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River Side - New Charlton  

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The best books for summer 2016  

From Essex serpents to chimpanzees, political satire to the best new thrillers … leading writers reveal which books they will be taking to the beach

I recently reread Anita Brookner's first novel A Start in Life (Penguin), and it left me thinking that maybe all novelists should be forbidden from publishing until they are 53; that way they would already have a finished style and a mature, cogent, individual view of the world. This nearly faultless novel also reflects on the competing truthfulness of Balzac versus Dickens. (Balzac died at 51, so the Brookner rule can't apply to him.) But for the moment I am engrossed in Svetlana Alexievich's extraordinary Second-Hand Time (Fitzcarraldo), an oral tapestry of post-Soviet Russia.

It looks like a good summer for books about America by women, which I hope will serve as a distraction from reality

I love novels that blend fact with fiction, so Jill Dawson's The Crime Writer sounds right up my street

Proxies is a collection of essays on sex by Brian Blanchfield. I dipped into 'Frottage' and am already hot for more

Han Kang's The Vegetarian was dreamy and nightmarish, and easily one of the best books I've read in years

Daisy Johnson's Fen is a collection of short stories set in an eerie fenland landscape: I've had my eye on it for weeks

The Mandibles is a gleeful nightmare, it made me snort with laughter even as I was shuddering

Related: Read it and keep: is it time to reassess the 'beach read'?

Continue reading...  
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r0B0t: Robot bomb used to kill Dallas suspect  

Tom Costello reports on the growing domestic use of robot bomb technology, as used by police to kill the Dallas shooting suspect. Plus, former St. Louis police officer Redditt Hudson joins to discuss the reaction to the tragedy in Dallas.

Read more

 
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In An Apparent First, Police Used A Robot To Kill  

Dallas police used a bomb-disposal robot to deliver explosives to a suspected gunman, killing him. Experts say robots aren't new to law enforcement but this use was unprecedented.

 
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Bodybuilders Beef Over A Workout Supplement — And A Stanford Patent  

Two bodybuilders go at it in a legal battle that reveals how university patents for federally funded research can end up in unexpected places.

 
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Dallas Shooting Adds To Pessimism On Social Media  

Rachel Martin talks with Gene Demby of NPR's Code Switch team about reaction on social media to the killing of five police officers in the wake of police shootings of black men earlier this week.

 
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r0B0t: Following Dallas police shootings, local leaders say relationship between police, community is strengthening - Topeka Capital Journal  

Topeka Capital Journal

Following Dallas police shootings, local leaders say relationship between police, community is strengthening Topeka Capital Journal A Dallas police bomb squad robot then killed the gunman. President Barack Obama mourned the passing of those killed while asking that the country reflect on how it could prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. One way, he suggested, was ... 'I Did This Alone': Dallas, Lone Gunmen, and Hijacking of American HistoryD Magazine all 4,789 news articles »

 
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r0B0t: Gunmen Targeted Police in Tennessee, Missouri and Georgia, Authorities Say - Wall Street Journal  

Wall Street Journal

Gunmen Targeted Police in Tennessee, Missouri and Georgia, Authorities Say Wall Street Journal After negotiating with Johnson for several hours, Dallas officers killed him using a bomb-disposal robot jury-rigged with explosives. In Valdosta, Ga., authorities said a man called 911 early Friday to report a car break-in, then ... John Bel Edwards ... and more »

 
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Sunset over Tower Bridge  

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Still Shard  

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Atardecer en Londres  

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If Agroecology Is So Great, Why Aren't All Farmers Doing It?  
After a half century of pioneering work by farmers and scientists, agroecology has finally penetrated international policy circles. This is due to agroecology's widespread success on the ground and the tireless efforts of agroecologists, food activists and policy advocates determined to break corporate agriculture's chokehold on the politics and the purse strings of our food system.

Last month, Friends of the Earth (FoE) published Farming for the Future: Organic and Agroecological Solutions to Feed the World - which was released on the heels of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems' (IPES) report, From Uniformity to Diversity: A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems.

The two publications reflect a widespread push by civil society to advance agroecology as a solution to the rural poverty, hunger, erosion, agricultural pollution and greenhouse gas emissions attributed to industrial agriculture. Extensively referenced, the reports highlight agroecology's many benefits, including comparable yields to conventional systems, the production of nutrient-dense foods, resilience to climate change, increased farmers' incomes, and more.

We're left wondering, if agroecology is so great, why aren't all farmers doing it? What's holding it back?

Friends of the Earth claims it is largely due to agricultural subsidies that expend "billions of dollars... for the ecologically destructive industrial production of commodity crops," suggesting that ending them would act as a disincentive to industrial production and thus usher in agroecological change.

But farmers don't grow environmentally destructive commodities simply because they receive subsidies. Farmers farm commodities because that is what the market demands. They get hooked on subsidies because capitalist agriculture has an innate tendency to overproduce--thus dropping prices. Because they have high fixed and "up front" costs, when commodity prices drop, farmers increase their production to make ends meet. This only leads to greater consumption of chemical inputs, larger (and fewer) farms, and of course, more overproduction. Subsidies don't cause overproduction, they support the incomes of farmers who are caught in a system of capitalist overproduction and low prices.

The agrifood industry thrives on these low prices--especially processors and supermarkets that like to buy on the cheap. Seed, chemical and machinery companies like low prices too, because it drives farmers to produce more, and buy newer and bigger technologies. Overall, this system keeps prices low for grain companies, processors, supermarkets, and input companies - which is where money and power disproportionately resides. The wealth of public subsidies eventually accumulates in these sectors--not with the farmers. Cutting off farm subsidies would be like cutting off SNAP benefits for low-income consumers to spite Walmart-- ultimately hurting those struggling at the bottom of a capitalist system without changing the market rules that keep the industrial agrifoods corporations in power.

The IPES report recognizes that "Industrial agriculture and the 'industrial food systems' that have developed around it are locked in place by a series of vicious cycles [that] allows value to accrue to a limited number of actors, reinforcing their economic and political power, and thus their ability to influence the governance of food systems."

Both IPEs and FoE call for broad reforms--from shifting public support to agroecological agriculture, developing short supply chains and mainstreaming agroecology in research agendas, to developing new metrics and supporting broad based social movements for agroecology and local food. The IPES report concludes that, "Political incentives must be shifted in order for these alternatives to emerge beyond the margins. A series of modest steps can collectively shift the centre of gravity in food systems."

So true, but IPES falls short of identifying capitalist agriculture as the system and overproduction as the mechanism locking industrial agriculture in and keeping agroecology out.

Agroecology must indeed advance beyond the margins to become the norm rather than the alternative. The FoE's and IPES' recommendations are urgently needed. However, all of these recommendations fly directly in the face of capitalist agriculture, in which the tendency is towards massive and mechanized plantations, global supply chains and the disappearance of the public sector entirely. Further, agroecology requires extensive human labor coupled with place-specific knowledges - both of which are incompatible with the current system's need for vast, cheap inputs.

When we discuss what's holding agroecology back, we also need to discuss how we can roll back the accumulation of money and power locking in the conventional industrial agricultural system. The question is not just, "how can we scale up agroecology," or even "how can we use agroecology to change the food system," but "how can agroecology help us transform capitalism itself?"

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Conflict-Free Minerals From Conflict Zones, Now In Your Smartphone  
The mining industry often suffers from negative perceptions. Besides contributing to social and environmental abuses, in some instances the minerals and metals found in your smartphone have been associated with financing conflict in the African Great Lakes region.

These four "conflict minerals" - tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold - gained international attention in 2010 with the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act. This law requires publicly traded companies in the US to report on the use of minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and surrounding countries in their products and show that they do not finance conflict. In the past month, this issue rose to the top of the agenda once again with the EU's announcement of an initial agreement on similar legislation which will require smelters and refiners to implement due diligence and report on the supply chain of conflict minerals imported into the EU.

Regulations like these are an important step forward. However, they can also lead to unintended consequences in the countries where these minerals are mined. For example, as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act, many electronics manufacturers stopped sourcing from the African Great Lakes region entirely - delivering another economic blow to local communities already devastated by conflict.

