by Anonymous
Remember during Budget 2008 announcement last year, our Finance Minister (cum PM) announced that in order to assist KWSP members to reduce the burden in housing load repayment, KWSP will allow monthly withdrawal from members' A/C II for the purpose?
Sounds like a nice goodies!
When you apply for the monthly withdrawal, you only need to provide KWSP yr housing loan & instalment details from yr bank and the bank a/c # you like KWSP to bank the monthly withdrawal into it. KWSP will approve yr application based on the available amt in yr A/C II and compute the withdrawal period by dividing the approved amt with the monthly installment amt.
Application process takes about a month and you will receive the monthly payout promptly into yr bank a/c!Well everything appear to be nice and good. It was indeed a noble plan until you take to close look at yr KWSP Statement! The withdrawal plan is actually a SCAM!
This is how the KWSP SCAM works.......
Assuming you have RM100,000 in yr A/C II and yr housing loan's monthly instalment is RM2000/mth. KWSP will approve yr application of withdrawal from yr A/C II of RM100,000 and pay you RM2000/mth for the next 50mths. Everything appears to be in order BUT....... What KWSP didn't highlight to you is that when the application was approved, the TOTAL AMT (RM100,000) is removed from yr A/C II! It appears to be transfered to an unknown a/c to effect the monthly payment from therein.
The impact to the member are as follows :-
1. You just lost RM100,000 from yr A/C II. Assuming the KWSP Dividend is 5%, you will lose >RM4,000 in dividend during the 1st year. Based on the above example you will will lose >RM10,000 over the 50 mths period!
2. There is no statement to account for the amt approved vs amt paid, hence you would need to keep the monthly payment voucher to reconcile against the approved amt over the 50mths period to ensure there is no missing amt!
Assuming there are 100,000 members who innocently fell prey to this SCAM, based on the above example, KWSP would have cheated the members of 100,000 X RM10,000 = RM1,000,000,000 (that's RM1 BILLION) over the period! Furthermore, if you discovered this SCAM early and intend to stop the plan, KWSP would not allow any cancellation of the plan until at least 1 year. That would mean, once the application is approved, based on the above example, you would have lost >RM4,000.
100,000 members would have lost 100,000 X RM4,000 = RM400,000,000 (RM400 MILLION) in One Year!!! If you're a victim of this KWSP SCAM, would suggest you call yr MP to raise hell in Parliament!
For others who have not fallen into this SCAM, pls continue to watch out and alert yr family & friends about this.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Article 153 and the “Social Contract”
Admin
An excerpt of RPK's article published on 29 Oct. Written while in ISA detention, this is one of his best articles.
Those who support the imposition of quotas argue that there exists a “Social Contract” that allows them to do so. But while they mention this “Social Contract”, they fail to mention the terms of this “contract”, what it says, and who is bound by it.
In short, if I am not a party to that contract can I be bound by it? The contract was entered into by the Malays and the then immigrant Indians and Chinese; of course it is not really a written contract as much as a verbal contract and we all know that a verbal contract is not worth the paper it is written on.
Nevertheless, should Malaysian-born Indians and Chinese who have never even visited India and China be made to abide to a verbal “contract” made by their immigrant parents and/or grandparents? How long will this “contract” run? Will Indians and Chinese 1000 years from now still be made to abide to a “contract” made in 1957?
There should be a cut-off date. There must come a point of time when all Malaysians are regarded as equal. How can an Indonesian who migrated to this country a few years ago be regarded as Bumiputra when Chinese and Indians who come to this country in the 1400s are still second class citizens?
Yes, Article 153 accords Malays certain rights and privileges. But that same Article, and Article 8, do not allow imposing of quotas and permits which deny Indians and Chinese their rights in favour of the Malays. This, many people do not seem to understand.
We also seem to have forgotten that the New Economic Policy is a two-pronged attack. Other than reducing the gap between the different races it is also about reducing the gap between the rich and the poor. And this would mean regardless of race.
When we talk about the Malay farmers and fisherman. We do not seem to realize that there are Chinese farmers and fishermen as well. Poverty does not recognize race.
It is time that the “Social Contract” be reviewed. A new “Social Contract” must be drawn up that looks into the SOCIAL structure and not RACIAL structure that the present “Social Contract” addresses. Only then can it be called a “Social Contract”. If not, then let us call it what it really is, a “Racial Contract”.
The poverty level also needs to be reviewed. The new “hardcore” poverty level should be RM1200. Anyone earning below RM1200 per month should be considered poor. That would mean a high percentage of Malaysians. Then the NEW “Social Contract” should address the needs of those who live below the NEW poverty level of RM1200.
And the NEW “Social Contract” should no longer be a verbal contract but chiseled in stone. And it should be a contract to take care of Malays, Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Ibans, Dayaks, etc. As long as you are poor, meaning earning below RM1200 then you are taken care of. That should be Malaysia’s NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT.
Before I sign off, I would like to apologise for the quality of my articles. It is not so convenient to type from where I currently live so I need to just get my points across without much focus on the presentation. I hope this will not be for long and that I may soon be back with you. Anyway I was told that Malaysia Today is under control and in good hands. Till we speak again.
An excerpt of RPK's article published on 29 Oct. Written while in ISA detention, this is one of his best articles.
Those who support the imposition of quotas argue that there exists a “Social Contract” that allows them to do so. But while they mention this “Social Contract”, they fail to mention the terms of this “contract”, what it says, and who is bound by it.
In short, if I am not a party to that contract can I be bound by it? The contract was entered into by the Malays and the then immigrant Indians and Chinese; of course it is not really a written contract as much as a verbal contract and we all know that a verbal contract is not worth the paper it is written on.
Nevertheless, should Malaysian-born Indians and Chinese who have never even visited India and China be made to abide to a verbal “contract” made by their immigrant parents and/or grandparents? How long will this “contract” run? Will Indians and Chinese 1000 years from now still be made to abide to a “contract” made in 1957?
There should be a cut-off date. There must come a point of time when all Malaysians are regarded as equal. How can an Indonesian who migrated to this country a few years ago be regarded as Bumiputra when Chinese and Indians who come to this country in the 1400s are still second class citizens?
Yes, Article 153 accords Malays certain rights and privileges. But that same Article, and Article 8, do not allow imposing of quotas and permits which deny Indians and Chinese their rights in favour of the Malays. This, many people do not seem to understand.
We also seem to have forgotten that the New Economic Policy is a two-pronged attack. Other than reducing the gap between the different races it is also about reducing the gap between the rich and the poor. And this would mean regardless of race.
When we talk about the Malay farmers and fisherman. We do not seem to realize that there are Chinese farmers and fishermen as well. Poverty does not recognize race.
It is time that the “Social Contract” be reviewed. A new “Social Contract” must be drawn up that looks into the SOCIAL structure and not RACIAL structure that the present “Social Contract” addresses. Only then can it be called a “Social Contract”. If not, then let us call it what it really is, a “Racial Contract”.
The poverty level also needs to be reviewed. The new “hardcore” poverty level should be RM1200. Anyone earning below RM1200 per month should be considered poor. That would mean a high percentage of Malaysians. Then the NEW “Social Contract” should address the needs of those who live below the NEW poverty level of RM1200.
And the NEW “Social Contract” should no longer be a verbal contract but chiseled in stone. And it should be a contract to take care of Malays, Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Ibans, Dayaks, etc. As long as you are poor, meaning earning below RM1200 then you are taken care of. That should be Malaysia’s NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT.
Before I sign off, I would like to apologise for the quality of my articles. It is not so convenient to type from where I currently live so I need to just get my points across without much focus on the presentation. I hope this will not be for long and that I may soon be back with you. Anyway I was told that Malaysia Today is under control and in good hands. Till we speak again.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Calm Like A Bomb: The Impending Food Crisis
by Alex Wong
This is a continuation of my article "Calm Like A Bomb" published on 25th Sept 2008 and "Calm Like A Bomb Part 2" published on 6 oct 2008.
