Topic: Recession
The real key to economic recovery isn #8217;t in the form of a piece of legislation waiting for passage in Congress or on the President #8217;s desk awaiting signature. In fact, the real key to econom ... moreWall St. firm behind slow solar pace on federal lands? - Goldman Sachs subsidiary bought lots of leases but hasn't used them ROACH DRY LAKE, Nev. Not a light bulb's worth of solar electricity ... more
Welcome to the One on One conversation series, where Small Business Trends will be speaking to some of the best minds in business today. The goal of the series is to pick the brains of successful entr ... more
Below the fold is the 3rd in a series of follow up posts providing analysis on the difficulties of maintaining our current energy paradigm with renewable energy (generally, 'the fake fire brigade'). ... more
Interview with Michael Smith (Part 2 of 2) I feel the peak/plateau period is much delayed because of the recession. Currently I am looking at around 2020 - perhaps as late as 2025. But of course it is ... more
Oil Price Ignores Long-Term Supply Worries You could be excused for seeing a grim metaphor for the death of the oil age in the scenes of destruction visited on the U.S. Gulf coast this summer. Howeve ... more
John Michael Greer - Green Wizardry: A response to Rob Hopkins Rob Hopkins is a smart guy, and even though he s garbled a fair number of the details, his post raises useful points regarding some of ... more
Judge rules against U.S. government on oil drilling HOUSTON (Reuters) A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the U.S. government's request to dismiss an industry lawsuit challenging its deepwater o ... more
The news on Monday that one in six Americans are now enrolled in government poverty programs (Medicaid, food stamps, unemployment insurance and welfare) was an unsettling reminder of the economic fix ... more
In spite of having the knowledge, natural advantages and national enthusiasm within an industry, it is never without the issues of current economic climate. This paper looks at the buying and selling ... more
The Peak Oil Crisis: Prospects for China The key question in all this is how much longer China's economic miracle can continue before the realities of finite mineral resources force a slowdown? Anoth ... more
Small business is very much in the news this week, as never in recent memory has there been so much expectation resting on small business owners and entrepreneurs to lead the way. With plenty of data ... more
This is a letter I received from a reader (with the name changed). Below the fold is an expanded version of my answer to him. I would be interested in what other people's thoughts are on this subject ... more
Bloomberg Businessweek recently featured a fascinating interview with Nell Merlino, the founder of Make Mine a Million. The program, which Merlino founded in 2005, had a goal of helping 1 million wome ... more
As the impact of the recession continues to make its presence felt, fashion takes inspiration from a new financial landscape. Trash can couture, which sees designers literally raiding the bin, repres ... more
This is a letter I received from a reader (with the name changed). Below the fold is an expanded version of my answer to him. I would be interested in what other people's thoughts are on this subject ... more
Dealing With Scarcity Julian Cribb, in his book The Coming Famine (which I reviewed today over in Arts), contends that we ve already seen peak oil the time when production can do nothing b ... more
Big Oil ticked off at new money law NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A new law requiring oil companies to disclose all payments made to governments has sparked a sharp debate, with Big Oil saying it will pu ... more
This is a presentation by Dr. David Korowicz from Feasta, given at the Oil Drum/ASPO Conference at Alcatraz, Italy in June 2009. It can be downloaded here: Things fall apart: Some thoughts on complexi ... more
On Wednesday, August 25, I gave a presentation called How limited global oil supply may affect climate change policies at the MIT-NESCAUM Endicott House Symposium on climate change. The audience inclu ... more
On Wednesday, August 25, I gave a presentation called How limited global oil supply may affect climate change policies at the MIT-NESCAUM Endicott House Symposium on climate change. The audience inclu ... more
Title: Even Before Recession, 14 Million Kids 'Underinsured': StudyCategory: Health NewsCreated: 8/25/2010 6:10:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 8/26/2010 ... more
This is a presentation by Dr. David Korowicz from Feasta, given at the Oil Drum/ASPO Conference at Alcatraz, Italy in June 2009. It can be downloaded here: Things fall apart: Some thoughts on complexi ... more
Once upon a time, microloans were primarily for entrepreneurs who lived in economically disadvantaged communities or were considered part of underserved populations. During the recession, however, mic ... more
Oil analyst: U.S. policy detached from market reality The world is running out of oil. This prediction could be made today, of course, but it also has been stated with moral certainty numerous times ... more
