) Senator Sanders is even more PO’ed about the state of the nation than most of his constituents (although right-winger politicians can say the same) and b) he’s not beholden to [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary, Oil, Peak Oil | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Orwell was an Optimist

9/8/2011 – 4:18 pm

Quick quiz, two questions: 1 – What percentage of scientists think global warming is occurring?  2 – What percentage of scientists think global warming is caused by human activities?  Read those again carefully; it’s not the same question twice.
The answers (I won’t make you wait) are 100 and 98.  No statistically significant number of scientists [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary, Electoral Politics, Global Warming | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Race to the Bottom: Homestretch

9/1/2011 – 1:25 pm

In this space the first week of January 2004, I predicted it would be the year that would determine whether or not American democracy would survive.  In the last month of that same year, I was forced to conclude, with sorrow, that American democracy is doomed.  Although I’ve been allowed brief moments of hope since [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary, Energy, Global Warming, Nuclear Energy, Oceans, Oil | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

“It’s Just Death”

8/18/2011 – 3:48 pm

It’s August and blight is upon us.  The tomatoes have early blight, which is bad, but can be controlled by cutting away the blighted parts of the plant and not (!) composting them.  We put them in plastic bags and send them to the landfill.
Late blight is worse, usually taking out the whole plant and [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Buy Honey Now

8/11/2011 – 10:46 am

If you just want the bottom line, you can stop reading.  The headline said it all.  If you like honey and want to keep eating it, buy it now before the price goes up.
I attended the summer meeting of the Vermont Beekeepers Association Saturday and the main topic of conversation: no honey.  No one’s really [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Drowned in a Bathtub

8/4/2011 – 3:17 pm

The heat has broken in Vermont; it’s perfect summer day.  Maybe I should be outside, instead of merely sitting near the window, but I’m supposed to be working.  I’m not working either.
I was working, but then I kept seeing the news about the stock market.  I was going to write about something else today, in [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary | Tagged , | Comments (0)

There’s an App for That

6/30/2011 – 9:54 am

I’m a middle-aged man, with the characteristics of a middle-aged man. I accept this. In summer, I grill and I tend to make a fetish of it. I make my own barbecue sauce. I make out that it’s some big artisan deal, when it’s really not. Probably another ego thing.
I [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Civil Liberty, Commentary | Tagged | Comments (0)