Clipmarks | Disaster Clips

Recession? Depression? How Deep, How Far?

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:53:00 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: A survey of what some of the best thinkers believe we're facing in the coming months and years -- and the best ways to prevent complete disaster.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

Recession? Depression? How Deep, How Far and What Can Be Done?

The question on most people's minds is just how far and deep the fallout from the crisis will go. Are we looking at the kind of recessions we've seen -- and survived -- in the early 1980s, early 1990s and at the beginning of this century, or are we staring into an abyss that will be far more painful, one that will profoundly transform our lifestyles?

There's no definitive answer. We're in uncharted waters, and anyone who says they know what will transpire in the next few years is selling snake oil. But some deep thinkers who have a solid command of the structures of the global economy can help us understand the best- and worst-case scenarios

a number of leading experts

all highly respected in their field --

get their reads on the possible impacts of the financial sector's meltdown, the likelihood of the recent bailout having the desired effect and where we might go from here.

Ethiopia On Brink Of Starvation

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:33:23 GMT

clipped by: Iainwh

Clip Source: news.sky.com

Oxfam has made an urgent appeal for more aid to help millions of Ethiopians on the brink of starvation.

The call comes as the Ethiopian government prepares to announce that the number of people in need of emergency assistance has leapt from 4.6 million to 6.4 million since June.

Oxfam called on rich countries to redouble the aid effort to avert disaster.

According to the UN, there is a £150m funding shortfall for the next six months.

While the numbers in need of help have risen, not enough food is reaching the country and monthly cereal rations have been cut by a third.

Another 7.2 million Ethiopians already receive cash or food aid each year under the government's Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP).

Oxfam's country director Waleed Rauf said: "Today's figures, terrible as they are, show only half the picture.

"Over 13.5 million Ethiopians are in need of aid in order to survive."

Tags: oxfam, ethiopia

Future Vision

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:45:05 GMT

clipped by: patden
clipper's remarks: We need more talk like this - please listen Mr. Obama.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Turning Disaster Into Opportunity

stumble digg reddit

Gary Hart

Posted October 8, 2008 | 02:34 PM (EST)

Rare is the catastrophe that does not offer some promise. The key is having the genius to discover hope within the rubble.

An argument can be made that the current financial disaster offers a future president, Obama in this case, the chance to transform the U.S. economy. A weakened Wall Street and a chastened conservative community are not now in a position to resist thoughtful and sober re-regulation of markets. The Reagan era (actually Nixon-Reagan-Bush) is over and with it the arrogance that laissez faire always presumes.

The Wall Street disaster is a metaphor for excess and greed, but also for a time gone by. The world of the new century requires not just a new Democratic administration, but one that is prepared to transform our nation and help transform the world.

Tags: politics

READY FOR THE PRISON INDUSTRY

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:56:56 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: Mandatory sentencing creating havoc in the budget

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Fiscal Disaster in California

The mandatory sentencing craze that has swept the country over the last 30 years did little to cut back the drug trade, but it drove up the prison population and pushed corrections costs to ruinous levels. The process was especially destructive in California, where a federal court has placed the prison system’s dangerously decrepit medical services under a receiver who wants the state to cough up $8 billion to bring that system up to constitutional standards.

The last thing California residents need at this point are new policies that land even more people behind bars and drive up prison spending further. But November’s ballot in California, the birthplace of irresponsible government by referendum, includes two costly initiatives that would do just that.

California voters need to reject Propositions 6 and 9.

Planting Seeds of Disaster

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:54:17 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: In one of the first book-length scholarly studies of ACORN, Organizing Urban America, Rutgers University political scientist Heidi Swarts describes this group, so dear to Barack Obama, as “oppositional outlaws.”

ACORN’s Inside Strategy

Yet ACORN’s entirely deserved reputation for militance is balanced by its less-well-known “inside strategy.”

The untold story of ACORN’s central role in the financial meltdown is about the one-two punch to the banking system administered by this outside/inside strategy.

Critics of the notion that CRA had a major impact on the subprime crisis ask how a law passed in 1977 could have caused a crisis in 2008? The answer has a lot to do with ACORN — and the critical years of 1990-1995.

Banks merger or expansion plans were rarely held up under CRA until the late 1980s, when ACORN perfected its technique of filing CRA complaints in tandem with the sort of intimidation tactics perfected by that original “community organizer” ,Saul Alinsky.

Clip Source: article.nationalreview.com

‘You’ve got only a couple thousand bucks in the bank. Your job pays you dog-food wages. Your credit history has been bent, stapled, and mutilated. You declared bankruptcy in 1989. Don’t despair: You can still buy a house.” So began an April 1995 article in the Chicago Sun-Times that went on to direct prospective home-buyers fitting this profile to a group of far-left “community organizers” called ACORN, for assistance. In retrospect, of course, encouraging customers like this to buy homes seems little short of madness.

Militant ACORN

At the time, however, that 1995 Chicago newspaper article represented something of a triumph for Barack Obama. That same year, as a director at Chicago’s Woods Fund, Obama was successfully pushing for a major expansion of assistance to ACORN, and sending still more money ACORN’s way from his post as board chair of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

Through both funding and personal-leadership training, Obama supported ACORN.