FACTBOX - China's fledging shale gas exploration (Reuters) - China last week launched its first national shale gas research centre to support the country's development of the fuel. Encouraged by the ... more
Analysts warn of threat to oil price stability The deteriorating global economic outlook and weakening OPEC discipline could force oil prices as low as US$50 per barrel within the next year, analysts ... more
Crude Oil Declines to Six-Week Low Amid Signs U.S. Recovery Is Faltering Crude oil declined to six-week low as rising U.S. jobless claims and a contraction in manufacturing added to concern growth in ... more
Summary: #0160; Could we bring our nation s health care bill down from 17% of GDP to 12%? An intriguing study from Milliman, the independent consulting and actuarial firm, says yes. Looking at ... more
Cuba plans 7 Gulf of Mexico oil test wells - U.S. group HAVANA (Reuters) Cuba plans to drill seven exploratory oil wells in its Gulf of Mexico waters over the next two years, according to a U.S. o ... more
The jobless recovery, long prophesied, is hereFEARS that the recovery of America's economy after the financial crisis would fail to spur an increase in employment are being realised. In July, 52,000 f ... more
After the House voted this week to approve a $26 billion aid package to states $16 billion of which will go toward helping keep strained Medicaid programs limping along Rep. Joe Barton, of Texas, ... more
Emergency departments are increasingly serving as the safety net for medically underserved patients, especially adults with Medicaid, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associati ... more
We are saddened by the news that Matt Simmons died suddenly on Sunday, August 8, at his summer home in Maine. Matt Simmons was an energy investment banker and spoke frequently about peak oil. Matt was ... more
(TrendHunter.com) Shopping has certainly evolved in the last century and the recession has brought an increased need to revolutionize the way we shop. From fitting room freevertising to interactive ... more
Title: Recession Causing Cancer Patients to Quit Life-Extending DrugsCategory: Health NewsCreated: 8/4/2010 4:10:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 8/5/2010 ... more
This is a guest post by George Mobus. George is an Associate Professor of Computing and Software Systems at the University of Washington, Tacoma. His blog is Question Everything. There seems to be an ... more
Small business ownership is less about climbing the latter of success than about learning lessons from the struggles we face. Sure, success in your small business on your own terms is certainly your u ... more
The recession withstanding, government-backed small business loans account for billions of dollars in lending (valued at $711.3 billion in May 2009, the last time an SBA study was conducted). Yet many ... more
EU Seeks Caspian Gas Accord to Cut Russian Dependence The European Union is seeking an agreement on a natural-gas pipeline between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan as the 27-nation bloc aims to import Casp ... more
Successful small businesses are nimble #8211; able to stay ahead of the pack no matter what is thrown at them. Thanks to their swift responses, they #8217;ve remained at the top of their game, even t ... more
If you stop and think about it, you might think it a bit odd that everybody is still talking about the Great Recession when the economy has been growing for a full calendar year. Except, of course, th ... more
The U.S. Census Bureau released a report last week that includes the latest figures on the number of uninsured in each county, of each state. It s an exhaustive breakdown that highlights the wide fl ... more
This paper dwells with the negative and positive impact of an ongoing economical recession on small and medium scale industries in the state of Punjab. It not only explores the post-independence indus ... more
In much of the US, we have been living through a time of high unemployment. Among those working, many are taking part time jobs, when they really want full-time jobs. Some are in school (yet again), h ... more
In much of the US, we have been living through a time of high unemployment. Among those working, many are taking part time jobs, when they really want full-time jobs. Some are in school (yet again), h ... more
Starting a business need not be scary and you don #8217;t need to be a seasoned entrepreneur to get on the right road to success. In fact, for the most successful entrepreneurs, the key has been simpl ... more
Fossil Fuel Subsidies Are 12 Times Support for Renewables, Study Shows Global subsidies for fossil fuels dwarf support given to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and biofuels, Bloo ... more
We need you, small business owners and entrepreneurs. To start new businesses and create new jobs. To drag us out of this long recession and into new prosperity with new ideas and new vision. In fact, ... more
Will small business lift the economy out of recession? Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne hopes so, and he #8217;s trying to help. Recently the online discount retailer announced the launch of its #8220 ... more