What happens when oil supply begins to run out? The below article which I've compiled and edited from various sources, looks into its effect on the most basic human need: FOOD.
It may come as a surprise to many that the world’s industrial food supply system is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels. Vast amounts of oil and gas are used as raw materials and energy in the manufacture of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and as cheap and readily available energy at all stages of food production.
Fossil fuels are also essential in the construction and the repair of equipment and infrastructure needed to facilitate this industry, including farm machinery, processing facilities, storage, ships, trucks and roads. Just consider that currently agriculture accounts for 17% of the US annual energy budget.
Industrial, green revolution-style agriculture is particularly energy intensive. Every calorie of food produced today requires between 10-16 calories of hydrocarbon energy (from planting, irrigation, feeding and harvesting, through to processing, distribution and packaging). This style of agriculture increased world grain production by 250%, and was almost entirely attributable to fossil fuel input.
Food production will become a problem of extreme urgency
Modern agriculture is merely a way of converting petroleum into food. Without energy, food supplies decrease and the current world population of 6+ billion has no hope whatsoever of sustaining itself at current levels.
It has been estimated that, without hydrocarbons to provide energy, fertilizers and pesticides, agriculture could not support a population greater than two billion. This reduction would take us back to pre-20th century levels but the disruption to society and its infrastructure would probably mean a reversion to pre-industrial revolution.
The example of North Korea shows us what happens to agriculture when oil products are removed. After the Korean war, it had developed a modern farming system depending on machinery and oil-based fertilizers. After the Soviet Union fell, Communist aid to the country stopped and they were unable to purchase oil and supplies.
Without oil, farm machinery was sitting idle and large proportions of the people had to return to the agriculture. Unfortunately the soil had been drained of nutrients over the years and, without fertilizers, it was unable to produce the same output as before. Crop yields fell by 60% over the period 1989-1998.
US congressmen and others who have visited North Korea tell stories of people eating grass and bark. Other reports talk of soldiers who are nothing more than skin and bones. Throughout the country, there is starvation to rival the worst found in Africa. Chronic malnutrition has reached the point where many of the effects are irreversible. Unless it can get access to oil and fertilizers again, the population will decline until it reaches a sustainable level and civilization will be faced with the delicate task of determining who survives. The history of North-Korea (DPRK) demonstrates how an energy crisis in an industrialized nation can lead to complete systemic breakdown.
This is a continuation of my article "Calm Like A Bomb" published on 25th Sept 2008 and "Calm Like A Bomb Part 2" published on 6 oct 2008.
What happens when oil supply begins to run out? The below article which I've compiled and edited from various sources, looks into its effect on the most basic human need: FOOD.
It may come as a surprise to many that the world’s industrial food supply system is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels. Vast amounts of oil and gas are used as raw materials and energy in the manufacture of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and as cheap and readily available energy at all stages of food production.
Fossil fuels are also essential in the construction and the repair of equipment and infrastructure needed to facilitate this industry, including farm machinery, processing facilities, storage, ships, trucks and roads. Just consider that currently agriculture accounts for 17% of the US annual energy budget.
Industrial, green revolution-style agriculture is particularly energy intensive. Every calorie of food produced today requires between 10-16 calories of hydrocarbon energy (from planting, irrigation, feeding and harvesting, through to processing, distribution and packaging). This style of agriculture increased world grain production by 250%, and was almost entirely attributable to fossil fuel input.
Food production will become a problem of extreme urgency
Modern agriculture is merely a way of converting petroleum into food. Without energy, food supplies decrease and the current world population of 6+ billion has no hope whatsoever of sustaining itself at current levels.
It has been estimated that, without hydrocarbons to provide energy, fertilizers and pesticides, agriculture could not support a population greater than two billion. This reduction would take us back to pre-20th century levels but the disruption to society and its infrastructure would probably mean a reversion to pre-industrial revolution.
The example of North Korea shows us what happens to agriculture when oil products are removed. After the Korean war, it had developed a modern farming system depending on machinery and oil-based fertilizers. After the Soviet Union fell, Communist aid to the country stopped and they were unable to purchase oil and supplies.
Without oil, farm machinery was sitting idle and large proportions of the people had to return to the agriculture. Unfortunately the soil had been drained of nutrients over the years and, without fertilizers, it was unable to produce the same output as before. Crop yields fell by 60% over the period 1989-1998.
US congressmen and others who have visited North Korea tell stories of people eating grass and bark. Other reports talk of soldiers who are nothing more than skin and bones. Throughout the country, there is starvation to rival the worst found in Africa. Chronic malnutrition has reached the point where many of the effects are irreversible. Unless it can get access to oil and fertilizers again, the population will decline until it reaches a sustainable level and civilization will be faced with the delicate task of determining who survives. The history of North-Korea (DPRK) demonstrates how an energy crisis in an industrialized nation can lead to complete systemic breakdown.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
America Needs Another Bubble
by The Onion
WASHINGTON—A panel of top business leaders testified before Congress about the worsening recession Monday, demanding the government provide Americans with a new irresponsible and largely illusory economic bubble in which to invest.
"What America needs right now is not more talk and long-term strategy, but a concrete way to create more imaginary wealth in the very immediate future," said Thomas Jenkins, CFO of the Boston-area Jenkins Financial Group, a bubble-based investment firm. "We are in a crisis, and that crisis demands an unviable short-term solution."
Enlarge Image A prominent finance expert asks Congress to help Americans rebuild their ficticious dreams.The current economic woes, brought on by the collapse of the so-called "housing bubble," are considered the worst to hit investors since the equally untenable dot-com bubble burst in 2001. According to investment experts, now that the option of making millions of dollars in a short time with imaginary profits from bad real-estate deals has disappeared, the need for another spontaneous make-believe source of wealth has never been more urgent.
"Perhaps the new bubble could have something to do with watching movies on cell phones," said investment banker Greg Carlisle of the New York firm Carlisle, Shaloe & Graves. "Or, say, medicine, or shipping. Or clouds. The manner of bubble isn't important—just as long as it creates a hugely overvalued market based on nothing more than whimsical fantasy and saddled with the potential for a long-term accrual of debts that will never be paid back, thereby unleashing a ripple effect that will take nearly a decade to correct."
Enlarge Image "The U.S. economy cannot survive on sound investments alone," Carlisle added.
Congress is currently considering an emergency economic-stimulus measure, tentatively called the Bubble Act, which would order the Federal Reserve to† begin encouraging massive private investment in some fantastical financial scheme in order to get the nation's false economy back on track.
Current bubbles being considered include the handheld electronics bubble, the undersea-mining-rights bubble, and the decorative office-plant bubble. Additional options include speculative trading in fairy dust—which lobbyists point out has the advantage of being an entirely imaginary commodity to begin with—and a bubble based around a hypothetical, to-be-determined product called "widgets."
The most support thus far has gone toward the so-called paper bubble. In this appealing scenario, various privately issued pieces of paper, backed by government tax incentives but entirely worthless, would temporarily be given grossly inflated artificial values and sold to unsuspecting stockholders by greedy and unscrupulous entrepreneurs.
"Little pieces of paper are the next big thing," speculator Joanna Nadir, of Falls Church, VA said. "Just keep telling yourself that. If enough people can be talked into thinking it's legitimate, it will become temporarily true."
Demand for a new investment bubble began months ago, when the subprime mortgage bubble burst and left the business world without a suitable source of pretend income. But as more and more time has passed with no substitute bubble forthcoming, investors have begun to fear that the worst-case scenario—an outcome known among economists as "real-world repercussions"—may be inevitable.
"Every American family deserves a false sense of security," said Chris Reppto, a risk analyst for Citigroup in New York. "Once we have a bubble to provide a fragile foundation, we can begin building pyramid scheme on top of pyramid scheme, and before we know it, the financial situation will return to normal."
Despite the overwhelming support for a new bubble among investors, some in Washington are critical of the idea, calling continued reliance on bubble-based economics a mistake. Regardless of the outcome of this week's congressional hearings, however, one thing will remain certain: The calls for a new bubble are only going to get louder.