CONTINUED 1 2 3 Next >

Tags: acorn, cra, saul alinsky, bank mortgages, minority quotas, clinton administration, housing sec henry cisneros, madeline talbot, james johnson

Over 70 Percent Of CEOs Fear An Obama Presidency Will Be A Disaster

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:35:37 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: “Overall, many CEOs are concerned about the future of the U.S. economy and its ability to compete in the global market, but they look to John McCain and hope that this self-described political maverick may yet shake up established thinking and not give into to the tired policies of the past,” concluded Kopko

Clip Source: www.chiefexecutive.net

Even though CEOs rated McCain’s policies over Obama’s in the most recent polling, their support came with reservations, as can be witnessed by the B- grade given to McCain’s overall policies. McCain received strong marks for defense and foreign policy but only a C+ on energy, environment and education. Conversely, Barack Obama’s overall plan received a barely passing C- with four out of eight policy areas receiving D grades. Neither candidate received an A.

Policy Areas	Grade for Obama	Grade for McCain
Energy Policy	C-	C+
Economic/Fiscal Policy	D+	B-
Foreign Policy	D+	B
Defense Policy	D+	B+
Environmental Policy	C+	C+
Educational Policy	C+	C+
Tax Policy	D	B-
Healthcare Policy	C-	C+
OVERALL	C-	B-

In expressing their rejection of Senator Obama, some CEOs who responded to the survey went as far as to say that “some of his programs would bankrupt the country within three years, if implemented.” In fact, the poll highlights that Obama’s tax policies, which scored the lowest grade in the poll

Clip Source: www.clubforgrowth.org

Tags: ceo's ratings, presidential candidates, mccain, obama, u.s.competition, global economy, policies on tax, decrease governmental spending

Country First? Really?

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:41:58 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "Will the disgraceful and desperate attacks hurt Obama? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is clear: they will hurt our country."

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Nothing has proven the utter hollowness of John McCain's "Country First" slogan than Sarah Palin's vile behavior the past few days.

We all know by now that her low-blow, guilt-by-association stump speeches, in part claiming that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" -- called "unsubstantiated," and "racially-tinged" by the Associated Press and "appalling" and "the dark territory of race-baiting and xenophobia" by the New York Times -- are part of a negative attack strategy announced publically by senior Republican operatives on Saturday.

Will the disgraceful and desperate attacks hurt Obama? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is clear: they will hurt our country.

Barack Obama will most likely be the next President

How is President Obama supposed to lead our country through two wars and the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression when candidates have spent a month trying

through ugly innuendo

to convince

the population that he's an evil, black Muslim terrorist who hates America?

Tags: country first, mccain, obama, palin

Prevent Financial Disaster in 2008

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:34:17 GMT

clipped by: authoress54
clipper's remarks: Vote for responsible financial management, not economic disaster!

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

I plead with you to join me and millions of others in a voter revolution to oust political and congressional corruption and stalemate. If the members of Congress from your states or districts voted to pass this bailout bill and gamble nearly $1 trillion of our children's and grandchildren's money -- in addition to showing the reckless fiscal behavior of stuffing such a bill with perks and pork -- you must not re-elect them.

Palin Would Be a Disaster for Education

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:13:11 GMT

clipped by: spirithiker
clipper's remarks: Sort of says it all.

Clip Source: aceonlineschools.com

We all know Sarah Palin isn’t running on brains, but just for fun I decided to research her academic background:

4 different schools in 5 years, two of which were community colleges. Her greatest “academic” achievement was 3rd place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant.

Call me an elitist, but I’d feel safer if the person a John-McCain-stroke away from the presidency had more education than the average waiter at Denny’s.

A few of her favorite educational ideals

Teach creationism alongside evolution in schools. (Aug 2008)

Supports teaching intelligent design in public schools. (Aug 2008)

Faith-based materials ok in homeschooling. (Nov 2006)

I believe we have a creator; and many theories of evolution. (Oct 2006)

Let parents opt out of schoolbooks they find offensive. (Jul 2006)

If you care about the future of America and our role as innovators and intellectual leaders, register to vote and make sure we aren’t sent back to the dark ages.

Tags: palin, education

5 Tips for Getting rid of Red Wine Stains

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:35:18 GMT

clipped by: mylodon
clipper's remarks: The process of red wine stain removal could be very challenging, firstly you need to act quickly, saving the stain for later is where you are making your mistake! Here are 5 tips for getting rid of red wine stains from your cloth or carpet effectively.

Clip Source: www.infospreads.com

5 Tips for Getting rid of Red Wine Stains

Practical Tips for Getting rid of Red Wine Stains

Red wine stain removal tips are abundant and as diverse as night and day making it hard to know what is the best advice to follow. This article is going to cover some of these fabric cleaning tips and help you decide which one is the best for you.

