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The main caveat with the following post is: meet a great deal of enlightened Norwegians who understand precisely what I’m talking about but are quite impotent to change the behavior of the systems in Norway. So, when mentioning Norway, mostly talking about how the systems function not the people…rather, the people are stuck in the same trap as what Adam Curtis discusses in his documentaries…overall though, Norwegians are the victims of their own vanity and globalization more so then most other nations, as the resource curse plagues them…read on.The quality of life in Norway overall is good, the everyday life is fine in general. For example, I went XC skiing today for most of the day and its a weekday, who can complain about that? However, humanity cannot live on bread alone, we need visions and dreams and possibilities…in this realm Norway suffers from a poverty of ideas.The purpose of life or the meaning of life is absolutely horrible as is in most of the world. Sweden has Norway beat by a good deal in terms of purpose of life for the times, as Sweden is working much harder to transition towards an environmentally sustainable society while Norway’s main exports continues to be oil, followed by fish.Relatively speaking, Norway as a nation did not have a firmly rooted intelligentsia or elite class of its own as say Sweden did historically. Norway has sort of gave its intellectual development to Germany and then post World War II, towards Anglo thinking. It’s pretty clear to see this in the textbooks used in the business schools and the expansion of business schools in general. The luster of the uniqueness of Norway, akin to an isolated Amazonian tribe, is continuing to fade away in light of globalization (sad face).Norwegians do not have an end game, refer to them the lost tribe of Scandinavia. Norwegians don’t have an answer to what they will do after oil. Living in Oslo, see a great deal more extravagance than upon my first visit 22 years ago, the transformation that has taken place is as Polanyi talked about back in the 1940’s, in his book, “the great transformation” where societies that have a market, transition into market driven societies.The resource curse of oil has caused Norwegians to become the most environmentally unfriendly nation in Europe per capita, if oil exports are included in their green house gas (GHG) emissions. Another example is, the Brundtland report, which posited transition to sustainable living; the report was written over 30 years ago, but the oil froze the country from moving forward with such visions. Norwegians will point to their hydroelectric and electric car policy as being important in the sustainability movement. However, the hydroelectric industry was not created out of environmental concerns but resource extraction thinking of 100+ years ago. The electric car policy, should have included supporting the fledgling electric car manufacturer, Th!nk. Most Norwegians say “Oh, Th!nk was too early”, those that say that are ignorant, Th!nk had a 4 door vehicle planned, after Ford bought them, Ford murdered the company when their lawyers (and other vehicle manufacturer lawyers) beat the zero emissions laws in California and New York, meaning US auto manufacturers did not have to sell electric cars to gain credit to sell SUV’s. Ford sold Th!nk for 1 dollar to a Swiss holding company after it closed it down.Norway is strikingly different from Sweden in the collaboration between industry and government in terms of launching into new industries. For example, the Norwegian government did not support Th!nk in any sizable way and there are many other examples. The link is to one of Morten Jørgensen’s posts on Quora, he often has a better background on Norway then I do, where maybe I can provide a better comparison between Sweden and Norway on some narrow issues, such as sustainability.When discussing topics with Norwegians and analyzing the culture here regarding sustainability and vision for the future it is a couple of generations behind Sweden. Heavily reinforce the idea that countries such as Saudi Arabia and Norway froze their societies at various rates after the discovery of oil and then inflated the already existing institutions. In Saudi Arabia it was more monarchy and more Wahhabism. In Norway, continued rule of law, continued lack of creative thinking (Norway produces 1/4th of the triadic patents per capita as Sweden, as one example) and more of a focus on 1814 than 2214, holding on to the traditions for traditions sake not because they are useful for the future.The level of naive patriotism in Norway is off the charts, Norwegians have a very difficult time taking criticism of their country…they are still in the orgy of an oil lottery. On the other hand, as an American would be the first to tell you democracy does not exist in the US and the US is leading the planet off a cliff on economic models that are not in touch with the planets capability to support us. So, in Norway, there is a certain degree of loyalty required, a blind faith in the society. There are no meaningful dissidents in Norway that have a world stage anymore, and the domestic ones are largely written off.Most Norwegians I can tolerate for a few minutes more than the average American before becoming tired of their lack of critical thinking and submissive behavior to the identity they were indoctrinated with by the state, and the shitty incentives they get if they fit in, and in turn feel compelled to defend. To expound, social democracies require belief in the system for the majority of the system to function. However, since the social democracies in Scandinavia are all exceeding their ecological carrying capacity (to reiterate, Sweden is doing the most to work on this in terms of shifting worldviews), question the validity of the state, and the existence of humans within it, as I would with any other country that is existing to only perpetuate its unsustainable self. What is our own individual worth or use (I am to blame as much as anyone else) if we are damning future generations of our own species and creating mass genocide among other species today, merely so we can be comfortable?To me the end game of Norway and any other country like it is a waste of our existence, a waste of what the potential of humanity is, and the erasure of the dreams and visions of legends from Norway such as Brundland, Næs, and Heyerdahl. Here in Norway, we have exchanged their visions of a vibrant future for a luxury in the here and now… the feeding of our ego and desires and the servitude to Anglo foreign and energy policy, in exchange for our soul.When confronting Norwegians with facts or ideas that cause them cognitive dissonance or challenge their worldview a common answer is “We are a small nation”, or to make another excuse. Well yeah, but Austria is a small nation to, but it created one man who lead all of the German people, one man who lead all of the Californian people, and one man who greatly influenced the economic orthodoxy of today on a global level (Hayek). Of course, Austria provided greatness in the sense of great tragedies, I just wish Norway would step its goddamn game up and provide a counterbalance :-)EDIT:I have added some dialogue from one of the responders into the main body. Personally, I find the startup culture in Norway is based largely on wishful thinking and feel they have got the overall innovation strategy wrong down wrong as a nation. That is, Norway needs more entrepreneurial state thinking than Stand ford from the point of scaling and exporting.Comments by responder:There are definitely certain truths to parts of this post, but I think it severely lacks nuance.Norway is and has indeed been an oil-dominated economy for the past 20–-30 years, but there has been much focus in recent years in developing new industries ahead, as it is commonly accepted that the oil era is rapidly reaching its end. This is a focus of the current government, and can be seen in the rapid growth of the startup and venture community in the country, in particular in Oslo. The IT industry is booming with most new higher education programs being opened within this field. Norway has a strong engineering tradition, but historically has lacked competence within scaling companies internationally, which has caused most inventions to have bought up and commercialized abroad. In this area we can for sure improve and learn from our neighbors.When it comes to environmental and sustainability focus, Norway might be behind Denmark and Sweden, but change is occurring and in certain areas the country leading as well. The hydro production delivers clean energy, which is exported throughout the year with the exception of a few weeks. Norway is currently the highest adopter of electric and hybrid cars in the world, and is currently a test-bed for EV innovations, business models and infrastructure. The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth fund has gone “green” by focusing on sustainable investments, and requiring companies to track and submit their progress in relation to the UN’s sustainability goals.As for the purpose and meaning of life, this remains an individual thing, but to me most Norwegians find satisfaction from spending time in nature, which can be seen in many parts of the culture as well as history (the cabins, “allmansretten” giving access to the entire wilderness, etc.) This is just based on my personal experience, but many in my community also strongly desire a positive contribution and reduce their negative footprint on the world.In all countries, you’ll always have no problem finding close-minded, fundamentalist, nationalistic, [insert negative attribute] people, but there is always great variation among a populace, so one should refrain from generalizing too much.My response to the above in block.Much thanks for your commentary and giving me a sparring partner. Hopefully we can learn from one another.My point of view starts about 31 years ago after the Brundtland report. I have seen Norway make decade after decade of poor decisions, and now Norway is already paying a price for them. Norway can’t even balance its own budget and needs to draw interest to fund the government’s general expenses to the tune of about 200 billion NOK a year. That is a clear example of Norway subsidizing an economically unsustainable way of life, its bad financial management to use interest revenue to fund general expenses, it should be used for further investment until the export economy is able to generate budget surpluses without oil.Norway could have started a sustainable transition as Sweden did many years ago. However, Norway has suffered a resource curse due to oil by failing to transition from an exporter of raw resources (80 percent) to that of primarily advanced knowledge packaged into stuff, created under increasingly sustainable conditions. Having lived in Sweden and seeing both Swedish and Norwegian business culture first hand its pretty clear Norway is a laggard in sustainable thinking or even exporting advanced goods. Look at your countries main business prize, what does it award? That is a reflection of the business values here if anything.Lets put out some numbers for perspective. In 2016, Norway exported about 350 billion NOK in oil and gas (see link below). That was a very low year, on average its been 500 billion since 2005 or so. In the oil industry there were 185,300 people working in it during 2016. This meant that on average each employee generated almost 1.9 million NOK in revenue EXPORTS. On the other hand, take the IT company EGGS, in 2016 each employee generated about 840,000 NOK in revenue. How much revenue of that was export revenue? EGGS alone will have to more than double the performance per employee in order to just match a bad year in oil export revenue, and all that work you do will need to be exported if you want to keep the Norwegian balance of trade in the positive.Currently, about 20 percent of Norwegian net exports are economically complex goods (the majority being offshore tech, but Norway’s share is shrinking) compared to Denmark and Sweden, which are 45 to 55 percent respectively. atlas.media.mit.edu . Where are the industries coming on line to fill this gap?When speaking to Norwegians, I get a lot of bright eyed and bushy tailed enthusiasm but I am not seeing clear plans, policies or milestone results towards those