"America needs another bubble," said Chicago investor Bob Taiken. "At this point, bubbles are the only thing keeping us afloat."
WASHINGTON—A panel of top business leaders testified before Congress about the worsening recession Monday, demanding the government provide Americans with a new irresponsible and largely illusory economic bubble in which to invest.
"What America needs right now is not more talk and long-term strategy, but a concrete way to create more imaginary wealth in the very immediate future," said Thomas Jenkins, CFO of the Boston-area Jenkins Financial Group, a bubble-based investment firm. "We are in a crisis, and that crisis demands an unviable short-term solution."
Enlarge Image A prominent finance expert asks Congress to help Americans rebuild their ficticious dreams.The current economic woes, brought on by the collapse of the so-called "housing bubble," are considered the worst to hit investors since the equally untenable dot-com bubble burst in 2001. According to investment experts, now that the option of making millions of dollars in a short time with imaginary profits from bad real-estate deals has disappeared, the need for another spontaneous make-believe source of wealth has never been more urgent.
"Perhaps the new bubble could have something to do with watching movies on cell phones," said investment banker Greg Carlisle of the New York firm Carlisle, Shaloe & Graves. "Or, say, medicine, or shipping. Or clouds. The manner of bubble isn't important—just as long as it creates a hugely overvalued market based on nothing more than whimsical fantasy and saddled with the potential for a long-term accrual of debts that will never be paid back, thereby unleashing a ripple effect that will take nearly a decade to correct."
Enlarge Image "The U.S. economy cannot survive on sound investments alone," Carlisle added.
Congress is currently considering an emergency economic-stimulus measure, tentatively called the Bubble Act, which would order the Federal Reserve to† begin encouraging massive private investment in some fantastical financial scheme in order to get the nation's false economy back on track.
Current bubbles being considered include the handheld electronics bubble, the undersea-mining-rights bubble, and the decorative office-plant bubble. Additional options include speculative trading in fairy dust—which lobbyists point out has the advantage of being an entirely imaginary commodity to begin with—and a bubble based around a hypothetical, to-be-determined product called "widgets."
The most support thus far has gone toward the so-called paper bubble. In this appealing scenario, various privately issued pieces of paper, backed by government tax incentives but entirely worthless, would temporarily be given grossly inflated artificial values and sold to unsuspecting stockholders by greedy and unscrupulous entrepreneurs.
"Little pieces of paper are the next big thing," speculator Joanna Nadir, of Falls Church, VA said. "Just keep telling yourself that. If enough people can be talked into thinking it's legitimate, it will become temporarily true."
Demand for a new investment bubble began months ago, when the subprime mortgage bubble burst and left the business world without a suitable source of pretend income. But as more and more time has passed with no substitute bubble forthcoming, investors have begun to fear that the worst-case scenario—an outcome known among economists as "real-world repercussions"—may be inevitable.
"Every American family deserves a false sense of security," said Chris Reppto, a risk analyst for Citigroup in New York. "Once we have a bubble to provide a fragile foundation, we can begin building pyramid scheme on top of pyramid scheme, and before we know it, the financial situation will return to normal."
Despite the overwhelming support for a new bubble among investors, some in Washington are critical of the idea, calling continued reliance on bubble-based economics a mistake. Regardless of the outcome of this week's congressional hearings, however, one thing will remain certain: The calls for a new bubble are only going to get louder.
"America needs another bubble," said Chicago investor Bob Taiken. "At this point, bubbles are the only thing keeping us afloat."
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Fallacy Of Alternative Energies
by Alex Kuhlman
The public, business leaders and politicians are all under the false assumption that oil depletion is a straightforward engineering problem of exactly the kind that technology and human ingenuity have so successfully solved before. Much of our existing technology simply won't work without an abundant underlying fossil fuel base.
With crude oil energy base dwindling, there is simply not enough time to replace a fluid so cheap, abundant and versatile. It is rich in energy, easy to use, store, and transport. Nothing can replace it in time - either separately or in combination. Wind, waves and other renewables are all pretty marginal and also take a lot of energy to construct and require a petroleum platform to work off.
Natural gas is a diminishing resource as well and cannot satisfy the growing demand for energy. US Gas supplies were so low in 2003 after a harsh winter that to preserve life and property supplies were close to being cut off to manufacturers, electric plants and lastly homes.
Ethanol has a net energy value of zero (not accounting for soil and water damage and other costs due to unsustainable agricultural practices) - it is subsidized as a boon to agribusiness and would have a negligible effect (Prindle, ACEEE).
Solar energy produces marginal net energy, but are still decades away at best from being a viable substitute given the recent rate of progress in efficiency and costs (averaging about five percent a year) and is nowhere ready to meet the world's energy needs. More importantly, solar photovoltaic cells (PVC) are built from hydrocarbon feed stocks and therefore require excess resources. It is estimated that a global solar energy system would take a century to build and would consume a major portion of world iron production (Foreign Affairs, Rhodes).
The widespread belief that hydrogen is going to save the day is a good example of how delusional people have become. Hydrogen fuel cells are not an energy source at all, but are more properly termed a form of energy storage. Free hydrogen does not exist on this planet. It requires more energy to break a hydrogen bond than will ever be garnered from that free hydrogen. The current source of hydrogen is natural gas - that is, a hydrocarbon. In the envisioned system of solar PVC & hydrogen fuel cells, every major component of the system, from the PVC to the fuel cells themselves will require hydrocarbon energy and feedstocks. The oil age will never be replaced by a hydrogen fuel-cell economy.
Coal is abundant, but its net energy profile is poor compared to oil and its conversion process to synthetic fuels is very efficient. Coal would have to be mined at much higher rates to replace declining oil field. In addition, coal production is extremely harmful to the environment. One large coal burning electric plant releases enough radioactive material in a year to build two atomic bombs, apart from emitting more greenhouse gases than any other fuels. Coal is implicated in mercury pollution that causes 60.000 cases of brain damage in newborn children every year in the USA. Resorting to coal would be a very big step backwards and what we may face then may be more like the Dim Ages.
More importantly, coal is distributed very unevenly with the top three countries (China, USA, USSR) possessing almost 70% of total. Much of the current oil and gas supply is in low-population countries, such as Saudi Arabia, that cannot possibly use all of the production for themselves. They are hence quite willing, indeed eager, to sell it to other countries. When oil and gas are gone, and only coal remains, and the few (large-population) countries that possess it need all of it for their own populations, it will be interesting to see how much is offered for sale to other countries.
Obtaining usable oil from tar sands requires huge amounts of energy, as it has to be mined and washed with super hot water. From an energy balance, it takes the equivalence of two barrels of oil to produce three, which is still positive but poor in terms of energy economics. In the early days of conventional oil, this ratio used to be one to thirty.
Nuclear power plants are simply too expensive and take ten years to build, relying on a fossil fuel platform for all stages of construction, maintenance, and extracting & processing nuclear fuels. Additionally, uranium is also a rare and finite source with its own production peak. Since 2006, the uranium price has already more than doubled.
Nuclear fusion is the kind of energy that the world needs. However, mastering it has been 25 years away for the past 50 years, and still is...
Fossil fuels allowed us to operate highly complex systems at gigantic scales. Renewables are simply incompatible in this context and the new fuels and technologies required would simply take a lot more time to develop than available and require access to abundant supplies of cheap fossil fuels, putting the industrial adventure out of business.
In a recent interview with The Times, Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer calls for a “reality check” and warns that the world’s energy crisis cannot be solved by renewables. “Contrary to public perceptions, renewable energy is not the silver bullet that will soon solve all our problems. Just when energy demand is surging, many of the world’s conventional oilfields are going into decline. The world is blinding itself to the reality of its energy problems, ignoring the scale of growth in demand from developing countries and placing too much faith in renewable sources of power”, according to van der Veer.