The trend of Americans cutting back on healthcare use during tough economic times is nothing new, considering that many lose their jobs and, in turn, their health insurance. However, according to stat ... more
With recovery shaky at best and fears of a double dip recession still looming, small businesses have seen many ups and downs. There are many ways to deal with trouble in your small business efforts or ... more
Three of every four oil and gas lobbyists worked for federal government Three out of every four lobbyists who represent oil and gas companies previously worked in the federal government, a proportion ... more
Scientists: Oil plumes definitely from BP's well TAMPA, Fla. -- Researchers in Florida say they have the first scientific proof that two plumes of oil beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico came fr ... more
This post is long, but summarizes a lot of interesting results with respect to biofuels. Some readers may not have had a chance to read it during the week, so I thought I would put it back up. - Gail ... more
A Big Oil Field in Central Asia Isn't Earning What Chevron Planned On ATYRAU, KAZAKHSTAN A single oil field here in Central Asia stands ready to produce nearly as many barrels each day as the enti ... more
Below the fold is the 3rd in a series of posts providing analysis (and follow up) on the difficulties of maintain our current energy paradigm with renewable energy (generally, 'the fake fire brigade') ... more
(TrendHunter.com) The Italy-based Luxottica Group, a premium eyewear manufacturer and distribution company, is in the midst of experimenting with merchandising tactics with the opening of its 'Eye Hu ... more
Who #8217;s in your small business corner? If your small business has no one to turn to, how can you work to improve your company #8217;s opportunities on your own? Unfortunately much promised help fo ... more
Lloyd's hired Chatham House to prepare a white paper on the risks of peak oil called Sustainable Energy Security: Strategic risks and opportunities for business. It seems to me that this new report ge ... more
This is a guest post by Matt Mushalik from Australia. Matt writes under the name Matt. OPEC tells us it has lots of spare capacity, but how much should we believe them? Even when prices were much high ... more
What #8217;s the social media small business? More than just a tool for marketing your small business, social media can be an integral part of your business from products and services to branding. If ... more
With all of our problems in the Gulf of Mexico, we think about importing more from elsewhere. Let's look at some graphs of net imports of crude oil and refined products, and of some US production amo ... more
The share of foreign-born labour in rich countriesAS ECONOMIES across the developed world fell into recession in 2008, legal permanent immigration to the mostly rich members of the OECD declined by 6% ... more
The Peak Oil Crisis: A Mid-Year Review Nearly everyone will admit that continuing oil shortages and that high (above $100 a barrel) oil prices would be devastating to the prospects for economic recove ... more
Triumphing over tough times is what small business success is all about. So why the doom and gloom over the current tough economic environment? The key for small businesses everywhere is to persevere ... more
Europe is finally starting to think about its longer-term energy issues, and how they affect transportation plans. To try to deal with these issues, a new European Energy Consultation was set up, sp ... more
In the short term, the recession has put pressure on nurses to stay put and delay retirement, making it hard for newly graduated nurses to find jobs, according to USA Today. Those lucky enough to find ... more
Six lessons from the BP oil spill For years to come, the United States and the oil industry will be absorbing the lessons of the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Regulators will toughen inspections. Oi ... more
The financial crisis in Europe is unlikely to derail Brussels' clean power vision. ... more
Many small businesses today are started and run either entirely or partly online. And why not? Online businesses represent lower overhead, a cheaper way to market and easy, low cost startup. In today ... more
Women business owners access to federal contracts has long been a bone of contention. I blogged here earlier about the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) rule, proposed in March of this year, and ho ... more
Saudi King: Halt To Oil Exploration To Save Wealth RIYADH (Zawya Dow Jones)--Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has ordered a halt to oil exploration operations to save the hydrocarbon wealth in the world' ... more
This is a guest post by Chris Nelder. It was originally published by ASPO-USA. As the Deepwater Horizon rig disaster continues to unfold, the peak oil community has a #8220;teachable moment #8221; i ... more
The greatest of all opportunities lies before us. Rescue the global economy from its sluggish torpor or worse yet from a possible double dip recession. Statistics say it won #8217;t be the first time. ... more
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published their quarterly Energy Trends document last week. It covers up to the first quarter 2010. The key points: Total energy production in ... more