plans and policies that don’t really even exist. You talk about how its been realized for some time that Norway knows oil is coming to an end. Then show me linkages between Norwegian national industrial and sustainability policies that are designed to increase Norway’s competitive advantage and any results of such policies along the lines of the Swedish. The following link shows what the Norwegian economy is at present. What are some future political risks that Norway can face?Here are a few reports that demonstrate Norway does not really have an after oil plan.Teknologirådet. (2015). Luksusfellen – Omstilling I en oljeøknomi. [The luxury trap – Restrucuring within an oil economy] . Available at: < http://teknologiradet.no/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2015/07/Luksusfellen- endelig_120615_med-forside.pdf >Teknologirådet. (2013). Made in Norway?. Available at: < https://teknologiradet.no/wp-con... >What has changed?Research shows that Norway’s onshore industry has been cut in half from 1990 to 2011 as a percentage of GDP, and what is left is increasingly dependent on the oil industry. I think this post on Quora provides a more in depth explanation of the Norwegian economy and the worldviews held in Norway and some suggestions Norway should take. Why is Norway considered as a MEDC (More Economically Developed Country)?This so called booming IT sector? What is the size of it? How much of it is export based work? What are the projections for exports to scale and what have the results been historically? I do not take Norwegian companies that cannot export seriously as that is a true measure of their competitive advantage otherwise, its hard to separate the influence of cronyism and political lobbying from the balance sheet.Show me net export results of any of the startups or efforts over the last 20 years besides offshore technology that will be able to provide more than 1/4th the revenue Oil produces a year? Why did Norway choose the Stanford model, when small entrepreneurship has not historically driven export revenue for Norway? Why did’nt Norway adopt any thinking from Mariana Mazucaato, i.e., the entrepreneurial state thinking? If this startup culture is so vibrant then why is Norway only producing 1/4 of the triadic patents per capita as Sweden?Tell me about any startup company from Oslo that generates its primary revenues from exports and is able to scale to a billion dollars in export revenues? Norway is going to need about 40 to 80 of those in order to make up for the slack once oil and gas are gone.There is a problem in the Oslo startup culture of founders thinking they are something because they have received funding and have scaled however, they have yet to generate any revenues that justify their valuation (e.g., Kahoot). There is a lot of smoke in Oslo, but not a lot of fire, to reiterate especially in the area of export revenues.I highly disagree with you on the premise meaning of life is an individual thing. It cannot be an individual thing when individuals collectively are ensuring humanity exceeds the carrying capacity of the planet. If a person is able to live within their share of the planet’s carrying capacity then, sure meaning is then up to the indiviudal, however that is far from the case. The planet is in a crisis situation caused by our human impact, to think that we can continue to live the way we do, to maintain our traditions, culture, and beliefs is the same as a typewriter company thinking it can stay relevant in the PC world by making better typewriters. Explain to me why Scandinavians (or any other person from a country that exceeds the planets carrying capacity per person) should be able to determine their own meaning of life? That is, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all exceed their share of the 1.8 hectares per person by using 5.51, 4.98, and 7.25 hectares per person, respectively. Why should humans be allowed liberty so they can trash the planet?The main weakness of Norway is fully understanding the relationship between societal, environmental and economic sustainability as reflected in industrial, environmental polices, and societal policies failing to integrate the three into a comprehensive after oil plan. The other areas are woldviews held and the culture that makes transition to new worldviews a slow and tedious process, this is part of your curse. If Norway were leaders in Scandinavia in sustainable thinking and innovation then you would be, but for some reason Norwegians have created an echo chamber to tell one another how great everything is, rather than humble down and take responsibility for their and previous leaderships failures.Regarding the Norwegian wealth fund, are you saying it pioneered SDG reporting for companies? As far as I know GRI is a lead partner in UN SDG reporting. How much of the current sovereign funds holdings meet the SDG’s? If so how?These are some of my nuances. Looking forward to hearing yours!Response by the commenter, in block:Good points! I think to a large degree we are on the same page, as I’m also concerned with the oil-dominated economy and sustainability, and I’m currently working with startups and the high-tech industry to make this shift happen. Though, where I think where we differ is on the outlook ahead.It is hard to compare Sweden and Norway’s economy since Norway found oil and Sweden didn’t, which naturally lead to Sweden developing other industries. Oil proved to be an extremely lucrative industry, which shifted Norway’s focus towards the area. Being a welfare state and a democracy politicians were naturally inclined towards this industry, as it allowed them to spend vast amounts on health-care, pension, education, etc, which made them popular and has lead to the highest living standard in the world. The government has tried to solve the sustainability issue through buying environmental quotas abroad and investing in C02 removal capabilities in oil & gas (Mongstad). The backside of this growth has been the fact that the oil wages have been pushing the other wages in the country up, which has made it difficult to remain competitive for on-shore industries and low-skilled work.The welfare state does absolutely have some challenging years ahead, with increasing costs on pensions, healthcare, infrastructure and education. For this reason the past governments have been reducing the pensions quite dramatically, and are working to improve efficiency through technology in the health-sector. It is estimated that much for the Sovereign Wealth Fund will be spent in these transition years ahead, however fortunately for the country this means that for the time being, Norway has a buffer and capital to make investments. Unlike many other oil nations, the country’s economy has managed the latest oil crisis in 2014 quite well and the economy is recovering (Norway GDP Q2 2017).It is too early to pick winners that will replace the oil industry in terms of wealth creation, but the wheels have started turning. Norway already has a leading position in Maritime Industries and HealthTech and to a lesser degree EdTech and telecommunication. In 2010 there hardly was any startup community in the country, in comparison to now where accelerators like Startuplab and Mesh are going strong, higher education programs like Gründerskolen working to train new entrepreneurs, centers of expertise are working to bridge research with business (About NCE) foreign investment is coming in (Founder Institute: World's premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program.), seed capital funds are being created (World's happiest country is becoming a startup mecca) and many highly educated workers are focusing increasingly on these industries (https://www.techradar.com/news/w...). What I think can help here is the fact that Norway has one of the highest productivity levels in the world (Norway most productive country in northern Europe: research) and a highly educated population. However, this development of new industries and diversification of the economy will not happen over night, which unfortunately means that Norway will be dependent on the oil sector for more years to come.When I wrote individual meaning, I meant that I can’t speak on behalf of other people, but my impression is that most Norwegians are highly concerned about sustainability, and many are taking action through changes in their lifestyle, and voting for environmental parties. The environmental party is currently running the city of Oslo and are for instance making the city center car-free. In the national government, the environmental party Venstre has been pushing the government in a more sustainable direction, by creating a C02 tax, enforcing EV subsidies and preventing further oil searches. Though I agree that it would be nice to see further leadership in this area.Regarding the Sovereign Wealth Fund and the UN SDG goals, this is a somewhat new development, but they are focusing in particular on the Water Goals. Check out: As its wealth fund goes green, Norway's firms struggle to keep upMy response to the above block quotes.Thank you for the feedback!First I want to delve into the articles that you are using to support your argument.Myth – Norway, the second most productive country in Northern Europe. Source : Norway most productive country in northern Europe: research. The way productivity is measured here is by calculating by the wages earned per hour.I would recommend that you read the following article from Harvard Business Review on Productivity.https://hbr.org/1988/01/no-nonse...Key take away, productivity is not about high wages. Productivity equals units of outputs divided by units of inputs.Although high wages equaling high productivity is largely moot, lets delve into it for a few paragraphs. How do oil subsidies warp those wages into being high? As you said yourself wages are supported by the oil economy directly and for political reasons continued rise of wages in sectors besides oil are subsidized by the oil economy.What is the subsidy? In 2016 (don’t have 2017 numbers), Norway’s oil industry accounted for 48 percent of exports or about 46.7 billion dollars or 360 billion NOK at an exchange rate of 1 dollar to 7.72 NOK . ( source http://atlas.cid.harvard.edu and The World's Trusted Currency Authority ). Additionally, another 225.6 billion NOK was added to the budget in 2017 from the oil fund (I don’t have 2017 export oil export numbers). 360 plus 225.6 billion is 585 billion nok.In the fourth quarter of 2017 there were 2,655,000 people employed in the Norwegian labor force. (or 69.4 percent of the population, which is a few percent over the above number due to the percentage includes unemployed). Source http://www.ssb.no/en/akuSo, lets take those employed people and multiply it by the numbers in your article, 27 hours of work a week times 337 kroner, times 2,655,000 people, times 52 weeks (assuming the 27 hours was averaged out over the year to include vacations). Total wages equal 1,25 trillion NOK however, if we back out the oil money subsidy of government we are down to about 1 trillion NOK, and if we remove both the subsidies and oil exports we are down to 650 billion NOK, which is saying on average worker productivity without the oil subsidies is about 170 kroner an hour, or around half of the number in the article. To be fair, we should remove the 185,000 oil and gas sector employees I mentioned in the previous response from the 2,655,000 million workers. The 650 billion divided among 2,470,000 workers equals 187 kroner an hour, 187 kroner equals about 22 pounds, which in the article you presented would place Norwegian workers dead last on the table, at rank 11, beneath Germany. To reiterate, what people earn is a bad way to calculate productivity, as in Norway’s case due to oil distorting things and Norway being a bubble economy based on oil, it allows myths of “how great we are” and the echo chamber aka runkesirkel to perpetuate.Point two, Norwegian economic performance for one quarter. https://www.focus-economics.com/...I don’t think quoting one quarter of economic performance is a good way to tell the Norwegian economic story. The article talks about GDP growth of 1.7 to 1.8 percent, in 2017 and 2018, respectively (according to one panel).The following shows a trend over the last decade for Norwegian GDP. Norway is off it’s highs from 2008. (Source https://tradingeconomics.com/nor... ) and is making