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Today's News from

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Find out what's going on in our area and around the World from an "energy" perspective!

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September 28, 2012

 

6.9 Mwp - ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS.

100 million will die by 2030 if world fails to act on climate: report

More than 100 million people will die and global economic growth will be cut by 3.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 if the world fails to tackle climate change, a report commissioned by 20 governments said on Wednesday.

About 10,000 wind energy jobs -- from Ebensburg to western states -- expected to be lost this year

Layoffs announced by wind turbine maker Gamesa Energy USA in Pennsylvania and Siemens Wind Power in two western states are among cutbacks that are on track to total about 10,000 jobs in the wind energy industry this year, the American Wind Energy Association said.

A call to end clean energy's politicization

With the election fast approaching, national security and clean-energy business leaders called for American politicians to stop treating clean energy "like a political football" and start treating it like an industry.

Acidifying seas threaten island nations' food security -study

The Comoros islands in the Indian Ocean headed the non-profit group's rankings of nations most vulnerable to the combined effects of higher carbon dioxide emissions and ocean temperatures, and the increasing acidity of the world's water.

Nations that depend heavily on seafood as a source of protein may face increased food insecurity, with shellfish like oysters, clams and mussels particularly vulnerable, it said.

Ahmadinajad Gives Most Detailed Explanation of Twelfth Imam to Date:  Tells U.N. Leaders Mahdi will "soon" Reign Over World

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday called for the end of the "hegemonic" powers of the United States and Israel, whom he described as "the uncivilized Zionists." He said the world would "soon" see new "global management" by the Twelfth Imam, also known as the "Mahdi," and his deputy, Jesus Christ.

Ahmadinejad Unleashes Anti-Semitism at UN on Jewish Holy Day

Iran is under threat of military action from "uncivilized Zionists," a clear reference to Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday, saying that such threats from big powers are designed to force nations into submission.

All-Time Low: 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Averages 3.40 Percent

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates breaking their previous average record lows helping to keep homebuyer affordability high and refinancing strong to support an already improving housing market. All mortgage products, except the 5-year ARM, averaged new all-time record lows.

Aspartame: Safety Approved in 90 Nations, but Damages the Brain

No doubt about it, the less sugar you include in your diet, the better. But replacing sugar with aspartame is not the solution, and in fact is likely to be even worse for your health.

Bronx residents fear Donald Trump's gas

Trump's company is developing a golf course on top of a New York landfill that was closed in 1963, New York's Daily News reported. An increase in methane gas in surrounding areas has neighboring residents concerned the volatile gas will leak into their basements, creating an explosive situation.

CFOs Believe Economy Will Not Improve During the Next Six Months

Fifty-four percent of CFOs in the U.S. do not foresee any changes in the health of the economy during the next six months, according to a survey by Grant Thornton LLP. Still, most CFOs surveyed are optimistic about maintaining (45 percent) or increasing (37 percent) their headcount over the next six months.

China: Apple Factory Riot Points to More Labor Troubles

This week’s riot at Foxconn, a Taiwanese-owned factory in China that manufactures electronics for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and other Western firms, spells trouble for China, which has seen a recent trend of foreign manufacturers pulling out of the country and moving operations to other countries with lower wages. Although Apple probably has too much invested to pull out of China, the Foxconn riot will increase international criticism of the company over conditions in its factories.

Coal exports make U.S. cleaner, EU more polluted

Shale gas has jolted traditional roles in the planet's climate drama, giving cleaner fuel to the United States, whose displaced coal has headed to Europe to pollute the old continent.

Coal vs. natural gas: It's complicated

The glut of natural gas unleashed by hydraulic fracturing -- and the resulting low prices -- make it seem like a no-brainer: Ditch coal-fired electric plants, with all their baggage about air pollution and water consumption, and switch to natural gas.

Conservatives focus on environmental changes

Not only liberals can be environmentalists. Conservatives can be, too. They just see the solutions to environmental problems differently.

Cook Your Food When The SHTF

Look, I can tell you from firsthand experience that being able to cook food and boil water with multiple different fuel sources is a real gift in a time of need. Not to mention the Crisis Cooker practically guarantees that you will be able to keep you and your family safe and nourished when the SHTF.

Creating Drinking Water From Thin Air

We have all likely seen water dripping down from the back of an air conditioner, but did you ever think it could saves lives? As it turns out, the same concept that produces air conditioner condensate could be a lifesaver to 150 million people without access to drinking water.

Deadline looms on controversial power plant

Neighbors fighting plans for a trash-burning power plant just across the Baltimore City line are circulating petitions as a final call to action before Friday's deadline to comment on the controversial project.

El Nino seen developing in September-October: U.N. weather body

An El Nino event, usually associated with significant changes in rainfall, is likely to develop this month and next in the Pacific, affecting global climate patterns, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.

Even with US gasoline prices at a higher number, energy isn’t a big deal in White House race

The respected polling firm Gallup asked voters in August what the most important issue facing the country was, and only 1% cited energy. That’s down sharply from the 25% of poll respondents who cited energy as the top issue in the days before the 2008 election, in which Republicans coined the rallying cry “Drill, baby, drill!” in response to high oil and gasoline prices.

Floors that Can Make You and Your Children Sick

Toxic chemicals, including some that are so dangerous to children they have been banned from toys, are widely used in popular flooring materials, and new research shows that these chemicals can be taken up by infants’ bodies as they crawl along on the floor.

French nuclear outlook drops on restart delays, fuel oil-fired output hikes

France's national short-term nuclear power outlook dropped Thursday, after nuclear operator EDF delayed scheduled restarts of several reactors, data from grid operator RTE showed.

GE awaits Congressional action on wind energy tax credits

A proposal to renew a federal tax credit aimed at encouraging "green power" development is hung up in Congress, possibly jeopardizing growth of the business and the players in the U.S. wind energy industry, including Fairfield-based General Electric Co., experts said.

Goldman Sachs: QE3 May Total $2 Trillion

The Fed has announced that it will buy $40 billion a month of new mortgage-backed securities for an indefinite period.

The central bank also said it will re-invest funds from maturing government securities. And it will continue Operation Twist, which entails buying long-term Treasurys and selling short-term Treasury paper.

Put all that together, and you may get $2 trillion, Goldman economists estimate in a report obtained by CNNMoney.

Google Maps takes Street View underwater

Google Maps now lets users virtually 'walk' underwater in Street View to see panoramic views of ocean life and coral reefs from around the world

Gravity probe shows groundwater reserves slipping away

Recently, drought seems to be a fact of life. As the lead photograph poignantly illustrates, most of the U.S. has been struggling with serious levels of drought for the past several years. Worldwide, drought affected areas include Europe, India and Pakistan, Russia, much of Africa, South America – the list goes on. But when the rains start again, everyone expresses great relief, not realizing that long-term depletion of groundwater reserves is part of the price for surviving drought.

Greek Protests in Athens End After Police Use Tear Gas

Demonstrators earlier filled central Syntagma Square in Athens, opposite the Parliament House, shouting slogans such as “struggle, clash, overturn: history gets written by those who disobey.” Police spokesman Takis Papapetropoulos estimated the crowd at 35,000 people. Police said 105 people were detained, 21 were arrested and 8 officers were injured.

Green pricing program trend continues

Utilities are increasingly realizing that customers want to mitigate the environmental impact of their electricity use. As the trend continues, more utilities will turn to green power programs to support these customers.

House Democrats question data centers' power demands

Leading Democrats in the US House of Representatives asked federal agencies Thursday what steps they may be taking to reduce the "tremendous amount of electricity" used by data centers.

How do consumers choose PV?

With a plethora of solar modules and providers on the market, surely consumers would shop around and go for the cheapest option? Well think again, says Marco Mangelsdorf...

Hubble Extreme Deep Field images the farthest reaches of the universe

NASA scientists have directed the Hubble Space Telescope to inspect a tiny patch of sky with an unusually long exposure time to obtain the deepest image of the sky ever obtained. The image, dubbed the Hubble Extreme Deep Field (XDF), reveals the faintest and most distant galaxies ever detected, shedding more light on the early history of the universe.

Iran Takes Another Step to Restrict Internet Freedom

The Iranian government this week used the controversial anti-Islam YouTube video that contributed to anti-American protests over the last two weeks as an excuse to block access to Google, raising concerns that Tehran is on the verge of blocking all access to the internet and replacing it with an internal online network. Although the regime will continue to work to expand internet controls, it will not be able to completely block access to the internet and still has to decide whether to risk introducing an internal online system that would prove highly unpopular and would hurt the Iranian economy.

Isakson to Newsmax: Obama Misled America on Libya Attack

“People kept calling for the truth and, in the end, the administration realized that what they had tried to put together – blaming it on this movie and having it as a spontaneous act rather as being a terrorist act – wasn’t going to sell because it obviously wasn’t true,” Isakson, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,..

Japan's 2012 Iran crude imports seen down 30% on year: PAJ chief

Commenting on data released earlier in the day by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which showed Japan's Iranian crude imports in August dropped 66.8% year on year to 101,000 b/d, he said it was "merely to do with loading schedules."

Libya: Government Struggles to Exercise Control

Libyan officials are working to break up the violent armed gangs that were behind the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi and to disarm heavily armed militias and thugs who refuse to answer to government control. Protests by the Libyan people against Islamist extremists provided the government some momentum this week to address the problem of militias and al-Qaeda-related groups. But it was not enough. In this piece, LIGNET explains the security situation inside Libya and the challenges the government faces.

Magnetic Portals Connect Sun with Earth - and Maybe Milky Way

Earth's magnetic field is filled with particles from the Sun some of which penetrate our planets magnetic defenses. They enter by following magnetic field lines that can be traced from Earth's surface all the way back to the Sun's atmosphere.

Major Headwinds Confronting Banking Industry

The November 6 presidential and congressional elections may dramatically influence stock prices as the markets anticipate the ramifications to public policy. While uncertainty surrounding a national election is not a new phenomenon, the impact of this particular election could be long lasting for the banking industry and the economy in general. 

Marcellus production boosts prominence, liquidity of budding Northeast markets

 The continued growth of Marcellus Shale gas production is bringing two Northeast pricing hubs — Millennium Pipeline, East receipts, and Texas Eastern Transmission zone M-2 — to the forefront as these new supplies seek alternative transportation options.

Medical Prices Outrun Projections, Pose Challenge to Health Law

Medical prices accelerated faster than some projections last year and the number of uninsured is rising, according to data that show the U.S. goal of expanding health care is veering onto a more difficult road.

Milky Way's hot gas halo could solve "missing baryon" mystery

Astronomers have found evidence that the Milky Way is embedded in an enormous halo of hot gas extending for hundreds of thousands of light years

National mercury switch recycling program reaches 4.5 million mark

A national program to collect and recycle mercury-containing automotive switches has reached the 4.5 million milestone.

The total equates to more than 5 tons of mercury that has been collected, recycled and diverted from being released into the environment, according to a news release.

Physical Fitness in Childhood Linked to Higher Reading and Math Scores

If your child is struggling in school, you may want to evaluate his level of physical activity and fitness.

Researchers have repeatedly found connections between fitness and brain health, which naturally impacts all areas of brain function, such as cognitive thinking skills and memory.

Pimco’s El-Erian: Too Much Is Expected from the Fed and NFL Replacement Refs

The Federal Reserve has something in common with the NFL’s replacement officials, says Pimco CEO Mohamed El-Erian — expectations that are too high.

Prop 37 will benefit you even if you don’t live in California!

If GMO labels are required in California, it’s extremely likely that many nationwide food companies will use the same GMO-labeled packaging in all states.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

A non-Earth directed full halo CME was observed in both STEREO A-B and LASCO imagery early in the period.  slight chance for M-class activity for the next three days (28 - 30 September).  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at predominantly quiet levels for the next three days (28 - 30 September).

Report: U.S. Energy Policy Is 'All Wet' When It Comes To Hidden Costs

100,000 Gallons of Water to Produce a Single Megawatt Hour of Electricity? In a Time of Drought and Growing Water Shortages, "Business As Usual" Energy Approach Ignore Huge Water and Other Hidden Costs.
Huge demands on increasingly scarce water are a major hidden cost of a "business as usual" approach to American electricity generation that needs to be more fully understood by policymakers and the public...

Reverse aging? Scientists find way to make old muscles young again

For the first time ever, researchers have identified a crucial protein responsible for the decline of muscle repair and agility as the body ages.  Upon this discovery, the scientists were able to effectively halt muscle decline in mice, giving hope to similar treatments for humans in the future.

Romney Pulls Ahead

Most pollsters are weighting their data on the assumption that the 2012 electorate will turn out in the same proportion as the 2008 voters did.  But polling indicates a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the president among his core constituency.  He'll still carry them by heavy margins, but the turnout will likely lag behind the 2008 stats.

Sales of New U.S. Homes Hover Near a Two-Year High

Purchases of new U.S. homes hovered in August near a two-year high, adding to signs that the housing market is on the way to recovery.

Salt marshes to absorb carbon to 2050, but emit it later

Salt marshes around the world's coasts will help slow climate change until about 2050 by soaking up greenhouse gases but then risk making the problem even worse as sea levels rise, a study showed on Wednesday.

Sequestration


Unless policymakers in Congress can agree to a deficit reduction program by year's end, the federal government will automatically enact 8.9 percent budget cuts for all discretionary spending beginning January 3, 2013. These cuts, commonly referred to as "sequestration," were built into last summer's negotiations to raise the debt ceiling. As funding for almost all scientific agencies is classified as discretionary, the consequences of these cuts for the science and engineering community would be catastrophic.

Sorry, Critics - Solar Is Not a Rip-Off

15 important facts not included in LA Times' solar subsidies story.

Syrian rebels bomb army command in Damascus

A Syrian rebel bomb attack reduced the army headquarters in Damascus to a smouldering wreck on Wednesday as world leaders, unable to break the diplomatic deadlock in the conflict, met at the United Nations.

Tell Congressional Legislators Blocking Natural Health: “You Can Do Better!”

As before, we assess our elected officials according to their activity in three important issue areas: your right to access natural health options; your right to choose toxic-free food and drink; and your right to the healthy food of your choice.

Texas A&M home to largest vertical-axis wind turbine install

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi can officially say that it now operates the largest vertical-axis wind turbine installation of its kind in the United States.

Total chief warns against Arctic drilling: FT

Energy companies should not drill for crude oil in Arctic waters because the environmental risks are too high, Total SA Chief Executive Officer Christophe de Margerie said in the Financial Times on Wednesday.

Trump: US Must Get Tougher Because China Is ‘Eating Our Lunch’

The United States needs tougher policies when dealing with China that include GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s plans to declare the Asian giant as currency manipulator, said billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump.

Big companies have been the beneficiaries of current Chinese trade policies, while U.S. jobless rates remain high.

Tunisia: Attack on US Embassy Was an Assault on Democracy

Tunisia has been viewed by the West as the Arab Spring’s major success story because of its relatively peaceful democratic transition and election of a moderate Islamist government. However, the September 14 attack on the U.S. embassy and an American school demonstrate the challenges facing the country from a small dedicated group of radical Islamists who reject democracy and the West and are determined to turn the country into a strict Islamist state.

UN misconduct goes unpunished

Extensive interviews conducted with current and former U.N. staffers in eight peacekeeping forces who lodged complaints against higher-ups found widespread frustration over "managers who committed misconduct and were rarely sanctioned," said the Washington-based organization, Government Accountability Project (GAP).

United Arab Emirates: Fear of Islamists Driving Gov’t Response

The United Arab Emirates has arrested 60 Islamists associated with the political and religious group al-Islah whom it alleges were plotting to form an armed group in order to seize power and establish a new Islamist state in the Gulf country. However, it is more likely that the government’s crackdown on al-Islah, which it claims is a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, is an attempt to silence critics of the regime and prevent the formation of a unified domestic opposition.

US BLM to hold annual National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska lease sale on Nov 7

The lease sale will include 400 tracts and cover about 4.5 million acres in the NPR-A. The most recent NPR-A lease sale, held last December, made 283 tracts and 3 million acres available.

US lawmakers want loophole closed in tariffs imposed on Chinese solar panels

Eight members of Congress on Thursday urged the US Department of Commerce to close a loophole in its tariffs on Chinese solar panels that allows Chinese manufacturers to skirt the penalties by simply outsourcing the production of photovoltaic cells.

U.S. Navy looking at obtaining fuel from seawater

Tell someone that you’ve invented a car that runs on water and they're liable to report you for fraud. That hasn’t stopped scientists and engineers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NSL) who want to run warships on seawater – or at least, to turn seawater into jet fuel.

Water use in electricity generation: the sobering facts that make a case for wind and solar power

Did you know it takes 100,000 gallons of water to produce a single megawatt hour of electricity? Well according to a new report out today, it does – unless you’re using wind or solar power that is. So maybe, with much of the world battling more regular bouts of drought and water shortages it’s something policy makers need to start taking more notice of?

