Chickens

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

General Electric plans to close its only U.S. solar panel factory because production costs have exceeded sale prices.

Solar_shingles

The Fairfield, Conn.-based company said that silicon panel manufacturing at its facility in Delaware, will stop in January. GE will shutter the factory all together by June. The factory can produce 34 megawatts of solar panels per year and employs 82 people. GE plans to layoff the workers with severance packages.

The move reflects the tough times experienced by solar energy equipment makers worldwide as supply far exceeded demand over the past year. Recession and a big reduction in solar subsidies in Spain - once a booming market - are key contributors. Some manufacturers have seen prices for their products fall by anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent over the past year.

Earlier this week, Marlboro, Mass.-based Evergreen Solar said it would move panel production from its factory in Devens, Mass., to China next year in order to cut costs.

Earlier this year, BP Solar announced it would close its solar panel factory in Maryland and outsource that work to a contract manufacturer. Last month, BP said it had hired Jabil Circuit to assemble panels at a Jabil factory in Poland.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Be sure to review my original blog post.

Mark Boyle (a.k.a. Saoirse, which is Gaelic for "freedom" and pronounced "sear-shuh") set up the Freeconomy website (http://www.justfortheloveofit.org). The idea is that like-minded people sign up, list their skills and donate them to others. In return they receive favours back. For instance, a hairdresser may give a mechanic a haircut and in exchange the mechanic would fix the hairdresser's bicycle. No money ever changes hands. The website appears to have been successful. Boyle says 4,200 people with 900 different skills from 85 countries have signed up.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

USA Topographic Map

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Fumes

How's this for an elegant put down of the current plan by the Victorian government to base our future on "Clean Coal" technology.

It has been submitted to a few papers, by Noel, to see if it gets a run.

I'll also be writing a piece myself over the cheapest option for our aging coal plants in the next day or two.

Nice work Noel. Blogging should be your next career advancement. No Editors to get past!!

_Business Opportunity_!

Following the successful promotion of the "Clean Coal" technology study to the Victorian Government, "Oxymorons Inc" is now seeking interested parties to join with us in Phase 2 of the project.

This vertically integrated Phase 2 will be titled "Dry Water".

Our basic business model is to capture and dehydrate the huge water surpluses in the nation's northern river systems, using (of course) solar energy.

We will then refine and package the product in cardboard boxes which can readily be transported by air, rail or road (at minor cost) to Victoria’s brown coal plants It is then just a simple matter of adding tap water to reconstitute and apply the resource.

As a further revenue stream, surplus ‘Dry Water” packages could be sold to the State’s . drought-affected areas.

Applicants with some technical capacities could be useful, but essential skills required will include the abilities to write successful Government grant applications, and to lobby vigorously the progress of same.

N.L.Matthews

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Little old dears

One day, while going to the store, I passed by a nursing home. On the front lawn were six old ladies lying naked on the grass.

I thought this was a bit unusual, but continued on my way to the store.

On my return trip, I passed the same nursing home with the same six old ladies lying naked on the lawn. This time my curiosity got the best of me, & I went inside to talk to the Nursing Home Administrator.

 
'Do you know there are six ladies lying naked on your front lawn?'

'Yes,' she said. 'They're retired prostitutes, - they're having a garage sale.'

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

We use a local produce stand for fruits and veggies year round. We also use a distributor of Amish products we met at our local farmers market (keep clicking the picture below to see the great products and 10% discount). The only time we use Family Dollar or the grocery store is for paper products, vinegar, laundry detergent, and milk.

Invoice

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

I'm very concerned about planet earth. That is why I choose voluntary simplicity and frugality. I have also given environmentalists and politicians many practical ideas to reduce carbon emissions. It seems to be working ~ a nearby town (Merrillville, IN) will disconnect every other streetlight on the town's main thoroughfares. There are more than 1,600 street lights in Merrillville, and the town is paying more than $15,500 per month to power those lights. It is a win-win situation!

But I will no longer remain silent when phony environmentalists want to take away our freedoms and tax us to death. One outrageous example is in Canada. Ontario residents won’t be able to sell their houses or condos without first getting a home energy audit – which now costs about $300 – under the proposed new Green Energy Act.

Listen to this excerpt for all the proposed taxes to combat global warming! And if you still have doubts, check out all of my clipmarks which come from news sources and proposed legislation..

Global_warming_taxation

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Cartoon sandwich

Two old guys, one 80 and one 87 were sitting on the 1st tee bench waiting for their turn to tee off one morning.

The 87 year old had just finished his morning jog and wasn't even short of breath. The 80 year old was amazed at his friend's stamina and asked him what he did to have so much energy? 

The 87 year old  said, "Well, I eat rye bread every day.  It keeps your energy level high and you'll have great stamina with the ladies."

So, on the way home the 80 year old stopped at the bakery.  As he was looking around the lady asked if he needed any help.  He asked, "Do you have any rye bread?"

She said, "Yes, there's a whole shelf of it.  Would you like some?"

He said, "I want 5 loaves."

She said, "My goodness, 5 loaves...by the time you get to the 5th loaf, it'll be hard."

He replied, "I can't believe it, everybody knows about this shit but me..............!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Original Article

New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods, from whole wheat pasta to fast food burgers, are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus around Sweden. The same concept is being proposed across the EU.

Besides causing massive consumer confusion, the emissions impact of, say, a carrot, can vary by a factor of 10, depending how and where it is grown. Who is going to determine and regulate this? Will small farms & cattle ranchers be exempt? Will this lead to even more consolidation in the food industry?

All one can say at this point is the cost of producing food will be going up and producers will try to pass on that cost to consumers. I encourage my readers to grow their own food. Then take steps to learn how to can, freeze, and dehydrate that food. Even apartment dwellers can do simple gardens with the Topsy Turvy and Chia Herb Gardens

Read and post comments | Send to a friend