a slow recovery, primarily (around half) based on the export of oil, gas and condensate. What is more interesting is Norway’s exports have dramatically fallen, from highs of 177 billion dollars in 2012, to 112 billion and 97 billion dollars, in 2015 and 2016 respectively (source http://atlas.cid.harvard.edu ). Probably the most use in following the last link is looking at what is being exported and seeing there is not much of a change, or breakout industry that can come anywhere near replacing oil. What is more important is using the tool to look at net exports as you can get a better idea of what sectors have some sort of competitive advantage and when that is done, the story looks a bit dimmer.The idea of Co2 removal or carbon credits is the largest type of environmental white washing I can think of. When systems are designed they should be done in a way where the output is already thought of in advance. Capturing Co2 and purchasing carbon credits is putting a band aide on a bullet wound. One of my opponents for the defense of my thesis was a leader in the carbon capture storage industry, according to him at best its an interim solution. Humanity has reached a point where we need to move post oil asap.If Norway wants to help, it would have transitioned its oil industry into making products from the oil that are not burned in the first place and then implement concepts such as extended producer responsibility to ensure most of the products are re-captured. By doing so, this would have allowed Norway to gain industrial competencies through the value chain and recapture the value and recycle value back into the system. Now the majority of Norwegian oil is burnt into thin air. While CCS might show profitability, making products out of oil does show profitability and as an interim solution makes more sense than carbon capture from an economic point of view.Of course, Norway took the worldview that “we will hire the best global talent in Norway”, where Saudi Arabia said “we will hire the best global talent globally”. Saudi Arabia largely wiped the floor with Norway in regards to plastic pellet production, where now most of the plastic pellets purchased by Norway come from Saudi Arabia or Saudi controlled firms.I would like to see reports on NCE clusters in their overall results in terms of value added. I have read one report covering NCE’s and other NICs (following link). However, there is not enough financial analysis or comparative analysis with other countries regarding return on investment to make a good assessment of what is presented in the study. They receive around 150 MNok a year in funding, if they are effective throw more money at them, if not don’thttps://www.regjeringen.no/conte...To reiterate, the major issue is there are not national level goals in terms of a vision for the future of this country. If there is not a vision its hard to set goals, and milestones. One strong weakness of Norway, is not adopting the living lab thinking say a Finland or Sweden has. That is, going beyond triple helix thinking and adding people to the process. Living lab’s are often used for transitions from one point to the next. Norwegian innovation systems are sort of stuck in a copy of other innovation systems and not setting a unique path all of their own except in the traditional industries of offshore, subsea, maritime and fisheries. 76 percent of research funding goes to those areas but only accounts for about thirteen percent of jobs ( source, Fagerberg, Jan-2. (2014). Innovation and Innovation Policy in the Nordic Countries. Video Presentation)Regarding seed capital funds, Hallingdal-Valdres Sparebank has 1.2 billion NOK is a growth fund. Why does so much sit there? Because that region has a poverty of ideas and a risk model that is too conservative. Norway overall has the most risk adverse venture capital market in Scandinavia, the term sheets are noncompetitive from the perspective of the founder. Competition could help things, how much capital is the Founder Institute bringing to the table and are their term sheets competitive?I would like to see Innovasjon Norway completely re-organized, today it’s two cultures of bankers and innovators mostly fighting each other rather than achieving results. Innovasjon Norway should be result oriented. However, before this can happen there have to be clear national goals for a post oil future.The happiest country on earth article you shared ( http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/06/... ) is largely a puff piece. Growth by 160 percent is great, but it only equals 100 million dollars in startup fundng. The article shows no evidence of a track record in Norway of what investing the money gets investors. There is no meat in this article that any due diligence professional would find meaningful. Listing IOTA as a “Unicorn” is wishful thinking, where is the liquidity? I don’t doubt IOTA has worth but its highly speculative worth at this stage. The main problem with valuing IOTA at such a level is it produces very little social utility, unless that social utility is part of the greater movement of moving monetary policy from political decision making to scientific decision making. What does Erik Harell do for the article? If you read his quote what is he basing that off of? He has failed to monetize yet…the best chance is for Kahoot to hire lobbyists in the US to push through Kahoot to be used in schools, become a rent seeker, as there is no evidence the market is going to support that company. If anything the article feels its there so Thorleifsson can find investors to reduce his risk in Kahoot.The article you provide “Why Norway Wants to be the World’s Next Big Tech Hub” is full of misinformation.(source : https://www.techradar.com/news/w... )Again, it lists Kahoot as a success and its not. It lists Vivaldi as a success, it has never turned a profit, and lost 63 million kroner in 2016.Rold Assev, formerly from Opera, now Startup lab is quoted as saying “Businesses, especially start-ups, in other countries often fall victim to a model of rapid initial growth, before being sold or amalgamated into larger companies, Assev says. However in Norway, thanks to much of the investment into start-ups coming from within the country, rather than from abroad, domestic companies are able to keep their independence, and grow organically to achieve greater levels of success.”What is he talking about? Of the last 11 winners of the Gazelle Prize in Norway, only 3 had export potential and two of those were bought by foreign competitors. Overall, in Norway find it is much more common for startups to sell out at valuations of a few hundred million kroner than try to scale globally. There is a strong lack of ambition here combined with a lack of capability to go global, unless it’s a state run company, one of the larger established firms, or in an established sector.The article goes on to quote Lier from Nordic Impact “We have the DNA to take risks”. That is simply not true based on the track record of up and coming companies coming out of Norway over the last 10 years. The article goes on to quote Nustad, just a brief point here, his efforts with Folk, and sustainability compared to what is going on in Sweden sort of paint the picture of each country.In Sweden there are multi million Euro projects per year, every year, for many years to link competitive advantage with national goals to increase sustainability. In Norway, there is poor collaboration between investors and government on these issues. Instead what you get, is the fishing lobby telling Norway its future after oil via commercials.Overall, what you provided in your response did not really answer my questions regarding exports and instead you gave me mostly articles that are full of errors and opinions from those with vested interests. The articles mostly feel like press releases and not objective reporting.I warn you, if you are basing your opinions off of the “evidence” you provide then you are basing it off of evidence that would be the basis for bubble building. I don’t know much but I know what bubbles look like and how to perform due diligence. No seasoned investor would take Norway as a credible risk from the information you provided. I’m not saying there are not opportunities to invest in Norway just that the arguments you use to support your conclusions are based on a very low level of evidence.It might help you to read a post I made on evidence for academic analysishttp://qr.ae/TU17HyIf you could come back with actual answers to questions in the previous post that would be helpful as well as higher levels of evidence, from Academia for example.

Obama’s record. It may not overwhelming assisted every Black American, but was he supposed to? He wasn’t the president of Black America. He was the president of the United States. I truly believe he did his job to the greatest extent possible, within the 8 years he had, with the Congress and Supreme Court he had. The problem he had all through his presidency is that he was intentionally held in check, by Republican power. But even with that he was able to mount several accomplishments:EthicsOrdered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act and overturned Bush-era limits on accessibility of federal documents (2009)Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible (2009)Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration (2009)Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists (2009)Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels and boards (2009) * Note: After saying he would not hire lobbyists, a few have been hired in the AdministrationCompanies and individuals who are delinquent on their taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies (2010)Signed extensions on banning lobbyists from serving on agency boards (2010)Developed the “Don Not Pay List” with data on contractors and recipients of federal funds who are deemed to be ineligible because of fraud and abuse (2010)GovernanceThe White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government (2009)Ended the Bush-era practice of circumventing established FDA rules for political reasons (2009)Ended the Bush-era practice of having White House staff rewrite the findings of scientific and environmental regulations and reports when they disagreed with the results (2009)Limited the salaries of senior White House aides (salaries cut to $100,000) (2009)Has urged Congress to adopt “Pay-Go” (whereby each dollar of spending is offset by a dollar in cuts or revenues, which was used in the `90s but abandoned in the `00s) (2010)Has been holding open meetings with Republican leaders, although they complain of a lack of access and information (2010)Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (2010) * Note: To curb wasteful spendingTasked federal agencies to develop plans for disposing of unneeded real estate and then to eliminate unnecessary or non-economical lands, properties, etc. (2010)National SecurityPhasing out the expensive F-22 war plane (which wasn’t even used in Iraq/Afghanistan) and other outdated weapons systems (2009)Announced his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (2009) * Note: The closure has been delayed due to massive opposition but it remains on the agenda.Stated his interest in housing terrorists at a new federal “super max” facility in the US (2009) * Note: this has been delayed in the face of massive opposition but it remains on the agendaCut the expensive Reagan era missile defense program, saving $1.4 billion in 2010 (2009)Cancelled plans to station anti-ballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic (2009)Replacing long-range, expensive missile systems with more efficient smaller systems (2009)Increased US Navy patrols off the Somali coast in response to pirating (2009)Established a new cybersecurity office and appointed a cybersecurity czar (2009)Ordered the first nation-wide comprehensive cyber threat assessment (2009)Instituted a new Nuclear Posture Review, revising US nuclear deterrence policy to encourage more nations to join the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2010) * Note: Components of the policy include: a pledge to stop nuclear testing; a pledge to not build a new generation of nucs; identifying nuclear terrorism, rather than a launch from another nuclear state, as the major threat; a pledge to not use nucs on a non-nuclear state in a conventional