There was an article featured by the Green Team – Matthew Van Dongen and Tiffany Mayer in the St Catharines Standard today about RETScreen International. You can email them at: standard@stcatharinesstandard.ca Subject: Green Team
RETScreen International is Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Technologies. This software program has been used for local water power generators and biomass plants. RETScreen is a federal government software program that evaluates potential renewable energy projects. For sustainable energy worldwide and has over 200,000 users. Greg Leng is the Director of the Natural Resources Canada Program. The software program was created by Greg Leng at the University of Massachusett’s Master’s Thesis and it’s aimed at professional engineers, planners and architects. But it can be used to estimate energy production, building costs and green house --gas savings for projects of any size.
Non- technical homeowners make use of the program too. RETScreen will tell you if you have enough solar energy in your area to justify installing a solar water heater. It will determine how much energy, and money you’ll save and provide a list of product supplies. Larger Product Developers will use the program to cut costs on preliminary research and “screens out the bad projects” quickly.
It was used to determine whether to build a wind farm in Niagara. The question was; Is it worthwhile pursuing this project? In past it might have cost you $50,000 to $100,000 to answer that question. Expert Program will do it for $500 or $1,000. The Program can save millions of dollars for fledgling green energy development projects. Greg Leng said the program has saved about $4 billion over the last decade.
They say that, “Projects associated with RETScreen will keep the equivalent of 20 million tones of carbon dioxide annually out of the environment by 2012.”
It’s a proven money saver – the Federal Government gives out the software for free. “The goal of the program has always been to remove barriers to a much broader implementation of clean energy, not to store them up,” Leng said.
The United Nations, The World Bank and even NASA have all invested in RETScreen over the last decade. The program is available in 35 languages. In St Catharines, Rankin Construction used the program for a “ball park” potential of its proposed hydro power project on the Welland Canal by Engineer Jordan Beckhuis. The company is now finishing the last of the three two-megawatt turbines using canal water to pump out electricity.
This software program is being used in over 170 Universities and Colleges. If you want to check out the program for yourself visit: http://www.retscreen.net/ang/home.php
You can also watch a 2 minute video at: http://www.retscreen.net/ang/video.php
As a retired vocational art educator from the V.I. Dept. of Education, St. Croix, I am still trying to have an impact on the vocational curriculum.
The message, I would like to leave is most of the petty and the felony crimes that are committed in our society can be prevented. Today’s educational system is out dated and under funded. We graduate thousands every year and the thousands of dropouts, are sent out into our communities with a certificate / diploma. Some barely able to fill out an application for a job . It leaves and puts a lot of them in a survival mode. Malchom X said, by any means necessary. The youth refer to the crimes committed in the community as, “Street Tax”. All are not college material. To send our children out into society without a viable trade or a marketable skill, we are breeding generations of beggars, criminals, thieves and welfare recipients. No child should leave school without a trade. Those college students with a trade could easily supplement their education without going into deep student loan debt.
The Arts can be the educational catalyst to Change!
Ivan Butcher II
Demographic that voted Obama in demands accountability on college costs, employment
Obama’s election victory was in great part driven by his ability to rally youth and first time voters. In fact, USA Today reported that 66% of voters aged 18-29 and 68% of first-time voters voted for Obama.
Now the demographic that put him in office wants to know: how will President Obama respond to the issues that most concern them?
In a recent survey, CampusCompare asked nearly 2000 college students “What is the one question you would want to ask the future president?” Not surprisingly, college costs and future employability were top of the list. Increasing unemployment rates are raising concerns amongst students that they will not find the jobs they need after college to pay back those hefty loans. Through their questions – submitted anonymously – students are sending a clear message that government has a role to play in looking out for their interests.
Are today’s market conditions undermining our nations’ students’ drive to seek higher education? It seems that students are still betting on education. An overwhelming 96% of survey respondents agreed when asked “In times of economic crisis, does a college degree become even more important for your employability?” But they are making frugal choices. 70% are not willing to splurge on Ivy League and say, “I just need a degree in order to compete in this job market. Any degree or school will do.”
Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com
It has been my perception that what has driven some Americans increasingly in the past two decades has been personal greed; greed not for just money but for power, control, influence, domination, security, knowledge, ideology, ..., all for individual or limited closed association/club benefit. That is not only the mentality of individuals, but of people operating in government and business as well.
We now witness the results of greed by a select few:
Corrupt and special interest government officials who set themselves above as aristocrats regulating government for their own investments or hidden ownerships in companies and organizations. Many who also take bribes and illicit favors from corrupt lobbyists.Laws are actually written/drafted by who? Do you really think your legislator, congressman, or senator sits down in front of a computer or uses his own pen and paper? Or, did you think it's his staff? It is lobbyists who actually do 99% of the work; work they have vested interests in, to see it is written the way their 'client' wants it worded. Do you as an individual have lobbyists employed by you? Financial institutions that cheat and steal from the unsuspecting, far beyond the weak laws of usury. Trustworthy? Bank & 'Trust?' Wanna givem another bailout for cheating? It looks like lobbying paid off for the financial 'institutions' (we have all been taught to 'respect?' the term 'institution?', but maybe we are learning). Insurance Companies that 'legally?' bribe law enforcement, judges, and congress/legislators with grants, equipment gifts, perks, and free trips in order to gain unprecedented influence/control -- everything from mandatory laws, to not or barely paying claims, to price fixing, to all sorts of corrupt and unfavorable methods imposed on individuals. Do most people realize that premiums (a name of 'respect?' for monthly payments you are charged) are used by Insurance Companies to pay for -- grants, equipment gifts, perks and trips as payoffs for public laws, regulations, and controls that the public does not want. It is a form of taxation represented/controlled by insurance companies, not taxation with public representation. It's a twisted form of taxation charged by insurance companies. Manufacturing barons who import economic slave labor and outsource to slavery. Pharmaceutical corporations that cover-up sickness and death with misinformation in order to push up profits. Weapons manufacturers that promote violence, war, and enduring sickness. Energy companies that monopolize production/prices and cause destructive environmental damage.American Companies, or those using names, that import/offshore products who turn a deaf ear and blind eye to safety, quality, and poisons.Service providers that care not about consumers but are strictly money driven, with less regard for employees; employees who suffer with unreasonable demands for performance and who are not paid a living wage. Private educational institutions that cater to the wealthy who have abandoned the public. The concept for the masses of "let them eat cake"; they will eventually go away from malnutrition of education because it will make them perish; and, those who survive can be the servants. Suburban Public School administrators in growing housing markets whose actual and hidden agendas are to serve land developers and government aristocrats. They play statistical number games made of fudge, intentionally choking out struggling students by actually encouraging students to drop out or be 'home schooled' by mom or dad. That's how suburban schools 'look' more attractive to potential home buyers, with faked academic 'success' -- faking the 'No Child Left Behind' statistics, a real game, using kids as pawns. But aristocrats brag, statistically they look like they have done a good enough job to re-elect them. And, most importantly to them, they can continue to reap the profits from either the land they own or are financially connected with.Inner City School administrators in decaying areas that hopelessly cope with being under funded, attracting the poorest quality teachers. Children do not choose to be born into poor families, or choose uncaring parents, nor do they choose parents that are ignorant and uneducated. Do these kids have the hope of opportunity? They are pushed aside as the burdens of a greedy society, in hopes they are not seen nor heard from now or later in life -- good to be used as the pawns in wars, or workers for catering to the wealthy though. Employees of city/county/state/fed. institutions (schools, universities, jails, prisons, leases/sales of buildings to Gov., contracted services, hospitals, VA facilities,...) who take kickbacks and gifts, in return for higher costs and sweetheart deals with companies often owned by or financially benefiting government aristocrats.Major colleges and universities chasing the buck by catering to overseas students. They somehow brag of a 40% to 60% foreign enrollment, while American students grasp for help and aid. Community colleges that are given the leftovers in funds, coping with unrealistic expectations of graduating students or preparing them for major colleges. Even with 100% tuition/books paid, it is unrealistic to expect students to juggle working full time jobs (for food and living) while going to school and studying full time. It is not surprising to see such an astronomically high dropout rate in America. Capitalist have made it clear to students, not to have hopes that are too costly; or, they will import already educated talent. Do wealthy capitalist require students in their families to work full time at low paying jobs while pursuing higher education's? Maybe they simply know it's a story made up for the 'less fortunate', like a fairytale dream, achieved by one to two percent and used as shining examples, stories told to pacify the masses. Those with capital also know, they can hire a well enough educated dropout at a reduced rate to do the job of a graduate, a real bargain. …
We could each recite instances far beyond this short list, and it is all for greed. People’s greed has been rooting through our nation and causing so much destruction. Certainly money has been a primary instrument of their greed, but their other instruments of power, control, influence, domination, security, knowledge, ideology, … have all been used to chip away and damage each of us who together form our great nation. With renewed vision and focused determination we will heal and rebuild to become more active and much stronger.