Alternative energies will never replace fossil fuels at the scale, rate and manner at which the world currently consumes them, and humankind's ingenuity will simply not overcome the facts of geology & physics.
The public, business leaders and politicians are all under the false assumption that oil depletion is a straightforward engineering problem of exactly the kind that technology and human ingenuity have so successfully solved before. Much of our existing technology simply won't work without an abundant underlying fossil fuel base.
With crude oil energy base dwindling, there is simply not enough time to replace a fluid so cheap, abundant and versatile. It is rich in energy, easy to use, store, and transport. Nothing can replace it in time - either separately or in combination. Wind, waves and other renewables are all pretty marginal and also take a lot of energy to construct and require a petroleum platform to work off.
Natural gas is a diminishing resource as well and cannot satisfy the growing demand for energy. US Gas supplies were so low in 2003 after a harsh winter that to preserve life and property supplies were close to being cut off to manufacturers, electric plants and lastly homes.
Ethanol has a net energy value of zero (not accounting for soil and water damage and other costs due to unsustainable agricultural practices) - it is subsidized as a boon to agribusiness and would have a negligible effect (Prindle, ACEEE).
Solar energy produces marginal net energy, but are still decades away at best from being a viable substitute given the recent rate of progress in efficiency and costs (averaging about five percent a year) and is nowhere ready to meet the world's energy needs. More importantly, solar photovoltaic cells (PVC) are built from hydrocarbon feed stocks and therefore require excess resources. It is estimated that a global solar energy system would take a century to build and would consume a major portion of world iron production (Foreign Affairs, Rhodes).
The widespread belief that hydrogen is going to save the day is a good example of how delusional people have become. Hydrogen fuel cells are not an energy source at all, but are more properly termed a form of energy storage. Free hydrogen does not exist on this planet. It requires more energy to break a hydrogen bond than will ever be garnered from that free hydrogen. The current source of hydrogen is natural gas - that is, a hydrocarbon. In the envisioned system of solar PVC & hydrogen fuel cells, every major component of the system, from the PVC to the fuel cells themselves will require hydrocarbon energy and feedstocks. The oil age will never be replaced by a hydrogen fuel-cell economy.
Coal is abundant, but its net energy profile is poor compared to oil and its conversion process to synthetic fuels is very efficient. Coal would have to be mined at much higher rates to replace declining oil field. In addition, coal production is extremely harmful to the environment. One large coal burning electric plant releases enough radioactive material in a year to build two atomic bombs, apart from emitting more greenhouse gases than any other fuels. Coal is implicated in mercury pollution that causes 60.000 cases of brain damage in newborn children every year in the USA. Resorting to coal would be a very big step backwards and what we may face then may be more like the Dim Ages.
More importantly, coal is distributed very unevenly with the top three countries (China, USA, USSR) possessing almost 70% of total. Much of the current oil and gas supply is in low-population countries, such as Saudi Arabia, that cannot possibly use all of the production for themselves. They are hence quite willing, indeed eager, to sell it to other countries. When oil and gas are gone, and only coal remains, and the few (large-population) countries that possess it need all of it for their own populations, it will be interesting to see how much is offered for sale to other countries.
Obtaining usable oil from tar sands requires huge amounts of energy, as it has to be mined and washed with super hot water. From an energy balance, it takes the equivalence of two barrels of oil to produce three, which is still positive but poor in terms of energy economics. In the early days of conventional oil, this ratio used to be one to thirty.
Nuclear power plants are simply too expensive and take ten years to build, relying on a fossil fuel platform for all stages of construction, maintenance, and extracting & processing nuclear fuels. Additionally, uranium is also a rare and finite source with its own production peak. Since 2006, the uranium price has already more than doubled.
Nuclear fusion is the kind of energy that the world needs. However, mastering it has been 25 years away for the past 50 years, and still is...
Fossil fuels allowed us to operate highly complex systems at gigantic scales. Renewables are simply incompatible in this context and the new fuels and technologies required would simply take a lot more time to develop than available and require access to abundant supplies of cheap fossil fuels, putting the industrial adventure out of business.
In a recent interview with The Times, Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer calls for a “reality check” and warns that the world’s energy crisis cannot be solved by renewables. “Contrary to public perceptions, renewable energy is not the silver bullet that will soon solve all our problems. Just when energy demand is surging, many of the world’s conventional oilfields are going into decline. The world is blinding itself to the reality of its energy problems, ignoring the scale of growth in demand from developing countries and placing too much faith in renewable sources of power”, according to van der Veer.
Alternative energies will never replace fossil fuels at the scale, rate and manner at which the world currently consumes them, and humankind's ingenuity will simply not overcome the facts of geology & physics.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Malaysia's Father of Deadlines
by Lim Siow Kuan
Anwar has allegedly set a new deadline of December 8 for crossovers. September 16 and October 13 have come and gone, and now we're waiting for another deadline?
Anwar must be aware of the repercussions of failure to honor his promise to form the government on September 16 given the high hopes he has stirred up in the Peninsula. Even if he did not have the necessary numbers to do so, he would surely have produced a few names to appease his supporters. Till now, he still had not revealed a single defecting BN MP.
Prior to September 16, the Anwaristas had been going around on the ground claiming that Anwar’s previous trusted lieutenant Muhyiddin Yassin will lead an exodus of BN MPs to Pakatan Rakyat. Muhyiddin is now the front-runner for the Deputy Presidency of UMNO.
Anwar could easily call on the Agong to present his list of MPs to him. That will solve the political impasse once and for all. That has not happened either.
Though his credibility has been severely dented, Anwar’s entourage of diehard fans are still willing to wait for him to fulfil an impossible dream.
The anti-establishment sentiment amongst the grassroots especially the Chinese and Indian community is so strong that they will support any leader who promises them to remove the BN from power. Anwar is the only source of hope to them, even if it is just a false hope.
Those who are familiar with Anwar will know that he is not much better than Najib. The only difference between the two men is that Anwar polishes his keris secretly behind our backs while Najib is foolish enough to brandish it wide in the open when he infamously threaten to “wash his keris with Chinese blood” as UMNO Youth Chief in 1988. The Chinese will never forget and forgive him.
What has Anwar done since the March elections other than to destabillize the country with his empty threats to change the government ? Even when he finally remembered he is the opposition leader, all he does is to call for a fresh budget on October 13.
I am truly amazed at the tolerance of my fellow Malaysians to put up with Anwar’s nonsense for so long.
Anwar has allegedly set a new deadline of December 8 for crossovers. September 16 and October 13 have come and gone, and now we're waiting for another deadline?
Anwar must be aware of the repercussions of failure to honor his promise to form the government on September 16 given the high hopes he has stirred up in the Peninsula. Even if he did not have the necessary numbers to do so, he would surely have produced a few names to appease his supporters. Till now, he still had not revealed a single defecting BN MP.
Prior to September 16, the Anwaristas had been going around on the ground claiming that Anwar’s previous trusted lieutenant Muhyiddin Yassin will lead an exodus of BN MPs to Pakatan Rakyat. Muhyiddin is now the front-runner for the Deputy Presidency of UMNO.
Anwar could easily call on the Agong to present his list of MPs to him. That will solve the political impasse once and for all. That has not happened either.
Though his credibility has been severely dented, Anwar’s entourage of diehard fans are still willing to wait for him to fulfil an impossible dream.
The anti-establishment sentiment amongst the grassroots especially the Chinese and Indian community is so strong that they will support any leader who promises them to remove the BN from power. Anwar is the only source of hope to them, even if it is just a false hope.
Those who are familiar with Anwar will know that he is not much better than Najib. The only difference between the two men is that Anwar polishes his keris secretly behind our backs while Najib is foolish enough to brandish it wide in the open when he infamously threaten to “wash his keris with Chinese blood” as UMNO Youth Chief in 1988. The Chinese will never forget and forgive him.
What has Anwar done since the March elections other than to destabillize the country with his empty threats to change the government ? Even when he finally remembered he is the opposition leader, all he does is to call for a fresh budget on October 13.