conflict; etc.Executive orders to block payment, transfers, exports, etc… of individuals and organizations support the regimes of North Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, and other foreign threats (2010)Presidential Memoranda to extend certain provisions of The Trading with Enemies Act which was to expire in September 2010 (2010) * Note: This includes freezing assets and banning trade that benefits the Cuban regime; however further efforts at normalizing travel to Cuba are supportedSigned bill for southwest border security and increased funds and agents on the Mexican border (2010)Signed the Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act to deal with foreign regimes like Iran and North Korea (2010)Iraq & AfghanistanBegan the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq (2009); continuing the withdrawal (2010)Changed the US military command in the Afghan conflict (2009)Tasked the Pentagon to reorganize US policy in Afghanistan; the new policy includes 30,000 additional troops deployed, priority training of Afghan forces, developing agriculture and infrastructure, limiting aerial bombing, etc. (2009)Ordered the Pentagon to send additional helicopters to assist US Marine units and Special Forces in Afghanistan (2009)Increased unmanned drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan (2009)Ended the Bush-era “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date (2009)Military & VeteransOrdered the Pentagon to cover expenses of families of fallen soldiers if they wish to be on site when the body arrives back in the US (2009)Ended the Bush-era “blackout” imposed on media coverage of the return of fallen US soldiers (2009) * Note: The media is now permitted to cover the story pending adherence to respectful rules and with the approval of the fallen soldier’s familyEnded the Bush-era “black out” policy on media coverage of war casualties (2009) * Note: Full information is now released for the first time in the War on TerrorOrdered better body armor to be procured for US troops (2009)Funding new Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (2009) * Note: The old Hummers were very vulnerable to roadside explosives and an alarming percentage of our soldiers lost in Iraq were on account of IEDsWorking to increase pay and benefits for military personnel (2009)Improving housing for military personnel (2009)Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses (2009)Ordered that conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other neglected military hospitals be improved (2009)Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military to a post-Cold War, modern fighting force (2009) * Note: Bush announced in 2001 his intention to do this but backed off the reforms after 9/11, which include: new procurement policies; increasing the size of Special Ops units; deploying new technologies; creating new cyber security units; etc.Ended the Bush-era practice of awarding “no-bid” defense contracts (2009)Improving benefits for veterans as well as VA staffing, information systems, etc. (2009)Authorized construction of additional health centers to care for veterans (2009)Suspended the Bush-era decision to purchase a fleet of Marine One helicopters from suppliers in favor of American made helicopters (2009)Ordered a review of the existing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military (2010)New GI Bill for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (2009)Signed bill providing assistance for caregivers of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan (2010) * Note: The omnibus bill does the following: Training, funding, and counseling for caregivers; promoting pilot childcare programs for women vets under treatment at the VA; independent oversight to prevent abuse; readjustment counseling for National Guard and reservist units; etc.Eliminated co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled (2010)Fulfilled campaign promise to have combat troops (90,000) out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 (2010)Established a new interagency task force to assist veterans owning small businesses (2010) * Note: The efforts include promoting federal contract opportunities, improve access to loans and capital, mentor assistance programs, etc.Signed The Families of Fallen Heroes Act, which covers the moving costs of immediate family members of those lost in service (military, intelligence, and security personnel) (2010)Foreign PolicyClosed the Bush-era “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe (2009)Ended the Bush-era policy allowing “enhanced interrogation” (torture); the US is again in compliance with Geneva Convention standards (2009) * Note: Obama has permitted some controversial interrogation techniques to continueRestarted international nuclear non-proliferation talks and reestablished international nuclear inspection protocols (2009) * Note: Bush withdrew from non-proliferation talks and dismantled the inspection infrastructureReengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: These were suspended under BushReengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (2009) * Note: These were suspended under BushVisited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office (2009)Banned the export of cluster bombs (2009)Overturned Bush-era plans to increase the US nuclear arsenal (2009)Authorized the Navy SEALS operation that freed by force the US shipping captain held by Somali pirates (2009)Restored the US commitment to the UN population fund for family planning; overturned the ban on providing funds internationally for family planning (2009) * Note: The family planning efforts were suspended under BushInstituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit families (2009)Extended an offer of engagement (free from sanctions and penalties) to Iran through December 31, 2009 (Iran did not accept the offer) (2009)Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world, reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy (2009)Authorized discussions with North Korea and the private mission by former president, Bill Clinton, to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons (2009)Authorized discussions with Myanmar and the mission by Senator Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive (2009)Renewed loan guarantees for Israel (2009)Signed the USIFTA trade agreement with/for Israel (2009)Authorized a $550m advance for Israel (six months prior to the scheduled date) in order to accommodate Israeli’s economic and financial needs (2009)Continued agreements with Israel for cultural exchanges, immigration, etc. (2009)Spoke on Arab television, spoke at an Egyptian university, and met with Arab leaders in an effort to change the tone of US-Arab relations (2009)Ordered the US to finally pay its dues to the United Nations (2009)Attended the Summit of America’s meeting in Trinidad and Tobago (2010)Invited the Israeli Prime Minister to Washington; met with him (2010)Dispatched several envoys and initiated talks with numerous nations (2010)Signed a nuclear limitation treaty with Russia (2010) * Note: The agreement calls for both countries to reduce their nucs by one-third (1,500) and launch systems by half (800)Hosted nuclear non-proliferation summit for several nations (2010)Executive Order to establish support offices in the State Department to assist the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan (2010)Presidential Memoranda to continue drug interdiction support with Columbia (2010)EconomyIncreased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) (2009) * Note: Bush was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not make infrastructure a priorityAuthorized the US auto industry rescue plan and two GMAC rescue packages (2009)Authorized the housing rescue plan and new FHA residential housing guarantees (2009)Authorized a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (2009) * Note: 1/3 in tax cuts for working-class families; 1/3 to states for infrastructure projects; 1/3 to states to prevent the layoff of police officers, teachers, etc. at risk of losing their jobs because of state budget shortfallsInstituted a new rule allowing the public to meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (in as quickly as one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying (2009)Authorized a continuation of the US financial and banking rescue plans initiated at the end of the Bush administration and authorized TARP funds to buy “toxic assets” from failing financial institutions (2009)Authorized the “Cash for Clunkers” program that stimulated auto sales and removed old, inefficient, polluting cars from the road (2009)Convened a “jobs summit” to bring experts together to develop ideas for creating jobs (2009)Ordered the FDIC to beef up deposit insurance (2009)Ended the Bush-era policy of protecting credit card companies (2009) * Note: In place of the old policy, new consumer protections were instituted and the industry’s predatory practices were bannedAuthorized the federal government to make more loans available to small businesses and ordered lower rates for federal loans to small businesses (2009)Placed a 35% tariff on Chinese tires and a few other products such as pipes after China was found to be illegally “dumping” exports below cost (2009) * Note: Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan all refused to “get tough” on China’s predatory trade practices; Bush II refused four times during his presidencyIn November 2009, Obama extended unemployment benefits for one million workers and expanded coverage for some existing homeowners who are buying again (2009)Called on Congress to deliver a “Jobs bill” (2010)Credit card companies are prohibited from raising rates without advance notification or arbitrarily if customers are paying bills on time (2010)Signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits set to expire (2010)Signed historic Wall Street reform bill (2010) * Note: Designed to reregulate and end abusive practices and promote consumer protectionsSigned the HIRE Act to stimulate the economic recovery (2010) * Note: The bill includes: tax cuts for small businesses who hire someone unemployed for at least two months; small businesses can write off their investments in equipment this year; etc.National Export Initiative established to enhance federal support (technical assistance, training, trade missions, etc.) and coordination efforts to help US businesses export products and services (2010)Initiatives to promote a “Wireless Broadband Revolution” (2010) * Note: Among other things, broadband is finally being considered as necessary infrastructure, with efforts to expand use, access, and spectrum…Expanded agricultural credit to farmers during current economic crisis (2010)Signed bill - US Manufacturing Enhancement Act (2010)Signed bill - Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance (2010)TaxesNegotiated a deal with Swiss banks to permit the US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals (2009)Ended the Bush-era policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs (2009) * Note: The new policy promotes in-sourcing investments to brings jobs back to the USSigned the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which provides small tax cuts for 95% of “working families” (2009) * Note: The tax cuts were not as big as was suggested during the 2008 campaignConvened an advisory board that is looking into simplifying the tax code (2009)Ordered the closing of offshore tax safe havens (for individual and business tax evaders) (2009)Reduced taxes for some small businesses to stimulate economic recovery (2009)Extended the Home Buyers Credit for first-time home buyers (2009)Proposed doubling the child tax credit (2010)Called for the repeal of the capital gains tax for small businesses (2010)Proposed rolling back the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (2010) * Note: This would be for families earning over $250,000/year and would return their tax rates to the 1990’s levelBudgetingOrdered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut federal spending (2009)Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify wasteful spending and practices (2009)Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient (2009)Overturned the Bush-era practice of not listing certain federal programs in the federal budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did