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Waste plastic to be burnt in cement factory

By Our Staff Reporter

Bhopal, Aug 16: This City of Lakes is all set to be free from plastic hazards.

Non-biodegradable plastic, which poses a threat to the environmentfor decades, is going to be scrapped from here by burning it withcoal as fuel in a cement factory.

''A truck loaded with 10 tonnes plastic has been sent to theKatni-based ACC Cement factory from here,'' Madhya PradeshPollution Control Board Chairman S P Gautam told reporters today.

He claimed that, for the first time in the country, a state istaking up the task of destroying plastic in a constructive way.

''Destroying plastic is a gigantic problem as on burning at normaltemperature it produces toxic gases, after burying it takes 400years to decompose and if disposed in water it creates blockages,''said Mr Gautam, adding that burning plastic at 900 degrees Celciusmade it serve as a fuel.

Mayor Sunil Sood flagged off the lorry and promised that theMunicipal Corporation would pay the truck fare for this endeavour.The voluntary organisation Sarthak Samudayik Jankalyan Sanstha tookthe task of picking up the plastic from the city.

''Of the total present plastic, 80 per cent is recyclable. Hence,the remainder will be burned in the factory,'' Mr Gautam added.

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August 17, 2008

Tesco report British Shoppers Shun Single-use Carrier Bags

-- Tesco has revealed the use of disposable plastic bags hasdropped by 2 billion since August 2006 --

/24-7PressRelease/

 - CHESHUNT, UK, August 17, 2008 - Tesco, the UK supermarket giant,has announced that the use of disposable plastic bags is in steepdecline as shoppers in their thousands switch to permanent shoppingbags.

Tesco customers have saved a staggering two billion carrier bagssince Green Clubcard Points were launched in August 2006. Carrierbag use by Tesco shoppers in the last month is 40% lower than forthe same period two years ago.

Throughout the month of July in 2006, Tesco gave its customersapproximately 350 million single-use carrier bags. In July 2008,that had dropped to just 200 million.

THE four-week trial of a 10-cent levy on plastic bags will belaunched this morning in Victoria.

The trial aims to cut plastic bag usage and will be launched at asupermarket in Narre Warren, on Melbourne's south-easternoutskirts, by Victorian Environment Minister Gavin Jennings.

Coles, Safeway and IGA retailers in Narre Warren, Wangaratta, inthe state's north-east, and Warnambool, in the south-west, will allparticipate in the trial, to run from tomorrow to September 14.

The competition watchdog gave the final green light last week for afour-week trial of a 10-cent plastic bag levy in regional Victoria.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has alsoauthorised the supermarkets to publicly release data showing howcustomers responded to the charge.

The data it gathers will help the retail industry and Victoriangovernment devise a strategy on reducing plastic bag use.

Profits made during the trial will go towards environmentalprojects.

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E-Weekly

    Aug 8th, 2008

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Polymerupdate global resin pricing: Prices continue fall in Asiaand Europe, while LDPE proves stubborn

    Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) have resisted calls to lower prices, citing tight regionalproduct availability and good demand for LDPE outside Asia,including in Africa and Latin America. One producer toldPolymerupdate that its selling general-purpose LDPE grades tomarkets like China at $1970/tonne to $1980/tonne, with offers tosome other Asian markets at $2000/tonne CFR.

    In Europe, general-purpose LDPE contract prices were assessed ateuro 1540/tonne FD North West Europe, with spot prices rising byeuro 10 to euro 1510/tonne FD North West Europe.

LyondellBasell announcing a euro 100/tonne hike in its PE grades effective August1.

    Spot

LLDPE

 prices spiked by about euro 20/tonne, in spite of weak demand.Gains came on account of extreme regional tightness of LLDPE,according to Polymerupdate, which pushed spot prices to euro1450/tonne FD North West Europe. In the contract markets, LLDPEprices were assessed at euro 1525/tonne FD North West Europe.

    PP contract prices rose in Europe, with PP homopolymer injectiongrade prices assessed at euro 1315/tonne FD north West Europe. PPcopolymer contract prices were reported at euro 1365/tonne FD NorthWest Europe. In the spot market, PP homopolymer prices were seen atEuro 1260/tonne FD North West Europe, while PP copolymer pricesregistered at euro 1315/tonne FD North West Europe. For August, Dow announced a euro 200/tonne hike in its prices, inviting whatPolymerupdate called incredulous responses from buyers. Chancesfor the increase are seen as dim to August holiday season, anddepressed demand.

