Climate Change vs. "Tragedy of the Commons"

November 28, 2009 on NPR: One reason it is so hard to slash carbon emissions is that climate change occurs globally. The countries that produce the most greenhouse gas all need to take action to fix the problem. That raises a classic economic dilemma called the Tragedy of the Commons.

Click here to listen to the story (4 min 30 sec).

What is the Most Unhealthy Food in America?

(Earthly Happenings, November 27, 2009)


Are you wondering what's the most high-calorie, high-fat chain restaurant appetizer in the United States? Meet the Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing! Even if you split this so-called "starter" with three of your best friends, you'll have devoured an entire meal's worth of calories before your main course even arrives. If you munch the whole thing yourself, you get 2,900 calories, 182 grams of fat and 240 carbs. Yum. If you follow your cheese fries with a steak, sides, and a dessert, you could easily break the 3,500 calorie barrier. Incidentally, Food and Drug Administration nutrition information is based on a 2,000 calories per day diet, which is already more than some people need. 

So what can you do if you suddenly find yourself seated at an Outback Steakhouse table? Try to start your meal with a protein-based dish that's not deep-fried. A high-protein starter can diminish hunger without putting you into calorie overload. At Outback, that translates into either the Seared Ahi or the Shrimp on the Barbie.

What's the State of Your State?

(Earthly Happenings, November 25, 2009)
People who travel across the United States are often struck by the vast differences among the states.  In fact, Newsweek Magazine recently reported that some U.S. states resemble other countries more than they do each other.  Here is some of the data that Ian Yarett found by searching the World Factbook, the International Labour Organization, the National Center for Education Statistics, the National Center for Health Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the World Bank World Development Indicators Database, and the World Health Organization. How does your state measure up?

• The Hispanic population of California (13.5 million) is a bit higher than that of Guatemala (13 million).
• The number of students per teacher in Oregon (21.3) is close to that of South Korea (21.1).
• The birth rate in Utah (21 per thousand people) is roughly that of Jamaica (20.8 per thousand).
• The number of physicians per 10,000 people in Idaho (17.9) is just shy of that in Kuwait (18).
• The per capita income of Mississippi (($30,399) is roughly that of Italy ($30,250).
• The gross domestic product of North Dakota ($31.2 billion) is roughly that of Nepal ($31.1 billion).
• The unemployment rate in Michigan (14.7%) is just over that in Croatia (14.2%).
  

California Harvesting Power From Dairy Cows

(Earthly Happenings, November 21, 2009)
A California utility is aggressively developing power sources cleaner than coal -- natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar ... and now even methane gas from cow manure. But Pacific Gas & Electric isn't turning green totally on its own. It's the law of the people. Sarah Gardner reports on NPR Marketplace.
CLICK TO HEAR THE COMPLETE STORY.

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The Next Credit Crisis and Your Mattress

(Earthly Happenings, November 16, 2009)

From National Public Radio, "Private equity firms buy undervalued or underappreciated companies, impose short-term improvements and sell them for a fast profit. Some of the companies they've bought include Hertz, La Quinta, Dunkin Donuts, and Toys R Us. Josh Kosman, a private equity expert, says that the way the firms have been able to buy these businesses — through leveraged buyouts — means the majority of the money for the buyout has come from loans that the firms dump on the company they're supposedly fixing. Now burdened with debt, many of those companies owned by private equity firms are in danger of defaulting. In a new book, Kosman writes that it's likely half of the 3,188 American companies bought by private equity firms between 2000 and 2008 could collapse. His book is called The Buyout of America: How Private Equity Will Cause the Next Great Credit Crisis."

According to an Earthly Happenings reader, this news story explains, "Everything I ever suspected about the mattress industry.  A must listen, and more.  The first 15 minutes is an earful. Key words:  private equity (ha); interest tax deductability (the "loophole"); mattress flipability! It's good."


Click here to listen to the entire 26 minute 46 second story on Fresh Air!