Some news is only reported by certain media outlets. The Russian Times has published an article pointing out that The World Press Freedom Index has ranked the US in 46th place out of 180 countries. The Index is maintained by Reporters Without Borders and the main explanation for the poor ranking of the US is based on the Manning, Snowden and NSA intelligence leaks. Few US media outlets have reported this news (which obviously makes them look bad), but Americans who take pride in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution should take note.
Progress is being made in building sources of renewable energy. China is scheduled to install 12,000 megawatts of photovoltaic power in 2014, the largest increase in history. The US and Japan follow in second and third place. These strides give hope to possible reductions in the use of carbon as an energy source, but there is still a long way to go. The US, for example, still uses coal for about 40% of its electric generating capacity. Mount Holyoke College and the University of Massachusetts get much of their electricity from the Mt. Tom Electrical Plant in Holyoke, MA. The plant is located along the Connecticut River.
Much of the coal for this plant comes from West Virginia. To get an idea of how this coal is mined and delivered so that we can turn on the lights in South Hadley and Amherst, check out this slideshow of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining. It will make you think twice the next time you leave the lights on.
It is impossible to understand the economic policies being pursued in different states in Europe without an appreciation of the German attitude toward inflation. Germany under Angela Merkel (and every other post World War II Chancellor) has been a forceful advocate for fiscal discipline because of the horrific experience of hyperinflation in Germany in 1923. It is difficult to imagine Germany sponsoring any policies that might allow high rates of inflation to occur.
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