How to Make Electricity Using Plants and Sunshine

When plants engage in photosynthesis, sunlight breaks apart water and
CO2 to release oxygen and build plant-and people-food. It's cheap and
ubiquitous but not much use for powering a home.

Photovoltaic devices use semiconducting material like silicon in a
related way, with incoming photons knocking loose electrons to generate
electricity. Such devices can produce a lot of electricity on a bright
sunny day. Unfortunately, they're too expensive for most folks to
afford.

But what if you combined the two? That's exactly what an international
consortium of scientists have done, creating a truly green solar
cell-and one that can be made from something as common as grass
clippings. The findings are in the current issue of Nature: Scientific
Reports.

This "electric nanoforest" only produces a trickle of electricity at
present, but with refinement it could begin to produce useful amounts of
current. Plus, the raw materials are durable and cheap: any living green
vegetation will do-nature has seen to that. If such devices can be
improved substantially enough, plant-based photovoltaics may finally
bring affordable solar power to the remote villages where it's needed
most.

-David Biello


http://news.yahoo.com/electricity-using-plants-sunshine-140008597.html

"General Electric and those associated with them who make a profit will
  probably see to it that this never happens."

Consul Nicholas Moore

War with Iran is Inevitable

http://news.yahoo.com/war-iran-inevitable-184700566.html

Defense secretary Leon Panetta raised some eyebrows this week when he
told Washington Post journalist David Ignatius that Israel might strike
Iran's secretive nuclear facilities sometime this spring. The revelation
makes it likely Israel will pursue this move. Panetta would not have
publicly given a timetable for an Israeli strike unless such a plan is
in the final stages.


This would not be the first time Israel takes out nuclear facilities in
an Arab country. Israeli airplanes allegedly bombed a Syrian nuclear
site in 2007. While Syria's reaction to the air strike was rather muted,
one should expect a much more aggressive response from the Iranians if
their facilities are attacked.


As Iran has always viewed Israel as its No. 1 adversary, a direct attack
from Israel will surely trigger war between the countries. Since the
U.S. and Israel are inseparable, this means America will likely be
involved in the conflict one way or another. In a meeting with U.S
airmen on Friday, Panetta was reported by the Associated Press to have
given hint of possible military actions if Iran does not reverse course.



A war with Iran is likely to extend beyond conventional battlefields.
Iran's greatest weapons are not tanks and guns, but its networks of
proxies and terrorist groups. What actions Hezbollah in Lebanon and
Hamas in Gaza will undertake to support their ally Iran against Israel?
Will Iran join hands with al-Qaida and other terrorist groups to plan
attacks on the U.S. and its allies?


The biggest concern with regard to a possible Israel-Iran conflict is
its impact on the region and on the world's economy. The Middle East is
already at a boiling point with mass unrests and unstable governments.
The last thing it needs is a war between Israel and Iran. Also, Iran has
repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz where 20 percent of
the world's oil shipments are estimated by the EIA to pass through.


In a possible conflict, the Iranians will likely go through with this
threat, which will bring oil prices to record highs.

Prophesy In Afghanistan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a60A3mw2XgQ&list=PL06C67DF220D8DE3F

A conversation between an angry prophet and an American Soldier in
Kabul; the discussion is on upcoming events the world has in store. The
focus is on the great Harlot, and what humanity can do to prepare for
the punishment she's bringing upon herself. The prophet in the story
doesn't expect the listener to take his word alone, so he uses logic and
expects those with eyes to see and with ears to hear to face reality.
For everyone despite their belief should be able to see the changes in
the seasons.



The soldier was invited to a tent situated in the back of the Bazaar,
where the locals were selling their products to the soldier's on base.
This soldier was offered a steaming cup of tea, and then he sat down
before an old man who was dressed in white garments, with skin the color
of bronze.



Prophet in Afghanistan:

I asked my son to find you today. I told him to look for the name on
your uniform.

Tell me what you know of the Great Harlot, who is like a parasite. I am
speaking of today's Rome of course; your home.



Soldier:

(The soldier was offended and started to grow nervous. He was holding
his weapon close and he scanned the area he was in, without moving his
head.)



