July 11, 2011 Just days after the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) insisted that there is no medical value to marijuana, the White House appeared to contradict the position, saying in a report that there may actually be "some" medical value to "individual components of the cannabis plant" after all.
The statement was just a small part of the Office on National Drug Control Policy's yearly update on the progress of the drug war and its goals moving forward. Overall, the document only serves to affirm the federal prohibition of marijuana and what it calls "'medical' marijuana," which it still views as illegitimate.
But a single passage, under their "facts about marijuana," seems to loosen a bit from the generation-old line that there is no value to cannabis whatsoever.
"While there may be medical value for some of the individual components of the cannabis plant, the fact remains that smoking marijuana is an inefficient and harmful method for delivering the constituent elements that have or may have medicinal value," the report says.
Still, today's medical marijuana patients and proprietors don't have much to cheer in the report, as it goes on to insist that smoking the marijuana plant itself is harmful and dangerous, especially for teens, and perpetuates the largely discredited "gateway drug" theory.
Critics are likely to see the passage as offering a bit of wiggle room for major pharmesutical producers looking to grow marijuana to extract its psychoactive ingredient, THC, or other cannabinoid compounds that have been demonstrated to help abate symptoms of some chronic diseases, like wasting syndrome in AIDS patients or nausea in cancer patients.
In 2007, GW Pharmaceuticals announced that it partnered with Otsuka to bring "Sativex" -- or liquefied marijuana -- to the U.S. The companies recently completed Phase II efficacy and safety trials testing and began discussion with the FDA for Phase III testing. Phase III is generally thought to be the final step before the drug can be marketed in the U.S.
Sativex is the brand name for a drug derived from cannabis sativa. It's an extract from the whole plant cannabis, not a synthetic compound. Even GW defines the drug (.pdf) as marijuana.
Yet as the FDA is poised to approve the drug for Big Pharma, state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries that provide relief for thousands of Americans are under attack by other federal agencies.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has warned just as much, claiming that federal authorities may be looking to shift policy slightly, if only to legalize marijuana-based medicines for Big Pharma only, which could step in and potentially eradicate the medical marijuana market.
The Obama administration said in a recent memo that it fully intends to enforce the federal ban on marijuana, regardless of whether individual states have legalized its use for medical purposes.
It added that a 2009 memo, which seemed to take the pressure off state-authorized medical marijuana clinics and patients, was merely a guidance on the best uses of federal funds and not actually a change in policy.
An ABC News poll found last year that eight in 10 Americans favor legalizing medical marijuana.
From: www.rawstory.com
Info is free, spread it!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Rare fossil of sea reptile found on Alaska beach
July 29, 2011 (Reuters) - Alaska scientists have discovered the fossil of a rare, prehistoric marine reptile that is likely the most complete remnant of the creature ever found in North America.
The nearly complete fossilized skeleton is of a thalattosaur, a long-tailed sea creature that plied warm, shallow waters in the early days of dinosaurs and became extinct at the end of the Triassic period some 200 million years ago.
The discovery of the fossil, found during an extreme low tide along the shore of the Tongass National Forest, was announced this week by the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
"We were just having our morning coffee out on the outcropping when somebody said, 'What's that?'" Jim Baichtal, the U.S. Forest Service's Tongass geologist and part of the discovery team, said on Thursday.
The nearly complete fossilized skeleton is of a thalattosaur, a long-tailed sea creature that plied warm, shallow waters in the early days of dinosaurs and became extinct at the end of the Triassic period some 200 million years ago.
The discovery of the fossil, found during an extreme low tide along the shore of the Tongass National Forest, was announced this week by the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
"We were just having our morning coffee out on the outcropping when somebody said, 'What's that?'" Jim Baichtal, the U.S. Forest Service's Tongass geologist and part of the discovery team, said on Thursday.
Geologists had been conducting field surveys at the site when the fossil was spotted.
Unlike most thalattosaur discoveries, which are fossilized remnants of individual bones and bone fragments, this specimen appeared to be a nearly full skeleton.
"In North America, this may be the most articulated specimen that we have right now," Baichtal said.
Scientists excavated the fossil in June and have been studying it to determine whether it represents a previously unknown species.
There are only about a dozen full thalattosaur specimens in the world, Baichtal said. "So the probability of this being something that wasn't seen before is probably pretty high," he said.
The find is likely the most northern discovery as well, Baichtal said. The fossil was found near the Tlingit Indian village of Kake in southeast Alaska.
Other thalattosaur discoveries have been made in British Columbia, Canada, as well as in Nevada and the Alps, though the best finds have been made in China, he said.
SITE WAS TROPICAL
At the time this particular animal was trapped in sediment, about 200 million to 220 million years ago, the site was close to the equator and tropical, Baichtal said.
"This was a warm, volcanic island with reefs surrounding it," similar to Hawaii, he said. Plate tectonics eventually sent the site drifting north to its present location in Alaska, he said.
The fossil from the Tongass beach is now at the Museum of the North, where scientists will do further work to separate the rock from the bone.
Thalattosaurs inhabited the seas for about 30 million years, a relatively brief time geologically, said Pat Druckenmiller, earth sciences curator for the Museum of the North. They measured about three to 10 feet long, with half to a third of that taken up by the tail, he said.
"The rest of its body would be kind of reminiscent of a big lizard," he said, with legs modified to work as paddles.
Some had no teeth, some had pointy teeth that might have been useful for spearing fish, and some had flat teeth that might have been used to crush shells, Druckenmiller said.
The Alaska fossil appears to include the outline of soft-body tissue that surrounded the bone.
"That's really rare," Druckenmiller said. "That might give us some idea of what the actual body shape was."
Scientists will return to the site later to try to excavate the rest of the fossil, still embedded in beach rock, Druckenmiller said.
"We don't know if the skull will be there or not, but I have high hopes that it will be there," he said.
From: www.reuters.com
Info is free, spread it!
Unlike most thalattosaur discoveries, which are fossilized remnants of individual bones and bone fragments, this specimen appeared to be a nearly full skeleton.
"In North America, this may be the most articulated specimen that we have right now," Baichtal said.
Scientists excavated the fossil in June and have been studying it to determine whether it represents a previously unknown species.
There are only about a dozen full thalattosaur specimens in the world, Baichtal said. "So the probability of this being something that wasn't seen before is probably pretty high," he said.
The find is likely the most northern discovery as well, Baichtal said. The fossil was found near the Tlingit Indian village of Kake in southeast Alaska.
Other thalattosaur discoveries have been made in British Columbia, Canada, as well as in Nevada and the Alps, though the best finds have been made in China, he said.
SITE WAS TROPICAL
At the time this particular animal was trapped in sediment, about 200 million to 220 million years ago, the site was close to the equator and tropical, Baichtal said.
"This was a warm, volcanic island with reefs surrounding it," similar to Hawaii, he said. Plate tectonics eventually sent the site drifting north to its present location in Alaska, he said.
The fossil from the Tongass beach is now at the Museum of the North, where scientists will do further work to separate the rock from the bone.
Thalattosaurs inhabited the seas for about 30 million years, a relatively brief time geologically, said Pat Druckenmiller, earth sciences curator for the Museum of the North. They measured about three to 10 feet long, with half to a third of that taken up by the tail, he said.
"The rest of its body would be kind of reminiscent of a big lizard," he said, with legs modified to work as paddles.
Some had no teeth, some had pointy teeth that might have been useful for spearing fish, and some had flat teeth that might have been used to crush shells, Druckenmiller said.
The Alaska fossil appears to include the outline of soft-body tissue that surrounded the bone.
