As the global-warming and sustainable-energy bill H.R. 2454 burrows its way through Congress, one important thing to remember, whether you are pro or con, is that change does not happen by itself—someone has to make it happen. Parts of the carbon-emissions argument are controversial for sure with spinmeister Al Gore accused of pushing message at the expense of science. But few tend to argue about other parts of the issue, like the need for more sustainable-energy sources, better energy performance in new and existing buildings and energy independence in general. Photo: Janie Buelow / LAUSD The energy debate ran hot
Now that the federal stimulus investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is well under way, it is time to begin sharply scrutinizing the return on the investment in terms of jobs created. That may be more difficult than it sounds because of the multifaceted approach under the law. It combines infrastructure investment and other direct federal spending with individual income-tax cuts, a two-year patch to the alternative minimum tax, investment incentives, aid to people directly hurt by the recession and state fiscal relief. A May 11 report by President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers sheds little light
The jury is still out on the success of the new safety program at the massive CityCenter project in Las Vegas, but at least people have stopped dying there. That is good news for general contractor Perini Building Co., project owner MGM Mirage and the industry as a whole. Safety is never easy, but when you have almost 10,000 workers on-site, it is essential to have and enforce a comprehensive safety plan. Behavioral-based safety (BBS) plans seem to work best in such environments, where thousands of workers and hundreds of subcontractors try to construct many project elements simultaneously. The basic
The fast-spreading swine-flu virus has a lot of people nervous. It is not pandemic and may never be, but forward-thinking firms are reviewing their policies, procedures and preparations for dealing with a situation that potentially could have a devastating impact on their businesses. The timing could not be worse, as many companies struggle with financial pressures from the global recession. The potential for a business impact brings into sharp focus business-continuity fundamentals that are useful in any emergency. The swine flu that started in Mexico and is spreading around the world is the second pandemic influenza scare in the last
At last count, the potential cost to U.S. taxpayers will be $12.8 trillion for the federal economic stimulus, bailout of financial institutions, purchases of toxic assets, financial aid to automakers, loan guarantees, tax breaks and other aid to fight the recession. The Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, Congress and the President have greenbacks flying off government printing presses, and as everyone except government decision-makers seems to know, that is a surefire recipe for inflation, especially the 1970s style. The U.S. inflation experienced in the late 1970s was unique in that it occurred during peacetime. All previous inflation spikes were during wars.
By one estimate, the federal government and the Federal Reserve have lent, spent or committed $12.8 trillion to combat the current recession—and the end is not yet in sight. These commitments include attempted bailouts of troubled financial firms, funds for automakers, loan guarantees, economic-stimulus funding for projects, tax breaks and purchases of toxic mortgages. Taken in its totality, this golden eruption dwarfs any federal spending plan ever undertaken. Related Links: Dollars Roll Out At Uneven Pace Therein lies the problem. With a potential prize roughly equal to the gross domestic product of the U.S. in 2008, every hustler on the
In good and bad times, there is an economic barometer in an auctioneer’s chant. When construction equipment is offered at auction to the highest bidder regardless of price, the market’s wants, needs and dislikes are starkly revealed, as well as hints of what the future holds. Recent major auctions show there are signs of life in the U.S. economy, and many of these pulses are being felt in the heart of America. From local road repairs to hospital upgrades, some industry demand is still pumping for the workers, equipment and tools necessary to improve the lives of everyday people. Though
There are many ways to learn as well as teach. The ultimate ambition of any teacher or professor is to instill a passion in students to make the world a better place and put that passion and knowledge to work on real projects that make a difference.
The current global economic recession is not being caused or perpetuated by mere talk about it, but rather certain underlying financial conditions and practices that have erased trillions of dollars of wealth, many businesses and millions of jobs. In the last few weeks, the Obama administration seems to have gone from proclaiming that America “is in the midst of a crisis” to promoting a message supporting “the soundness of investments in the U.S.,” indicating that the worst of the recession may be over by the end of 2009. The spin doctors clearly are at work, and others have adopted the
Lately, there has been a smell of discrimination rising in the air above California, where some regulators would love to completely ban some internal-combustion engines in favor of cheerful electric motors. But for most heavy-duty applications, there still is no viable alternative to the diesel engine. It is the most efficient way to move earth, build bridges and pave roads after more than 100 years of improvement including turbochargers, electronic boards, exhaust-gas recirculation coolers, high-pressure fuel injectors, particulate filters and catalytic convertors. Photo: Tudor Van Hampton / ENR Few people are against cleaner air, but California’s general policy of treating