    PVC

 suspension-grade contract prices were unchanged in Europe with FDNorth West Europe prices at euro 1035/tonne. In July negotiationsthat hadn’t closed, sellers were determined to push forward withtargets of a euro 60/tonne to euro 90/tonne hike for the month.

    PS

 spot prices firmed in Europe last week, with GPPS prices up toeuro 1250/tonne FD North West Europe and HIPS prices rising to euro1300/tonne FD North West Europe. In contract markets, prices rosemore than euro 50/tonne from June settlements to euro 1520/tonne FDfor GPPS and euro 1570/tonne FD for HIPS. Dow proposed a hike ofeuro 130/tonne in PS prices, and

INEOS NOVA

 planned to take down its HIPS line located in Marl in October forbetween 3-4 weeks of maintenance.

In July, higher petrochemical feedstocks catapulted in particularpolyolefins skyward, says the newsletter Plastics InformationEurope (PIE, Bad Homburg / Germany;

www.pieweb.com

). The later fixing of quarterly contracts for ethylene (C2) andpropylene (C3) contributed to the hectic market, the newsletternotes. The biggest increases were seen for LDPE and LLDPE filmgrades.

LDPE sellers in Asia unlikely to drop their offer prices

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From small components to full size printers

Link 51 storage versatility provides it all at new Danwood site.The versatility of pallet racking and live storage systems fromLink 51 is much in evidence at the new Danwood Group DistributionCentre in Lincoln. The organisation's move to new 100,000 sq. ft.premises has enabled it to take full advantage of Link 51's systemswith a storage installation featuring a mix of the company's XLpallet racking, two-tier carton live picking systems and mezzaninedesign  with interconnecting conveyors also installed by the UK'sleading storage specialist.

    Since 1971, the Danwood Group has built an enviable reputation inits field with the distribution of printers and copiers alongsideconsumables and spare parts to a long list of customers. Today,some 32 sales offices throughout the UK and Ireland, together withsatellite distribution centres in Scotland and Ireland, are linkedto the new Lincoln facility. With over 1,000 new and 2,000second-hand units per month being shipped, the capacity andflexibility of the storage system is fundamental to the ongoingsuccess of the operation.

    "We needed to ensure that the optimum blend of bulk storage andpicking of smaller parts is achieved at the new facility," commentsGroup Purchasing and Logistics Director, Peter Hopton.

    "This has seen Link 51 pallet racking installed to allow six levelsof storage which can accommodate either palletised items or,importantly, larger machines which are delivered complete withwheel fittings. The latter," he continues, "are located into theracking using pairs of parallel runners that span from the front toback beams which Link 51 has installed specifically to meet thisprecise requirement."

    The mezzanine structure meets a duel picking function with longterm storage items on the upper level and the main rapid pickingarea on the floor underneath. In conjunction with the rack-storeditems, this allows the Danwood Group to select specific deliveryconsignments to meet precise call-off requirements from the salesoffices and the distribution centres in Scotland and in Ireland irrespective of size.

    "This is an important and versatile installation for one of theleading companies in its field and we are delighted to have beenable to undertake the installation," comments Link 51's MarketingManager, Emma Bloomer. "It is always important that a project ofthis type not only meets current stocking requirements but alsoprovides sufficient capacity for growth and development in thefuture and we believe the layout in Lincoln meets this particularobjective head-on."

Liam Connolly Roadfreight scoops TPN award

    A well-known Co. Fermanagh haulage company has been awarded"Over Depot of the Year in the inaugural TPN (The palletNetwork) Awards. Liam Connolly Roadfreight, of Lisnaskea, Co.Fermanagh a member of TPN received the award from its peers for itsperformance in categories such as customer service and contributionto the national network.

    Liam Connolly commented: "I am honoured that my peers see LiamConnolly Roadfreight as such an efficient and effective member ofthe national network. Huge thanks are due to all our loyal staff inFermanagh. They are the key to the company's success." TPN'sManaging Director, Seamus McGowan said the company had been a hugeasset to The pallet Network and that he was delighted to see itrecognised for their achievements.