What Arctic Foxes Know About Global Warming

As this column has sometimes pointed out ways in which the effects of global warming are happening more slowly than predicted, it is fair to record that this rate of decline in Arctic sea ice is faster than many predicted. Although an entirely ice-free Arctic Ocean during at least one week a year is still several decades away at this rate, we are halfway there after just three decades.

Worse Than Expected Economic Data Sent Citi Economic Surprise Index Sharply Lower

A massive monthly decline in US durable goods orders in August once again demonstrated the vulnerability of the US manufacturing sector. The 13% MoM drop is only rivaled by declines during the 08-09 crisis. Granted, a large portion of this was driven by aircraft orders, but it is worrying nevertheless.

Wyoming Groundwater Again Tests Positive for Fracking-Related Chemicals on Wind River Reservation

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has confirmed that groundwater in Pavillion, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation contains contaminants associated with fracking—linking, for the first time, the hydraulic-fracturing method of extracting oil and gas from shale with water pollution.

 

September 25, 2012

 

Afghanistan: Insider Attacks a Symptom of a Coming Collapse

The insider attacks in Afghanistan that have killed 51 American and other NATO troops this year appear to be a Taliban tactic to undermine Western resolve and drive a wedge between international troops and Afghan forces. Despite a claim by Secretary of Defense Panetta that these attacks are a “last gasp” by the Taliban, LIGNET believes they could significantly set back NATO efforts to build an effective Afghan military that will be capable of assuming responsibility for domestic security when the NATO-led force withdraws in 2014.

Ahmadinejad Says Israel Will be 'Eliminated'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday disregarded a U.N. warning to avoid incendiary rhetoric and declared ahead of the annual General Assembly session that Israel has no roots in the Middle East and would be "eliminated."

Antarctic ozone hole smaller than in 2011

The hole in the ozone layer, the earth's protective shield against ultraviolet rays, is expected to be smaller this year over the Antarctic than last, showing how a ban on harmful substances has stopped its depletion, the United Nations said on Friday.

But the hole is probably larger than in 2010 and a complete recovery is still a long way off.

Arctic sea ice melts to lowest level on record

Arctic sea ice, a key indicator of climate change, melted to its lowest level on record this year before beginning its autumnal freeze, researchers at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center said on Wednesday.

The extent of ice probably hit its low point on September 16, when it covered 1.32 million square miles (3.42 million square km) of the Arctic Ocean, the smallest amount since satellite records began 33 years ago.

Arctic sea ice thaw may be accelerated by oil, shipping

Local pollution in the Arctic from shipping and oil and gas industries, which have expanded in the region due to a thawing of sea ice caused by global warming, could further accelerate that thaw, experts say.

Are You Prepared To Defend Yourself? Our Free Report Tells You What You Need to Know

We're in the midst of several crises as a country, most notably the news of instability, unrest, and terrorist actions that are ping-ponging from every media outlet available. Our embassies are being overrun, our foreign policy is in tatters, our State Department ignores threats to our foreign personnel, and our president would rather play golf than attend his daily security briefings.

As Ahmadinejad Arrives in NYC, Iranian Commander Threatens Preemptive Strike Against Israel and U.S. Bases

Currently serving his second term as president, Ahmadinejad -- a believer that the Twelfth Imam is coming soon to annihilate the U.S. and Israel and to set up a global Islamic caliphate -- is expected to leave office in 2013. This may be, therefore, the Iranian leader's last address to the U.N. in his current role. He has spoken about the imminent arrival of the Twelfth Imam or "Promised One" in every U.N. speech so far. Will he go further this time?

As climate change worries rise, campaigns stay quiet

It was just six words, but when President Barack Obama gave a shout-out to global warming in his acceptance speech this month, he reintroduced an issue that had all but disappeared from the political debate.

"Climate change is not a hoax," Obama said, an assertion that brought Democratic National Convention delegates to their feet, as he pledged to continue approaching energy policy in a way he said would "continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet."

Axel Merk: Fed Is 'Breaking the Link' Between Inflation and Monetary Policy

The Federal Reserve’s decision to roll out a third round of bond purchases from banks to jolt the economy reveals the U.S. central bank will do whatever it takes to fuel job demand, even if it means pumping inflation rates up, said Axel Merk, president and CIO of Merk Investments and a Moneynews contributor.

Big Oil Reaching Out to Shale Gas Developers

Big Oil knows where the money is, and its buried with the shale gas. The latest such foray into that arena is ExxonMobil’s agreement to buy Denbury’s shale assets in North Dakota’s Bakken field, which is awash in oil and gas.

Bill would end energy loan program

House Bill 6213 limits further taxpayer exposure from the loan guarantee program established under the Energy Policy Act. The bill would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from issuing any new loan guarantees for applications submitted after a specified date. Introduced July 26 and sent to a committee on energy and commerce.

California solar subsidies plummet

As of Friday, the solar subsidy for residential and commercial customers of San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric fell to $0.20 per installed watt, according to data from the California Solar Initiative (CSI). This is a significant drop from the original rebate of $2.50 per installed watt. Southern California Edison is currently offering a rebate of $0.35 per installed watt of solar.

Canadian Authorities Investigate Mystery Fish Kill in Lake Erie

Ontario environmental officials are blaming a recent mass fish kill in Lake Erie on oxygen deprivation due to a temperature inversion that caused carcasses to wash up on a 20-mile stretch of the lake’s coast in early September.

Meanwhile, jurisdiction on cleanup was in question as the rotting fish—carp, sheepshead, perch, catfish, suckers, big head buffalo and others—lay on the lake’s beaches and stunk up the region for more than a week.

Chopsticks levity in the middle of oil observations

At a recent conference in Dubai, the theme was the relationship among international oil companies, national oil companies and governments, about job creation, the severe shortage of skilled manpower to meet a growing and more diverse energy industry and investment constraints in the Middle East, where the state-owned oil and gas monopolies own the resources but where the laws and regulations governing foreign investment vary from country to country.

CSP secures large portion of Saudi’s solar market

Saudi Arabia’s 41GW by 2032 solar plan has attracted remarkable attention from the global CSP industry when it was announced this summer, given that 25GW of the planned capacity will be generated through CSP.

Drought area expands in northern U.S., eases in south

The worst drought to hit the United States in a half century expanded in the upper Midwest and northern Plains states in the past week due to warmer- and drier-than-normal weather, but loosened its grip on some central and southern areas of the country

First-Ever Lifetime Feeding Study Finds Genetically Engineered Corn Causes Massive Tumors, Organ Damage, and Early Death

A two-year long French feeding study designed to evaluate the long-term health effects of a genetically engineered corn found that rats fed Monsanto’s maize developed massive breast tumors, kidney and liver damage, and other serious health problems. The major onslaught of diseases set in during the 13th month

Fuel use in new cars could halve by 2030: IEA

Fuel consumption in new vehicles could be slashed by half in the next 20 years, helping the world curb its dependency on oil, provided governments set up bold policies to boost the use of available technologies, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday.

Fukushima fallout seeps into India's troubled nuclear push

While much of the world is turning its back on nuclear energy, the villagers of Kudankulam, in a part of India hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, say their government is gambling with their lives by opening one of Asia's first new nuclear reactors since the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan.

Genetic Clues to Breast Cancer Discovered

Scientists reported Sunday that they have completed a major analysis of the genetics of breast cancer, finding four major classes of the disease. They hope their work will lead to more effective treatments, perhaps with some drugs already in use.

Global studies reveal 85% of consumers want more renewable energy

Two global studies commissioned by Vestas reveal 85% of consumers want more renewable energy and 49% show a willingness to pay more for products made with renewable energy, while corporations are continuing to show preference for investing in renewable energy.

Hawaiian says transfer station is 'most beautiful place' on the Big Island

Speaker says, 'If you build it (pretty), recyclers will come'

Heat and Drought Ravage U.S. Crop Prospects—Global Stocks Suffer

September estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show 2012 U.S. corn yields at 123 bushels per acre, down by a fourth from the 2009 high of 165 bushels per acre. Yields are the lowest since 1995 and well below the average of the last 30 years. The summer heat and drought also hit U.S. soybean yields, which are down 20 percent from their 2009 peak.

Iran: Cyber Attack on US Banks Part of Covert War

Recent cyber attacks on the websites of JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), and Citigroup (NYSE: C) probably are a sign of increased capabilities of Iran’s so-called ‘cyber army’ and indicate that Tehran is escalating its covert war against America and its Western allies.

Japan cabinet approves plan to exit nuclear energy

Japan's cabinet has approved a new energy plan to cut the country's reliance on nuclear power in the wake of last year's Fukushima disaster, but dropped a reference to meet a nuclear- free target by the 2030s, ministers said on Wednesday.

Latest Election Poll Results

Real Clear Politics, September 17, 2012

Locations for disposal of nuclear fuel lacking

Methods and locations for the disposal of nuclear fuel remain unclear as the government maintains a directionless course over its nuclear policy, which is full of inconsistencies on eliminating nuclear power by the 2030s.

Making Clean Water Out Of GE Ingenuity

Teaming up with WaterStep, a Louisville, Kentucky-based organization that works to provide solutions to the root causes of waterborne illness through training and readily-available technology, and Louisville Water Company, GE employees and retirees have been volunteering their time to help design a water purification system that is more affordable, more compact and easier to install in developing countries, while being manufactured with components and tools typically available at any hardware store.

Molten Salt: A New Generation?

Using century-long know-how in nitrogen-based applications Yara is now entering into the CSP market with research and development, innovating a new generation of molten salts to be used for CSP storage purposes.

Napolitano's unilateral amnesty for 'Dream' illegal aliens now is amnesty for lawbreaking employers and for identity fraud

We're getting answers to some unanswered questions on DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) memo that went out in June. And the answers to those questions, not surprisingly, aren't very good.

Net-Zero Homes Being Built in South Carolina, Sacramento

While it isn't unusual to hear about developers in states like California building solar PV into their home designs, initiatives focused on trying to achieve net-zero energy are just getting off the ground.

New Findings Show Milky Way is Surrounded by Halo of 'Charged Particles'

From my perspective, this new finding is amazing and gives even more evidence outlining an intimate relationship between our galaxy Milky Way, the Sun, the Earth, and Humans. Scientists call it "charged particles" - the Mayans call it "the 5th element - ether."

New low-cost material could help bolster carbon capture

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed another weapon in the ongoing war to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from fossil fuel-burning power plants. The researchers have created a new porous material called NOTT-300 that they claim is cheaper and more efficient than existing materials at capturing polluting gases, such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, from flue gas.

New Study Identifies Stratosphere Winds Shift Jet Stream and Ocean Currents

New study shows a significant stratospheric impact on the world's ocean currents. Recurring stratospheric vortex events create long-duration disturbance at the ocean surface, which penetrate into the deeper ocean and trigger multi-decadal variability in its circulation. This leads to the remarkable fact which signals that strong-wind discharge from the stratosphere crosses the entire atmospheric-oceanic system.

"No Fuel" Survival

When it comes to preparedness, you need a lot of "stuff" in a lot of different categories. It can be overwhelming at times ... not to mention expensive. Fortunately, I have a way for you to get your hands on a wide variety of survival gear, without dropping a ton of money.

Nuclear industry slowed by its own waste

Just as the nuclear industry is starting to build reactors after a 30-year drought, it faces another dry spell.

The industry thought it had what it needed for its rebirth: federal loan guarantees; a uniform reactor design; a streamlined licensing process. The nightmares from the 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island, 1,000 new safety regulations and cost overruns would be left in the past, industry officials believed.

President Obama Names New National Monument in Colorado, Affirming Tribal Descendants’ Cultures

When President Barack Obama designated the new Chimney Rock National Monument (Monument) September 21, he affirmed the area’s centuries-old cultures that are maintained by today’s tribal descendants. The designation also carries the potential for increased tourism in the area.

Radioactive material found at Pa. landfill

A shipping container was discovered to contain radioactive material and has been quarantined at an eastern Pennsylvania landfill.

Rasmussen: Most Americans View Poverty as a Major Problem

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe poverty is a major problem in the United States these days, a new Rasmussen Reports survey finds.

Rebel leadership announces move from Turkey to Syria

The leadership of the rebel Free Syrian Army is moving from Turkey into Syrian territories its fighters seized, its leader said Saturday.

FSA head Riad al-Asaad made the announcement in a video posted online. The move is a milestone for the rebel group, which formed last year. It grew steadily as soldiers defecting from President Bashar al-Assad's army signed up to fight against the regime.

Red, White and Green: The True Colors of America’s Clean Tech Jobs

Clean tech may create a highly partisan debate in Washington D.C., but in the rest of country, it creates jobs. A new report examines the sharp con­trasts between political rhetoric and on-the-ground real­ity, and shows that red states – not blue states – are leading clean tech or “green job” growth.

Report: Climate change means taxpayers could pay for more disaster cleanups

A trend of insurance companies backing away from extreme-weather-threatened regions might leave taxpayers on the hook for more natural disaster cleanup efforts, according to a report released Thursday.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

No Earth-directed CMEs were observed during the reporting period.  a slight chance for M-class flares. The geomagnetic field was quiet.

Romney turning focus to domestic energy production and trade

Among the policies Romney plans to push is protecting American intellectual property rights from what he has repeatedly referred to as "cheaters in China," crafting agreements to increase international trade, approving the Keystone XL oil pipeline and renewing a push for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The goal: to convince Americans that they would fare better economically under his presidency.

Scientists suggest that cancer is purely man-made

She added: “The important thing about our study is that it gives a historical perspective to this disease. We can make very clear statements on the cancer rates in societies because we have a full overview. We have looked at millennia, not one hundred years, and have masses of data.”

Smart Grid Data Analytics Spending to Total More than $34 Billion through 2020

The smart grid transformation is resulting in an enormous volume of data – a data deluge – flowing into utilities at a high rate.  The volume of data is expected to grow by several orders of magnitude over time.  Utilities must solve data collection and storage challenges and learn how to analyze and act on new forms of information before they even get to the point of realizing real returns on their smart grid investments.

Study More Firmly Ties Soda to Obesity

New research powerfully strengthens the case against soda and other sugary drinks as culprits in the obesity epidemic.

A huge, decades-long study involving more than 33,000 Americans has yielded the first clear proof that drinking sugary beverages interacts with genes that affect weight, amplifying a person's risk of obesity beyond what it would be from heredity alone.

Survey says CFOs worldwide turning to sustainability

Sustainability strategies are gaining a stronger foothold among CFOs worldwide, found a global survey from professional services network Deloitte LLP.

The survey, which included CFOs in 14 countries, found more than half of CFOs have increased their involvement with sustainability over the past year. Nearly half saw a "significant link" between sustainability performance and financial performance, according to the survey.

The Fluoride Debate Heats Up and Finally Gets Some Media Attention

A Case of "Big Brother Knows Best"?

The undemocratic process adopted by the council received nationwide media coverage, and for good reason. So far, citizens have already voted 'no' on water fluoridation for Portland on three separate occasions, clearly demonstrating the public will on this subject. This time, more than 275 residents testified at the public hearing, according to The New York Times, with more than 60 percent of them speaking out against the practice. The pro-fluoride lobby were unfairly given a full hour to present their case before the council, while those in opposition were given no time.

Trees fuel growing demand for cleaner energy

Torence Trammel works 12-hour shifts transforming pine trees into power.

UK nuclear stake eyed by Chinese

China is this week poised to take its first step towards a multi-billion pound stake in the programme to build Britain's new nuclear power stations.

An announcement is expected to confirm that a Communist State-run company is set to invest up to pounds sterling 5 billion in two nuclear plants.

University Of Minnesota Scientists Get Federal Go Ahead For Biotechnology Development To Clean Up Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) Water

Fracking, the use of hydraulic pressure to release natural gas and oil from shale, has the potential to meet energy demands with U.S. resources and stimulate the economy. However, the practice also carries possible environmental and public health risks, most notably water contamination.

A University of Minnesota research team is addressing this challenge by developing innovative biotechnology to purify fracking wastewater.

U.S. Electricity Ignores Scarce Water Costs, Report Finds

The Civil Society Institute and the Environmental Working Group report titled “The Hidden Costs of Electricity: Comparing the Hidden Costs of Power Generation Fuels” found that crop irrigation for a biomass plant can use as much a 100,000 gallons of water to make 1 megawatt-hour, the groups said today in a statement. Coal and nuclear use as much as 50,000 and 60,000 gallons for the same power, respectively.

US electric vehicle policies to cost taxpayers $7.5 bil through 2019: CBO

Federal policies that promote electric vehicles, such as tax credits or incentives for carmakers, will cost US taxpayers about $7.5 billion through 2019, and may not result in lower gasoline consumption or greenhouse gas emissions, the Congressional Budget Office said in a new report.

US House passes 'Stop the War on Coal Act' aimed at US EPA

The US House of Representatives approved legislation Friday intended to protect the coal industry and jobs by reining in federal environmental laws, drawing swift reaction from environmental groups and political opponents.