"That's really rare," Druckenmiller said. "That might give us some idea of what the actual body shape was."
Scientists will return to the site later to try to excavate the rest of the fossil, still embedded in beach rock, Druckenmiller said.
"We don't know if the skull will be there or not, but I have high hopes that it will be there," he said.
From: www.reuters.com
Info is free, spread it!
Israel uprising: Beginning of an end
July 30, 2011 When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the US Congress and said Israel -- a regime setup by stealing land and which survives off charity -- is “what's right about Middle East” and received 29 standing ovations from American lawmakers, e neglected the fact that the uprising against autocratic regimes were never meant to be restricted to the Arab world.
Since July 14, people have been gathering across Israel to protest against the rising costs of housing, with "tent cities" being erected in Tel Aviv, al-Quds (Jerusalem), Beersheba, Haifa and Kiryat Shemona.
They are also calling on the regime to curb the high costs of fuel, food and healthcare. The protests have exposed a deep middle-class frustration over the economy, presenting Netanyahu with his biggest domestic challenge yet.
Certain media outlets have tried to downplay the protests arguing that unlike the Islamic Awakening in Arab states, Israelis are not calling for “democracy” or an end to “state oppression” but rather they are protesting against the “high price of housing, food and other goods.”
But let's take a look at some of the uprisings in Arab states:
In Tunisia, high unemployment, food inflation and dire living conditions as well as government corruption and lack of political freedom triggered the protests in mid-December 2010.
As the protesters gained public support and popularity, the government began to suppress the demonstration with force and brutality -- which stirred public anger and resulted in the desertion of law enforcement officials to the side of the protesters.
When the Egyptian revolution began in late 2010, around 40% of Egypt's 80-million-strong population was living on less than USD 2 per day and a majority of them were relying on subsidized goods.
At the time unemployment was hovering around 10 percent (9.7 percent to be exact) and despite a relatively good economic growth (4.5 percent of its gross domestic product) in 2009 the living condition did not improve.
In Yemen, Jordan and Oman unemployment and poverty are also cited as the main causes of uprisings.
So in a way, the economic situation or the “high price of housing, food and other goods” did play a part in the Islamic Awakening or the Arab uprisings and in that sense the Israeli protests are not that different.
Now, media reports claim that there is “democracy” in Israel. However, unlike all democracies, Israel does not have a written constitution, nor does it have a bill of rights.
In his book Israel, Let's Talk About It Belgian journalist and author, Michel Collon has raised the shortcoming, saying it defies the Western media's designation of Israel as the only "democracy" in the Middle East and the "government of law."
What is referred to as Israeli "laws," Collon has protested, describes Israel as a "country" for Jews, where non-Jew citizens are not considered human.
Israel does not even have freedom of speech. One example of violation of freedom of speech is the Israeli parliament (Knesset)'s passing a bill dubbed the "Boycott Ban," which outlaws boycotting, or calling for boycotts against, Israel and Israel's illegal settlements.
The bill was passed in mid-July despite quite ironically the parliament's legal adviser clearly stated that the bill "clashed directly with freedom of expression."
Another example is the Israeli military's crackdown on protests against the construction of the apartheid wall and settlements which take place on a weekly basis.
The recent waves of protests in Israel comes six month after Israeli foreign ministry employees went on a month-long strike and after the frequent closure of Israeli airports also due to walk-offs.
Israel's public debt equals 79 percent of its gross domestic product, and its imports 1.25 billion dollars more than it exports. More than 23 percent of Israelis live below poverty line. In other words -- words of the US congress -- Israeli is not “economically self-sufficient.”
"Israel is not economically self-sufficient, and relies on foreign assistance and borrowing to maintain its economy. In addition to US assistance, it is estimated that Israel receives about $1 billion annually through philanthropy, an equal amount through short- and long- term commercial loans, and around $1 billion in Israel Bonds proceeds. Since 1985, the United States has provided $3 billion in grants annually to Israel. Since 1976, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, and is the largest cumulative recipient since World War II,” The Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a 2003 report titled "Israel: US Foreign Assistance."
Now with the global economic meltdown and weak a post-recession recovery in the US and Israel's other allies, the amount of financial aid and other assistance that Israel can receive is sure to be affected adding fuel to the problems the Israeli regime is already facing.
On Friday, July 29, 2011 hundreds of Israelis held a demonstration in Tel Aviv, warning that they would block roads all over Israel on August 1 if the Netanyahu cabinet fails to meet their demands.
After weeks of widespread protests against high housing prices -- which are evaluated as the largest social protests in Israel since the 1970s -- the Israeli premier announced a series of measures to address the housing crisis last week. MJ/HGH/MMN
Read more: Presstv.ir/detail/191558.html
Info is free, spread it!
Since July 14, people have been gathering across Israel to protest against the rising costs of housing, with "tent cities" being erected in Tel Aviv, al-Quds (Jerusalem), Beersheba, Haifa and Kiryat Shemona.
They are also calling on the regime to curb the high costs of fuel, food and healthcare. The protests have exposed a deep middle-class frustration over the economy, presenting Netanyahu with his biggest domestic challenge yet.
But let's take a look at some of the uprisings in Arab states:
In Tunisia, high unemployment, food inflation and dire living conditions as well as government corruption and lack of political freedom triggered the protests in mid-December 2010.
As the protesters gained public support and popularity, the government began to suppress the demonstration with force and brutality -- which stirred public anger and resulted in the desertion of law enforcement officials to the side of the protesters.
When the Egyptian revolution began in late 2010, around 40% of Egypt's 80-million-strong population was living on less than USD 2 per day and a majority of them were relying on subsidized goods.
At the time unemployment was hovering around 10 percent (9.7 percent to be exact) and despite a relatively good economic growth (4.5 percent of its gross domestic product) in 2009 the living condition did not improve.
In Yemen, Jordan and Oman unemployment and poverty are also cited as the main causes of uprisings.
So in a way, the economic situation or the “high price of housing, food and other goods” did play a part in the Islamic Awakening or the Arab uprisings and in that sense the Israeli protests are not that different.
Now, media reports claim that there is “democracy” in Israel. However, unlike all democracies, Israel does not have a written constitution, nor does it have a bill of rights.
In his book Israel, Let's Talk About It Belgian journalist and author, Michel Collon has raised the shortcoming, saying it defies the Western media's designation of Israel as the only "democracy" in the Middle East and the "government of law."
What is referred to as Israeli "laws," Collon has protested, describes Israel as a "country" for Jews, where non-Jew citizens are not considered human.
Israel does not even have freedom of speech. One example of violation of freedom of speech is the Israeli parliament (Knesset)'s passing a bill dubbed the "Boycott Ban," which outlaws boycotting, or calling for boycotts against, Israel and Israel's illegal settlements.
The bill was passed in mid-July despite quite ironically the parliament's legal adviser clearly stated that the bill "clashed directly with freedom of expression."
Another example is the Israeli military's crackdown on protests against the construction of the apartheid wall and settlements which take place on a weekly basis.
The recent waves of protests in Israel comes six month after Israeli foreign ministry employees went on a month-long strike and after the frequent closure of Israeli airports also due to walk-offs.
Israel's public debt equals 79 percent of its gross domestic product, and its imports 1.25 billion dollars more than it exports. More than 23 percent of Israelis live below poverty line. In other words -- words of the US congress -- Israeli is not “economically self-sufficient.”