The 50/50 split pallet will carry a total of 96 metres of thecompany's lightweight plastic channel drainage systems, ACOHexDrain and ACO HexDrain Brickslot.

    ACO HexDrain is a lightweight system that derives its strength andrigidity from HexTechnology™ - a patented plastic mouldingtechnique that surrounds and supports the channel with interlinkedhollow hexagonal sections. These provide an exceptional strength toweight ratio - the channel weighs less than 2kg per metre and has acertified Load Class rating of A15.

    ACO HexDrain Brickslot is a new, discreet slot channel drainagesystem. Designed to meet the challenge of blending drainage runswithin aesthetically sensitive landscaped areas, the system has avisible inlet that is just 10mm wide when installed. The nearinvisible finish is the result of the two-part channel structurethat allows paving blocks, paviours and flagstones to be laid rightup to the intake slot. This feature completely removes anyunsightly gaps and offsets that may have occurred duringinstallation.

    Both channels in the Landscaping Pack are supplied in one metresections which can be easily cut using the 'moulded-in' cuttingguides. To create long, continuous runs, sections are simplyclipped together - no additional work is required. Both aresupplied with a full range of accessories including sumps, endcaps, access covers and connection unions. A free yardmerchandiser, complete with display board and installationinstructions is also available.

    With landscaping projects using anything between 10 and 20metres ofchannel drain, installers may need to adapt the drain inlet todifferent finishes - block paviours, gravel, tarmac etc. "TheLandscaping Pack provides the product flexibility needed to meetprobably every application and setting, allowing merchants toextend product choice without having to increase stock holding or pallet order quantities," says ACO Drain commercial director SteveDurdant-Hollamby.

    Click here for company details:

ACO Technologies

pallet boxes from Specialised pallets Sales & Rental

    Specialised pallets Sales & Rental

  provides a distinctive range of pallet boxes. These pallet boxesare available in different sizes to suit various types of products.Pallet boxes from Specialised Pallets Sales & Rental are eithersupplied flat or along with integrated pallet. These boxes enableto minimise the damage caused to the product during transportation.Pallet boxes for export applications have been glued and stitchedthereby enhancing the strength of the box.

    Specialised pallets Sales & Rental supplies concertina foldedpallet boxes. These concertina folded pallet boxes ensure tominimise the freight and handling volume. pallet boxes can beeasily handled by pallet jacks or forklifts. Specialised palletsSales & Rental also provides several optional accessoriesincluding windows, handholds and cardboard inserts that enable toincrease the stacking strength of these pallet boxes.

Scarlett Johansson explores her sensual side in Woody Allen’s“Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” opening Friday.

    In her third outing with Allen, Johansson plays Cristina, abeautiful woman destined to “perpetualdissatisfaction.”

    “Cristina’s idea that only unfulfilled love could beromantic is sad,” said Johannson, who previously starred inAllen’s “Match Point” and “Scoop.”“Her notion that love has to be this complicated andtumultuous tug of war to be real, that seems so exhausting tome.”

    When Javier Bardem’s Latin lover invites Vicky (Rebecca Hall)and Cristina to fly away from Barcelona, Spain, for the weekend andjump into his bed, Cristina is the one who says yes.

    Johansson, a self-described romantic who is engaged to actor RyanReynolds, smiled when asked if she is as adventurous.

    “I could really appreciate her ‘seize the day’attitude. She is so open to life and all of its adventures and allof its quirks, and ready to go along for the ride. I thinkthat’s the most attractive part of her character.”

    But for herself, she laughed and said, “As far as gettinginto bed with a stranger and all of that, it’s nice to thinkthat wouldn’t end like disaster. Maybe I’ve watched toomany of (A & E’s true-crime series) ‘The First48’ to know what it could end up as, but I think it’svery idyllic. I think that part of me is that way.”

    Johansson, 23, said her romantic nature comes naturally. “Mymom is a romantic person and I think I inherited that from her.There are many different ways that you can be romantic.There’s of course the romance that you have with yourpartner, your love, and then there’s that thoughtfulness thatyou have with (others), remembering what people like and what theyappreciate and wanting them to experience it and enjoy it -that’s romantic to me in a way.”

