Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water. But it also leads to a fossil fuel. Natural gas is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels — the fuels created by plant and animal remains over millions of years.

Burning it releases fewer pollutants than oil or coal. The gas is mainly methane. It produces half the carbon dioxide of other fossil fuels. So it may help cut the production of carbon gases linked to climate change.

Russia is first in what are called “proved reserves” of natural gas. The United States is sixth. Over the years, big oil and gas companies recovered much of the easily reached supplies of gas in America. They drilled straight down into formations where gas collects. As these supplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries.

But now the industry is taking a new look. Companies are developing gas supplies trapped in shale rock two to three thousand meters underground. They drill down to the shale, then go sideways and inject high-pressure water, sand or other material into the rock.

This causes the rock to break, or fracture, releasing the gas. Huge fields of gas shale are believed to lie under the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan and the south-central states.

Gas shale exploration is being done mainly by small to medium sized companies.

Eric Potter is a program director in the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. He said the kinds of opportunities that are left for natural gas exploration in the United States have changed. So it is not as easy to develop. He says more than half the gas in the United States is now coming from these new reserves.

But hydraulic fracturing can also produce debate and anger over the risk of groundwater pollution. This method of drilling is not federally supervised under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Some in Congress want to end that exemption from the law.

Natural gas provides Americans with about one-fourth of their energy. And, unlike oil, most of it is produced in America. Gas producers invested heavily in reaching new supplies when prices were high.

But prices are down sharply now because the recession cut demand for energy. So energy expert Eric Potter says it is too early to know how the new gas shale reserves will affect the market.

And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report.

(Adapted from a radio program broadcast 23Oct2009)

Duration : 0:4:4

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* Polar Shift is a theory that on December 21st 2012 Earth will experience earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or other natural disasters.

Accordingly, several eclectic authors claim that a major, world-changing event will take place in 2012:

* The 1995 book The Mayan Prophecies linked the Maya calendar with long-period sunspot cycles.
* The book 2012: Mayan Year of Destiny claims the Maya may have been instructed in their wisdom by discarnate entities from Orion and the Pleiades. Contact was maintained through shamanic rituals conducted in accordance with the movements of planets and stars.
* However, Mayan priests living and working in Guatemala aver that the so-called Mayan Prophecy for 2012, as touted by various foreign New Agers who have no knowledge of Mayan culture, language, or religion, is twaddle.
* The 1997 book The Bible Code claims that, according to certain algorithms of the Bible code, a meteor, asteroid or comet will collide with the Earth.
* The book The Nostradamus Code speaks of a series of natural disasters caused by a comet (possibly as above) that will allow the third Antichrist to disperse his troops around the globe under the guise of aid in preparation for a possible nuclear war, although in the strictest sense it is unspecific as to nuclear war or some other natural or man caused destruction.
* The book The Orion Prophecy claims that the Earth’s magnetic field will reverse.
* The 2005 book Beyond 2012: Catastrophe or Ecstasy by Geoff Stray reviews several theories, prophecies and predictions concerning 2012 and finds where authors have used faulty information or have bent the truth to fit their theories.
* The 2006 book 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck discusses theories of a possible global awakening to psychic connection by the year 2012, creating a noosphere.
* The 2007 book Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation into Civilization’s End by Lawrence Joseph does not make any specific new predictions, but it reviews a number of 2012 predictions made by various sources, and presents arguments for the possible existence of dangerous positive feedback loops involving solar storms, Earth’s magnetic field, cosmic rays, hurricanes, global warming, earthquakes, and supervolcanoes that may be on the verge of erupting.

Other prophecies and apocalyptic writings and hypotheses for this year include:

* Terence McKenna’s mathematical novelty theory suggests a point of singularity in which humankind will go through a great shift in consciousness.
* The Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, speculated that Pope Benedict XVI would reign during the beginning of the tribulation of which Jesus spoke, and sometime later a future pope described in the prophecy as “Peter the Roman”, the last in this prophetic list, would appear, bringing as a result the destruction of the city of Rome and the Last Judgment.
* Some proponents of a peak oil catastrophe place major events in 2012. Richard C. Duncan’s book The Peak of World Oil Production and the Road To The Olduvai Gorge claims that the Olduvai cliff will begin and permanent blackouts will occur worldwide. Several studies predict a peak in oil production in or around 2012. [10] [11] [12]
* Some alien-enthusiasts (e.g. Riley Martin), along with some new-agers, believe 2012 to correspond approximately with the return of alien “watchers” or “caretakers” who might have helped the first human civilizations with developing their technology and may have been waiting for us to reach a higher level of technological and/or social advancement. Beliefs range from the extra-terrestrials having benevolent purposes — such as to help human society evolve — to malevolent purposes — such as enslavement of mankind and/or manipulation.
* There is a Hindu following indicating the appearance of an Avatar (God in human form) with God-like powers who will herald a new age. A website to this effect appears at: End of the World 2012.

