We are bombarded by all kinds of news from seemingly infinite number of sources - ranging from world is going to end due to budget gridlock in the US to Euro crisis to emerging battle lines between Japan and China to follies of movie stars and so on and on. Amidst all these noise, really important news tend to get lost: one such gem is the announcement by Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg: the two billionaires/philanathropists have joined forces to put out a plan to eradicate polio worldwide. Eff... [More]

From the truth is stranger than fiction dept, comes the news item in Washington Post today that says authorities have uncovered links between organized crime families and the renewable energy industry in Sicily, Italy. According to the article, about third of the wind and solar farms in Sicily - which happens to be the best locale for solar and wind in all of Italy and also, a major stronghold of Mafia - are controlled by Mafia families. Gives an entirely new meaning to renewable money launderin... [More]

We digress from our usual coverage of energy industry to highlight the tragic effect of stone age abortion laws in Ireland that recently led to the death of a young doctor because the hospital she was admitted to would not perform an abortion. The Roman Catholic Church dominated politcal system did not permit doctors to perform abortion even when there is no hope of saving the fetus and when the mother's life was serious danger.  The mother had been admtted to the hospital in Dublin s... [More]

We hope all of our clients, readers and friends had a very enjoyable and relaxing holiday break. Our best wishes again to all for a wonderful year in 2012. As I scanned the news this morning, I came across this nugget from The Hunger Site - this is a site dedicated to raising money to feed the worlds' hungry - they raised enough money in 2011 to donate 59 million cups of food. That would be amazing just by itself, but it's even more amazing when you find out how they raised this money: they did ... [More]

Steve Paul Jobs passed away yesterday and the world lost one of those rare human beings who was both a revolutionary technologist and a marketing genius. The mass outpouring of grief on a global basis is a clear indicator of how much Jobs and the products he willed into reality have changed our lives. Even for those who were firmly in the PC camp, I am sure their life was enriched by the movies made by his company, Pixar, such as Toy Story, Cars, WallE,.... His philosophy in life - Never Settle... [More]