Responsible sourcing that supports conflict-affected communities

Today, many electronic manufacturers aim to source conflict-free materials, which already represents great progress. But conflict-free sourcing can also mean refusing to source from conflict or high-risk countries. At Fairphone, we believe that to create lasting change and make a significant impact in conflict-affected countries, the first step is to engage with these regions. So instead of running away from conflict zones, we're determined to source from these regions and stimulate the economy in the communities where it's needed most.

Since 2013, we have been working with programs such as the Conflict Free Tin Initiative (CFTI) and Solutions for Hope to source tin and tantalum from validated conflict-free mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And at the beginning of this year, we integrated Fairtrade gold from Peru into our supply chain - a first for the electronics industry.

Tungsten joins Fairphone's lineup of conflict-free supply chains

After finding more responsible sources of tin, tantalum and gold, we turned our attention to tungsten, with the aim of sourcing directly from the Great Lakes region. Because tungsten can easily be sourced from regions that are not subject to the Dodd-Frank Act, the tungsten mines in the African Great Lakes Region saw a significant decline in international sourcing. We're proud to announce that as of this month, conflict-free tungsten from Rwanda will officially become part of the Fairphone supply chain. Based on the current production schedule, this source of tungsten will be present in the Fairphone 2's vibration motor starting from August.



The route of Tungsten

After leaving the mine, the tungsten concentrate travels to refining facilities in Austria. Here a mass balance model is applied -- for example, about 50% of the tungsten input comes from recycled sources. From Austria, the tungsten is shipped to China where it is transformed into counterweights that will be used in the Fairphone 2's vibration motor.

This achievement is the result of working closely with Austrian smelter Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG to support the reopening of the tungsten trade in Rwanda. The company was successfully audited by the Conflict-Free Smelter Program in April 2014 and again in April 2015 and has gradually started sourcing tungsten from Rwanda again, including from the New Bugarama Mining Company. Located in the north of Rwanda near the city of Kidao, the mine employs between 700 and 1200 local miners (depending on demand) and is an important source of income for the community.

Working together to support better sourcing

By supporting the tungsten trade in Central Africa, we're not only working to improve our own supply chain, we're also trying to encourage a more general acceptance of materials from this region. We know we're a small player in the industry, but we're optimistic that we can create a ripple effect for others to link to these initiatives. We welcome more (and bigger!) industry stakeholders on board to help create lasting change in conflict-affected communities and the electronics sector as a whole.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, in recognition of the Momentum for Change Awards. The series will put a spotlight on the organizations, cities, industries, governments and other key players behind some of the world's most innovative, scalable and replicable climate change solutions, and is part of TheHuffington Post's What's Working editorial initiative. To view the entire series, visit here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Protecting Consumers: Making the Solar Industry a Safe and Fair Marketplace  
A national look at the consumer protection issues raised by the rapidly growing use of rooftop solar panels just happened, when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) convened a Workshop on this and other solar energy related issues in Washington DC on June 21st. This event was solid evidence that, while solar energy plays an increasingly important role in meeting our Country's energy and environmental goals, rooftop solar panel installations still present significant consumer protection problems. The FTC materials for the Workshop acknowledged that "A well-functioning marketplace requires that consumers have access to the information necessary to weigh the financial costs and benefits of the various options for installing solar PV." I could not agree more.

In many states, consumers have expressed concern over unclear and, in some instances, dishonest sales tactics used by some companies leasing solar products. In fact, the FTC asked in their public notice for the Workshop, "Do consumers understand the payments they will make for solar PV panels and electricity, based on whether and how they finance or lease a system, or obtain a power purchase agreement? Do consumers understand whether their payments may escalate under some agreements?" Many times, the unfortunate answer has been "No".

For example, the energy cost savings that some rooftop solar companies claim in their sales pitches are often higher than the actual savings because their assumptions used highly inflated electricity cost projections. In some cases, due to automatic escalation terms embedded in solar leases, families end up paying more for their solar energy than they would have paid traditional energy companies at the meter rate. What's more, customers may not realize that their payments could double over the life of the lease and also don't know what interest rate they are paying, even though these kinds of requirements are clearly on the table when leasing a car for a much shorter-term.

In Arizona, where the sun is a virtually omnipresent resource, some 'bad actor' rooftop solar companies have run the gamut of consumer offenses from failure to install solar systems after a deposit was accepted, to making illegal phone solicitations of 'Do Not Call' subscribers, to overstating the savings from solar.

In March, the FTC filed a federal court action alleging that 1.3 million people on the "Do Not Call" list were subjected to illegal telemarketing on behalf of a group of solar companies. Robo calls made statements such as: "This is an urgent call about your energy bill," and "stop the 14% increase coming soon." If a consumer responded, they were transferred to a telemarketer for solar panels. This is one example among many of misleading advertising, harassing sales tactics, inaccurate information, undisclosed fees, faulty installations, and other consumer complaints. Addressing these consumer problems forthrightly will allow the solar industry to grow on a foundation of satisfied consumers.

A particularly vivid example of the exaggerated savings tactic comes from a local news outlet in Georgia which recorded on video a rooftop solar salesman making extravagant promises to customers and greatly overstating the annual savings from installing a solar system. A company in Louisiana misled consumers by overstating energy cost savings, failing to install the solar equipment on time, and violating state license requirements for solar panel installers. Solar consumers should not have to navigate in this kind of treacherous, "buyer beware" landscape.

Consumer groups have been stepping in to express concerns. Over two years ago, the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) i9ssued a comprehensive resolution on rooftop solar installations, noting that there were widespread "(f)raudulent and deceptive business practices by DG providers, such as misrepresentation of the potential energy output of the DG system, exaggeration of the value of the DG system, and withholding information or misleading customers regarding information related to property repairs or upgrades necessary for installation of the DG system."

Fortunately, regulators and policymakers are also taking action to protect consumers. State attorneys general in Arizona, Connecticut, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Vermont have issued advice to consumers outlining how to make knowledgeable rooftop solar decisions and warning them about deceptive and sometimes outright fraudulent sales practices by some companies. Even the solar industry's leading voice in Washington has attempted to reign in bad actors by publishing a consumer guide. The guide is a good place to start, but would be better with some enforcement mechanisms.

As a former state attorney general, consumer advocacy is in my DNA. I am glad to see the FTC and state officials moving in tandem to make consumers more aware of hazards associated with solar installations, especially with leasing rooftop solar units. With our Nation's increasing interest in a solar future, consumers should be making informed choices, not being rushed into such an important and costly decision without knowing all the facts and all the options. The FTC Workshop provided a safe place for valid questions and honest answers. It is the kind of forum that could well lead to solar energy options that are fair and transparent for consumers - that's a goal I hope we achieve soon.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Stem Cell Partnership: Patient Advocates And Scientists At The International Society For Stem Cell Research Convention  
STEM CELL PARTNERSHIP: Patient Advocates and Scientists at the International Society for Stem Cell Research Convention

By Don C. Reed

This year's International Society for Stem Cell Researchers (ISSCR) conference was enormous, three vast floors of San Francisco's magnificent Moscone West convention center.



As a watering hole brings animals together, the ISSCR concentrates the world's top stem cell scientists. From around the world they came, four thousand of them this year, representing almost sixty countries. Interspersed with them were patients and patient advocates, those who would benefit most from scientific advances, and those who make the science possible-- by fighting the endless battles for funding.

For instance, Dr. Henry Klassen of UC Irvine spoke on his struggle to end a form of blindness called retinitis pigmentosa. Klassen is an acknowledged leader in the field.

But what made the condition real for me was Kristin MacDonald, legally blind due to retinitis pigmentosa, who had to be helped up the stairs to the speaker's platform. An articulate speaker, she reminded us all why the fight must go on.



And the money required to do the research?

Klassen is funded by a grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) , the $3 billion stem cell program made possible by patient advocates. Let no one forget; it was a citizen's initiative, Proposition 71, led by patient advocate Bob Klein, which made that money available. Without patient advocates, the CIRM would literally not exist.