this (so did Reagan) in an effort to hide programs and make the budget look smaller; such “off budget” items are now included in the annual budgetFull appropriations for war are now included in the budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did not list many of the appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, and War on TerrorFunds for emergency appropriations are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)Proposed a three-year freeze on federal discretionary spending beginning in 2011 (2010)Is in the process of cutting 120 federal programs identified as either wasteful or unnecessary (2010)Established a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility, staffed by House and Senate members and private citizens, tasked with submitting proposals to balance the budget (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered downEstablished a bipartisan commission on the future of Social Security, tasked with submitting proposals to preserve and strengthen Social Security (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered downCut $20 billion from federal budget and has pledged to cut at least this much every year (2010)Ultimately decided to cancel planned new presidential helicopter fleet and stick with marine One (2010)Freezing all discretionary spending for next three years, except on national security (2010)Presidential Memoranda to freeze discretionary awards, bonuses, etc. for federal political appointees (2010)Beginning to use “Pay-As-You-Go” (Pay-Go) to offset budget expenditures with budget cuts or revenue enhancements (2010)HealthcareRemoved Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research (2009)Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research (2009)Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children (2009)Established an independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare (2009)Reversed some of the Bush-era restrictions that prevented Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical firms for cheaper drugs, allowing government to again competitively bid (2009) * Note: Obama had promised to lift all restrictions but, while he did negotiate with drug companies for them to lower their costs the deal only lifted some restrictionsExpanding government vaccination programs (2009)Issued new disease prevention guidelines and priorities for the CDC (2009)Authorized the FDA to finally begin regulating tobacco (2009)Tasked federal labs to prioritize research on and deployment of H1N1 vaccines (2009)Asked multiple congressional committees to bring forward a healthcare reform bill; held dozens of public hearings and town halls on the issue (2009) (2010)Established a new council on National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health to be chaired by Surgeon General and charged with promoting healthy lifestyles and integrative healthcare (2010)When accusations to the contrary arose, an Executive Order was signed to reaffirm that federal funds are not to be used for abortion services (2010)Historic healthcare reform bill signed - $940 billion over 10 years (2010) * Note: 32 million additional Americans will receive healthcare coverage and costs will be lowered for most Americans, but many of the goals are phased in over four yearsCOMPONENTS OF THE BILLPrevents insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals/family members with pre-existing health conditions; a temporary plan is being developed to cover high-risk individuals with pre-existing conditions until the full reforms go into effect in 2014Prevents insurance companies from placing lifetime limits on benefitsBans “rescission” so insurance companies can’t cancel coverage if individuals keep their policies current or if they become illAn individual’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are cappedCloses the “donut hole” (Part D) for Medicare prescription drug coverage (under Bush, Medicare helped pay for drugs up to $2,600 and above $4,550, but individuals had to pay 100% of the costs in between these amounts); now Medicare helps cover costs irrespective of the amount – seniors will now pay only 25% of drug costs up to $4,550 and only 5% of drug costs above that amountIn 2010, an emergency provision will offer seniors a $250 rebate on the costs incurred within the “donut hole”Individuals living at or below the poverty line were eligible for healthcare under Medicaid, but by 2014 individuals/families living slightly above (making up to $14,404/$29,327) the poverty line will also be eligible for benefitsIndividuals/families making less than $43,320/$88,200 per year will qualify for government subsidies to help purchase health insuranceAll individuals must have health insurance or face a government fine; all large (over 50 employees) employers must offer health insurance to employees or pay a fineSmall businesses can get a tax credit if they offer health careThere are hardship exemptions if individuals can’t afford health insuranceFamilies can keep their children in college on their plans through age 26Promotes health insurance “exchanges” so consumers can buy “wholesale”Creates consumer assistance offices to help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies; beginning in 2011, insurance companies can no longer make excessive rate hikes without justification and approval, and those doing so may be barred from participating in new health insurance exchangesFUNDING SOURCES:Large employers (over 50 workers) that don’t offer health benefits will be charged a $2,000/worker fee; if the employer offers coverage but employees instead purchase federally subsidized insurance the fee is $3,000/worker receiving federal subsidies or $750/worker (whichever is lower)Annual fees on pharmaceutical companies ($27 billion), health insurance companies ($60 billion), and medical device-makers ($20 billion)Annual penalties on individuals who do not have health insurance (up to a maximum of $695/person)Increase in the Medicare payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for individuals making $200,000+ and families making $250,000+3.8% tax on unearned income for millionairesInsurance companies will be subject to a tax on each high-end insurance plan (so-called “Cadillac” plans) they offerMISCELLANEOUS:Illegal immigrants are not eligible for insurance or subsidiesBy Executive Order, such federal funding can’t be used for abortionThe federal government will assist states by covering all of the increased expenses of expanding Medicaid coverage (90% of costs after 2020)Energy & EnvironmentRemoved a ruling that now allows individual states to enact automotive fuel efficiency standards above federal standards (2009)Offered attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles (2009)Overturned Bush-era rule that weakened the Endangered Species Act (2009)Announced plans to purchase fuel-efficient American-made fleet for the federal government (2009)Ended the Bush-era policy of not regulating and labelling carbon dioxide emissions (2009)Signed a measure requiring energy-producing plants to begin producing 15% of their energy from renewable sources (2009)Announced that the federal government would reengage in the long-delayed effort to clean up “Superfund” toxic waste sites (2009)Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s energy reform was killed by Senate RepublicansProposed a new refuge for wild mustangs (2009)Cancelled several Bush-era mountain-top removal and mining permits (2009)Reengaged in international treaties and agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: Bush had withdrawn from such effortsAsked Congress for an energy reform and “cap and trade” bill (2009) * Note: The Congress failed to pass such a billDeveloping plan to lease US coastal waters for wind and water-current energy production (2009)Overturned Bush-era policies that allowed uranium mining near national parks such as the Grand Canyon (2009)Expanded the Petrified Forest National Park (2009)Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that protects millions of acres of scenic, historic, and recreational lands and trails (2009)Requiring that government buildings and facilities be retrofitted to save energy costs (2009) * Note: These green retrofits are moving very slowlyAuthorized studies in several western states to determine how to support large-scale solar installations (2009)Attended the Copenhagen talks and, after the talks were stalled, negotiated an international (voluntary) agreement on reducing carbon emissions and raising funds to assist developing nations in offsetting carbon emissions (2009)Banned importation of pythons in response to a growing population of pythons damaging the Florida Everglades (2009)Committing the federal government to increasing research and use of renewable, clean energy sources such as wind, biomass, etc. (2009)Executive orders establishing a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all federal operations (2009) (2010)Called for exploring the possibility of additional off-shore oil drilling in the Gulf, Atlantic, and off Alaska (but not in ANWR) (2010)Agreed to consider increases in nuclear energy production and requested a study on the feasibility of nuclear power plant construction (2010) * Note: Nearly all energy initiatives were defeated by Republican opposition in CongressIncreased investment in clean energy projects (2010)Executive Order to develop a new strategy for and commitment to ocean and lake resources, and for scientific research on water quality (2010)RightsInstituted enforcements for equal pay for women (Lilly Ledbetter Bill) (2009)Appointed Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina, to the Supreme Court (2009)Held the first Seder in White House (2009)Appointed a diverse Cabinet and diverse White House staff (2009)Spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization (2009)Signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation that includes acts of violence against gays under the list of federal hate crimes (2009)Reversed the Bush-era practice of politicizing Justice Department investigations and prosecutions against political opponents (2009)Pushing for some of the 9/11 perpetrators to be tried in federal court (2009) * Note: The process has moved at a snail’s pace and, in the face of opposition, Obama has remained quietSigned an extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Bill to provide federal research and support for treating the disease (2009)Allowed the State Department of offer same-sex benefits for employees (2009)Proposed that the Pentagon repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; placed a “freeze” on current efforts to remove alleged homosexuals from the military (2009)After eight years of neglect, the Justice Department and EEOC are again enforcing employment discrimination laws (2009)Convened the White House Tribal Nations Conference, inviting representatives from 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes (2009)Provided increased school projects for Indian lands and increased funds for the Indian Health Service (2009)Signed an Executive Order mandating that his Cabinet develop plans to work with and consult Indian tribes on issues impacting Indian lands (2009)Commissioned a study to develop alternatives to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)Called for federal agencies to look into recognizing gay partnerships in terms of benefits (2010)Signed an Executive Order for the President’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)Increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)Signed Executive Order to promote the federal government as a “model employer” when it comes to hiring the disabled (2010) * Note: This includes new efforts to increase the recruitment, hiring, and training for the disabledPrograms to assist Spanish speakers with the US Census (2010)Elena Kagen appointed to Supreme Court (2010)Tasked all federal agencies to develop new strategies to address HIV/AIDS (2010)After organizing studies on the topic in 2009, tasked the Pentagon to eliminate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)Signed Fair Sentencing Act (2010) * Note: The Administration continues to deescalate marijuana interdiction and raids; increased dramatically the amount of cocaine one must possess to be sentenced to jail; eliminated mandatory sentencing for first-time drug abusers and simple possessionEducationAuthorized construction funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access in K-12 public schools (2009)Increased funding for school construction (2009)Increased funding available for student loans (2009)Expanded the national youth service program (2009)Streamlined the federal student loan process to save $87 billion over the next 10 years (2009)Changed the rule to allow students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance their loans (2009)Beginning discussions with Congress for education reform (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s education reform has been sidelined by opposition in CongressInitiated a “Race to the Top” competitive federal grant program for states who develop innovative policies (2009)Instituted a “judgment review” allowing families with student loans to petition to have their current financial status determine the loan rather than the previous year’s finances (2009)Launched “Educate to Innovate,” a public/private partnership making $236 million available for science, mathematics, and technology education programs (2009)Proposed capping the maximum amount students must pay on student loans (as percentage of their income) (2010)Proposed reducing student loan obligations for individuals going to work in community and public service jobs (2010)The federal government will offer direct student loans, cutting out the cost of private banks (“middle man”) who increase the costs in order to make a profit (2010)Increased investment in technologies for schools/education (2010)Disaster ResponseOrdered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness (2009)FEMA once again reports directly to the president (2009) * Note: Bush removed FEMA (prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster) from this statusDemonstrated an immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters (2009)Ordered that funds be released and red tape be streamlined for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery effort in the Gulf Coast (2009)Timely and massive relief effort in response to the January 2010 earthquake and ensuing humanitarian crisis (2010)COMPONENTS OF THE RESPONSES:The FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud was tasked to look into possible fraud with organizations soliciting funds for reliefAnnounced the Clinton-Bush Haiti FundEstablished an emergency Haiti Task Force in the State DepartmentEstablished a website with information, resources, and a posting of a “person finder” online to help families and friends to locate loved onesJoint aid and relief planning with the U.K.Sponsored a resolution in the UN Security Council for additional security and police forces in HaitiDispatched the US Navy floating hospital (USNS Comfort) and, within 5 days, 9 naval and relief ships, 5 Coast Guard cutters, 8 Coast Guard aircraft, and 12,000 US military personnelInitial dispatch of several ships and cargo planes full of humanitarian aid and supplies, 6 search/rescue teams (500 personnel), and 265 Department of Health & Human Services personnel for emergency medical and aid supportEstablished a mobile US air traffic control center at the destroyed airport in Port-au-PrinceAfter the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a freeze was placed on new deep water projects (2010)Executive Order to establish new security measures to minimize accidental release of bio and chemical agents; new strategies for public health and bioterrorism response (2010)Established a national commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon spill to examine facts and report a plan of action; new efforts to prevent offshore spills (2010)After a slow start in responding to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the White House is promoting a long-term plan to reconstruct the damaged Gulf and negotiated with BP the establishment of a multi-billion dollar trust fund for victims of the spill (2010)Extended national flood insurance program for those in need during current economic crisis (2010)Other InitiativesNew federal funding for science and research labs (2009)Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program (2009)Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program (2009)Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud (2009)Ordered the DEA to stop raids on medical marijuana usage (2009)Ordered a review of existing “mandatory minimum” prison sentencing (2009)Signed an order to limit airport tarmac delays and the time passengers had to sit in the plane/on the tarmac during delays (2009)Restored the EPA to “Cabinet-level” status (2009) * Note: Bush removed the EPA from this statusBeginning discussions with Congress for comprehensive immigration reform (2010) * Note: Much of Obama’s immigration reform had been stalled by the opposition in CongressCommissioned expert panels and reports from NASA; announced a new direction for human space flight that involves funding a new heavy lift-launcher and jettisoning the Ares 1 program; boosting NASA’s budget by $1 billion in 2011 (2010)Ordered a ban on text-messaging for all commercial truck and bus drivers (2010)Signed bill – FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act (2010)P.S. In Case You Were Wondering…The Obamas paid for the renovations of the private living quarters in the White House with their own money rather than using the funds provided to all new first families (2009)The Obamas reused many Christmas ornaments from previous White House trees rather than buy new ones (2009)The Obamas used LED energy-saving lights on White House Christmas tree (2009)Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; donated the award money for the prize to several charities (2009)Planted a garden for the White House’s vegetables and flowers (2009)Installed a swing set/playground for the Obama daughters and children of White House employees (2009)Held over 150 public town halls, press conferences, interviews, etc. in first year in office (2009) * Note: Official numbers are not available on such things, but this seems to be a new record highLess than 30 days of vacation in first year in office (2009) * Note: Official numbers are not readily available on such things, but this seems to be a new record low...And A Family Man!!!Source: The 244 Accomplishments of President Barack Obama – Ramona Houston

[1]Best Industries for Starting a Business:Extraction of Tannin (Edible) from Areca Nut WasteTannin, an astringent biomolecule is extracted from plants and fruits. It is found in various parts of plants including, barks, seeds, stem tissues, roots, and leaves. Plants have tannin content in abundance, which protects them from predation and also helps for their growth regulation. Fruits with rich tannin content include cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, grapes, and oranges.Areca nut is the fruit produced from the palm trees of South East Asia. Although, the production of areca nut is dependent on the geographic and climatic conditions of the region. Thus, the price fluctuations are majorly dependent on the production of the areca nut. The areca nuts are consumed not only for chewing with betel leaf, but also for various rituals in South East Asia Pacific countries. India is the largest consumer and producer of areca nut in the world. As high consumption of areca nut causes severe health problems, the market for areca nut has attained maturity in the global market.Arecanut (Areca catechu L.), being a highly profitable commercial plantation crop.Tannins is obtained as a by-product from the process of preparing immature betelnuts for masticatory purposes. The sediments found in the tannin when it is dried, is called arecanut dust. Tannins in arecanut were being used for dyeing clothes and roaps and also used for tanning leather. It can be used as an adhesive in plyboard manufacture. Another possible use of areca tannins is as a safe food coloring agent. Black writing ink of acceptable quality may be prepared. Further, it is also useful in protecting house hold furniture.India is the major producer and consumer of arecanut in the world.Production is concentrated in six states, namely Karnataka, Kerala,Assam, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Arecanut is the majorplantation crop of coastal and southern districts of the country under assured irrigation facilityGlobally it is primarily grown in India, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and Myanmar. India leads the production followed by China and Bangladesh. In India it is grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Maharashtra, West Bengal and parts of Tripura.The global tannin market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. The increasing demand from the various end-use industries such as leather, wine, and wood adhesives is the major driving factor for the growth of tannins market. The anti-oxidation and decomposition properties of tannins are a major factor for the demand of tannins in the leather manufacturing and wine fermenting industries. The increasing consumption of alcohol is expected to boost the growth of tannin market. Moreover, the demand for tannin in the manufacturing of wood adhesives and medicines is expected to drive the growth of tannin market positively over the forecast period.The global tannin market size was estimated at 1,076.3 Kilotons in 2015. Increasing demand from the leather manufacturing and wine making industry is expected to be a key factor driving market growth.Aluminium Cans ManufacturingAluminium cans are every day commodities that people come across on a regular basis, whether it’s while they are grocery shopping, taking their lunch break, or pondering in front of a vending machine. The aluminium beverage can is now the popular choice for carbonated and still soft drinks, mineral waters, beers and lagers. The process involves drawing and ironing of a sheet or blank of a material, untinned low-carbon cold-rolled steel, to develop a tabular piece. The tabular piece acts as the can body.The packaging industry in India is estimated to reach $73 billion by 2020, from $32 billion in 2015, says a study by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Tata Strategic Management Group. The country’s packaging industry is set to register 18 per cent growth, year-on-year with sub-sectors like flexible packaging and rigid packaging to grow annually at the rate of 25 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. Indian market for beverage cans shows that a 60 per cent share is accounted by beer and the rest by carbonated drinks. The aluminium beverage can market is valued at around $2 billion and is logging 21 per cent growth each year. As a whole any entrepreneur can venture in this project without risk and earn profit. Read moreProtein BarProtein bars, which contain some form of milk-derived or plant-based protein like whey, hemp, pea or rice protein. Protein bars are usually lower in carbs than energy bars, lower in vitamins and dietary minerals than meal replacement bars, and significantly higher in protein than either. Protein bars may contain high levels of sugar and sometimes are called "candy bars" in disguise. Protein bars include isolated protein from one or more sources; for example, milk, soy or eggs. An energy bar should have 3 grams of fiber or more and up to 15 grams of protein.The combined market for cereal/granola bars and energy/nutrition bars is projected to approach $8.3 billion in 2016, for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% over the five-year 2012 to 2016 periods. The market is growing at a fast rate, due to the increasing demand among consumers for portable convenience foods, which is enhancing the protein bar market. These consumers are not only sports athletes, but also those who want to have a wholesome meal without the trouble of cooking and prefer buying protein bars. Globally, the market for protein bars is expected to register a CAGR of XX% from 2018 to 2023. The protein bar market is estimated to be valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD XX million by 2023. As a whole entrepreneur can venture in this field will be successful.Aluminium Angles, Channels, Doors & WindowsAluminium is the strongest and most durable material, easy to clean and maintain. Aluminium Angle has rounded corners and is generally used for structural applications where strength is important.Aluminum channel material is a great choice for structural applications