Mercedes Wants to Eliminate Petroleum from its Lineup by 2015
MERCEDES aiming to end the need for filling your fuel tank with petrol or diesel within just SEVEN YEARS.
The German firm are determined to make their model range run on alternative fuels - to improve costs, become more eco-friendly and because the oil supply will eventually run out.
the sun ... click here ... read more ... great pictures
Kucinich: 'We went to war for the oil companies'
"In March of 2001, when the Bush Administration began to have secret meetings with oil company executives from Exxon, Shell and BP, spreading maps of Iraq oil fields before them, the price of oil was $23.96 per barrel.
"Today the price of oil is $135.59 per barrel, the US Army is occupying Iraq and the first Iraq oil contracts will go, without competitive bidding to, surprise, (among a very few others) Exxon, Shell and BP."
The New York Times reported last week that those companies, Chevron, Total and some smaller companies were set to receive no-bid contracts from Iraq's Oil Ministry. According to the paper, such deals "are unusual for the industry," and the companies prevailed over more than 40 others, including some from Russia, China and India.
raw story ... read more
San Francisco May Name Sewage Treatment Plant After Bush
by Jesse Mckinley
Reagan has his highways. Lincoln has his memorial. Washington has the capital, and a state, too. But President George W. Bush may soon be the sole president to have a memorial named after him that you can contribute to from the bathroom.
From the Department of Damned-With-Faint-Praise, a group going by the regal-sounding name of the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is planning to ask voters here to change the name of a prize-winning water-treatment plant on the shoreline to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.
The plan - hatched, naturally, in a bar - would place a vote on the November ballot to provide "an appropriate honor for a truly unique president."
The Rest Of It: Bush-Sewage-International Herald Tribune
Th!nk Ox: An Electric Car with Style and Smarts
Norwegian company Th!nk is hoping to kick start the market for electric cars with its upcoming five-seater, the Ox.
It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds, travel between 125 and 155 miles on a single charge, and its lithium-ion batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in less than an hour.
click here to read whole article
Having Fun with the Barely Reported Vulgar Blasting McCain Gave his Wife a Few Years Back
Imagine if there was a report out there that Bill Clinton had flipped his wig in public and in an angry rage lashed out at Hillary calling her the C*** word. Do you think that the Main Stream Media would have considered it a story worthy of coverage? Uh ... maybe it's all we would have heard for days and days. Over and over ... worse than the Howard Dean scream.
Well, of course, there is a well documented story about John McCain doing just that, losing it and blasting Cindy in a vulgar tirade (here's the link). Where was the Main Stream Media on that one?
Lawmaker Takes 9/11 Doubts Global
By JOHN SPIRI
Special to The Japan Times
In a September 2003 article for The Guardian newspaper, Michael Meacher, who served as Tony Blair's environment minister from May 1997 to June 2003, shocked the establishment by calling the global war on terrorism "bogus." Even more controversially, he implied that the U.S. government either allowed 9/11 to happen, or played some role in the destruction wrought that day. Besides Meacher, few politicians have publicly questioned America's official 9/11 narrative — until Diet member Yukihisa Fujita.
In January 2008 Fujita, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, asked the Japanese Parliament and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to explain gaping holes in the official 9/11 story that various groups — including those who call themselves the "911 Truth Movement" — claim to have exposed.
Fujita, along with a growing number of individuals — including European and American politicians — are leading a charge to conduct a thorough, independent investigation of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001.
click here to read complete article
Cancer Patient Makes Full Recovery After Injection of Billions of Own Cloned Immune Cells
By: Roger Highfield, Science Editor Telegraph.co.uk
Doctors took cells from the man's own defence system that were found to attack the cancer cells best, cloned them and injected back into his body, in a process known as "immunotherapy". Experts said that the case could mark a landmark in the treatment of cancer.
Genetically altered white blood cells have been used before to treat cancer patients but this is the first study to show that simply growing vast numbers of the few immune cells in the body to attack a cancer can be safe and effective.
click here to read article
Does Washing Fruits and Vegetables Make Them Safe?