Duration : 0:0:56

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Duration : 0:2:8

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UN countries should agree on the creation of a global reserve bank to issue the currency and to monitor the national exchange rates of its members, the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development said

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aSp9VoPeHquI
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The following is a summary of the main economic events from the Asia-Pacific and European sessions:

*UN Trade and Development Agency proposes setting-up a new world reserve currency based on a basket of global FX mediums.

*Former Feds Greenspan tells audience in Mumbai, India, that U.S. banks need to hold higher capital ratios than they do currently to offset any future crises.

*Gold breaks above the $1000-per-ounce mark for the first time since late February 2009.

*Chinese Finance Ministry says it will sell CNY 6.0 billion in government bonds; they will be issued in Hong Kong on September 28.

*PBOC Vice Governor Su tells audience at a finance conference that the central bank will continue providing appropriately loose monetary policy.

*UK Chancellor Darling tells audience in Cardiff, Wales, that while the government will not back away from cutting public spending, it will properly signal the move to market agents.

*Expansion interview: ECBs Gonzalez-Paramo says markets could be overreacting to the recent global wave of positive economic data; adds that excesses are always bad.

*UK industrial production rises 0.5% month-over-month in July, beating calls for a 0.2% increase and below the previous 0.6% gain; annual production contracts 9.3% compared to forecasts for a 10.1% fall and following the previous 10.7% decline.

*UK manufacturing production surges 0.9% month-over-month in July, beating forecasts for a 0.3% increase and the previous 0.6% gain; annual production declines 10.1% compared to forecasts for an 11.1% decline and after the previous 11.3% fall.

* German trade surplus rises to €13.9 billion in July, despite calls for a decline to €11.3 billion from €12.1 billion; current account surplus falls to €11.0 billion, a smaller drop than forecasts for a contraction to €10.0 billion from €13.5 billion the month prior.

*Swiss unemployment rate rises to 4.0% in August, despite calls for an increase to 4.1% from 3.9% the month prior.

*Japanese Eco Watchers current economic index falls to 41.7 in August, despite calls for an increase to 43.0 from 42.4 the month prior.

*Japanese trade surplus (BOP basis) drops to ¥437.3 billion in July, more than the expected fall to ¥495.1 billion from ¥602.2 billion in June; meanwhile, current account total increases to +¥1265.6 billion in July from +¥1152.5 billion, disappointing the consensus call, however, for a rise to +¥1452.6 billion.

*Australian NAB business conditions index rises to a +4 reading in August from +1 the prior month; meanwhile, business confidence component increases to +18 from +10 in July.

*UK BRC retail sales monitor declines 0.1% in August, worse than the expected flat reading but improving upon the prior 8.1% drop.

*Kraft Foods says it will continue its £10.2 billion ($16.7 billion) hostile bid to acquire Cadbury, after the chocolate maker rejected an offer by the American foods giant; Kraft is offering 300 pence, or slightly more than a quarter-of-a-share in Kraft, for every Cadbury share.

*British regulators fine Barclays £2.45 million ($4.0 million) for failing to provide accurate transactions information.

*Toyota announces it will hire 800 temporary employees in Japan in October due to improving auto sales.

*Taiwans PM Liu resigns due to the controversy over the governments response to the deadly typhoon last month.

*BBC: Reyes Heroles, the head of Mexicos state-owned oil company Pemex, is replaced by Juan Jose Suarez; Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, integral to the countrys war on drug cartels, also loses his position.

http://www.fxstreet.com/fundamental/market-view/the-overnight-express-north-american-edition/2009-09-08.html
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The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said in a report published Monday that the U.S. dollar should be replaced as the worlds standard reserve currency, giving rise to a new global currency managed by an as-yet undetermined financial regulatory organization.

http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/09/07/united-nations-calls-for-new-world-currency/
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Duration : 0:4:6

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Background Article:

“Obama Said to Seek $54 Billion in Nuclear-Power Loan Guarantees”: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a44IdhfYkf2s

Duration : 0:3:15

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We have not been discovering any new souces of oil for already a while, with the end of discoveries, the end of production is just around the corner.

There will be fundamental changes to our societies, we will no longer have the oil and gas to fuel our progress.

Duration : 0:5:51

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http://www.facebook.com/onearth
The latest video from Sustainable Earth. Includes new reports from government, the military, intelligence agencies and major NGO’s. It ends on a positive note; the reality of consequence will finally free humanity from short-term thinking.

