The world population reached its first billion in 1804AD, 2 million years since the dawn of human race.
The second billion reached in 1927, 123 years later. The third billion reached in 1961, only 34 years later. 4th billion in 1974, taken only 13 years. 5th billion in 1987, taken only 13 years. 6th billion in 1999, taken only 12 years. The next billion projected in 2011, 3 years from now!
Now let's see the consequences:
World Food Program warns of 'silent tsunami' of hunger
By DAVID STRINGER, Associated Press WriterTue Apr 22, 4:56 PM ET
Ration cards. Genetically modified crops. The end of pile-it-high, sell-it-cheap supermarkets.
These possible solutions to the first global food crisis since World War II — which the World Food Program says already threatens 20 million of the poorest children — are complex and controversial. And they may not even solve the problem as demand continues to soar.
A "silent tsunami" of hunger is sweeping the world's most desperate nations, said Josette Sheeran, the WFP's executive director, speaking Tuesday at a London summit on the crisis.
The skyrocketing cost of food staples, stoked by rising fuel prices, unpredictable weather and demand from India and China, has already sparked sometimes violent protests across the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. via Yahoo! news
Japan's hunger becomes a dire warning for other nations
Justin Norrie, Tokyo * April 21, 2008
MARIKO Watanabe admits she could have chosen a better time to take up baking. This week, when the Tokyo housewife visited her local Ito-Yokado supermarket to buy butter to make a cake, she found the shelves bare.
"I went to another supermarket, and then another, and there was no butter at those either. Everywhere I went there were notices saying Japan has run out of butter. I couldn't believe it — this is the first time in my life I've wanted to try baking cakes and I can't get any butter," said the frustrated cook.
Japan's acute butter shortage, which has confounded bakeries, restaurants and now families across the country, is the latest unforeseen result of the global agricultural commodities crisis.
A sharp increase in the cost of imported cattle feed and a decline in milk imports, both of which are typically provided in large part by Australia, have prevented dairy farmers from keeping pace with demand. theage.com.au
You're probably sick and tired of hearing all about it- praises sung across the interwebs clogging the tubes. In this Japan's domestic market, the Nissan GT-R is no doubt the most affordable supercar that's arguably the best automotive engineering money can buy to date.
Consider its price tag: 7,777,000 Yen roughly 76,204.01 US Dollars or 47,788.46 Euros
twin-turbo 3.8L V6 473 horsepower and 434 ft-lbs. of torque 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds All-wheel-drive GR6 dual-clutch six-speed Nurburgring lap time: 7:35
Lotus Exige S 240 (MSRP: $64,890) 1.8L I4 240 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs of torque 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds 6 Speed Manual Fast, light, good handling, but not a supercar
-or-
Cadillac STS-V (MSRP: $78,215) 4.4L V8 469 horsepower and 439 ft-lbs of torque 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds 6 Speed Automatic powerful, bulky, poor handling, not a supercar
5th Gear's coverage
The new GT-R (R35) can humiliate Prosches and Lambos, which cost five times more money, on a racetrack. It drives like an everyday car when you're not on a mission. But I don't like:
1)No option for a stick-shift manual
2)A through and through engineering marvel with perfect numbers on paper for the x-wii-station generation. It translates well into supercar performance on track, however may indeed lack a soul for people who lust after a driver's car. The car is superior than anything on the road, but most of the driving is done by the 200 on-board computer chips, not you.
