Home Sales Up More Than 3 Percent

From NPR.org:
Sales of existing homes rose 3.1 percent in July as buyers snapped up deeply discounted properties in parts of the country hit hardest by the housing bust, an industry group said Monday.
The National Association of Realtors reported sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5 million units. Many economists had expected sales [...]

Genetically Modified Foods

John Phipps must spend a lot of time surfing the Internet….for gosh sake I thought he had enough to do!
An interesting article on his blog advocating for new thinking on genetically modified foods.
http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2008/08/green_revolution_20_1.php

The Amish

I’ve always respected many of the ethical and environmental practices of the Amish (and find it strange that their nutritional practices don’t seem to follow their other environmental ethic).
A recent Chicago Tribune article finds they are expanding:
The Amish are expanding their presence in states far beyond Pennsylvania Dutch country as they search for affordable farmland [...]

2008 Farm Bill…Opportunity Knocks

The 2008 Farm Bill provides for establishing science-based technical guidelines to measure environmental service benefits including carbon, water quality, and habitat credit trading. The Bill proposes creating a registry to collect, record, and maintain benefits.
Because of previous and ongoing research projects within USDA…Rapid Watershed Assessment, Conservation Effects Assessment Program, etc….there exists valuable science to lend [...]

Happy Birthday Social Security

The Social Security system turns 73 this month. The Providence Journal carried an editorial this morning about Social Security. The editorial points out…in addition to the $10 trillion-plus shortfall…that the program creates no wealth. It merely pays current obligations with our withheld income.
Because it is a politically managed system, the government can change how much [...]

Geothermal Energy

Google.org has recently announced they are investing $10 million in geothermal energy research.
http://www.google.org/egs/index.html

Growing More Colourful…

The Economist reports that a new demographic forecast predicts that white Americans will be in the minority by mid-century. The comments are interesting…
Growing More Colourful

The End of Aviation

Illinois farmer and ag commentator John Phipps had this article from The New Republic on his weblog this morning.
The End of Aviation
One of John’s major concerns is that dramatic changes in our travel will make it more difficult for ‘face-to-face’ decisions… for him primarily with respect to rental decisions on ag lands that have distant [...]

Wildlands and Woodlands

In 2005, a number of forest professionals in Massachusetts develop a statewide (and eventually regional-wide) vision for forest protection and management. It is interesting in 1) it’s analysis of forest issues at the urban, suburban, and rural levels, and 2) it’s approach of innovative partnerships and economic mechanisms.
http://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/index.html

U. S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities

Eric Sprague, of the Bay Bank initiative, and I spoke this afternoon and he made me aware of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities. It’s an interesting new organization….here is their weblog (with link to the website).
http://www.usendowment.org/blog.html