Recognizing the importance of patient advocate-scientist partnerships, the ISSCR previously honored Klein with their advocacy award, but also featured patient advocate panelists in their media briefing sessions throughout the conference.



Importantly, the conference offered free admission to a public briefing session, at which several top scientists discussed their breakthroughs in straight-forward, comprehensible terms. (All scientists wishing support from the public-- should keep track of the size of their words!)

A favorite speaker was Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka, who spoke on the ten years since he developed an advanced stem cell research called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. His talk included some humor, which helped.



But what I remember most about Professor Yamanaka is his personal warmth. Years ago, he was about to speak at the Japanese consulate, when my paralyzed son Roman pulled up in his adapted van. I arranged for some strong people to lift Roman and carry him in, but he would not hear of it. But Dr. Yamanaka came out specifically to meet Roman, outside the non-accessible building. This year, when I saw him in the hallway at the convention, I approached and greeted him. He was polite, but I could tell he was struggling to remember who was this ancient advocate--until I mentioned my son. Then he said, "Ah, Roman Reed, Roman Reed!" His face lit up and he bowed and shook my hand.

Below are a few more of the patient advocates present, along with the disease or condition for which they seek a cure:

Huntington's Disease: Frances Saldana and her husband David, Daniel Medina, and Kim Bailey;

Spinal Cord Injury Paralysis: Richard Lajara and Lane Edwards;

Liver Failure: Bill Remak;

Parkinson's Disease: Bart Narter, Jennifer Raub, Joe and Debbie Burger;

Peripheral Vascular Disease: Arsenia Harrison;

Sickle Cell Anemia: Adrienne Shapiro.

A dinner hosted by the Americans for Cures Foundation (A4C) gave patient advocates the opportunity to get to know one another and think about the future . A4C began as the campaign to pass Proposition 71, leading to the California stem cell program.

Coordinating our presence at the convention was Mary Bass, A4C's hard-working director of Public Policy. Mary comes by her advocacy naturally, being the daughter of famed naturalist/author Rick Bass of Montana.

Americans for Cures is leading a "Report Back to the Public" to share the progress made by the California stem cell program, and our hopes for its future.

For more information, drop an email to info@americansforcures.org.

Pioneering researcher Irv Weissman shared his latest publication--a children's picture book on stem cells! "Stem Cells Are Everywhere" combines accurate science in elementary school language with full color manga illustrations, and is available at Amazon.com:

For scientists interested in biomed commerce, the conference offered: "A Practical Guide to Starting a (Biomed) Company". This presentation included a chance for scientists to practice "pitching" their hoped-for new company in front of experts.

Understanding cancer stem cells, the hard-to-kill "evil twin" of positive stem cells, may provide an answer to the devastating condition. The ISSCR presented the man who may have been first to discover the deadly cancer cells: John Dick of Toronto, Canada's University Health Network.

Want to know "How to Make a Neuron (nerve cell)?" Marius Wernig of Stanford is your man. I remember seeing him at a formal dinner, and he wore a beautiful black tuxedo--and white tennis shoes.

What if the gene that causes sickle cell disease could be removed? Several scientists spoke about gene editing, which aims at removing the dangerous mutations which cause so much pain and suffering.

Aging disorders? Guanghui Liu described a disease (Werner's Syndrome) which imitates the symptoms of aging. Could that be used to make all aging less painful? At age 70, this is of great interest to me!

Nerve stem cells and spinal cord injury? Mark Tuszynski was there, talking about cells which leaped across the gap in a severed spine.

Stem cells and solid cancers? Israeli champion Nissim Benvenisti.

Disease model in a Petri dish? George Daley of Boston's Children's Hospital.

Next year's President of the ISSCR?

Sally Temple-- who is not only a scientist, but a champion patient advocate herself, having raised millions of dollar to build the Neural Stem Cell Institute in New York.



When cures come, it will be from folks like these.

Don C. Reed is the author of "STEM CELL BATTLES: Proposition 71 and Beyond", available from Amazon.com.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Janina by Timo Barwitzki  

Janina by Timo Barwitzki

Visit me on Facebook --> click here or Instagram --> click here

Timo Barwitzki: Photos

 
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r0B0t: Are Robots Still Just "Tools" When They Are Used to Kill?  
Dallas police using a robot and explosive to kill a suspected shooter is nothing new or sinister, say law enforcement and robotics experts

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com 
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r0B0t: Automation takes over - Fiji Times  

ITWeb

Automation takes over Fiji Times MORE than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable ... Robots put several skilled jobs in S'pore at risk: StudyTODAYonline all 13 news articles »

 
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r0B0t: Dallas sniper attack: 5 officers killed, suspect identified - CNN  

CNN

Dallas sniper attack: 5 officers killed, suspect identified CNN (CNN) The ambush began with gunshots that killed five officers and sent screaming crowds scrambling for cover. It ended when a Dallas police bomb squad robot killed a gunman after negotiations failed. Investigators identified the dead suspect as ... Dallas police shooting kills five officers; suspect identified as Army veteranWashington Post Dallas Police Officers Killed In Gun Attack: What We Know FridayNPR Official: Lone gunman believed responsible for Dallas attackUSA TODAY New York Times -New York Daily News -Los Angeles Times -U.S. News & World Report all 4,300 news articles »

 
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r0B0t: Experts: Robot Bomb Used Against Dallas Was 'Reasonable'  
Experts say it was a tactically smart move.  
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r0B0t: First AI-Brewed Beer on Sale in London - PC Magazine  

PC Magazine

First AI-Brewed Beer on Sale in London PC Magazine Artificial intelligence (AI) powers computer games, medical studies, shopping, scientific breakthroughs, and … beer brewing? IntelligentX Brewing Co. has introduced what it calls "the world's first beer brewed by artificial intelligence." The London ... Robot Technology Is Making Beer Brewing Better NowTIME Your next pint might be brewed by an AI robotTrustedReviews This brewery is using cutting-edge AI to engineer the perfect beerDigital Trends Inquirer -Alphr -Huffington Post UK -Wired.co.uk all 20 news articles »

 
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Florida - Part 2: Lake O And The South Florida Water Crisis  
"Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man." -- Stewart Udall

As I wrote my last piece, I never expected things to fall so far so fast. Like you, I have watched the countless national news reports on the rapid deterioration of the great treasures of ours in South Florida with shock and dismay.

Clean water sources on both the southeast and southwest coasts of this great state are taking a beating like never before. There is a lot to discuss and this could easily turn into a 10 to 20 part series (and it probably will) on water management in all of South Florida. Let's see how this evolves.

In this piece, I will focus on Lake Okeechobee (Lake O). As billions and billions of gallons of toxic fresh water continue to be released from Lake O into the Caloosahatchee River with its final destination the Gulf of Mex, that is only part of the story. The Gulf of Mex is subject to daily indignities from a host of other sources that have been building over the years. Needless to say, this narrative needs to change.
The same can be said for the discharges taking place that are being sent to the east coast via the St. Lucie Estuary. The pictures tell the story.

Lake O is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida and the seventh largest freshwater lake in the USA. It's a bounty of nature.....or at least it was. As the population (and industry) around the lake has grown, so too have the epic natural and man-made disasters.

Major hurricanes in the 19th century led to the creation of the Okeechobee Flood Control District to help manage loss of life and property loss around Lake O. The Army Corps of Engineers was then assigned to assist in this effort, constructing channels, gates and levees of all kinds. From these efforts, a waterway connection between Ft. Myers and Stuart became a reality via Lake O.

Fast forward to the 21st century. This once fragile ecosystem we know as Lake O has been breaking down and the last few weeks we have seen that taken to new lows with the water releases to both coasts.

