StateofConfusion

Energy Recovery: 422.7M Gallons of Seawater Desalinated a Day

With population growth the world is running out of fresh water. It is being pumped from deep aquafers but that will end soon enough. Desalination and conservation are the only two answers. In the US a lot of this water is just wasted on grass. ERII has made the cost reasonable and it will be in demand as climate warming adds to the problem. The fresh water will not be where the people are.

Silver Unmasked

If you predict something long enough it may come true. The end of the world has been predicted for about 2000 years. The last time was going to be the millineum (was it year 2000 or 2001?).
Right now the world would stop if the US dollar became worthless. Just look at the recent recession. I'm not against owning some silver or gold but if the dollar goes to zero, it better be in a spendable form and you better have it in your back yard. I'm not sure even that will be of much use. Why not just buy a lot of freeze dried food and keep it in the basement. You can also trade food as well as eat it. Coins may be of use for a few other things. Of course life may not be worth living anyway.

Readers Ask: Sponge Tech, Telanetix, Trubion Pharmaceuticals

The orders and repeat orders that SPNG receives will show you that their products are in demand. The base technology is simple and east to use for new products. This isn't rocket science but it strongly appears to be a growth consumer area. With a growth curve like theirs, what more could you ask for? Is it easier to mine gold or make sponges? Is it easier to make LCD TVs or sponges? I only worry about the money spent in the sports area. They should branch out to get people who don't go to ball games.

Developing World Consuming More Energy than Developed World. Price, Climate Will Suffer

The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising dramatically. This is simply Russian roulette. If you believe that 90% + of climate scientists are wrong then go ahead a put a gun to your head. By the time the trigger is pulled it is to late to change your mind. What bothers me is your kids will never know you were at fault.

With the world population slated to rise to 9 billion (50% increase from now) and much of it in China and India planning to use fossil fuels, we will pass the point of no return unless something drastic is done now. There is a small hope of finding a way to take the CO2 out but probably that won't happen.

Most of the world will never reach the US standard of living but they don't have to as even a 1950's standard will demand large increases in energy use. That energy must be clean and as renewable as we can make it (nuclear is "clean" but not renewable). The developed countries must drive it and push the developing countries to follow (even if at a slower pace) or we will have the gun to our heads.

Dollar's Purchasing Power Annihilated - The Chart They Don't Want You to See

Well, I won't argue with the flact that inflation has occurred but I will take issue that this is as bad as it seems. In the early 60's the minimum wage was $1.25/ hr., now it is about $7.00 to $8.00 depending on what state you live in. That is an increase of at least 560%. Goods are available now that could not even be dreamed of in 1960's. The richest person in the world cound not get a cell phone or HDTV, MP3 player or internet. When you all go off the deep end about the ruin of the dollar, I would like to see you live in the 1950's and 60's (I did). No video games, no wireless, no home computers. You would soon ask to come back and live with the debased dollar.

The finance industry has caused a massive problem due ot unregulated greed but am I unhappy that the price of houses has come down, no. Too many people spent money with wild abandon without earning it. Finally, those who lament the need of 2 income families need to admit that most are living with a bigger house and more cars than they would in 1960. Give up all the extras and live on one income. Those that will be hurt are the ones on fixed incomes but most shouldn't complain too much.

Greg Reid: Geothermal, the 'Sleeping Giant'

I lived in So Cal for 15 years and you don't even feel a 3.0 earthquake so I wouldn't worry about that. I'm surprised they didn't mention Raser (RZ). They have developed systems that will run at lower temperatures.
4/16: Raser Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:RZ - News), a leader in energy technologies, announced that the Hatch Geothermal Power Plant, Beaver County, UT, began delivering clean, renewable electricity to the City of Anaheim, California today.

How the Treasury Bubble Will Burst and Why

Though I think silver coins and maybe some gold coins could be used for currency, it may be useless by the time it is needed. In a hyperinflation scenario it becomes extremely difficult to grow food or produce and import products. Hoarding becomes normal, except for money which can't be spent fast enough. Metals can be useful as a hedge against inflation as long as the currency does not enter hyperinflation.

Would I exchange food for gold? No, unless I had more than I could eat before it goes bad. I can't eat your gold and normal food will last a month or two (cans - until eaten). Using something for money assumes that most of the world keeps functioning and will accept gold or silver for exchange or local farmers will take it. It is possible that if the USA goes down, so will the ROW. That seems to be happening now to some extent on at least a financial basis.

If the stock market goes to zero, then the country's economy will go to zero since companies and transport will not be operating. If gold goes sky high then gold and silver producers should go the same way. I don't believe this will happen.