Washing fruits and vegetables is smart. But can it keep you safe from bacteria outbreaks like the recent tomato scare?
While rinsing a tomato under cold water rids the produce of a lot of potentially harmful bacteria, some of these tiny critters are resistant to the shower. Basically, they hang on tight, experts say.
The result can be outbreaks of Salmonella or E. coli in humans, even if we're careful.
Tomatoes can pick up such a pathogen from contaminated soil, irrigation water, manure, wildlife, or farm workers.
"If you've got bacteria on the surface of fruits and vegetables, and you give them a wash with cold water, it removes some of what's on the surface," Niemira told LiveScience. "Unfortunately, it [cold water rinsing] doesn't remove all of them, and that's a problem. If things are well attached or living in a tight-knit community called a biofilm, that's going to be hard to get rid of."
Rough surfaces, like those on cantaloupes and spinach, provide lots of nooks and crannies in which bacteria can hide out, Niemira said. Tomatoes are much smoother, though their surfaces do contain tiny pores that make homes for bacteria.
You would want to wash rougher-surfaced fruit more carefully. Niemira cautions, however, too rough of a cleaning can bruise or tear the protective layer covering tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.
Damage to the produce can lead to spoilage, and the associated "spoilage bacteria." While these bacteria aren't harmful to humans, the organisms make produce mushy and provide more hangouts for human pathogens, such as Salmonella, Niemira explained.
The Right-Wing Offshore Drilling Scam
Don’t be fooled, amigos. All this talk about offshore oil drilling and the price of gas and the pump is a bunch of BS. In fact, the Republican Party is colluding with the oil and gas industry to drive up the price of energy.
This is criminal.
The oil and gas industry, buoyed by their Right-Wing minions are on a coordinated and well-thought out mission to end the twenty-six year old moratorium on off-shore oil and gas drilling. The goal? To at once embarrass Barack Obama, take down the Congressional Democrats, increase corporate profit and further drive up the price of energy.
First of all, there is no "ban".
"Ban" is just more GOPer-speak. In reality, there is a moratorium on drilling in certain coastal areas. Other areas are not only open to drilling but leases and drilling permits have already been issued.
And they are not being drilled.
In fact, only 17% of the leased areas is in production. So, with about 33 million acres of offshore areas already available to drill and not being drilled, why does the oil and gas industry need to have access to still more? The fact is that nearly 25 BILLION barrels of oil off the coast of the United States is currently available for drilling...and industry is not drilling it.
Not to mention natural gas. Most of the natural gas occurring offshore (over 328 TRILLION cubic feet – an eleven year supply at current consumption rates) is currently available for leasing and development.
And they’re not going after it.
click here to read more
It seems as though every continent on earth has its own version of Bigfoot. Now we learn India has one as well.
In the US it's known as bigfoot, in Canada as sasquatch, in Brazil as mapinguary, in Australia as a yowie, in Indonesia as sajarang gigi and, most famously of all, in Nepal as a yeti.
The little known Indian version of this legendary ape-like creature is called mande barung - or forest man - and is reputed to live in the remote West Garo hills of the north-eastern state of Meghalaya.
There have been repeated reports of sightings over many years by different witnesses in the West, South and East Garo hills.
Mr Marak estimates the creature weighs about 300kg (660lb) and is herbivorous, surviving on fruit, roots and tree bark.
More: BBC NEWS-Yeti
AP Sets up a Toll Booth for Bloggers Citing its Stories
Uh oh... Where the group had previously invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and sent cease-and-desist orders to at least one blogger, seeking the removal of excerpted content (in some cases as few as 17 words in length), now the press service has attached an "Excerpt for Web Use" charge for passages as short as five words in length.
The AP's disharmony with bloggers may have only just begun, as the alternative it's now offering to being served with takedown notices involves paying an up-front sum for excerpting online articles -- as few as five words.
On the heels of a blogosphere revolt last week because of its harsh actions against social news site The Drudge Retort, the AP regrouped over the weekend to take a less litigative -- but more bureaucratic -- approach to dealing with those who wish to quote its material.