U.S. West should expect bigger wildfires more often: report

A warming trend has contributed to a sharp rise in the number and size of wildfires on forest lands in the U.S. West, where big burns are likely to become the norm, according to a report released on Tuesday by a climate research group.

We Are All 'Downstream': Understanding Water Reuse

The majority of the world's population drinks from rivers and streams that have received discharges from upstream users. In most of the industrialized developed world, there are treated wastewater discharges that become a source of drinking water supply for downstream users. It is nothing new. We've been doing it for centuries. What is new is that today's technology makes it cleaner and safer. Water reuse is the key to a sustainable future.

 

September 21, 2012

 

 6.0 Mb - KODIAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA

2012 E-Cat Conference Report: 1 MW E-Cat Ready

For me, I consider attending the 2012 E-Cat conference in Zurich to be one of the top five things that has happened so far in the decade I have been covering exotic free energy developments. The quality of the venue was excellent, as I had anticipated; but the material presented and the caliber of people attending were above my expectations.

We are on the brink of a major unfolding, as this cold fusion technology begins to make its way into the marketplace.

ACCCE claims EPA miscalculated coal plant closings

According to research from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), the total number of coal plant retirements nationwide is triple the amount EPA had predicted would be caused by its regulations.

The research shows 204 coal units nationally are spread across 25 states and represent 31,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity.

America Is Only Nation Where Climate Scientists Face Organized Harassment

The harassment faced by U.S.-based climate scientists has been well documented in the media—but not the harassment of scientists in Europe, Canada or the rest of the world.

That's because there hasn't been much to report.

An Easy Way To Pass On These 9 Self-Reliant Skills

Each DVD in the Homestead Blessings series teaches you about one of the many "arts" of homemaking and homesteading.

A snippet of what you will find in the new book

Something Is Happening With Earth's Core: New findings suggest a series of current events are weakening the Earth's magnetic field. Above the liquid outer core is the mantle; a solid rock composition which can be molded or shaped due to the intense heat and high pressure. At the boundary between Earth's core and mantle at a depth of 2900 km (1,802 miles), there is an intense heat exchange.

  

Hard scientific evidence has come forth confirming Earth's magnetic field is weakening. New research shows a slow flowing solid mantle and its symbiotic connection with a hot fast flowing outer core is the central focus as to the cause of Earth's magnetic field weakening.

Australian study backs major assumption of cosmology

In mankind's attempts to gain some understanding of this marvelous place in which we live, we have slowly come to accept some principles to help guide our search. One such principle is that the Universe, on a large enough scale, is homogeneous, meaning that one part looks pretty much like another. Recent studies by a group of Australian researchers have established that, on sizes greater than about 250 million light years (Mly), the Universe is indeed statistically homogeneous, thereby reinforcing this cosmological principle.

China and Japan: Dispute Over Islands Threatens Economic Relationship

The rapidly escalating tensions between China and Japan over control of the Senkaku Islands will undoubtedly have economic ramifications for the two countries, particularly over the short term. It is unlikely, however, that the dispute will spiral into a military conflict given the importance of bilateral economic ties and China’s paranoia about social stability. While the United States has taken a position of neutrality, it will find this position difficult to maintain the longer the conflict goes on.

China: Huge Shale Gas Reserves Will Fuel Future Growth

China’s vast shale gas reserves are rapidly gaining the attention of major oil and gas companies, with ConocoPhillips [NYSE: COP] the latest to express its plans to expand operations in the country. Last week, ConocoPhillips's vice president of commercial and sustainable development, Mark Nelson, announced that the company, which already holds stakes in Chinese offshore drilling projects, is “looking into expanding into shale,” following BP [NYSE: BP], Chevron [NYSE: CVX], Royal Dutch Shell [NYSE: RDS], and Total [NYSE: TOT].

Climate change challenges power plant operations

Hydropower is not the only part of the nation’s energy system that appears increasingly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, as low water levels affect coal-fired and nuclear power plants’ operations and impede the passage of coal barges along the Mississippi River.

Climate Change: Optimizing Regulatory and Market Forces

Caught in the shelling between those who think that addressing climate change is urgent and those who think such action is farcical, voters are thoroughly confused. The issue has become increasingly partisan with fossil fuel interests funding one side and green technology providers bankrolling the other.

Coal power to drive U.S. emissions higher next year: report

U.S. fossil fuel emissions will rise 2.8 percent next year as higher costs for natural gas prompt power plant operators to switch to coal, according to a government energy report released on Wednesday.

Confirmed! Flu Vaccine INCREASES Risk of Serious Pandemic Flu Illness

The Canadian press recently broke the story that new research confirms initial findings that the flu vaccine appeared to actually increase people's risk of getting sick with H1N1, and cause more serious bouts of illness to boot.

Conservation group wants more scrutiny of solar projects

The National Parks Conservation Association released a report Tuesday with recommendations on how federal and state agencies could best move forward with solar projects in the Mojave Desert with minimal impact on natural resources and wildlife.

Corporate CEOs need proactive energy strategies

Ernst & Young has released its Global Annual Cleantech Insights and Trends report, and the results have a strong message for utilities who are willing to listen.

According to the survey, the largest global corporations are already tackling potential future energy cost rises through C-suite engagement and proactive energy strategies. Of respondents, 42 percent estimate they spend at least $50 million in energy costs annually; 27 percent estimate spending more than $100 million annually.

Dark Energy Camera captures its first images

The Dark Energy Camera (DEC) has captured an initial batch of images as part of an ongoing quest to afford scientists with a better understanding of dark energy. The images were taken by the 570-megapixel behemoth from its location within the Chilean Andes on September 12 while undergoing a series of tests. Scientists hope it may soon help answer one of the biggest mysteries in physics: why the expansion of the universe is speeding up.

Don't Let The Next Disaster Catch You Unaware

Like everyone else, I have to pinch my pennies. I have to budget for every dime of expense that my family makes. Gone are the days of blithely tossing stuff into the buggy at the grocery store (or anywhere else for that matter). My main focus is only on those things I need, not the things I want.

EIA analysis: stocks and output are building again

U.S. crude oil stocks increased 8.534 million barrels in the reporting week that end September 14, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Wednesday.

The build in stocks far outpaced expectations of analysts polled by Platts, who Monday expected a 2.5-million-barrel increase.

Energy efficiency programs save enough to power 600K homes for a year

Energy efficiency programs approved by the California Public Utilities Commission resulted in savings of 5,900 gigawatt-hours of electricity in fiscal year 2010-11, or enough to power more than 600,000 homes for a year. The biggest savings in the state came through more efficient lighting.  

Euro Bailout Fund Given a Qualified German Yes

A September ruling by the German constitutional court averted a disastrous collapse of eurozone debt relief and allows Germany to join the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) – the new permanent eurozone bailout fund. However, the court’s decisions had strings attached that raise questions about the long-term viability of the eurozone and reiterate that there are limitations on Germany’s support for European integration.

Fast and Furious Report Refers 14 for Discipline in Botched Gun Sting

The Justice Department's internal watchdog on Wednesday faulted the agency for misguided strategies, errors in judgment and management failures during a bungled gun-trafficking probe in Arizona that resulted in hundreds of weapons turning up at crime scenes in the U.S. and Mexico.

Two senior officials left the department, one by resignation and one by retirement, upon release of the report.

Federal report questions value of tax credits for electric vehicles

Federal budget analysts expect policies and tax breaks encouraging the purchase and manufacture of electric vehicles to cost about $7.5 billion over the next seven years but say they are unlikely to have much effect on gasoline use or greenhouse gas emissions in the near future.

FERC: Idaho can't curtail wind purchases

Utilities in Idaho must contiue to buy power from contracted wind power sources even in times of low load, according to yesterday's ruling by federal regulators.

Financial investment causing commodity price volatility: UN report

Financial investment is having a much greater impact on the prices of commodities like oil than underlying supply and demand of the commodity, causing price volatility and allowing prices to become removed from the fundamentals for long periods of time, according to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Five uninhabited islets and three barren rocks: oil and the dispute over the two China seas

“Sovereignty disputes are complex and hard to resolve. No side can easily abandon their claims without high political costs,” Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a speech in early September in Beijing, and the only real surprise is that he wasn’t talking about the rising tension between China and Japan over the Diaoyu or Senkaku islands in the East China Sea.

Flu Shot May Be GIVING People the Flu!

Flu season is just around the corner. Better think twice before visiting your local drugstore for that little shot!

Three years ago, a Canadian research team noticed that people who received a flu shot were more likely to become infected with the pandemic H1N1 virus than those who hadn’t received a shot. Five follow-up studies were done in several provinces, with the same disturbing results.

Former President Clinton Champions Renewables

Part motivational speaker, part humorist, part humanitarian, and part political commentator, former President Bill Clinton was a keynote speaker at the Solar Power International conference held in Orlando last week.

High-frequency trading may not be to blame for oil price drop: Tabb

"Markets are complex," Tabb said on the sidelines of a US Senate Banking Committee hearing on computerized trading. "There's a lot of buying interest and a lot of selling interest and if something all of a sudden gets in the way of one or the other ... you wind up with these air pockets."

How Can the Wealthiest Industrialized Nation be the Sickest?

The human race is the unwitting participant in a massive science experiment, as presented in this masterful new documentary by Jeffrey Smith. Smith is one of the world's leading authorities on the health dangers of genetically engineered (GE) foods.

Iranian Defense Minister Says War with Israel Means Twelfth Imam Is Coming

An apocalyptic, genocidal death cult is in power in Iran. The mullahs in Tehran believe we are living in the end of days and that the way to hasten the coming of their so-called Islamic messiah known as the Twelfth Imam is to annihilate Judeo-Christian civilization as we know it.

Iran oil minister warns lack of Iranian supply could push up crude price

Iran's oil minister Rostam Ghasemi warned on Wednesday that the absence of Iranian crude in the market will push up prices, the oil ministry's news service Shana reported.

Balance of price in the global market depends on Iran's oil supply, Shana quoted Ghasemi as saying.

Sanctions imposed by the US and the EU have not created a serious problem for Iran's oil industry because the country has its regular customers who continue to buy its crude, the minister added.

Is CHP the answer to coal retirements?

Utilities across the country could use highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) to more cheaply replace a substantial portion of the coal-fired electric-generating capacity expected to retire in the near term, according to research by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Lack of transmission lines keeps N.M. from meeting solar potential

[Ed:  So focus on placing the solar panels nearer to where the energy will be used!

Focus, not on the grid, but on homes and businesses.]

Magnesium Saves Hearts

Did you know that many of the 325,000 cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD) each year in the United States could be prevented? Even in people who have risk factors for SCD, including being overweight and having stressful jobs, one simple supplement — magnesium — can give them a chance.

Majority in OPEC, including Saudis, favor $100/barrel oil

Most members in OPEC, including Saudi Arabia, believe that the ideal price for oil is around $100/barrel and would like to see current oil prices fall further given a weak global economy, a senior Gulf official said Tuesday.

Marijuana outperforms drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease

The war on drugs has most people believing there is no legitimate argument for marijuana, causing it to be highly looked down upon and illegal under federal law throughout the United States. But there is an exceptionally large body of research pointing to the positive impact marijuana can have on various health ailments, with recent research revealing a link between marijuana and Alzheimer’s – showing that THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, may be beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients.

Medical Tests That Can Give You Cancer

One of modern medicine's most valuable tools is the X-ray. But it comes with a dangerous price: ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen.

Mexican President-Elect Likely to Dial Back Drug War

Mexico’s president-elect, Enrique Peña Nieto, is seen as continuing the prosecution of the country’s fight against drug traffickers. In addition, Peña Nieto’s public statements suggest that he wants to retain close trade relations with the United States while reducing the country’s dependence on its neighbor by expanding trade across Latin America. Nevertheless, change in Mexico could be limited. Peña Nieto’s major focus is likely to be the narcotics problem and he is expected to shift tactics in a bid to lessen the horrific level of violence between rival drug cartels, conflicts which claimed thousands of lives and terrorized Mexicans and Americans alike under the exiting Calderón government.

More than 57 Million Households Will Have Home Area Networks by 2020

The uptake of home area networks (HANs) has been quite low to date, with adoption levels in fractions of a percent.  The logical extension of smart meter deployments, HANs allow devices inside a home to communicate with the grid and access energy-saving applications.  Now, a set of market drivers around energy efficiency and enabling technology is starting to coalesce around some common standards, helping to propel more aggressive levels of growth.

Most Unbelieveable!

What do you think would have happened if a Caucasian president had ever produced and published - a You Tube video for ALL WHITE PEOPLE to unite for a WHITE PRESIDENT?

Mother Of All Economies

He said that 47 percent of Americans get checks from the government and are likely to vote for the hand that feeds them: the Democratic Party.

He is half-right. Of those who get government checks, a bit more than half (about 30 percent of all Americans) get means-tested welfare payments through programs like Medicaid, food stamps, welfare, housing subsidies and such. The remaining 17 percent of the population do get government checks, but they are Social Security, Medicare, veterans' benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit. They get these benefits because they have paid into the Social Security and Medicare funds over the years or have served our country or work for a living but get supplemental benefits to get out of poverty.

Netanyahu and DC Think Tank Agree: Iran’s Nuclear Program is in the Red Zone

Using a football analogy on Meet the Press on September 16, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear weapons program is “in the red zone” and claimed Iran is within six to seven months of having a nuclear weapons capability. In an exclusive interview with LIGNET, American Enterprise Institute Iran Team Leader Maseh Zarif discussed his think tank’s new report on the Iranian program which has an even more alarming timeline on how soon Iran will be able to build a nuclear bomb.

New York State Plugging Shale Gas Wells

The regulations to oversee shale gas extraction are part of the national presidential debate, but they are creating an even bigger uproar in New York State. After a prolonged moratorium on drilling there, the state was rumored to begin allowing limited exploration. But it debunked that thinking and will now wait, again.

Obama eyes cybersecurity order

In the aftermath of the failed attempt to pass federal cyber security legislation through Congress last month, the White House is preparing to issue an Executive Order to help protect the country's critical infrastructure from dangerous attacks.

Painkillers 'are the cause' of millions of headaches

Up to a million people in the UK have "completely preventable" severe headaches caused by taking too many painkillers, doctors have said.

They said some were trapped in a "vicious cycle" of taking pain relief, which then caused even more headaches.

Pastors pledge to defy IRS, preach politics from pulpit ahead of election

The defiant move, they hope, will prompt the IRS to enforce a 1954 tax code amendment that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, such as churches, from making political endorsements. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is holding the October summit, said it wants the IRS to press the matter so it can be decided in court. The group believes the law violates the First Amendment by “muzzling” preachers.

Persian Gulf: Sea Mines Could Move the Needle in Favor of Iran

Iran can use various types of sea mines to devastating effect in the Persian Gulf and effectively close chokepoints in the Strait of Hormuz without the need for a conventional naval blockade. While a traditional blockade could be broken up in days, a mine-only scenario in the strait could take much longer to clear as the shallow waters and narrow passageway create ideal conditions for mine warfare.

Plague bacteria found in east-central Arizona

Residents in the Concho Valley area off of Highway 61 noticed hundreds of prarie dogs had died in a short span of time.  Prarie dogs are considered sentinel animals to the fact that plague is in the area. Officials with Arizona Game and Fish were notified by an alert resident and further contact was made with health officials from Apache and Coconino counties, the state health department, as well as experts at Northern Arizona University.

Prayer Changes Your Brain in 4 Astonishing Ways . . .

Science Finally Proves It:

Report: Al-Qaida, Gitmo Alum Involved in Deadly Embassy Attack

The deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya that killed four Americans was directly tied to al-Qaida and involved a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay prison, intelligence sources told Fox News.

Report: Iran ships arms, personnel to Syria via Iraqi airspace

Iran has been using civilian aircraft to fly military personnel and large quantities of weapons across Iraqi airspace to Syria to aid President Bashar al-Assad in his attempt to crush an 18-month uprising against his government, according to a Western intelligence report seen by Reuters.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

No Earth-directed CMEs were observed.Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity for the next
three days (21 - 23 September).  The geomagnetic field was at predominately quiet to unsettled levels...

Richest Americans' net worth jumps to $1.7 trillion: Forbes

The average net worth of the 400 wealthiest Americans rose to a record $4.2 billion, up more than 10 percent from a year ago, while the lowest net worth came in at $1.1 billion versus $1.05 billion last year, the magazine said. Seven in ten of the list's members made their fortunes from scratch.

Romney blames Obama Administration for coal job cuts

"President Obama's war on coal has claimed its latest victims with the news that 1,200 workers in states like Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania will lose their jobs," Romney said in a statement. "The Obama Administration's economic and regulatory policies are destroying jobs across the country and coal communities have been among the hardest hit. For the sake of so many hardworking Americans and the families that depend on them, this must change."

Rossi Gives Third-Party Test Results from Hot Cat

Last night, Andrea Rossi read and explained the third party tests that were done in July on his hot cat technology. The results evince outputs that approach nuclear in their power density and peak output levels.

