Selected Headlines
Selected Environmental @ News Headlines
July 2013
Former CIA official: Communication companies help surveillance
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130715/100161.shtml
Ray McGovern, a former CIA official, told CCTV News
“What’s happened here is the U.S. companies have become joined in a way with United States Government in such a way that you have the corporations, the government, the media and the congress and judiciary all pretty much joined in a complicit attempt to circumvent the constitution of the United States. There’s zero concern on the part of the communication companies to violate the law. They know that they’ll be protected, even if it’s ex post facto…”
June 2012
France and Finland about to approve world’s first permanent nuke waste storage sites
January 2012
- [The link and following comment were submitted by a reader] No Need to Panic About Global Warming
- “Increasingly the establishment is forced to reveal the identity of its ‘science house concubines’. A letter to WSJ linked to above was signed by the following 16 ‘scientists'”
- Claude Allegre, former director of the Institute for the Study of the Earth, University of Paris; J. Scott Armstrong, cofounder of the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting; Jan Breslow, head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University; Roger Cohen, fellow, American Physical Society; Edward David, member, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences; William Happer, professor of physics, Princeton; Michael Kelly, professor of technology, University of Cambridge, U.K.; William Kininmonth, former head of climate research at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Richard Lindzen, professor of atmospheric sciences, MIT; James McGrath, professor of chemistry, Virginia Technical University; Rodney Nichols, former president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences; Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne; Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator; Nir Shaviv, professor of astrophysics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Henk Tennekes, former director, Royal Dutch Meteorological Service; Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva.
- [JCW, it’s interesting that none of the listed mercenaries seem to be a climatologist. Moderator]
- Government survey finds that 5 percent of Americans suffer from a ‘serious mental illness’ About 20 percent of American adults suffer some sort of mental illness each year, and about 5 percent experience a serious disorder that disrupts work, family or social life, according to a government report, the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released on January 19.
- In Bat Deaths, a Catastrophe in the Making? About 6.7 million brown bats have died from the fungal disease in eastern North America since the start of an epidemic in upstate New York in 2006.
December 2011
November 2011 was the 321st consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last month with below average temperatures was February 1985, NOAA reported.
It was 12th warmest November since records began in 1880. Arctic sea ice extent was the 3rd smallest extent on record for November at 11.5 percent below average.
November 2011
Ron Fouchier, a researcher at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, and his team have created a highly contagious mutation of the avian flu virus, H5N1.
A lethal virus even before the highly contagious mutation was engineered, the H5N1 has infected about 500 people in recent years, killing about 60 percent of them, a report said.
October 2011
- October 15th Call to Action Posted Oct. 14, 2011, 1:07 a.m. EST by OccupyWallStOver the last 30 years, the 1% have created a global economic system – neoliberalism– that attacks our human rights and destroys our environment. Neoliberalism is worldwide – it is the reason you no longer have a job, it is the reason you cannot afford healthcare, education, food, your mortgage.Neoliberalism is your future stolen.Neoliberalism is everywhere, gutting labor standards, living wages, social contracts, and environmental protections. It is “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.”It is a system that ravages the global south and creates global financial crisis – crisis in Spain, in Greece, in the United States. It is a system built on greed and thrives on destablizing shocks.It allows the 1% to enrich themselves by impoverishing humanity.
This has to stop!We must usher in an era of democratic and economic justice.
We must change, we must evolve.On October 15th the world will rise up as one and say, “We have had enough! We are a new beginning, a global fight on on all fronts that will usher in an era of shared prosperity, respect, mutual aid, and dignity.”
Actions in NYC
September 2011
June 2011
MAY 2011
- France Takes a Giant Leap Backwards!! France expands nuclear power plans
- Germany wants out of the nuclear power trap: Germany plans to shut all nuclear reactors by 202
- Radiation leakage from Tsuruga nuclear plant in western Japan
- Chubu Electric to halt reactors in line with Kan request
- Tsunami, wildfires triggered by quake ravaged over 1,600 hectares of forest
- Maryland prepares lawsuit over PA gas drilling effect on water
- New U.S. nuclear reactors close to construction-S&P
- Environmental groups sue Chicago over its sewage
- US House votes to reopen oil drilling off Virgina coast
February 2011
The economy helped push carbon emissions up 5.56 percent to 2.42 billion metric tons in 2010, a report said.