I am truly amazed at the tolerance of my fellow Malaysians to put up with Anwar’s nonsense for so long.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Peak Oil: The Apocalyptic Scenario
Admin
The Peak Oil theory (as explained in this blog's article dated 6th Oct: Calm Like A Bomb Part 2) argues that in the near future, the world is going to face a permanent and irreversible decline in global oil production.
Read the below article which I've compiled from various sources:
The following is quoted from Dr. Schlesinger, the former US Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Defence and CIA Director: "It's no longer the case that we have a few voices crying in the wilderness. The battle is over. The peakists have won." This quote tells us how seriously the theory is taken at the highest levels of decision-making.
Nowadays, we only found three leading and loud opposing voices to Peak Oil in the energy market, namely the OPEC, ExxonMobil and the CERA consulting group. As we can see, neither OPEC nor ExxonMobil are renowned for their scientific integrity and objectivity. Regarding CERA, their predictions in the evolution of oil prices made since 2002, were wrong seven times in a row. In light with these appalling projections, the legitimacy and strength of CERA's denial of an imminent peak are at best mistrustful.
Before going further, aren't their any alternatives? Hydrogen, ethanol or electric cars? Well here the problem comes from timing, as the decline in oil production is expected to happen in 2008 according to the ASPO. A report requested by the US Department of Energy, known as the "Hirsch Report", concludes:
"Over the past century, world economic development has been fundamentally shaped by the availability of abundant, low-cost oil. Previous energy transitions (wood to coal, coal to oil, etc.) were gradual and evolutionary; oil peaking will be abrupt and revolutionary… The world has never faced a problem like this. Without massive mitigation at least a decade before the fact, the problem will be pervasive and long lasting."
Unfortunately, we don't have ten years and world leaders do not even understand the crisis. From this point how is the situation going to evolve? Michael Meacher, a British Labour MP and former Environment Minister identifies the Peak Oil crisis as "an apocalyptic scenario"
A Deutsche Bank paper on oil depletion goes in the same direction: "The end-of-the-fossil-hydrocarbons scenario is not a doom-and-gloom picture painted by pessimistic end-of-the-world prophets, but a view of scarcity in the coming years and decades that must be taken seriously."
To come back to the financial crisis, we have witnessed an impressive fall in oil prices over recent weeks under fears of an imminent global recession. However, the massive US bailout plan and similar European supports to the banking sector are likely to maintain an artificial growth at high costs and to the detriment of states' debts. Once we realize oil demand will not decline and will even continue to grow, as mentioned last week by the IEA, oil prices will once again surge.
Regrettably, when facing the next crisis which is likely to be unprecedented, the world will no longer afford an emergency plan. In fact, the US bailout makes an emergency plan to develop alternatives to oil improbable. We have used our last bullets, and missed the target.
Recent events have showed us how officials and mainstream commentators failed to forecast the current crisis. It is time to finally take the Peak Oil movement seriously, failing to do so would result in a nightmare scenario, Dr. Campbell and others have been desperately warning for too long.
The Peak Oil theory (as explained in this blog's article dated 6th Oct: Calm Like A Bomb Part 2) argues that in the near future, the world is going to face a permanent and irreversible decline in global oil production.
Read the below article which I've compiled from various sources:
The following is quoted from Dr. Schlesinger, the former US Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Defence and CIA Director: "It's no longer the case that we have a few voices crying in the wilderness. The battle is over. The peakists have won." This quote tells us how seriously the theory is taken at the highest levels of decision-making.
Nowadays, we only found three leading and loud opposing voices to Peak Oil in the energy market, namely the OPEC, ExxonMobil and the CERA consulting group. As we can see, neither OPEC nor ExxonMobil are renowned for their scientific integrity and objectivity. Regarding CERA, their predictions in the evolution of oil prices made since 2002, were wrong seven times in a row. In light with these appalling projections, the legitimacy and strength of CERA's denial of an imminent peak are at best mistrustful.
Before going further, aren't their any alternatives? Hydrogen, ethanol or electric cars? Well here the problem comes from timing, as the decline in oil production is expected to happen in 2008 according to the ASPO. A report requested by the US Department of Energy, known as the "Hirsch Report", concludes:
"Over the past century, world economic development has been fundamentally shaped by the availability of abundant, low-cost oil. Previous energy transitions (wood to coal, coal to oil, etc.) were gradual and evolutionary; oil peaking will be abrupt and revolutionary… The world has never faced a problem like this. Without massive mitigation at least a decade before the fact, the problem will be pervasive and long lasting."
Unfortunately, we don't have ten years and world leaders do not even understand the crisis. From this point how is the situation going to evolve? Michael Meacher, a British Labour MP and former Environment Minister identifies the Peak Oil crisis as "an apocalyptic scenario"
A Deutsche Bank paper on oil depletion goes in the same direction: "The end-of-the-fossil-hydrocarbons scenario is not a doom-and-gloom picture painted by pessimistic end-of-the-world prophets, but a view of scarcity in the coming years and decades that must be taken seriously."
To come back to the financial crisis, we have witnessed an impressive fall in oil prices over recent weeks under fears of an imminent global recession. However, the massive US bailout plan and similar European supports to the banking sector are likely to maintain an artificial growth at high costs and to the detriment of states' debts. Once we realize oil demand will not decline and will even continue to grow, as mentioned last week by the IEA, oil prices will once again surge.
Regrettably, when facing the next crisis which is likely to be unprecedented, the world will no longer afford an emergency plan. In fact, the US bailout makes an emergency plan to develop alternatives to oil improbable. We have used our last bullets, and missed the target.
Recent events have showed us how officials and mainstream commentators failed to forecast the current crisis. It is time to finally take the Peak Oil movement seriously, failing to do so would result in a nightmare scenario, Dr. Campbell and others have been desperately warning for too long.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Britain Saves The World
Admin
Britain is leading the world out of the current financial turmoil. Now other European countries are following suit. Read this article by Krugman.
The Brown government has shown itself willing to think clearly about the financial crisis, and act quickly on its conclusions. And this combination of clarity and decisiveness hasn’t been matched by any other Western government, least of all the US.
The British government went straight to the heart of the problem — and moved to address it with stunning speed. On Wednesday, Mr. Brown’s officials announced a plan for major equity injections into British banks, backed up by guarantees on bank debt that should get lending among banks, a crucial part of the financial mechanism, running again. And the first major commitment of funds will come on Monday — five days after the plan’s announcement.
At a special European summit meeting on Sunday, the major economies of continental Europe in effect declared themselves ready to follow Britain’s lead, injecting hundreds of billions of dollars into banks while guaranteeing their debts. And whaddya know, Mr. Paulson — after arguably wasting several precious weeks — has also reversed course, and now plans to buy equity stakes rather than bad mortgage securities (although he still seems to be moving with painful slowness).
We still don’t know whether these moves will work. But policy is, finally, being driven by a clear view of what needs to be done. Which raises the question, why did that clear view have to come from London rather than Washington?
Luckily for the world economy, Gordon Brown and his officials are making sense. And they may have shown the world the way through this crisis.
Britain is leading the world out of the current financial turmoil. Now other European countries are following suit. Read this article by Krugman.
The Brown government has shown itself willing to think clearly about the financial crisis, and act quickly on its conclusions. And this combination of clarity and decisiveness hasn’t been matched by any other Western government, least of all the US.
The British government went straight to the heart of the problem — and moved to address it with stunning speed. On Wednesday, Mr. Brown’s officials announced a plan for major equity injections into British banks, backed up by guarantees on bank debt that should get lending among banks, a crucial part of the financial mechanism, running again. And the first major commitment of funds will come on Monday — five days after the plan’s announcement.
At a special European summit meeting on Sunday, the major economies of continental Europe in effect declared themselves ready to follow Britain’s lead, injecting hundreds of billions of dollars into banks while guaranteeing their debts. And whaddya know, Mr. Paulson — after arguably wasting several precious weeks — has also reversed course, and now plans to buy equity stakes rather than bad mortgage securities (although he still seems to be moving with painful slowness).
