Big Picture Small World - Movies

This site presents online movies that comprehensively cover a variety of worldview level topics to help viewers navigate these issues with clarity. Movies deal with Hunger, Peace, the Environment, Youth, Climate, Poverty.... target audience is basically - schools, colleges and organizations.



Big Picture Small World is led by Medard Gabel, who was mentored back in the day by Buckminster Fuller. Gabel has consulted the UN, the World Bank and numerous large corporations. His book, Earth, Energy and Everyone first inspired the author of this blog on energy issues in the early 1970s.

Gabel was a cofounder with Buckminster Fuller and others of the World Game Institute which was proposed as an alternative to war games, also known as military exercises, in which warfare operations are simulated and studied. It was Fuller's idea to offer World Peace Games in their place. The Big Picture Small World Movies

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Solar Photovoltaics - Installations Growing Rapidly

From MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science:

"Solar photovoltaic power generators, also known as solar cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. The installation of solar cells is growing rapidly (30% per year) and solar cells are projected to become an increasingly significant source of energy for our society. Because of the vast quantity of energy available from the sun, solar energy has the potential to scale to meet our entire energy demands." Solar photovoltaics

The graph above enlarged here charts:

-- Installed Solar
-- World Electricity Capacity
-- Primary Energy Consumption

The above link found while Googling "microenergy" - 22,700,000 results - haven't navigated all those links o.c. - wondering if this level of Google results might be any cause for optimism on the energy front.

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Advice from Warren Buffet's Investment Mentor

Principle No. 1: Always Invest With a Margin of Safety
Principle No. 2: Expect Volatility and Profit From It
Principle No. 3: Know What Kind of Investor You Are

"Benjamin Graham: Three Timeless Principles - Warren Buffett is the world's richest human. But he may owe it all to his teacher Benjamin Graham."

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Robert Johnson, Amy Domini, Daniel Gross

"Bill Moyers talks with economist Robert Johnson, who decodes this week's news on the bank bailout, with a hard look at the international ramifications of the plan and a discussion of why nationalization has become a flash point."

"Robert Johnson, former managing director of Soros Fund Management and an expert in emerging markets, believes the government's approach ... wastes taxpayer money and won't solve the financial crisis. The government's approach, Johnson argues, is too cautious. Recent developments in Central Europe only reinforce that the world faces a possible economic collapse, Johnson told Bill Moyers on the JOURNAL, in which 'the architecture of the integrated world would be shattered.'"

"Johnson calls for more drastic intervention, but thinks nationalization is the wrong word, 'People talk about nationalization. I just call it restructuring. Restructuring is a part of capitalism. That's how the airlines get restructured when they go through bankruptcy. Or you might have to deal with the auto industry, how you deal with venture capital projects. Do the same thing with the banks.'" Robert Johnson, former managing director of Soros Fund Management and Former Chief Economist of the Senate Banking Committee



"In this struggling economy, boomers are rightfully worried about the funds they were counting on to carry them through the rest of their lives. Will they be able to afford their own retirement?



"NOW turns to two experts for help and insight: Amy Domini, a pioneer in the field of socially responsible investing; and journalist Daniel Gross, who covers the economy for Slate and Newsweek." "Retirement at Risk" - Amy Domini of Domini Social Investments and Daniel Gross of Newsweek On PBS' Now

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"Coal Industry - The Most Trusted Name in Coal"

"Coen Brothers YouTube Spoof on 'Clean Coal'

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Volcker, Soros: Where Have All the Fundamentals Gone?

Paul Volcker, George Soros: A faster slide, worldwide, than in the Great Depression:

"'One year ago, we would have said things were tough in the United States, but the rest of the world was holding up,' Volcker told a conference featuring Nobel laureates, economists and investors at Columbia University in New York. "'The rest of the world has not held up.'"

"In fact, the 81-year-old former chairman of the Federal Reserve said, "'I don't remember any time, maybe even the Great Depression, when things went down quite so fast.'" "Economic Crisis May Be Worse Than the Great Depression"



"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Renowned investor George Soros said on Friday the world financial system has effectively disintegrated, adding that there is yet no prospect of a near-term resolution to the crisis.