S.C. groups: 'Green is good for business'

Ten years ago, a business owner who wanted to go green might have been labeled a tree hugger -- or worse -- in the Palmetto State.

But those days are gone as global warming awareness rises, state and national environmental regulations increase and the opportunity for profit rises.

Seabrook Station reactor shut down since Friday after water valve jams

The nuclear reactor at Seabrook Station has been powered down since Friday evening, when a water intake valve was jammed closed by a computer glitch, according to an announcement by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

SF considers 100% green energy policy

San Francisco's legislative branch is considering a proposal to enter a $19.5 million contract with Shell Energy North America that would allow regulators to provide city and county residents the option of 100 percent renewable energy.

Snake Venom May Hold Cancer Cure

Snakes are able to convert their venom back into harmless molecules, a finding that could have important implications for diseases like cancer, according to a study published Wednesday.

SoberLook - Risk Aversion the Lowest in Over Two Years

Other than the underperformance of emerging markets equities, the overall risk aversion seems to be declining toward multi-year lows. Welcome to the new "new normal", where central banks set the level of risk appetite - and right now they simply want risk to be ignored.

SoberLook - What Really Caused Eurozone Banks' Balance Sheets to Grow? Bloomberg's Explanation is Wrong

Draghi is making the Eurozone banks grow "fatter". Please just stick to reporting the news. This is misleading and portions of this article are just wrong. The LTRO program provided financing relief to a heavily strained banking system and created a near permanent dependence on central bank funding. But it had little to do with risk taking by euro area lenders.

State goes to bat for power plant

Pennsylvania's top environmental leader is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to drop its legal action against EME Homer City power plant in light of a $725 million effort to reduce air emissions at the Indiana County facility.

Study: 63% of consumers know where to recycle electronics

Nine out of 10 consumers believe it's important to recycle electronic devices and 63% of consumers know where to recycle the items, a study from the Consumer Electronics Association said.

Study: Pollution costs underestimated

Using a faulty analytical model has led the U.S. federal government to significantly underestimate the costs of carbon pollution, a study suggests.

Sun Peeks Through in Solar

The solar-power business is expanding quickly in the U.S., helping lift the cloud that has surrounded the industry since the demise of Solyndra LLC a year ago.

Swiss Economy Weakens as Euro Crisis Continues

A minimum exchange rate between the Swiss franc and the euro was set over a year ago to stop the Swiss franc from soaring as the EU’s debt crisis worsened. But now Switzerland’s economy is showing signs of slowing, too, making the Swiss franc less attractive to investors and finally enabling the kind of exchange rate movement that hasn’t been seen in a year. It appears, now, that it could be the euro that saves Switzerland from recession – a big reversal of circumstances and one that is likely to pull Switzerland closer into the EU’s sphere.

Syrian rebels reportedly seize control of a border crossing with Turkey

Rebels seized control of a border crossing on the frontier with Turkey on Wednesday, pulling down the Syrian flag and sending a stream of jubilant people pouring across the border into Turkey.

The Artemis Project Top 50 Unveils 2012's Most Promising Water Tech Start-Ups

The Artemis Project, a non-profit dedicated to helping water technology companies emerge into the world market, is pleased to announce the 2012 Artemis Project Top 50 Water Tech Listing. The Top 50 identifies the most promising companies that are applying innovation in the market to address today’s dire water challenges. The Artemis Project is awarding the companies at the Cleantech Water Innovation Summit in Berkeley, California today.

The Demonization of Clean Tech: The Five Biggest Myths

The case for technologies that harness renewable resources, improve efficiency, and reduce emissions has never been stronger, and the industry known as clean tech continues to grow at a staggering pace – global revenues for the “Big Three” sectors of wind power, solar PV, and biofuels hit $246.1 billion in 2011 after a decade of annual growth averaging more than 30 percent.

The Healing Power of Potassium Iodide

If you have chronic bronchitis and or emphysema (“COPD”, “COLD”) SSKI is an invaluable tool. SSKI “gets into” all body secretions, including often thick and hard to cough up bronchial secretions, which get infected very easily.

The Latest Sneak Attacks in a Coordinated Effort to Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions

All across the United States, people are fighting for their right to choose not to be injected with vaccines against their will, and this is just the latest tactic in a coordinated effort aimed at eliminating all vaccine exemptions.

The Survival Food 5-Star Chefs Are Begging For

I will admit it. I've never been much of a fan of beans. Yes, they're cheap. Yes, they keep. Yes, they're nutritious. But taste-wise? Meh. Sure, I have a few bags of dried beans in my survival stash, but they'd be the last thing I'd go for.

However, two things have happened simultaneously to change my mind about beans.

Those Pesky Inflation Surprises

Inflationary pressures, particularly food inflation, continue to percolate across some emerging markets nations. Central bankers don't like openly discussing the problem, fearing just talking about it could raise inflation expectations. But that does not make the problem any less real.

To Infinity and Beyond: Fed's Open-Ended QE3 May Be Biggest Yet

The Federal Reserve's third round of bond-buying could ultimately rival the size of its first huge quantitative easing, which was widely seen as boosting growth. ...

But this time, the Fed has promised that "if the outlook for the labor market does not improve substantially," it won't stop buying and could ramp up its spending further.

Trash, recyclable collector deaths spike in 2011

One of America's most dangerous jobs, being a trash and recyclable collector, just got deadlier.

UN report says oil market becoming divorced from fundamentals

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development this week issued an eye-catching report into the causes of oil price volatility, concluding that commodity markets in general were increasingly driven by broad trends in financial investment, and not by their own unique supply and demand factors.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Back To Record Lows

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates at or near their all-time record lows helping to keep home buyer affordability high. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage matched its all-time record low at 3.49 percent, and the average 15-year fixed fell to a new all-time record low at 2.77 percent.

U.S. official: Afghanistan surge over as last of extra troops leave country

Nearly three years after it began, the surge of U.S. troops to Afghanistan is over.

In December 2009, on President Barack Obama's order, an additional 30,000 troops headed to the war-torn country hoping to stabilize it and quash what was then widely viewed as a Taliban resurgence despite just more than eight years of war.

Venezuelan Drug Subs Could be Used to Get Terrorists to US

The increased use of mini-submarines to transport cocaine to the United States and their appearance in Venezuela not only shows the determination of drug traffickers to evade U.S. drug interdiction, but reveals a serious threat to national security as these mini-subs could be used as a way for Venezuelan, Iranian, or Hezbollah terrorists to surreptitiously enter the United States

Volatile incentives plaguing industry

It's known as the "solar coaster."

For an industry struggling to compete with cheaper forms of energy, the volatile trend of tax credits, rebate programs and other incentives that come and go sometimes feels like an amusement park ride.

Walker Vows to Appeal as Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin Union Law

A Wisconsin judge on Friday struck down nearly all of the state law championed by Gov. Scott Walker that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers.

Walker's administration immediately vowed to appeal, while unions, which have vigorously fought the law, declared victory.

Water Research Foundation Study Shows That Federal Laws Restrict Utility Industry's Ability To Adapt To Climate Change

Current laws and regulations governing water quality restrict water utilities’ ability to modify operations to address climate change-related challenges. However, in the years ahead, the industry most likely will face new regulations governing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Water takes hit with "business as usual" approach to electricity generation

Nuclear power has critical cooling requirements that require huge amounts of water. Roughly 62 percent of U.S. nuclear plants have closed-loop cooling systems withdrawing between 700 and 1,100 gallons of water per MWh. Open-loop cooled nuclear plants have even higher withdrawals of between 25,000 and 60,000 gallons per MWh.

Coal-fired power plants rely on the same closed-loop cooling systems which withdraw between 500 and 600 gallons of water per MWh...

Water use by power generating technologies represent big 'hidden cost': study

Significant water use by traditional US energy power generating technologies, including nuclear, coal, natural gas and biomass, are a "major hidden cost" associated with the fuels, Synapse Energy Economics said in a report released Wednesday.

What’s the Biggest World Pandemic Risk Today—Untreatable by Conventional Medicine?

Hint: It’s not the flu.

Why Walking Barefoot Might Be an Essential Element of Good Health

When's the last time you kicked off your shoes and reveled in the feeling of the Earth under your feet?

Been awhile?

It may sound hard to believe, but engaging in this simple pleasure could give your health a much-needed boost.

Wilmington To Leverage Unique Method In Powering Wastewater Treatment Plant

Honeywell recently announced a $35M renewable energy project for the City of Wilmington, Del., which will feature a first-of-its-kind facility that converts two sources of biogas into power and heat for the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

With Elections on the Horizon, Who Are Congress’s Natural Health Champions?

This week we assess our elected officials according to their activity in three important issue areas: your right to access natural health options; your right to choose a toxic-free environment; and your right to the healthy food of your choice.

World's Cheapest Water Filter?

The most famous lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner are these:

Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.

World’s most efficient thermoelectric material developed

Approximately 90 percent of the world’s electricity is generated by heat energy. Unfortunately, electricity generation systems operate at around 30 to 40 percent efficiency, meaning around two thirds of the energy input is lost as waste heat. Despite this, the inefficiency of current thermoelectric materials that can convert waste heat to electricity has meant their commercial use has been limited. Now researchers have developed a thermoelectric material they claim is the best in the world at converting waste heat into electricity, potentially providing a practical way to capture some of the energy that is currently lost.

World's shortest laser pulse to shed new light on quantum mechanics

Since first invented, the effort to make lasers that can produce shorter and more powerful pulses of light has been a very active one. One driving force is that if you want to take a picture of something occurring very rapidly, you need a very short pulse of light to prevent the image from blurring. The first ruby laser produced microsecond pulses of light, but more recently femtosecond optical pulses a billion times shorter have become common. Still shorter pulses belong to the attosecond regime - the regime wherein a University of Central Florida research team is creating optical pulses sufficiently brief to stop quantum mechanics in its tracks.

 

September 14, 2012

 

97% of Terminal Cancer Patients Previously Had This Dental Procedure...

Do you have a chronic degenerative disease? If so, have you been told, "It's all in your head?"

Well, that might not be that far from the truth… the root cause of your illness may be in your mouth.

More than 25 million root canals are performed every year in this country.

Root-canaled teeth are essentially "dead" teeth that can become silent incubators for highly toxic anaerobic bacteria that can, under certain conditions, make their way into your bloodstream to cause a number of serious medical conditions—many not appearing until decades later.

'Agent Orange Corn' One Step Closer to Approval

The genetically engineered product dubbed "Agent Orange corn" by its opponents may be closer to gaining EPA approval after a coalition of farmers dropped its opposition to the Dow product on Tuesday.

Almost Everyone Eats it, But it's a "Breeding Ground" for Disease

Evidence is mounting that sugar is the primary factor causing not just obesity, but also many chronic and lethal diseases.

A Massacre or Misinformation? Illegal Gold Miners Allegedly Murder Indigenous Peoples in Venezuela; Government Denies Attacks

Three surviving community members, who were in the forest at the time of the alleged attack, reported hearing gunshots, explosions and a helicopter, according to the letter from the HYO. The group said that members of another community, who had gone to visit Irotatheri, found the three survivors and saw charred bodies and the remains of a communal house that had been burned.

Analysis of US EIA data: US crude oil stocks rose 3.778 million barrels

U.S. commercial crude oil stocks increased by 3.778 million barrels to 364.524 million barrels during the reporting week ended August 24, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Appalachian Power president talks about future of coal power

When Appalachian Power officials ask to visit with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph editorial board, it usually doesn't end on a happy note for consumers of their services. During a meeting Tuesday morning with the newspaper editorial board, Charles Patton, president and chief operating officer of APCO, predicted that he wasn't there to talk about rate increases.

Arrests made in deadly embassy attack in Libya

As violence outside U.S. embassies spread to new Arab capitals Thursday, two former U.S. ambassadors said the slow response Tuesday by Egyptian security officials in Cairo points to a security lapse that warrants investigation.

Bernanke: Lawmakers Must Act Now to Avoid Fiscal Cliff

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned on Thursday the U.S. economic recovery could be in jeopardy if lawmakers can't stop automatic year-end spending cuts and tax hikes from taking effect.

Bernanke said potent new central bank stimulus efforts would not be enough to protect the economy from the twin shocks.

Body disposal technology widens green funeral choice

Burnt, buried or frozen and turned to powder are some of the options for dealing with the remains of a loved one whose last wishes include lessening death's environmental impact.

Our demise can have a big environmental impact. Around three quarters of people in the United Kingdom alone are cremated after they die but cremation uses about the same amount of domestic energy as a person uses in a month.

Business Executives More Pessimistic on U.S. Economy

For the second straight quarter, business executives grew sharply more pessimistic about the outlook for the U.S. economy, according to the third quarter AICPA Economic Outlook Survey, which polls chief executive officers, chief financial officers, controllers and other certified public accountants in U.S. companies who hold executive and senior management accounting roles. In addition, senior-level CPAs’ perception of prospects for their own companies fell to a 12-month low, resulting in a more bearish view on hiring.

China's August electricity consumption rises 3.6% on year to 449.5 bil kWh

China consumed 449.5 billion kWh of electricity in August, up 3.6% year on year, data released by the National Energy Administration Friday showed.

Of the total, electricity consumption by the industrial sector accounted for 313.7 billion kWh, up 1.1% year on year.

CNNMoney: Taxpayers Still Owed More Than $200 Billion From Bailouts

Some of the big corporate bailouts by taxpayers from 2008, which so angered many Americans, have actually ended in a profit for the federal government. But there is more than $200 billion still owed and outstanding.

Coal clash: Multnomah County to examine health hazards from coal dust and diesel

Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen is directing the county health department to review potential health hazards from coal trains that may run through the county en route to new Northwest export terminals.

Crude futures and opposing forces: quantitative easing and SPR release

A crude oil market turbulent in part over talk of possible quantitative easing could come to a head Thursday, when the US Federal Reserve Bank releases a much-anticipated statement on its monetary policy.

Another variable remains in the back of traders' minds: rumors of a possible release from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve continues to stir.

Crude futures have been volatile but remain tucked into tight ranges with NYMEX front-month crude confined to $94-$98/b, and Brent between $111-$116/b.

Drought area expands in U.S., now most extensive this summer

Hot and dry conditions continued to plague large parts of the U.S. Plains and southern states as the worst U.S. drought in over five decades expanded its grip on some key farming states.

Drought hurt world crops less than many had feared: USDA

Searing droughts in the United States and Russia will deplete harvests of wheat, corn and soybeans, the U.S. government said on Wednesday, but global food supplies were not hurt as badly as many had feared.

Drug May Stop Alzheimer's if Taken Early

Data from two large studies of Pfizer Inc and Johnson & Johnson's Alzheimer's drug, bapineuzumab, show the treatment reduced underlying markers of the disease in some patients, suggesting the failed medication might work at an earlier stage.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Has Second Thoughts About Anti-American Protests

After previously calling for a ‘million-man march’ today against the United States in response to an anti-Mohammed video, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood suddenly reversed itself and called off the protests. The Brotherhood’s back peddling came too late to stop mass protests in Cairo today, but demonstrations were calmer than yesterday. This week’s anti-U.S. protests and violence are posing difficult questions about how post-Arab Spring governments will deal with extremism as well as whether warnings about the September 11, 2012 attacks on U.S. diplomatic compounds were ignored or mishandled by U.S. intelligence.

Energy Department makes corrections at radioactive waste processing facility

The Energy Department and its cleanup contractor have launched a series of corrective actions at a site in Idaho that processes liquid radioactive waste.

An incident in June caused the new waste treatment facility to shut down, but no radioactive material was released during the incident.

EPA Awards $1.5M To Universities For Sustainable Drinking Water Treatment Methods

Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced almost $1.5M in funding to three universities to develop sustainable drinking water treatment methods.  The research grants are funded through EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. These grants, which supplement last year’s grants to eight other universities, are intended to provide innovative treatment methods to protect people’s health by keeping harmful contaminants out of drinking water.

Ex-FDIC Head Isaac: Romney Tax Plans Would Boost Growth

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's tax proposals would not only tackle deficits without increasing taxes but would also stimulate economic growth, said William Isaac, former chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and currently a senior managing director of FTI Consulting.

Fears of global food price crisis recede

The third global food price spike in four years may have peaked after a summer of stunning increases on cereal markets, as a U.S. government report on Wednesday raised hopes that a full-blown food emergency could be averted.

Fears of unrest and hunger seen in the 2007/08 crisis emerged as the worst U.S. drought in over half a century and persistent dryness in other key grain producing countries sent corn and soybean prices to successive record highs.

Florida taking a different path to getting to a 75% recycling rate

Florida's 75% recycling rate goal by 2020 is an ambitious one. It's especially ambitious when you consider the state's current recycling rate is 31%.

Ford-backed survey finds more willing to pay extra for fuel-saving vehicles

More Americans are willing to pay more for a vehicle that will save on fuel over time and are adjusting how they drive to make each drop of fuel go further, according to a new survey by market research firm Penn Schoen Berland.