We still don’t know whether these moves will work. But policy is, finally, being driven by a clear view of what needs to be done. Which raises the question, why did that clear view have to come from London rather than Washington?
Luckily for the world economy, Gordon Brown and his officials are making sense. And they may have shown the world the way through this crisis.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Malaysia's Father of all Worms
by Daniel YKL
Koh Tsu Koon can be rightly called the “Father of all Worms.” He is just plain spineless. Like a worm, he will crawl to lick the shoes of Badawi and for that matter Najib, who is soon to become the Premier. Koh has shamelessly proclaim the below statement:
Koh said that Pak Lah had initated reforms and was an advocate for democracy and greater space for open discussions.
“He can be rightly called the ‘Father of Democracy’ for Malaysia,” he said.
Koh said that reforms in the government and BN should continue after the transition of power from Abdullah to Najib.
“In Najib, we have an intellectual, experienced and dynamic leader to build on the foundation Pak Lah has laid,” he added.
(Excerpt from Malaysiakini)
He can call for any reforms, but they're all just words to prove that Gerakan is doing something. Whether they will all be implemented is another matter.
At the rate Gerakan is going, I don’t see any hope of it making a return in the next GE. Who would want a spineless party? Gerakn will probably be wiped out completely. Why do you think so many members have left and joined the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, including several key leaders? Even Chia Kwang Chia prefered not to contest in any Gerakan leadership position. Why? I think these leaders and members are smart and brave enough to make their point. Gerakan has lost all credibilities, thanks to their spineless leader.
Koh Tsu Koon can be rightly called the “Father of all Worms.” He is just plain spineless. Like a worm, he will crawl to lick the shoes of Badawi and for that matter Najib, who is soon to become the Premier. Koh has shamelessly proclaim the below statement:
Koh said that Pak Lah had initated reforms and was an advocate for democracy and greater space for open discussions.
“He can be rightly called the ‘Father of Democracy’ for Malaysia,” he said.
Koh said that reforms in the government and BN should continue after the transition of power from Abdullah to Najib.
“In Najib, we have an intellectual, experienced and dynamic leader to build on the foundation Pak Lah has laid,” he added.
(Excerpt from Malaysiakini)
He can call for any reforms, but they're all just words to prove that Gerakan is doing something. Whether they will all be implemented is another matter.
At the rate Gerakan is going, I don’t see any hope of it making a return in the next GE. Who would want a spineless party? Gerakn will probably be wiped out completely. Why do you think so many members have left and joined the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, including several key leaders? Even Chia Kwang Chia prefered not to contest in any Gerakan leadership position. Why? I think these leaders and members are smart and brave enough to make their point. Gerakan has lost all credibilities, thanks to their spineless leader.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Malaysia's Father-In-Law
by Alex Wong
Previous Prime Ministers of Malaysia have been granted sobriquets that are hallmarks of their legacies. But it seems that our fifth Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is unable to salvage any honourable legacy for Malaysians to remember him as.
Before we grant a sobriquet to Abdullah, let's review the legacies of previous Prime Ministers.
Bapa Kemerdekaan
Tunku Abdul Rahman was Father of Independence (Bapa Kemerdekaan). Both the formations of Malaya and Malaysia were two of Abdul Rahman's greatest achievements.
Bapa Pembangunan
Tun Abdul Razak was Father of Development (Bapa Pembangunan). He is renowned for launching the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP).
Bapa Perpaduan
Tun Hussein Onn was the Father of Unity (Bapa Perpaduan). Tun Hussein was renowned for stressing on the issue of unity through policies aimed at rectifying economic imbalances between the communities.
Bapa Pemodenan
Tun Mahathir Mohamad was the Father of Modernization (Bapa Pemodenan). Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernization and promoting "Asian values".
Bapa ???
What about Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?
His half-hearted effort of empowering anti-corruption agencies and providing more avenues for the public to expose corrupt practices has earn him little accolates because the people arrested were all considered as “small fries”.
His Islam Hadari concept, which advocates the intercompatibility between Islam and economic and technological development, has been ridiculed by many Islamic scholars.
Perhaps one of his more sucessful actions was the setting up of a Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police. Yet, his detractors said that he didn't go the distance to implement the commission’s suggestion to set up the IPCMC, due to internal revolt, among other things.
It won't be exagerating to say that Abdullah is considered by many as the weakest and most incompetent Prime Minister of Malaysia. And as the joke goes, our fifth Prime Minister will probably be most remembered only as: the Father-in-law of Khairy Jamaluddin (Bapa Mertua).
Previous Prime Ministers of Malaysia have been granted sobriquets that are hallmarks of their legacies. But it seems that our fifth Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is unable to salvage any honourable legacy for Malaysians to remember him as.
Before we grant a sobriquet to Abdullah, let's review the legacies of previous Prime Ministers.
Bapa Kemerdekaan
Tunku Abdul Rahman was Father of Independence (Bapa Kemerdekaan). Both the formations of Malaya and Malaysia were two of Abdul Rahman's greatest achievements.
Bapa Pembangunan
Tun Abdul Razak was Father of Development (Bapa Pembangunan). He is renowned for launching the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP).
Bapa Perpaduan
Tun Hussein Onn was the Father of Unity (Bapa Perpaduan). Tun Hussein was renowned for stressing on the issue of unity through policies aimed at rectifying economic imbalances between the communities.
Bapa Pemodenan
Tun Mahathir Mohamad was the Father of Modernization (Bapa Pemodenan). Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernization and promoting "Asian values".
Bapa ???
What about Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?
His half-hearted effort of empowering anti-corruption agencies and providing more avenues for the public to expose corrupt practices has earn him little accolates because the people arrested were all considered as “small fries”.
His Islam Hadari concept, which advocates the intercompatibility between Islam and economic and technological development, has been ridiculed by many Islamic scholars.
Perhaps one of his more sucessful actions was the setting up of a Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police. Yet, his detractors said that he didn't go the distance to implement the commission’s suggestion to set up the IPCMC, due to internal revolt, among other things.
It won't be exagerating to say that Abdullah is considered by many as the weakest and most incompetent Prime Minister of Malaysia. And as the joke goes, our fifth Prime Minister will probably be most remembered only as: the Father-in-law of Khairy Jamaluddin (Bapa Mertua).
Monday, October 6, 2008
Calm Like A Bomb (Part 2)
by AW
Civilization as we know it is coming to an end soon. This is not the wacky proclamation of a doomsday cult, apocalypse bible prophecy sect, or conspiracy theory society. Rather, it is the scientific conclusion of the best paid, most widely-respected geologists, physicists, bankers, and investors in the world. These are rational, professional, conservative individuals who are absolutely terrified by a phenomenon known as global "Peak Oil."
Oil will not just "run out" because all oil production follows a bell curve, whether we're talking about an individual oil field, total oil reserves in a country, or total world reserves.
After I mentioned the above scenario to several friends, the first reaction was "alternative energies are available". But all the energy requirements of the world are not able to be fulfilled by the current technologies of alternative energies. Read further.
Most of the feedstock (soybeans, corn) for biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol are grown using the high-tech, oil-powered industrial methods of agriculture. In short, the so called "alternatives" to oil are actually "derivatives" of oil.
Dr Richard Duncan, of the Institute on Energy and Man, has monitored the issue for years. "I became deeply depressed when I first concluded that our greatest scientific achievements will soon be forgotten and our most cherished monuments will crumble to dust."
This is a continuation of my article "Calm Like A Bomb" published on 25th Sept 2008.
The current US financial meltdown and the impending world economic recession, or depression, or recession followed by depression (depending on which economic forecast you're reading) will be extremely dreadful for most people, but perhaps it'd be a blessing in disguise for postponing the other more dreadful matter: the depletion of our most important natural resource, crude oil, which will result in the destruction of civilization.