"Soros said the turbulence is actually more severe than during the Great Depression, comparing the current situation to the demise of the Soviet Union.

"He said the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September marked a turning point in the functioning of the market system.

"'We witnessed the collapse of the financial system,'" Soros said at a Columbia University dinner. "It was placed on life support, and it's still on life support. There's no sign that we are anywhere near a bottom.'" "Soros Sees No Bottom For Financial 'Collapse'"



Fears of massive migrations, extended world wars - due to climate change:

"CAPE TOWN, South Africa — If we don't deal with climate change decisively, "'what we're talking about then is extended world war,'" the eminent economist said.

"His audience Saturday, small and elite, had been stranded here by bad weather and were talking climate. They couldn't do much about the one, but the other was squarely in their hands. And so, Lord Nicholas Stern was telling them, was the potential for mass migrations setting off mass conflict.

"'Somehow we have to explain to people just how worrying that is,'" the British economic thinker said." "Lord Nicholas Stern Paints Dire Climate Change Scenario: Mass Migrations, Extended World War"



Meanwhile Obama goes for halving the national debt within 4 years:

"President Obama is putting the finishing touches on an ambitious first budget that seeks to cut the federal deficit in half over the next four years, primarily by raising taxes on businesses and the wealthy and by slashing spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, administration officials said." "Obama to Unveil and Ambitious Budget Plan"



"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke takes center stage this week, as he goes up to Capitol Hill to present the Fed’s twice-yearly Monetary Policy Report to the Congress. Current circumstances are starkly different from those surrounding the Fed’s last report in July. Back then, the Fed projected the economy would grow between 1% and 1.6% in 2008 and between 2% and 2.8% in 2009, while it was concerned about energy-fueled inflation. The numbers Bernanke will present to the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday will show the economy contracted about 0.5% last year, along with a projected decline between 0.5% and 1.3% this year. And now the Fed’s worry is deflation, not inflation." "Vital Signs: Bernanke Speaks to Congress"

"He told politicians on Capitol Hill that if White House fiscal stimulus proposals and the continued financial assistance from the Fed have their desired effect, the American economy should begin to grow again in the second half of this year.

"Mr Bernanke said: 'Only if that is the case, in my view there is a reasonable prospect that the current recession will end in 2009 and that 2010 will be a year of recovery.'" "Ben Bernanke: best hope is recovery in 2010 -
The Federal Reserve chairman said that the US economy will only recover if Washington’s bail-out plans succeed this year"

Bernanke's predictions about housing are reviewed along with forecasts by Greenspan and others about housing back in January 2008:

"Check out this story over at CNN/Money about just how bad some economists did with their 2007 housing predictions. Of course the nation's last two chief economists, Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke are at the top of the list." "Bad Housing Predictions of 2007"

"The Fed expects the jobless rate to rise to close to 9 percent this year, and probably remain above normal levels of around 5 percent into 2011. The recession, which started in December 2007, already has killed a net total of 3.6 million jobs.

"Fed policymakers think that a 'full recovery' of the economy is likely to take more than two or three years, Bernanke said." "Fed chief: U.S. suffering 'severe contraction'"

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Crisis of Credit Explained in Video

11 minute video on Vimeo pictorially explains how the credit crisis developed starting tracing it to the dotcom boom and bust and Federal Reserve policies. It does not go into banking deregulation but does illustrate in particular how subprime mortgages, credit default swaps, and credit debt obligations, became (pardon the pun) household phrases. "The Crisis of Credit Visualized"

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90% Pure Energy Solutions?

An outreach and strategy consultant with a background in engineering and real estate who consults on land use issues and is involved in community energy policy, suggested to me that solutions to energy needs need at least the following components:

-- They need to be utterly practical, like making sure there's infrastructure in place for electric outlets in parking garages so that owners of plug-in hybrid cars can commute without fossil fuel burning and then recharge their vehicles while at work so they can get home - in those non-fossil fuel burning cars. And yes, there are things to think about with regards to fossil-fuel burning and electricity generation to run plug-in hybrids as a separate issue.