Dredging projects in Lake O over the last few years that have taught us a few things, too. The once pristine sandy bottom of Lake O is now a murky mix of toxic mud. As much as we have tried to keep the integrity of the ecosystem in place, we have not been able to keep up with agri business and real estate development. The mud bottom in Lake O contains elevated levels of arsenic and other pesticides. And that's just the start of it. According to tests from the South Florida Water Management District, arsenic levels on the northern part of the lake bed are as much as four times the limit for residential land. Independent tests found the mud too polluted for use on agricultural or commercial lands, and therefore difficult to dispose of on land. So there it sits, ready to be released into South Florida communities or the Everglades.

Since 2013, the Army Corps of Engineers has been forced to pump billions of gallons of this water out of the lake to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the Hoover dike that is holding back the water from inundating the surrounding populated area. Some claim that sugar plantations have been pumping polluted water from their flooded fields into the lake, but US Sugar claims back pumping is only to avoid flooding of communities, never to protect farm land. We will cover that in future columns.

In March 2015, the discharge rate was 2 billion gallons daily targeting Southeast and Southwest Florida. Keep in mind this is drinking water for tens of thousands, too.

As the population has grown exponentially on both coasts, the results of what we have been witnessing the last few weeks should be no surprise. Toxic discharge and population centers are never a good combination. There have been these sort of flare-ups a few times over the last few years, but nothing like what we are seeing today. Somebody somewhere knew this was coming, but it took an event like this on both the Southwest and Southeast coasts to wake people up.

Tourists going home with infections of all kinds. Locals getting sick from the water and ending up in the hospital. Fish kills. Unthinkable algae blooms. "Rivers of death" in the Gulf. The health and welfare of our neighbors and visitors are hanging in the balance in so many ways.....recreation, sea life, seafood consumption and on and on.

What do our elected leaders think is going to happen to the tourism industry and real estate values? How about other community leaders stepping up?

It's now taking a grassroots effort to initiate much-needed change. A singular effort from one man holding vigil on a bridge in Ft. Myers, FL dedicating 90 straight days highlighting this madness has taken root and is now called the SWFL Clean Water Movement. A community of like-minded individuals has coalesced around his work and a Facebook community was born.

One quote over the last few weeks kinda tells the tale. This was from a local leader on the Southwest coast. "All of this comes and goes." With all due respect, we are way beyond that point. As the "line of death" in the Gulf gets larger and more pronounced coupled with the with the relentless algae blooms in the east, it's time to act.

If you are in Florida, and can make it, there is a gathering that will take place on the Ft. Myer's, Florida pier to shine the light on these issues. This Saturday, July 9 at 5 pm.

Water is the lifeblood of Florida and it should be treated as such moving forward. No more taking it for granted. Get up... stand up...

Special thanks to the Environmental News Network, WINK News, The New York Times and WZVN for their coverage and SWFL Clean Water Movement.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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CERES Report Reveals Which Electric Utilities Recognize The Clean Energy Future We Need  
Electric utilities tend to take a lot of heat for clouding public understanding of climate change and standing in the way of energy resources that won't cook the planet.

A number of utilities, for instance, have spent hundreds of millions over the past few years lobbying against the Clean Power Plan. Likewise, the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association representing the investor-owned utilities (IOUs) that serve nearly 70-percent of electric customers in the United States, has developed and is executing a multi-million dollar fight against rooftop solar.

It is, of course, unfair to lump all electric utilities together. A couple of recently published reports -- including one released Tuesday by Ceres -- reveal which investor-owned utilities are climate laggards and clean energy obstructionists, and which are working to transition to the clean, renewable energy future that the atmosphere demands. (Or at least are begrudgingly accepting said transition.)

The Ceres report looks at actual renewable energy deployment. In Benchmarking Utility Clean Energy Deployment: 2016, the report's authors analyze and rank investor-owned utilities -- which serve over two-thirds of American electric customers -- for how much clean energy and energy efficiency they deliver to customers.

This deep dive into deployment nicely complements the findings of an April report from the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2) and the Investor Responsibility Research Center Institute (IRRCi), which scores the nation's largest utilities across a dozen metrics for clean energy governance and, for lack of a better term, climate acceptance. Or, basically, how well these 25 of the largest investor-owned utilities are adapting their businesses for a clean energy future.

So what do these reports tell us?

A handful of utilities are leading; most are still living in the 20th Century

Consider this from the Ceres Benchmarking report: just four of the 30 companies analyzed in the report account for more than half of the total sales of renewable energy.

Of the 30 holding companies examined, which collectively represent 119 individual electric utility subsidiaries, Sempra Energy, PG&E, Edison International, and Xcel Energy ranked the highest.

A close look at this chart from the CERES report reveals three general tiers of renewable energy deployment. Those top four all procured over 20-percent of their electricity from renewable resources, and In Sempra's case, more than 36-percent. The majority of the holding companies are lumped in the 8- to 13-percent range, and then the bottom third of the bunch are all under 4-percent of renewable energy deployed. (Southern Company didn't share any data, but their political and operational history would suggest that their delivery of renewable energy is at the bottom of the barrel.)



An unfortunate reality is that three of the five largest holding companies in terms of retail electric sales -- Duke, Southern Company, and American Electric Power -- all fall in this bottom tier of renewable energy deployment.


Chart truncated. See Ceres report page 16 for full chart.

The range is clear in the IRRC Institute report as well. In, The Top 25 U.S. Electric Utilities: Climate Change, Corporate Governance and Politics, the authors rank the top investor-owned utilities holding companies across 12 metrics that show how seriously the companies' leaders are considering climate change in their planning, governance, and political activities.



Clearly, there's a lot of variability, not only in the energy mix provided to customers (as Ceres has since laid out in depth) but in a range of other corporate practices as well.

State policies matter a whole lot

Both reports show a pretty direct correlation between the utilities that are doing the most for renewable energy deployment and planning and the states with the most ambitious clean energy policy goals. States like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon -- all known for progressive climate and clean energy policies -- are host to utilities that score well on the Ceres benchmarks for renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment. Meanwhile, the lowest ranking utilities are almost always located in states with weak or non-existent policies, many of them in the Southeast.

Likewise, the companies that fare the worst in the corporate governance report do business in states with weaker policies. And that isn't always a coincidence, as the report reveals. The researchers track lobbying and direct spending in state and federal elections. The lowest-ranked companies tend to be the ones that spend the most on political activities. Which brings us to the next point.

Some utilities are digging in their heels in the 20th Century

Perhaps the most stunning revelation of the IRRC Institute report is how much some utilities are spending to maintain the fossil-fueled status quo.

"Some utilities are taking proactive approaches to ensure ample and dependable energy supplies that reduce regulatory and legal risk," said Jon Lukomnik, executive director of IRRCi. "But other utilities are digging in their heels while looking backwards to maintain business as usual. Rather than changing the energy mix or seeking innovation that can reduce capital costs, some utilities are deploying their resources toward court battles and political influence."

The companies that ranked lowest in the IRRCi report -- Southern, American Electric Power, and NRG Energy -- have spent the most on political and lobbying activities over the past five years.

Much of this spending was on federal issues, especially combatting the Clean Power Plan, utilities were also shown to spend heavily on state elections and lobbying state legislators in order to preserve state policies that promote centralized coal and natural gas-fired power plants.

Whatever utilities say, the Clean Power Plan won't hurt

Dan Bakal, director of electric power programs at Ceres and one of the report's authors, told DeSmog that one of the biggest revelations of their research was how relatively painless it is for utilities to comply with the Clean Power Plan. "Renewable energy and energy efficiency are both key components of the Clean Power Plan," said Bakal, going on to explain that many of the utilities they studied have already undergone the necessary transitions to comply with the regulations.

Companies are already demanding clean energy

Large corporate energy users are driving huge demand for clean energy, compelling utilities to keep up, as "green tariffs" and other large renewable energy purchasing programs are catching on in some states. The Ceres authors cite a Rocky Mountain Institute analysis that showed corporate renewable energy deals of more than 3.4 gigawatts in 2015, a whopping 300-percent increase over the previous year.