Prophet:

I am not a fool, young warrior. I just want you to speak your mind. I
know you have much to share and no one to share it with. I only want to
listen.



Soldier:

I don't feel comfortable speaking with you about anything political...

Prophet:

Oh, don't worry young soldier I am not from this land. I am your friend.
(He smiled before saying,) I am from Pakistan, your long time American
Ally, no?



Soldier:

(The man saying he was from Pakistan struck a nerve with the soldier. He
didn't hesitate a moment longer and started speaking on issues he had
addressed earlier in the day with a fellow soldier.)

You say, my nation is a parasite?!

Well Russia holds a large amount of U.S. bonds and treasuries.
Countries like Russia and China hold a significant part of their
reserves in American securities. There should be other reserve
currencies.
The euro has served as an "alternate dollar" up until Europe's sovereign
debt crisis decreased its value; further it's possible that the euro may
be discontinued. So, if we are a parasite and they are banking on us...
this makes them leaches!

Seems to me it is the same old story, our economy cannot stabilize until
we recoup the jobs we have allowed to go overseas. You know the jobs
young people would have normally held while going to college, like call
centers and assembly line work. Maybe the US should go bankrupt like
Russia did in the late 90's and then some other country will come bail
us out like we did for them!



Prophet:

I think you're right. They are leeches, and your leaders know they are,
yet they still make deals with their enemies and then pretend to be
pious. America stands tall and proud and the rulers; the kings of the
earth, commit adultery with her. (She is meant to be one nation under
God, yet like Israel did long ago before Babylon took over; America now
worships false gods above the one they claim to be under). The
inhabitants of the earth grew intoxicated with the wine of her
adulteries. She trades with the nations of the world, for all the
nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of
the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth
grew rich from her excessive luxuries. And now a voice from Heaven
shouts "Come out of her, my people,' so that you will not share in her
sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are
piled up to heaven, and Allah has remembered her crimes. "Come out of
her", the angels' voice said.

Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave
herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a
widow; I will never mourn.' Therefore in one day her plagues will
overtake her...
Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone
and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city
of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again." Only two times
in the Book is there the mention of a millstone as a metaphor. The one
other time before this one was when the Nazarene said, "If anyone causes
my little ones to stumble, it is better for them to tie a great
millstone around their neck and jump into the sea." The distractions in
America, the false American dream the middle class have of wanting to be
so rich, and flaunting it; this along with the many other distractions
is keeping God's children from maturing. America was once meant to be
the land of the people of the book, yet she is a harlot now who gives
herself to everyone, even the most corrupt King's in this world... Have
you not watched the news in recent days or read about the relationship
between my homeland of Pakistan and the whore? The harlot is still
funding my nation, and it is my nation who funds the terrorists who kill
your comrades in arms; such a circle of hypocrisy and violence. Watch
how when she falls the world falls as well, because of her adulteries...


Whether you believe the verses I quoted from Revelation speak of America
specifically or not, doesn't really matter, because the verses apply to
her none the less. And I'm leaving out many other examples from history.


(The prophet smiles and says),

'Google how many people have said, "America is Rome", and the Bible says
Rome is Babylon. Where is, or was the World Trade Center? Where does the
United Nations gather? All roads lead to Rome, young soldier.

I have seen firsthand the way things are ran in the politics of this
war; I am out here seeing it now. If there is a Babylon today, there is
no doubt, America is she... And she sure as Hell is a whore.

Now I still care for and will stand for humanity in my country, in your
country, and in the world. But just like the Germans in Nazi Germany
should have done more to take a stand against what their country was
becoming during WWII, your people need to do more also to prevent
America from falling further. Are the good American's, or even the
Christian American's doing more to save their country? Or are they just
in denial like many of the Germans were during the reign of Hitler? Oh,
and before Hitler came into power the youth in Germany grew up in the
most fatherless homes in history at that time, and had the most
uneducated children post war. (Germany was raped after WWI); America has
no such excuse. Now proud America has beat Germany's old record when it
comes to fatherless homes, and the lack of educated youths in this
present generation. The scary part is your children have the education
available to them, and their father's did not die in war like the German
fathers' before WWII. The father's in your country just choose to not be
fathers. The next generation has chosen foolishness and they glorify the
fools on T.V, like the reality stars who contribute nothing of value;
American's idolize them. The parents in general don't care as much as
they used to, and they are still dreaming the "American dream", which
has proven to be a false dream.