Steve LeVine: How I started a war with Russia Al Qaeda chose three strategic oil assets to attack -- two large Saudi Arabian refineries, two choke points in Southeast Asian sea lanes, and five refiner ... more
Gas taxes give us a break at the pump When drivers hit the road in large numbers for the Fourth of July holiday, they will have something extra to celebrate the lowest gasoline taxes since the ea ... more
Gas taxes give us a break at the pump When drivers hit the road in large numbers for the Fourth of July holiday, they will have something extra to celebrate the lowest gasoline taxes since the ea ... more
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published their quarterly Energy Trends document last week. It covers up to the first quarter 2010. The key points: Total energy production in ... more
Banks won #8217;t be loaning any time soon and despite (or perhaps because of) government intervention an economic recovery is definitely in the hands of entrepreneurs. That #8217;s OK by us. Here at ... more
In tough economic times, the best solutions for economic recovery continue to be the efforts and ideas of small business entrepreneurs who spend their effort and creativity to chart their own way. We ... more
June turned out to be a really big month for small business research (if I might channel Ed Sullivan for a moment), primarily because the firm size class numbers were released by the U.S. Census Burea ... more
Summary: #0160; Deficit Hawks want to slash both Medicare and Social Security, and they seem to be in control of the President s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. #0160;Hoveri ... more
Speaking at a Third Way event earlier this week, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) had this to say about the deficit: On the spending side, we could and should consider a higher retirement a ... more
Hospitals both directly and indirectly provide a tremendous boon to the economy, according to data from the American Hospital Association. U.S. hospitals support nearly one of nine American jobs and a ... more
US natgas rig count rises unexpectedly-Baker Hughes NEW YORK (Reuters) - The number of rigs drilling for natural gas in the United States rose unexpectedly this week to a level just shy of the 14-mon ... more
AAA predicts jump in Memorial Day travelers NEW YORK - More Americans will hit the highways and airports over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, but they'll probably spend much less than last year, acc ... more
It tolls for thee: Flexibility on highway funding would make all the difference The building and repairing of roads in America is paid for by a federal petrol tax, which replenishes the highway trust ... more
BP And Goldman Sachs Sued For Oil Fraud Dozens of small oil and gas producers across Oklahoma and the Midwest are suing Goldman Sachs, BP and ConocoPhillips, claiming the defendants conspired to defra ... more
Healthcare CFOs are in a bad mood compared to their counterparts in other industries, according to a national survey of CFOs and senior controllers by Grant Thornton LLP in Chicago. Only 24 percent of ... more
What is the state of small business? Unlike the State of the Union, we need a report more than once a year and here is the latest. A recovery is coming, distinguishing your business remains key and th ... more
Peter Tertzakian: Possible non-OPEC oil supply surge to put pressure on prices? We re in an era when no assumptions can be taken for granted. For example, a few years ago we assumed that North Ameri ... more
Last week we published a press release about a study put together by Forbes Insight and KeyBank s Key4Women that looked at how women-owned businesses were coming out of the recession and their attit ... more
Trying to follow a complex ongoing story like the oil spill on a blog like The Oil Drum is difficult, so I thought I would put together some pointers and useful links, especially for new readers. In t ... more
Cleveland (PRESS RELEASE #8211; May 11, 2010) #8212; The results of a new Key4Women/Forbes Insights survey found that, while the women business owners polled regard customer retention and customer s ... more
(TrendHunter.com) I like what Jordan Matter is doing with his photo series 'Dancers Among Us.' Jordan Matter was wondering if recession-fueled job loss had an effect on personal identity. He decided ... more
Trying to follow a complex ongoing story like the oil spill on a blog like The Oil Drum is difficult, so I thought I would put together some pointers and useful links, especially for new readers. In t ... more
Turkey, Russia sign deals on nuclear power plant, pipeline to carry Russian oil to Europe ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey and Russia signed agreements on Wednesday for the construction of Turkey's firs ... more
Rig Owner Had Rising Tally of Accidents The sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, which triggered the spill spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, caught the energy world by surprise. The opera ... more
Droughts Turn Out the Lights in Hydro-Dependent African Nation NAIROBI, Kenya -- The restaurant manager shrugs as his customers eat in darkness and his kitchen limps along on half power. "What they ... more