To learn more details, you can read my other three blogs about 1) Educational Devastation, The Need for an Entirely New System, 2) The Auto Industry, A Few of My Personal Experiences, and 3) Invention, Innovation, and Education.
Blog members can reply here, or anyone is welcome to contact me at: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
Professor Bettina Aptheker's popular course at University of CA, Santa Cruz, has released a 17-DVD set of her lectures covering an entire academic quarter.
You can view a short video clip of her giving her own definition of feminism--click here.
There's more info at my blog Feminist Advisory Board for Obama
If the Republicans lose this election my guess would be that Gov. Palin would continue to work to separate Alaska from the United States for wealth and political purposes. Look at it this way; if successful she would be the President of Alaska.
May our thoughts and prayers go out to Barack Obama and his family for the loss of his grandmother. Let us continue on her spirit and make this happen. He MUST be the next President.
Let us know that she passed on knowing in her heart that things were going to be alright. She is at peace with her savior. She raised an outstanding man and should have been as proud as all of us as the man, the father, the husband, the leader that he is.
May God Bless Barack, Michelle & family.
ShaVonne
Directions From Downtown Atlanta:
Travel 75/85 south, take exit 243, Merge 166 West, travel 5 miles. Exit Campbelton Rd, merge right. Savoy is 2997 Campbelton Rd on the right.
POWERFUL ATLANTA MUSIC INDUSTRY SUPPORTS BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENTJoin us for a "once in a lifetime" party to support Barack Obama and encourage others to vote. Lets make history together. Please forward to family and friends. Savoy Lounge has open it's doors to celebrate 2 important events: Barack Obama Party on Saturday night November 1st @ 9:00 pm and a live election result Viewing Party on Tuesday November 4th @ 8:00 pm. Lets laugh, cry, and make history!!Lets Complete Dr. Martin Luther King's Dream"Where people are judged by the content of there character and not the color of their skin."PLEASE FORWARD, VERY IMPORTANT TO SHOW UNITY ON THESE LAST DAYS BEFORE VOTINGSAVOY LOUNGE 2997 Campbelton Road, Atlanta, GA
Official Viewing Party on Election Night Tuesday November 4th @ 8:00 pmIf your going to attend 1 or both, please RSVP by email as a courtesy.I hope to meet you and your Obama Friends. Lets Make History. Lets share it together!!!Sincerely, Patrick 2Tall Jones
http://www.theledger.com/article/20081024/NEWS/810240405
I am Krystal Greene, or as the article states, Krystal Green. As the article states, I was attending Florida State University. To even get accepted to FSU was amazing. It was difficult, but it was something to work for. One day I got a call from my mom that her car had been reposessed. She couldn't get to work, and didn't know what to do. I was 4 hours away and I felt so helpless. A few weeks later she fell behind on her mortgage. I couldn't stand being that far from here with her stress levels being so high. I was scared she was going to have a stroke or heart attack. My fiance' and I made the decision to move back home to Lakeland and try to help her. About one month later she got the foreclosure papers, and I have yet to find a job. Now I am going to community college, and riding out what is left of my scholarship. My parents credit is worse than mine, and I cannot get student loans. Once my scholarship runs out I will have to postpone college to work and save up for tuition. I am not ashamed of that, it is simply what has to be done. If anything, it has made me determined to make a change and vote for the man who can see my struggle, not the one who is completely out of touch with my situation. I'm frustrated, angry, but determined.
