With the approval of the Russian Upper House for an increase Russian troops in the Crimea.
Also coupled with this approval is call for the removal of the Russian Ambassador from Washington because President Obama may have said some unkind words.
With the behavior of Gazprom in 2008 cutting gas supplies to Eastern Europe was when Brussels finally realized that energy diversification was absolutely necessary.
Europe is connected by the hip to Russia and there is a great deal of economic interdependence, Russia has basically all their economic eggs in one basket, fossil fuels.
It is long past time for a technological revolution in Europe fossil fuel energy supply is notoriously fickle and funds some of the nastiest regimes on the planet. The only way around this situation other than the sticky and blood filled dreams of the neoconservatives is by the use of technology and skill.
The technology is there; it has always been the will to use it that has come up against of whining voices sponsored by special interests. Perhaps now is the time to brush those voices aside and do what is sensible for the long term economic stability of Europe.
Energy efficiency measures in Europe have many subsidies these programs can be rapidly expanded, increasing economic activity, if only the idiocy of Austerity is finally trashed.
Renewable energy technologies have incentives in many countries, these also should be expanded, loans can be made for the hardware of these technologies using the subsidies and end user savings to pay for their installation.
We can rapidly expand this development spurring on economic activity and investment. Maybe this time we can be scared enough to find the courage to finally push forward.
Today, my glass is definitely half full.