"Israel is not economically self-sufficient, and relies on foreign assistance and borrowing to maintain its economy. In addition to US assistance, it is estimated that Israel receives about $1 billion annually through philanthropy, an equal amount through short- and long- term commercial loans, and around $1 billion in Israel Bonds proceeds. Since 1985, the United States has provided $3 billion in grants annually to Israel. Since 1976, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, and is the largest cumulative recipient since World War II,” The Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a 2003 report titled "Israel: US Foreign Assistance."
Now with the global economic meltdown and weak a post-recession recovery in the US and Israel's other allies, the amount of financial aid and other assistance that Israel can receive is sure to be affected adding fuel to the problems the Israeli regime is already facing.
On Friday, July 29, 2011 hundreds of Israelis held a demonstration in Tel Aviv, warning that they would block roads all over Israel on August 1 if the Netanyahu cabinet fails to meet their demands.
After weeks of widespread protests against high housing prices -- which are evaluated as the largest social protests in Israel since the 1970s -- the Israeli premier announced a series of measures to address the housing crisis last week. MJ/HGH/MMN
Read more: Presstv.ir/detail/191558.html
Info is free, spread it!
Dutch Band Attacked By Israel Defense Forces
Dutch Band Attacked By IDF For Bringing Happiness To Oppressed Palestinian Children:
July 30, 2011 A 25-piece Dutch street band has been traveling through the embattled West Bank for two weeks now, enlivening and engaging the downtrodden Palestinian people.
What do they get in return? Lungs full of tear gas.
Today the Palestine News Network reported that tens of Israeli Army thugs fired tear gas canisters at the Amsterdman-based Dutch street orchestra called Fanfare van de Eerste Liefdesnacht, which means “the First Night of Love Brass Band” during their performance.
When they were attacked, the band was playing in the northern West Bank villiage of Kufr Qadum, near Nablus.
This village is mostly Palestinian but has suffered recent attacks from radical Jewish colonists.
The people of Kufr Qadum have been victims of arson, physical violence, and destruction of property. There are also Israeli military checkpoints regularly erected around the roads leading in and out of the village.
The brave Dutch musicians have been travelling around the West Bank, visiting various villages, towns, and refugee camps. Their shows are interactive and engaging, and involve working with Palestinian children from a refugee camp east of Bethlehem.
The performers play along with the children and dance in the streets together, bringing joy to the lives of children who live in constant poverty with the fear of death at the hands of Israeli extremists.
Kufr Qadum is just one of the many villages that are being actively targeted by illegal Israeli settlers who, in direct opposition to international law, steal the land of the Palestinian people.
Traditionally, the corporate-controlled special interest media in the West portrays the Palestinians as brutal, freedom-hating terrorists seeking to destroy Israel and the entire concept of Western civilization and democracy.
This could not be further from the truth and this case shows this to be true, yet again.
The town council of Kufr Qadum invited the 25 Dutch musicians to their town to perform and entertain the Palestinians who are victimized daily by the Zionist invading forces. How does this fit with the propagandized picture of rabid Islamic radical terrorists who hate the West and all who reside there?
If this is the case, we would not see a large group of white Dutch people traveling around the West Bank for an entire two week period without being targeted by the so-called terrorists of Palestine. It would be quite easy for anyone to attack a bunch of unarmed middle-aged musicians standing in a group, but it does not happen. Why?
It is quite simple: the people of Palestine do not hate people who realize that the Israeli government and their allies like the United States have created a completely false picture of the Arab holocaust that is currently being carried out.
The people of Palestine realize that the Israelis loathe anyone who supports the right of Palestine to exist as a sovereign state just as much as they loathe the Palestinians.
An Israeli soldier would just as happily kill an Israeli Jew who was defending the Palestinians as they would a Palestinian attempting to fend off tanks by throwing rocks.
Simply put: if you question the terrorist actions of Israel and the radical Zionist cause, you are against Israel and are therefore an enemy.
This was made quite clear by the Israeli Army today with their attack on the peaceful band who was entertaining crowds and giving them a moment’s respite from the hellish environment of the West Bank.
I look forward to seeing how the media spins this one. Maybe the Dutch band members were secretly terrorists and inside of their tubas and trombones were AK-47s and rockets they were smuggling to Hamas?
It never ceased to amaze me the lengths that the Israeli media and their Zionist allies across the world will go to in order to justify their crimes.
I might have a little bit more respect for the state of Israel if they would just come out and admit that they intend to massacre Palestinians, even women and children, for the foreseeable future, or at least until every Palestinian leaves their ancestors’ home.
At least then they would have a tiny bit of integrity, enough to admit that they are engaging in ethnic cleansing no different than any of the genocides carried out by maniacal tyrants throughout the ages.
From: theintelhub.com
Join the worldwide call to support #Palestine as an independent state. Sign the @Avaaz petition now #StateOfPalestine http://t.co/y18JHzc
Info is free, spread it!
What do they get in return? Lungs full of tear gas.
Today the Palestine News Network reported that tens of Israeli Army thugs fired tear gas canisters at the Amsterdman-based Dutch street orchestra called Fanfare van de Eerste Liefdesnacht, which means “the First Night of Love Brass Band” during their performance.
When they were attacked, the band was playing in the northern West Bank villiage of Kufr Qadum, near Nablus.
This village is mostly Palestinian but has suffered recent attacks from radical Jewish colonists.
The people of Kufr Qadum have been victims of arson, physical violence, and destruction of property. There are also Israeli military checkpoints regularly erected around the roads leading in and out of the village.
The brave Dutch musicians have been travelling around the West Bank, visiting various villages, towns, and refugee camps. Their shows are interactive and engaging, and involve working with Palestinian children from a refugee camp east of Bethlehem.
The performers play along with the children and dance in the streets together, bringing joy to the lives of children who live in constant poverty with the fear of death at the hands of Israeli extremists.
Kufr Qadum is just one of the many villages that are being actively targeted by illegal Israeli settlers who, in direct opposition to international law, steal the land of the Palestinian people.
Traditionally, the corporate-controlled special interest media in the West portrays the Palestinians as brutal, freedom-hating terrorists seeking to destroy Israel and the entire concept of Western civilization and democracy.
This could not be further from the truth and this case shows this to be true, yet again.
The town council of Kufr Qadum invited the 25 Dutch musicians to their town to perform and entertain the Palestinians who are victimized daily by the Zionist invading forces. How does this fit with the propagandized picture of rabid Islamic radical terrorists who hate the West and all who reside there?
If this is the case, we would not see a large group of white Dutch people traveling around the West Bank for an entire two week period without being targeted by the so-called terrorists of Palestine. It would be quite easy for anyone to attack a bunch of unarmed middle-aged musicians standing in a group, but it does not happen. Why?
It is quite simple: the people of Palestine do not hate people who realize that the Israeli government and their allies like the United States have created a completely false picture of the Arab holocaust that is currently being carried out.
The people of Palestine realize that the Israelis loathe anyone who supports the right of Palestine to exist as a sovereign state just as much as they loathe the Palestinians.
An Israeli soldier would just as happily kill an Israeli Jew who was defending the Palestinians as they would a Palestinian attempting to fend off tanks by throwing rocks.
Simply put: if you question the terrorist actions of Israel and the radical Zionist cause, you are against Israel and are therefore an enemy.
This was made quite clear by the Israeli Army today with their attack on the peaceful band who was entertaining crowds and giving them a moment’s respite from the hellish environment of the West Bank.
I look forward to seeing how the media spins this one. Maybe the Dutch band members were secretly terrorists and inside of their tubas and trombones were AK-47s and rockets they were smuggling to Hamas?