-- Utilize the engineering smarts within existing utilities and bureaucracies. Oh, if only.

-- Go for 90% pure energy solutions that can work now, with a 20-year planning outlook, vs. waiting for the 100% pure energy solutions and fighting over what those are.

-- Hybridize all systems. This can involve combining solar, wind and geothermal in the same system, possibly even with a fossil-fuels generated backup. This way you can deal with 24 hour and year round availability - along with capacity.

-- Look for community-based, even neighborhood-based solutions. You can have a combination system that distributes energy within a several-block radius. Especially if you're located close to an energy-grid substation.

-- Look for the best possible ratios that are -currently available- and will cover best-case scenarios for several years to come - in terms of net energy between btu's in and delivery out.

(note: image for this blog entry comes from here)

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Innovation, Technology, Start-Ups, Clean Tech

Many Tech Start-Ups are calling it quits ... and are being sold for much less than such companies have sold before. "As Funding Dries Up, Fledgling Silicon Valley Firms Are Shutting Down; Fears of Chill on Innovation"

But maybe some energy start-ups are going to make it and maybe make it big. "Solazyme joins algae elite with additional $45M"

"No ponds, no fresh water, no harvesting, no oils. One algal biofuel company says it's found a way to convert algae directly into ethanol on the cheap." "Turning algae into ethanol, and gold"

"Over February 23-25, 2009, more than 800 of the world’s clean technology sector leaders—representing over $3 trillion in capital—together with entrepreneurs, scientists and policy-makers, will convene in San Francisco for Cleantech Forum XXI." "Cleantech Forum XXI: The flagship event convening global clean technology leaders"



Many VC people do -not- have experience in energy or utilities. This is not going to be as natural a transition as semiconductors to personal computers to the internet. And it's going to take 25 years, and there may be a lot of busts along the way. Two-minute video... "VCs not knowing what they're doing"

Schwartz, who did Scenario Planning for Royal Dutch Shell, also challenges assumptions many have about Peak Oil ...

"'We don't know how much is out there,' he said today. 'And they tend to be very conservative, these estimates. And technology changes, and that opens up new reserves deep offshore. When I was at Shell, we could only drill into a thousand feet of water. Today, they're drilling into 10,000 feet of water, and 20,000 feet below that.'

"Peak oil proponents point out that no meaningfully-sized new reserves have been discovered in years, that the oil that is known is relatively finite, and believe it will become too expensive and resource-intensive to produce meaningful amounts of petrochemical products from other known sources of oil like the Canadian tar sands.

"'We are not going to run out of oil before the issue of climate change drives change. It'll be costly oil. But it'll be climate change catastrophes [such as sudden, unexpected displacement of large numbers of people, and massive property damage], and more expensive oil, not the fact that we're running out of oil, that will drive change,' according to Schwartz." "Peak oil "wrong," says Schwartz"

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Data Center Power Usage to Grow by 40% by 2010

"Data centers house everything from this blog, for example, to the massive Google search index (which is comprised of an estimated 450,000 servers).... Data centers are big dollar, and the level of security is intense. Data centers are a study in how to secure an industrial facility.... In a study released in February, Jonathan Koomey, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, indicates that the power consumption in the world's data centers will grow by 40% in the next 3 years after doubling in the past five." "Data Center Power Usage to Grow by 40% by 2010"



"We're now firmly in an interconnected and digital world, and that means lots and lots of servers.... 61 billion (with a 'b') kilowatt-hours, and that's for 2006, back when most people were just starting to discover Youtube ... when demand is lower, the algorithms know that they can power down a certain number of servers. There's a lot of savings right there. But it's the sensors that make the system smart enough to power down the right servers to maximize savings, making the air conditioning work more efficiently (about half of the energy used by a data center is for cooling)." "Saving Energy in Data Centers with Smart Sensors and Algorithms"