I am in school and currently live away from home, so I have had an absentee ballot sitting on my desk now for a few days. Everytime I have looked at it, I have been reminded that I need to vote, which has meant figuring out who to vote for. Seeing as I lead a very busy life, trying to balance classes and homework, as well as two jobs, I really have not had any time to sit down and read the newspaper or watch TV, so I have felt a bit out of the loop on the election news. With that in mind, feeling a bit blind in a rather big descision, I knew I would have to research a bit to make a smart vote. That seemed more like a chore to me than anything else, and I really was not looking forward to it. I had a little free time this afternoon, and decided to start the process, and it took me here, which is not a surprise. I knew I would be checking out news reports and the websites of Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain, to try to decide who to vote for. Based on the basic information that I had, I was already leaning more the Obama direction, but I was not sure. Well, after visiting both websites and doing a few Google News searches, the balance tipped, and I found someone who supports some of the things I believe in.
Early Voting is easy for college students in Iowa. Click here to find your early voting location right now.
Young voters: You have our attention By Samantha Miller The Gazette IOWA CITY — Four hundred and sixty-eight people, mostly University of Iowa students, lined up outside the early voting site in the Old Capitol Town Center on Monday.Meanwhile, 218 people voted at Mayflower Residence Hall as a full schedule of daily satellite voting kicked off in Johnson County, the county Auditor’s Office reported. A galvanized student population is demonstrating fervor rivaling what it showed during last year’s city election here, when a proposed 21-and-older bar ordinance was defeated, largely because of a passionate student voting base.The Gazette interviewed 30 UI students leading up to tonight’s final presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama and 29 people said they will vote in the Nov. 4 election. The who’s and whys, however, greatly varied.“Obviously, since we’re the future generation, it’s our responsibility,” said freshman Marit Berg, 18, of Waukesha, Wis. Berg voted for Obama at the Old Capitol Town Center site.Four of every five eligible voters ages 18 to 24 is registered to vote in Johnson County going into this week. They comprised 21,471 voters, up from 18,485, or 68.5 percent of the eligible 18- to 24year-olds, last year.That’s a staggering number, even by standards in Johnson County, which has a liberal university town, where political activity usually is high and people are inundated by political commercials and brochures.“It’s an interesting place,” said Lisa Allen, deputy auditor of elections in the county. Interestingly, several students planning to vote still have not determined for whom. For many, the economy will be a main factor.Freshman Seth Mosbrucker, 19, of Bettendorf, said, “I’m going to vote for the person who I think will best suit the economy right now.” He added, “I want my money.” UI freshman Maggie O’Brien, 18, of Crystal Lake, Ill., said she doesn’t feel she understands enough, especially economic issues, yet to make an informed decision.“Right now I’m just trying to take everything into consideration so that I understand,” she said. “I just want to make sure I know everything.” Undecided Nick Westlund, a 19-year-old sophomore from Cedar Rapids, said, “I’m definitely trying to pay more attention this election, and that’s why I want to be sure I’m voting for someone who’s representing my ideas.” Obama supporters said he’ll bring change, though what that change represents varied among students.Daniel Smith, 22, a Minden junior, said he wants to see change in the government.Andrew Weber, 18, an Iowa City freshman, said Obama’s different from many politicians because “he’s not necessarily about America being the best, but about America trying to be a team player.”
IOWA CITY — Four hundred and sixty-eight people, mostly University of Iowa students, lined up outside the early voting site in the Old Capitol Town Center on Monday.