More: BetaNews-AP
How to Tell When a Watermelon is Ripe
It's watermelon time! Here are a few ways to help you pick a sweet juicy one.
1. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, it's ripe. The sound should not be too high or too low.
2. Look at the color on the top. The watermelon is ripe when there is little contrast between the stripes.
3. Look at the color on the bottom. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom.
4. Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it gives a little, it's ripe. Be careful not to bruise the flesh.
'Oldest' Computer Music Unveiled
BBC
A scratchy recording of Baa Baa Black Sheep and a truncated version of In the Mood are thought to be the oldest known recordings of computer generated music.
The songs were captured by the BBC in the Autumn of 1951 during a visit to the University of Manchester.
Click Here to Listen: Oldest computer music unveiled
Egyptian Women at the Forefront for Change
Crossing Continents travels to Egypt meeting remarkable women fighting for their rights in a male dominated society.
Two years on from Condoleezza Rice's visit to Egypt in 2005 when she challenged the Egyptians to "lead and define a democratic future", reporter Bill Law finds out what, if anything, has changed?
He hears stories from Egyptian women who are fighting against female circumcision, the suppression and imprisonment of internet bloggers, poor pay and for workers rights.
Subsequently, the only other presidential candidate Ayman Noor, was thrown in jail and remains there today in ill health with no indication as to when he will be released. It has been left to his wife, the former television presenter, Gameela Ismail to carry on the struggle for democracy and her husband's freedom.In the face of constant state intimidation and the loss of her livelihood, Gameela Ismail continues to speak out.
"It is very hard, for women to take a stand in this police state. Every day is like a small war."
Firefox 3 Aims for Download Record
Version 3 of the popular Firefox web browser is going on popular release June 17.
With the release, Firefox developer Mozilla is attempting to set a record for the most downloads over 24 hours. "It's a global effort to make history," said Paul Kim, head of marketing at Mozilla.
"There is actually no record for the greatest amount of software downloaded in one day, so for 24 hours from the moment we push the bits live, that's when the countdown starts," he said.
New features in Version 3 include automatic warnings when users stray onto webpages booby-trapped with malicious code.
Also in Version 3 will be "Smart Location Bar" that lets people return to places they have visited even if they have not bookmarked them or cannot remember the full web address.
Firefox 3 will work with Windows 2000, XP and Vista and some non-Windows operating systems including Linux.
Mr Vahed said Firefox was generally popular with more "tech-savvy" web users and they turned to it because using it meant more webpages appeared as their designers intended.
"It's still very much the case that Firefox is way ahead of IE when it comes to standard compliance," he said.
IE's lack of compliance with web standards can make some webpages look very odd, he said.
But, he added, IE7 was better at respecting standards and IE8 is expected to go further.
BBC Firefox aims for download record
Latest Cheney Tape May Contain Evidence of His Whereabouts
WASHINGTON—Reports surfaced Tuesday that the New York–based Fox News Channel has obtained a tape which purportedly features another cryptic video message from U.S. vice president and known extremist Dick Cheney, widely regarded as the most feared man in America."
"Though more specific details on his whereabouts have yet to emerge, we do know two things," Little added. "Dick Cheney is still alive, and he is out there somewhere."
The tape, which is 18 minutes in length, contains grainy footage of what appears to be the vice president standing in front of a featureless brown background. Despite a history of heart problems, Cheney seems to be in good health, though he does appear agitated. Analysts said his hair is grayer than in previous tapes, and his hairline has receded by a half inch. He appears to be wearing the exact same suit he wore in his most recent video in 2004.
Though Cheney makes no specific threats in the tape, he does issue vague warnings that the United States will soon face a large-scale attack.
"The possibility of a nuclear attack is very real," Cheney says in his speech, which he addresses to the "people of America." "It could happen tomorrow, it could happen a week from now, it could happen next year. It is not a matter of if, but when."
Cheney warns that, no matter what security measures the United States takes, the terrorists will remain determined to bring death and destruction to American soil. He goes on to insist that he will never give in, claiming that the country should be prepared for "decades of war."