    Allen sounds romantic when he talks about Johansson. “I dothink that she is capable of anything,” he said. “Ifyou need dramatic, she’s dramatic. If you need a laugh, shecan get a laugh. She can sing if you need it. She’s sexy.She’s intelligent. And that face on the screen! She is sophotogenic, it’s paralyzing. There is no limit forher.”

    Their creative partnership was born out of necessity, Allen said.

    “I had Kate Winslet for ‘Match Point’ to the lastweek of pre-production,” he said.

    But Winslet’s unexpected exit left the film minus its pivotalrole of an American actress in London.

    “I had to get somebody fairly quickly and I didn’t knowScarlett from a hole in the wall. I thought she was too young toplay the part - she was only 19 at the time. But then I hired herand became totally captivated by her.”

    Johansson’s engagement to Reynolds has prompted speculationabout when and how they’ll marry.

    “I’m a private person,” she said, adding thatthey have yet to set a date. “I haven’t even thoughtabout it yet. I’m still just enjoying the excitement of it,but I’m sure that it will be as private as possible.”

Brad Pitt Signs for Tarantino film

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DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES —

 Downtown stars as itself in IFC films' "In Search of a MidnightKiss." Leads Wilson and Vivian, played by Scoot McNairy and SaraSimmonds, get off the subway at Pershing Square and spendtwenty-five of the film's ninety-nine minutes wandering the streetsof Downtown and admiring its faded grandeur.

    Standing on the balcony of the Million Dollar Theatre, Vivian asksWilson, "Can you imagine what this place looked like when itopened? Look at this ceiling! I can't believe this theater's justsitting here."

    It's no wonder organizers chose the film to headline the Downtown film Festival's Wednesday opening, in a night benefiting the LosAngeles Historic Theatre Foundation. That the film itself is quitegood makes for an added bonus.

    Despite the vast amount of film shot here, it's rare that moviesreally show off Downtown Los Angeles. "Midnight Kiss" does justthat, as the camera accompanies Wilson and Vivian on a tour thatincludes Broadway, Disney Hall, St. Vincent Court and the PacificStock Exchange. It's a black-and-white postcard of Downtown as itlooked a little over two years ago, when the film shot in early2006. The film's press kit notes that writer / director AlexHoldridge and actress Sara Simmonds took walks around Downtownwhile developing ideas for the story.

    Even a film that makes Downtown a character doesn't shy away fromtaking a few artistic licenses. In one scene, Wilson and Vivian areshown entering the Orpheum, but interior shots were filmed in theMillion Dollar. Certainly not a big deal, but given that Wednesdaynight's showing is in the Orpheum, the change might garner a fewquizzical looks as theater goers try to match what they see onscreen to the setting around them.

    The story itself is one of the search for love, with Wilson turningto a Craigslist personals posting in an attempt to not spend NewYear's Eve alone. Vivian answers his ad, and the two spend the restof the day in a quirky feeling out process. With Vivian inparticular, Holdridge's script does a captivating job of graduallyrevealing the internal processes at work in a character that can atfirst seem a little neurotic. Reviews have been quite positive,with the film currently scoring a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Tickets for Wednesday's showing at the Orpheum are just $15, andare available through the festival's website. The night benefits the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, an organization focused on helping to return programming tohistoric theaters around the city.

    After kicking off Wednesday evening, the Downtown film Festival features a full slate of programming through Sunday evening.

The stars of "The Dark Knight," the latest installment in the"Batman" franchise, may be wondering just that. Since the film has wrapped, violence and death have shadowed three of the film'sstars.

    First, there was Heath Ledger's untimely death, ruled an accidentaloverdose from prescription drugs, in January. Then, Brit ChristianBale was arrested last month amid allegations that he assaulted hismother and sister in London. And last week, Morgan Freeman wasairlifted to a hospital after the car he was driving skidded offthe road and flipped several times in Mississippi. Later in theweek, it was announced that he and his wife of 24 years weregetting divorced.

    Curse or coincidence?

 Policy paper: Will America  ever wake up to the Burmese Clarion Call?

Prof. Kanbawza Win

    US President George W Bush, who has never been to Burma, has atleast learnt to pronounce the name of Daw Aung San Suu Kyicorrectly for which the Burmese activist dumped him, as wellinformed has delivered a major policy speech in Thailand and liaisewith Burmese dissidents, while the first lady Laura Bush hadvisited Mae La, the biggest Burmese refugee camps (60,000 soulsunofficial figure) to see things for herself.