Drivers are slowing down, coasting more to stops, and even drafting behind larger vehicles to save gasoline, the study released Wednesday shows.

France seen turning to renewables in policy shake-up

France's government begins a review of the world's most nuclear-dependent country's energy policy on Friday, strongly in support of its small and ailing renewables sector.

French berate billionaire who wants to become Belgian

A day after French President Hollande made his case for new taxes, the public responded angrily to a report that its richest man, Bernard Arnault, was trying to avoid taxes by heading to Belgium.

GM calls report of money-losing Volt sales 'grossly wrong'

The automaker said the news agency incorrectly "allocated product development costs across the number of Volts sold instead of allocating across the lifetime volume of the program, which is how business operates."

Guatemala volcano erupts, thousands evacuated

Guatemala's Fuego volcano erupted on Thursday, spewing smoke and ash 2 miles into the sky and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people as lava oozed down its slopes, local emergency services said.

Half of Women Have Sleep Apnea: Study

Fully half of the 400 women given overnight sleep tests in a new Swedish study turned out to have mild-to-severe sleep apnea.

Human Ethical Choice Could Save 100 Most Endangered Species

The 100 species at greatest risk of extinction were named for the first time today at the World Conservation Congress being held on Jeju Island by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN.

Many of these species are not useful to humans for food or medicine or any reason other than their participation in the web of life on Earth. The scientists who compiled the list say humans must choose whether to save them for their own sake or allow them to quietly disappear.

In unlikely turn, conservationists lobby to save Gulf oil rigs

In an ironic twist, scientists, fishermen and conservationists are urging that hundreds of dormant oil rigs be left standing in the Gulf of Mexico, arguing that a federal plan to remove them will endanger coral reefs and fish.

While environmentalists might more typically be expected to oppose artificial intrusions in the marine habitat, those seeking a halt to the removal want time to study the impact of rig destruction on the Gulf Coast's economy and to catalog the species, some rare and endangered, that are clinging to the sunken metal.

Is QE3 Justified? Comparing Current Conditions with 2010

Even if QE was justified in 2010 (some would argue it wasn't), additional monetary expansion certainly can not be justified in the current environment.

Japan to Zero Out Nuclear Power by 2030s

The Japanese government has decided to phase out nuclear power by sometime in the 2030s and shift the country in the direction of renewables, energy conservation and natural gas.

There will be a 40-year limit on the lifespan of nuclear power plants, no new plant construction and no expansion of existing nuclear power facilities.

Kamakura Reports Stable Corporate Credit Quality in August

Kamakura Corporation reported Thursday that the Kamakura index of troubled public companies closed the month of August at 7.02%, while on August 1st the index was at the 6.99%. The index reflects the percentage of the Kamakura coverage universe that has a default probability over 1%.  The index hit an intra-month high of 7.41% on August 10th, while the intra-month low of 6.86% was on August 17th.

Katana Summit may close plants

Katana Summit LLC will likely close its wind tower manufacturing plants in Columbus and Ephrata, Wash., if a buyer for the operations can't be found.

Latest crude oil pipeline to US Gulf Coast keeps low profile

Energy Transfer Partners' plan for converting its 770-mile Trunkline system from natural gas to crude oil and then reversing its flow from northbound to southbound tells the story of the new US energy landscape.

It echoes the declining need to send natural gas from offshore fields into the shale-rich center of the country and the growing need for oil pipeline capacity from the Midcontinent to Gulf Coast refineries.

Longer-term Inflation Expectations Spike in Reaction to the Fed

Last Friday's action indeed turned out to be a good indicator of how markets in the current environment would react to Fed's balance sheet expansion. Markets performed as expected: commodities and equities spiked, the dollar weakened, and the treasury curve steepened.

Loss of Rubbermaid hurting GEUS budget

McCalla explained the utility's total operating revenue is expected to decline by 23 percent in the coming year to $53.67 million, primarily due to the reduced billing of fuel costs.

"Electric sales are expected to decrease from 2012, primarily due to the loss of one large customer," McCalla said in a memo to the board, in reference to Newell-Rubbermaid, which shut its doors in the spring.

Moody’s Warns That U.S. May Face Debt Downgrade

"Congressional leaders dug in their heels on Tuesday against any quick deal to resolve a looming fiscal disaster before the election, even as a major ratings agency warned that it would downgrade the government’s debt if no solution was found by year’s end.

New APS AZ Sun Project Under Way

The AZ Sun Program was approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission and enables APS to invest in the development of up to 200 MW of solar photovoltaic plants across Arizona. APS will finance and own the projects, which are being designed and constructed by third-party solar developers, contractors and equipment providers.

New Emissions Rules For Coal-Fired Electricity Sector

The long awaited measures will apply stringent performance standards to new electricity generation units and old units that have reached the end of their economic life. In the first 21 years, the regulations are expected to result in a cumulative reduction in GHG emissions of about 214 megatonnes.

New York City Nuclear Plant Vigorously Contested

Indian Point is a point of contention. While the nuclear facility located just outside of New York City is a major energy hub, it is drawing opposition from those who say it is too close to the population center. Now the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must decide on whether to grant it a 20-year renewal license.

NRDC: Wind farms generate tens of millions in revenue

According to the research, each major U.S. wind farm creates almost 1,100 jobs in manufacturing, construction engineering and management, among others, and potentially tens of millions in new taxes, as well as lease payments to land owners and economic development revenues.

Nuclear sector seeks to regain trust after Fukushima

The global nuclear industry, traumatized by Japan's Fukushima accident 18 months ago, needs to redefine itself to regain public trust and better cooperate to improve safety, senior executives of the sector said on Thursday.

Obama's war on coal and the renewable energy opportunity

As the presidential elections loom in November, the fossil fuel industry has intensified its counterattack on Obama's war on coal and the EPA's “job killing regulations”.

Officials: Tribal water-rights bill all but dead for this Congress

The Little Colorado River and its unusual milky blue waters where they meet the Colorado River, the two main rivers in the Colorado Basin. A faltering bill in Washington would have allotted Little Colorado water to the Navajo and Hopi tribes.

One of the Worst Ways to Eat Eggs

The CDC and other public health organizations will advise you to thoroughly cook your eggs to lower the risk of salmonella, but eating eggs RAW is actually the best in terms of your health.

Phasing Out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Is It Being Done Responsibly?

On August 17, the U.S. Treasury and Federal Housing Finance Agency announced "further steps to expedite the wind down of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." The steps, we are told, will "support the continued flow of mortgage credit during a responsible transition to a reformed housing finance market."

Pierre man testifies against 'Chu Memorandum'

The Department of Energy argued in a memo sent in March that increases in rates to hydroelectric power for the country's Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) are needed to help with repairs to infrastructure for the hydroelectric energy grid.

Portland votes to add fluoride to its drinking water as opponents vow to stop the effort

The Portland City Council voted 5-0 during a raucous public meeting Wednesday morning to add fluoride to Portland's drinking water, ending the city's status as the only major U.S. city that hasn't approved fluoridation.

PV Still Facing a Bumpy Ride: Working in a Low-incentive World

To encourage the continuation of necessary incentives as well as utility participation, the PV industry has promised a consistent (and significant) reduction in module prices along with "grid" parity with conventional energy sources. The PV industry has also promised to do this without subsidies — and it may have to keep its promises.

Quantum spacetime more like foam rubber than beer foam

A recent study of gamma-ray bursts (that originate from the collapse of a massive star) finds that spacetime is smoother on the quantum scale than expected

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

a long duration C2 event.  filament eruption.  The associated CME had an estimated speed of 536 km/s. olar activity is expected to be low
with a slight chance for M-class flares for the next three days.  Solar wind speeds increased from approximately 290 km/s to 400 km/s due to the effects of a weak coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). The geomagnetic field is expected to increase to unsettled levels on day three (16 September) with a chance for active periods due the arrival of the CME associated with today's filament eruption.

Review of plan to restart San Onofre reactor could take months

The darkened San Onofre power plant will not restart even one of its two reactors for months, the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.

Senator Says California Nuclear Plant Must Be Safe Before it Restarts

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who chairs the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, told the five members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) again Sept. 12 that Southern California Edison’s (SCE) San Onofre nuclear plant should not be allowed to restart until NRC is satisfied that it is safe.

Shell To Construct World's First Oil Sands Carbon Capture And Storage (CCS) Project

Shell today announced that it will go ahead with the first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project for an oil sands operation in Canada. The Quest project will be built on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project joint venture owners (Shell, Chevron and Marathon Oil[1]) and with support from the Governments of Canada and Alberta.

Sprout ... a living plant from a dying pencil

Sprout is the name of a new brand of pencil which comes with a seed in the end – when the pencil has reached the end of its usefulness, the stub can be planted in soil

Suburban house to demonstrate net-zero energy usage

The front and west side of completed Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility that will be used to test various high-efficiency and alternative energy systems, materials and designs.

Tepco brings in outside experts to monitor nuclear reforms

Tepco President Naomi Hirose had told Reuters that the company was planning to hire outside experts as part of plans to persuade residents and the local authority that the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture was safe to restart.

The Fed Will Buy Over Half of All New Agency MBS

So much for shifting the US mortgage business into the private markets. Going forward the Fed will be a buyer of more than half of all new agency MBS issued. At this point one might as well make the GSEs part of the Fed or give the central bank a mortgage origination capability.

The Intermittent Fasting Dilemma: How Many Meals Per Day Should You Eat?

Scientists acknowledged three major mechanisms by which fasting benefits your body, as it extends lifespan and protects against disease:

Your body is programmed for nocturnal feeding.

Tree-killing Asian beetle found in Massachusetts

The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that has destroyed millions of trees in North America since being accidentally introduced from Asia, has been identified in Massachusetts for the first time, state officials said on Wednesday...

"The emerald ash borer brings a very serious threat to our ash trees, and we are not taking its presence lightly," said Ed Lambert, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Two nuke plants saw unplanned reactor shutdowns last month

Both Sequoyah and Watts Bar had unplanned reactor shutdowns last month.

Both reactors had electrical problems that caused the power plants to scram -- something akin to blowing a safety fuse, said Tennessee Valley Authority spokesman Ray Golden.

Uralkali seeking deals for potash, distribution network

Uralkali OAO, the world's second-largest producer of potash fertilizer, is looking to buy potash assets as well as a distribution network for its products, its chief executive said in an interview.

US biofuel organisations appeal to Obama to maintain Renewable Fuels Standard

The Biofuels Producers Coordinating Council (BPCC) has urged President Barack Obama to maintain the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a series of regulations requiring the blending of renewable fuel into transportation fuel with a current target of 36 billion gallons by 2022.

US court agrees to hold MATS challenge by coal-fired unit developers

A federal court has agreed to hold in abeyance challenges to the US Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards by developers of new coal-fired units while the agency reconsiders parts of the major rulemaking that raised industry concerns.

U.S. Federal Reserve Launches QE3!

The question mark going into this week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) was not so much whether a further ease would be introduced but rather how this accommodation would be implemented. This consensus view of the need for more stimulus was solidified following the disappointing August payroll employment report, which indicated a greater than expected slowing in employment growth.

US households not using banks on the rise

More than one-half of those households that are unbanked said they don’t have a bank account because they think they don’t have enough money or they don’t want an account.

US incomes fall to 1989 levels

A Census report signals that for much of America, the economic downturn has produced not one lost decade but two. But the data also show that federal safety-net programs helped keep people out of poverty.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Change Little, Remain Near Record Lows

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), showing fixed mortgage rates declining or remaining the same from the previous week amid mixed economic data, and continuing to hover around their all-time record lows.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Hold Steady as Markets Speculate Further Stimulus

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), showing fixed mortgage rates holding steady from the previous week and remaining near their all-time lows. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been below 4.00 percent all but once this year and the average 15-year fixed, a popular choice among refinance borrowers, has been below 3.00 percent since the last week in May.

US politicians agree to keep stealing, borrowing and spending until after elections

The House voted Thursday to put the government on autopilot for six months, precluding a shutdown through the election and postponing a potential showdown on GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan's agency budget cuts until next spring when Republicans hope to hold more power in Washington.

Violence Against U.S. Embassies is a Major Intelligence Failure

The attacks on the U.S. embassies in Libya and Egypt on the eleventh anniversary of 9-11 caught the United States off guard and appear to have resulted from a major intelligence failure. It was reported at first that these attacks were a response to a YouTube video mocking the prophet Mohammed, but it is now becoming clear that the attacks, in which U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens was killed, were planned and perpetrated by al-Qaeda. They are a clear sign that the governments that have come to power since the Arab Spring are weak, and unable to control their radicalized Muslim populations that are determined to wage war on the United States.

Walmart Expands Solar Initiative in Arizona

Walmart today launched an expansion of its solar initiative in Arizona at its Buckeye distribution center near Phoenix. The distribution center will feature Walmart's largest solar installation to date with over 14,000 solar panels on a 1,000,000 sq. feet building and parking canopies that will produce up to 30 percent of the center's energy needs.

WEF Applauds Inclusion Of Water Infrastructure In Democratic And Republican Platforms

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) applauds the Democratic and Republican National Committees for including support for water infrastructure in their party platforms adopted over the past two weeks.

Why is This Dangerous Infection on the Rise in Pets?

The staphylococcus aureus bacteria is a normal strain of bacteria your pet normally harbors (as do people). It’s found on your dog’s or cat’s skin, mucous membranes, urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.

Why this Single Organ Powerfully Dictates Whether You're Healthy or Sick

The importance of your gut flora, and its influence on your health cannot be overstated. It's truly profound.

Your gut literally serves as your second brain, and even produces more of the neurotransmitter serotonin—known to have a beneficial influence on your mood—than your brain does.

Will Obama's Debts Take The Food From Your Mouth?

Almost half of the entire U.S. corn crop died a parched death this summer. Over a third of the soybean crop perished. Wheat took a big hit as well. From June to July alone, corn and wheat prices skyrocketed - just 25% in a single month. Soybean prices shot up as well, increasing by 17%.

The government's official position? Food costs have only risen 1% this year.

Yeah. Right. Have you been to the grocery store lately?

Wind could power the earth, but won't affect climate change

Using a climate model, the research estimated the amount of power than can be produced from both near-surface and high-altitude winds. The research concluded that wind turbines placed on the earth's surface could extract kinetic energy at a rate of at least 400 terawatts, while high-altitude wind power could extract more than 1800 terawatts. Current total global power demand is about 18 terawatts.

Wind energy group gives Exelon the boot

In an unprecedented move, the American Wind Energy Association has ousted Exelon Corp. from its membership ranks over the company's lobbying efforts to kill a tax credit the wind industry claims is crucial.

Wind farm towers: They're taller, slower with more power

It's not an optical illusion.

The newest wind turbines gracing the nation's countryside actually are turning more slowly than their older cousins.

The languid pace is the most visible consequence of new-generation wind turbines that are taller, have longer blades, capture more wind and produce more power.

With War Looming, Obama Refuses to meet with Netanyahu at U.N. Meetings, but Makes Time for David Letterman

Obama aides say the President simply doesn't have time on his schedule for Netanyahu. The President reportedly will have time to appear on "The Late Show" with David Letterman while he's in New York, however. A Wall Street Journal editorial on Wednesday morning said the White House message to Israel seems to be, "You're on your own, pal."

Wood Mackenzie sees oil prices remaining above $100/barrel until 2013

"Although we won't see demand growth like that of 2009-2010, global oil demand growth will help keep prices above $100/b in the near term," Gelder told the Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference in Singapore. "This is even if healthy non-OPEC production and OPEC spare capacity growth signal prices on the downward trend."

Wyoming Governor criticizes BLM over proposed fracking rule

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead on Thursday urged federal officials to abandon efforts to regulate hydraulic fracturing, saying states can do a better job of it...

"Wyoming should always have primacy in this area," Mead said. He said the state has been a leader in enacting strong measures to regulate fracking and was the first to require producers to reveal the chemical components of their fracking fluids.

 

September 11, 2012

 

175 Ways to Maximize Your Harvest

The first day I began reaping the benefits of my garden, I was ecstatic. It had been a long time since I had been able to indulge in fresh, hand-raised produce. The tomatoes were juicier and had a robust flavor, the squash was to die for, and the mellow taste of the cabbage was wonderful after the bitter fare stocked in the grocery stores that I'd had to make do with.

Advanced solar roof racking solutions mitigate PV system cost

Photovoltaic solar rooftop installation raises a number of challenges that could slow widespread adoption among homeowners and businesses, including maintenance of roof water-tightness; roof warranty; continuous operation; aesthetics; stability; durability of materials; and high costs of labor. The benefits to utilities are huge, including being a low-risk investment that encourages energy efficiency and conservation, and reduces dependence on the electricity grid

African farmers must do more to beat climate change: study

African farmers are finding new ways to cope with droughts, erosion and other ravages of climate change but need to develop even more techniques to thrive in an increasingly uncertain environment, scientists said on Friday.

