The neorats predicted before the oil wars began that this whole effort would cost the taxpayers 1.7 billion, the latest estimate is 500 billion, just for Iraq! Maybe if the oil wars had cost 1.7 billion, then the 18.5 billion offer by China would be considered a neorat version of a good deal? But spending trillions in money borrowed from China so that a few Texas good ole oil boys can get 18.5 billion? Even in Texas (it's like a hole other country) that seems to be a very bad deal.   more »

http://gristmill.grist.org/comments/2005/6/22/142754/732/3#3 The way to make sure any gain in wider credibility for global climate disaster from CO2 emmissions actually creates momentum behind real solutions (like renewable energy and conservation through a change to quality of life versus quantity of consumption and possesions), rather than boosting nuclear power and "clean" coal, is to keep on emphasizing the real cost of nuclear waste and coal pollution.   more »

http://gristmill.grist.org/comments/2005/6/23/233913/751/3#3 Were congress to step in now and guaranty home owners an initial payment twice the market price, and then added compenstation equal to the post develpoment value of the land at a later date when the project is completed, then the developers would think twice about this scamming.   more »

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/international/m [...] "When Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld visited Iraq last year to tour the Abu Ghraib prison camp, military officials did not rely on a government-issued Humvee to transport him safely on the ground. Instead, they turned to Halliburton, the oil services contractor, which lent the Pentagon a rolling fortress of steel called the Rhino Runner." The chickenhawk warrior who dodged service in Vietnam won't ride in a humvee. He knows better.   more »

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/business/26unoc [...] "The $18.5 billion offer by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation for Unocal, which had already made a deal to be acquired by the American oil giant, Chevron, is forcing the administration to confront its own internal rifts over whether China should be viewed as friend, foe or something in between." "President Bush's initial response to the proposed takeover of a major American oil company by a Chinese rival has been to duck. It is not hard to see why." So the good ole texas oil boys start a war in the ME by threatening the Taliban in order to obtain the pipeline route through Afghanistan, which precipitated 911, and now China steps in and buys unocal, the company that owns the pipeline route?   more »