"Praise be to God," adds Cheney, concluding his message.
Cheney reportedly makes reference to President Bush and the Iraq War, alludes to the 9/11 attacks 27 times, and warns eerily about Americans "making the wrong choice" in November. He also mentions current presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama by name, indicating that the tape was made recently and dispelling the rumor that Cheney died of a heart attack four years ago.
"We are closer than ever to finding the U.S. No. 2," FBI spokesman David Hart said. "Taking into account his last known whereabouts and the fact that his health condition makes it difficult for him to travel, we can say with a high degree of certainty that the vice president is still somewhere within our borders."
"God help us all," he added.
A number of experts suggest that Cheney has taken refuge in a D.C. war room, while some claim he is hiding out in an underground bunker beneath NORAD headquarters. Others speculate that Cheney crossed into Virginia two years ago and has been roaming the remote foothills of the Appalachian backwoods.
In a press conference yesterday, President Bush told reporters that he is prepared to do anything in his power to hunt down the vice president.
"This is our top priority," Bush said. "Before I make any further decisions regarding the situation in Iraq, the economy, or anything else, it is absolutely imperative that I find Dick Cheney."
Some conspiracy theorists, however, have begun to question the tape's authenticity.
"That video's a fake," said Bethesda, MD citizen Blake Bresler. "This Cheney looks fatter, and his lip snarl is on the wrong side. Also, if you look closely, those aren't Cheney's real glasses."
Whether or not the tape is legitimate, a growing number of citizens say the fact that Cheney is still on the loose can be traced back to failures by the Clinton White House.
"The only reason that this madman is still out there is because the previous administration messed up," said Richmond, VA resident Curt Meredith. "Bill Clinton should have killed him when he had the chance."
the onion
617 Pages Missing from Mcain's Navy File
John Kerry Made his Entire Navy File Public so Should McCainSome of the unreleased pages in McCain's Navy file may not reflect well upon his qualifications for the presidency. From day one in the Navy, McCain screwed-up again and again, only to be forgiven because his father and grandfather were four-star admirals.
McCain's sense of entitlement to privileged treatment bears an eerie resemblance to George W. Bush's.
Despite graduating in the bottom 1 percent of his Annapolis class, McCain was offered the most sought-after Navy assignment -- to become an aircraft carrier pilot. According to military historian John Karaagac, "'the Airdales,' the air wing of the Navy, acted and still do, as if unrivaled atop the naval pyramid. They acted as if they owned, not only the Navy, but the entire swath of blue water on the earth's surface." The most accomplished midshipmen compete furiously for the few carrier pilot openings. After four abysmal academic years at Annapolis distinguished only by his misdeeds and malfeasance, no one with a record resembling McCain's would have been offered such a prized career path. The justification for this and subsequent plum assignments should be documented in McCain's naval file.
click here to read whole story, judge for yourself ... huffington post
Among Scientific Treasures, a Gem
Science History for SaleIn fact this book, published in 1543, was the revolution. It was here that the Polish astronomer Copernicus laid out his theory that the Earth and other planets go around the Sun, contravening a millennium of church dogma that the Earth was the center of the universe and launching a frenzy of free thought and scientific inquiry.
or how about Einstein's first notes on the Theory of Relativity.
(I see the E. But where's the MC2?)
or this staggeringly beautiful star atlas, Harmonia Macrocosmica, by the 17th-century Dutch-German cartographer Andreas Cellarius, with double-truck hand-colored plates.
Bush Dollar Makes it Easy for Arabs and Other Foreigners to Buy up US Landmarks
Treasured New York Skyscrapers may be Sold to Foreign Funds
The iconic Chrysler and Flatiron skycrapers may soon join New York's GM Building as landmarks sold in part to Arab or European investors as the weak dollar spurs property grabs in the Big Apple, reports said Friday.
The 50-story General Motors Building, constructed in 1968 and which includes the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue, has already been sold -- for a record-breaking 2.8 billion dollars -- to US real estate firm Boston Properties, backed by investors from Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar.