All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy Favors Natural Gas

Everyone can agree on the central premise of President Obama’s address to his party’s national convention -- that the nation now has two fundamentally different visions of what path the country should take. And, surprisingly, when it comes to energy, the two political parties seem to also agree on the potential of shale gas.

Are we in control of our Country?

Our ancestors had control. Even through the depression, we seemed to still retain ownership of our nation. We, as a people, returned to our roots, living off the land, and bartering for what we could not grow. We, as a people, realized that spending more than we earned brought on this depression. We, as a people, took control, and soon our nation was whole again. Soon, our nation was strong again. We grew as a nation when we went back to the things that made this United States of America the best country in the world.

Blythe, Calico: Why the Delay in CSP Plants Converting to PV?

When the largest solar- and wind-power operator in the United States buys an un-built, 1,000 MW CSP plant and announces plans to convert the whole thing to photovoltaic, people – particularly local general media outlets – sit up and take notice.

Border Agent Brian Terry's Alleged Killer Arrested

Mexican police detained a man accused of fatally shooting a U.S. Border Patrol agent almost two years ago in Arizona in a botched U.S. operation to track guns smuggled across the border, the government said Friday.

California Geothermal Bill Passes General Assembly

Championed by the new California Geothermal Heat Pump Lobby Coalition, AB 2339 recently passed in the state Senate with a 36-0 vote then returned to the Assembly the following day where it also passed unanimously with a 79-0 vote.

California Reaches Solar Milestone

The state’s large-scale solar fields hit a new peak in production on Friday at nearly 1.1 gigawatts, or 1.1 billion watts, according to the California Independent System Operator.

China Speeding U.S. Solar-Dumping Case as Election Nears: Energy

China is accelerating a dispute with the U.S. over solar-energy taxes, moving forward its next salvo to hit as President Barack Obama faces re-election.

Chinese state companies struggle as energy price deregulations lag

Twenty-twelve was supposed to be a watershed year for China to roll out energy pricing reforms but policy changes have moved at a glacial pace, continuing to negatively impact state oil companies' balance sheets in the first half.

Cost of Democrats’ Minimum-Wage Hike: Up to 768,000 Jobs

The Democratic Party’s 2012 platform calls for raising the minimum wage and pegging it to inflation — and a wage bill already introduced by congressional Democrats could cost at least 256,000 jobs, according to a new report.

Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut have proposed raising the federal minimum wage in three stages to $9.80 per hour — an increase of 35 percent over the current level — and then annually raising the wage based on inflation.

Democratic Convention extolled illegal aliens but avoided any pledges to maintain or increase immigrant worker numbers

On the one hand, Americans watching the Democratic convention this week heard illegal immigration portrayed rather routinely as just another demographic group deserving -- in Rep. Luis Guitierrez' words at the podium -- "the expanding embrace of our democracy and humanity." And in the stock every-four-year media story about the first this and first that kind of person addressing one of the conventions, the "first illegal alien speaker" story was a very bad sign about the national leadership of one of our country's two major parties.

Dems back global climate deal in platform

The platform says Democrats will pursue efforts to combat climate change through regulations and market solutions, setting up a continued battle with Republicans who argue such steps could hold back the economy.  

DOE calls radioactive waste treatment contractor incompetent

The plant, which was supposed to begin operation last year, is intended to encase in glass 52 million gallons of radioactive and toxic waste, the article indicates.

Drilling to lakes under Antarctic may give clues to sea rise

A British plan to drill into a sunless lake deep under Antarctica's ice in December could show the risks of quicker sea level rise caused by climate change, scientists said on Friday.

Economic Surprise Index has Turned Positive

While today’s jobs data trailed forecasts, better-than- projected reports over the past three months have pushed the Citigroup Economic Surprise Index for the U.S. to an almost five-month high. The index, which measures how much data is beating or missing the median estimates in Bloomberg surveys, climbed to 15 today after yesterday rising above zero for the first time since April.

EC studies show shale could help EU meet 40% of own gas needs

Exploration and development of shale gas in Europe could help the EU keep its dependency on gas imports at 60%, according to one of three studies commissioned by the European Commission that were published Friday.

Energy converters for low wind speed

New converter architectures let generators produce power in light breezes.

Energy Storage Could Be Required for Future Renewable Energy Projects

Energy storage technology might be moving from a nice-to-have addition to solar and wind installations to a component that's necessary for project approval, if developments in California are any indication.

Ethanol production to reduce GHG emissions by 100 million tonnes

The figures reveal that GHG emission reduction will be higher than 276,000 tonnes per day, compared to 273,000 in 2011.

In 2011, world ethanol production stood at 8.4 billion litres and is estimated to have reduced GHG emissions by 99 million tonnes in total.

FedEx earns $10 for every $1 spent on recyclables

FedEx gets a return of $10 for every dollar invested in its recycling program, and since its inception in June 2006, the company has recycled 93 million pounds of material, said Joseph Stearns Jr., the company's senior environmental compliance specialist.

Fixin’ Up Hoopa: It Takes a Village—and a Determined Tribe—to Battle Addiction

Like so many living on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in California’s Humboldt County, Jane is a good person. She grew up with the love of both parents. But her childhood was far from easy. She waited in cars outside of bars and spent months at a time living with other family members while her parents entertained various addictions. Nonetheless she was raised to be a strong, productive member of the community. Even the strong succumb to meth.

For a Europe that hasn’t embraced shale gas, other options are multiplying

European shale gas: who needs it?

Europe, it is true, has made no real progress with shale gas so far. But its security of gas supply has seldom looked healthier following a series of major discoveries. The timing of that is perfect as the continent moves toward liberalized markets.

Fukushima panel told some details will take five years to learn

Key details of how the accident at Japan's Fukushima I nuclear plant played out have yet to be determined and may not be known for five years or more, when important parts of the plant are safer to enter, officials with the Japanese and US nuclear industries told a US National Academies review committee Thursday.

GERMAN POWER: Rise in wind offset by low solar, French nuclear

German prompt power prices moved higher Monday despite an above average wind power forecast as a lack of solar power output and strong cross-border demand from France due to the ongoing tight nuclear situation supported prices, a trader said.

Global improvements driving water utilities industry

Lucintel is predicting that global water utilities industry revenue will reach $432 billion in 2017 with a CAGR of 4.2 percent over the next five years, through 2017.

GOP Senators Urge Panetta to Make Sure Troops Can Vote

Six Republican senators are asking Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta personally to intervene to ensure that U.S. troops stationed away from home get the chance to register and vote in the upcoming election.

High storage masking 'fundamentally balanced' US natural gas market: FBR

The record amount of US natural gas in storage is masking a "fundamentally balanced" gas market this year and one that will be under-supplied in 2013 and 2014, FBR Capital's natural gas analyst said Friday.

IG report: DOE energy conservation efforts falling short

The Energy Department (DOE) missed out on saving more than $6 million by failing to implement certain energy-efficiency measures, according to a recent report.

In U.S., 2012 so far is hottest year on record

The first eight months of 2012 have been the warmest of any year on record in the contiguous United States, and this has been the third-hottest summer since record-keeping began in 1895, the U.S. National Climate Data Center said on Monday.

Island leaders want renewable energy action

Ministers and representatives of island countries and territories are calling for action on renewable energy to secure a safer and more prosperous future, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Larger wind turbines effective but risky

The U.S. wind industry has expanded at an unprecedented rate with 6.8 GW added in 2011 alone, according to Wind Energy Update. Further, 42 percent of turbines installed in 2011 were bigger than 2 MW.

The U.S. Department of Energy notes that the size of wind turbines has increased from 1.67 MW in 2008 to 1.97 MW in 2011. Manufacturers are producing more large scale wind turbines to make the industry most cost efficient, according to Wind Energy Update.

Leon Cooperman: ‘Bubble’ Swelling in US Treasury Market

U.S. Treasury holdings are “a misplaced asset class” and a bubble that should be avoided, said Leon Cooperman, CEO of Omega Advisors.

The European debt crisis and a cooling Chinese economy have sent investors worldwide scrambling to the U.S. Treasury this year, pushing yields down to around 1.5 percent and even lower earlier this year.

Look at the Facts to Help Guide You During the Election Season

To me, it’s all about being able to distinguish between fact and fiction. My documented almost 30 percent annual compounded return in my Dividend Machine newsletter is proof of my abilities.

For me it’s not about party but performance.

More than half of SMEs have no guidelines on energy efficiency

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are missing out on crucial savings because owners and their staff are not taking responsibility for energy efficiency in the workplace, according to new research out today from energy company E.ON.

New Concentrator Technology Reduces PV Surface Area by Factor of 1000

One of the semifinalists in the 2012 CleanTech Open is developing a unique solar concentrator that is capable of reducing the surface area needed for photovoltaic (PV) panels by a factor of 1000, can harvest the thermal energy generated in its enclosed design, and is made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic.

New Mexico considering voluntary energy reduction program

Utilities in New Mexico may soon be able to participate in a voluntary emissions reduction program that has been slated for consideration by the state regulatory commission. The proposal was submitted by Western Resource Advocates and has the support of 33 environmental groups.

New solar cells could reduce cost of solar energy by 75%

A new solar technology developed by researchers at RTI International could make solar energy more affordable, and thus speed-up its market adoption.

New York governor says fracking guidelines to be released when ready

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Monday said he will not pressure the state's Department of Environmental Conservation to release a proposed package of new natural gas drilling guidelines before they are ready.

NRC staff to review nuclear reactor waste storage rules

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) directed its staff on Thursday to start an environmental review into the temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel, following a court ruling that led the agency to stop issuing new reactor licenses.

Oil and gas Industry appetite for top-of-the-line new rigs not yet slaked

Here’s a brief capsule of the US oil market in recent months, as what used to be a fairly predictable industry has become a suspenseful rocket ride along a trajectory of activity that has soared to levels not seen in decades:

Oil Sands Mining in Utah Clears Major Hurdle

An administrative law judge in Salt Lake City has ruled against two environmental organizations that are trying to block a Canadian company's plan to open the first large-scale oil sands mine in the United States.

Our View: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics……

The 19th Century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli has been credited with pointing out that there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. While no one knows for sure whether he really said this, what we do know for sure is that we are experiencing a devastating and widespread drought in the United States that has decimated our corn and soybean crops and ravaged our hay and pasture lands across the Midwest.  

Private Sector Green Investments Reach $3.6 Trillion

Private investors are putting almost $1 trillion annually into green businesses and technologies, bringing the total invested worldwide since 2007 to $3.6 trillion as of July, according to the latest update from Ethical Markets Media.

Real Unemployment Rate Is 11.4%

Economist James Fitzgibbon of the Highlander Group says that "If we impute the data samplings of non-working citizens at the labor force rate of January 2009 (when this Obama term began) we would have a Household U-3 Unemployment rate currently of 11.4%."

REMEMBERING THE ATTACKS OF 9/11: Was it a wake up call? How has America responded?

Today we remember the heroes of September 11, 2001 — all the policemen, the firemen, the medics, the military, all the first responders, and those on board the flight that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Remember THIS WOMAN

The world hasn't just become wicked...it's  always been wicked.
The prize doesn't always go to the most  deserving. 

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

occasional C-class flares. An associated CME was observed over the
south pole and had an estimated plane of sky speed of 420 km/s.
This CME is not expected to be geoeffective at this time, pending
further analysis.

Romney: Humans contribute to climate change, more regulations not the answer

Romney has pushed for increased government research funding for low-emission technologies — particularly nuclear energy — and decried President Obama’s push to regulate carbon emissions.

Rossi Gives Third-Party Test Results from Hot Cat

Last night, Andrea Rossi read and explained the third party tests that were done in July on his hot cat technology. The results evince outputs that approach nuclear in their power density and peak output levels.

Ryan Backs Romney on Wind-Energy Tax Credit

Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said he backs nominee Mitt Romney in opposing extension of the wind-energy tax credit.

SoberLook - A Pattern of Increasingly Longer Payrolls Recoveries

Continuing with the recent theme of the US labor markets, consider the chart below. It's the total US employees on nonfarm payrolls going back to the mid 60s. We've heard numerous discussions about how the current payrolls correction is far deeper and will take much longer to recover than in previous recessions. But there is a pattern in this chart.

Solar-powered oven makes fresh water

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Concerned about the lack of fresh water in the developing world, designer Gabriele Diamanti wanted a solution to desalinate water that was available to households rather than relying on giant, centralized plants. He also wanted it to be something inexpensive that could be made by local craftsman. The result is a ceramic solar still called the Eliodomestico that operates like an “upside-down coffee percolator”

SRP customers to address board about proposed rate hike

Low-income SRP customers upset over a proposed 4.8 percent rate hike plan to share their stories Monday during the public meeting of the utility company's board.

SRP, a Valley-based public utility company, announced this summer it would seek the rate increase, the first since spring 2010.

Study Finds 100 percent Renewable Electricity Possible Now

A bold new study, the Long Island Clean Electricity Vision, commissioned by Renewable Energy Long Island (reLI) and environmental, public interest, and other advocacy organizations, finds that 100 percent clean, renewable electricity is now possible for Long Island.

The Anticipation of Aggressive Monetary Expansion by the Fed Woke Up Inflation Expectations

Friday's poor employment report has given us a good window into how financial markets react to prospects of a monetary expansion. The weakness in the US labor conditions has significantly increased the probability that the FOMC will lean toward an outright asset purchase program. Friday's market reaction to this possible move by the Fed is shown in the table below.

The ECB: No Rest for the Weary

  • The economic picture in Europe is worsening, exposing flaws in the foundation of the euro compact.
  • The European Central Bank is trying its best, but remains hindered by its charter.
  • European policy makers should focus on stabilizing the situation first, and seeking retribution later.

The Great Riches of Our Seas Have Been Depleted and Forgotten

Just as overfishing impoverishes the life of the sea, the forgetting impoverishes our own lives.

Researching the history of ecosystems, it is not long before you make an arresting discovery. Great abundance of the kind that exists in the tropics - or existed until recently - was once almost universal.

Tracking the Global CSP Market

After six years in the industry and one year of intense research, CSP Today launched its new Global Tracker initiative aimed at bringing greater transparency to the CSP industry

Transocean, U.S. discussing $1.5 billion spill settlement

Transocean Ltd is in discussions with the U.S. Justice Department to pay $1.5 billion to resolve civil and criminal claims from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Swiss-based company said on Monday.

Twenty more "Niles" needed to feed growing population-leaders

The world needs to find the equivalent of the flow of 20 Nile rivers by 2025 to grow enough food to feed a rising population and help avoid conflicts over water scarcity, a group of former leaders said on Monday.

UN Officials Seek Cooperation to Prevent World Food Crisis

Soaring prices for grains and soybeans could harm tens of millions of people around the world in the coming months, the three officials most directly responsible for feeding the world’s hungriest people warned in a joint statement today.

U.S., Canada Update Great Lakes Water Quality Protections

Provisions to deal with aquatic invasive species, habitat degradation and the effects of climate change are featured in the newly amended Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement signed by U.S. and Canadian officials today in Washington.

US crude oil release would be driven by politics, economic factors

A release of crude stocks from the US strategic reserve would be driven by political considerations not just economic ones, Mine Yucel of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said Tuesday on the sidelines of the International Association for Energy Economics conference in Venice.

U.S. judge rejects whale suit against Navy sub training site

The U.S. Navy can build a $100 million submarine training range off the coast of Southern Georgia and Northern Florida, a federal judge ruled Monday, dismissing a lawsuit by environmental groups claiming the project would harm the already endangered North Atlantic right whale.

U.S. solar market spikes in second quarter

The amount of photovoltaic solar panels installed in the United States reached 742 megawatts in the second quarter of 2012, according to a report released Monday by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, up from 512 megawatts in the first quarter.

U.S. to cover cancer treatment for 9/11 responders

The 70,000 surviving firefighters, police officers and other first responders who raced to the World Trade Center after the attacks of September 11, 2001 will be entitled to free monitoring and treatment for some 50 forms of cancer.

Wastewater 2.0: The Age Of Innovation

Thanks to some forward-thinking pioneers and early adopters committed to innovation, the wastewater industry is on the precipice of radical change.

Wave energy test up and running on the Oregon coast

After years of optimistic pronouncements, haggling with coastal residents and fishermen, and one project that landed in Davy Jones' locker, a new wave of Oregon's renewable energy experiment is taking shape off the coast.

"We are entering the Most Fateful 50 Days" since Yom KippurWar, says Senior Israeli Official

Evidence continues to mount that an Israeli preemptive strike against Iran’s nuclear program is increasingly likely before the U.S. elections in November.

What Are Our Children Being Taught?

The Mayor of Kawasaki City, Japan, announced at a press conference on September 4, 2012, that children were intentionally being fed radioactive food for educational purpose. “Students need to know they live in danger by [sic] consuming radioactive school lunch.”

While Congress has halted work on federal climate legislation, many U.S. business are stepping up to reduce emissions. What's driving them?

A federal carbon cap-and-trade program is dead for the foreseeable future. So is a once promising national clean energy standard.

