News 2015:

On a 5-4 vote deciding both cases, the justices ruled that court deadlines for filing certain lawsuits can be extended if plaintiffs have good reasons for the delay. President Barack Obama's administration had asked the court to impose a strict deadline for such lawsuits under a law called the Federal Tort Claims Act.

The court's four liberals were joined in the majority by conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who often casts the deciding vote in close cases.

Chinese citizens have filed a lawsuit against China's Ministry of Agriculture, demanding that the agency make public an animal study used to approve Monsanto's Roundup herbicide nearly three decades ago.

Monsanto provided the animal test to the Ministry in 1985, but to date the Chinese government has refused to release the report, citing Monsanto's right to protect their commercial secrets.

After almost two weeks of Native Hawaiian demonstrations against the construction of a giant telescope on top of sacred Mauna Kea Mountain, the governor of Hawaii has called for a week’s moratorium on the project.

The demonstrations have continued and grown every day since March 30, when protesters formed a road block outside the Mauna Kea visitors’ center in Hilo, Hawaii, to prevent construction of the giant copy.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) by the University of Hawaii (UH).

A bill that would require schools in Washington State to include local indigenous nations in their history instruction is on its way to becoming law.

Ten years ago, the state legislature adopted similar legislation encouraging the teaching of Native American history. Working with indigenous nations, the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction developed a curriculum,..

Clay could be used for inexpensive carbon capture

In order to minimize the amount of human-produced greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, numerous scientists have studied materials that could be used to capture excess carbon dioxide at one of its main sources – industrial smokestacks. Such substances have included metal-organic framework materials, ionic liquids, and even a sea urchin-inspired material. Unfortunately, however, not everything that's been suggested is inexpensive or easy to produce. That said, Norwegian researchers now believe that humble clay could do the job just fine.

Closure of coal-fired plant spells end for trout hot spot

Strange as it may sound to people who don't fish, the river below the Interstate 64 High-Rise Bridge was for many years perhaps the best place in the country to catch a certain trophy saltwater fish.

In this industrialized stretch of the Elizabeth River -- among shipyards, chemical storage tanks, a junk yard and coal-fired power plant -- swam an unrivaled population of huge speckled trout.

Coal on the ropes: Recent report reveals dramatic decline in number of active W.Va. miners

It doesn't take a statistician to extrapolate that the numbers in the coal industry remain distressed, but there was some data in this week's report from the Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training that seemed rather startling. From, through March 26, the actual number of active coal miners in West Virginia dropped from 18,200 to 15,604. Of that number, 12,697 were working in underground coal mines and 2,907 were working at surface mines.

Controversial ‘American Sniper’ Screening at U. of Michigan Packs Room, Draws ‘Bias Response Team’ — but How Does ‘Paddington’ Do?

A 150-seat multipurpose room was packed at the University of Michigan on Friday for a controversial screening of “American Sniper,” the Oscar-winning movie about the life of Navy SEAL sharpshooter Chris Kyle...

Oh, and how did “Paddington” fare?

Seven showed up to the screening to watch the animated bear in action.

Cutting Salt May Be Almost Impossible: Study

A recent study is questioning the World Health Organization's (WHO) dietary guidelines for sodium and potassium, saying it has set targets that are out of reach in many cultures...

Potassium-rich foods are well known to reduce heart disease and stroke, yet individuals are unlikely to consume enough of them to reach WHO target levels.

Decisions...

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” ― Robert H. Schuller

Druckenmiller Recounts Soros Experiences, Blasts Fed Policies

Stan Druckenmiller has spent the past two years taking to public stages and television to criticize the Federal Reserve for taking unnecessary risks. He’s also done so in more intimate settings.

Eating Chicken, Not Beef, Yields Climate Benefits

Eating beef is one of the biggest climate villains, but a vegan diet is not necessary to reach climate goals, finds new research from Chalmers University of Technology. A poultry-based diet is a smart and inexpensive way to reduce our impact on the climate.

The trend all over the world is the same: an increasing number of people are eating an increasing amount of beef, although this trend runs counter to the goal of limiting the temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius as governments agree to do at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen in 2009.

Economist Colombo: Rising Rates Will Burst 20-Year Stock Bubble

...what's going to burst the bubble?

It will end "when the very fuel behind it is removed, which is record low interest rates," he writes in an article for Forbes. The Federal Reserve has kept its federal funds rate target at a record low of zero to 0.25 percent since December 2008.

Evident Thermoelectrics looks to turn heat into power

A Troy technology company best known for its innovative lighting technology is now looking to harness the power of the Voyager and Mars Curiosity Rover missions.

Evident Thermoelectrics, which changed its name from Evident Technologies, says it is just a few months away from having its first commercial products that convert heat to electricity.

Factory Farm Meat: Why Vegetarians, Ranchers and Conscious Omnivores Need to Unite

The February 19 “eat less red and processed meat” pronouncement by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) was reported widely in mainstream media. It set off a heated debate about whether or not consumers should eat meat, a debate that included the standard name-calling by factory farm front groups, including the Farm Bureau, denouncing consumers and environmentalists (and their alleged pawns on the DGAC) for being “anti-meat” and “anti-farmer.”

FedEx tests clean hydrogen-fueled tugs at Memphis hub

t was billed as the world's first zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered cargo tug, but it looked more like a heavy duty golf cart cruising around the FedEx hub in Memphis.

Designed to tow a 20-ton train of cargo containers, rather than golf bags and a six-pack, the ground support equipment hummed along quietly and left an odorless trail of warm water vapor wafting from an exhaust fan.

Global Poverty Rate Lowest in History

The percentage of people around the globe living in poverty or extreme poverty has fallen to its lowest level in history, a university economist asserts.

In 1820, the share of the global population living in poverty was 94 percent, while 84 percent lived in "extreme" poverty. By 1992, the poverty rate had dropped to 51 percent while the extreme poverty rate had fallen to 24 percent.

GMO Lies: Study Shows How Pesticide Use Soars with more GMO Crops

Remember those flagrant claims that Big Biotech made, that genetically modified foods were a big reason why the world was enjoying food with less pesticide residues? Well, it turns out, those promises were like all the other biotech claims – baseless. What has really happened is one class of harmful pesticides has simply been replaced by another. A massive increase in bee-toxic neonicotinoids has replaced chemical insecticides used previously.

How good is your eyesight? Take this test.

Who do you see? Take a couple of minutes to have some fun. Video from the guys at AsapSCIENCE.

Hundreds protest against pollution from south China coal plant

Hundreds of people in China's southern Guangdong province protested against the expansion of a coal-fired power plant on Sunday, state media reported, the latest sign of public discontent over pollution.

Residents had complained of smog in Heyuan city since the power plant there began operations in 2008, and officials recently approved a second phase for the project, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Judge blocks Navajo coal mine expansion in northwestern NM

A federal judge has blocked efforts by a Navajo Nation coal mine to expand operations within its permitted area in northwestern New Mexico.

Navajo Transitional Energy Co. LLC is seeking an emergency stay on the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge John Kane in Colorado. The company says the ruling will not affect supply to the Four Corners Power Plant in the immediate future but jeopardizes its long-term sustainability.

Licensing approvals “very close” for Japan nuclear reactors’ restart

Japan’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority approved the restart of two units at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai nuclear power plant in September. Since then, the reactors have had to earn regulatory and local government approvals in order to resume operations since they were shut down following the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. A commissioner with the NRA said regulators were “very close” to finalizing a licensing review of the units, according to Reuters. The commissioner did not give a firm timeframe in the article.

Mercury threat to Arctic wildlife

Alarm bells are ringing for Arctic wildlife with the discovery that mercury levels in the feathers of ivory gulls have increased almost 50-fold. ...“We’re concerned because the mercury’s going up but their diet hasn’t changed over the 130 years we’ve studied. It’s gone up 45 times, which is twice the average for an animal species in the Arctic.”

National Petition to Support Rainwater Harvesting Launches!

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:  . . . stimulate the emerging rainwater-harvesting industry, creating new jobs in design, installation, education, R&D, sales, plumbing, landscaping, roofing, monitoring and maintenance, which could propel the U.S. to international leadership, with compounding fiscal benefits. 

New Report: On Cancer Risk & Strawberry Fields

What do the data tell us? In short, our Drift Catcher project found that when the cancer-causing pesticide chloropicrin was being applied in a nearby field, concentrations in the air near Justin’s Watsonville home were at or above levels considered “of concern” by both state and federal agencies. For the sake of thousands of California families living near strawberry fields, we hope the regulators are paying attention.