Before the word "exaggeration" comes to mind, please read the below article which I've compiled from various sources:
Civilization as we know it is coming to an end soon. This is not the wacky proclamation of a doomsday cult, apocalypse bible prophecy sect, or conspiracy theory society. Rather, it is the scientific conclusion of the best paid, most widely-respected geologists, physicists, bankers, and investors in the world. These are rational, professional, conservative individuals who are absolutely terrified by a phenomenon known as global "Peak Oil."
Oil will not just "run out" because all oil production follows a bell curve, whether we're talking about an individual oil field, total oil reserves in a country, or total world reserves.
The peak of the curve coincides with the 50 percent point, meaning oil reserves will have been used up by half. Once the peak is passed, oil production begins to go down.
In practical and considerably oversimplified terms, this means that if 2005 was the year of global Peak Oil, worldwide oil production in the year 2030 will be the same as it was in 1980. However, the world’s population in 2030 will be both much larger (approximately twice) and much more industrialized (oil-dependent) than it was in 1980. Consequently, worldwide demand for oil will outpace worldwide production of oil by a significant margin. As a result, the price will skyrocket, oil dependant economies will crumble, and resource wars will explode.
First, the human population is continuing to rise exponentially. It is currently approaching 6.5 billion, in 1900 it was 1.65 billion, in 1800 it was around a billion, in 1500 it was 500m. The figures show that economic and technological progress is loading the planet with billions more people. By keeping humans alive longer and by feeding them better, progress is continually pushing population levels.
With population comes pollution. The overwhelming scientific consensus is that global warming caused by human activity is happening. According to some estimates, we will pass the point of no return within a decade. Weather systems will change, huge flooding will occur, and human civilisation if not existence will be at risk. This can be avoided if the US and China cut their carbon-dioxide emissions by 50% at once. This won't happen, as they are fighting an economic war with progress as the prize.
There are many other progress-created threats. Oil is one diminishing resource, and fresh water is another, even more vital one. Wars are virtually certain to be fought to gain control of these precious liquids.To support economic growth, the world currently requires more than 30 billion barrels of oil a year. That requirement is constantly increasing, owing to population growth, debt-servicing, and the rapid industrialisation of developing countries such as India and China. But we are about to enter an era in which less oil will be available each year. And many believe that industrial society is doomed.
There are many other progress-created threats. Oil is one diminishing resource, and fresh water is another, even more vital one. Wars are virtually certain to be fought to gain control of these precious liquids.To support economic growth, the world currently requires more than 30 billion barrels of oil a year. That requirement is constantly increasing, owing to population growth, debt-servicing, and the rapid industrialisation of developing countries such as India and China. But we are about to enter an era in which less oil will be available each year. And many believe that industrial society is doomed.
After I mentioned the above scenario to several friends, the first reaction was "alternative energies are available". But all the energy requirements of the world are not able to be fulfilled by the current technologies of alternative energies. Read further.
When considering the role of oil in the production of modern technology, remember that most alternative systems of energy — including solar panels/solar-nanotechnology, windmills, hydrogen fuel cells, biodiesel production facilities, nuclear power plants, etc. all rely on sophisticated technology and energy-intensive forms of metallurgy.
In fact, all electrical devices make use of silver, copper, aluminum and platinum, each of which is discovered, extracted, and fashioned using oil or natural gas powered machinery.
Every other energy source currently used in modern societies gets a substantial "energy subsidy" from oil. The energy used in uranium mining and reactor construction, for example, comes from diesel rather than nuclear power, just as sunlight doesn’t make solar panels. What rarely seems to have been noticed is the way these "energy subsidies" intersect with the challenges of declining petroleum production to (preemptievely sabotage) the future of alternative energy production in industrial societies.
Most of the feedstock (soybeans, corn) for biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol are grown using the high-tech, oil-powered industrial methods of agriculture. In short, the so called "alternatives" to oil are actually "derivatives" of oil.
Ecologists use a technical term, "die-off", to describe what happens when a population grows too big for the resources that sustain it. Where will die-off occur this time? Everywhere. By some estimates, 5 billion of the world's 6½ billion population would never have been able to live without the blessed effects of fossil fuels, and oil in particular: oil powered the pumps that drained the land, and from oil came the chemicals that made intensive farming possible.If oil dries up, we can assume, those 5 billion must starve. And they won't all be in Africa this time. You too may be fighting off neighbours to protect a shrinking stash of canned food, and, when that runs out, foraging for insects in suburban gardens.The consequences would be unimaginable. Permanent fuel shortages would tip the world into a generations-long economic depression. Millions would lose their jobs as industry implodes. Farm tractors would be idled for lack of fuel, triggering massive famines. Energy wars would flare.
Dr Richard Duncan, of the Institute on Energy and Man, has monitored the issue for years. "I became deeply depressed when I first concluded that our greatest scientific achievements will soon be forgotten and our most cherished monuments will crumble to dust."
This is the peak of human civilization and it will all go downhill from here onwards. It is inevitable. The only doubt is not whether it will happen, but when it will happen. I believe we're all living on borrowed times. We're on the edge of the abyss, but most of us are still ignorant or not aware of it. Our situation is "calm like a bomb." A ticking time-bomb.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
We Can All Be Heroes
by Antares
Anyone who hasn’t been brainwashed by establishment pundits with vested interests can see that Anwar Ibrahim has got what it takes to steer our country back on course. And what it takes is intelligence, courage, stamina, adaptability, good humor, experience, and most importantly, ethical sense. His resilience has been proven over the last ten years by his capacity to transmute tragedy into triumph, transforming himself from victim to victor - all the while maintaining his dignity, clarity, and focus.
Whatever his early political agenda, the Anwar Ibrahim of 2008 has been forged in the furnace of personal pain and endurance. In 1998 he could have taken the money and run - become an academic or corporate CEO. But he didn’t. He stood up to Mahathir and fought like a man. That’s how he gained my respect and admiration and trust. There are very few in our midst today that I can describe as “heroic.”
Is Chandra Muzaffar a hero? He might have been once, back in the early 1980s when he left academia to battle the monstrous menace of Mahathir. But after his ISA experience in 1987, Chandra’s spirit buckled. He left Aliran to establish JUST and for a few years he continued to say the right things. But he had lost his fire, his fighting spirit. He had gone the way of Lee Lam Thye.
Is Raja Petra Kamarudin (left) a hero? Most certainly. He stood by Anwar Ibrahim in the early days of his rebellion against monumental odds and was arrested under the ISA for his efforts.
Although a bona fide prince, RPK has always been accessible, down-to-earth and his finger is firmly on the pulse of the people. A large part of the credit for what happened on March 8th must go to RPK.
Is Tian Chua a hero? I would say YES! But his career as a politician is only just beginning and he has a lot of learning to do, especially in terms of his approach. Even so, his fearlessness in the face of police violence has inspired many to speak up or march for justice. There are many other heroes I can think of: Lim Guan Eng, the new Chief Minister of Penang, for example, jailed by Mahathir for speaking up on behalf of a schoolgirl gang-banged by the former Chief Minister of Melaka; Tony Pua, who sold his successful IT business to launch his political career as an outspoken blogger and DAP candidate; Sivarasa Rasiah, who has spent the last 20 years defending human rights... it so happens they are all in the Barisan Rakyat.
And then there's Steven Gan, managing editor of Malaysiakini, who stuck to his guns as a political journalist and quit The Sun when he rubbed the establishment up the wrong way. In 1999, at the height of Reformasi fervor, Steven teamed up with Premesh Chandran to launch Malaysia's first news portal. Over the years Malaysiakini has survived several police raids and the confiscation of its computers. For invaluable services rendered to truth-loving Malaysians, this news portal deserves a standing ovation - and a thousand-fold increase in subscribers!