The deal, concluded on Tuesday, makes the GM Building the most expensive skyscraper in the United States, according to several reports.
click her to read story
"Unicorn" Born in Italy
by Marta Falconi
A deer with a single horn in the center of its head -- much like the fabled, mythical unicorn -- has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.
"This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, said. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal."
The one-year-old Roe Deer -- nicknamed "Unicorn" -- was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said.
He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.
Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.
The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.
"This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly," he said by telephone. "It's not like they dreamed it up."
Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of -- but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said.
"Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case," said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal's life.
Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.
Ron Paul Plans his Own Convention
A Paul campaign aide said the Texas congressman hopes to pack about 11,000 supporters into the Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota on Sept. 2, which coincides with the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in neighboring St. Paul.
Paul, 72, will announce details for the rally Thursday at the start of the Texas Republican Convention in Houston.
The campaign hopes the daylong event will "send a message to the Republican Party," Paul campaign spokesman Jesse Benton tells the Tribune-Review.
Pittsburgh Tribune ... read more
REPUBLICANS PROTECT BIG OIL AGAIN
36 Billion Dollars Profits in the First 3 Months of this Year
After Tuesday’s defeat, Democrats did not rule out pushing the issue again.
“This was politics at its worst,” complained Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. “This was a refusal to debate the biggest problem confronting the American people. ... That takes nerve.”
NASA: Earthquakes - Electrical Disturbances on the Edge of the Atmosphere
Researchers say they have found a close link between electrical disturbances on the edge of our atmosphere and impending quakes on the ground below.
Just such a signal was spotted in the days leading up to the recent devastating event in China.
On a significant number of occasions, satellites have picked up disturbances in this part of the atmosphere 100-600km above areas that have later been hit by earthquakes.
One of the most important of these is a fluctuation in the density of electrons and other electrically-charged particles in the ionosphere.
Rock 'batteries'
Minoru and his father Friedemann Freund, also from Nasa Ames Research Center, developed the scientific theory behind these earthquake precursors. It boils down to the idea that when rocks are compressed - as when tectonic plates shift - they act like batteries, producing electric currents.
"We now pretty much understand the solid-state physics of these rocks," Minoru added.
According to their theory, the charge carriers consist of a specific type of electron, called a phole, which can travel large distances in laboratory experiments.
When they travel to the surface of the Earth, the surface becomes positively charged. And this charge can be strong enough to affect the ionosphere, causing the disturbances documented by satellites.
When these pholes "recombine" at the surface of the Earth, they enter an excited state. They subsequently "de-excite" and emit mid-infrared light particles, or photons. This may explain the IR observations.
More: Atmosphere & Impending quakes"
Student Creates 866 mpg Vehicle Mixing Hydrogen with Gasoline
Minnesota High School senior Jon Soli has invented a duel fuel system that may one day be powering vehicles all across America.
It's taken him two years of work, but it's finally here. His invention could lower your fuel bills by 30%.
He built a battery-powered device that can actually turn water into energy and lower the amount of gas you need by about 23%.
"It'll lower emissions, clean up the environment, and it will save you money." (soli)
You may have heard of hydrogen cars. Soli's invention attaches to your motor and uses both hydrogen and oxygen for energy.
He and four friends re-designed the engine and design of a car so it gets 866 miles to the gallon. Their completed vehicle helped them take first place in the design proposal portion of the 20th annual Supermileage Challenge presented by the Minnesota Technology Education Association.
The car isn't safe for the road, but the combination of that engine, Soli's invention, and a safer frame could revolutionize the way we drive.
"I'm feeling great. I didn't know it would get this far. The project just seemed to get bigger and bigger," says Soli.
Within the last month, he won two international awards and $2,500 for his work. He says this is only the beginning.
Anti-Depressants Found in Public Water Supply
AP
Drinking water in Arlington tested positive for trace concentrations of the anti-anxiety medication meprobamate, city officials revealed Monday in response to a series of public records requests.
Monday's identification of meprobamate came after the Texas attorney general said those concerns were not well founded.