Finally, and obviously, clean energy is booming

No matter how some resist it, clean energy is taking a serious hold on the grid, and at a staggering rate. Last year, U.S. solar and wind capacity grew by more than 28 percent and 11 percent respectively, bringing combined capacity for both over 100 gigawatts for the first time in history. Looking just at utility-scale resources -- and ignoring for a moment the staggering growth of distributed rooftop solar -- solar and wind represented more than 60-percent of all net capacity additions in 2015, and for many utilities, they represented all of the capacity growth.

The 30 companies Ceres examined together sold 136,000-gigawatt hours of renewable energy to their retail customers in 2014, a 13-percent increase from the previous year.

"This is not shocking, if you follow the industry-wide trends toward renewables," said Bakal. "But on the renewable side, we're seeing dramatic growth in absolute numbers and in percentages. The numbers really jumped off the page."

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Apathy To Our Overfished Oceans  

Image Credit: Huffington Post Images

We know there are only three northern white rhinos left on Earth.

We know that thousands of elephants are savagely murdered each year for their ivory.

We know pandas are endangered as they are frequently the "mascot" of environmental groups.

We know that polar bears are at risk for extinction in the near future because of global warming.

We know that certain tigers are near extinction.

When we hear the plight of these land animals we noticeably become sad, upset, angered, and we campaign to save them. We set up camps, and park systems, and conservation areas to protect these beautiful animals; or we try to find scientific methods to keep them alive.

Yet, when it comes to the oceans and Pelagic areas, many of us, and some "conservation groups" turn a blind eye, by not putting the resources into notifying the public of the sustainability problems betraying the oceans.

Yes, there are a number of "sustainability seafood" charts, but in reality the idea of sustainable fishing and fisheries is mostly a farce.

Between the 1950s and 1980s the annual seafood catch increased (in tonnage), and peaked in the late 80s to early 90s.

Since then, the level of seafood catch has been on the decline.

There just aren't the same number or size of fish in the ocean as there were back then.

And back then was not that long ago; a blink in the evolutionary clock.

The book, The End of the Line, discusses how in the 1950s, a single blue-fin tuna could be weigh as much as 1200-1300 pounds, while nowadays, the largest blue-fin tuna may be only weigh 400-500 pounds; not even large enough or old enough to reproduce.

Our desire for blue-fin tuna is killing multiple generations of future fish.

And to the proponents of fish-farming; it is neither environmentally friendly, nor sustainable.

As fish-farming increases to meet consumer demand for some of our favorite fish (salmon, tuna, cod), smaller wild fish are being caught at unsustainable rates to feed the farmed fish. In fact, it can take as much as 4-5 pounds of small-wild fish to create 1 pound of farmed fish.

Moreover, the ecological footprint of farmed fish may harm wild species by increasing water pollution, spreading disease, or out-competing them for resources and affecting their fecundity.

While many environmental groups know there is a problem of overfishing and overconsumption, and while some governmental and non-governmental organizations talk amongst themselves of the overfishing quandary, it is a poorly advertised and poorly discussed problem in the public media circles.

No entity of real importance or with policy-making capacity demonstrates (to the consumers) a worry, or a fear of the overfishing problem. It's a laissez-faire attitude.

But, The End of the Line and I argue, If the same methods used for fishing the oceans existed for land animals, there would be significant public outcry. If we all knew, just how destructive our fishing methods are, and could see it, perhaps we would advocate for change.

Just imagine, if 100 chickens were "accidentally" killed for every one we eat, this practice would be seen as unacceptable, unsustainable, and an abuse and misuse of resources.

Similarly, if a foot-ball field length of net were placed between two bulldozers driven (trawling) across the landscape clear cutting trees and wheat fields, trapping and dismembering birds, foxes, lions, bears, dogs, horses, or any other animal or plant you could think of, this not only would be unacceptable, but would probably lead to major changes in dietary habits, methodology, and conservation status.

We know there are fewer than 3% of blue-fin tuna left in the oceans; yet, the desire to eat their flesh is on the rise, particularly in Japan and in Japanese restaurants in other Western countries.

We know that in the Pacific Northwest, wild salmon populations have fallen precipitously, in part because of dams; yet, we are moving at a glacial pace to do anything to fix the problem.

Adding insult to injury, the USDA government nutrition guidelines continue to recommend consuming at least two portions of fish per week.

Two portions of fish per week for 320 million Americans is nearly 50 million tons of fish per year, or nearly 100 billion pounds of fish; and, that is just for direct consumption. This does not even include the number of fish caught for other uses, including pet food, vitamins, drugs, and other industrial uses (plant fertilizer!)

Although the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reports over-fishing as a major problem, the message is not getting to us, the consumer.

What we need is stronger advocacy for change, from government officials, from those who have power to make change, and we need to offer proper guidance. We need to follow the example of the Netherlands which just this year recommended reducing fish consumption from two times per week down to only one time per week.

Our oceanic and Pelagic systems need to garner the same attention as our land-based systems, because not only does the world get a large amount of food from the oceans, but, the oceans are our life support.

Our oceans provide oxygen, food, and water to drink in the form of rain or snow. Our oceans temper our climate, keeping the Earth a livable place; but if we continue to damage them and kill all the life in them, we may inevitably kill ourselves.

Without our oceans we would look like Mars, or the moon, and so far, we have not found life on either.

We are killing our oceans. This is a fact. There needs to be outcry, there needs to be shock and awe, there needs to be worry.

Unfortunately, there are too many political factors and groups involved that tamp down education and advertisement about the state of our oceans and fisheries. These special interests don't want us to know about the problem, they will fish, until the last fish is gone. And this is a serious, serious problem.

As the renowned Sylvia Earle says, "no ocean, no life; no ocean, no us."

We need to stop thinking of our oceans as an endless bank from which we can take.

We need to think of the ocean as a living body, one that can recuperate if we leave it alone and reduce our impact. But, to do that, we need to move away from the "All You Can Eat Seafood Buffet" and sushi models of eating which feature unsustainable fish and unsustainable fishing methods.

We need to fight for our oceans. There is a problem, we need to fix it, and we need to do it sooner rather than later.

So, What is the Fix?

1. It begins by reducing our consumption of seafood.

2. It also includes advocating and discussing with our Congress-men and Senators to support more stringent fishing regulations, especially regarding the methods used and the amount that is caught.

3. It also includes finding other healthy sources of a essential nutrients like omega-3's, which we can get from algae and plant sources since that is how fish create their omega-3's, by eating algae.

Finally, if you DO feel the need to consume fish; do so rarely (this sustainable guide; as it is the best I've seen to date discussing these important conservation issues.

Lastly, be aware that eating fish may also come with health dangers, as I previously outlined in this article: Plastic: It's What's For Dinner.


For Interview requests or to contact Dana: recipe.for.survival@gmail.com
Twitter: recipe4survival
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeForSurvival/
blog: recipeforsurvival.wordpress.com

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Martian Morse Code  
This image of dark dunes on Mars was taken on Feb. 6, 2016, by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These dunes are influenced by local topography. The shape and orientation of dunes can usually tell us about wind direction, but in this image, the dune-forms are very complex, so it's difficult to know the wind direction.  
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Juno probe spins up its sonic screwdrivers for Jupiter flyby  

It's in the pipe, five by five

NASA is firing up the nine scientific instruments on board the Juno probe orbiting Jupiter ahead of its first data collection mission.…

 
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This Election Cycle, Listen To Science  


In this election cycle, science matters. Though other issues are often taking the stage in a more prominent way, our presumptive party candidates need not forget the one thing that affects every single human being on Earth - climate.

The presumptive candidates obviously hold disparate views on energy and the environment. On one side, we have Clinton, who sees climate change as an existential threat, supporting a cautious, even overly-pragmatic path to clean energy and renewables. On the other hand, we have Trump, who denounces climate change altogether, and was quoted as saying, "I consider climate change to be not one of our big problems...I think it's weather changes." Trump has also said that green energy programs would hurt jobs and business, claiming that they are "really just an expensive way of making the tree-huggers feel good about themselves."