September 2010
April 2008
- Canceling Nature’s Life Insurance Policy
- Sea level rise in Bangladesh threatens coastal population
- Canada’s logging practices threaten to turn the its northern forest into a source of global warming
- Drought in Zimbabwe likely to damage the 2008 maize harvest
- Hurricanes: $500billion Price Tag
- Spanish Region May import Water To Survive Drought
- Italy, Garbage, Silvio Berlusconi and Mozzarella
- Italy’s Green Party leader and caretaker environment minister suspected of graft
- The ozone hole scientist warns about climate change
Environment Links
Indigenous Environmental Network [+] The United Nations System-wide Earthwatch [+] National Geographic News [+] Earth (and moon) View [+] Earth Observatory [+] Ozone Hole Watch [+] Visible Earth [+] Environment News Service [+] Envirolink News [+] Nature.com [+] Independent UK [+] Society of Environmental Journalists
Global Warming
Global Warming [+] [Global Warming Portal [+] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [+] Woods Hole Research Center
Ecosystems
Millennium Assessment Reports [+] The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Health Safety
Public Citizen [+] Rachel’s Democracy and Health New
Others
Cold Weatherand Climate Tipping Points: The Threat to the Planet (PPT) by James Hansen
2008 NESDIS News –
- U.S. Temperature Above Normal in July … August 8, 2008
- Eighth Warmest June on Record for Globe … July 16, 2008
- Warm June for U.S. with Wet and Dry Extremes … July 9, 2008
- Scientific Assessment Captures Effects of a Changing Climate on Extreme Weather Events in North America… June 19, 2008
- Global Temperature Seventh Warmest for Spring, Eighth Warmest for May… June 13, 2008
- U.S. Has 36th Coolest Spring on Record… June 6, 2008
- NOAA Satellites Primed for Spike in Summer Distress Calls… June 4, 2008
- NOAA: U.S. Has Cool April, Global Temperature Ranked 13th Warmest on Record… May 15, 2008
- Key Climate Sensor Restored to NPOESS… May 2, 2008
- Remarks by VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., US Navy (Ret.)
to Maryland Space Business Roundtable (.pdf)… April 29, 2008 - NOAA Employing New Tools to Accurately Measure Climate Change… April 24, 2008
- NOAA: U.S. Temperatures Near Average in March as Global Land Temperature Sets Record… April 17, 2008
- NOAA Satellites Help Save 23 People in the North Atlantic… April 11, 2008
- NOAA Selects Contractor for Systems Engineering, Tech Support for Environmental Satellite Program… March 19, 2008
- NOAA Selects Contractor for Technical Support for NPOESS Sounder… March 19, 2008
- NOAA: Coolest Winter Since 2001 for U.S., Globe… March 13, 2008
- Texas A&M University Researcher Receives NOAA’s David Johnson Award… March 13, 2008
- NOAA Satellites Help Rescue 353 People in 2007… January 17, 2008
- 2007 was Tenth Warmest for U.S., Fifth Warmest Worldwide… January 15, 2008
Caution: All technical information and scientific data provided by US Government agencies (e.g., NASA, EPA…) are subject to sudden variation because of political expediency.
This caution also extends to the fidelity of the information provided by UN organizations (e.g., FAO, WHO…).
Fire Earth 
DRM said
Texas breaks power record – again and again, and again
Scorching temperatures across Texas, exceeding recordbreaking 42.2℃ (108℉) in Dallas/Fort Worth area, have pushed the demand for power in Texas, setting peak records for the month on July 16 and 17, and breaking the grid’s all-time high on July 18 and 19.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates 90% of the state’s power grid (it has about 24 million customers), forecast demand would exceed 74,647 megawatts on Monday.
Demand peak hit 73,259 megawatts between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday (July 19), breaking the previous hourly record of 72,691 megawatts set on the same day. The earlier record of 71,438 megawatts only lasted for one day, having been set between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, ERCOT spokesperson said.