The AP reported in March that trace concentrations of pharmaceuticals have been detected in drinking water systems for 24 major U.S. metropolitan areas, affecting 41 million Americans.
After the AP's story was distributed, Arlington officials provided a few more details: trace concentrations of five pharmaceuticals - one antibiotic, two anti-seizure medications, one pain reliever and one minor tranquilizer - had been detected in the city's untreated source water.
The city also named the five: sulfamethoxazole, dilantin, carbamazepine, naproxen and meprobamate. But it declined at that time to identify which one also had been detected in treated drinking water.
More: Arlington Water
And the Lord Said
I found this posted on a AOL Straw Poll thread and thought it was pretty funny...
by Marty
A reading from the Obama Scriptures for June 6, 2008.
From the Book of St. Marx
Chapter 6
Verse 66
In the beginning there was video tape.
and the Tape captured the Word.
and the Word was HATE.
and the Word sprung from the mouth of a Man.
and the Man was Wright.
And try as they might to keep
the Tape from the people
they could not.
After the lands of many caucuses had voted
the Tape was seen.
And the Lord Obama appeared distraught
because the people cried out Why Lord?
Why did you keep this man of hate in your midst?
And the Lord appeared to them and spoke:
This man is not a man of hate.
You do not understand what goes on in his pulpit.
Hate is Love
Mocking is Forgivenes
Insults are Ecstasy
Everything you believe about reality is wrong.
I am the Light and the Way.
Afterward the Olbermann tribe was first to sing out:
YES! YES LORD!
Lies are truth!
Hate is Love!
Division is Unity!
Soon the CNN Tribe, and the Huffington Tribe sang out
in praise of the Lord.
And those who knew
in their American guts
something was still wrong
tried to speak
but they were called racists
and scoundrels
and lepers.
And so the Arugulas worshipped their Lord in the public square
and worshiped St. Marx in secret.
And it came to pass that the Word of Hate was made normal.
And the march of the Lord went on as before.
The people pulled the wool back over their eyes.
And all was well.
And the Lord took a break to sneak a smoketh.
Antibacterial Wipes Can Spread Superbugs
By Michael Kahn
Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill the dangerous infections, British researchers said on Tuesday.
While the wipes killed some bacteria, a study of two hospitals showed they did not get them all and could transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces, Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, said.
MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities.
The superbug can cause life-threatening and disfiguring infections and can often only be treated with expensive, intravenous antibiotics.
Experts have been saying for years that poor hospital practices spread dangerous bacteria, and yet many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to even wash their hands as directed.
The findings from a study of intensive care units at two Welsh hospitals suggest that even cleaning with antimicrobial wipes may not be enough depending on how staff use them.
The researchers found that many health care workers cleaned multiple surfaces near patients, such as bed rails, monitors and tables with a single wipe and risked sweeping the infections around rather than cleaning them up.
"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface," Williams said.
Study Says Sunscreen Lotions Threaten Coral Reefs
Sun screen lotions used by beach-going tourists worldwide are a major cause of coral bleaching, according to a new study commissioned by the European Commission.
In experiments, the cream-based ultra-violet (UV) filters -- used to protect skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure -- caused bleaching of coral reefs even in small quantities, the study found.
Coral reefs are among the most biologically productive and diverse of ecosystems, and directly sustain half a billion people. But some 60 percent of these reef systems are threatened by a deadly combination of climate change, industrial pollution and excess UV radiation.
The new study, published in US journal Environmental Health Perspectives, has now added sun screens to the list of damaging agents, and estimates that up to 10 per cent of the world's reefs are at risk of sunscreen-induced coral bleaching.
Chemical compounds in sunscreen and other personal skin care products have been detected near both sea and freshwater tourist areas. Previous research has shown that these chemicals can accumulate in aquatic animals, and biodegrade into toxic by-products.
Researchers led by Roberto Danovaro at the University of Pisa in Italy added controlled amounts of three brands of sunscreen to seawater surrounding coral reefs in Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt.