New Water Heater Rules Bring Lower Energy Bills

Water heaters are in the spotlight this month as manufacturers respond to updated federal regulations with better insulation and more efficient technologies. While changes to efficiency minimums may seem minor, the impacts for certain customers may be significant. Some homeowners will find their old water heaters aren't as easy to replace as they used to be.

NRC begins special inspection at nuclear power plant

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) started a special inspection at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in Maryland following the shutdown of both units.
 
A grid disturbance due to the failure of a transmission line on April 7 caused both units to automatically shut down as designed and led to widespread blackouts in Washington DC. Following the disturbance, one of Unit 2’s emergency diesel generators started, but tripped after 11 seconds...

Obama Challenged Netanyahu to Come Up With ‘a Good Answer’ for a Better Iran Nuclear Deal. Here’s How Netanyahu Responded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered suggestions Sunday for ways to improve the current version of the framework agreement over Iran’s nuclear program, a move apparently designed to answer a challenge set forth one day earlier by President Barack Obama to come up with “a good answer” for an “alternative.”

In an on-camera statement delivered in English Sunday, Netanyahu said a better deal would shut down once-illicit nuclear facilities and link the lifting of sanctions to Iran halting its support of terrorism.

Rasmussen: Pro-Deportation Sentiment at All-Time High

While President Barack Obama continues to promote his plan to make up to 5 million illegal immigrants safe from deportation, more voters than ever feel the U.S. should be more aggressive in deporting those in the country illegally, a new poll reveals.

In the survey of likely voters by Rasmussen Reports, respondents were asked if the U.S. government is too aggressive or not aggressive enough to deporting illegal aliens.

Record low snowpacks in Southwest is bad news for water supplies

Nine states report record low snowpacks. A report from the US Department of Agriculture states, “the largest snowpack deficits are in record territory for many basins,especially in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada where single – digit percent of normal conditions prevail. Very low snowpacks are reported in most of Washington, all of Oregon, Nevada, California, parts of Arizona, much of Idaho, parts of New Mexico, three basins in Wyoming, one basin in Montana, and most of Utah.” This region is undergoing the warmest winter temperatures since record keeping began in 1895.

Report: Pope Francis Encourages Rise in Exorcisms

A new report says Pope Francis is playing a role in an increased number of exorcisms being performed worldwide.

According to The Telegraph, Francis' repeated references to the devil have spurred a rebirth of the practice that removes demons from people's souls through intense prayer.

Researchers Keep Finding More Ways Our Flawed Agriculture Model Breeds Antibiotic Resistance

• By 2050, antibiotic resistance is estimated to kill 10 million people annually, worldwide. At present, at least 23,000 Americans die as a direct result of an antibiotic-resistant infection each year
• The routine use of antibiotics in livestock is a major driver of drug-resistance. Commonly used herbicides also promote antibiotic resistance by priming pathogens to more readily become resistant to antibiotics
• DNA from antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in cattle yards are also airborne; in addition to contaminated water and meat, this is yet another route of exposure for animals and humans alike

Researchers produce hydrogen quickly and cheaply using plant waste

Hydrogen is the ideal gas for use in low-emissions combustion engine or fuel cell-powered vehicles, due to its almost non-existent greenhouse gas emissions. Production costs, however, are higher compared to gasoline and around 95 percent of it is currently produced, somewhat counter-intuitively, from fossil fuels. Now researchers at Virginia Tech claim to have created a method to produce hydrogen fuel using a biological technique that is not only cheaper and faster, but also produces hydrogen of a much higher quality ... and all from the leftover stalks, cobs, and husks of corn.

Robot stalls at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

A robot sent in to perform decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan stalled just hours into its project.

Fukushima operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the robot stopped moving three hours into its inspection of the Unit 1 containment vessel, covering 14 of the 18 locations before it stalled, according to The Guardian. TEPCO workers said they would cut the cables to the robot and postpone a similar inspection using a separate device. Workers are investigating the cause of the issue.

Russia lifts ban on delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran

The Kremlin says Russia has lifted its ban on the delivery of a sophisticated air defense missile system to Iran. Russia signed the $800 million contract to sell Iran the S-300 missile system in 2007, but later suspended their delivery because of strong objections from the United States and Israel. The decree signed Monday, April 13, 2015, by President Vladimir Putin allows for the delivery of the missiles.

Russia, Ukraine agree on withdrawal of smaller caliber arms

Russia and Ukraine agreed Monday to call for the pullback of smaller caliber weapons from the front lines in eastern Ukraine as part of a fresh push to end the region's yearlong conflict.

Foreign ministers from the two countries — meeting with their French and German counterparts in Berlin — also agreed to support international monitors and establish four working groups to address the most pressing issues faced by people in the embattled region, where Russian-backed separatists are fighting Ukrainian government forces.

"Smart" facade keeps offices from overheating, without using any electricity

Office buildings with plate glass windows may provide a nice view for workers, but they're certainly not ideal when it comes to energy-efficiency. Among other things, the sunlight that pours through them can raise the temperature in the office, causing the air conditioning to come on. Now, however, researchers from Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology have created a light-blocking facade for such windows that only kicks in when exposed to strong sunlight – and it's powered by that sunlight, too.

Study supports the mental benefits of yoga and meditation

Yoga practitioners know firsthand the physical and mental benefits the activity produces, as meditation is often embedded in yoga sessions. Now, yogis have got science to back their claims of well-being and focus, as new research shows more clearly how yoga-induced mindfulness has an impact on pain perception.

Taiwan Chipmakers Prepare to Transport Water as Drought Worsens

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest chip foundry, and other chipmakers on the island say they are prepared to ship water supplies to their fabs here if drought conditions worsen.

TSMC, a supplier to major electronics companies including Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia and MediaTek, said it will use as many as 180 trucks, each with a capacity of about three metric tons, for water delivery to maintain operations at fab sites in Hsinchu, Taichung and Tainan in the event that the government tightens rationing.

The Dangers Of Drinking Diet Soda

The soda industry has been suffering as of late. Well, they have been suffering as of the last decade or so. This could be because of the healthy lifestyle craze that has captivated the world, and rightfully so.

Companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. have taken a substantial hit in the market place. Over the years the well-informed population has been avoiding soda drinks to improve their health.

The more scientists learn about dwarf planet Ceres, the weirder it becomes

First classified a planet, then an asteroid and then a “dwarf planet” with some traits of a moon — the more scientists learn about Ceres, the weirder it becomes.

And new observations of the sphere of rock and ice circling our Sun between Mars and Jupiter have added to the mystery, researchers said Monday.

The Plant That Often Works When Medications Fail

• Cannabis has been shown to be non-toxic, and has a robust safety profile
• Cannabis often works when other medications fail, so not only is it generally safer than prescription drugs, cannabis preparations also tend to provide greater efficacy
• Children with epilepsy can often find rapid relief using cannabis oil; about 25 percent experience a significant reduction in seizures within days or weeks

Top Government Union Funds Hillary Groups, Infuriates Texas Members

A top union official in Texas revealed Thursday that the country’s biggest government union gives a sizable chunk of its money to pro-Hillary Clinton groups in Washington, D.C. — and that union members in the state are vehemently opposed to the practice.

U.S. Heroin Deaths Triple in 3 Years

The number of Americans dying from a heroin overdose nearly tripled over a recent three-year period — with most of the heroin in the U.S. smuggled across the porous Mexican border.

The number of deaths rose from 3,036 in 2010 to 8,257 in 2013, the last year for which reliable data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

US shale oil output estimated to see first drop in May: EIA

US shale oil production is expected see its first net drop in May of 57,000 b/d, reversing a years-long trend of continued growth, according to the US Energy Information Administration's latest Drilling Productivity Report, which was published Monday.

What You Need to Know About Trade Agreements and Fast Track

• Fast Track gives the President the right to negotiate and finalize a trade agreement, and then present it to Congress for a yes or no vote. No amendments can be made at that point
• Trade agreements are negotiated under strict secrecy. By the time Congress votes on them, the deals have already been struck, and negotiations tend to favor multinational corporations
• Trade agreements currently under negotiation involve “harmonizing” regulations that will affect food safety, chemical regulations, local renewable energy programs, and may destroy the “buy local” movement
• It’s urgent to push Congress to oppose Fast Track, and start a discussion about what these trade agreements really mean for the US economy, and our environmental and public health

Why Is the Navajo Nation Giving Water to Fracking While Its People Are Parched?

In the midst of a life-threatening drought, the Navajo Nation continues to develop water for industry, rather than for the Diné people...

“The thing that keeps the Navajo in poverty is water,” said Goodman. The Navajo tribal leadership doesn’t understand the value of water, she said, and has continued to sign away water rights, sell water to industry, and not plan for the future.

