You’d never know from the media coverage that: The Bush team tried to conditionally approve the Solyndra loan just before President Obama took office. The company’s backers included private investors who had diverse political interests. The loan comprises just 1.3% of DOE’s overall loan portfolio. To date, Solyndra is the only loan that’s known to be troubled. Because one of the Solyndra investors, Argonaut Venture Capital, is funded by George Kaiser — a man who donated money to the Obama campaign — the loan guarantee has been attacked as being political in nature. What critics don’t mention is that one of the earliest and largest investors, Madrone Capital Partners, is funded by the family that started Wal-Mart, the Waltons. The Waltons have donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates over the years.
Because one of the Solyndra investors, Argonaut Venture Capital, is funded by George Kaiser — a man who donated money to the Obama campaign — the loan guarantee has been attacked as being political in nature. What critics don’t mention is that one of the earliest and largest investors, Madrone Capital Partners, is funded by the family that started Wal-Mart, the Waltons. The Waltons have donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates over the years.
Of course the real story is this:
Yes, $534 million is a lot of money, and 1,100 jobs is a lot of jobs, but Solyndra represents just 1.3 percent of the Department of Energy's loan portfolio. America's investment in renewables, and particularly solar, lags behind that of many other G-20 countries as a percentage of GDP. Yet sheer investment isn't enough to ensure a robust renewable sector; it has to be smart investment. And that doesn't mean fussing over individual companies; instead of picking the right companies, we need to pick the right policies. We need to look at what's worked elsewhere, particularly in Germany, which continues to blaze the trail in solar innovation, production and installation. In December 2010 alone, Germany installed 1,174 megawatts of solar -- more than America installed the entire year. Germany nurtured its industry through the 1990s and into the early 2000s by subsidizing rooftop installations, and by 2004 had installed 100,000 grid-connected photovoltaic systems. But the real driver of success has been Germany's use of feed-in tariffs, which the European Environmental Agency defines as "The price per unit of electricity that a utility or supplier has to pay for renewable electricity from private generators." Essentially, Germany requires its utilities to purchase solar energy at a price fixed by the government for 20 years after installation. That ensures that anyone who invests in solar -- whether homeowners who put photovoltaic panels on their roofs or companies that develop industrial-size plants -- will get a return on their investment for years to come. The success of the policy in Germany has led to its widespread adoption throughout Europe, and while feed-in tariffs aren't a fail-safe solution -- if poorly designed, they can result in booms and busts, as happened in Spain -- on balance they're highly effective: Six of the world's top 10 solar installers use feed-in-tariffs or an equivalent approach.
In December 2010 alone, Germany installed 1,174 megawatts of solar -- more than America installed the entire year. Germany nurtured its industry through the 1990s and into the early 2000s by subsidizing rooftop installations, and by 2004 had installed 100,000 grid-connected photovoltaic systems. But the real driver of success has been Germany's use of feed-in tariffs, which the European Environmental Agency defines as "The price per unit of electricity that a utility or supplier has to pay for renewable electricity from private generators."
Essentially, Germany requires its utilities to purchase solar energy at a price fixed by the government for 20 years after installation. That ensures that anyone who invests in solar -- whether homeowners who put photovoltaic panels on their roofs or companies that develop industrial-size plants -- will get a return on their investment for years to come. The success of the policy in Germany has led to its widespread adoption throughout Europe, and while feed-in tariffs aren't a fail-safe solution -- if poorly designed, they can result in booms and busts, as happened in Spain -- on balance they're highly effective: Six of the world's top 10 solar installers use feed-in-tariffs or an equivalent approach.
The fossil fuels and nuclear industries have enjoyed decades of staggering federal subsidies. If we really want to evolve toward a green economy, we have to get serious about it. Like others already are.
This is a war on the basic functionality of the federal government, not any sort of philosophical conservative attack on government overreach. Denying political "victories" to political opponents is the primary goal here, and the fact that making government dysfunctional gives heft to the argument that government can't be trusted is really just a nice side benefit. But Republicans are only willing to pull this because they've figured out that everyone just blames "Congress" for the sabotage of a specific minority of ideologues.
But Republicans are only willing to pull this because they've figured out that everyone just blames "Congress" for the sabotage of a specific minority of ideologues.
A new Northwestern University study provides compelling evidence that human males are biologically wired to care for their offspring, conclusively showing for the first time that fatherhood lowers a man's testosterone levels. The effect is consistent with what is observed in many other species in which males help take care of dependent offspring. Testosterone boosts behaviors and other traits that help a male compete for a mate. After they succeed and become fathers, "mating-related" activities may conflict with the responsibilities of fatherhood, making it advantageous for the body to reduce production of the hormone.