Hitler became the father figure in Germany back then, and he almost took
over the world. Islam is the fastest growing religion in popularity now
in America... Who will be this generations' father...?!

Now I realize how Christianity is the most hypocritical religion in the
world. I know that even before white invaders came to America and
started slaughtering the original inhabitants of your land "under God,"
they had killed and tortured many other people in the name of Christ. I
realize this all, and more. But I mention the verses from the Bible
above regarding the Great Harlot, and do the comparing I did because,
like any scholar, I look for truths everywhere; in all history and
literature. My own personal faith is not going to be discussed here. And
whether or not I believe all that I have left for you to think about
here-doesn't matter. What matters is what you think. Does the comparison
apply? And for those of you who do have utter and complete faith in the
Bible, you have even more to think about now, don't you?


Soldier:

You have found more answers then I have... I look at people that pass
all day and wonder; sheep without a shepherd, and wolves in many forms
waiting to devour them. I agree with what you have said; Fathers and
Mothers in the U.S who have left their kids to be raised by
grandparents, so as to pursue pipe dreams. I hardly know of anyone that
is middle class now days; most are paycheck to credit card and hopes in
winning the lottery. Hard work; forget it! Everyone wants the quick rich
dream...an American dream.

Prophet:

That's how I see it.

Please check out an article titled, "Meaning and Purpose in America".
The focus is on the American Dream, and how the problem was not the
dreaming, but the waking up.

Soldier:

Rome comparison is a real eye opener for me also. The level they
reached right before their complete destruction. What a shame when
history can repeat itself. I wish people would get off the
antidepressants and demand back the right to live with morals. They
don't have to believe in my God. But without the heart of one nation
under God-what is really left? Or, without a united people believing in
one cause, or in the least, believing in purpose for themselves, what
hope is there?



Prophet:

Right, right... We make the same mistakes over and over again. It's
funny because one of the least liked classes in school is History.
People always say things like, "Well it's boring...The past doesn't
interest me. I look to the future." What the Hell?! The past is
repeating itself because people are not learning from the mistakes made
then. You have to understand your past to make a better future.

People have to believe in something greater than themselves. They have
to believe they are not limited and that they can have true purpose.
People live now like they exist by chance, and they have no clear
purpose or direction in life because they don't believe they can be
greater in a world of chance. And there is no clear purpose and
direction if there is none greater than self. Those who live for only
themselves add to the current mess we are speaking of.



Soldier:

I read that the next generation is, or has become the most narcissistic
generation to date. If one is so consumed with their needs then they can
be easily bought, sold, and deceived; for a moment of gratification.
What a way to lose the heart/soul of a nation. To think ones self is the
only one that matters; contributes to the lack of balance in this world.
Christianity may be the most hypocritical of world religions, but the
Sheppard whom set the character, integrity, and moral precedence never
said to follow a religion. If I recall, we were to follow his example...
Imagine that?!


Prophet:

Jesus Christ is probably most misunderstood by the people who claim to
represent him. I agree with all that you said and I'll quote again your
words because they are so true; "The next generation has become the most
narcissistic generation to date. If one is so consumed with their needs
then they can be easily bought, sold, and deceived; for a moment of
gratification. What a way to lose the heart/soul... of a nation".



Soldier:

Sad truth is the comparison you made is applicable. Can we avoid history
repeating itself? Is there a cure for narcissism and rampant
antidepressant over use? If the mind was clear and the heart cared...
Can one prayer work? What would that prayer be? A prayer to fight for
life which has already been paid for, or a prayer for the end? The end
does not require anyone to roll up their sleeves and get to work on
making things better.



Prophet:

Nobody, in any belief system can rightfully judge all that Christ did,
or said. This is why the atheist simply says "he was only a good man,
not a God". But most amazing is how throughout history "Christianity"
has used one of the most pious and peaceful individuals to express so
much hate in the world at times, and they have even killed in the name
of the very one who said, "Love your neighbor, and do good to those who
curse you". It amazes me how humanity can turn something that was in no
way evil and create world havoc.