April 10, 2015

Albuquerque City Council withdraws support for PNM's plan to close units at San Juan Generating Station

Albuquerque officials voted on Monday to withdraw support for Public Service Company of New Mexico's current plan to close two units at San Juan Generating Station.

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Extending Renewable Energy Incentives, Says National Poll

While members of Congress appear divided on whether or not to extend federal incentives for clean energy, their constituents are not, according to a national poll of U.S. homeowners commissioned by Clean Edge, Inc. and SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) and conducted by national polling firm Zogby Analytics. In the second annual survey, 74 percent of Americans polled favored continuing federal tax incentives that support the growth of the solar and wind industries, including 82% of Democrats, two thirds of Republicans (67%) and 72% of Independents.

Annual US coal production set to drop to 18-year low: EIA

US coal production this year could drop to a low not seen in almost 20 years, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday in its Short-Term Energy Outlook for April.

EIA predicts US coal production will now total 926 million st in 2015, down 17 million st from its estimate last month, as both domestic demand and exports continue to decline.

APS: Rooftop Solar Applications up 112% in First Quarter 2015

More APS residential customers applied to connect new rooftop solar systems to the APS grid in the first quarter of 2015 than in any other first quarter on record, the company announced today. This year, APS received more than 2,300 applications from January through March, more than double the number of applications received during the same period last year.

Areva reports flaw in nuclear reactor vessel

Areva reported it has found a flaw in the reactor vessel head and bottom of its European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) that is under construction in at least two nuclear power projects.

Areva said it discovered the flawed steel during mechanical and chemical tests on a representative model and reported the results to the French Nuclear Safety Authority. The steel showed a greater than average carbon content, which leads to lower mechanical strength. Areva said it will carry out further tests on the reactor. The results of the tests will be revealed in October.

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer testifies for sweeping climate bill

A far-ranging climate change measure cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday, as billionaire environmental benefactor Tom Steyer appeared at the Capitol to trumpet the bill's economic benefits...

The former hedge fund manager made an economic case for the climate change measure, arguing that if the state is an early adopter of renewable energy, "the rest of the world will have to follow us," stating forcefully that "this is good for California jobs."

Bill O'Reilly: Obama More 'Skeptical of Christians' Than of Muslims

President Barack Obama's comment at this week's Easter Prayer Breakfast that some Christians are acting "less than loving" makes him appear critical of Christians, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly says.

"The fact is that all human beings fall short. We are all sinners," O'Reilly said on Wednesday's "The O'Reilly Factor."

"But in the political arena, it seems like President Obama is more skeptical of Christians than he is of Muslims. That may not be true, but that's what it feels like."

China gaining ground with island-building in South China Sea

Satellite photos show the speed, scale and ambition China has exerted to assert ownership over South China Sea islands

Chinese citizens sue government over transparency on Monsanto herbicide

Three Chinese citizens are taking China's Ministry of Agriculture to court in a bid to make public a toxicology report supporting the approval of Monsanto's popular weedkiller, Roundup, 27 years ago.

The case, a rare example of a lawsuit by private citizens against the Chinese government, comes amid renewed attention on glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup, after a controversial report by a World Health Organization group last month found it to be "probably carcinogenic to humans" - a claim denied by Monsanto.

Climate change seen bringing more fires, less snow to Yellowstone

Predicted climate changes bringing warmer and drier conditions to Yellowstone National Park will likely fuel catastrophic wildfires, cause declines in mountain snows and threaten the survival of animals and plants, scientists said on Thursday.

Warming that is expected in the American West over the next few decades would transform lands in and around Yellowstone from a wetter, mostly forested Rocky Mountain ecosystem to a more open landscape akin to the arid U.S. Southwest, the researchers said in a special issue of a park report.

Coal lobbyist remains optimistic about coal's future

Bill Raney, the coal industry's chief lobbyist, said the state is experiencing losses in the number of operational mines and jobs, but he believes some of those unemployed miners will return to work.

"We have too many good miners, too much good coal in West Virginia," he said. "I don't think its foolish to be optimistic about coal's future. We're going to continue to scratch and dig."

Commission: Kraft Reaped $5.4 Million in Illegal Profits Amid Falling Sales

Food products from Kraft are filled with toxic preservatives like sodium benzoate, aspartame, and more. Further, they are filled with questionable genetically modified ingredients which have not been proven to be safe. Shockingly, many of these toxic ingredients have been removed from products sold in the UK, but not the US.

Kraft also uses gluten – a wheat byproduct – in many products. Gluten has caused allergies in many hundreds of thousands of people, and also causes an imbalance in our gut flora – which is said to account for much of our immunity.

Costs questioned as TVA ponders energy efficiency

It's a case of cost versus environmental concerns.

TVA has long been under pressure from environmental groups to make more use of energy efficiency as a power resource, but now the agency is seeing some pushback on that idea from some of the power distributors it serves who question the costs of that approach.

County residents sound off against Sharyland electric rate increases

Frustrated and confused residents of outlying county neighborhoods gathered Tuesday evening to organize a plan of action to fight skyrocketing electricity rate increases that have doubled and tripled their electricity bills since December.

Many county residents were stunned when reading their recent bills, which showed rates jump by hundreds of dollars over the course of three months. The reason for the sharp increase is because of growing distribution fees.

Crunching numbers: just how ‘green’ is wind power?

Siemens reviews benefit of technology’s “green” output and how it effects the environment

El-Erian: Danger, Danger — 'Market Is in Love With Central Bank Trade'

Financial markets have grown addicted to central bank easing, and that addiction could cause a heap of trouble when central banks tighten the credit spigot, says Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic adviser at Allianz.

"The market is in love with the central bank trade because it has paid off," he told CNBC.

EPA Moves to Restrict Bee-killing Pesticides

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally taken some action to restrict the use of pesticides that are believed to be causing serious declines in pollinators, but environmentalists are arguing the agency still needs to do more.

Scientists agree that while there are other factors such as disease and habitat loss contributing to the decline of pollinators, these chemicals are clearly harmful whether low doses are weakening them and making them more vulnerable to disease, pests or other stressors, or have levels high enough to kill them directly.

Federal judge declines to lift immigration order

In a 15 page ruling, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen said he "remains convinced" that his original findings -- halting programs meant to ease deportation threats to millions of eligible undocumented immigrants-- were correct.

<Editor:  Article II, Section 2 of US Constitution reads:  The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.>

French television network hacked by IS-linked group

Hackers claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group seized control of a global French television network, simultaneously blacking out 11 channels and taking over the network's website and social media accounts. The attack appeared to be an unprecedented step in the extremist group's information warfare tactics.

Glut of unplaced Nigerian crude expected to flow to Europe

A glut of unplaced Nigerian crude is expected to flow to Europe hoping to find end user demand after weak buying from Asia for Nigerian and West African light sweet crudes over the past month has left a large overhang of March, April and May cargoes.

“GM-Free” Domino’s Caught Selling GMO-Laden Pizzas

It has been revealed that Domino’s’ ‘thin and crispy’ pizza bases have been made using genetically modified soya bean oil and maize flour since February, despite the company’s website touting ‘GM-free.’

‘Google Maps’ for the body: program uses zoom technology to image entire organs down to cellular level

Technology was top-secret for some time, has been formerly presented to research society

Greece meets April IMF payment, but uncertainty reigns

Greece on Thursday made a scheduled loan payment to the IMF but failed to dispel market concerns over its solvency as it labours to reach a loan deal with its international creditors.

Athens has until the end of the month to reach an agreement, with an April 24 meeting of eurozone finance ministers seen as the last chance for a deal.

Handful of holdout tribes dig in against gay marriage

Even if a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this spring makes same-sex marriage the law, it would leave pockets of the country where it isn’t likely to be recognized any time soon: the reservations of a handful of sovereign Native American tribes, including the nation’s two largest.

Heritage Foundation's Stephen Moore: 'Government Discourages Work'

Stephen Moore, a distinguished visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, offers an interesting description of weakness in the job market.

"The great conundrum of the U.S. economy today is that we have record numbers of working age people out of the labor ‎force at the same time we have businesses desperately trying to find workers," he writes on Forbes.com.

How viable is mine water for geothermal energy?

Students at Michigan Technological University (MTU) are researching the possibilities of using mine water for geothermal energy. The university, located in Houghton, Michigan, is home to the Keweenaw Research Center -- which houses one of the only 30 active mine water geothermal systems in the world.

The mine water in Keweenaw stays around 53 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit year round, which makes the location ideal for the technology. The water can be used to either heat or cool buildings using pipes, heat exchangers or heat pumps.