It never ceased to amaze me the lengths that the Israeli media and their Zionist allies across the world will go to in order to justify their crimes.
I might have a little bit more respect for the state of Israel if they would just come out and admit that they intend to massacre Palestinians, even women and children, for the foreseeable future, or at least until every Palestinian leaves their ancestors’ home.
At least then they would have a tiny bit of integrity, enough to admit that they are engaging in ethnic cleansing no different than any of the genocides carried out by maniacal tyrants throughout the ages.
From: theintelhub.com
Join the worldwide call to support #Palestine as an independent state. Sign the @Avaaz petition now #StateOfPalestine http://t.co/y18JHzc
Info is free, spread it!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Fungi could protect rice against climate change
Inoculating rice seeds with fungi makes the plants more tolerant of salt,drought and cold — all of which may become more common as the climate changes, according to researchers.
The researchers obtained two types of endophytic fungi, which have symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationships with plants. One was from coastal dunegrass, and the other from a variety of wild strawberry that thrives in geothermal soils even in below-freezing winter temperatures.
The researchers obtained two types of endophytic fungi, which have symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationships with plants. One was from coastal dunegrass, and the other from a variety of wild strawberry that thrives in geothermal soils even in below-freezing winter temperatures.
When seeds of two commercial rice varieties were inoculated with the fungi, the resulting plants, grown in greenhouses, had increased growth and grain production, and were more tolerant of drought.
In addition, plants inoculated with fungi from coastal plants thrived under saline conditions, and those receiving fungi from wild strawberries grew well in low temperatures, according to the research published this month (5 July) in PLoS One.
"The fungus pretty much does all the work," said Russell J. Rodriguez, co-author of the research and a microbiologist with the US Geological Survey. "Within 24 hours, we saw the benefits. [Inoculated] plants were growing up to five times faster."
The technique does not change the rice plant's genetic material — its DNA — he said. "But the expression [switching on and off] of genes is modified and the plant now has the ability to resist environmental stress," he told SciDev.Net.
The researchers do not understand the mechanism but suggest that the fungi could be producing a substance that regulates plant growth.
In their symbiotic relationship with the plants, the fungi confer stress tolerance in exchange for nutrients, a phenomenon known as 'symbiogenics' because one symbiotic partner influences the expression of the other's genes.
The technique should work for different rice varieties and other crops, such as corn and peas, said Rodriguez, adding that the researchers are now trying to make rice plants heat tolerant, too.
Glenn Gregorio, who studies stress-tolerant plants at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, said the experiment on salt tolerance was "impressive and very promising".
But further experiments are needed to see if the rice thrives under field conditions, he said, because fungi usually require specific habitats, such as geothermal soils, to survive.
"In field conditions, the soil and the overall environment [are] 'contaminated' with other organisms, which may also interact with the plant and, in essence, compete with the fungi," Gregorio said.
Rodriguez said his team has been collaborating with African and Korean scientists to test the findings in the field.
From: Guardian.co.uk/environment
Info is free, spread it!
In addition, plants inoculated with fungi from coastal plants thrived under saline conditions, and those receiving fungi from wild strawberries grew well in low temperatures, according to the research published this month (5 July) in PLoS One.
"The fungus pretty much does all the work," said Russell J. Rodriguez, co-author of the research and a microbiologist with the US Geological Survey. "Within 24 hours, we saw the benefits. [Inoculated] plants were growing up to five times faster."
The technique does not change the rice plant's genetic material — its DNA — he said. "But the expression [switching on and off] of genes is modified and the plant now has the ability to resist environmental stress," he told SciDev.Net.
The researchers do not understand the mechanism but suggest that the fungi could be producing a substance that regulates plant growth.
In their symbiotic relationship with the plants, the fungi confer stress tolerance in exchange for nutrients, a phenomenon known as 'symbiogenics' because one symbiotic partner influences the expression of the other's genes.
The technique should work for different rice varieties and other crops, such as corn and peas, said Rodriguez, adding that the researchers are now trying to make rice plants heat tolerant, too.
Glenn Gregorio, who studies stress-tolerant plants at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, said the experiment on salt tolerance was "impressive and very promising".
But further experiments are needed to see if the rice thrives under field conditions, he said, because fungi usually require specific habitats, such as geothermal soils, to survive.
"In field conditions, the soil and the overall environment [are] 'contaminated' with other organisms, which may also interact with the plant and, in essence, compete with the fungi," Gregorio said.
Rodriguez said his team has been collaborating with African and Korean scientists to test the findings in the field.
From: Guardian.co.uk/environment
Info is free, spread it!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
300 000 families face displacement
CHISUMBANJE — About 300 000 families could be displaced in Chisumbanje if a company that is setting up an Ethanol Plant, Macdom, goes ahead with its plans to acquire 40 000 hectares of land in the area.
Macdom is leasing the land from State-owned Arda. Spokesperson for the affected villagers, Gwenzi Wedzerai, told NewsDay the firm had started growing sugarcane on 5 112 hectares and had indicated it would want to acquire more land so as to meet its target of 80 000 kilolitres of Ethanol per day.
“We thought this project was going to bring relief to the people of Chisumbanje but it’s actually displacing them,” said Wedzerai.
He added 83 families from Rimayi and Chinyamukwakwa villages had been forced to relocate to neighbouring Mozambique after the company encroached into communal plots and ploughed down their crops.
“The only people that have received compensation are war veterans who got $600 and they are using these people to intimidate villagers opposed to the project,” said Wedzerai.
The villagers also alleged they were struggling to raise penalties for their livestock which stray into the sugarcane plantations.
The company allegedly demanded $20 per head and villagers claimed they ended up selling some of them to pay the fine.
“Villagers are being forced to sell some of their livestock for them to be able to pay the penalty,” said Wedzerai, adding they had presented their grievances to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who had promised to look into the issue.
Although strenuous efforts to get comment from Macdom were unsuccessful, Arda chairman Basil Nyabadza said the issue was being blown out of proportion.
“Everything that we have been doing in Chisumbanje has been out of consensus with the villagers, but maybe out of 10 villagers you get two who say something. I think, we need to meet and sit down and talk about it,” Nyabadza.
From: www.newsday.co.zw
Info is free, spread it!
Macdom is leasing the land from State-owned Arda. Spokesperson for the affected villagers, Gwenzi Wedzerai, told NewsDay the firm had started growing sugarcane on 5 112 hectares and had indicated it would want to acquire more land so as to meet its target of 80 000 kilolitres of Ethanol per day.
“We thought this project was going to bring relief to the people of Chisumbanje but it’s actually displacing them,” said Wedzerai.
He added 83 families from Rimayi and Chinyamukwakwa villages had been forced to relocate to neighbouring Mozambique after the company encroached into communal plots and ploughed down their crops.
“The only people that have received compensation are war veterans who got $600 and they are using these people to intimidate villagers opposed to the project,” said Wedzerai.
The villagers also alleged they were struggling to raise penalties for their livestock which stray into the sugarcane plantations.
The company allegedly demanded $20 per head and villagers claimed they ended up selling some of them to pay the fine.
“Villagers are being forced to sell some of their livestock for them to be able to pay the penalty,” said Wedzerai, adding they had presented their grievances to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who had promised to look into the issue.
Although strenuous efforts to get comment from Macdom were unsuccessful, Arda chairman Basil Nyabadza said the issue was being blown out of proportion.
“Everything that we have been doing in Chisumbanje has been out of consensus with the villagers, but maybe out of 10 villagers you get two who say something. I think, we need to meet and sit down and talk about it,” Nyabadza.