DOE Still Disavows Peak Oil Forecast, Despite New Studies A few weeks after the joint force report came out, there was speculation that the DOE had endorsed peak oil theory after Glen Sweetnam, former ... more
Because the recession has been quite severe, a lot of the recent discussion of employment has focused on the time period since the recession began in December 2007. As you no doubt know, over that ti ... more
David Strahan: Oil production hit for decades after BP spill - A deep sea drilling moratorium will leave global supplies depleted just as demand gets greater If a ban is unlikely, deepwater drilling w ... more
I was looking at the ratio of US debt to US disposable personal income together with some other graphs of oil supply and oil prices, and realized that maybe there is a connection between debt, oil pri ... more
I recently participated in a webcast sponsored by Blackberry, (I love mine!) titled, #8220;Moving Your Business Forward Even When The Economy Won #8217;t Cooperate. #8221; Now, that #8217;s a title!Β ... more
The incidence of abusive head trauma among children has skyrocketed since the beginning of the recession in late 2007, according to new research. ... more
I was looking at the ratio of US debt to US disposable personal income together with some other graphs of oil supply and oil prices, and realized that maybe there is a connection between debt, oil pri ... more
This is a post we plan to update and keep up during the time the oil spill is an issue. See the Discussion section at the end for comments about the proposed post. Trying to follow a complex ongoing ... more
Trying to follow a complex ongoing story like the oil spill on a blog like The Oil Drum is difficult, so I thought I would put together some pointers and useful links, especially for new readers. In t ... more
Trying to follow a complex ongoing story like the oil spill on a blog like The Oil Drum is difficult, so I thought I would put together some pointers and useful links, especially for new readers. In t ... more
Have you ever encountered one of those life-altering moments that turns your business around? Sarah Shaw had one such experience when a friend introduced her to a die cutter who helped her expand her ... more
With the recession still hitting many Americans hard, and near-universal healthcare years away, providers continue to seek alternative ways to get paid for their services. For some, it means skipping ... more
This is a draft of a post that I would propose to update and keep up during the time the oil spill is an issue. See the Discussion section at the end for comments about the proposed post. Trying to fo ... more
Healthcare reform will likely affect many despite how you as a small business owner feel about it. Critics would have you believe it will wreak havoc with the smallest of enterprises while others insi ... more
U.S. may send in troops as Gulf oil spill worsens NEW ORLEANS A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than believed and as the government grows concerned that the rig s operator is ... more
Is this the golden age of small business? Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine thinks so. We lead off with an Open Forum interview of Anderson by marketing guru Seth Godin. It may feel st ... more
Global downturn cushioned peak oil impact One of the Federal Government's top infrastructure advisers is warning of an oil crunch that could send the global economy spiralling back toward recession. ... more
With the recession still hitting many Americans hard, and near-universal healthcare years away, providers continue to seek alternative ways to get paid for their services. For some, it means skipping ... more
Global downturn cushioned peak oil impact One of the Federal Government's top infrastructure advisers is warning of an oil crunch that could send the global economy spiralling back toward recession. ... more
Shale-Gas Drilling in U.S. May Stall as Below-Production Prices Erode Cash Drilling in U.S. shale-gas formations may tumble as companies run short of cash after prices for the fuel languished below th ... more
Recently, a 55 page paper called Tipping Point: Near-Term Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production (PDF warning) was published as the joint effort of two organizations: Feasta and The Risk/Resi ... more
This week I am returning to a topic that I have written about several times since the recession began: what s been happening to self-employment in the down economy and how it compares to the job sit ... more
Recently, a 55 page paper called Tipping Point: Near-Term Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production (PDF warning) was published as the joint effort of two organizations: Feasta and The Risk/Resi ... more
Shale-Gas Drilling in U.S. May Stall as Below-Production Prices Erode Cash Drilling in U.S. shale-gas formations may tumble as companies run short of cash after prices for the fuel languished below th ... more
Iran begins war games in Persian Gulf oil route TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard held war games Thursday in the strategic Persian Gulf oil route, the Hormuz Strait, a show of it ... more