Humanity...

   “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama

Implementation of Clean Power Plan easier said than done

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP) has a goal of cutting 30 percent of carbon emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) -- but how will this be implemented?..

The four building blocks each state need to implement include: improving the efficiency of fossil fuel power plants; switching to plants that emit less carbon, such as natural gas-combined cycle plants; installing zero-emission plants powered by renewable or nuclear energy; and increasing end-use energy efficiency.

In drought, Californians lacking water meters let it flow

Broad rivers fed by Sierra Nevada snowmelt brought plentiful water to California's agricultural heartland and a certain sense of entitlement.

So strong was the belief that water was an inalienable right that several communities and cities promised never to install meters to measure water use - a jarring idea today in a state suffering from a prolonged drought and mandatory cuts to water consumption.

Interior Department Issues Rule to Ensure 'Safe' Fracking in Indian Country

Protests, concerns and studies about the dangers of the hydraulic fracturing method of extracting oil and gas from shale formations are rampant these days, but new rules from the federal government promise to make the practice safe.

Iran: Lift sanctions immediately or no final nuke deal

Tehran will not sign a final nuclear deal unless world powers simultaneously lift economic sanctions imposed on Iran, the nation's president said Thursday...

The U.S. has previously said the sanctions would be lifted in phases, but the details have not yet been negotiated.

It Pumps Oxygen into Your Tissues and Helps Chase Away Cancer 

• Exercise can help slash your risk of cancer; help cancer patients recuperate faster; and diminish your risk of cancer recurrence. It also helps diminish your risk of dementia
• Being fit in middle age cut men’s risk of lung cancer by 55 percent, and bowel cancer by 44 percent. It also reduced their risk of dying from lung, bowel, and prostate cancer by nearly one-third
• In seniors who are at high risk of dementia, cognitive decline can be reduced with a comprehensive program addressing diet, exercise, brain training, and managing metabolic and vascular risk factors

It Turns Out That You Can’t Divide Americans Over Renewable Energy

There’s a widespread misconception that the nation is divided on its attitudes toward clean energy, but our research shows this to be false. There is broad support for renewables across the political spectrum – it’s not just the domain of one party or political affiliation. Opposition to solar fees charged by utilities, for example, is higher among Republicans (66%) and conservatives (64%) than Democrats (53%) and liberals (58%).

Japan returns to nuclear to get economy back on track

As part of the Strategic Energy Plan of Japan, the country’s government has decided to include nuclear as one of four base load energy sources.

While recent polls say that the majority of those surveyed are still concerned over plant safety, consumers and industry are struggling to meet the escalated costs associated with alternative, non-nuclear energy sources.

Lessons...

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.” ― Gilda Rander

Lying to Children About the California Missions and the Indian

Military Revives Almost-Abandoned Mountain Base to Protect Against New-Era Threat

This time, the military is turning toward the Cheyenne Mountain Complex for protection from electromagnetic pulses. EMPs can occur naturally, but the threat of artificial EMP attacks have been a popular discussion point of late.

Neonicotinoids Responsible for Pollinator Declines Worldwide

USDA researchers have identified the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin as a likely contributor to monarch butterfly declines in North America.

Poisonous Fields Forever?

The words “methyl bromide” went mainstream this week (April 7, 2015), with the news that a Delaware family had been poisoned by the pesticide while on vacation in the Virgin Islands. In its report on the story, NBC news pointed out that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t allow exterminators to use methyl bromide in the U.S.—but the agency does grant a “critical use exemption” to certain farmers, including strawberry farmers.

Power outage strikes D.C.

No injuries were reported, and the incident is believed to be accidental and unrelated to terrorist activity.

The outage impacted approximately 2,000 customers in the Washington area, including the White House and State Department, where the daily State Department briefing was underway. Most affected buildings had power restored within seconds of initial loss, and power to all Capitol grounds facilities is now fully functional.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

M1 event observed.  Solar activity is likely to be low with a slight chance for an M-class flare on days one, two, and three (09 Apr, 10 Apr, 11 Apr).  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to minor storm levels on days one and two (09 Apr, 10 Apr) and quiet levels on day three (11 Apr).

Report: Solar Plus Batteries Means Tough Future For Utilities

Rising competition from solar panels and battery storage could cut in half the amount of power that traditional utilities in the Northeast sell by 2030, according to a report released Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

In what the report's authors have termed "load defection," residential and commercial customers will increasingly choose solar and solar-plus-battery systems to power their homes and businesses instead of relying on the electric grid.

Residents voice concern about proposed Jessup power plant

A standing-room-only crowd packed the Jessup Borough Building on Monday for public comment on a proposed natural gas power plant, where more than a dozen residents spoke out...

Close to 100 residents attended the council meeting, which lasted an hour. Almost all of the just over 20 residents who spoke said they were against the proposal.

Rethinking the Grid: Personal Power Stations in Your Garage

Imagine That Instead of Myriad Electrical Wires Joining Our Houses We Lived Off Battery-Stored Solar Power

Russian Hackers Reached White House, State Dept. Computers

Russian hackers have been able to penetrate the White House's computer system and see non-classified emails, CNN reports.

The hack didn't get access to classified materials, government sources told CNN, but still was able to see sensitive information such as real-time nonpublic details of the president's schedule.

Scaling Up the Middle East's Renewable Desalination

The task? To encourage progress towards the large-scale installation of advanced seawater desalination technologies that are energy efficient and capable of being powered by UAE renewable energy sources.

The pilot program includes three test sites in the UAE. Each pilot system will operate for 3.5 years, during which time Masdar intends to verify energy metrics.

Self-Powered Sensors That Communicate Could Warn Of Bridge, Building Defects

Imagine a bridge or a dam that could sense a structural defect before it happens, diagnose what the problem will be and alert the authorities before something bad happens.

Three Michigan State University College of Engineering researchers are developing a new technology known as substrate computing. This will allow sensing, communication and diagnostic computing, all within the substrate – the building material – of a structure, using energy harvested from the structure itself.

Solar and wind are UAE's most competitive energy sources

Solar and wind may now be the cheapest sources of new energy supply in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A new study estimates US$ 1.9 billion in annual savings by 2030 if UAE can achieve 10 % renewable energy mix.

Study: Protecting tropical reefs need not be a zero-sum game

A new study suggests that less draconian restrictions could still put many troubled reefs on the road to recovery. This could reduce friction between conservationists and those who depend on the reefs for their livelihood.

Study: St. Louis area supports climate change actions

St. Louisans are most convinced climate change is occurring (69 percent), but residents of St. Louis County aren't far behind (67 percent). In fact, a majority of people in every county in Missouri and Illinois believe it, according to the Yale survey data. Statewide, 60 percent of Missourians and 67 percent of Illinoisans accept the strong scientific consensus that the planet's average temperatures are warming.

Sun experiences seasonal changes

The Sun undergoes a type of seasonal variability, with its activity waxing and waning over the course of nearly two years, according to a new study by a team of researchers led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). This behavior affects the peaks and valleys in the approximately 11-year solar cycle, sometimes amplifying and sometimes weakening the solar storms that can buffet Earth’s atmosphere.

There is an approximately 70% chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere summer 2015, and a greater than 60% chance it will last through autumn.

Consistent with ocean-atmosphere coupling, enhanced convection shifted eastward to the central equatorial Pacific, while low-level westerly wind anomalies continued over the western equatorial Pacific and upper-level easterly wind anomalies continued in the central Pacific.

Top Herbalife Members Contacted By Law Enforcement Agencies: CNBC

The inquiries are focused on the activities of about 10 top Herbalife members, CNBC said, citing sources. The company is offering members assistance in obtaining legal counsel, although it is unclear how many have opted for representation, CNBC said.

TVA study recommends demolishing coal plant

Fifty-eight years after it began generating power for the Tennessee Valley Authority, the John Sevier Fossil Plant in Rogersville, Tenn., is scheduled to soon be demolished.

The 880-megawatt, coal-fired plant, which TVA began operating in 1957, was replaced three years ago by a similar-sized, natural gas plant.

Ukraine sets sights on joining NATO

Oleksander Turchynov, head of the national security council, told a session of the body that Ukraine saw Russian aggression as a "long-standing factor" and viewed NATO membership as "the only reliable external guarantee" of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

U.S. storm forecasters predict below-average Atlantic hurricane season

The university's Tropical Meteorology Project calls for seven named storms this year, with three reaching hurricane status, including one major hurricane with winds upward of 111 miles-per-hour (178 kph), CSU researchers estimate in their annual report.