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Oceans, Coral, Climate Change, Sea Change

Environmental Impacts on Deep Oceans Could Have Drastic Impacts on Climate

"A rise in sea levels isn't the only impact global warming is having on the world's oceans. A growing body of evidence suggests that climate change is also affecting ocean currents and the chemistry of the seas, with potentially catastrophic results.... Some ocean scientists believe that if action isn't taken quickly to address climate change, our oceans could face their biggest shock in 100 million years." "Sea Change" on "Now" on PBS

"Scientists now predict with a great degree of certainty that unless we switch to a clean energy economy, climate change will result in increased severity and intensity of storms, melting sea ice, rising sea level, changes in food production and drinking water availability and importantly, the acidification of our oceans and a mass extinction of corals." "Our Oceans: What Could Happen" on "Now" on PBS

Coral Reef Ecosystems Affected by Rising Ocean Temperatures

"Almost half the coral reef ecosystems in United States territory are in poor or fair condition, mostly because of rising ocean temperatures, according to a government report... "NOAA report: US coral reefs in severe decline" (Associated Press)

"Researchers who studied a string of Pacific Ocean atolls are painting the first detailed picture of pristine coral reefs and how they can be disrupted by people - particularly, they said, by fishing." "Coral reefs without human intervention found to be healthier"

Oceanographer Sylvia Earle's 11th Hours Talk at TED

Aquanaut Team Leader and founder of companies and nonprofits related to the ocean - Sylvia Earle - leader of National Geographic's Sustainable Seas expeditions - prize winner at the 2009 TED conference "TED Talks ~ Sylvia Earle: Here's how to protect the blue heart of the planet (TED Prize winner!)"

Pew Charitable Trusts Oceans Commission

In the first thorough review of ocean policy in 34 years, the Pew Oceans Commission released a host of recommendations in 2003 to guide the way in which the federal government will successfully manage America’s marine environment. The report found that more than 60 percent of America’s coastal rivers and bays are degraded by nutrient runoff. Crucial species like groundfish and salmon are under assault from overfishing. Invasive species are establishing themselves in the nation’s coastal waters.

The commission recommended

* improving the management of the nation’s commercial fisheries;
* establishing networks of marine reserves in coastal waters;
* increasing the involvement of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in environmental restoration;
* applying strong environmental standards to fish farms; and
* regulating the discharge of waste by cruise ships.

The Pew Oceans Commission concluded its work, but its findings are still available online to aid researchers and policy makers. "Pew Oceans Commission"

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Bailouts, Deregulation, Energy Investments

New Federal Government website as the bailout gets signed by Obama symbolically at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act targets investments towards key areas that will save or create good jobs immediately, while also laying the groundwork for long-term economic growth. The charts and numbers below give you an idea of where the money is going." This blog has hopes that the emphasis on Infrastructure and Scientific Research and Energy Development will lay the groundwork for a long-overdue turnaround in many of the basics of our nation's economic prioritization process. It's like reminding a large multinational corporation that R&D needs to be a bigger part of their budget. Where is Your Money Going?"



Clinton refuses share of responsibility for current banking crisis. His argument is that if he had been president during the W years, none of this would have happened. But it seems eminently clear that the legislation he put in place was part of a progression of policy moves that had so much to do with the tangled mess we're in today: "Clinton Says Don't Blame Him for the Economic Crisis"



Former IMF Chief Economist says big banks should be broken apart like Standard Oil was back in the day.... Simon Johnson on Bill Moyers Journal

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Interconnectedness of Energy Solutions

"Demand for biologically based fuels has led to the growing of more corn in the United States, but that means fields were switched from soybeans to corn, explained Michael Coe of the Woods Hole Research Center.

"But there was no decline in the demand for soy, he said, meaning other countries, such as Brazil, increased their soy crops to make up for the deficit.

"In turn, Brazil created more soy fields by destroying tropical forests, which tend to soak up carbon dioxide. Instead the forests were burned, releasing the gasses into the air....