DRM – 072302
CW - MIU said
CW – MIU 052102
Nipah Virus (NiV) Takes Lives in Kozhikode Post Fever
Nipah virus (NiV), spread by fruit bats and causing severe disease in both animals and humans, has caused death of two people suffering from high fever in Kozhikode, reports top official.
https://www.medindia.net/news/nipah-virus-niv-takes-lives-in-kozhikode-post-fever-179594-1.htm
Deadly Nipah virus claims victims in India
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-44193145
Health officials in the south Indian state of Kerala say nine people have died in confirmed and suspected cases of the deadly Nipah virus.
Three victims have tested positive for the virus in the past fortnight. The results from the remaining six samples will be available later on Monday.
Twenty-five others have been hospitalised with symptoms of the infection in Kozhikode, officials said.
Nipah is an infection which can be transmitted to humans from animals.
There is no vaccination for the virus which has a mortality rate of 70%.
Nipah virus is also “top of the list” of 10 priority diseases that the WHO has identified as potentials for the next major outbreak.
Kerala’s health secretary Rajeev Sadanandan told the BBC that a nurse who treated the patients had also died.
“We have sent blood and body fluid samples of all suspected cases for confirmation to National Institute of Virology in Pune. So far, we got confirmation that three deaths were because of Nipah,” he said.
“We are now concentrating on precautions to prevent the spread of the disease since the treatment is limited to supportive care.”
Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus.
Health officials said they had found mangoes bitten by bats in a home where three people died of the suspected infection.
What is Nipah virus?
– Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly emerging disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals. The natural host of the virus are fruit bats
– The infection was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak of encephalitis and respiratory illness among pig farmers and people with close contact with pigs in Malaysia and Singapore
– Nearly 300 human cases with over 100 deaths were reported in that outbreak. In order to stop it, more than a million pigs were euthanized, causing tremendous trade loss for Malaysia
– Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in endemic areas and not drinking raw date palm sap
– Symptom of the infection include fever, headache, drowsiness, respiratory illness, disorientation and mental confusion. These signs and symptoms can progress to coma within 24-48 hours
– There is no vaccine for either humans or animals.
(Source: WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Gordon B. said
San Francisco Bay cove closed to swimmers after two rare sea lion attacks
–The Associated Press
Clara W. said
New research shows significant impact from livestock on actual warming
The direct contribution of livestock to global warming is significantly greater than estimates based on CO2-equivalent emissions would suggest, according to newly published research by two leading New Zealand climate change scientists.
“We found that of the warming the world had experienced by 2010, as much as 19 percent was due to direct historical methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock. Once you add the warming due to emissions when land is converted into pastures, you end up with a total contribution of 23 percent to current warming. This estimate does not consider indirect emissions from energy use or growing livestock feed such as soy beans, so this can be taken as a lower bound of the actual contribution of livestock to current warming.”
http://www.nzagrc.org.nz/media,listing,433,new-research-shows-significant-impact-from-livestock-on-actual-warming.html
Dan Baker said
Japan’s deadly air-bag maker Takata files for bankruptcy in Japan, US
Japanese air-bag maker Takata filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the U.S. on Monday following a protracted recall crisis involving its defective products that has left the company with soaring liabilities.
http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Air-bag-maker-Takata-files-for-bankruptcy-in-Japan-US
COL said
US/NATO openly protecting ISIS/Al-Qaeda in Syria and Afghanistan.
At least eight Afghan policemen have been killed in a US airstrike in the southern province of Uruzgan, local officials have said.
http://news.sky.com/story/afghan-police-killed-by-us-friendly-fire-local-officials-say-10584820
PN said
“It is highly suspicious that the United States chose to conduct this particular air strike at this time,” said Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin.
“It was quite significant and not accidental that it happened just two days before the Russian-American arrangements were supposed to come into full force.”
“The beginning of work of the Joint Implementation Group was supposed to be September 19. So if the US wanted to conduct an effective strike on Al-Nusra or ISIS, in Deir ez-Zor or anywhere else, they could wait two more days and coordinate with our military and be sure that they are striking the right people.”
“Instead they chose to conduct this reckless operation,”he said.
“So it may well be, one has to conclude, that the airstrike has been conducted in order to derail the operation of the Joint Implementation Group and actually prevent it from being set in motion,”[…]
“It may well be that the United States is trying to hide the fact that they are actually not in control of the situation, that they allowed the situation to get out of control.”
“Who is in charge in Washington. The Pentagon or the White House?”
“Is the US Colluding Directly with ISIL?” Asked a Journalist.