This is a dangerous spot for America to be in. Not only is climate change very real, according to every major scientific society and 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists, but as it turns out, science is also good for business. According to the MIT Sloan Management Review's 2016 report, Investing for a Sustainable Future, more investors than ever before are paying attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance metrics, as evidence increasingly correlates the financial success of a company over time to sustainability-related activities. The report finds that with greater numbers of investors making investment decisions based on sustainability performance, the time is ripe for corporate leaders to recognize that more and more shareholders are invested in the connection between a company's ESG activities and its financial success. The bottom line: "investors believe that sustainability creates tangible value."

This means it's time to get smart about science and business. To prepare the next generation of business leaders who will advocate for sustainable business practices, it's essential that business students see the value of science and understand the tangible implications that policies have. That's one of the reasons that, as part of an environmental policy class I teach, students work with a policy-focused, Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, acting as consultants to enhance the nonprofit's business strategies. This year, my students teamed up with the American Geosciences Institute, a network of more than 50 earth science associations dedicated to addressing the needs of society, to learn about the barriers that state and federal policy-makers face in accessing geoscience information. Beyond learning the basics of geoscience and policy in the classroom, the practical experience taught them just how much science can impact the decisions made in the business world.

And that's why the presidential election this fall is so important. Will the American public consider our future and seek out new opportunities to harness the power of science to implement and maintain sustainable business practices? Or will we deny evidence and refuse to take a hard look at our scientific resources for new solutions, from issues of climate change to energy production, and neglect to understand how the business and science communities can come together? When we go out to the polls this November, we must consider what's on the line; the future of our planet, and the enormous opportunity we have to lead the charge in creating value and profit from sustainable business practices.

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r0B0t: Robotic bartender is the cocktail wizard every kitchen needs  
More about Sonabar, Cocktails, Bartender, Tech, and Robot  
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r0B0t: What it means when a bomb disposal robot is used as a weapon  
More about Analysis, Bomb Disposal Robot, Robotics, Robots, and Dallas Police Shooting  
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r0B0t: Does Your Police Department Have A 'Bomb Robot '?  
American police killed a human with a robot for the first time ever in Dallas. How many more robot s are there?  
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r0B0t: Case study: Amazon embraces shipping automation, robotics - RCR Wireless News  

RCR Wireless News

Case study: Amazon embraces shipping automation, robotics RCR Wireless News Amazon's automated shipment centers are large-scale examples of the cyber physical systems driving toward Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution. The leading online marketplace's “fulfillment centers” already rely on more than 15,000 robots ... and more »

 
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Tower Bridge  

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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

Sculptor Lil posted a photo:

 
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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

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What To Grow In Your Forage Garden  
Pinyon syrup; acorn and cattail crackers; golden currant wine; mountain trout with Manzanita berries and willow bark. Wild-foraged foods are becoming increasingly popular as adventurous foodies connect ancient food-gathering traditions with the local terroir.

But unless you have access to private lands, much wild food foraging is illegal. Native plants are protected, and harvesting them is poaching. Try the easy alternative to poaching in our public spaces and parks -- grow edible plants at home! We need more native plants, not fewer. Besides feeding yourself, you'll also support the native butterflies and birds that depend on these foods. We can forage in our gardens!

When people harvest native plants in our struggling Southern California ecosystems, their impact on the plants, and the insects and animals that need them, is devastating. Taking bark, leaves, seeds, nuts and berries weakens the plants' abilities to renew themselves, reproduce, and survive brutal drought. By harvesting elderberries, for example, there are fewer berries to feed birds and other animals, fewer berries to nourish the soil, fewer berries to fall to the ground and make more trees or be transported in scat or droppings to grow in other locations.


Planting a new oak tree, which may house frogs, salamanders, mountain lions, gray foxes, robins, woodpeckers, owls, eagles, egrets, herons, roadrunners, and hundreds more species of local wildlife.
Photo: Chadd Ferron

California habitats already face multiple threats: development, drought, invasive-non-native plants and insects, loss of groundwater, and ever-more-frequent wildfires. Foraging is another nail in the coffin -- a coffin we should try to dismantle rather than seal shut. California is a biodiversity hotspot. One-third of California's 6,000 species and subspecies of native plants are endemic, found nowhere else in the world. The native plant species being foraged for cocktails, pickles (such as unripe Southern California black walnuts), and condiments are already threatened and endangered due to other human activity. We can't afford for even an infinitesimal fraction of the 23 million people in Southern California to forage native plants on already stressed public wild lands.

Indigenous Californian Nicholas Hummingbird directs the Hahamongna Cooperative Nursery in Pasadena, where he and his volunteers have propagated 10,000 individual plants. He has painstakingly and sustainably hand-collected seeds and cuttings from 200 local native species, many of them the very ingredients found in forage and wild-crafted recipes. His spectacular Instagram account is "dedicated to advocating for California's native plants, animals, & landscapes. They need our voice."


Nicholas Hummingbird and Monica Reyes make sure saplings of native trees and bushes get a good start at Hahamongna Cooperative Nursery.
Photo: Suzannah Ferron

Nicholas encourages, "Bring native plants into your life by doing something small and simple in your yard. You don't need to go out in the wild to enjoy native plants. At home, you can rekindle thousands of years of relationships between humans and the land. Even tiny spaces can provide habitat and beauty. I removed a few pavers from my apartment patio to grow seeds and cuttings. I eat my breakfast outside with butterflies, hummingbirds, ladybugs, and lizards. Restoring pocket habitats will entice native animals and birds to return, and to have some respite in our cities." Nicholas explains that growing natives at home helps preserve species, such as California black walnut and golden currant, that could go extinct in our lifetimes. "When plants go extinct, the bees, birds, and animals that depend on that plant go extinct also. We may lose 3,300 species in the next twenty to thirty years."

"I've worked with native plants a majority of my life. Now, I find advocating for the rights of the plants and animals imperative. Indigenous people in California went through two waves of genocide. The plants, the animals and the land are still going through that same genocide, which has only accelerated. Plants and animals are exploited and exterminated without a voice to fight for their rights to exist. I'm intimate with the land. A part of who I am is based on these plants. They have a language. When they are gone, when they are silenced and killed, that part of myself, along with thousands of years of culture, dies too."

"Native plants give us a sense of place, of where we live and where we come from. Our local mountains are held together by the vast root systems of native plants. They support the butterflies and bees, the birds and native pollinators that so many people love. A beautiful California native oak takes only the water it needs, sequesters carbon, and gives habitat and food to hundreds of beneficial species of insects, birds, and animals. Foxes, woodpeckers, endangered amphibians.
Each oak functions as a community -- providing food, shelter and resources for hundreds of species. In the Los Angeles basin, millions of oaks inhabited the landscape, but were quickly clear cut, chopped down and dynamited to make room for invasive grass for non-native cows and grazing animals. The few remaining oak woodlands are still under incredible pressure. Our native oaks stand testament not only to our own lifetimes, but to six or seven generations to come.

Here in Pasadena, the Englemann oak has been severely impacted and is nearly extinct. So instead of eating the crop that appears every two years, we've worked hard to collect acorns from the few remaining trees. Our responsible approach to propagating the acorns will germinate a few hundred new trees."

An oak tree can be an entire community.
Photo: Nicholas Hummingbird

"Foraging in the wild has a very detrimental impact. Animals avoid a place where humans have been for several hours, and if a dog has been there, wild animals will avoid the scent of the new predator for days. By foraging, we remove the animals' food supply.

Here at Hahamongna Watershed Park, foragers constantly hold workshops. Our nursery has taken a watchdog role, assessing the impacts of foraging on the health of local elderberry trees and other plants. For example, thirty-two mature elderberries had been loaded with ripe fruit, ready to feed the birds and animals doing their best to survive this drought. Two days after recent foraging events, people had stripped the trees completely bare of not only the fruit, but also the flowers. It's very discouraging for our volunteers, who work hard to grow native plants for restoration and to learn the ethics of stewardship, to witness the greed and exploitation in this place our volunteers care for.