"'If we run our cars on biofuels produced in the tropics, chances will be good that we are effectively burning rainforests in our gas tanks,'" she said.

"However, there could be benefits from planting crops for biofuels on degraded land, such as fields that are not offering low productivity due to salinity, soil erosion or nutrient leaching.

"'In a sense that would be restoring land to a higher potential,'" she said. But there would be costs in fertilizer and improved farming practices.

"In some cases simply allowing the degraded land to return to forest might be the best answer, she said."

"Global Warming Increasing Faster Than Predicted"

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Aerodynamic Slick Electric 3-Wheel Car $25-40K

"...the 2e is scheduled to begin rolling off the Vista, California, assembly line this October for an as-yet-to-be-determined price between $25,000 and $40,000. Charge it overnight from your 110-volt home outlet, and it's claimed to have a range of 100 miles...in the carpool lane, if you wish."
"Road & Track Magazine Online Exclusive: Aptera 2e"

"Aptera Motors claims the Aptera 2 Series accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in less than 10 seconds with a top speed over 85 mph (137 km/h)."
"Aptera 2 Series on Wikipedia"

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BrightSource Wins Large Solar Contract

Photo: At a BrightSource facility in Israel's Negev Desert, mirrors reflect sunlight onto a tower to heat water that powers turbines to produce electricity.

Photo: John Woolard, CEO and Co-Founder of BrightSource.

August 1, 2008 - "BrightSource Energy has shot to the front of a long line of companies jockeying for approval of large renewable energy projects in California's deserts. The reason: It's done this before. 'Unfortunately, it's a very long cycle time to breaking ground,' said BrightSource Energy Inc. CEO John Woolard, also a partner at Vantage Point Venture Partners, BrightSource's lead investor. 'It takes time and patience and a lot of planning ahead to make all of this work well. Fortunately, this is something we're not bad at.'"
"BrightSource goes to front of solar power crowd"

February 11, 2009 - "In what could be the world's largest solar deal to date, BrightSource Energy of Oakland announced Wednesday that it will sell Southern California Edison 1,300 megawatts of electricity from seven large solar plants planned for the California desert. That's enough juice to light 845,000 homes, and it easily eclipses other recent deals signed by utilities here and abroad that are trying to expand their use of renewable power."
"Solar firm announces big contract"


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Smart Grid Interview w/ Mgr of Austin Energy

"... Roger Duncan, general manager of Austin Energy, one of the most innovative utilities in the nation.

"Taking a wide view of the electric grid of the future — one that will likely see increased demand from electrified cars — Mr. Duncan envisions a triangle of consumption and production, its three points being the utility; homes and buildings; and the transportation sector. ...

"Now, the utility and its customers are developing a much more symbiotic relationship, with more and more homes and businesses, for instance, placing solar panels on their rooftops, allowing them to generate energy that utilities can purchase and redistribute. Essentially, said Mr. Duncan, utilities and customers alike are becoming both consumers and producers of electricity."

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Goodbye Soon Alberta Tar Sands?

"Call it a 'de facto moratorium' or a 'market-based slowdown.' Either way, Canada's oil-sands juggernaut has hit the skids, spreading a deepening gloom over Alberta's economy, and to some degree, across the country."
"The oil-sands slowdown is our opportunity to reassess"

"... Alberta's bitumen based oil is 'dangerous, dirty and dwindling' ..."
"Obama Fends Off Neighbor-Lady's Advances"

The possible next PM of Canada:
"Some see Michael Ignatieff, the opposition Liberal Party leader, as a throwback to Pierre Trudeau."

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Need Big Science for Batteries Solar Biofuels Coal

"Steve" Chu, the new Energy Secretary, said Nobel-prize level scientific breakthroughs are needed in multiple areas, including ways to deliver some form of "clean coal" since coal-rich nations besides the US will want to use the coal they have.

He's also looking for big pushes in electric batteris, solar and biofuels. Story on Feb 2009 interview in this NY Times article.