What Americans Think About Climate Change in Seven Maps

Researchers publish a new mapping tool that estimates county-level public opinion.

What is the source of mysterious methane emissions at Four Corners?

The satellite observations were not detailed enough to reveal the sources of the methane in the hotspot. Likely candidates include venting from oil and gas activities, including a process called liquid unloading for coalbed methane extraction; active coal mines; and natural seeps.

What makes scenery worth protecting? Wind developer asks Maine's top court to decide

The Department of Environmental Protection opposed the project in an order finding that the project would have a widespread negative scenic effect on 14 nearby lakes, eight of which are designated as scenic resources of state or national significance.

<Editor:  "Scenery" is something viewed, a concept that doesn't come close to the power of presence.>

Wisconsin bans state officials from discussing climate change

Wisconsin state officials on Tuesday banned employees of a state agency from discussing climate change, conducting any work on the topic, or even responding to an email about the warming climate, Bloomberg News reports.

The ban applies to state employees who work for an agency that oversees a Wisconsin public land trust. The effort was spearheaded by State Treasurer Matt Adamczyk, a Republican, and enacted by a vote of Wisconsin’s Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.

Yemen rebels capture city, Iran condemns Saudi air campaign

Iran, which is trying to garner international support to stop the bombing, stepped up its condemnation, with the supreme leader calling the air campaign "genocide."

April 7, 2015

A bankrupt RadioShack is attempting to auction sensitive customer data in a last bid for money

It’s worth pointing out that this issue isn’t in any way shocking, as it has continuously cropped over the years with other parties. Back in 2000, a bankrupt online toy store called Toysmart.com also sought to sell its customer data, representing its highest valued asset. Within no time, the Federal Trade Commission cracked down on the proposal, citing a company privacy policy that promised never to share customer information with third parties. 

Algae could both provide biofuel and clean up wastewater

Algae may indeed be a potential source of biofuel, but it can also find use in things like nutritional supplements and cosmetics. When it's grown commercially, its growth is usually aided with chemical fertilizers. The cost of those chemicals cuts into the profits, however, plus the fertilizers are also needed for more traditional crops. That's why scientists from Houston's Rice University are looking into growing algae in municipal wastewater – the water would already contain its own free fertilizer, plus the algae would help clean it up.

APS asking ACC to implement 2013 decision on rooftop solar pricing

In November 2013, when the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) set the grid access charge for Arizona Public Service (APS) customers at $5 per month, or 70 cents per kilowatt, it acknowledged that the charge could be changed in the future. Well, that time has come, according to APS, Arizona's largest utility.

APS Asks to Reset Grid Access Charge for Future Solar Customers

APS requested today that the Arizona Corporation Commission increase the grid access charge established by the Commission in November 2013 from 70 cents per kilowatt – or approximately $5 per month – to $3 per kilowatt, or roughly $21 per month for future residential solar customers. Existing rooftop solar customers would be grandfathered under the agreements they originally signed.

Ariz. Sheriff Babeu Slams ICE Plan to Release Illegal With TB

Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu Friday slammed federal immigration officials for creating a huge public risk with their plans to release an illegal alien with drug-resistant tuberculosis into the largest city in Pinal County.

"This is unacceptable — and it's reckless disregard for the public's safety," Babeu told Newsmax.

AWEA: Wind energy has saved 2.5 billion gallons of water in California

...wind energy is displacing power produced by which fossil-fired power plants in California. According to AWEA, "That power plant displacement information was then multiplied by the power plant-specific water consumption rates in the Union of Concerned Scientists database, to arrive at total water savings at the state's power plants."

Be Loyal To Your Soil—Compost!

Compost manufacturers and sellers around the United States are preparing for the annual week marking the increasing importance of compost as a benefit to world soil and smart resource management with the approach of International Compost Awareness Week May 3-9, 2015.

California activists want water restrictions to include oil industry

Governor Jerry Brown ordered the first statewide mandatory water restrictions on Wednesday, directing cities and communities to cut their consumption by 25 percent. But the order does not require oil producers to cut their usage nor does it place a temporary halt on the water intensive practice of hydraulic fracturing.

Canadian crude exports set record in January as light crude tops 1 million b/d: NEB

Exports of Canadian crude oil continued to climb in January despite the plunge in oil prices, rising 100,000 b/d to a new record high of 3.125 million b/d, National Energy Board data Monday showed.

Total crude exports topped 3 million b/d for the first time in December.

Courage...

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.” ― Anais Nin

Economics Makes Iranian Nuclear Deal Unenforceable

The nuclear deal with Iran will prove unenforceable. Ultimately, Tehran will become the dominant economic and military power in the Middle East and if it chooses, build nuclear weapons.

The United States was successful in assembling an international coalition to impose tough economic sanctions. Restrictions on access to technology, international banks and their electronic payments systems imposed double-digit unemployment and inflation and brought Iran to the negotiating table.

Simply, finding buyers for oil shipped via 3-million-barrel supertankers was one thing, but the inability to transfer funds through Western banks made securing $150 million payments quite another.

Endangered tortoises thrive on invasive plants

Most research on the role of introduced species of plants and animals stresses their negative ecological impacts. But are all introduced species bad actors? In one fascinating case the answer might be no. The iconic giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands are thriving on a diet heavy on non-native plants. In fact, the tortoises seem to prefer these plants to native ones.

Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Arizona

Arizona officials are taking precautions after finding fleas collected in Picture Canyon northeast of Flagstaff have tested positive for plague.

The Arizona Daily Sun reported Friday that the County Public Health Services District is conducting additional tests and disinfecting prairie dog burrows.

Public health officials collected the fleas around trails in the popular hiking area after noticing some prairie dogs dying off.

Fluoride Causes Hypothyroidism Leading To Depression Weight Gain

Food or Marijuana Production: Which Has a Better Return for Tribes?

“If tribes push forward into marijuana production we need to go into it with eyes wide open, and fully identify the return on investment, as well as the risk associated with producing a crop,” Hipp said. “A lot of folks talk about open field production or very very high end green house production.” Either method is expensive.

Four Routes of Exposure to Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Medicine, Food, Water, and Air

• Antibiotic usage in agriculture rose by 16 percent between 2009 and 2012, and nearly 70 percent of the antibiotics used are considered “medically important” for humans
• Antibiotics are losing their viability in human medicine due to drug resistance, and without effective antibiotics, even minor infections can grow into lethal events
• Food, water, and even air are sources of drug-resistant disease

Govt stimulus, market forces fuel U.S. solar boom

Shortly after his visit to a solar array in the state of Utah Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama announced an initiative to train 75,000 workers for the solar industry by 2020 as it has become an engine for creating jobs in the past few years.

The solar industry currently employs 174,000 workers in the United States, while more than 80,000 were employed in the last five years, about 46 percent, as the industry is running on a fast track, said the U.S. solar energy industries association (SEIA).

Greek debt: Finance minster says Greece will repay International Monetary Fund loan this week

Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis says Greece "intends to meet all obligations to all its creditors, ad infinitum" following a meeting in Washington with International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials.

He told reporters the government also plans to "reform Greece deeply" and to try to improve the "efficacy of negotiations" with its creditors.

Groups sue U.S. to halt killing of grizzlies near Yellowstone

The wildlife advocates argue that those anticipated grizzly deaths, combined with federal permits sanctioning the deaths of grizzlies elsewhere in the region, may mean that as many as 65 female bears could be killed annually.

That would amount to three times the mortality limit set by U.S. wildlife managers, the activists say in their lawsuit filed Friday in a U.S. court in Washington, D.C.

Is Your Drinking Water Damaging Your Health?

The adult human body is about 60 percent water, and every system in the body depends on water to function. Making sure we drink enough every day is essential for good health, and the amount many health experts recommend is eight 8-ounce glasses every day. But if you're drinking the wrong kind of water, you can be increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other conditions.

Latest space technology is decidedly 'green' at Aerojet and NASA

The final frontier will soon get a dose of green.

Aerojet-Rocketdyne , based in Rancho Cordova , has been awarded $1.2 million by the Defense Department to develop "green" propellant to replace toxic chemicals used in satellites and space missions.

The goal is to come up with a more environmentally benign alternative to hydrazine, the liquid propellant that now powers most of the propulsion systems used in satellites and space missions, including the Mars rover Curiosity. Hydrazine is so toxic that workers handling it must wear fully enclosed suits.

Liberty...

“What light is to the eyes - what air is to the lungs - what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of man.” ― Robert Green Ingersoll

Life...