Even small doses provoked large discharges of coral mucous -- a clear sign of environmental stress -- within 18 to 48 hours. Within 96 hours complete bleaching of corals had occurred.
Virus levels in seawater surrounding coral branches increased to 15 times the level found in control samples, suggesting that sunscreens might stimulate latent viral infections, the study found.
Pesticides, hydrocarbons and other contaminants have also been found to induce algae or coral to release viruses, hastening the bleaching process.
According to the World Trade Organisation, around 10 per cent of tourism takes place in tropical areas, with 78 million tourists visiting coral reefs each year.
An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen are released annually in reef areas, with 25 per cent of the sunscreen ingredients on skin released into water over the course of a 20 minute submersion.
Sunscreens are made of around 20 compounds acting as UV filters and preservatives. Seven were tested for the study, including parabens, cinnamates, benzophenones and camphor derivatives.
Fake Bus Stop Keeps Alzheimer's Patients From Wandering Off
German nursing homes are using a novel strategy to stop Alzheimer's patients from wandering off: phantom bus stops. The idea was first tried at Benrath Senior Centre in Düsseldorf, which pitched an exact replica of a standard stop outside, with one small difference: buses do not use it.
The centre had been forced to rely on police to retrieve patients who wanted to return to their often non-existent homes and families.
Then Benrath teamed up with a local care association called the "Old Lions". They went to the Rheinbahn transport network which supplied the bus stop.
"Our members are 84 years old on average. Their short-term memory hardly works, but the long-term memory is still active.
"They know the green and yellow bus sign and remember that waiting there means they will go home."
The result is that errant patients now wait for their trip home at the bus stop, before quickly forgetting why they were there in the first place.
"We will approach them and say that the bus is coming later and invite them in for a coffee," said Richard Neureither, Benrath's director. "Five minutes later they have completely forgotten they wanted to leave."
The idea has proved so successful that it has now been adopted by several other homes across Germany.
Equity in Americans’ Homes Falls to Historic Low
Drops to 46.2 percent in first quarter — level not seen since end of WWII
The equity Americans have in their most important asset — their homes — has dropped to its lowest level since the end of World War II.
At the end of March, nearly 8.5 million homeowners had negative or no equity in their homes, representing more than 16 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage, according to Moody’s Economy.com Chief Economist Mark Zandi. By June 2009, he estimates that will increase to 12.2 million, or almost one out of every four homeowners with a mortgage.
click here to read story
WARNING! Explicit Footage of Office Rage to the Extreme
Office Worker Goes Beserk
Caught on Surveillance Camera
Every Cubicle Worker's Fantasy?
Watch!
Super Hot Ground Burns Boy
Firefighters want to know what’s causing the ground to get so hot near Golden Hills Park in the Rockrimmon neighborhood. Battalion Chief, Kent Matthews says, "In my twenty-four years I haven't witnessed this kind of occurrence. So it's unique.”
After the boy was treated and sent to the hospital firefighters took surface readings that showed hard to believe temperatures. According to Chief Matthews, "The highest temperature we got at the surface of the soil with the sun shining on it was 800 degrees, which is pretty darn significant. Radiant heat from the sun will get it up around 150, 160 degrees, but not to that level."
Firefighters have taped off the area and are monitoring it until they can figure out what's causing the ground to get so hot. Tests by hazmat team members show there are no dangerous gases. Crews have cut a fire-line around the area to prevent the heat from potentially starting a wildfire.
Early assessments show the problem area is coal dust. Neighbors say the area has appeared blackened as long as they can remember. What has to be determined is if it was dumped here years ago or if there's something happening underground. Crews from the state geological are on the way to figure out an explanation.
Clinton is the Strongest Candidate
The Democratic primary is flawed in that it puts forth the second best candidate for election. A great way to lose the general election in my opinion. If their primary system were like the republicans--winner take all--the strongest candidate would have won. Hillary. If they held their primary system like the general election--awarding EVs to each candidate according to the state--Hillary would have crushed Obama 308-230. Instead the dems choose to stick with an antiquated system that puts the weaker candidate in the general electiom. Then they wonder why they lose.