With climate policy paralyzed in Washington, a number of leading U.S. corporations are going it alone, squeezing big reductions of climate-changing emissions from their operations and supply chains. With stakeholder criticism and other pressures building, more and more are also releasing rigorous climate data in their financial reports and enlisting third-party firms to make sure it is accurate.

White House to seek industry support for BLM fracking rule

The Obama administration plans to seek industry support as it pursues regulation to require public disclosure of the chemicals used by oil and gas developers in hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands, a White House official said Thursday.

Wildfires threaten homes in northern Rockies, eastern Cascades

Wildfires burning across the northern Rockies threatened hundreds of homes on Monday in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, while firefighters in Washington state scrambled to battle scores of blazes sparked by weekend lightning storms across the eastern Cascades.

Wireless power spurring technology innovation

The World Economic Forum Global Agenda on Emerging Technologies has listed wireless power as one of the "top 10 emerging technologies for 2012." It is listed as number seven and as having the greatest potential to provide solutions to global challenges.

 

September 7, 2012

 

3-D Mapping Of Isaac Water Levels

A new technology was deployed by U.S. Geological Survey scientists to map urban flooding caused by Hurricane Isaac.  Called “terrestrial lidar,” or “T-lidar”, this new capability will enable scientists to collect highly detailed information in select population areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama where the hurricane had the greatest impact.

7.6 Mww - COSTA RICA

Analysis: U.S. bankers say, love or hate it, ethanol here to stay

Before the U.S. biofuels boom took off in 2007, the food vs. fuel debate raged: can we afford to use corn for ethanol in a starving world?

Five years later, farm bankers ask: can we afford not to?

Bank of Spain Providing Emergency Loans to Spanish Banks; Pressure Mounts on the ECB

Despite the ECB's rhetoric on defending the euro that pushed up global risk asset valuations, the underlying issues of the Eurozone have not been resolved. Signs of the run on Spain's banks are once again in the press. Previously we had Der Spiegel describe the enormous euro deposit outflows from the Spanish banking system. The problem has not gone away and here is an update with some explanations.

Canada's Mackenzie River needs aid as climate "refrigerator"

Canada's Mackenzie River basin needs better protection as a vast northern "refrigerator" slowing global climate change, experts said on Monday.

Canada's longest river also needs a unifying plan to oversee water quality, wildlife and oil pollution that would be similar to European Union directives governing rivers such as the Rhine or Danube, they said.

Cancer ‘Super’ Drug Created

University of Missouri scientists have created a new anti-cancer “super” drug in the laboratory that they said is 10 times more potent than conventional chemotherapy against breast, lung and colon cancer tumors.

City to showcase climate action plan

Some people still deny climate change because there are always people who deny the tough stuff of science. Others don't deny it but think people don't cause it. The good news is that more people are deciding that, regardless, we can and should live smarter on the Earth. As of next spring, the city will showcase the climate action plan it initiated in 2006 with the Green Building Alliance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2023 -- the sixth floor of the City-County Building.

Combine solar and electric grid the greenest?

One of the countless long-running arguments on No Name Key is whether grid-tied solar energy systems are greener than the off-the-grid lifestyle residents have endured -- or thrived on, depending on whom you ask -- for many years.

Deforestation affects rainfall, another reason to protect the rainforests

From regulating climate systems to offering food and medicines, to being home to many plants, animals, and indigenous people, rainforests are not only a local ecosystem but their benefits extend globally.

Democrats Boo When God and Jerusalem Restored to Platform

God and Jerusalem are apparently not too popular among some delegates to the Democratic National Convention. When party officials moved to restore a reference to God to the party platform along with recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, some delegates shouted “no” and later booed, Fox News reported.

El Nino conditions are likely to develop during September 2012

ENSO-neutral conditions persisted during August. However, there are ongoing signs of a possibly imminent transition towards El Niño in the atmosphere as well as the ocean.

Eurozone's Economy Heads Toward Recession

Strong exports limited the eurozone's economic contraction in the second quarter of this year despite falling investment, inventories and private consumption that point to output shrinking overall in 2012.

The EU's statistics office Eurostat confirmed on Thursday that gross domestic product in the 17 countries using the euro fell 0.2 percent quarter-on-quarter. It revised the year-on-year fall to 0.5 percent from a previously reported 0.4 percent.

Executive Order to save $100B in energy costs?

President Obama has signed an Executive Order to accelerate Investment in industrial energy efficiency. The order is estimated to result in energy cost savings of as much as $100 billion using technology such as combined heat and power and waste heat recovery.

Exploding watermelons with your mind

Games that are played by using your hands are so last year – why not do something a little more fun? For instance, why not explode watermelons ... with your mind? One hackerspace took that idea and ran with it, turning a mind-reading toy into a melon blasting machine.

Farm Use of Antibiotics Defies Scrutiny

The numbers released quietly by the federal government this year were alarming. A ferocious germ resistant to many types of antibiotics had increased tenfold on chicken breasts, the most commonly eaten meat on the nation’s dinner tables.

FDA Turns South Floridians into Human Guinea Pigs

Untested, bio-engineered mosquitoes will likely be released in the Florida Keys.

Federal judge says police can enforce most contentious part of Ariz. immigration law

Arizona authorities can enforce the most contentious section of the state's heavily debated immigration law, according to a federal judge's ruling Wednesday regarding a section of the statute that critics have dubbed the "show me your papers" provision.

Fed's Unemployment Target is Unrealistic

The Fed's goals for the US longer term unemployment levels are simply unrealistic and will force the central bank to prolong its easing programs beyond what is really needed for economic growth. This misguided approach will be damaging to the economic growth in years to come.  Here is what the FOMC is projecting for the "longer run" unemployment - a rate that is in the 5%-6% range.

Fight Back Against Food Price Increases

This year, with food prices spiraling upward, we decided that no matter what, we were going to plant our garden. There'd be no excuses this year.

Fluoride Can Kill: Beware of Hidden Sources

Many medical authorities warn that excess fluoride has been linked to a myriad of health problems including heart ailments, Alzheimer’s, bone disorders, and cancer.

But did you know that you can get the mineral from sources besides toothpaste and fluoride-supplemented drinking water?

Many products contain fluoride, including tea, wine, soda, infant formula, and foods with soy.

Gallup: Americans' Confidence in Economy Ties 2012 Low Point

Americans' confidence in their economy has tied a low point not seen since January, a Gallup poll finds.

Hydrogen: The ‘never say die’ industry surges again

New innovations and cost reductions are once again building hype for hydrogen, as new data supports market based solutions. Is this the tipping point in a clean energy revolution? Angstrom Advanced Inc.’s Samuel Sterling gives a new take on an old tale.

In AEE Survey, Four in Five Republicans Support Advanced Energy

Wide majorities of Republicans across the United States and in key “swing states” believe that advanced energy is important for the nation’s economic future and want policymakers to focus on fostering these solutions, according to new surveys of likely voters nationwide and in swing states. The surveys, conducted for the Advanced Energy Economy Institute (AEEI), found that 85 percent of Republicans nationwide and in 12 key swing states believe advanced energy – defined as energy products, technologies, and services that are secure, clean, and affordable over the long term – are very important or somewhat important to America’s future. At the same time, 88 percent of political independents and 96 percent of Democrats believe advanced energy is important to America’s future.

Is the sun setting on solar?

While low prices for PV technology have led to increasing installations, these prices are also likely to lower quality technology and installations, possibly resulting in a global backlash against solar power, Pike Research contends.

LA County's largest landfill closing next year

County’s largest landfill is gearing up for closure, which means that starting in 2013, an estimated 20,000 tons of trash a day will be taken to a mega-landfill in the Imperial Valley desert.

Minnesota solar panel maker struggles, skips loan payments

A year-old solar panel manufacturer in northern Minnesota, citing slower-than-expected sales, has missed its first two payments on a $1.5 million loan from an Iron Range development agency and is seeking additional forbearance on the debt, executives and state officials said Tuesday.

[ED:  This is why the alternative energy business must understand that they are a business first (customers must be willing and able to buy.  Pushing alternative energy to people who cannot afford to purchase anything just doesn't make the best sense.]

Move over Nimbys: Biofuels get big with the Oooobys, but how good are they?

Touted for both energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, biofuels have received worldwide attention in recent years as a viable solution to the global oil crisis. While these positive qualities have been reinforced by numerous scientific studies, biofuels still have critics who say cost-ineffectiveness and poor vehicular performance greatly hinder its perceived economic value.

Navy and nuclear industry sign deal to fight workers shortage

The nuclear industry long has drawn employees from the U.S. Navy, so it makes sense that companies would look to the Navy again as the industry faces an impending shortage of skilled workers.

Nearly 17 million Americans repeatedly short of food: report

The Department of Agriculture said in a report that about 5.5 percent of Americans, or nearly 17 million, suffered "very low food security" last year, meaning they had to skip meals or not eat for a day because of a lack of money to buy food. That is a rise of 800,000 over the prior year, it said.

New Junk Science Study Dismisses Nutritional Value of Organic Foods

The study, published yesterday in The Annals of Internal Medicine, concluded that “the published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”

NH cleared by feds to implement new voter ID law

New Hampshire is among a group of states, including Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, that are required under the Voting Rights Act of 1964 to submit any election law changes to the Department of Justice for review to determine whether they would result in racial discrimination. The state came under the act's purview because of poor voter turnout in 10 towns in the 1968 presidential election and because it still had a literacy test on the books at the time.

NRC Rejects Nuclear Reactor for Too Much Foreign Owernship

A panel for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has ruled against issuing a construction and operating license for a proposed new nuclear reactor in Maryland because it would have too much foreign ownership.

NYT: US Companies Brace for Greece Exit from Euro

U.S. firms have gone from worrying about a Greek exit from the eurozone to taking concrete plans to prepare themselves in the event the debt-ridden Adriatic country is shown the door to the currency group.

Pentagon maps Japan radiation, says U.S. personnel safe

The Pentagon on Wednesday posted a website mapping the amount of radiation to which the tens of thousands of Americans in Japan at the time of last year's earthquake and nuclear disaster were exposed and said none of the doses posed health risks.

Pimco's El-Erian to Congress: Fate of Economic Recovery Is in Your Hands

“No doubt you have … noticed that, with less than 10 weeks to go until the November presidential election, our country is in the grip of an increasingly ugly political campaign," El-Erian wrote in the Project Syndicate column. "So, with this combination of bad economics and bad politics, we look to you for direction and leadership. It is that simple, and that important,” he wrote.

Portugal's Biggest Risk is Spain

Portugal has been trying to export its way out of the economic mess that it has been in for some time. And it has been doing an amazing job, particularly given its poor export track record and deteriorating economic conditions in the Eurozone.

President Obama to Tone Down Climate Change Talk

This is President Obama’s week to detail his path for energizing America and to answer GOP-hopeful Romney’s scathing attacks. And while some of his responses will be pointed, others will be dulled -- most likely those discussing the potential of climate change on the U.S. economy.

Radio waves used to wirelessly power tiny heart implant

Implantable medical devices are becoming more common everyday. The problem is that no matter how sophisticated the devices are, most still depend on batteries for power. One solution to this is for the power source to remain outside the body and to beam the power to the device. However, that has its own difficulties because wireless power can’t penetrate very far through human tissue ... until now.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

activity was moderate, M1 x-ray flare, occasional low-level C-class
flares. No new regions were numbered. No Earth-directed CME activity occurred during the period. Solar activity is expected to be low
through the period (07 - 09 September) with a chance for an isolated
M-class flare on day 1. There will be a slight chance for an isolated M-class flare during days 2 - 3.

Rising chemicals output a hazard, clean-up needed by 2020: U.N.

Increasing misuse of chemicals is causing health and environmental damage especially in emerging economies and governments must do more to carry out a promised clean-up by 2020, a United Nations report said on Wednesday.

Salinity and Climate

The degree of salinity in oceans is a driver of the world's ocean circulation, where density changes due to both salinity changes and temperature changes at the surface of the ocean produce changes in buoyancy, which cause the sinking and rising of water masses. Changes in the salinity of the oceans are thought to contribute to global changes in carbon dioxide as more saline waters are less soluble to carbon dioxide.

Six Indicators Pointing to China's Deteriorating Conditions

China's slowing economy continues to pose a major risk to global growth. Here are a number of updates to the developments discussed earlier.

Smooth operation with Fuel Cells

Fuel cell technology proves successful in a new position paper from DNV Research and Innovation, giving hope to a future of reduced emissions from shipping.

With rising fuel prices and impending environmental regulations, the pressure is on for more efficient and environmentally friendly ships. DNV Research and Innovation has taken a leading role in facilitating the demonstration of safe and reliable fuel cell applications for ships. In the joint industry project, FellowSHIP, a 330 kW fuel cell was successfully installed, and demonstrated smooth operation for more than 7000 hours on board the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady.

Social Security Administration's bullet purchase stirs online drama

It didn't take long for the Internet to start buzzing with conspiracy theories after the Social Security Administration posted a notice that it was purchasing 174,000 hollow-point bullets.

Why is the agency that provides benefits to retirees, disabled workers, widows and children stockpiling ammunition?

Sugar, Commonly Used Food Feeds Cancer Cells, Triggers Weight Gain, and Promotes Premature Aging

Death by sugar may not be an overstatement—evidence is mounting that sugar is THE MAJOR FACTOR causing obesity and chronic disease.

Survey: US Global Competitiveness Falls Again on Fading Faith in Lawmakers

The United States' ability to compete on the global stage has fallen for the fourth year running as confidence in the country's politicians continues to decline, an annual survey from the World Economic Forum found Wednesday.

The labor of energy: Wind turbines

Giant blades turn systematically some 250 feet above Steve Schwoerer's farm, coaxing simple air into electricity and dollar signs.

"When the world is quiet, I can hear them," ...

The Man-made CO2 Global Warming Fraud!

Here is an excerpt1 from a paper written by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorologist; "Climate models used for estimating effects of increases in greenhouse gases show substantial increases in water vapor as the globe warms and this increased moisture would further increase the warming." However, this meteorologist along with the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) crowd got it backwards about water vapor and CO2 -- they cool the earth like all other gases in our atmosphere!

[ED:  Real the analytical logic. Perceive or read the results of direct observation?  The editor listens strongly to the scientists who are studying the earth directly!]

The U.S. Has a Holocaust Museum, But Why no American Indian Holocaust Museum?

Americans are no strangers to willful denial of the past. American presidents have called for forgetting the past, not investigating wrongs of prior administrations, insisting that America is only and always the “good guy” on the planet. Indeed, this is a core ingredient of assertions that America is “exceptional.”

Toshiba, Hitachi, others to invest $1.53 billion on wind power: Nikkei

Toshiba Corp, Hitachi Zosen Corp, JFE Steel Corp and three other companies plan to invest 120 billion yen ($1.53 billion) over a decade to set up offshore wind turbines, the Nikkei reported.

Trawling could harm oceans like ploughing land: scientists

Bottom trawling - dragging nets across the sea floor to scoop up fish - stirs up the sediment lying on the seabed, displaces or harms some marine species, causes pollutants to mix into plankton and move into the food chain and creates harmful algae blooms or oxygen-deficient dead zones.

Tropical Forests Sustainability

According to the report, governments and businesses must begin using sustainably established plantation forests to minimize the toll logging is taking on tropical forests. Many of the products used every day by American businesses and consumers are made from tropical wood, including paper, furniture, building material and shipping supplies. The destruction of virginal tropical forests for forestry products should be replaced with sustainable and repeatable plantation forests.

US crude oil stocks to show a 5 million-barrel decline on week: analysts

Analysts expect US gasoline stocks to have declined by 3.5 million barrels, a direct product of Gulf Coast refineries shut due to Isaac.

Should this be the case, US gasoline stocks will be 3.7% below the EIA five-year average, the lowest level since early June. By comparison, this same time last year, US gasoline stocks were almost 2% above the EIA five-year average -- higher by almost 10 million barrels.

U.S. Emissions Reach 20-Year Low, but its not time to congratulate ourselves just yet!

Climate scientists are getting their fair share of surprises this year, from the record-breaking ice melt in the Arctic to the fact that first-quarter U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have hit their lowest point since 1992. CO2 emissions from energy consumption for the January-March period fell to 1.34 billion metric tons, down 8 percent from a year ago. While the depressed economy and rising renewable energy generation have contributed to emissions reductions in the past few years, the early 2012 low-point is due mainly to a combination of three factors: the relatively warm winter, reduced gasoline demand, and the continued decline in coal-fired electricity.

U.S. lays out examples of "gross negligence" by BP

The U.S. Justice Department is ramping up its rhetoric against BP PLC for the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, describing in new court papers examples of what it calls "gross negligence and willful misconduct."

The court filing is the sharpest position yet taken by the U.S. government as it seeks to hold the British oil giant largely responsible for the largest oil spill in U.S. history.