“Things never go the way you expect them to. That's both the joy and frustration in life. I'm finding as I get older that I don't mind, though. It's the surprises that tickle me the most, the things you don't see coming.” ― Michael Stuhlbarg

Mississippi River shipping woes affecting southern Illinois coal producers

Several coal mines in southern Illinois have temporarily reduced production and barge shipping has been adversely affected by high water in the Mississippi River, state and company officials said Wednesday.

Race Relations and Law Enforcement

I had no expectation of focusing on race-related topics. People like Sowell and Shelby Steele and Walter Williams and a few other independent black thinkers, to my mind at least, had already said what needed to be said, had been saying it for decades, and had been saying it more eloquently than I ever could. But over the years, and with some prodding from those guys, it occurred to me that not enough younger blacks were following in their footsteps. It also occurred to me that many public policies aimed at the black underclass were just as wrongheaded as ever. The fight wasn’t over...

Radiation from Fukushima disaster newly detected off Canada's coast

Radiation from Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster has for the first time been detected along a North American shoreline, though at levels too low to pose a significant threat to human or marine life, scientists said on Monday.

Trace amounts of Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 were detected in samples collected ON Feb. 19 off the coast of Ucluelet, a small town on Vancouver Island in Canada's British Columbia, said Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientist Ken Buesseler.

Radio bursts from space reveal strange mathematical pattern

Eleven fast radio bursts from space seem to follow a strange mathematical pattern, according to a new study – and it has researchers scratching their heads. .. – all had dispersion measures that were integer multiples of the same number: 187.5. “The astronomers that found [the bursts] have not seen such things before and do not understand them,”..

Rasmussen Poll: Majority Continues to Reject Obama Amnesty Plan

More voters than ever feel the United States is not aggressive enough in deporting those who are here illegally, even as President Obama continues to push his plan to make up to five million illegal immigrants safe from deportation.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

C3 event observed.  Solar activity is likely to be low with a slight chance for an M-class flare on days one, two, and three (07 Apr, 08 Apr, 09 Apr).  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels on days one and two (07 Apr, 08 Apr) and quiet to active levels on day three (09 Apr).

Report quantifies contribution of small hydro to global renewables investments

According to the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2015 report, 2014 brought a rebound of green energy investments worldwide, surging 17% to $270.2 billion. This reversed the investment dip of the past two years. In addition, renewables (excluding large hydro) reached 100 GW of installations.

Rick Santorum: Should the Gov’t Force a Gay Print Shop Owner to Make ‘God Hates F**s’ Signs for Westboro Baptist Church?

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate dove deep into the topic on most everyone’s lips this week, telling “Face the Nation” on Sunday that when it comes to religious freedom and discrimination, “tolerance is a two-way street.”

Some worry that climate change rules threaten reliability of electrical grid

Utility executives see new environmental rules to address climate change as a potential threat to the electric grid's reliability. Others say those fears are overblown.

Still, most agree there's room for compromise, though not a lot of time.

“SOS: Save Our Soil” Shows Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Agriculture

• New video report shows how soil health affects the planet’s climate and ecosystem, and features a few innovative farmers with game-changing approaches to sustainable agriculture
• The world’s soils have lost 50 to 70 percent of their carbon, much of which is now in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
• Humus, different from compost, nourishes soil for centuries and develops naturally if enough organic matter is added and the soil remains undisturbed

Study finds children spend six hours — or more — a day on screens

Troubling Revelations: Roundup Herbicide Worsens Antibiotic-Resistance Already Fueled by Factory Farming

• Four components of our current food system causing a wide array of health and environmental problems are genetically engineered (GE) crops, pesticides, CAFOs, and the routine use of antibiotics in livestock
• GE crops are heavily contaminated with glyphosate, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified as a “probable carcinogen” (Class 2A)
• The use of antibiotics is not the only way our food system promotes antibiotic-resistance; herbicides like Roundup also promote antibiotic resistance by priming pathogens to more readily become resistant
• Glyphosate may also promote antibiotic resistance by disrupting gut bacteria and dysregulating manganese utilization; manganese accumulation in bile acids allows Salmonella to gain a stronghold there

USDA to Issue Disaster Assistance to Help Honeybee, Livestock and Farm-Raised Fish Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency today announced that nearly 2,700 applicants will begin receiving disaster assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) for losses experienced from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014.

Where on Earth does lightning flash most?

According to satellite observations, more lightning happens over land than over the oceans, and more often closer to the equator. Check out this map.

White House wants 75,000 solar jobs by 2020

President Obama has announced an initiative to help the solar industry. The White House said the initiative's goal is to help cut net greenhouse gas emissions 26-28 percent by 2025, and expects to do so with plans to train 75,000 solar workers by 2020.

Who Should Clean Up Big Ag’s Mess?

A “Cow Palace” in Washington State threatens public health with its acres of untreated animal waste.

A city in Iowa spends nearly $1 million a year to keep illness-causing nitrates, generated by farm runoff, out of public drinking water.

And who can forget the plight of Toledo, Ohio, residents whose water last summer was so contaminated by farm runoff that they couldn’t even bathe in it, much less drink it?

Why does water rationing in California exclude fracking and agribusiness?

California has responded to the drought by rationing water, with $500 fines for domestic 'water wasters', writes Evan Blake. But agribusiness and water-intensive industries like fracking remain untouched by the restrictions, even though they consume over 90% of the state's water.

There are immense water efficiencies to be gained, but any rational reorganization is blocked by the US financial oligarchy, which, controlling the entire political system, will not abide any impingement on its profits.

April 3, 2015

14-year-old Activist Chides World Leaders Over Climate Change

17 Scientists Speak Out: Monsanto’s Roundup Is Causing Cancer

Are the full body protective suits not enough of a tip off that pesticides are toxic? If not, consider this: Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide – the most widely used and best-selling herbicide in the U.S. and one of the world’s most popular weed-killers – has been labeled a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

20 Reasons Why Hillary Would Wipe Her Server Clean

Hillary is a hoarder. So is Bill. So if she actually removed everything from her server, she had to be convinced that it would be more dangerous to keep the emails than to ride through a scandal, no matter how rough.

This scandal isn’t about Hillary’s privacy, it’s about her self-preservation. So here’s what would make her do it:

Agricultural contaminant impacts fish reproductive behavior

A common growth-promoting hormone used worldwide in the cattle industry has been found to affect the sexual behaviours of fish at a very low concentration in waterways – with potentially serious ecological and evolutionary consequences.

Agua Caliente Scores Victory in Water Rights Issue

On Friday, March 20, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. government impliedly reserved groundwater, as well as surface water, for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians when it created the tribe’s southern California reservation. The court cited the 1908 Winters Doctrine, a judicial guarantee that provides water for the needs of Native Americans who reside on federally reserved lands.

Amidst regulatory uncertainty, ICF predicts retirement of 60 GW of coal

Regulatory uncertainty hangs in the air for many power generation owners, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pours over nearly four million comments on its Clean Power Plan proposal, which will be finalized this summer. ICF International is predicting the unannounced retirements of 30 GW of coal units by 2020 driven by just such regulations.

Ax the Income Tax

March Madness, baseball and flowers. Spring in America would be so grand without income taxes and the headaches of filing on April 15.

Just about everyone agrees our complex personal and corporate income tax laws are too painful and expensive — tax filing, record keeping and the like cost at least $170 billion a year.

Biogas Production

With interest in clean, renewable energy on the rise, the biogas market is poised for a period of strong growth in the coming years. According to a 2012 Pike Research report, global revenue is projected to double from $17.2 billion in 2011 to $33.1 billion by 2022. But as new production comes on line, owners and operators should take into consideration not just the opportunity, but the risks as well.

Biohackers develop night vision eye drops to see in the dark

It sounds like something from a science-fiction movie, but a biohacking group in California has managed to develop eye drops that temporarily give a human being excellent night vision. The chemicals used are still very much at the experimental stage – this isn't something you'd want to try at home just yet – but the first trial has been a successful one.

Breast Is Best

• People who were breastfed as infants had increased intelligence, longer schooling, and higher earning as adults
• Babies breastfed for six months appeared to get most of the benefits of those who had been breastfed for 12 months or longer
• Breastfed infants have lower rates of chronic and infectious diseases and score higher on intelligence tests

Buhari wins in Nigeria, defeating Goodluck Jonathan

Amid anger over an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives, Nigerians returned a 72-year-old former military dictator to power Tuesday in the most hotly contested election in the country's history.

Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari, paving the way for an unprecedented peaceful transfer of power in Africa's most populous nation.

Burkina Faso government confirms outbreak of bird flu in chickens

Burkina Faso's government confirmed on Wednesday that an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu was responsible for the deaths of large numbers of chickens in two regions of the country in recent weeks.