From: www.newsday.co.zw
Info is free, spread it!
LulzSec hacking suspect 'Topiary' arrested
Jyly 27, 2011 Police arrest 19-year-old man in Shetland Islands who is alleged to be involved in hacker attacks on law enforcement agencies
The international hunt for computer hackers linked to attacks on law enforcement agencies has led to the arrest of a teenager in the Shetland Islands.
Officers from the Metropolitan police's e-crime unit arrested a 19-year-old at his home on Wednesday as part of a global hunt for hackers connected to the LulzSec and Anonymous groups.
Scotland Yard said the suspect uses the online nickname "Topiary", who has been presented as a spokesman for the LulzSec collective and one of the most prominent names in the so-called "hacktivist" movement.
The teenager is the third person to be arrested in the UK in connection with attacks on the electronics giant Sony, as well as assaults on US government agencies.
A 16-year-old from South London was arrested and released on bail last week. Essex teenager Ryan Cleary, 19, is due to appear before a London court on 30 August charged with a number of attacks on websites.
Police also said a 17-year-old male is being interviewed under caution, but was not arrested, in connection with the hacking inquiry. A residential address in Lincolnshire is being searched.
More details soon @ www.guardian.co.uk/technology
Info is free, spread it!
Officers from the Metropolitan police's e-crime unit arrested a 19-year-old at his home on Wednesday as part of a global hunt for hackers connected to the LulzSec and Anonymous groups.
Scotland Yard said the suspect uses the online nickname "Topiary", who has been presented as a spokesman for the LulzSec collective and one of the most prominent names in the so-called "hacktivist" movement.
The teenager is the third person to be arrested in the UK in connection with attacks on the electronics giant Sony, as well as assaults on US government agencies.
A 16-year-old from South London was arrested and released on bail last week. Essex teenager Ryan Cleary, 19, is due to appear before a London court on 30 August charged with a number of attacks on websites.
Police also said a 17-year-old male is being interviewed under caution, but was not arrested, in connection with the hacking inquiry. A residential address in Lincolnshire is being searched.
More details soon @ www.guardian.co.uk/technology
Info is free, spread it!
Picture: Venus And "BlackSpot"
I have been following the SOHO LASCO telescope images for a while now... I know the bright spot is Venus, but can anyone tell me what that 'Big BLACK spot' is doing there? Thanks a lot!
Info is free, spread it!
Info is free, spread it!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Big snow turns to big slush
July 26, 2011
The big clean up is well underway across the country following yesterday's record snowfalls in what may well end up being the coldest day of 2011.
Most state highways have now reopened and city councils in Dunedin and Christchurch have set about clearing most of the local roads of snow and ice.
Snowfalls made way to harsh frosts this morning, particularly in the South Island, although some snow is expected on Arthurs Pass, Milford Rd and the Desert Road later today.
Westerlies are forecast to strengthen over the South Island today, with heavy rain forecast of the west of the country, however temperatures are forecast to pick up following a frigid past few days.
WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said yesterday may well have been the coldest day of the year.
The national high was just 12 degrees recorded in Northland yesterday.
Only several centres reached double digits with the majority of the country reaching single digit highs, mostly between 4 and 8 degrees.
Mr Duncan said it was unlikely the country, overall, would be as cold for the remainder of 2011.
"Clearly we can't completely rule out the possibility of another major polar blast but with temperatures soon about to rise with longer sunlight hours and spring just a few weeks away it would be surprising to see another outbreak as bitterly cold as this one."
Read more: nzherald.co.nz/weather/news
Info is free, spread it!
Most state highways have now reopened and city councils in Dunedin and Christchurch have set about clearing most of the local roads of snow and ice.
Snowfalls made way to harsh frosts this morning, particularly in the South Island, although some snow is expected on Arthurs Pass, Milford Rd and the Desert Road later today.
Westerlies are forecast to strengthen over the South Island today, with heavy rain forecast of the west of the country, however temperatures are forecast to pick up following a frigid past few days.
WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said yesterday may well have been the coldest day of the year.
The national high was just 12 degrees recorded in Northland yesterday.
Only several centres reached double digits with the majority of the country reaching single digit highs, mostly between 4 and 8 degrees.
Mr Duncan said it was unlikely the country, overall, would be as cold for the remainder of 2011.
"Clearly we can't completely rule out the possibility of another major polar blast but with temperatures soon about to rise with longer sunlight hours and spring just a few weeks away it would be surprising to see another outbreak as bitterly cold as this one."
Read more: nzherald.co.nz/weather/news
Info is free, spread it!
Walnuts are drugs?!?!, The Real American Culture War, Craig Detweiler on...
Info is free, spread it!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Palestine: the world's next nation
Join the worldwide call to support #Palestine as an independent state. Sign the @Avaaz petition now #StateOfPalestine http://t.co/6HOT4z1
Or visit: Palestine: the world's next nation
Copy, Paste, Tweet!
Info is free, spread it!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Mount Etna eruption 'knocks clocks 15 minutes fast'
July 11, 2011
Mount Etna eruption closes airports and 'knocks clocks 15 minutes fast'
An eruption by Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily left a nearby airport closed and ... locals turning up early for work.
The volcano spewed lava on to its south-eastern slopes on Saturday afternoon and winds swept ash further afield, stopping flights at Catania's Fontanarossa airport.
The strong eruption - Etna's fifth since the beginning of the year - was shortlived, but left the airport closed overnight.
Bemused Sicilians, meanwhile, were quick to blame the volcano after thousands noticed that their clocks were running 15 minutes fast. The fast forward time keeping has affected a wide spectrum of digital clocks and watches - from computers through to alarm clocks.
It was spotted when large numbers of locals started turning up for work early, and a Facebook page was organised for those involved to compare notes.
As well as Etna's volcanic activity, users have so far blamed aliens, poltergeists, solar explosions and electrical disturbances caused by underwater cables.
Fontanarossa airport was reopened at 7am local time after seven sweeping machines worked through the night to clear the runway of ash. The cause of the island-wide clock confusion remains unknown.
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe at 3,295m (10,810ft). The last eruption was in May.More pictures and video: Dailymail.co.uk/news
Info is free, spread it!
Mount Etna eruption closes airports and 'knocks clocks 15 minutes fast'
An eruption by Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily left a nearby airport closed and ... locals turning up early for work.
The volcano spewed lava on to its south-eastern slopes on Saturday afternoon and winds swept ash further afield, stopping flights at Catania's Fontanarossa airport.
The strong eruption - Etna's fifth since the beginning of the year - was shortlived, but left the airport closed overnight.
Bemused Sicilians, meanwhile, were quick to blame the volcano after thousands noticed that their clocks were running 15 minutes fast. The fast forward time keeping has affected a wide spectrum of digital clocks and watches - from computers through to alarm clocks.
It was spotted when large numbers of locals started turning up for work early, and a Facebook page was organised for those involved to compare notes.
As well as Etna's volcanic activity, users have so far blamed aliens, poltergeists, solar explosions and electrical disturbances caused by underwater cables.
Fontanarossa airport was reopened at 7am local time after seven sweeping machines worked through the night to clear the runway of ash. The cause of the island-wide clock confusion remains unknown.
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe at 3,295m (10,810ft). The last eruption was in May.More pictures and video: Dailymail.co.uk/news
Info is free, spread it!
Witnesses describe scene of terror at Norway camp
11:54 AM Jul 23, 2011
SUNDVOLLEN (Norway) - The man in the police uniform shouted for the campers to come closer. When they did, he killed them.