U.S. Manufacturing Activity Contracted Again in August; Construction Spending Unexpectedly Declined in July

Activity in the US manufacturing sector contracted for the third consecutive month in August 2012, and the pace of decline accelerated slightly as indicated by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing index edging down to 49.6 from 49.8 in July (a reading below 50 indicates the sector is generally contracting).

What Do Cigarettes, DDT, Agent Orange, and Your Groceries Have In Common?

Scientists knew about the dangers of cigarettes, DDT, and Agent Orange long before anything reached the public. The same is true today about genetically modified food (often referred to as genetically modified organisms or GMOs). This food is being sold without even a label identifying it. A genetically modified seed was even created to allow them to spray a chemical containing Agent Orange on crops without killing them.

What The Drought Of 2012 Tells Us About Industrial Agriculture

The summer’s extreme weather is starting to expose cracks in the system.

There have been droughts before, and it looks like there will certainly be more droughts in the future. However, the summer of 2012 has been historic in several ways:

 

September 4, 2012

 

2 years after Christie's call for green era, little has changed

The logjam in New Jersey mirrors the situation up and down the Eastern Seaboard, as the future of federal price supports falls into doubt and the promise of clean, renewable power goes up against the high price tag of installing 400-foot-tall turbines 20 miles out to sea.

6.4 Mwp - SOUTH OF JAVA, INDONESIA

A Barrel of a Hundred High Temperature E-Cats

According to the information provided by the consultant and Rossi himself, a single, small "hot cat" (weighing about ten pounds or 4.5 kilograms) can produce high temperatures up to 1,200 degrees Celsius or higher. At the same time, Rossi asserts that a single module can produce approximately ten kilowatts of power. Most importantly, it is alleged these temperatures and power output levels can be achieved with total stability -- along with kilowatts more output than input.  

Arctic summer sea ice might thaw by 2015 - or linger for decades

Ice on the Arctic Ocean could vanish in summertime as early as 2015 or linger for many decades after a thaw to a record low this month that is widely blamed on climate change, according to scientists.

Atmospheric Methane Reductions Attributed to not Venting it!

Increased capture of natural gas from oil fields probably accounts for up to 70 percent of the dramatic leveling off seen in atmospheric methane at the end of the 20th century, according to new UC Irvine research being published in the journal Nature.

Biden to Labor Unions: We're with You

Biden used a Labor Day rally in Detroit to encourage organized labor to take a critical look at Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan. Biden says they don't appreciate the role union workers played in building the country and instead vilify their work.

Biden also says Romney and Ryan don't believe in workers' rights to collective bargaining.

Businesses Cannot Win "Water Wars,"

Industry rather than municipal supply is now the strongest driver of the desalination market, according to a new report published today by GWI*. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the growth of the market for seawater desalination to augment municipal water supply has slowed to a standstill – but the use of the technology among industrial water users is accelerating, with double-digit growth rates expected over the next five years.

Cherokee Nation Ready For Its 60th National Holiday

“We have added more traditional games, more cultural events and opened it up more to our Cherokee people,” said Lou Slagle, director of the Cherokee National Holiday. “Every year, we try to do something that is more related to the tribe.”

Conservationists Howl as Feds Drop Wyoming Wolves From Endangered List

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today declared the Wyoming population of gray wolves to be recovered and removed federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. As of September 30, wolves in Wyoming will be managed by the state as they are in Idaho and Montana.

Consumer Sentiment Hits Three-Month High but Outlook Remains Grim

Consumer sentiment hit a three-month high in August as households chipped away at outstanding debt, though Americans were pessimistic about the future, a survey showed on Friday.

DOE invests $5.6 million in methane hydrates research

The US Department of Energy on Friday announced it is investing $5.6 million in 14 research projects on methane hydrates, which the agency says could be a major source of natural gas.

Methane hydrates are ice-lattice structures with frozen natural gas, and they are found worldwide, including under the Arctic permafrost and on the ocean floor.

Economists: Dismal Growth Data Threatens Obama’s Re-election Chances

Tepid economic-growth rates will threaten President Barack Obama's re-election chances this November, economists say.

Economic indicators have either disappointed or have pointed to a sluggish recovery, especially second-quarter gross domestic product growth figures, which the Commerce Department recently revised upward to 1.7 percent from 1.5 percent.

Electric generation robust globally despite challenges

Despite facing challenges, the global electricity market is robust, according to research from Lucintel. In fact, electricity generation has been increasing steadily over the past decade and is expected to grow to 28,085 TWh by 2017 – a compound annual growth rate of 4 percent over the next five years.

Fed’s Williams: Economy Needs Open-Ended Stimulus

The economy needs another shot of Federal Reserve stimulus and this time around, it needs it indefinitely, said Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams

Since the 2008 financial meltdown, the Fed has rolled out two round of stimulus measures known as quantitative easing, which are asset purchases from banks that pump liquidity into the financial system.

Food shortages could force world into vegetarianism, warn scientists

Leading water scientists have issued one of the sternest warnings yet about global food supplies, saying that the world's population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages.

Humans derive about 20% of their protein from animal-based products now, but this may need to drop to just 5% to feed the extra 2 billion people expected to be alive by 2050, according to research by some of the world's leading water scientists.

France on its way to fossil fuel freedom

Even though governments across Europe have set goals to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, few are truly on their way to achieving it. France is one of those few, according to research from GlobalData.

France is reducing its reliance on thermal installed capacity (at a compound annual growth rate of 1.9 percent through 2020) while Germany, Italy and the U.K. are predicted to increase thermal capacity during the same period.

From Bacteria to Biofuel, Invest in Milking Microbes

What if we could take a soil bacteria and tinker with its genes to create a biofuel much in the same way that a cow produces milk? Well, we can, or at least a team of scientists has figured out how to do it, and the next step is figuring out how to make it happen on a commercial scale.

Harrisburg to Run Out of Money in October; Inside America's Most Indebted City; Labyrinth of Fraud

Congratulations to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, for having the highest per capita debt of any city in the country.

The town's 50,000 citizens are on the hook for $1.5 billion according to the NPR article Inside America's Most Indebted

Harvard’s Feldstein: Lingering Unemployment Could Fuel Inflation

A combination of loose monetary policies and stubbornly high unemployment rates could raise the risk that inflation could strike the economy down the road, says Harvard economist Martin Feldstein.

Iran May be Pushing to Nuke Threshold

A "big and unforgivable" sin. A Western falsehood. An attempt to deprive developing nations of peaceful nuclear technology.

That's how Iran's supreme leader addresses allegations that the Islamic Republic seeks atomic weapons.

It's Not Your Husband’s Survival Manual

We all know that women and men are different. And to be honest, I like that. I celebrate our differences. I'm happy to give men the room they need to be masculine, engage in guy things, and be the protectors and providers of their families. That's their job.

Lawsuit: Obama Is ‘Illegally’ Thwarting Offshore Drilling

A new lawsuit filed by an independent American oil and gas company charges that the Obama administration is blocking legitimate efforts to find and produce oil from offshore wells.

“Given the challenges still facing the U.S. economy, the government needs to move aside and let private industry do what private industry does best: create jobs and increase our oil supply to help lower the price at the pump,” a report from the Heritage Foundation states.

Louisiana Offshore Oil Port resumes offloading tankers

The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, which handles 13 percent of foreign crude coming to the United States, resumed offloading tankers on Saturday morning, according to a statement issued by the port.

Merkel seeks Chinese concessions in solar row

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that Germany had no interest in starting a trade war with Beijing over solar exports to Europe, but stressed that China must take action to address distortions to fair competition in the sector.

Michael McKubre on Cold Fusion's rise despite political academic suppression

McKubre pointed out several points that create a negative feedback loop against cold fusion in the academic world.

It was initially instigated by scientific laziness. People thought that in three weeks, they could replicate what it took the foremost electrochemist, Martin Fleishmann and his associate Pons, three years to accomplish. And when they couldn't, they assumed that it was because the recipe was bad. "We now know why they didn't work. There are certain thresholds in the experiment, none of which were met."

Moody's puts European Union on notice

Moody's put the European Union on notice Monday that its top-notch Aaa rating is at risk of downgrade, cutting the outlook on the EU's creditworthiness to "negative" from "stable" because of the continent's ongoing debt crisis.

Nations warn of broken promises at U.N. climate talks

Almost 50 of the world's poorest nations said pledges made by rich countries to provide funds to help them adapt to a warmer planet risk being overlooked as U.N. negotiations over a global climate pact to start in 2020 got underway in Bangkok on Thursday.

NC State Leads National Effort To Evaluate Fresh Water Sustainability In The Southern U.S.

North Carolina State University is leading a four-year federal research effort to evaluate freshwater sustainability across the southern United States and develop policy recommendations on what can be done to make the best use of water supplies in the face of population growth and the effects of climate change over the next 10 to 30 years. Arizona State University and the University of Georgia are also part of the project.

Northwestern Economist Gordon: Scant Growth to Haunt US for ‘an Extended Period of Decades’

Technological innovations, from the steam engine to the Internet, have boosted U.S. economic growth for centuries, but it might be all over, concludes Robert Gordon, an economist at Northwestern University, in a new research paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Gordon's research calls into question the nearly universal assumption that economic growth will last forever.

NRC delivers quake lessons

The earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011 is still reverberating on this side of the globe. 

Oil spill stretches for miles by Exxon Nigeria field

An oil spill near an ExxonMobil oilfield off the southeast coast of Nigeria has spread along the shore for about 15 miles, and locals said it was killing fish they depend on to live.

Panasonic unveils world's most energy-efficient two-door refrigerator

Panasonic has unveiled a brand new refrigerator which the company states is the first-ever A+++rated two-door refrigerator – making it the most energy-efficient two-door fridge, worldwide. Named the NR-B55VE1, it consumes 262 kWh/year of electricity, which by our reckoning amounts to a mean power consumption of 30 W....

Prairie Island tribe seeks action on nuclear waste

The long debate over storing radioactive waste next to the Prairie Island nuclear power plant is boiling up again with an old question: Is the waste ever going away?

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

occasional C-class flares. There were no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CME) observed during the period.  a chance for isolated M-
class flares.  Arrival of the Halo CME observed on 31 August. This was followed by a geomagnetic sudden impulse.  Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on day 1 (04 September) with a chance for minor storm levels as CME effects wind down. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected during days 2 - 3 (05 - 06 September)

Socialized Medicine Chasing Away British Doctors

Supporters of Obamacare should take note: Since 2008 alone, more than 8,000 doctors have left Britain to practice elsewhere, and the chief reason cited is the country’s long-established system of socialized medicine.

“When a government declares that it will provide ‘free’ healthcare, there is no escaping the fact that such a system will one day be overwhelmed by demand and the providers — the doctors and other professionals who are extensively and intensely trained — won’t be able to keep up

Solar PV to temper South African energy challenges

South Africa has stated its intention to increase the amount of renewable energy in its total portfolio and is on track for its first off-grid utility-scale solar PV system as part of its plans to increase power supplies from independent producers.

As global demand for South African coal, platinum, palladium and chromium increases, so do power supply constraints due to capacity challenges faced by Eskom, South Africa's utility. The PV plant will help temper these challenges.

Spain to Approve 'Bad Bank' for Toxic Assets

Spain's government made a further attempt at solving its economic crisis Friday when it approved a new package of measures to create a "bad bank" to handle the country's toxic property investments and give the central bank more powers to shut down troubled lenders.

Spineless creatures under threat, from worms to bees: study

The vital tasks carried out by tiny "engineers" like earthworms that recycle waste and bees that pollinate crops are under threat because one fifth of the world's spineless creatures may be at risk of extinction, a study showed on Friday.

The rising human population is putting ever more pressure on the "spineless creatures that rule the world" including slugs, spiders, jellyfish, lobsters, corals, and bugs such as beetles and butterflies, it said.

Sunshine Helps Bring Clean Drinking Water To Third World Countries

One sixth of the world's population live in remote locations or third world countries where they have never had access to clean drinking water placing them at risk for death from bacterial diseases like cholera, dysentery and typhoid.  All of that may be changing soon however due to a remarkable new Swedish jerrycan which purifies water using only sunshine.

Syria's Assad holds talks with Red Cross chief

Syrian President Bashar Assad told the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in talks in Damascus on Tuesday that the group is welcome to operate on the ground in the country as long as it remains "neutral and independent," state media reported.

Tanning Hides at Home

The process in this article can be used to tan rabbit hides, sheepskins, deerskins, and other animals that you have hunted for food. There’s no reason to throw away a perfectly good pelt when you can transform it into a beautiful hide for projects. You can make cozy rugs, beautiful purses, and warm winter jackets. Once you have tanned your first hide, you will be amazed how easy it is, and your friends will be impressed with your skills.

That Sinking Feeling

More than 30,000 Guna Indians live just a few feet above sea level, in crowded villages on 41 small islands, which makes them especially vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change.

For centuries, the Guna (a.k.a. Kuna) Indians have successfully defended their territory on Panama’s Caribbean coast. They allied themselves with French pirates to fend off the Spaniards during the colonial era, and revolted against Panamanian authorities in 1925 to demand the autonomy that they now enjoy. Today, they face an unprecedented threat as seasonal waves and rising seas resulting from climate change slowly consume the islands out from under them.

The Hurricane is Gone, Why aren't Gasoline Prices Going Lower?

It's amazing how some highly educated people refuse to see the facts in front of them. We continue to get comments that the reason for the recent rise in gasoline prices had to do with the hurricane Isaac threatening US refining facilities in Louisiana.

OK, the hurricane is gone and there has been no material damage. Why aren't gasoline prices beginning to decline?

The Last Antibiotic: Drug Companies Run Out of Weapons Against the Very Same Superbugs They Helped Create

The age of antibiotics is over. It's history. There are no more patented chemical antibiotics in the pipeline. The drug companies have all but abandoned antibiotics research, leaving humanity to suffer the fate of a wave of drug-resistant bacteria -- superbugs -- that the drug companies actually helped create.

The Sordid Influence of the Doctrine of Discovery

The Doctrine of Discovery (DOD) was developed by Roman Catholic Popes beginning in 1452 to justify and provide a legal basis for European Christian nations to expand their empires, take the land and resources of non-white civilizations around the world, and destroy those who would not convert to Christianity.

UK: Arrested for self-defense

'The householder is the victim here and justice should support them': MP backs homeowner who is held by police after 'burglars' were shot during break-in 

US Business Activity Expands at Slower Pace as Companies Face 'Fiscal Cliff'

Business activity in the U.S. expanded at a slower pace in August, indicating companies may hold the line on production until sales pick up.

The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc. said its business barometer fell to 53.0 this month from 53.7 in July.

US Debt to Hit $16 Trillion on Tuesday as DNC Begins

Just as Democrats are gaveling in their convention Tuesday, the federal government likely will announce another dubious milestone — $16 trillion in total federal debt.

In an election already focused on domestic issues of jobs, spending and deficits, the $16 trillion number is likely to underscore just how much is at stake in November for both parties, which are offering dramatically different ways to begin to eat away at the deep hole.

U.S. Farmers Reaping Record Profits

Media reports have been focusing on the drought afflicting much of the United States and the devastating impact it could have on farmers. But surprisingly, American farmers are heading for their most profitable year on record.

The reason: High grain prices and payouts from a federal crop insurance program will compensate for a smaller harvest, the Financial Times reports.

U.S. nears deal for $1 billion in Egypt debt relief: source

The Obama administration is close to a deal with Egypt's new government for $1 billion in debt relief, a senior U.S. official said on Monday, as Washington seeks to help Cairo shore up its ailing economy in the aftermath of its pro-democracy uprising.

U.S. says 71.5 percent oil output shut in Gulf due to Isaac

U.S. regulators said 71.5 percent of daily oil production and 55.62 percent of daily natural gas output in U.S.-regulated areas of the Gulf of Mexico remained shut on Sunday due to Hurricane Isaac, whose remnants were drenching sections of the Midwest.

Waking Up is Hard to Do

"Waking up" isn't a one-day event, though it often starts that way. It is an ongoing process of re-learning everything you ever learned, correcting the brainwashing and seeing the world through new lenses. But the hardest thing is overcoming the social ostracism that accompanies observing things radically differently from those around you.

What the U.S. could learn from E.U.'s WEEE directive

If you've been following electronic waste news, or environmental news in general, you've probably heard of the E.U.'s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (commonly referred to as the "WEEE" Directive). The initiative officially came under European law in February 2003 and seeks to answer the E.U.'s (not to mention the world's) growing electronic waste problem. As our society heads into 2013, scrutiny of the program builds around the directive's 2020 goal of collecting 10 million tons (approximately 44 pounds per capita) of electrical and electronic equipment within the E.U.

Why Don't You Have This Essential Survival Element In Your Survival Gear?

America has a nuclear problem. It's one that exists stateside as well as abroad. Research by the Heritage Foundation shows that the United States has not adequately funded its nuclear deterrent program since the end of the Cold War. Abroad, we have terrorist nations and nations whose security is at best suspect who either have nuclear weapons or are acquiring nuclear capability.

 

 

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