The effect is consistent with what is observed in many other species in which males help take care of dependent offspring. Testosterone boosts behaviors and other traits that help a male compete for a mate. After they succeed and become fathers, "mating-related" activities may conflict with the responsibilities of fatherhood, making it advantageous for the body to reduce production of the hormone.
"There's no mention of any other specific law," Matheson said in the hearing. "We just have Sharia law singled out." Oklahoma Solicitor General Patrick Wyrick replied, "The intent here was to exclude Sharia law and international law." Matheson asked, "Why is there any need to mention Sharia law," to which Wyrick answered: "To avoid confusion."
Oklahoma Solicitor General Patrick Wyrick replied, "The intent here was to exclude Sharia law and international law."
Matheson asked, "Why is there any need to mention Sharia law," to which Wyrick answered: "To avoid confusion."
When a state feels a need to express its bigotry by outlawing a specific religious law that never would be enacted anyway it's safe to say that avoiding confusion is a lost cause.
The Southern Baptist Convention's Richard Land explains the key differences between George W. Bush and Rick Perry - basically, Perry is Bush without the education, compassion, intellect, or fancy East Coast-upbringing
Feel better now?
All major medical professional organizations agree that sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be changed, from gay to straight or otherwise. The American Psychological Association, the world’s largest association of psychological professionals, describes sexual orientation as “a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors.” There is considerable evidence to suggest that biology, “including genetic or inborn hormonal factors,” plays a significant role in a person’s sexuality. Professor Lisa Diamond — whose work Boehner’s lawyers cite to substantiate their claims — has charged BLAG of distorting her writings. “Neither this article nor any of my other published work supports BLAG’s claim that ‘a high number of persons who experience sexual attraction to members of the same sex early in their adult lives later cease to experience such attraction,” she claimed in an affidavit.
Professor Lisa Diamond — whose work Boehner’s lawyers cite to substantiate their claims — has charged BLAG of distorting her writings. “Neither this article nor any of my other published work supports BLAG’s claim that ‘a high number of persons who experience sexual attraction to members of the same sex early in their adult lives later cease to experience such attraction,” she claimed in an affidavit.
The Center for Media and Democracy and The Nation magazine have won this month's Sidney Award for excellence in socially conscious journalism, the Sidney Hillman Foundation announced Tuesday. The winning project, "ALEC:Exposed" is a groundbreaking print and multimedia expose of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The project consisted of a website and a special section of The Nation. The winners obtained over 800 leaked documents from ALEC and used them to analyze the secretive organization's agenda and impact. The leaked materials were posted online for public inspection and discussion.
The winning project, "ALEC:Exposed" is a groundbreaking print and multimedia expose of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The project consisted of a website and a special section of The Nation.
The winners obtained over 800 leaked documents from ALEC and used them to analyze the secretive organization's agenda and impact. The leaked materials were posted online for public inspection and discussion.
After 10 years of center-right leadership, Denmark has swung to the other side of the political spectrum. On Thursday, election results put center-left Social Democrat (SF) lead candidate Helle Thorning-Schmidt in position to form a new coalition and become the next prime minister. The 44-year-old will be the first woman to hold Denmark's highest office.
The pleasantly pastel-colored map of the world above hides a pretty inconvenient truth (if you will): It's shows which countries are the best and least able to adapt to potential climate change. The map is based on an index created by the Global Adaptation Institute, an environmental nonprofit, that measures "a country's ability to address its vulnerabilities to climate change," says Ian Noble, the institute's chief scientist. The index takes into account exposure to climate change (For example, is a country susceptible to drought?), natural susceptibility to these changes (Does it have adequate and accessible water supplies for said drought?), and governmental, economic, and social factors important to responding to changes (Can that country's government invest in water systems for, again, said hypothetical drought?). In the map, light blue indicates the best scores, while red is the worst. Topping the index are the small, rich European nations of Denmark, Switzerland, and Ireland, followed by Australia and New Zealand out in the Pacific. The bottom seven nations are all in Africa, with the Central African Republic in last place. The U.S. takes the No. 10 spot. Overall, developed nations dominate the top of the list. Yes, being rich helps with a lot of things, including climate change. The lowest scores generally occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia--poor regions without the necessary resources or existing infrastructure to handle a global warming-related disaster.
Topping the index are the small, rich European nations of Denmark, Switzerland, and Ireland, followed by Australia and New Zealand out in the Pacific. The bottom seven nations are all in Africa, with the Central African Republic in last place. The U.S. takes the No. 10 spot. Overall, developed nations dominate the top of the list. Yes, being rich helps with a lot of things, including climate change. The lowest scores generally occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia--poor regions without the necessary resources or existing infrastructure to handle a global warming-related disaster.
As with all global impacts, it's about poverty and race.