California activists want water restrictions to include oil industry

California should require oil producers to cut their water usage as part of the administration's efforts to conserve water in the drought-ravaged state, environmentalists said on Wednesday.

Governor Jerry Brown ordered the first statewide mandatory water restrictions on Wednesday, directing cities and communities to cut their consumption by 25 percent. But the order does not require oil producers to cut their usage nor does it place a temporary halt on the water intensive practice of hydraulic fracturing.

California getting 'second-hand smog' from Asia, researchers say

California is suffering from "second-hand smog" drifting in from Asia and other places, researchers said on Tuesday, even as the state's prolonged drought has made air quality worse.

About 10 percent of ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog, in the state's San Joaquin Valley farm region comes from other countries, mostly in Asia, said Ian Faloona, an atmospheric scientist with the University of California, Davis.

California governor orders statewide water cutbacks to combat drought

California Governor Jerry Brown, in his most sweeping action to combat a devastating multi-year drought, ordered residents and businesses on Wednesday to cut water use by 25 percent in the first mandatory statewide reduction in California history.

Can the Polio Virus Cure Cancer?

While the doctors and researchers spearheading the effort are reluctant to use the words “cancer cure” to describe the work, the early success of the innovative effort is at least the next best thing. If ongoing clinical trials of the technique continue to prove promising, it could add a new way to treat cancer — alongside surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Clean air rules likely to cause power generation shortages in much of US: NERC chief

Speaking at the Gulf Coast Power Association's Spring Conference in Houston, Gerry Cauley, NERC president and CEO, said new greenhouse gas rules could cause the retirement of 60 GW of generation capacity, mainly coal-fired, over the next few years.

Coal burn could increase with Illinois nuclear unit offline: PJM

Exelon announced the nuclear unit, located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago, was shut Monday for a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage. Exelon does not disclose the expected duration of its outages for commercial reasons. However, the average duration of refueling outages at US power reactors in 2014 was about 37 days, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

When a unit is shut, other PJM plants, including coal- and gas-burning units, will be used to make up the difference in power demand, PJM spokesman Ray Dotter said Tuesday.

Dark matter 'can't touch this' or even itself, researchers find

The resulting conclusion is that in addition to not interacting with visible matter, dark matter also does not interact with other dark matter...

The latest results would seem to rule out the possibility that interactions with dark matter can create a strong frictional force. Next, the team plans to study whether or not a different type of interaction might make dark matter particles bounce off each other or cause dark matter blobs to change their shape.

Denmark's largest power plant to be converted from coal to renewables

The largest power station in Denmark is changing gears, according to a new announcement by its owner -- DONG Energy. Unit 1 of the Avedøre Power Station will be converted from coal generation to biomass -- in the form of wood pellets -- as of fall 2016.

Dignity...

“Your dignity can be mocked, abused, compromised, toyed with, lowered and even badmouthed, but it can never be taken from you. You have the power today to reset your boundaries, restore your image, start fresh with renewed values and rebuild what has happened to you in the past.” ― Shannon L. Alder

Disabled Navy Vet Left ‘Devastated’ After All of His Guns Are Confiscated — and He Still Can’t ‘Believe’ Why

A disabled U.S. Navy veteran in Glendale, Arizona, is “devastated” after he says police confiscated 28 of his guns, valued at over $25,000, after a neighbor made “false” allegations that he threatened him.

Disturbingly Little Known About Microbeads And Plastics In The Great Lakes

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are warning that microbeads and plastic debris of all sizes could be a bigger environmental problem for the Great Lakes than previously thought.

“We know more and more about ocean plastics, but, paradoxically, we have little information on the distribution and fate of plastic debris in the Great Lakes, the world’s largest freshwater resource,” says Philippe Van Cappellen, Canada Excellence Research Chair and professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Science.

DOE employee solar program reports first results

Back in 2014, employees at a few large corporations were offered the chance to go solar as a benefit of employment. The program allows the employees to invest in solar -- at a discount -- as part of what is considered the first nationwide bulk solar purchase program. The first results of the program are being reported.

Easing the Renewable Energy Transition

Multiple compounding factors are driving national movement toward a more modern electricity grid, one that enables a cleaner energy future. The report released by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) offers a unique look at easing that transition, and offers five insightful approaches for state utility regulators who, ultimately, will facilitate this transition through the rules and regulations that govern the electricity system and electric utilities.

Ex-IRS official won’t face charges

The Justice Department won't seek criminal contempt charges against Lois Lerner, the former IRS official at the center of a controversy over how the IRS treated conservative political groups.

Ex-U.S. nuclear chief says tritium water at Fukushima No. 1 can be dumped safely

A former chief U.S. nuclear regulator asserted Tuesday that the massive volumes of tritium-tainted water stored at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant can be "safely" dumped into the sea after it is diluted to reduce the levels of radioactive tritium below the legal limit.

"Most people don't know what tritium is, so what they will think about is that it's bad, something that's really dangerous. But tritium is an element that we know a lot about," Dale Klein, chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee, told a news conference in Tokyo.

Frankincense Beats Chemotherapy At Treating Ovarian Cancer

According to new research from Leicester University, there may be a new treatment for ovarian cancer. The research team says that AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is a compound found in frankincense resin, has the potential to kill ovarian cancer cells.

Frankincense is most well known for being one of the gifts the three Wise Men gave to the baby Jesus in the bible. It is the resin from the Boswellia sacra tree, which is found in Africa and Arabia.

Gas industry entering a new chapter

Driven by ongoing shale gas growth in the Northeast, production of natural gas in the United States continued its strong growth in 2014, increasing by 6.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd), or 9.2 percent, according to Navigant Research.

Navigant expects more growth in gas production, particularly from the Marcellus shale formation, with the only possible constraint the rate of infrastructure development in the region. In fact, Navigant predicts U.S. natural gas supply to increase from 72 Bcfd in 2015 to nearly 110 Bcfd by 2035, and U.S. natural gas demand to grow steadily through 2035, particularly for electricity generation, reaching around 90 Bcfd annually by 2035.

Gen. Hayden: Obama's Deal Would Give Iran a Nuke Within a Year

Retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden was among many slamming the Obama administration's framework for a nuclear deal with Iran on Thursday, telling Newsmax that it turns Tehran into an "industrial-strength nuclear state" that could have its own weapon within a year.

GOP Sen. Gives Two Reasons for Not Impeaching Obama

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) said the reason for not impeaching President Barack Obama is that it would have two harmful effects: Both Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would become president.

Here's the Minimum Amount of Exercise You Really Need

• Women who exercise just a few times a week have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and blood clots
• For moderate-exercise activities, the health benefits peaked at four to six sessions per week
• For more strenuous exercise, the health benefits peaked at just two to three times per week

Here's why Obama is approving Arctic drilling again

For a leader who has made fighting climate change a priority, President Barack Obama's decision to approve Royal Dutch Shell's return to oil and gas exploration off Alaska was seen by many environmentalists as a contradiction.

Krauthammer Reveals What He Found to Be the ‘Most Astonishing Thing’ About Iran Framework Agreement

Speaking on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Krauthammer contended that “it is possible” when the agreement is signed that “there will be a huge relief of sanctions.”..

“But the second, the most astonishing thing is that in return, they are not closing a single nuclear facility,” Krauthammer said. “Their entire nuclear infrastructure is intact.”

Mystery of Bent Trees Revealed in Documentary

“Getting the documentary done has been a tough thing because the Natives didn’t necessarily want to talk to us. The trees are sacred to them and they don’t want any harm to come to the trees,”..

Historians think that these bent trees were not freaks of nature, but rather, shaped by Native Americans to communicate. Back before the days of GPS, it is believed that these marker trees helped Natives find water sources, burial sites and special medicinal plants...

“Our focus is to reunite the Ute with these trees and the trees to the Ute. A few elders knew about them, but it seemed like that wasn’t being communicated to the youth,”

New deep-water methane reservoir found deep in the Arctic Ocean

Research led by a University of New Hampshire professor has identified a new source of methane for gas hydrates -- ice-like substances found in sediment that trap methane within the crystal structure of frozen water -- in the Arctic Ocean. The findings, published online now in the May 2015 journal Geology, point to a previously undiscovered, stable reservoir for abiotic methane -- methane not generated by decomposing carbon -- that is "locked" away from the atmosphere, where it could impact global climate change.

"We've found an example where methane produced at a mid-ocean ridge is locked up in stable, deep water gas hydrate, preventing it from possibly getting out of the seafloor,"..