"Don't further destroy the last remaining natural places. We need to bring nature back into the city. Advocate for native plants you'd like to see used in community gardens and landscaping. At Hahamongna Cooperative Nursery, we teach respectful ways to interact with plants. For instance, elderberries are easy to grow at home. If you give the tree water during the summer, it will yield fruit all year. Wherever you'd have room for a crepe myrtle, you have room to grow and protect a black walnut, which is very endangered. Seeing people gather the walnuts for food makes me angry -- there just aren't enough. At the nursery, when we gather acorns and walnuts, we gather them to grow, not to eat!


Nursery volunteers prepare acorns for sprouting new trees.
Photo: Chadd Ferron

Lisa Novick, Director of Outreach of the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, has landscaped at home with native plants. She and her family harvest in their beautiful forage garden. Lisa's elderberry tree "attracts all kinds of butterflies because its flowers are like landing pads. Once the flowers start developing into berries, the tree attracts every berry-eating bird out there -- mockingbirds, band-tailed pigeons, finches, spotted towhees, scrub jays. I make infusions from the flowers straight from the tree, or cook the berries to make sauce, jam and pies."


The elderberry tree Lisa planted yields enough to share with the finches.
Photo: Lisa Novick

She suggests, "Grow golden currant instead of a rose bush. The golden currant's yellow tube-shaped flowers are great for hummingbirds and other pollinators. The currants are edible right off bush, sweet but tart. For tea, grow white or black sage, which are also great in roast potatoes or chicken. Lisa recommends another favorite. "Buckwheat is great for pancakes. Crush the pompoms of dried flower petals and seeds and use it as flour. Buckwheat blooms vigorously all summer and then provides seeds for birds all fall and winter. The caterpillars of many species of blue butterflies eat buckwheat leaves and blossoms. By planting buckwheat at home, you feed not only people, but caterpillars, which feed baby birds. And since we are in a sixth mass extinction, we need to help other creatures beside ourselves!"


Planting buckwheat at home is great for us and for the pollinators too!
Photo: Lisa Novick

Lisa reminds us, "Native plants are adapted to local soil and climate, and won't need soil amendments, fertilizers or pesticides. Once established, water deeply but infrequently during the dry season. Other useful and easy to grow native plants include mugwort, native grape, and wild strawberry. The California bay laurel tree has a scent that combines pepper, mint, and bubblegum. Kids love it."

Explore these delicious and beautiful native plants while supporting habitat. Bon appetit!

Follow Nicholas on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_native_hummingbird/
Nicholas welcomes visitors on Sundays for nursery Volunteer Day: http://www.arroyoseco.org/nursery.htm
At the Theodore Payne Foundation, http://theodorepayne.org/ nursery staff will be happy to advise you on plants to match your site and interests. And, continue to ask for natives wherever you shop for garden supplies. Bon appetite!
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/where_to_buy.php

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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'Green News Report' - July 7, 2016  
The Green News Report is also available via...





IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Toxic algae bloom in South Florida ruins 4th of July for tourism industry; U.S. Senate moves fast to nix Vermont's GMO labeling law; Royalty reform for Big Coal's public lands scam; Oakland City Council bans coal export terminal; PLUS: Solar-powered NASA spacecraft reaches orbit around Jupiter... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

Listen online here, or Download MP3 (6 mins)...

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Got comments, tips, love letters, hate mail? Drop us a line at GreenNews@BradBlog.com or right here at the comments link below. All GNRs are always archived at GreenNews.BradBlog.com.

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): A Model for 'Clean Coal' Runs Off the Tracks; The Alabama Landfill That Brought Noise, Health Woes, and a Lawsuit; TCEQ: Contested Coal Mine Can Release Wastewater Into Drinking Supply; Agency OK With Race Through Nevada Desert; Critics Cry Foul; Canada's Pipeline Watchdog Secretly Talks Safety With Industry; Bornean Orangutan Declared 'Critically Endangered' As Forests Shrink; Floods in China kill almost 130, wipe out crops... PLUS: Modernizing The Grid: A Tugboat 'Trying To Turn A Big Ocean Liner'... and much, MUCH more! ...

'Green News Report' is heard on many fine radio stations around the country. For additional info on stories we covered today, plus today's 'Green News Extra', please click right here to listen!

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Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen: 'Green News Report' - July 7, 2016  
The Green News Report is also available via...

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Toxic algae bloom in South Florida ruins 4th of July for tourism industry...

Read more: Florida, Toxic Algae, Carbon Emissions, Carbon Tax, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Denial, Electricity, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Enrique Peña Nieto, Environment, Flint Water Crisis, Fossil Fuels, Fracking, Germany, Global Warming, Global Warming Deniers, Green News, Green News Report, Justin Trudeau, Light Pollution, Propaganda, Renewable Energy, Video, Water, Water Pollution, Green News

 
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Whale and winghead sharks move step closer to extinction  

Two predatory species are added to IUCN Red List of endangered species as pressure from fishing sees their populations fall by half in the last 75 years

Whale sharks and winghead sharks have moved one step closer to extinction, after the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) redefined them both as endangered species on the group's ‘Red List'.

The two predatory species have fallen foul of increased pressure from human activity, especially the fishing industry, with populations of whale sharks the world's largest living fish halving in the last 75 years.

Related: 40% of Europe's sharks and rays face extinction, says IUCN

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Researchers reveal first sightings of rare whales off New Zealand coast  
For the first time in New Zealand waters, an extremely rare grouping of Shepherd's Beaked Whales has been spotted from a research vessel off the coast of the city of Dunedin in the South Island.  
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Bad blood: US govt bans bio-test biz Theranos' CEO for two years  

Board should fire her but can't: She owns controlling stake

It's game over for controversial blood-testing company Theranos with the news that its CEO Elizabeth Holmes will be banned from owning or running a medical laboratory for two years.…

 
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5th Anniversary Of End Of Shuttle  
written with Douglas R. Dechow



Five years ago, on July 8, 2011, the space shuttle Atlantis launched to space from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. No shuttle has launched since, and Atlantis and the other orbiters are now artifacts in museums telling the story of where we've been and who we are. Here, we share from our own photo album of that last-ever shuttle launch five years ago.

At the launch pad







The STS-135 Crew



Godspeed, Atlantis



STS-135 ended on July 21, 2011. Atlantis is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, where it tells an important story about space, science, and all of us who grew up with the Shuttle program roaring in the background of our lives.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Explaining America Overseas During a Time of Upheaval  
An OZY contributor follows the news from afar and defends his homeland  
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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

Sculptor Lil posted a photo:

 
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Sunrise 8 July 2016  

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The World (2) @ Gallions Reach 08-07-16  

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A Week of Bloodshed in America (42 photos)  

Alton Sterling, 37, was shot and killed by police officers on Tuesday, July 5, while he was selling CDs outside of a convenience store. The following day, Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by a police officer after he was stopped for a broken tail light. Videos of both killings were widely shared on social media, causing hundreds to take to the streets in protest of police actions, as well as memory of the two men killed. Thursday night, snipers shot and killed five officers at such a protest in Dallas, Texas. Questions of police brutality, America's historic racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and second amendment rights have been pushed to the forefront of the nation's consciousness.

 
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London Eye  

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London's iconic landmark at sunset **You are welcome to share this photo with attribution to iexplore.com **

 
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Fiery Thames  

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DSC_1898 Hackney Road Shoreditch London Sunset  

photographer695 posted a photo:

Shoreditch London on Christmas Day. London is CLOSED for Christmas. It is like Doomsday with no people. London is empty of people

 
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DSC_1897 Hackney Road London Sunset Christmas Day  

photographer695 posted a photo:

Shoreditch London on Christmas Day. London is CLOSED for Christmas. It is like Doomsday with no people. London is empty of people
Hackney Road London Sunset Christmas Day

 
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Esther'90 posted a photo:

If you like my photos please like and share my facebook page,Thank you!: www.facebook.com/esztervaly

website: esztervaly.format.com/

www.instagram.com/valyesz. www.behance.net/valyeszter

 
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r0B0t: Dallas Shooter Named As Micah Xavier Johnson, A US Army Reserve  

The suspected gunman behind the Dallas shootings has been named as US Army Reserve member Micah Xavier Johnson, a US government source told Reuters.

