The human race is living beyond its means. A report backed by 1,360 scientists from 95 countries - some of them world leaders in their fields - today warns that the almost two-thirds of the natural machinery that supports life on Earth is being degraded by human pressure.
The report, prepared in Washington under the supervision of a board chaired by Robert Watson, the British-born chief scientist at the World Bank and a former scientific adviser to the White House, will be launched today at the Royal Society in London.
Commentary
Current events
Science
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
copyright rules could change
Today many of the latest hit songs and movies are a few mouse clicks away on the Internet, and those same justices are being asked to settle a multibillion-dollar dispute about how such items are shared.
Entertainment companies want the court to let them sue the manufacturers of file-sharing software that allows computer users to download music and movies from each other's computers. The companies say such downloads violate copyright protections and amount to stealing.
Lower courts have sided with the software makers, Grokster Inc. and StreamCast Networks, which say their technology should be looked at no differently than a videocassette recorder.
The Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday and will issue a decision before July.
Internet
Music
Entertainment companies want the court to let them sue the manufacturers of file-sharing software that allows computer users to download music and movies from each other's computers. The companies say such downloads violate copyright protections and amount to stealing.
Lower courts have sided with the software makers, Grokster Inc. and StreamCast Networks, which say their technology should be looked at no differently than a videocassette recorder.
The Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday and will issue a decision before July.
Internet
Music
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Terri's Passion on Good Friday
NewsMax.com has the compelling story of members of the nation's clergy weighing in on Terri's plight.
Click the link for the story.
Religion
Current events
Click the link for the story.
Religion
Current events
Friday, March 25, 2005
richard attenborough...where are you?
Article in NewScientist.com reports on blood vessel recovery from T. rex bone.
Read more from UbikCentral.
Science
Current events
Read more from UbikCentral.
Science
Current events
attitude through process
the allocation of dogs
The trading attitude comes from watching the need to sort one animal from the rest. My dog helps and has become loyal throughout the process. My dog stays loyal knowing that we will do the process again in the future. He knows he fills a need because he makes the job of sorting easier.
Daily Life
measuring the price
Two things cause real inflation: Too much money or too little goods.
The inflation of the 1970's experienced in the United States had less to do with energy prices than it did with socio-economic changes and baby boomers coming of age in terms of consumption.
We may well be on the precipice of a similar situation, only this will be a global change. China is coming of age. The July 2004 population estimate was 1,298,847,624. The United States population was estimated at 293,027,571 for the same time frame.
So, for every American there are about 4.4 Chinese. U.S. Per capita GDP is $37,800. In China it is only $5000. As the economy grows there, consumption and demand will grow. Social changes are already beginning to take hold.
If (when) China's per capita GDP doubles, it will be only about 1/4 of the United States. Given the vast population, the demand on resources will be great. Higher demand can be a harbinger of higher prices. I think we are beginning to see that right now in the energy markets amongst others.
You want to be on board with entities that will benefit from the changes going on in China. Be cautious about instruments that can be hurt by inflation.
With demand climbing we should see commodity prices generally climb. Along with this, we should see new pricing paradigms for many commodities. We could be at the beginning of a golden age for commodities.
Economics
The inflation of the 1970's experienced in the United States had less to do with energy prices than it did with socio-economic changes and baby boomers coming of age in terms of consumption.
We may well be on the precipice of a similar situation, only this will be a global change. China is coming of age. The July 2004 population estimate was 1,298,847,624. The United States population was estimated at 293,027,571 for the same time frame.
So, for every American there are about 4.4 Chinese. U.S. Per capita GDP is $37,800. In China it is only $5000. As the economy grows there, consumption and demand will grow. Social changes are already beginning to take hold.
If (when) China's per capita GDP doubles, it will be only about 1/4 of the United States. Given the vast population, the demand on resources will be great. Higher demand can be a harbinger of higher prices. I think we are beginning to see that right now in the energy markets amongst others.
You want to be on board with entities that will benefit from the changes going on in China. Be cautious about instruments that can be hurt by inflation.
With demand climbing we should see commodity prices generally climb. Along with this, we should see new pricing paradigms for many commodities. We could be at the beginning of a golden age for commodities.
Economics
is IT an evolution or a veritable revolution?
Thursday, March 24, 2005
spend-management software
- Ariba - provides domain expertise, operational services and technology solutions
- Emptoris - integrates spend analysis, supplier negotiation, and supplier performance
- ICG Commerce - purchase-to-pay transaction automation service
- Ketera - offers an on-demand suite for spend analysis, e-procurement, and IT services
- Oracle - enables spend analysis, supplier management, and productivity measurements
- Perfect Commerce - helps analyze spending patterns and track commodity prices
- SAP - tools to analyze spending, improve visibility, and manage contracts
- Saqqara - organizes supplier data and contract terms for easing compliance processes
- SAS Institute - addresses spend analysis, sourcing data quality, and sourcing strategy
- Tradestone Software - supports order management, payment processing, and spending
- Verticalnet - advanced decision support and spend analysis and program management
- Zycus - resolves data quality problems that helps e-procurement
Business
spend management
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