The gunman who killed at least 80 people at an island youth camp northwest of Oslo used his disguise to lure in his victims, then shot them twice to make sure they were dead, survivors said in the village of Sundvollen, where they were taken after the massacre.
"I saw many dead people," said 15-year old Elise, whose father, Vidar Myhre, didn't want her to disclose her last name. She just feet away from the gunman when he opened fire in the camp on Utoya island.
Elise said she had just come out from an information meeting in a nearby building when she heard gunshots. She saw a police officer and thought she was safe, but then he started shooting.
"He first shot people on the island. Afterward he started shooting people in the water," she said.
Elise said she hid behind the same rock that the killer was standing on. "I could hear his breathing from the top of the rock," she said.
In panic, the girl phoned her parents, whispering to them what was going on.
"They told me not to panic and that everything would be OK." Her parents also told her to get rid of a brightly colored jacket she was wearing to not draw attention to herself.
She said it was impossible to say how many minutes passed while she was waiting for him to stop.
Survivors described a scene of sheer terror at the camp, which is organized by the youth wing of Norway's ruling Labor party. Hundreds of young people were eagerly awaiting a speech the prime minister was to give there Saturday.
Police said the man arrested in the shooting is Norwegian and had set off a bomb that killed seven people outside the prime minister's headquarters in Oslo, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) from the camp.
Several of the survivors seemed calm as anxious parents picked them up at a Sundvollen hotel, but the stories they told were of utter terror.
Dana Berzingi said the fake police officer ordered people to come closer, then pulled weapons and ammunition from a bag and started shooting.
Several victims "had pretended as if they were dead to survive," the 21-year-old said. But after shooting the victims with one gun, the gunman shot them again in the head with a shotgun, he said.
"I lost several friends," said Berzingi, whose pants were stained with blood. He said he used the cell phone of one of his fallen friends to call police.
Emilie Bersaas, identified by Sky News television as one of the youths on the island, said she ran inside a school building and hid under a bed when the shooting started.
"At one point the shooting was very, very close (to) the building, I think actually it actually hit the building one time, and the people in the next room screamed very loud," she said.
"I laid under the bed for two hours and then the police smashed a window and came in," Bersaas said. "It seems kind of unreal, especially in Norway. This is not something that could happen here."
Another camper, Niclas Tokerud, stayed in touch with his sister through the attack through text messages.
"He sent me a text saying 'there's been gunshots. I am scared (expletive). But I am hiding and safe. I love you,'" said Nadia Tokerud, a 25-year-old graphic designer in Hokksund, Norway.
As he boarded a boat from the island after the danger had passed he sent one more text: "I'm safe."
SUNDVOLLEN (Norway) - The man in the police uniform shouted for the campers to come closer. When they did, he killed them.
The gunman who killed at least 80 people at an island youth camp northwest of Oslo used his disguise to lure in his victims, then shot them twice to make sure they were dead, survivors said in the village of Sundvollen, where they were taken after the massacre.
"I saw many dead people," said 15-year old Elise, whose father, Vidar Myhre, didn't want her to disclose her last name. She just feet away from the gunman when he opened fire in the camp on Utoya island.
Elise said she had just come out from an information meeting in a nearby building when she heard gunshots. She saw a police officer and thought she was safe, but then he started shooting.
"He first shot people on the island. Afterward he started shooting people in the water," she said.
Elise said she hid behind the same rock that the killer was standing on. "I could hear his breathing from the top of the rock," she said.
In panic, the girl phoned her parents, whispering to them what was going on.
"They told me not to panic and that everything would be OK." Her parents also told her to get rid of a brightly colored jacket she was wearing to not draw attention to herself.
She said it was impossible to say how many minutes passed while she was waiting for him to stop.
Survivors described a scene of sheer terror at the camp, which is organized by the youth wing of Norway's ruling Labor party. Hundreds of young people were eagerly awaiting a speech the prime minister was to give there Saturday.
Police said the man arrested in the shooting is Norwegian and had set off a bomb that killed seven people outside the prime minister's headquarters in Oslo, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) from the camp.
Several of the survivors seemed calm as anxious parents picked them up at a Sundvollen hotel, but the stories they told were of utter terror.
Dana Berzingi said the fake police officer ordered people to come closer, then pulled weapons and ammunition from a bag and started shooting.
Several victims "had pretended as if they were dead to survive," the 21-year-old said. But after shooting the victims with one gun, the gunman shot them again in the head with a shotgun, he said.
"I lost several friends," said Berzingi, whose pants were stained with blood. He said he used the cell phone of one of his fallen friends to call police.
Emilie Bersaas, identified by Sky News television as one of the youths on the island, said she ran inside a school building and hid under a bed when the shooting started.
"At one point the shooting was very, very close (to) the building, I think actually it actually hit the building one time, and the people in the next room screamed very loud," she said.
"I laid under the bed for two hours and then the police smashed a window and came in," Bersaas said. "It seems kind of unreal, especially in Norway. This is not something that could happen here."
Another camper, Niclas Tokerud, stayed in touch with his sister through the attack through text messages.
"He sent me a text saying 'there's been gunshots. I am scared (expletive). But I am hiding and safe. I love you,'" said Nadia Tokerud, a 25-year-old graphic designer in Hokksund, Norway.
As he boarded a boat from the island after the danger had passed he sent one more text: "I'm safe."
AP From: Todayonline.com
Info is free, spread it!
Info is free, spread it!
Norway: More than 80 dead in twin attacks
More than 80 dead as twin attacks leave Norway reeling
Police say more than 80 people have been killed in Norway after twin attacks in the capital Oslo and at a political party's youth camp on a nearby island.
A 32-year-old Norwegian man is thought to have opened fire on teenagers at the Labour Party youth camp on Utoya island shortly after detonating a huge explosion outside the prime minister's office in the capital.
Norwegian police said at least 80 people had been killed on the island alone and said the attacks had taken on "catastrophic dimensions".
Witnesses described how the gunman, who was dressed as a policeman, kicked wounded people in the head to check if they were still alive before shooting them dead.
Terrified campers cowered behind walls and jumped into the water to escape the carnage.
"The updated knowledge we are sitting on now is at least 80 [dead]," police chief Oystein Maeland told a news conference. "We can't guarantee that won't increase somewhat," he said, adding some were badly injured.
Previously, police had said that at least 10 people had been killed in at Utoya, along with seven killed by the bomb in central Oslo.
Undetonated explosives were found on the island and police are warning residents to stay home as there could be more explosives hidden in Oslo's city centre.
Norwegian police said at least 80 people had been killed on the island alone and said the attacks had taken on "catastrophic dimensions".
Witnesses described how the gunman, who was dressed as a policeman, kicked wounded people in the head to check if they were still alive before shooting them dead.
Terrified campers cowered behind walls and jumped into the water to escape the carnage.
"The updated knowledge we are sitting on now is at least 80 [dead]," police chief Oystein Maeland told a news conference. "We can't guarantee that won't increase somewhat," he said, adding some were badly injured.
Previously, police had said that at least 10 people had been killed in at Utoya, along with seven killed by the bomb in central Oslo.
Undetonated explosives were found on the island and police are warning residents to stay home as there could be more explosives hidden in Oslo's city centre.
Key facts:
Police say the two attacks are linked
The suspected gunman has been arrested
Norway's national broadcaster NRK has named the suspect as Anders Behring Breivik
Central Oslo has been shut down in the wake of attacks
Attacks described as "worst in Norway since World War II"
DFAT says no reports of Australians injured
Police say the two attacks are linked
The suspected gunman has been arrested
Norway's national broadcaster NRK has named the suspect as Anders Behring Breivik
Central Oslo has been shut down in the wake of attacks
Attacks described as "worst in Norway since World War II"
DFAT says no reports of Australians injured
Utoya island, where the shooting happened, is north-west of Oslo and was hosting a camp for around 600 young members of prime minister Jens Stoltenberg's Labour Party.