    To an average Burmese dissident this is heartening, but ifPresident Bush means business we are wondering of why the USS Essexand other US naval ships withdrew from their positions near Burmesewaters, when both Britain and French warships were ready to jointhe US in the Nagris Cyclone relief operations and end the Burmesedictatorship once and for all?

    The entire Burmese people had pinned their hopes on Bush that hewould invoke the UN"s Responsibility to Protect (R2P) andtogether with the Western nations would order his naval force intothe delta, where every Burmese would welcome them as saviour andgive them every necessary help. This raises the most seriousquestion about Bush"s administrations support for Burmesepro-democracy movement: Is there any real political will on thepart of the US to effect substantive change in Burma, or isWashington simply offering moral support to the victims of aheinous regime to burnish its image as a defender of freedom is inthe minds of every Burmese?

    The 21 hour stop in Bangkok or Mae Lah camp seems Bush"s stanceon Burma is merely a distraction from the troubling consequences ofother facets of his foreign policy, others suggest that ultimately,the US is seeking to use Burma to Scontain China, which hasbecome the Burmese regime"s most important ally. Now going toBeijing, where the word Burma and Tibet are taboo.

    President Bush's Olympic odyssey started with a game of politicalone-upmanship, as his blunt critique of the host country promptedForeign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, saying

Xstrata to raise 5 billion pounds for Lonmin bid: paper

LONDON (Reuters) - Swiss-based miner Xstrata (XTA.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is looking to raise more than 5 billion pounds in order to forgeahead with its hostile $10 billion bid for South African rivalLonmin, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

    The report said Xstrata is in talks with Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Barclays (BARC.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Santander (SAN.MC: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), and Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) about raising the cash for a bid and the facility is likely to beput in place in the next two weeks.

    Xstrata is planning a 33-pounds-a-share bid for Lonmin, the world'sNo.3 platinum producer, to diversify its business away fromindustrial metals such as copper.

    Lonmin said the bid undervalued the business despite it beingpitched at a 42 percent premium to its share price the day beforethe approach was announced.

    Xstrata declined to comment on the report.

    Separately, The Observer reported that Lonmin Chief Executive BradMills faces a boardroom revolt.

    Lonmin's Chief Strategic Officer Ian Farmer is believed to havetold Mills he and other executives would want him to stand downshould he fail to deliver two consecutive quarters of "goodperformance."

    Last week, Lonmin further cut its forecast for full-year refinedplatinum sales by 6.5 percent to 725,000 ounces.

    Lonmin, which has been grappling with operational problems andpower cuts in South Africa, had already cut its sales target twiceto 775,000 ounces for its fiscal year to the end of September froman initial forecast of 900,000 ounces.

PHOTO: K. Venkateshwarlu

    Pachyderms in a playful mood at Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

    PINNAWELA (Sri Lanka): For keepers and mahouts alike, it was alwaysa messy problem that defied solution.

    We are talking about the roughly 180 kg of waste an adult pachydermgenerates a day. And imagine the pile if it were from a herd of 60staying and sauntering about in one place. That is simply a problemof elephantine proportions at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage herein Sri Lanka, especially for the poor keepers.

    But it need not be anymore. For, the orphanage, counted among thebest in the world for elephants, has just come up with a solution,as a group of visiting journalists from Hyderabad found out. Thecaretakers have started producing eco- friendly paper from elephantdung.

    They found that each elephant could help produce 115 sheets of paper. Or, rather, enough dung to make them. The paper that lookssimilar to the handmade one from tree fibre is being turned intostationary, name cards, calendars, photo frames/ albums, boxes andjust about any memorabilia.

    Poor digesters that they are, jumbos leave out 50 per cent of whatthey consume and the dung they produce is fibre-rich for making paper. The process involves washing and boiling the dung,bleaching, adding colour, sifting evenly into frames, drying andthen flattening the surface. And no, the dung paper does not stinkand it is cent percent bacteria-free.

    By literally producing paper, elephants of the orphanage havejoined the circle of conservation, as the profits from the sale ofthese paper items are ploughed back for their care and protection.Unsurprisingly, no one visiting the orphanage leaves the placewithout buying some stationary item or the other. So, the next timeyou want to write to your beloved or place order for businesscards, make use of this special signature paper from the elephantdung. You could be counted among the eco-warriors contributing yourmite to reducing waste and the conservation of dwindling pachydermpopulation.

