More than 133,000 people are dead or missing in the cyclone disaster in Burma, according to state media, nearly doubling the official toll two weeks after the storm left the country's rice-growing south in ruins.

Burma's military rulers have continued to reject calls to allow foreign experts to direct the massive relief effort for the 2.5 million needy survivors, as the threat of disease outbreak grows.

France's ambassador to the United Nations, Jean-Maurice Ripert, has accused the Burmese government of being "on the verge of committing a crime against humanity" by not allowing international aid to reach the victims of Cyclone Nargis.

The accusation came as Burma's United Nations envoy accused France of sending a "warship" towards the cyclone-ravaged country.

Mr Ripert says the ship is operated by the French navy but is not a warship.

Mr Ripert says the UN Security Council should authorise countries to provide aid to Burma's people.

But China, Russia, Vietnam and South Africa oppose council involvement in what they say is a humanitarian, not a political issue.

US lawmakers have asked President George W Bush to consider "humanitarian intervention" in Burma.

Forty-one members of the House of Representatives wrote to Mr Bush asking him to "strongly consider" backing efforts by France, Britain, Germany, Denmark and other nations to gain entry into the devastated Irrawaddy Delta region "to provide urgent life-saving humanitarian aid."

You gotta love persistence...

Maybe society would be better if a little humor was injected into the every day stuff?

Come on...let's all get behind our brave Fuehrer Gates!!

Zimbabwe's central bank has introduced 500 million Zimbabwe dollar notes worth just $A2.15 in the latest sign of spiralling hyperinflation, only a week after issuing the 250 million bill.

(this is only 50 million!!)

The new highest denomination note would buy about two loaves of bread.

The central bank also introduced special agricultural cheques in five billion, 25 billion and 50 billion Zimbabwe dollar denominations to facilitate payments to farmers during the current selling season.

Farmers normally have to carry huge stacks of bank notes after selling their produce to state agencies, while consumers often carry large piles of cash with them for simple daily transactions.

(rich boy!!!)

At last...a single shop where you can get drunk, buy your gun, kill someone, bail yourself out of jail and buy yourself some cigarettes to celebrate the day!!!

This song is only only know by most that do actually know it as the L7 song off the Natural Born Killers soundtrack...WRONG!!!

The original is actually done by the legend Patti Smith and if you don't know who that is - hit google and download some torrent copies of her stuff!!

SHIT LIST

When I get mad
And I get pissed
I grab my pen
And I write out a list
Of all the people
That won't be missed
You've made my shitlist

For all the ones
Who bum me out
Shitlist
For all the ones
Who fill my head with doubt
Shitlist
For all the squares who get me pissed
Shitlist
You've made my shitlist

Shitlist
Shitlist

When I get mad
And I get pissed
Shitlist
I grab my pen
And write out a list
Shitlist
Of all you assholes
Who won't be missed
Shitlist
You've made my shitlist

Shitlist
Shitlist

In a rare moment of candor, Jeroen van der Veer, the chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, acknowledged what many have long considered a forgone conclusion: the end of the oil era is almost upon us, and sooner than you might think. The Oil Drum retrieved an e-mail sent to all Shell employees in which the CEO admitted the obvious (emphasis ours):

"Regardless of which route we choose, the world's current predicament limits our maneuvering room. We are experiencing a step-change in the growth rate of energy demand due to population growth and economic development, and Shell estimates that after 2015 supplies of easy-to-access oil and gas will no longer keep up with demand."

He went on to criticize the sluggish response by policymakers to the coming energy crisis:

"Taking the path of least resistance, policymakers pay little attention to curbing energy consumption - until supplies run short. Likewise, despite much rhetoric, greenhouse gas emissions are not seriously addressed until major shocks trigger political reactions. Since these responses are overdue, they are severe and lead to energy price spikes and volatility.

As calls for harmonization increase, policies converge across the globe. Cap-and-trade mechanisms that put a cost on industrial CO 2 emissions gain international acceptance. Rising CO2 prices accelerate innovation, spawning breakthroughs. A growing number of cars are powered by electricity and hydrogen, while industrial facilities are fitted with technology to capture CO2 and store it underground.

Against the backdrop of these two equally plausible scenarios, we will only know in a few years whether December's Bali declaration on climate change was just rhetoric or the beginning of a global effort to counter it. Much will depend on how attitudes evolve in Beijing, Brussels, New Delhi and Washington."

It is rare to hear such candid talk from an energy executive given that the future success of his business is predicated on the longterm availability of oil. His call for more investment in renewable sources of energy sounds prescient though many will likely dispute his assertion that only nuclear power will provide a stable, reliable solution to our energy needs. More controversial will surely be his statement that we will need to spend more money on accessing difficult-to-reach fossil fuels, such as the vast Canadian tar sand deposits and oil reserves from the Arctic.

The contrast he draws between what he views as the two likely energy scenarios that will likely come to pass - the "Blueprints" scenario vs. the "Scramble" scenario (which John also covered here) - also deserves mention:

"At Shell, we think the world will take one of two possible routes. The first, a scenario we call Scramble, resembles a race through a mountainous desert. Like an off-road rally, it promises excitement and fierce competition. However, the unintended consequence of "more haste" will often be "less speed" and many will crash along the way.

The alternative scenario, called Blueprints, has some false starts and develops like a cautious ride on a road that is still under construction. Whether we arrive safely at our destination depends on the discipline of the drivers and the ingenuity of all those involved in the construction effort. Technical innovation provides for excitement."

Whether or not you agree with the substance of his views, it is well worth your time to read his e-mail in full. Alternatively, you can also listen to a brief discussion of his e-mail on American Public Media's Marketplace program here. Even if peak oil arrives later, his comments and recommendations are well worth keeping in mind as we see the energy landscape change over the coming years.

Goddamn!!!!!

I often find myself spending too much time playing games on my PC and thought that I had a pretty hot setup...until I laid eyes on this!!

Some of us worry about having a bad hair day...this lady has bigger problems!!

How refreshing it is to see road workers being honest with us for a change!!

The only reason that the international community is not helping the poor Burmese people is that there is no oil in that country.

The human rights record for the ruling military junta is hundreds of times worse that what old uncle Saddam was doing, but alas...no oil!

France, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, felt that the UN should not wait anymore for the military rulers of Burma to give permission but barge in and provide humanitarian aid to over 1 million homeless people and conduct a massive rescue mission for more than 60,000 people known to be missing.

If the US is serious about bringing freedom to the world, why not for Burma?