There is speculation the male suspect is a right-wing extremist but it is not yet known if he acted alone.
Police closed Norway's borders after the attacks and have not ruled out other people being involved.
Mr Stoltenberg delivered a televised address in the wake of the attacks and said the country was in shock.
"We've all been shaken by the evil that struck us so brutally. I have a message to whoever attacked us: you will not destroy us. You will not destroy our democracy," he said.
Read more: abc.net.au/norway-hit-by-twin-attacks
Info is free, spread it!
There is speculation the male suspect is a right-wing extremist but it is not yet known if he acted alone.
Police closed Norway's borders after the attacks and have not ruled out other people being involved.
Mr Stoltenberg delivered a televised address in the wake of the attacks and said the country was in shock.
"We've all been shaken by the evil that struck us so brutally. I have a message to whoever attacked us: you will not destroy us. You will not destroy our democracy," he said.
Read more: abc.net.au/norway-hit-by-twin-attacks
Info is free, spread it!
Another-side: Iran's biggest solar plant inaugurated
July 22, 2011 Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has inaugurated Iran's largest tracking solar power plant in northeast of the country.
The solar power plant, designed and built by native experts, went on stream in the holy city of Mashhad, situated 850 kilometers (530 miles) east of the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Thursday, IRNA reported.
The plant makes use of 216 solar panels, and is equipped with solar trackers that deliver the highest solar energy production. The power plant would produce enough electricity to power Khorasan province's Regional Electric Company building.
According to the chief executive of Mashhad solar energy plant Qolam Reza Karamian, the plant is expected to generate 72,000 kilowatt hours of electrical power each year.
The plant aims to make optimum use of energies from natural resources to develop clean energy that help reduce pollution to the environment, and to stabilize the electricity supply in the region. MP/HRF
From: Presstv.ir
Info is free, spread it!
The plant aims to make optimum use of energies from natural resources to develop clean energy that help reduce pollution to the environment, and to stabilize the electricity supply in the region. MP/HRF
From: Presstv.ir
Info is free, spread it!
Norway Foreign Minister Jonas G. Store: "The occupation must end"
The Foreign Minister was met with claims that Norway must recognize a Palestinian state when he visited the Labour Youth League summer camp Thursday.
During the second day of Labour Youth League summer camp at Utøya got the Labour Party's young hopefuls visit by Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
 |
| AUF WANT BOYCOTT: Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store was met by demands that Norwaymust recognize a Palestinian state when he visited the Labour Youth League summer camp atUtøya Thursday. Here the Minister ushered around in the camp of the AUF leader EskilPedersen. (Reuters) |
As foreign minister arrived Utøya he was met with a demand from the AUF that Norway must recognize a Palestinian state.
- The Palestinians must have their own state, the occupation must end, the wall must be demolished and it must happen now, said the Foreign Minister to cheers from the audience.
- Norway is prepared to recognize
Earlier this week, when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Norway, the Minister said to TV 2 news channel that Norway stands ready to recognize a Palestinian state. This he repeated during the debate on Utøya.
- We are ready to recognize a Palestinian state. I await the actual resolution text Palestinians will promote the UN General Assembly in September, said the Minister.
In autumn it is expected that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will bring the matter to the UN. Where will he ask for UN membership and recognition of a Palestinian state within the borders before the 1967 war, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Wednesday said AUF leader Eskil Pedersen that the AUF want a unilateral economic embargo of Israel from the Norwegian side.
- Labour Youth will have a more activist Middle East policy and we have to recognize Palestine. Enough is enough, now we have to get the peace process into a new track, said Pedersen.
The foreign minister admitted that the situation is untenable, but believes that the boycott is the wrong tool.
- Boycott will be to move from dialogue to monologue. It is difficult to open the door the day we will talk with Israel, said the Minister.
From: politisk.tv2.no/nyheter
Info is free, spread it!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Follow the Jellyfish: Irish Sea Likened To A ‘Jellyfish Soup’
 |
| Sea Lace seaweed and Bladder Wrack on beach at Spanish Point, County Clare, Ireland |
The MSC made the statement just weeks after Scotland’s Torness nuclear power station was closed when swarms of moon jellyfish blocked the facility’s water intake cooling systems
The UK-based organisation said there is strong evidence that jellyfish numbers are increasing around the world, including in Irish and UK seas.
According to the MCS’s Peter Richardson: “These increases have been linked to factors such as pollution, over-fishing and possibly climate change…We should consider jellyfish populations as important indicators of the state of our seas. Already, some areas of the UK’s seas resemble a ‘jellyfish soup’, such as the Irish Sea where large numbers of moon, lion’s mane, blue and compass jellyfish have already been reported.”
“Most jellyfish bloom in summer, but some species can survive the cool winter months too,” says MCS Biodiversity Programme Manager Peter Richardson, “This year, we received our first reports of the huge but harmless barrel jellyfish off North Wales back in early January, and this species has occurred in huge numbers in the Irish Sea and beyond ever since, with reports received from North Somerset to the Firth of Clyde. Since May we have also received reports of large numbers of several other species of jellyfish from various coastal all sites round the UK – it is another good year for the jellyfish!”, he added.
Jellyfish are the staple diet of critically endangered leatherback turtles, seasonal visitors to UK and Irish seas, which migrate from their tropical nesting beaches to feed on the islands’ abundant seasonal jellyfish blooms. Examinations of dead leatherbacks stranded on UK shores have revealed that they feed on several species of jellyfish.
Info is free, spread it!
By comparing the distribution of jellyfish with environmental factors such as sea temperature, plankton production and current flow, the MSC say they hope to understand what influences the seasonal distribution of jellyfish and leatherbacks in our waters. This year there have been three confirmed leatherback sightings since June, all spotted in waters off the Western Isles in Scotland where jellyfish blooms have been reported.
The MSC are currently appealing to members of the public to participate in a jellyfish survey. Over 6000 jellyfish encounters have been reported since the MCS Survey was launched in 2003. The survey data is being analysed in collaboration with the University of Exeter and early results of the public sightings show interesting differences in the distribution of the larger jellyfish species around Britain.
Follow Irish Weather Online on Twitter
From: Irishweatheronline.com
The MSC are currently appealing to members of the public to participate in a jellyfish survey. Over 6000 jellyfish encounters have been reported since the MCS Survey was launched in 2003. The survey data is being analysed in collaboration with the University of Exeter and early results of the public sightings show interesting differences in the distribution of the larger jellyfish species around Britain.
Follow Irish Weather Online on Twitter
From: Irishweatheronline.com
Info is free, spread it!
Sigmund Freud's cocaine problem
Whenever Big Pharma unfurls its latest “blockbuster” drug, I am carried back to the era when the biggest wonder drug on the market was cocaine. Yes, cocaine!
In the early 1880s, pharmaceutical houses touted it as a cure for everything from morphine addiction and depression to dyspepsia and fatigue. It was widely available in tonics, powders, wines and soft drinks before its mass consumption created a cadre of raging addicts demanding medical attention.
One of cocaine’s leading medical advocates was a struggling Viennese neurologist named Sigmund Freud. He began studying cocaine’s effects in 1884, and his clinical notebooks amply demonstrate that his favorite experimental subject was himself.