In the climate of fear Mahathir created during his 22-year reign, anybody who dared speak the truth became a hero - or martyr. Anwar Ibrahim, more than any other political icon in the country, succeeded in transcending his own childhood prejudices to embody the universal values that will unite rather than divide us as a nation. That is indeed the mark of a hero. Let us honor this hero (who nearly became a martyr) by giving him what he fully deserves - the chance to serve as prime minister (at least till he tires of it or we tire of him).
But to my mind nobody can match what Anwar Ibrahim has accomplished: he has led us through the Chapel Perilous of racial politics and now, for the first time since Merdeka, we can look around and appreciate the beauty of our own diversity and say, “Vive la difference!” On March 9th I was blissed out by a tangible feeling that we are no longer stuck in the rut of ethnocentric tempurungism, that we have finally outgrown all that “Bangsa-Ugama-Tanahair” hot air. I went to town and felt the genuine goodwill and jubilation that shone from every face I saw - Malay, Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli, Dan-lain-lain!
At the same time, let us all aspire to become heroes too, so that we will no longer be scared children in need of a grown-up to lead us across the street. Let us each become, in time, self-governing individuals whose relationship to our political leaders is akin to an orchestra’s respect for the conductor, knowing full well that his job is to create a symphony from the potential cacophony of so many different instruments.
Anyone who hasn’t been brainwashed by establishment pundits with vested interests can see that Anwar Ibrahim has got what it takes to steer our country back on course. And what it takes is intelligence, courage, stamina, adaptability, good humor, experience, and most importantly, ethical sense. His resilience has been proven over the last ten years by his capacity to transmute tragedy into triumph, transforming himself from victim to victor - all the while maintaining his dignity, clarity, and focus.
Whatever his early political agenda, the Anwar Ibrahim of 2008 has been forged in the furnace of personal pain and endurance. In 1998 he could have taken the money and run - become an academic or corporate CEO. But he didn’t. He stood up to Mahathir and fought like a man. That’s how he gained my respect and admiration and trust. There are very few in our midst today that I can describe as “heroic.”
Is Chandra Muzaffar a hero? He might have been once, back in the early 1980s when he left academia to battle the monstrous menace of Mahathir. But after his ISA experience in 1987, Chandra’s spirit buckled. He left Aliran to establish JUST and for a few years he continued to say the right things. But he had lost his fire, his fighting spirit. He had gone the way of Lee Lam Thye.
Is Raja Petra Kamarudin (left) a hero? Most certainly. He stood by Anwar Ibrahim in the early days of his rebellion against monumental odds and was arrested under the ISA for his efforts.
Although a bona fide prince, RPK has always been accessible, down-to-earth and his finger is firmly on the pulse of the people. A large part of the credit for what happened on March 8th must go to RPK.
Is Tian Chua a hero? I would say YES! But his career as a politician is only just beginning and he has a lot of learning to do, especially in terms of his approach. Even so, his fearlessness in the face of police violence has inspired many to speak up or march for justice. There are many other heroes I can think of: Lim Guan Eng, the new Chief Minister of Penang, for example, jailed by Mahathir for speaking up on behalf of a schoolgirl gang-banged by the former Chief Minister of Melaka; Tony Pua, who sold his successful IT business to launch his political career as an outspoken blogger and DAP candidate; Sivarasa Rasiah, who has spent the last 20 years defending human rights... it so happens they are all in the Barisan Rakyat.
And then there's Steven Gan, managing editor of Malaysiakini, who stuck to his guns as a political journalist and quit The Sun when he rubbed the establishment up the wrong way. In 1999, at the height of Reformasi fervor, Steven teamed up with Premesh Chandran to launch Malaysia's first news portal. Over the years Malaysiakini has survived several police raids and the confiscation of its computers. For invaluable services rendered to truth-loving Malaysians, this news portal deserves a standing ovation - and a thousand-fold increase in subscribers!
In the climate of fear Mahathir created during his 22-year reign, anybody who dared speak the truth became a hero - or martyr. Anwar Ibrahim, more than any other political icon in the country, succeeded in transcending his own childhood prejudices to embody the universal values that will unite rather than divide us as a nation. That is indeed the mark of a hero. Let us honor this hero (who nearly became a martyr) by giving him what he fully deserves - the chance to serve as prime minister (at least till he tires of it or we tire of him).
But to my mind nobody can match what Anwar Ibrahim has accomplished: he has led us through the Chapel Perilous of racial politics and now, for the first time since Merdeka, we can look around and appreciate the beauty of our own diversity and say, “Vive la difference!” On March 9th I was blissed out by a tangible feeling that we are no longer stuck in the rut of ethnocentric tempurungism, that we have finally outgrown all that “Bangsa-Ugama-Tanahair” hot air. I went to town and felt the genuine goodwill and jubilation that shone from every face I saw - Malay, Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli, Dan-lain-lain!
At the same time, let us all aspire to become heroes too, so that we will no longer be scared children in need of a grown-up to lead us across the street. Let us each become, in time, self-governing individuals whose relationship to our political leaders is akin to an orchestra’s respect for the conductor, knowing full well that his job is to create a symphony from the potential cacophony of so many different instruments.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
ISA, The Cowardly Act
Admin
This website fully support calls by NGOs, Pakatan Rakyat and most notably, Zaid Ibrahim, for the abolishment of ISA.
Instead of publishing another anti-ISA article like most bloggers do, below is the opposite view of a blogger whom we consider ignorant of the fact that there exist other avenues to prosecute potential terrorists.
The below article was posted by Anonymous:
When the Anwaristas start demanding to abolish ISA and free all detainees, we know that this country is headed for the dumpsite if Anwar Ibrahim comes into power.
Have you guys lost your marbles? Do we have to wait for the twin towers to be blown down ala 911 for you to wake up?
Listen to yourselves? Free Jemaah Islamiah? Are u crazy? Have we forgotten the weapons seige at military camps? Have u forgotten the terrorist training ground that ran in the jungle? Or their plans to blow up places where Islam forbids - nightclubs, beer breweries, etc.
Have u guys so much hatred for BN that it caused your rationale to go all bonkers? This is crazy. BN may have many shortfalls, but it's sad to see you all just hammering them for everything that is not right in this world.
Terrorism is real..remember 911, Bali, London underground, Spain, Taliban, Pakistan.... do u want a big headline with 1000 dead before you wake up? Idiots!
- posted by Anonymous
Admin's reply to Anonymous:
People who call for the repeal of ISA are not idiots. Idiotic people are those who are ignorant of the fact there are other avenues to prosecute potential terrorists (via the court of law) and it is cowardly to suggest otherwise.
Professor Hickling, the man who drafted, and unceremoniously presented upon us, the Internal Security Act 1960, said:
“At that time,” he said, “There were the communist. They were very bad men, you see,” he explained, in his earnest simplistic demeanour. “We had to do something, there were so many of them, we had to nab them and quickly locked them up. There wasn’t much time for trial; hence we needed a legislation to befit the occasion. Those were the insurgent times, a time of emergency.”
“I could not imagine then that the time would come when the power of detention, carefully and deliberately interlocked with Article 149 of the Constitution, would be used against political opponents, welfare workers and others dedicated to non violent, peaceful activities.”
Dr Farouk Musa, Dr Sheik Johari Bux, Dr Jeffrey Hassan, Dr Musa Nordin and Dr Mazeni Alwi of the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) have this to say:
Using Islam as a ‘tool’ to justify detention without trial is anathema to the basic principles of adl (just) and ihsan (benevolence) that formed the foundation of Islamic jurisprudence. Such cowardly acts of invoking ISA every time when there were dissenting views against the authoritarian government and their despotic ulama will not augur well for the future of free and democratic Malaysia.
We believe that this is the recourse that should be taken by the government in handling issues pertaining to Raja Petra in particular. By resorting to intellectual discourse, any differences in opinions or interpretations could be ironed out in a civilised manner. We therefore call upon the prime minister of Malaysia, to release Raja Petra unconditionally and all the other ISA detainees for that matter. We also call upon the prime minister to abolish this draconian act that clearly violates the basic human rights that were enshrined in the Qur’an ever since.
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