where strength is important. Aluminium Channel is widely used in home and garden DIY. It is ideal for frame making, sliding doors, caravan refurbishment, shed building and cable management, to name just a few.Aluminium Channel has a right angle inside and outside corners making the ideal shape. Aluminium U Channels can be used for various different uses; including general fabrications, light construction projects, decoration vehicle construction, boat building and much more.Aluminium doors are often used for commercial properties and retail facilities. Aluminium doors differentiate by their frame thickness, quality and stability as well as thermal and acoustic properties.High performance aluminium windows are able to meet or exceed energy efficiency standards. Aluminium windows and doors can easily achieve improvements in heat gain and heat loss through windows by 60% rivalling more expensive timber and uPVC equivalents.The future of the global aluminum door and window market looks promising, with opportunities in the growth of the residential and commercial construction industry. The global aluminum door and window market is estimated to reach $72.1 billion by 2021 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2016 to 2021. The major drivers of growth for this market are increasing new construction and renovation activities.While the growth looks imminent in aluminium consumption especially through value added products, India's downstream processing industry is likely to witness a phenomenal progress in coming years. In advanced economies, aluminium is increasingly replacing wood and steel in building sector. Aluminium cans and containers are used extensively world over.Readymade Khaini (Geeli)Khaini chewing, a form of smokeless tobacco is viewed to be relatively harmless by the rural folk. Khaini is tobacco with slaked lime. The negative consequences of stress as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and reduced human performances are well studied. Stress is known to change the balance existing between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Khaini chewers are likely to suffer from mental and physical exhaustion, leading to stress.The data revealed that khaini consumption in Maharashtra increased to 15.5% in 2016-2017 from 14.5% in 2009-2010. Similarly, consumption of gutkha increased from 8.3% to 8.6%. Smokeless tobacco products is higher among women as compared to men. For example, the consumption of betel quid with tobacco is 3.8% in women as compared to 3.6% in men. Similarly, tobacco for oral application is 8.2% among females, compared to 1.9% in males. The consumption of snuff in women is 1.3% compared to 0.4% in men. As a whole there is a good scope for new entrepreneur to invest in this business. Read moreDehydration of GrapesGrapes are a great source of vitamins A, C and K before they become raisins BUT when they ARE raisins, they have more Choline, Niacin, Folate, and Betaine, with higher trace amounts of Thiamin, and Riboflavin! Dried grapes are the dried, ripe fruit of the grapevine (Vitis Vinifera).Grapes are one of the world’s most commonly produced fruit crops, with approximately 75 million tonnes produced each year. It is also one of the most abundant fruits: while almost 50%of grapes are used to make wine, one third is consumed as fresh fruit and the rest is dried, consumed as grape juice or stored in the form of grape musts (whether concentrated or not).The Dried Fruit refers to the fruit which the original water has been removed, usually through the sun drying or the drying machine.The revenue generated from Dried Fruits has been estimated to be valued over US$ 43.54 Bn in 2018, which is projected to increase at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period (2018-2026).Rising global urban population and per capita income are factors responsible for the boost in demand for industry products such as fruit snacks and cereals. Demand for dried fruits from food manufacturers, such as confectionery and bakery, as well as dairy companies is increasing all over the world, as these buyers purchase processed fruit products from industry operators for utilization of fruits in their manufacturing processes.By Product Type, the global dried fruits market is segmented as Raisins (Dried Grapes), Tropical and Exotic Fruits, Berries and Other Fruits. The Raisins (Dried Grapes) are further includes Natural Seedless, Golden Seedless, Black Currant, Raisin Mix and Others (Sultana, Muscat, Monukka, Other Seedless). The Tropical and Exotic Fruits segment includes Table Dates, Prunes, Dried Figs, Dried Apricots and Other Tropical and Exotic Fruits (Apple, Mango, Papaya, Pineapple, Banana, and Citrus).The European Union is the largest importer of dried grapes in the world, with a market share of more than 50% of the world imports. Also dried grapes are the most important dried fruit in the European market, representing 40% of all dried fruit imports. Nearly 70% of all European imports of dried grapes are from Developing Countries.Hydraulic Hose with Crimping Facility of Hose End FittingsA hose is a flexible hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes (the word pipe usually refers to a rigid tube, whereas a hose is usually a flexible one), or more generally tubing. The shape of a hose is usually cylindrical (having a circular cross section). Hose design is based on a combination of application and performance. Common factors are size, pressure rating, weight, length, straight hose or coilhose, and chemical compatibility.Hoses are made from one or a combination of many different materials. Applications mostly use nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, PVC, or synthetic or natural rubbers, based on the environment and pressure rating needed. Development in rubber and plastic technology led to substantial growth of hose pipe and almost all the hose pipe manufactured has components of rubber and plastic. The market was estimated at USD ~ billion during 2016 which has increased from USD ~ billion in 2011 registering a five year CAGR of ~% in 2011-2016. The resultant effect on the global market for hydraulic rubber hoses is a CAGR of 4.2% from 2014 to 2022. This market is expected to be valued at US$779.8 mn by the end of 2016 and US$1 bn by 2022. Entrepreneurs who invest in this project will be successful.Calcined Lime, Lime CalcinationLime is one of the most widely used and cheapest alkalizing agents employed worldwide.Limestone is one of the most basic raw materials employed in the steel industry and is used both in iron making and steel making processes. Lime (CaO) is one of the oldest chemicals known to man and the process of lime production is one of the oldest chemical industries.Calcium oxide (CaO) is lime, which is produced through calcination of limestone including calcined limestone, ground limestone and hydrated limestone. Production of lime is a complex industrial process and delivers two product forms quicklime and hydrated lime.Lime is an important element in civil engineering and construction materials. In chemical industry, lime is used as chemical reagent in the production of various chemicals. It is extensively used in the metallurgical industry and in numerous other downstream manufacturing industries including glass, and paper and pulp among others. Increase in usage of lime in the production of precipitated calcium carbonate is expected to drive the lime market during the forecast period. According to the research report, the global lime market was valued at US$44.84 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$76.48 bn by the end of 2024. During the forecast period of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to surge at a CAGR of 6.2%.Calcined Lime is widely used by almost every Chemical and Process Industry including Fertilizers, Food Nutrients, Chemical, Paper & Pulp, Metallurgical, Oil Refinery, etc. in one or other form. Besides this, it is also used in waste water treatment operations.Multispeciality HospitalA specialty hospital is dedicated to specific sub-speciality care (paediatric centres, oncology centres, and psychiatric hospitals). Patients will often be referred from smaller hospitals to a speciality hospital for major operations, consultations with sub-specialists and when sophisticated intensive care facilities are required. A Multi-speciality hospital as a health care organization has been defined in varied terms as an institution involved in preventive, curative/ameliorative, palliative or rehabilitative services. It is meant to treat patients suffering from various ailments.The overall Indian healthcare market is worth around US$ 100 billion and is expected to grow to US$ 280 billion by 2020, a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.9 per cent. Healthcare delivery, which includes hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostics centres, and pharmaceuticals, constitutes 65 per cent of the overall market.The Healthcare Information Technology (IT) market which is valued at US$ 1 billion currently is expected to grow 1.5 times by 2020. As a whole there is a good scope for new entrepreneur to invest in this business.Hosiery Products (Vest, Briefs, T-Shirts & Socks)Hosiery also referred to as leg wear, describes the garments, worn directly on the feet and legs. The term hosiery is also being used for the type of knitted fabric, its weight and thickness. It is manufactured in a wide range of fabric weights, knits and colors. In general, heavier weight fabrics are stronger and more durable, but are thicker and show less of the natural skin tone. On the other hand, lighter garments look and feel more luxurious but are not strong as compared to the heavier ones. The hosiery includes categories such as sheers, support hosiery, control tops, opaques, tights, stay-ups, stockings, maternity pantyhose and run-resistant garments.The growth of the global hosiery market is driven by the robust demand for comfortable and stylish hosiery among the consumers. Changing lifestyles and demographic factors are bringing changes in demand patterns for hosiery. Further, the global demand for hosiery is increasing due to the increasing employment rate across various countries in the world. Further, rising disposable income is expected to intensify the growth of the global hosiery market. Moreover, rapid urbanization is anticipated to positively impact the growth of the hosiery market.Rising personal disposable income along with changing lifestyle is anticipated to expand the growth of global hosiery market during the forecast period. Apart from this, propagation of modern retail formats such as supermarkets, discount stores, and pharmacy stores is resulting in increasing product visibility. This enables easier accessibility to clothing products such as hosiery to consumers. The increasing sales from online commerce sector is fuelling the growth of global hosiery market as it saves the time of buyers and offer various discounts on the products. Thus, the online store is expected to be the fastest growing segment which is anticipated to expand the growth of global hosiery market over the forecast period.The global hosiery market is expected to witness a steady growth attributed to considerable demand in the healthcare and fitness industry. Consumption of hosiery products is expected to remain high among women in terms of demography. Socks is predicted to witness significant demand in the global market as compared to other products.Increasing spending on fashion products coupled with growth in disposable income of consumer is anticipated to drive the demand for the hosiery market during the forecast period. Furthermore, in developing economies, rising preference towards western outfits resulting in higher spending on fashion clothing is in turn projected to drive the demand for hosiery products over the forecast period. Beside this, increasing population across the globe is also projected to drive the demand for hosiery products.Furfural from Bagasse and CorncobsFurfural is produced from agricultural waste biomass that contain pentosans, which are aldose to sugars, composed of small rings formed from short five-member chains, that constitute a class of complex carbohydrates, present in cellulose of many woody plants such as corn cobs, sugar cane bagasse, rice, wheat bran, sawdust and oat hulls etc. Furfural has several applications such as antacids, fertilizers, plastics, fungicides, nematicides