Peak oil predictions At the launch of BP's most recent Statistical Review of World Energy in early June 2009, BP's chief executive, Tony Hayward, said that as the oil price went over $90, consumers "b ... more
With the celebration of Earth Day, our focus here on the Small Business Trends roundup for April 22, 2010 is greening your business. But the focus isn #8217;t just the environment. It #8217;s also mee ... more
World Bank Report: Lights Out? - The Outlook for Energy in Eastern Europe and Central Asia [PDF] Emerging Europe and Central Asia, the region made up of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CE ... more
The IMF becomes more optimistic about the outlook for GDP growth this year and nextTHE IMF has become more optimistic about the state of the global economy than it was in January. Then, the fund thoug ... more
Global stability is hallmark of Kingdom s oil policy The Saudi energy policy is based on two principles: Maintaining moderate international oil prices to ensure the long-term use of crude as a major ... more
Today is "Tax Day" in the US--the day that income taxes are due for 2009. Another on-line group asked for submission of tax related articles for Tax Day. The audience there is not particularly peak oi ... more
Hurricane season's set to test lessons learned TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- The oil and natural gas industry's best weapon against production disruptions during the Atlantic hurricane season this year may c ... more
Steve Sorrel, Senior Fellow, Sussex Energy Group, University of Sussex in the UK has recently published a 25 page paper called Energy, Growth and Sustainability which can be downloaded at this link. T ... more
Steve Sorrel, Senior Fellow, Sussex Energy Group, University of Sussex in the UK has recently published a 25 page paper called Energy, Growth and Sustainability which can be downloaded at this link. T ... more
America has lost more than 8 million jobs since the Great Recession began. And even though most economists believe the recession ended last summer, unemployment remains at 9.7 percent. We clearly ne ... more
Britain's party leaders debate foreign policy in a televised debateBRITAIN #8217;S voters have a second chance to assess the leaders of the three main parties on Thursday April 22nd. Gordon Brown, his ... more
Today is "Tax Day" in the US--the day that income taxes are due for 2009. Another on-line group asked for submission of tax related articles for Tax Day. The audience there is not particularly peak oi ... more
Recently, a 55 page paper called Tipping Point: Near-Term Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production (PDF warning) was published as the joint effort of two organizations: Feasta and The Risk/Resi ... more
Many challenges face small businesses especially as they grow. For this April 13, 2010 edition of the small business roundup at Small Business Trends we look at the vast array of growing pains faced b ... more
World oil demand to hit record high this year: IEA LONDON (Reuters) Global oil demand will hit a record high this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday, revising up consumpti ... more
Michael T. Klare: 'Two, Three, Many Afghanistans' "The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan," Obama declared at West Po ... more
Unbearable lightness?: To make cars frugal, they will have to become lighter and more expensive WHEN it comes to motor vehicles there is widespread belief at least in America that bigger is not ... more
Energy Secretary Chu gave a talk at the EIA/SAIS Energy Conference on April 6-7. I want to share a few highlights of it, and give my impression. Both the Powerpoint slides and audio can be accessed at ... more
Stuart Staniford: It Can't Possibly Be That Easy Now, if the economy is going to be a bit more than three times larger, but we are only going to emit 17% of the current level of carbon emissions, then ... more
Some experts suggest the recession has ended and recovery has begun even if job growth and bank loans take some time to rebound. The time has come to react for small businesses that must begin plannin ... more
Energy Secretary Chu gave a talk at the EIA/SAIS Energy Conference on April 6-7. I want to share a few highlights of it, and give my impression. Both the Powerpoint slides and audio can be accessed at ... more
Remote working is a topic that s been on my mind a lot lately. First, because of a project I ve been working on with Microsoft to develop an e-book, Work Without Walls, that examines the bes ... more
(TrendHunter.com) The Secret Life of Toys makes me wonder what happened to my old toys. These Star Wars action figures, like a lot of America, have fallen on hard times. Except they can't work, they' ... more
Raining on Rio's parade: An Olympic city faces a sudden loss of oil revenue THEIR new-found hoard of oil still lies 7,000 metres (23,000 feet) beneath the Atlantic Ocean, but the signs are that it has ... more
The Peak Oil Crisis: Countdown at the Guri Now, if you are wondering why a falling water level in the Venezuelan highlands should be if interest to Americans, the answer is easy. Despite years of pol ... more