Niger: Troops prevent Boko Haram attack, destroy base

Obama submits 'ambitious' global warming plan

The U.S. formally submitted to the United Nations a commitment to reduce its climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions by up to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. The commitment is aimed in part at spurring other countries to announce their plans ahead of a major round of international climate negotiations in Paris in December.

One Step Closer to Artificial Leaves That Convert Water to Fuel

Inspired by a chemical process found in leaves, researchers at the California Institute of Technology have developed an electrically conductive film that could lead to devices that harness sunlight to split water (H2O), safely creating hydrogen fuel.

When applied to semiconducting materials such as silicon, the nickel oxide film facilitates an important chemical process in the solar-driven production of fuels such as methane or hydrogen.

Pastor Unveils Gay Wedding Strategy That He Says Could Turn the Debate Over Christian Business Owners and Same-Sex Nuptials on Its Head

“We can’t trust our government anymore to uphold the Constitution,” he said. “We can’t trust our government to protect the rights of Christians, or just the right of any individual not to be forced to violate their deeply held convictions, and so we have to be a little bit smarter.”

Plowing prairies for grains

Clearing grasslands to make way for biofuels may seem counterproductive, but University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers show in a study today (April 2, 2015) that crops, including the corn and soy commonly used for biofuels, expanded onto 7 million acres of new land in the U.S. over a recent four-year period, replacing millions of acres of grasslands.

Portland bans insecticide to protect declining honey bees

Oregon's biggest city on Wednesday banned the use of an insecticide on city lands blamed by conservationists as a factor in the decline of honey bees in recent years.

Despite protests from farmers who argued the insecticide was crucial for crop production, the Portland City Commission voted unanimously to immediately suspend use of products that contain neonicotinoids.

Such pesticides are widely used on crops and on plants as well as trees in gardens, parks and commercial nurseries.

Recycled Water Industry Suffers As Oil Prices Drop

Dropping oil prices are a setback for recycled water companies that serve oil and gas industry sites and could slow technological advancement in this sector.

"The drop in oil prices should mean less water used by the industry in drought-stricken West Texas, but with that comes a blow to long-term efforts of water recycling even as the amount of produced water injected into the ground continues to grow, industry experts and outside analysts have said," according to the Odessa American.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

C1 event observed.  Solar activity is likely to be low with a slight chance for an M-class flare on day one (03 Apr) and expected to be low with a chance for M-class flares on days two and three (04 Apr, 05 Apr).  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on day one (03 Apr), quiet to active levels on day two (04 Apr) and quiet to unsettled levels on day three (05 Apr).

Satellite data reveals earthquake impact within 24 hours

Researchers from the University of Iowa and United States Geographical Survey (USGS) have developed a method of using satellite and GPS data to characterize earthquake fault lines in real time, helping to deliver aid more accurately and with greater speed than current systems allow.

The key goal of the study was to create an earthquake rapid response system that didn't rely on ground-based equipment...

Saudi Arabia Sets Sights On 100% Wastewater Reuse

Saudi Arabia has set a goal to reuse 100 percent of urban wastewater by 2025.

"Over $66 billion in long-term capital investments have been committed for water and sanitation projects in the Kingdom in the next 10 years, while the government aims to achieve 100 percent reuse of wastewater from cities with 5,000 inhabitants or more by 2025," the Saudi Gazette reported.

Soils Retain And Contain Radioactivity In Fukushima

Radiation suddenly contaminates the land your family has farmed and lived on for generations. Can soil play a role in protecting crops and human health?

Research in Fukushima, Japan may lend an answer...

Southeast Asia faces increasingly intense climate events: analysts

Densely populated Southeast Asian island states such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines are likely to face more intense climate events in future, analysts said on Thursday.

These islands are especially vulnerable because of their large populations and because much of their land is exposed to storm surges and sea-level rises, according to research published by risk analysis group Verisk Maplecroft.

Study finds that solar will be most inexpensive form of energy by 2025

Although solar energy for the use of electricity is still not widespread, a new report may change perception on the source of power. According to the report, conducted by Agora Energiewende, solar is quickly becoming the most inexpensive source of energy.

The cost of solar, especially upfront expenses, is seen as one of the biggest hurdles to solar integration, but the study found that may change. Due to technological innovations and awareness of solar -- including integration worldwide as well as solar farms -- the price of solar is dropping.

Study suggests methane in drinking water is unrelated to fracking

The new study of 11,309 drinking water wells in northeastern Pennsylvania concludes that background levels of methane in the water are unrelated to the location of hundreds of oil and gas wells that tap hydraulically fractured, or fracked, rock formations. The finding suggests that fracking operations are not significantly contributing to the leakage of methane from deep rock formations, where oil and gas are extracted, up to the shallower aquifers where well water is drawn.

The Proliferation Of Cyber Threats To Water And Wastewater

According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the North American drinking water infrastructure network spans about one million miles, which is more than four times the length of the National Highway System. While this may sound excessive, this infrastructure is in fact necessary to efficiently supply water to all of the United States, which uses 408 billion gallons every single day. Overseeing and in control of our most valuable resource is the water and wastewater industry. This sector of critical infrastructure helps ensure the integrity of services such as healthcare and transportation, provides the source of fire protection, supports the energy, transportation and agriculture sectors, and is responsible for public health protection and overall quality of life.

This "Brain Enema" Flushes Away Harmful Alzheimer's-Linked Proteins

• A number of studies have linked poor sleep or lack of sleep to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease; one reason for this is because your brain’s waste removal system only operates during deep sleep
• By pumping cerebral spinal fluid through your brain’s tissues, the glymphatic system flushes the waste from your brain back into your body’s circulatory system, from where it can be eliminated
• During sleep, the glymphatic system becomes 10 times more active than during wakefulness. Simultaneously, your brain cells shrink by about 60 percent, allowing for greater efficiency of waste removal

This Is What Happens When Criminal Suspects Push a Law-Abiding Gun Owner Too Far: ‘I’m Just Tired of It’

Bert Leasure, 41, says he walked outside of his West Salem, Ohio, home on Sunday night to witness two suspects driving away with his ATV and two dirt bikes. The suspected thieves apparently loaded up the man’s property onto a trailer and hitched it to the back of a Ford F-150 truck.

But Leasure wasn’t prepared to take it lying down.

Turkey to build three nuclear power plants -- Erdogan

Three nuclear power plants will be built in Turkey, Anadolu news agency reported April 1 referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The president said that Turkey's electricity needs are growing every day.

"It is necessary to build three nuclear power plants in the country to solve this problem," the president said.

US declares cybercrime a 'national emergency', threatens sanctions against hackers, online espionage

The White House has set out plans to use economic sanctions against cyber attackers and companies that benefit from the online theft of secrets.

An executive order signed today authorises a set of new sanctions against individuals or groups whose cyber attacks result in significant threats to US national security or economic health.

US to pledge up to 28 percent emission cut in global treaty

The United States pledged Tuesday to cut its greenhouse gas emissions up to 28 percent as part of a global treaty aimed at preventing the worst effects of climate change, the White House said.

The Obama administration's contribution to the treaty, which world leaders expect to finalize in December, codifies a commitment President Barack Obama first made late last year in Beijing, when he announced a joint U.S.-China climate deal that raised global hopes that developed and developing nations can come together to fight climate change.

US to resume weapons supply to Egypt

• Obama in a phone call to Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi said he was lifting the holds on delivering F-16 fighter planes, Harpoon missiles and tank kits

• The US president also advised President al-Sisi that he will continue to request an annual $1.3 billion in military assistance for Egypt

• The arms ban has been in place since October 2013 following the overthrow of former president Mohamed Morsi, who is in prison

We Have “Value for Solar,” But Should We Use It?

Earlier this year, Minnesota became the first state to formalize dozens of studies by adopting a "value of solar" formula that would fundamentally change the relationship between solar energy producers and their utility. It's designed to have the utility accurately compensate solar energy producers for the value of solar electricity to the utility, its customers, and society. And by separating solar production from consumption, it also ensures that all electric customers are paying for their share of the electric grid. So far, no Minnesota utility has adopted the voluntary formula.

But do we really want utilities to adopt value of solar?

Wind turbine advances creating a 'modern-day wind rush'

Advanced wind turbines are accessing faster, steadier winds at higher altitudes so they can generate more electricity, creating a modern-day "wind rush" as new areas in the Great Lakes states and the Southeastern U.S. become economical sites to develop more wind energy, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

Your Face Reveals How Fast You're Aging: Study

Every face tells a story, and that story apparently includes hints of how quickly a person is aging, a new study contends.

Facial features have proven even more reliable than blood tests in spotting those for whom time is taking a heavier toll, a Chinese research team reports in the March 31 issue of the journal Cell Research.