    The orphanage, set up in 1975 with five orphaned baby elephants,today shelters about 60 and continues to be a big draw for foreigntourists to Sri Lanka.

And Obama has said over and over again that offshore drilling willnot have any significant impact on U.S. oil production or prices atthe pump. But he recognizes that the Republicans have decided todrown out all debate by endlessly shouting the new Newt Gingrichmantra "

Drill Here. Drill Now.

" As long as the media keeps miscovering the subject, any seriouspolitical leader will have to agree to some meaningless drilling toget a serious clean energy program passed.

  But I digress. The entire editorial is as intentionallymisinforming as a typical Wall Street Journaled, but you expect that from the WSJ. The NYT writes of Obama's energy plan:

The Democrats' presumptive nominee has made a poor choice ofweapons, beginning with his proposal to tap the petroleum reserve,an idea that Mr. McCain has wisely resisted. True, some usuallyresponsible Democrats have been urging the release of as much as 70million barrels of oil from the 700-million-barrel strategicreserve. And tapping the reserve on several earlier occasions --including the home heating oil crisis in 2000 and after thedevastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 -- did in fact cause oilprices to drop.

    Uhh, no. First off, Obama did not propose to tap the reserve -- heproposed a small "swap of light oil ... for heavy crude oil." Thetotal volume of oil would stay the same. It'd be nice if the

NYT got simple facts right in their lame hitjob.

But these were the kinds of genuine emergencies for which thereserve was designed in the first place.

    Uhh, no. Bush's father released oil during the first Gulf War whenprices had begun to drift up slightly -- to $32 a barrel

High prices -- even $4 for a gallon of gasoline -- do not, in ourview, constitute such an emergency.

The windfall tax idea seems exactly the kind of populist gimmickMr. Obama has been trying to avoid, and could be counterproductive.It is true that oil company profits have reached obscene levels,largely as a result of oil prices. It is also true that oilcompanies receive tax benefits that they do not need and that oughtto be repealed. But rebates would encourage consumption, leading to higher pricesat the pump and hurting the very consumers Mr. Obama is trying tohelp.

    [In voice of Jon Stewart] Oh mavens of the most respected newspaper in the world, why doyou mock me? That last sentence is one of the dumbest thing everpublished in the

NYT. Yes, they are arguing that if you give struggling people a rebateduring economic hard times, they might actually spend the money,and some of that spending would go toward consuming oil (perhaps8%, in fact), which in turn might raise oil consumption (perhaps1%, in fact), which in turn might raise oil prices (perhapsmicroscopically and just temporarily, in fact), which in turn mighthurt the very consumers Mr. Obama is trying to help (and monkeyscould fly out my butt, in fact, but they probably won't). Somehow Isuspect most Americans probably would take the rebate and not worrytoo much about whether their stimulus will cause price inflationthat eats slightly into the value of the rebate.

    And one more thing, the five biggest oil companies are poised toreceive $33 billion in taxpayer-funded subsidies over the next fiveyears -- and last year put more than $60 billion of their profits(a stunning 55% of the total) into stock buybacks (see "Follow your money"). That is beyond obscene.

    Has the New York Times ever published such a lame editorial? Let's hope not. It ends:

A toxic combination of $4 gasoline, voter anxiety and presidentialambition

is making it impossible for this country to have the grown-upconversation it needs about energy.

    Not surprisingly, the NYT left out the key ingredient in the toxic stew -- the media'sblatant miscoverage of the energy issue. That's the real reason itis impossible for this country to have a grown-up conversation onenergy.

    If the ref doesn't understand or enforce any of the rules, the gameinevitably becomes fixed, and one side, typically the one employingKarl Rove or his disciples, realizes that repeatedly lying to thepublic may well be a winning strategy (see here).

Flex your Arkansas pop culture knowledge

The Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame has announced its 2008inductees. There's eight (the brothers above count for one each).By and large, it's a worthy group, but take a look at previous inductees. There are some big holes. Particularly, among Arkansas writers.Granted, there've only been six induction ceremonies. Still, theexclusion of one Arkansas writer is unbelievable. I've includedthat writer's picture in with the eight above.

        Can anybody guess em?

        It's pretty hard, I think.