I looked at literally dozens of reports for this short video…in the end I picked the most credible and those that summed up the prevailing thinking of the world’s best experts. Unfortunately it was impossible to include every detail; this is just an introduction to the subject. For further reading the files which make up this video are below.

Hirsch Report Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, and Risk Management (US Dept of Energy): http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/others/pdf/Oil_Peaking_NETL.pdf

Energy Trends and Implications for U.S. Army Installations(US Marine Corp): http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA440265

Global Oil Depletion (UK Energy Research Centre): http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/support/Global%20Oil%20Depletion

Coming Oil Supply Crunch(Chatham House): http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/652/

Peak Oil: A Survey of Security Concerns(Center for New American Security):http://www.cnas.org/node/26

Global Trends 2025: A World Transformed(US National Intelligence Council/Director of National Intelligence):
http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_2025_project.html

DCDC Strategic Trends 2007-2036(UK Ministry of Defence): http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/MicroSite/DCDC/OurPublications/StrategicTrends+Programme/

Global Atmosphere Watch Strategic Plan: 2008 – 2015 (World Meteorological Programme United Nations): http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/gaw_home_en.html

The Great Transition(New Economics Foundation): http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/the-great-transition

Music by Muse: Exogenesis from album Resistance http://muse.mu/

Duration : 0:10:18

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Duration : 0:1:26

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Video by AGP Video.

SANTA MONICA The California State Lands Commission (SLC), the state agency responsible for approving new oil leases in California, today voted for a resolution to reject a Department of Finance proposal to bypass the SLC to permit oil drilling off the coast of California. Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, chair of the SLC, joined State Controller John Chiang in favor of the resolution, while commission member Tom Sheehy, Chief Deputy Director for the Department of Finance, did not cast a vote as he had to leave the hearing early due to a family emergency.

The State Lands Commission has had the authority to approve oil leases in California since 1937. A copy of the resolution is below.

This is a deliberate attempt to overturn the decision of this body, the State Lands Commission, a decision that was based on the finding that this proposal was not in the interests of the state, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi said. The proposed legislation gives the power to move forward the lease to the Department of Finance, not the legislature.

This is a blatant power grab; the Department of Finance deliberately misrepresented the level of political support behind this, said Susan Jordan, director of the California Coastal Protection Network. It was appalling to watch. They dont like the decision made by the State Lands Commission, but that is precisely why we have an independent commission.

The three-member State Lands Commission originally considered the request to lease land to the Plains Exploration & Production Company to expand drilling off the coast of California in late January, but Garamendi joined State Controller John Chiang in a two-to-one vote to defeat the proposal.

The new drilling proposal offers California a $100 million loan that must be repaid by forgiving future royalty payments to California. This is an incredibly reckless fiscal policy, added Garamendi, chair of- the California Commission for Economic Development. The cleanup costs for 2007s Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco exceeded $70 million, and that was a comparatively minor spill compared to whats possible. California should leave new oil production in the 20th century and reassert its leadership in renewable energy production.

Duration : 0:4:48

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Video by AGP Video.

SANTA MONICA The California State Lands Commission (SLC), the state agency responsible for approving new oil leases in California, today voted for a resolution to reject a Department of Finance proposal to bypass the SLC to permit oil drilling off the coast of California. Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, chair of the SLC, joined State Controller John Chiang in favor of the resolution, while commission member Tom Sheehy, Chief Deputy Director for the Department of Finance, did not cast a vote as he had to leave the hearing early due to a family emergency.

The State Lands Commission has had the authority to approve oil leases in California since 1937. A copy of the resolution is below.

This is a deliberate attempt to overturn the decision of this body, the State Lands Commission, a decision that was based on the finding that this proposal was not in the interests of the state, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi said. The proposed legislation gives the power to move forward the lease to the Department of Finance, not the legislature.

This is a blatant power grab; the Department of Finance deliberately misrepresented the level of political support behind this, said Susan Jordan, director of the California Coastal Protection Network. It was appalling to watch. They dont like the decision made by the State Lands Commission, but that is precisely why we have an independent commission.

The three-member State Lands Commission originally considered the request to lease land to the Plains Exploration & Production Company to expand drilling off the coast of California in late January, but Garamendi joined State Controller John Chiang in a two-to-one vote to defeat the proposal.

The new drilling proposal offers California a $100 million loan that must be repaid by forgiving future royalty payments to California. This is an incredibly reckless fiscal policy, added Garamendi, chair of- the California Commission for Economic Development. The cleanup costs for 2007s Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco exceeded $70 million, and that was a comparatively minor spill compared to whats possible. California should leave new oil production in the 20th century and reassert its leadership in renewable energy production.

Duration : 0:7:18

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