Red wine stains on carpet are nothing new, it happens all the time. The interesting thing about this is that it seems to happen most often on light beige or white carpeting. Red wine stains on carpets can ruin an evening if you are not prepared. A light colored carpet, a bottle of Merlot and a frisky cat or toddler or some overly zealous adults can add up to a wine stain disaster. From painstakingly washing the fabric by hand to simply tossing it into the washing machine, effective methods are available for getting rid of those dreadful red wine stains.

Tags: red wine stains, red wine stain, red wine stains removal, red wine stain removal, getting rid of red wine stains

iraq

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:10:32 GMT

clipped by: ishika

Clip Source: weblis.unep.org

Evaluation of UNICEF emergency preparedness and early response in Iraq (September 2001 - June 2003) (English) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) , October ; various paging, tables
Record Id: MON-020218; Document form: PAPERBACK; Call No: CEF-Man-Mon-(567)1


Library subject:	DISASTER MANAGEMENT & MITIGATION
Descriptors:	DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF; EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRES; IRAQ; EVALUATION;
Geographic coverage:	IRAQ;

Status of the item(s):

(Library: Main Library), Book, Barcode: MON-020218

The Most Honorable John McCain

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:53:54 GMT

clipped by: oscarrob
clipper's remarks: John, we thought we knew you. Say it ain't so.

Clip Source: www.salon.com

Oct. 7, 2008 | The End of Days is approaching for John McCain and Sarah Palin, and at least one member of the ticket is not likely to greet this development with religious rapture. Their numbers are tanking. Their campaign has had to pull out of Michigan, and they are trailing in most of the battleground states they must hold onto. Even Karl Rove has predicted an Obama win if the election were held today. McCain's hotheaded behavior during the Wall Street crisis and his numerous other erratic tactical swerves have backfired. And his biggest gamble, choosing Sarah Palin as vice president, is increasingly looking like a disaster.

McCain's all-too-predictable response: get ugly, as he did on Monday is his disturbing rant against Obama in New Mexico.

The man who incessantly talks about "honor" has checked his own at the door.

I've pledged to conduct a respectful campaign."

His "pledge" has turned out to be about as credible as his sudden incarnation as a lifelong enemy of Wall Street

Tags: mccain, obama, campaign

When the government says "bailout"

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:48:23 GMT

clipped by: comy1234
clipper's remarks: That's really Bush's way of saying "suck it" to everyone who isn't in the top 2% of the economic ladder.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Lehman sought millions for execs while seeking aid

But it allowed lawmakers still smarting from a politically painful vote Friday for the largest federal market rescue in history to put a face on their outrage at corporate chieftains who took home hundreds of millions of dollars while betting on risky mortgage-backed investments that ultimately brought the financial system to its knees.

"You made all this money by taking risks with other people's money," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the panel's chairman, said. "The system worked for you, but it didn't seem to work for the rest of the country and the taxpayers, who now have to pay $700 billion to bail out our economy."

And he said a compensation system that he estimated paid him about $350 million between 2000 and 2007 even as the company headed for disaster was appropriate.

Tags: bailout, rich, executive, bastards

The right Strategy may not be Enough for McCain

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:44:12 GMT

clipped by: oscarrob
clipper's remarks: "Lower marginal tax rates will reward work, investment, and risk-taking. They also will put money in people’s pockets as they keep more of what they earn."

Kudlow is probably right, this does seem McCain's best shot. The problem is that it is too little and too old.

Clip Source: article.nationalreview.com

John McCain needs a knock-out performance at Tuesday night’s presidential debate if he is to keep his hopes alive.

Right now polls paint a dismal picture for Sen. McCain. Rasmussen shows Obama leading 52-44, Obama’s highest level ever. (Moving above 50 percent is a key indicator.) The RealClearPolitics average has Obama up 6 points. InTrade shows Obama up by 34 points. It also could be that key states like Ohio and Florida are now up for grabs, while Obama could win in swing states like Virginia and North Carolina. McCain, of course, is moving out of Michigan.

The financial crisis and economic downturn clearly have buried Sen. McCain in recent weeks. Some of McCain’s supporters think he can turn the page on the economy Tuesday night and instead attack Obama on character and qualifications. That doesn’t seem realistic.

McCain needs to stress that tax hikes of any kind would be a total disaster

letting folks keep more of what they earn is a recovery prescription.

Tags: mccain, campaign, debate, strategy, taxes

An endorsement based on policy

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:07:11 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: rather than fear

Clip Source: www.newyorker.com

Obama has made a serious study of the mechanics and the history of this economic disaster

Last March, in New York, in a speech notable for its depth, balance, and foresight, he said, “A complete disdain for pay-as-you-go budgeting, coupled with a generally scornful attitude towards oversight and enforcement, allowed far too many to put short-term gain ahead of long-term consequences.”

He has called for greater and more programmatic regulation of the financial system; the creation of a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank, which would help reverse the decay of our roads, bridges, and mass-transit systems, and create millions of jobs; and a major investment in the green-energy sector.

He supports a cap-and-trade program to reduce America’s carbon emissions

He also wants to raise federal fuel-economy standards and to require that ten per cent of America’s electricity be generated from renewable sources by 2012

Tags: politics