People are stupid, plain and simple. Just look at all that is going on
in the Whitehouse; all about America's debt ceiling... Even the dumber
people in America had their intelligence insulted by the facade. Science
has proven that the human brain is actually shrinking now, you can
Google that too, kid. Did you know that Homo Sapiens Sapiens means Human
Wise, Wiser? We are not Homo Sapiens, Sapiens. We're Super Homo, Dumb,
Dumber, and getting even dumber each generation. It depresses me, as I
know it does you... How do you feel, knowing that your government is
funding the enemy in my home Pakistan? And then those who rule in my
land use this money to invest in the terrorists who kill your brothers
and sisters in Afghanistan?! So many turn a blind eye to these truths
which are so evident that anyone can find them.

Empires rise and empires fall soldier. Some last long and some are
strong, but in the end you can't prolong, for every empire only lasts so
long. The Torah speaks on how Israel was saved by their God, but then
they made the same mistakes again and fell again. They were given over
to Babylon a couple times, and even became slaves to two different
nations a couple times; Egypt and Babylon; America may have to go
through the same thing. Who can say for certain? But what I am sure of
is this; America will fall, and our world economy will eventually
collapse. Money as we know it will become obsolete... Humanity will be
more desperate and foolish than the young men and women before Hitler
came into power... They will listen to false promises, and who could
blame them?
Soldier:

An Empire can be wiped from the earth or it can grow into its next stage
of life... Right? I want my children's' inheritance to count for
something. I have to provide the best I can for them... But sometimes I
just feel like the future is hopeless.




Prophet:


I know we'll do the best we can... I will fight the good fight from my
side, and I will finish the race...You tell others, as many as you can,
the truths you know. This is all you can do, and the best you can right
now.



Soldier:

I will...



"When Babylon fell, the world fell! When Rome fell, the world fell as
well. Now this ages Rome is falling. It's all good though, right? After
all humanity survived the Dark Ages; that time of ignorance, perhaps
we'll survive the next Dark Age.... Call me crazy in a couple more
years, but whatever you do don't try to find me when it's too late."

A Soldier


(UPDATE: The soldier in this article committed suicide a couple months
before the end of his deployment.)

Fury in West after Russia, China block UN action on Syria

Western and Arab countries responded with outrage on Sunday after Russia
and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have
urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said she was "disgusted" by
the vote, which came a day after activists say Syrian forces bombarded
the city of Homs, killing more than 200 people in the worst night of
bloodshed of the 11-month uprising.

"Any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands," ambassador
Susan Rice said after the Russian-Chinese veto.

"This should not be a surprise to anyone who pays attention to the
patterns."

Consul Nicholas Moore


http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/05/10322270-fury-in-west-af
ter-russia-china-block-un-action-on-syria

US plans shift to elite units as it winds down in Afghanistan

Presence could last beyond 2014; far different withdrawal plan than the
one for Iraq

"Now our leaders are making a smart decision in this regard... Being
tactful for a change."

Consul Nicholas Moore


The new focus builds on a desire to use the nation's most elite troops
to counter any residual terrorist threat over the coming months as well
as to devote the military's best trainers to the difficult task of
preparing Afghan security forces to take over responsibilities in their
country.

The plan would put a particularly heavy focus on Army Special Forces,
also known as the Green Berets. They would be in charge of training a
variety of Afghan security forces. At the same time, the elite commando
teams within Special Operations forces would continue their raids to
hunt down, capture or kill insurgent commanders and terrorist leaders
and keep pressure on cells of fighters to prevent them from mounting
attacks.

Created by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s, the Green Berets have
as one of their core missions what is called "foreign internal defense"
- using combat, mentoring, language and cross-cultural skills to train
local forces in rugged environments, as they are today in missions
conducted quietly in dozens of nations around the world.

Americans would no longer be carrying out large numbers of patrols to
clear vast areas of Afghanistan of insurgents, or holding villages and
towns vulnerable to militant attacks while local forces and government
agencies rebuilt the local economy and empowered local governments.

Those tasks would fall to Afghan forces, with Special Forces soldiers
remaining in the field to guide them. This shift has already begun to
take place.