Initially, Sigmund was eager to employ cocaine as an antidote for his best friend’s morphine addiction. Ernst Fleischl-Marxow was a brilliant physiologist who injured his thumb while dissecting a cadaver, resulting in chronic pain tamed only by large doses of morphine.
Substituting one addictive drug for another was a common means of treating substance abuse in the late 19th century. What all these well-intentioned games of medical musical chairs did most reliably was to create “new and improved” addicts.
Freud, in essence, transformed his highly functioning, albeit opiate-dependent, friend into an addled cocaine and morphine addict who was dead seven years later at age 45.
One would think that this episode would have soured Freud on the drug. Yet like most humans ensnared by cocaine’s addictive grip, for the next 12 years, he continued to sing its praises and consumed a great deal of cocaine to quell his physical aches and mental anxieties. In a perverse way, Freud loved how cocaine made him talk endlessly about memories and experiences he previously thought were locked in his brain for no one to hear, let alone judge.
Freud’s most haunting encounter with the drug occurred in 1895 after he and a colleague named Wilhelm Fleiss nearly killed a patient named Emma Eckstein with a botched operation and too much cocaine. Several nights later, he had a disturbing dream about a party where Eckstein blamed Freud for his gross negligence.
Today, Eckstein is better known as “Irma," the pseudonym Freud gave her in his masterpiece, "The Interpretation of Dreams." When writing about his dream, Freud glossed over his obvious malpractice, an act that today would have resulted in disgrace, loss of medical license, lawsuits and even jail time.
Instead, Freud explained the dream meant he was a caring doctor who was, if anything, overly concerned about his patient, “Irma."
Like so many others, Freud suffered from the most maddening symptom of addiction: the stealthy process by which the addict’s mind conspires to convince that nothing, nothing at all, is askew or dangerous about something that most decidedly is.
Indeed, if one set out to design addiction as an implacable disease, he would be hard pressed to come up with a more diabolical symptom than denial, the need to lead a double life – feeding the addiction in private while struggling to starve, or at least conceal, it in public for long periods of time.
Until, that is, the addiction completely takes over with disastrous results and public masquerade is no longer possible.
One assumes that his clinical experiences with Eckstein, if not Fleischl-Marxow, taught him that cocaine was far too dangerous for any therapeutic application. In the fall of 1896, the day after his father’s funeral, Freud claimed to have put his “cocaine brush” aside. No documentary evidence exists to refute his testimony.
But for the remaining days of his life, Freud had far greater difficulty in fully comprehending the dangerous consequences of his substance abuse. He decidedly, and repeatedly, misinterpreted his famous dream of cocaine. Instead, he chose to elaborate a far more flattering and positive analysis that epitomizes an addiction’s power of subterfuge.
The man who invented psychoanalysis, a revolutionary pursuit for self-truth, succumbed to the same “big lie” most every practicing addict tells himself every day.
Dr. Howard Markel, a professor of the history of medicine at the University of Michigan, is the author of "An Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, and the Miracle Drug Cocaine" (Pantheon).
Follow @CNNHealth on Twitter
From: thechart.blogs.cnn.com/
Info is free, spread it!
Hacker says Anonymous still downloading NATO data
July 22, 2011 The hacking group Anonymous said Thursday that it accessed about 1 gigabyte of restricted material from NATO servers, and released a few of the documents as proof of its cyber-incursion.
According to a hacker who maintains that he is part of Anonymous and goes by the name "Commander X," Anonymous plans to eventually release all the NATO documents in its possession and still has the capability to download NATO data.
Anonymous--a loose confederation of hackers that has taken credit for hacking MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, Amazon, and Rupert Murdoch's Sun newspaper--showed off a piece of its NATO cache via a link on its Twitter page to a document with the text "NATO Restricted" about "Outsourcing CIS in Kosovo," dated January 2008. Restricted is NATO's lowest level of document classification.
On Twitter, Anonymous trumpeted its hacking of NATO and implied it could access even more data from NATO servers:
"Yes, we haz more of your delicious data. You wonder where from. No hints, your turn. You call it war; we laugh at your battleships."
The man who calls himself Commander X described in an email to CBS News the substance of what he said were the NATO documents obtained by the hacker group. "The documents, a tiny sample of which has already been released this morning - are classified NATO procurement and procedure files mostly (though not exclusively) describing NATO secure communications networks. What equipment is used by NATO to securely communicate, and how that equipment is deployed. That is what you can expect from the dumps. Although there may be other incredible stuff we have not found yet in the cache, as it is a HUGE dump and we are only now getting into a lengthy analysis. It will take weeks just to analyze what we have already, and we also STILL have access to the NATO servers and we are STILL downloading databases." On Twitter, Anonymous said that it would be "irresponsible" to post most of the data. However, Commander X told CBS News that Anonymous plans to release every NATO document it has in its possession. "Anonymous ALWAYS releases EVERYTHING we take...eventually. But with these big classified dumps we like to take our time analyzing exactly what it is we have. That way we can do the disclosures in such a way as to maximize the political impact of the release."He explained Anonymous' motivation for hacking NATO as follows:"It's all part of an ongoing Operation NATO that began the very day NATO released their much vaunted report denouncing Anonymous and calling on member states to "persecute" us. [Editor's note: See the NATO report here.] The following day (look up the date yourself on Google), we responded with a press release and accompanying Black Fax & E-Mail Bomb of every inbox at NATO." [Editor's note: see the Anonymous response here.]"Now, at that point if nothing else had happened - things may have cooled down in Op NATO. It would have become just another monitoring or "wait and see" Op. But almost immediately European countries saw this report from NATO as a green light and dozens of Anons were arrested across Europe in sweeps from Spain and Italy to Turkey. Retribution against those countries and now also Holland, the UK and USA - are handled by a separate Operation Vendetta. But because we see NATO as the prime instigator of this recent wave of persecutions, Op NATO never slowed down or missed a beat.""It is important to understand that Op NATO and many of our other Operations are manned by a global force and ongoing 24/7. If the Op is active, it never ceases because there is always someone in the world awake and at least monitoring the chan and news feeds. All the media and the world see is when we release something, but the effort to do these Ops is relentless and continuous."In a videotaped interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Commander X, who asked that his identity be hidden, said, "The power of Anonymous is that we have the ability to effect change on the Internet. You have a site online -- all of a sudden, we snap our fingers and that site is gone."A NATO spokesman said the organization is aware of Anonymous' hacking claims, and that NATO security experts are conducting an investigation. "We strongly condemn any leak of classified documents, which can potentially endanger the security of NATO Allies, armed forces and citizens," he said. On Tuesday, the FBI conducted multiple raids and arrested 14 suspects in connection with December attacks claimed by Anonymous on PayPal, the Internet payment service that had stopped processing donations for Wikileaks. "We want to send a message that chaos on the Internet is unacceptable," Steven Chabinsky, deputy assistant FBI director told NPR. "[Even if] hackers can be believed to have social causes, it's entirely unacceptable to break into websites and commit unlawful acts."Anonymous tweeted in response to the arrests: "We will not be stopped. Arrest one of us and they shall be replaced. #Anonymous is not a person or entity. It is you and I."
A statement on Thursday from a group identifying itself as Anonymous & Lulz Security to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies regarding the hacker arrests proclaimed: "Your threats to arrest us are meaningless to us as you cannot arrest an idea. Any attempt to do so will make your citizens more angry until they will roar in one gigantic choir. It is our mission to help these people and there is nothing - absolutely nothing - you can possibly to do make us stop."
From: cbsnews.com
Info is free, spread it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)