Meanwhile, 218 people voted at Mayflower Residence Hall as a full schedule of daily satellite voting kicked off in Johnson County, the county Auditor’s Office reported. A galvanized student population is demonstrating fervor rivaling what it showed during last year’s city election here, when a proposed 21-and-older bar ordinance was defeated, largely because of a passionate student voting base.
The Gazette interviewed 30 UI students leading up to tonight’s final presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama and 29 people said they will vote in the Nov. 4 election. The who’s and whys, however, greatly varied.
“Obviously, since we’re the future generation, it’s our responsibility,” said freshman Marit Berg, 18, of Waukesha, Wis. Berg voted for Obama at the Old Capitol Town Center site.
Four of every five eligible voters ages 18 to 24 is registered to vote in Johnson County going into this week. They comprised 21,471 voters, up from 18,485, or 68.5 percent of the eligible 18- to 24year-olds, last year.
That’s a staggering number, even by standards in Johnson County, which has a liberal university town, where political activity usually is high and people are inundated by political commercials and brochures.
“It’s an interesting place,” said Lisa Allen, deputy auditor of elections in the county. Interestingly, several students planning to vote still have not determined for whom. For many, the economy will be a main factor.
Freshman Seth Mosbrucker, 19, of Bettendorf, said, “I’m going to vote for the person who I think will best suit the economy right now.” He added, “I want my money.” UI freshman Maggie O’Brien, 18, of Crystal Lake, Ill., said she doesn’t feel she understands enough, especially economic issues, yet to make an informed decision.
“Right now I’m just trying to take everything into consideration so that I understand,” she said. “I just want to make sure I know everything.” Undecided Nick Westlund, a 19-year-old sophomore from Cedar Rapids, said, “I’m definitely trying to pay more attention this election, and that’s why I want to be sure I’m voting for someone who’s representing my ideas.” Obama supporters said he’ll bring change, though what that change represents varied among students.
Daniel Smith, 22, a Minden junior, said he wants to see change in the government.
Andrew Weber, 18, an Iowa City freshman, said Obama’s different from many politicians because “he’s not necessarily about America being the best, but about America trying to be a team player.”
I will be attempting to get a table for Students for Obama at El Camino this tuesday, if not Money also. I will, on monday, but handing out fliers on obama's economic plan and plan for students. This is my FIRST ever political activism that I would start, and I'll try and get some help from some of my classmates that are for Obama. I'll have a number of fliers, including stuff I organized myself such as some breakdowns of the "Know The Facts" page on the lies of McCain, tax differences between Obama and McCain, and comparing both candidates on their ideas for women. But mostimportantly on my campus we will have the America's Youth flier and giving them out to as many people as we can.
I'm nervous cause I've never been part of a political rally where I would be by myself, and I'm scared of confrontation, also I'm not sure what to say to people walking by lol. But I'll make sure to get a packet of voter registration sheets to put by and a bucket of candy! lol everyone likes candy.
Good evening, Obama fans. I'll be joining you for the rest of the flight. The facts about me?
Age: 25Occupation: Student (finishing my MA thesis at the moment)Location: Pennsylvania, the prefix "Battleground" not included
All in all, I am your basic post-graduate student with aspirations to teach at the college level. The subject? Geography. You know, that subject that the public education system is convinced isn't worth the time to teach? Yeah, that's my thing.
I'll be honest, I'm not much for blogs. It really isn't my thing. But the more I watch this election the more I feel the need to talk about the campaigns and what it means to someone like me. I was amazed as I rolled through the various blogs here on this site, and how the stories of each person varied so widely. Needless to say, I felt kinda compelled to add my two cents (though these days I may need about $1.20 with costs going up as they are).
As you all well know, the stakes for this election are huge. Even bigger for those of my generation, all told. The last eight years have left us in a pinch as a nation. Our reputation abroad is decimated, there are a thousand different troubles here at home, and America needs a true leader. Not just someone who has "experience" (remember, our dear friend Dick Cheney had "experience"), but someone who can raise the spirits of the common man. Someone who inspires the people of America to want to be more than they are, and for their country to follow suit.
Today, that someone is Barack Obama.