Of the nearly 350 million people living in North America, 74 percent of these are Internet users. So it s not surprising that this powerful, universal medium for information consumption, networking ... more
Jeff Rubin: New U.S. drilling will prove meaningless Maybe it s a gesture to the American right, which is still seething over the recent passage of Barack Obama s national heath care package in Co ... more
Congressional Research Service - Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [PDF] The USGS estimate for total undiscovered oil and gas in the Arctic exceeds the total discovered amount ... more
Peak oil man shifts focus to peak price, demand (Reuters) - The economic shock of global recession has led a prime exponent of the theory conventional oil output has peaked to shift his view of the co ... more
This is a guest post by Chris Clugston. It is a somewhat abbreviated version of a longer analysis he did, which can be downloaded here. For the past four years, he has been researching aspects of sust ... more
Two projects combine selective deconstruction with job training. Beyond financial savings, training is a huge bonus during recession. Scarcity shows us opportunity. Waste is an unneeded expense, and d ... more
Health insurance companies in Massachusetts are fighting back after the state's insurance commissioner last week rejected 235 of 274 proposed rate hikes, effectively implementing a premium rate cap. S ... more
This is a guest post by Chris Clugston. It is a somewhat abbreviated version of a longer analysis he did, which can be downloaded here. For the past four years, he has been researching aspects of sust ... more
Energy Independence Talk Is Just So Much Gas Nobody ever talks about independence for other products. We don t care about automobile independence, or bottled water independence, or underwear indepen ... more
Michael Klare: Is the World s Future Resource Map Tilting East? Think of it as a tale of two countries. When it comes to procuring the resources that make industrial societies run, China is now the ... more
Lisa Margonelli: Drill Better Baby! Personally, I can't get too upset about the possibility of drilling off the coasts. While I love walks on unspoiled beaches, I don't believe we in the U.S. have any ... more
UK Treasury lukewarm on plan for Iceland to pay debt in energy Iceland could pay the Β£3.48bn it owes the UK and Holland by providing the two countries with a steady stream of green electricity instea ... more
This has been an interesting month because the big story from the small business research world is that everybody wants to know how we #8217;re doing. Different surveys from the National Federation of ... more
UK Treasury lukewarm on plan for Iceland to pay debt in energy Iceland could pay the Β£3.48bn it owes the UK and Holland by providing the two countries with a steady stream of green electricity instea ... more
Countries Blame China, Not Nature, for Water Shortage BANGKOK In southern China, the worst drought in at least 50 years has dried up farmers fields and left tens of millions of people short of ... more
We #8217;ve talked a lot about small business going global. But in recent weeks it seems many bloggers we follow have been talking about the need to think internationally as well. What #8217;s the dif ... more
Hedging against Peak Oil Shocks Many policymakers and pundits have made the case that the United States should become "energy independent." One economic interpretation of energy independence is that i ... more
Out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance coverage premiums and medical services continue to outpace family incomes. The problem has gotten so bad that by 2006, 19 percent of Americans had a "high-f ... more
Hospitals in some states are awash in construction projects despite the national recession, but a building boom can bring risks for unwary hospitals that choose the wrong general contractor--points dr ... more
Jeff Rubin: Expect a new peak for oil next year What does $80-per-barrel oil say to you? Three years ago, it would have told you that global oil markets were at record tightness. Back then, the U.S. ... more
British voters are unsure whom to trust with the economyGEORGE OSBORNE, the Conservative shadow chancellor, should be riding high abead of a general election that is due within weeks. The British econ ... more
Saudi Arabia s Al-Naimi Awaits Recovery Before Boosting Output (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabian oil Minister Ali Al- Naimi said the nation could boost output by as much as 4.5 million barrels-a day onc ... more
Hospitals in some states are awash in construction projects despite the national recession, but a building boom can bring risks for unwary hospitals that choose the wrong general contractor--points dr ... more
Earlier this week, the UK Telegraph reported: Oil reserves 'exaggerated by one third' The world's oil reserves have been exaggerated by up to a third, according to Sir David King, the Government's for ... more
Out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance coverage premiums and medical services continue to outpace family incomes. The problem has gotten so bad that by 2006, 19 percent of Americans had a "high-f ... more