The defense secretary, Leon E. Panetta, surprised NATO allies last week
when he announced that American forces would step back from a leading
role in combat missions by mid-2013, turning over security
responsibilities to Afghan forces a year earlier than expected. The
description of the shift to a Special Operations mission in Afghanistan
by senior officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the
final plans have not been approved, go a long way toward explaining what
Mr. Panetta sketched out for the allies.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46267459/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/ 

Panetta says Israel could strike Iran in spring

 

"Let's hope our Generals don't have as simplistic a mindset as they
did before going into Afghanistan... If war must be then we must
depend on strategy more than numbers and weapons. This lesson should
have been learned by the mistakes made in Afghanistan by our
Politicians and Generals... If these lessons have not been learned
then America truly should be afraid because our nation is led by
insane individuals."

Consul Nicholas Moore

"The US began the war with a "frighteningly simplistic" view of
Afghanistan, the retired general Stanley McChrystal said, and even now
the military lacks sufficient local knowledge to bring the conflict to
an end."

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/309-13/7760-mcchrystal-issues-a-harsh-indictment-of-afghan-war-effort


US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a "strong
possibility" that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations this
spring, the Washington Post said Thursday in an editorial.

When asked about the opinion piece by reporters travelling with him to
a NATO meeting in Brussels, Panetta brushed it aside.

"I'm not going to comment on that. David Ignatius can write what he
will but with regards with what I think and what I view, I consider
that to be an area that belongs to me and nobody else," he said.

"Israel indicated they're considering this (a strike), we've indicated
our concerns," he added.

The Post columnist said Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood
that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters
what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a
nuclear bomb."

President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the
Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it
would derail an increasingly successful international economic
sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from
crossing the threshold," he said.



http://news.yahoo.com/panetta-says-israel-could-strike-iran-spring-report-232458035.html

"Those who refuse to learn the lessons of history are bound to make the
same mistakes all over again."

America Will Be At War With Iran Within One Year

"As reported on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
expressed concerns over Iran developing a nuclear weapon within the next
year and stated the U.S. "will take whatever steps are necessary to stop
it," and that there are "no options off of the table."


Frankly, whenever it comes to the thought of a militant Islamic state
such as Iran, whose leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted in 2005 by the
New York Times as having said they should "wipe Israel off the map,"
that can raise the cockles of anybody's fur -- even a pacifist such as
I.


In an ABC interview on Jan. 26, President Barack Obama also clearly
stated, "We've imposed the toughest sanctions ever. They had a lot of
bite. The Iranian regime is feeling them. And, ultimately, I hope that
we can resolve this through diplomatic means. But we're not taking any
options off the table."


Of course, we all hope for a diplomatic solution, but I don't see either
side backing down -- neither the Iranian nor American government. So
whether anyone of us common folks agree or not, whether we like it or
not, it's soon time for us all to prepare our minds and hearts for war.


For better or worse, Israel has been an ally of the U.S. for several
decades and as far as Middle Eastern nations go, they're as similar to a
Western nation as one might get. The idea of a militant theocracy
attacking the Nation of Israel is but one or two steps removed from an
attack on other Western nations, like the U.K., Germany or the United
States of America."


http://news.yahoo.com/america-war-iran-within-one-235400262.html;_ylt=At
plHBjxYnPZvwFqAYU_ADobANEA;_ylu=X3oDMTRvbm9ucTcwBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBw
b29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDTmV3cyBmb3IgeW91BHBrZwMyYjBmZTBlZS0xZTlmLTMzNDIt
ODc1OC03NGRiM2ZmNTU1MjMEcG9zAzMEc2VjA25ld3NfZm9yX3lvdQR2ZXIDMDE2MWQ0MTAt
NGI5ZS0xMWUxLWJjZGItMTBhYTk1YzkxOTAz;_ylg=X3oDMTA1bmkzZDc4BHRlc3QD;_ylv=
3


http://news.yahoo.com/iran-could-attack-inside-u-062609945.html

President Barack Obama unveils his defense strategy.

President Barack Obama unveiled his defense strategy, which features an
emphasis on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Drones.