In New Book Former Commander of US Ground Troops in Iraq Calls Bush Iraq War Plan "Catastrophically Flawed"
"In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I watched helplessly as the Bush administration led America into a strategic blunder of historic proportions. It became painfully obvious that the executive branch of our government did not trust its military. It relied instead on a neoconservative ideology developed by men and women with little, if any, military experience. Some senior military leaders did not challenge civilian decision makers at the appropriate times, and the courageous few who did take a stand were subsequently forced out of the service".
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Legendary Rock Group Boston Needed a New Lead Singer and Found One Online
44 Year Old Fan Goes From Credit Manager at Home Depot to Lead Singer after Daughter Posts a MySpace Page of him Singing Karaoke Versions of Boston's Songs.
"I remember calling my wife and kids in the bedroom and I said, 'Look at this e-mail!' I couldn't believe it."
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Please Recycle Your Trash or Else
It will find its way here and eventually to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Global warming is not the only threat that marine organisms face. In the North-East Pacific a vortex of plastic rubbish is taking over the ocean, swamping marine ecosystems and ultimately posing a danger to human life. Known formally as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or the Eastern Garbage Patch, the phenomena arises because circulating currents of the sub-tropical gyre naturally tend to agglomerate floating materials in this region. Historically, floating debris was broken down by microorganisms, but now a new class of materials has upset this balance – in a word, plastic. Unlike naturally occurring compounds, plastic does not photo-degrade, it simply breaks up into ever-smaller pieces and lingers in the environment as an invisible toxic dust.
Scientists who study the Rubbish Vortex say there is little we can do to clean it up so that even if we stopped using plastic tomorrow its residue will remain for thousands of years. Most of what is there now will eventually sink to the ocean floor where it will seriously disrupt benthic ecosystems. In the future, the twentieth century will be clearly visible in the geologic record by an indelible layer of plastic, as if a vast rain of synthetic meteorites had crashed to the earth.
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The Trash Vortex
Silly Solution to a Small Problem
Unless it's literally raining cats and dogs I can't imagine anyone using this contraption called Nubrella.
Where do we put the meter?
The great genius Nikola Tesla inventor of AC current wanted to create electricity using the earth's magnetic field. Between 1901 and 1905 Tesla was building the Wardenclyffe laboratory in Long Island, Shoreham, financially supported by J.P. Morgan. This construction was huge, 187 feet high and capped by a 68 foot copper dome which housed the magnifying transmitter. The first purpose of this tower was a broadcast system, transmitting signals to any point of the globe, the second hidden and more important purpose was the transmission of power without wires.
Later when Tesla told his second purpose to J.P. Morgan he withdrew his funds saying "If anyone can draw on the power, where do we put the meter?". Morgan believed that he would "have nothing to sell except antennas (and refused) to contribute to that charity." Tesla tried and tried for years until in 1917 the U.S. government blew up the abandoned Wardenclyffe tower because suspected German spies were seen "lurking" around it. With Edison as his willing ally, Morgan even publicly discredited Tesla's name, so that all of the five school textbook publishers of the time removed any reference to him. Any wonder why even today, 100 years later, hardly anyone knows who Tesla is?
Ask any school kid: “who invented radio”? If you get an answer at all it will doubtless be Marconi - an answer with which all the encyclopedias and textbooks agree. Or ask most anyone: “who invented the stuff that makes your toaster, your stereo, the street lights, the factories and offices work?” Without hesitation, Thomas Edison, right? Wrong both times. The correct answer is Nikola Tesla, a person you have probably never heard of. There's more. He discovered x-rays a year before W. K. Roentgen did in Germany, he built a vacuum tube amplifier several years before Lee de Forest did, he was using fluorescent lights in his laboratory 40 years before the industry “invented” them, and he demonstrated the principles used in microwave ovens and radar decades before they became an integral part of our society. Yet we associate his name with none of them.
"We are whirling through endless space with an inconceivable speed, all around us everything is spinning, everything is moving, everywhere is energy. There must be some way of availing ourselves of this energy more directly."
~Nikola Tesla
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