Policies – Page 258 – Public Intelligence Blog

At Davos, Tech Executives Skirt the Real Issues

On the panel were Google chairman Eric Schmidt, Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. During the session I frequently felt that that neither the optimistic statements of hope or anecdotes of those whose lives have improved adequately dealt with the challenge of the digital economy. I was tempted to quote Bill Clinton: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

The Digital Economy has become THE Economy. Yes, technology has created many wonders, but if we look at the macro level, the scorecard on economic results of technology are so far troublesome. Technology has unquestionably been at the heart of some negative developments including massive structural unemployment; growing social inequality where the benefits and wealth generated by technology have been asymmetrical; a fracturing of public discourse; and the loss of privacy and the rise of a surveillance society to name a few.

Continue reading “Don Tapscott: Davos Tech Panel Disappoints”

2015/01/252015/01/25

SchwartzReport: Princeton: US Not A Democracy

07 Other Atrocities, 09 Justice, 11 Society, Civil Society, Corruption, Government

Well, I don't see how you could make it any plainer than this. I now have two grandsons — two years for one, one month for the other — and I wonder what kind of country, if they stay in this country, the United States will be when they grow to adulthood. It seems very doubtful it will be the democratic republic of my youth, in substance whatever hollow forms may remain.

Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy

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2015/01/24

SchwartzReport: Solar & Wind Energy Edge Ahead

05 Energy

Here is the latest good news about the trend shifting us out of carbon energy. I see more and more of these stories and they lead me to believe that this transition is going to happen more quickly than most planners assumed.

Solar trees are taking root around the world

Sologic’s sustainable eTree provides free WiFi, a cold drink and more.

Huge New Area Soon To Open For Offshore Wind Power In New England

Phi Beta Iota: Birds are routing around the wind farms — they are not wiping out birds as originally feared.

2015/01/22

Jean Lievins: Utility 3.0: How to Democratize Energy in the U.S.

05 Energy, Civil Society, Ethics

Utility 3.0: How to Democratize Energy in the U.S.

As the U.S. turns to renewable energy, the question remains: who will benefit?

Among those concerned with the United States' energy future—including, increasingly, the utility companies themselves—the business model known as “Utility 2.0” appears as a beacon of hope. Utility 2.0 addresses the concerns of both energy watchdogs and conventional electricity utilities by offering the latter financial incentives to adopt greener, more flexible infrastructure. But while this new paradigm presents solutions to many of the problems associated with centralized, fossil fuel-reliant power grids, some argue that it does not go far enough.

Continue reading “Jean Lievins: Utility 3.0: How to Democratize Energy in the U.S.”

2015/01/21

SchwartzReport: Domestic Population Threat — Muslims Have More Babies and Do Not Assimilate

11 Society, Corruption, Government

In terms of Europe where nations such a France, U.K. and Germany have huge unassimilated minorities the fact that the Muslim minority has a birth rate of 4.5 children per couple while the indigenous Europeans are below the sustainable threshold of 1.85 live births (or 2.1 by some calculation). Over time that means the percentage of the population that is not assimilated increases dramatically, while the percentage of native Europeans declines. In the U.S. where assimilation is far better this disparity still has consequences. It plays out as Caucasians become a smaller and smaller portion of the total population.

Population Implosion? Low Fertility and Policy Responses in the European Union

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2015/01/182015/01/18

Owl: Saudis Killing Fracking – No Floor Price in Sight for Oil

05 Energy, 08 Wild Cards

End of Fracking Revolution May Be Very Near

The recent drop in oil prices is not likely temporary, as indicated in this article. That's because the real target of OPEC is widespread fracking operations in North America and elsewhere, which OPEC appears to regard as enough of a threat to the oil industry to require drastically lowering oil prices over the long term, and this will kill the fracking industry, a development to be seen as good news to those who believe fracking is a threat to the environment:

Continue reading “Owl: Saudis Killing Fracking – No Floor Price in Sight for Oil”

2015/01/162015/01/16

Berto Jongman: Charlie Hebdo False Flag as Basis for Outlawing Encryption to Achieve Total Surveillance with Total Taxation Efficiency

07 Other Atrocities, 11 Society, Corruption, Government, Idiocy, IO Deeds of War, Officers Call

Economist: World Leaders Will Exploit Charlie Hebdo to Eliminate Encryption

Economist Martin Armstrong warns that the twin attacks in France will be used by world leaders to push for restrictions on Internet privacy and the total elimination of encrypted communications. Armstrong, who correctly predicted the 1987 Black Monday crash as well as the 1998 Russian financial collapse, writes that, “They are using this latest event precisely as they used 911 to strip us of all rights.”

Continue reading “Berto Jongman: Charlie Hebdo False Flag as Basis for Outlawing Encryption to Achieve Total Surveillance with Total Taxation Efficiency”