Earlier this week, the UK Telegraph reported: Oil reserves 'exaggerated by one third' The world's oil reserves have been exaggerated by up to a third, according to Sir David King, the Government's for ... more
As the language in the U.S.'s landmark health reform law reads now, children with pre-existing medical conditions still can be denied new insurance policies. It's a surprise problem Obama Administrati ... more
(TrendHunter.com) In a spread that both celebrates and mocks the finer things in life (music, bouffant hairdos, a perfectly behaved parade of Stepford children and a fluffy white Dr. Evil cat), Toni ... more
Web-based genomic testing sites such as 23andMe and Navigenics have faced a number of barriers in order to attract clients including a high test price and a complex information product. It should ther ... more
So many said it would never happen. But now, on Sunday, March 21, 2010, it appears that reformers have the votes. Politico.com has announced that the last hold-outs--legislators who oppose abortion-- ... more
Brazil subsalt output to see early peak - minister SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's subsalt oil production could shoot up in 2013 and 2014 before leveling off to match production in other off- and ons ... more
What will a post-peak world be like? We might be about to find out... Over the coming weeks petrol prices could be at their highest level ever, experts have warned. In an exclusive preview article, Ja ... more
This is a guest post by Kevin Rietmann, known as KLR on The Oil Drum. A collapse in demand for petroleum products happened in the late 1970s and early 1980s. JD, proprietor of the blog Peak Oil Debu ... more
Pakistan gas pipeline is Iran's lifeline TEHRAN (UPI) -- As Iran braces for another broadside of economic sanctions over its nuclear program, Tehran moves closer to opening up a new lifeline -- a nat ... more
Below the fold is a guest post by John Howe, an engineer who invented the solar tractor. In this post, John says, "Our only hope for a drastic course correction is to support grass-roots movements to ... more
Below the fold is a guest post by John Howe, an engineer who invented the solar tractor. In this post, John says, "Our only hope for a drastic course correction is to support grass-roots movements to ... more
Last night, I saw Dan Rather on the #0160; Rachel Maddow show. #0160;Some people have suggested that today, the country is polarized the way it was in the 1960s. But Rather reminds us that when Congr ... more
China s Growth Shifts the Geopolitics of Oil Last summer, Saudi Arabia put the final bolt in its largest oil expansion project ever, opening a new field capable of pumping 1.2 million barrels a day ... more
(TrendHunter.com) Jeremy Gutsche was featured in the Toronto Star in a piece on hand-crafted and hacked home decor. Since the recession, conventional luxury has lost its luster in favor of reclaimed ... more
In upholding a South Carolina county court's ruling from 2004 that insurance company Fortis (now known as Assurant Health) wrongly terminated an HIV patient's health insurance, the state's Supreme Cou ... more
Richard Heinberg: It's time to deal with Peak Oil The "Peak Oil" concept -- that the world's petroleum-production rate will soon reach its maximum and commence an inevitable decline, with negative eco ... more
The ranks of temporary help workers have increased for the past five months in a row, according to recently released Department of Labor figures. The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of Ame ... more
This is a guest post by Kevin Rietmann, known as KLR on The Oil Drum. A collapse in demand for petroleum products happened in the late 1970s and early 1980s. JD, proprietor of the blog Peak Oil Debu ... more
Employment models have been touted as a win-win for physicians and hospitals in recent years. But a new report by physician search firm Merritt Hawkins reveals that hospitals may be getting a better d ... more
Europe Is Unlikely to Match U.S. Shale Boom Soon (Bloomberg) -- Pumping natural gas trapped in shale rock has made the U.S. the world s largest producer of the fuel. While geologists say Europe may ... more
Maastricht shows signs that the worst of the recession may be overRECESSIONS affect art fairs in different ways. The most obvious is when buyers stay away, especially if a fair has fallen from fashion ... more
Climate change's Hail Mary NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The horse trading over climate change law is in full swing, and Senators are trying to appease interests on both sides of the aisle. In the next ... more
I just finished reading a book called Anatomy of the Bear where the point was made that rising new car sales are a leading indicator for the end of recession. No wonder then that many OECD governments ... more
Healthcare may be one of the few industries that is consistently adding jobs during the recession, but nursing school graduates in at least one state are having to work harder to find employment. Seve ... more
Forecasts underestimate oil demand, study says Official forecasts may be underestimating the future demand for oil by 30 million barrels a day, according to a research paper by Joyce Dargay of the Uni ... more