These are just thoughts, I don't have the crystal ball (one of you guys took it).

The Best Unknown Biotech in the World

While you do make a lot of good points and Actelion could prove to be a winner, I would say the best unkown biotech would be Nanoviricides (NNVC).

They have world changing technology that can destroy nearly every virus. It will still take 2 to 3 more years to get their approvals but the technology is easily adapted to different viral diseases and can be developed fast for pandemics. It is also highly unlikely that a virus can become resistant to these drugs.

Clear and Concise: Decoding The Meltdown

After nearly eight years of the Bush adminstration and six years of the republican led congress, you would think those that voted for this mess would learn something. I guess not. Every election the Republican lie machine cranks up to put fear into the brainless base. Its everyones fault but their own. As an independant I don't like either party much but the garbage I hear every election from the Republicans, the NRA and any brain dead person they can get to do a commercial tells me I would not be a part of that bunch.

I have to hand it to McCain for standing up to his rabid dog audience in a town hall meeting but Bush has been a lying SOB from the first. He wanted no regulation and he got it. He has fought to repress and modify any report that said Climate change is real and mostly man made. He has cost us trillions of dollars with bad policies. Our workers are supposed to compete against people making a dollar or two a day and living in dorms.

After Obama is elected, we still must stop illegal immigration, and have national health care, get rid of the 41,000 lobbyists in DC, start a massive project for energy independance and get rid of our crazy tax system. The reason most countries have lower business taxes is they use a VAT system on consumption. We need to stop the income tax and use VAT so people will save and invest.

Mark-to-Market vs. Mark-to-History

There are too many over leveraged positive feedback loops in the stock market. Short selling is one and should also be stopped forever. There are just too many over educated, moral less (and maybe immoral) financial people in all areas of finance. They think they know better and crisis is what we got. KISS applies here too.

The Bailout Pork Effect: Short Term Rally, Long Term Disaster

Bearfund, Well stated. I would just add that if wages don't keep up and jobs are lost at higher rates (I think this is likely) then non-essential goods like iPods, new furniture, etc. will deflate. Of course there is a fight between rising costs (oil and materials) and low demand. We already see this in big cars and SUVs.

Bo Peng, thanks for the article. You have described the Shock Doctrine. This is a book by Naomi Klein and explains disaster capitalism.
To see a funny interview with her check out www.naomiklein.org/fil...

Bad Idea: A Tax on Trading

There is rapidly growing debt in government and we won't survive unless it is brought under control. How can that be done? Now that we know tht Regan's trickle down theory was bulls*** , we need to do something about tax revenue.
1) Put a small tax on trades, it will not drive trading offshore and frankly people should be investors not traders.
2) Tax churches. Religious groups are constantly involved in politics and government law making. The Catholic church wants to have open borders for example.
3) 60% of Medicare expenses are done in the last 6 months of life. This is not due to the dying but because of the children who won't accept it. This must stop.
4) Stop tax give aways and pork projects.
5) Get out of wars, they are breaking us while everyone else basically sits them out.
5) Raise taxes on the rich. Yea, they are paid too much already so raise the limit to 45% above $300K ( or somthing in that area) and index to inflation. Or:
6) A better way would be to stop income tax totally and use a VAT on goods sold. This would be better all around and would promote investment instead of spending.
We must pay down this debt and stop the idiotic financial losses due to greed.

The Death of Consumption?

Agree, but the USA is far from a socialist nation, unless you mean for business. Socialism takes care of its citizens, health care in Europe is an example (not a perfect one). I wish there were a viable alternative to Obama and McCain. One that would not pander to illegal aliens through some Latino senators and one that will finish the fence on the border. Want to loose more jobs? We have 23 foreign worker visa types now and both candidates want more. Maybe one visa could go to a leader that would authorize open season on Congress. That I would vote for.

Unintended Consequences of the Fannie / Freddie Bailout

When we say the taxpayers are bailing out these institutions, I have to ask who are these taxpayers? Present taxpayers are certainly not doing it, in fact the moment any candidate hints at raising taxes, the Republicans will print attack ads and tell you the world is coming to an end. What they don't say is they made it end.

First and foremost, we need a simple tax code. Stop interest deductions for houses, tax income and property of churches and get some of that overblown salary the CEOs and Wall St. insiders are stealing.

Remember this for the election, would you trust the judgement of anyone that voted for Bush twice?

Hydroelectric vs. Slow Volcanic Power

The author didn't mention another company for this sector, RZ. Raser In building geothermal plants now and is starting one in New mexico as well.