and adhesives.The global furfural market was valued at US$1.3 bn by 2013,US$450 million in 2014,$663.5 million in 2015 and In 2016, the market was valued USD 557.4 Million in terms of revenue. By Regions, 2017-2025” is expected to reach USD 1393.9 Million by 2025 in terms of revenue. In terms of volume, is estimated to reach by 464.5 Kiloton in 2016, $1,434.1 million by 2022 and expected to reach $1184.8 Kiloton by 2025.Entrepreneurs who invest in this project will be successful. Read moreNewspaper PrintingNewspaper, publication usually issued daily, weekly, or at other regular times that provides news, views, features, and other information of public interest and that often carries advertising.India has a growing and constantly changing newspaper market, with daily circulation up from 150 million, it is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.India’s Newspaper Industry has been rising since so many years and this is why a lot of motivated individuals tend to indulge in these kind of businesses be it newspaper, magazine etc. In India, as per a report, there are more than 82,000 newspapers in publication. And now this number seems to grow year by year. Publishing Industry has always been a lucrative option for a number of aspiring beings across India.India has more daily newspaper than any other nation and out of world’s 100 largest newspapers 20 are Indian. The demand of newsprint in India is expected to grow at a rate of 9% and India’s paper consumption is expected to increase to three million tons in 2015-16.Fluorine Chemical (Hydrofluoric Acid)Fluorine is a chemical element with symbol F and atomic number 9. It is the lightest halogen and exists as a highly toxic pale yellow diatomic gas at standard conditions. As the most electronegative element, it is extremely reactive, as it reacts with almost all other elements, except for helium and neon.Fluorine is an univalent poisonous gaseous halogen, it is pale yellow-green and it is the most chemically reactive and electronegative of all the elements. Fluorine readily forms compounds with most other elements, even with the noble gases krypton, xenon and radon. It is so reactive that glass, metals, and even water, as well as other substances, burn with a bright flame in a jet of fluorine gas.Polyvinyl AcetatePolyvinyl acetate is a substance produced through the combining of many units of monomeric vinyl acetate (CH3COOCH=CH2). The number of units so combined is typically between 100 and 5,000. Polyvinyl acetate includes all homopolymers and copolymers where the vinyl acetate content is at least 50%. About 80% of total consumption is used in wood, construction and paper adhesives, and architectural coatings. Most of the remaining polymers are used in paper and textile coatings.Polyvinyl acetate is a rubber synthetic polymer, or plastic. It belongs to polyvinyl ester family and is categorized as a thermoplastic, meaning it melts at high temperatures and is elastic and flexible at room temperature. Polyvinyl acetate is a vinyl polymer and is prepared by polymerization of vinyl acetate monomer.Microcrystalline Cellulose(Pharmaceutical Grade)Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a term for refined wood pulp and is used as a texturizer, an anti-caking agent, a fat substitute, an emulsifier, an extender, and a bulking agent in food production. The most common form is used in vitamin supplements or tablets. It is also used in plaque assays for counting viruses, as an alternative to carboxymethyl cellulose.Microcrystalline Cellulose Market size is projected to grow from USD 885.1 million in 2018 to USD 1,241.4 million by 2023, at a CAGR of 7.0% between 2018 and 2023 and is forecast to exceed USD 1.2 billion by 2024. Which facilitates the development of new technologies and ensure a high quality product. Read moreDry Fruits Processing(For Snack, Almond, Pistachio and Cashew Nut)Dried fruits are one of the most popular products made by small-scale processors. Drying removes the water from fruits so that the growth of micro-organisms is inhibited. It also reduces the weight and bulk of foods which cuts down on transport and storage costs. Walnuts, Cashew nuts, Almonds, pine nuts, Pistachio provided a high calorie intake. Nuts are used by mankind for food, edible oils, spices, condiments or beverages. Nuts are a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. This makes them a popular snack which is both tasty and nutritious.The nut and dried fruit industry in India is currently pegged at INR 15,000 crores (~ USD 2 billion) and is estimated to grow to INR 30,000 crores (~ USD 4 billion) by 2020, according to the Chairman of Royal Dried Fruits Range, a city-based dried fruits retailer. The global nuts and seeds market to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the period 2016-2020. This facilitates the development of new technologies and ensures a high quality product. Read moreLayer Poultry FarmingLayer poultry farming means raising egg laying poultry birds for the purpose of commercial egg production. Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from when they are one day old. They start laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks of age. They remain laying eggs continuously till their 72-78 weeks of age. They can produce about one kg of eggs by consuming about 2.25 kg of food during their egg laying period.India is third largest egg production and fifth in chicken meat producer in the world. India has a population of 1.2 billion and 50% of India's workforce is in agriculture. The total egg production has increased from 27.33 Billion during 2015-17 (Rainy) to 29.09 Billion during 2016-18 (Rainy) registering a growth 6.42%. As against the targeted production of 87.05 Billions of eggs during 2016-18, the total estimated production in two seasons, summer and rainy, is 55.11 Billion showing an achievement of 63.31%. As a whole there is a good scope for new entrepreneur to invest in this business. Read moreLithium Ion Battery(Battery Assembly)Lithium ion batteries are those that can be recharged. Lithium batteries are now powering a wide range of electrical and electronical devices, including laptop computers, mobile phones, power tools, telecommunication systems and new generations of electric cars and vehicles.The India lithium-ion battery market is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of 29.26% during the forecast period, 2018-2023. India has set itself an ambitious target of having only electric vehicles (EV) by 2030, which is expected to increase the demand for lithium-ion batteries in India, significantly. The high cost, associated with batteries that are used in the electric vehicles, is considered to be critical for India's ambitious target. To counter this, the Government of India is planning to set up lithium-ion battery manufacturing units in India, aggressively. This facilitates the development of new technologies and ensures a high quality product.Activated Carbon from BambooActivated carbon is a non-graphite form of carbon and is micro crystalline in nature. It is extensively used in various industries as a very good adsorbent for odour or colour. There are two varieties of activated carbon viz gas phase or the liquid phase adsorbents. The liquid phase activated carbon is usually powder or granular form whereas the gas phase adsorbent is hard granules like dust free pellets. Activated carbon is an important component of filter material for the removal of hazardous components in exhaust gases for the purification of drinking water and for waste water treatment.Global Activated Carbon Market is expected to garner 2,776 kilo tons and $5,129 million by 2022, registering a CAGR of 6.8% and 9.3% during the forecast period 2016 - 2020. Activated carbon is processed carbon with small, low-volume pores to increase surface area for chemical reactions and adsorption. Thus, due to demand it is best to invest in this project.Liquid Sodium Silicate from Caustic Soda & SandLiquid Sodium Silicate is a major compound used for formulating chemicals like silicate gel and precipitated silica. Apart from this, Sodium Silicate Liquid has an extensive usage in ceramic industry, paper industry, detergent industry as well as electrodes manufacturing companies.Liquid sodium silicates are manufactured in various molar ratios. Molar ratios (MR) define the ratio of SiO2 versus Na2O in the substance. The higher the molor ratio, the less sodium ions are present in the silica network and consequently the less alkaline the silicates are. Therefore, classification and labeling depends on the molor ratio (cfr. MSDS). Varying the ratio of SiO2 to Na2O and the solids content results in solutions with differing properties.The Liquid Sodium Silicate is a non-hazardous chemical which is used in many applications worldwide. The essential and diversified applications are churning out increasing demand for liquid sodium silicate. The liquid sodium silicate has several important unique properties which are not shared by other alkaline salts. Such valuable properties along with their low-cost results in their usage in several applications in diverse industries. The liquid sodium silicate is used in various industries as detergents, adhesives, binders, cement, ingredients in cleaning compounds, different coatings, anticorrosives, deflocculants, catalyst bases, chemicals, etc. The unique properties and functional characteristics of liquid sodium silicate can be used to resolve many problems arising in chemical and industrial processes efficiently and economically.Increasing concern towards environment in the country are likely to compel manufacturers to use bio-based products such as rice husk. Abundant availability of the rice husk in the region, especially in the rice producing states including Texas, California, Arkansas and Mississippi is expected to open new avenues for the industry growth over the next eight years.The growth in the demand for adhesives in paper and pulp and cement industry is projected to drive the growth of liquid sodium silicate market over the forecast period. The liquid sodium silicate market is highly competitive due to the presence of many manufacturers with large capacities globally. The increasing use of liquid sodium silicate as an adhesive in numerous manufacturing applications is driving the liquid sodium silicate market. The liquid sodium silicate is used to bind fiber drums, cores of paper towel and toilet tissues, paperboard laminates, etc. Most of the manufacturers prefer to use liquid sodium silicate because of it is low-cost, environment-friendly and non-toxic. The availability of raw material such as silica sand, soda ash, and rice husk is expected to fuel the growth of liquid sodium silicate market over the forecast period. The final cost of the liquid sodium silicate depends upon the factors such as raw material cost, operational cost, and transportation cost. The liquid sodium silicate finds a side application if rubber and tire manufacturing industry as a filler. The development in the automotive sector and rapid growth in APEJ region is expected to drive the elastomers segment over the forecast period.Coal Washery UnitCoal Washing Unit is one of the most important units for up-gradation of Coal in sense of fed value by reducing of ash content in the Coal. It is basically associated with sieve of position to get the quality Coal. Qualities of coal depend upon its ash content. Coal washing is a process of separation mainly based on differences in specific gravity of coal and associated impurities like sand, ash etc. The course will deal theoretical and practical aspects of coal washing processes and equipment.Coal demand in 2020 is unlikely to be anywhere near 1,500 MT for domestic coal. The Government of India plans to achieve a domestic coal production target of 1.5 billion tonnes by 2020–an ambitious growth from 2015’s production of 612.4 million tonnes. At present 8% of coal production is through underground mining technology. If CIL has to produce even 900 MT by 2020. Thus, due to demand it is best to invest in this project. Read moreHere, checkout this link on popular business ideas for different industries that have great future potential.Detailed Project Report (DPR)Hope that helps.Best Regards,Ajay GuptaFootnotes[1] NIIR PROJECT CONSULTANCY SERVICES, NPCS, India - Business Consultant, Project Report, Technology Books, Directory