This coming fresh on the heels of a drone capture by Iran and a "drone
virus" that plagued some aircraft systems this year. Maybe Iran will
catch a virus if it successfully mines data from the captured RQ-170
drone.

So what does a future of UAS drones look like? What sorts of drone craft
are in development? Take a look below to find out.

Take a look at the following link-
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/06/us-usa-military-obama-idUSTRE8031Z020120106

"Let us hope James Cameron isn't a prophet...I seriously doubt he is."

Consul Nicholas Moore

Hope

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - The family of a U.S. soldier held captive by
the Taliban for over two years said on Wednesday they were optimistic
about the possibility of talks between the Afghan insurgent group and
countries including the United States.

They expressed hope that Bowe Bergdahl would be freed "as soon as
possible" in a statement issued a day after the Taliban said they had
reached a preliminary agreement to set up a political office in the Gulf
Arab country of Qatar.

"Every member of the Afghan government is set for life. They know when
we leave the people will overthrow the USA controlled puppet government.
That's why all of them have used the USA aid money and built mansions in
Dubai for them and their families and friends to retire at. Last year it
was reported that their VP arrived in Dubai with $76 million in USA cash
strapped on wooden pallets. Our troops are there to protect contractors
who are raping the resources and politicians are playing alone in
exchange for kickbacks and campaign contributions."

Kelly (reviewer on the article)

http://news.yahoo.com/family-u-soldier-held-taliban-hopeful-over-qatar-0
64342848.html

Insight: West in political crisis has echoes of 1930s

(More Confirmation That Our Present Leaders Have Failed The American
People)

By Stella Dawson

http://news.yahoo.com/insight-west-political-crisis-echoes-1930s-1304067
33.html

"When the United States, Europe and China go into a crisis of this sort,
it can reasonably be said that the center of gravity of the world's
economy and most of its military power is in crisis. It is not a trivial
moment," Friedman wrote in "Dominoes of Doom" on the website
EconomyWatch.com.

Heather Conley, a former U.S. Under Secretary of State for European
Affairs and now a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, said this near political paralysis seen in the
United States and Europe is common when governments are at an inflection
point.

"Without decisive direction and leadership, we march in place or attempt
to muddle through, uncertain of which path to take. The West is at such
a moment," she said.

"The best that can be hoped for in 2012 is a muddling through, where
economic growth in the United States averages around 2 percent compared
with zero in the euro zone, analysts said. World growth, buoyed by
emerging markets, looks set to average around 3 percent."

Martin Sass, founder of the New York based hedge fund M.D. Sass with
$7.5 billion under management, is among those pinning his hopes on the
elections breaking the stalemate. "I never expected the level of
dysfunction in the U.S. and European lawmaking ... and I never saw
fundamentals count for so little in the stock market. Politics and
contagion were the drivers of this underperforming market, not balance
sheets and earnings."

"Two narratives have emerged of what went wrong. The left casts the
banker as the prime villain, unpunished by the political elite who
allowed CEOs to violate all the principles of fiduciary and moral
responsibility in pursuit of personal gain, which fuels the perception
of a political system in collusion with a criminal financial elite it is
unwilling to punish."

The right-wing narrative casts big government as the villain for
exploiting the crisis to expand its regulatory powers that intrude on
free markets, and to spend money on huge bailouts and social welfare
programs that have only exploded the budget deficit.

In both narratives, the victim is the average citizen who is left paying
a gigantic bill - through high unemployment, higher taxes and lost
economic opportunity. Either way, the compact between political
governance and economic life has broken."

Although Western democracy has demonstrated the flexibility to reform
when facing severe challenges, the shadow of the 1930s looms large. This
uncertainty over whether strong political leadership can emerge in 2012
is haunting markets.

John Browne, senior economic consultant to Euro Pacific Capital, is
among the pessimists. He told clients in his year end note that American
and European Union politicians have shown utter unwillingness to take
tough decisions they know should be enacted to avoid looming global
economic disaster.

"With an estimated $6 trillion plus solvency shortfall of the euro zone
banks, and $16 trillion in U.S. public debt, it will take leadership of
far greater caliber to avert a disaster. Such leadership is nowhere in
sight," he said.