Johnson, 25, is reportedly the shooter who was involved in the standoff with police overnight on Thursday. 

The Mayor of Dallas said the suspect died after officers used explosives strapped to a robot to “blast him out”. 

Dallas Police Chief David Brown said that, during a lengthy standoff with police, the suspect - who he did not name - said he “wanted to kill white people, especially white officers”.

Three other suspects are in custody.

Five police officers were killed and seven others wounded after snipers targeted a crowd during a Black Lives Matter protest.

The demonstration was being held following two recent fatal police shootings of black men. 

It is unclear how many shooters were involved in the attack.

The city's police chief said that the suspect who died following the standoff had told officers he was working alone.

The incident is reportedly the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the 9/11 attacks.

Brown told a press conference on Friday: “The suspect said that he was upset about black lives matter. 

“He said that he was upset about the recent police shootings. The suspect said that he was upset at white people.

“The suspect stated that he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers. The suspect stated that we will eventually find the IEDs. 

“The suspect stated that he was not affiliated with any groups and he stated that he did this alone.”

Reports are circulating that Black Power Political Organisation (BPPO) has claimed that it was behind the attack.

The group's Facebook page, where the post was originally seen, has since been deleted.

President Barack Obama said: “Let's be clear, there's no possible justification for these kinds of attacks, or any violence against law enforcement.”

Gunfire broke out about 8.45 pm Thursday as hundreds of people were gathered to protest fatal police shootings this week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban St Paul, Minnesota.

Brown told reporters the snipers fired “ambush style” upon the officers.

Mayor Mike Rawlings said one member of the public was wounded in the gunfire.

Brown said it appeared the shooters “planned to injure and kill as many officers as they could.”

Officer Brent Thompson, 43, has been named as one of the officers who was fatally shot.

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) said in a statement: “As you can imagine, our hearts are broken.

“This is something that touches every part of our organisation.

“We have received countless expressions of support and sympathy from around the world through the evening. We are grateful for every message. Thank you.”

Black Lives Matter protests were held in several other cities across the country last night after a Minnesota officer on Wednesday fatally shot Philando Castile while he was in a car with a woman and a child.

The aftermath of the shooting was livestreamed in a widely shared Facebook video.

A day earlier, Alton Sterling was shot in Louisiana after being pinned to the pavement by two white officers. That, too, was captured on a cellphone video.

Obama told a press conference on Friday morning: “Yesterday I spoke about our need to be concerned as all Americans about racial disparities in our criminal justice system.

“I also said yesterday that our police have an extraordinarily difficult job and the vast majority of them do their job in outstanding fashion.”

Video footage from the Dallas scene showed protesters marching along a street, about half a mile from City Hall, when the shots erupted and the crowd scattered, seeking cover.

The search for the shooters stretched throughout downtown, an area of hotels, restaurants, businesses and some residential apartments.

The scene was chaotic, with helicopters hovering overhead and officers with automatic rifles on the street corners.

One woman was taken into custody in the same parking garage where the standoff was ongoing, Brown said. Two others were taken into custody during a traffic stop.

 
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r0B0t: This Week's Most Popular Posts: July 1st to 8th  

This week we looked at the expenses that actually cost more when you're poor, got our hands dirty learning how to change a car's brake pads, tried out a handheld Linux computer, and more. Here's a look back at this week's most popular posts.

The Stuff That Costs More When You're Poor

Spend less than you earn, save your money, and—poof!—your financial problems are solved. If only it were this easy. Being broke sucks enough on its own, and then there are obstacles that make it extra hard for poor people to fight their way to financial security. For example, here are a few expenses that actually cost more for low-income individuals.

Why Some Rice Cookers Are $20 and Others Are $200

I grew up with a standard, cheap rice cooker my mom bought at a grocery store. Shopping for my own cooker as an adult, I was surprised at how many options there are to choose from and how expensive those options can be. Cooking rice is a pretty straightforward task, so what's with the super expensive cookers? Here's what I found.

How to Change Your Car's Brake Pads

Your car is a big expensive machine that, over its life, will cost you a ton in maintenance. If you learn to do some of those jobs yourself, you can save a ton of cash. Replacing your brake pads, for example, is one of those jobs that sounds much harder than it is, and we're going to walk you through it from start to finish.

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The Triabrain And Answers Unleashed  
Have you ever thought about someone and they emailed seconds later? Can thoughts heal your body? Is the brain able to predict new technology? When I first wrote my HuffPost Lucy movie review, people around the globe commented about what I shared regarding the human brain's power. But that article was simply the "tip of the iceberg." I first became knowledgeable about the brain when my mother was in a catastrophic accident, and she required emergency brain surgery to survive. After the surgery, she was tasked with relearning how to eat, walk, talk, and remember again. And I have been by her side ever since. And through years working with neurologists, neurosurgeons and therapists, I discovered how the human brain reshapes and heals itself.

During my mother's major recovery, I was completing my master's degree in mathematics, and I was working as a rocket scientist, helping launch NASA's Space Shuttle and vehicles to distant planets. It took every ounce of my strength and sanity to endure my mother's ordeal while working. Through these life-altering experiences, I realized that Space and the human brain were nearly identical. And as I learned many things about Space that amazed me, I became equally in awe about the brain's phenomenon. The same applications of Chaos Theory mathematics that allowed engineers to find superhighways in space with limited fuel, is the same way that the brain builds superhighways to rewire itself. I was further amazed when I recognized that Albert Einstein's famous Theory of Relativity equation did not just deal with Outer Space. It also deals with our "Inner Space," the true power that we harness within our brains' structure. My epiphany allowed me in helping my mother's brain heal faster. Through it, I discovered a new structure to the brain and how energy is characterized through it.


Image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of the scattered remains of an exploded star. Picture courtesy of NASA.


Image credit: Olympia LePoint

Through my personal experiences, my understanding of mathematics, neuroplasticity, and Einstein's Theory of Relativity, I have discovered the TRIABRAIN, and the Triabrain Theory of Relativity. A Triabrain refers to the brain operating in three main modes. And a person's brain energy from the Triabrain translates itself into both mass and light. Brain energy from its interior particle collisions and neuron synapsis forms both interior and exterior mass structures to the brain, and this is multiplied by the speed of light squared. Light in this case is characterized by the neurons' brain fire in milliseconds, which triggers conscious awareness. I will breakdown this concept with more clarity.

Nearly twelve years after my mother's accident, the unthinkable happened. This May 2016, my older sister went through a medical accident that required emergency brain surgery for her survival. Painful history seemed to repeat itself. However difficult both my mother's and sister's brain surgeries were to witness, I was inspired. These were opportunities to share the life-changing knowledge that I acquired through their ordeals.


The TRIABRAIN: Everyone Has It

The TRIABRAIN is composed of three main sectors. As long as humans are alive, the brain naturally reshapes. But in some, it reshapes faster. It reshapes the fastest when a person consciously uses their full three sectors: the left (scientific logical) side, the right (emotional and creative) side, and a newly discovered third side I call the faith (foreseeing) side that connects itself. Unlike the common knowledge of the left and right side operation, the faith side of the brain is the third sector that connects both the brain's left and right side together, as well as connects itself to the outside world. When the brain is linked through all three sections, the brain reshapes, unleashes answers and regrows. And this faith sector operates independent of the constraints of time and space.

During my sister's ordeal, I was teaching as a college mathematics professor and hosting live on my Radio show Answers Unleashed. The talk show was originally designed to encourage college students to overcome situations by reshaping their brains with science and faith to find the answers in front of them. I share more information about the "The Triabrain" in the first episode. But little did I know that my talk show information would contribute to a new dimension of neuroscience.


Olympia LePoint executive produces and hosts the talk show Answers Unleashed. Picture courtesy of Olympia LePoint and Michelle Manley.

The Triabrain's Faith Sector


The third side of the Triabrain is the faith sector. When people think of the brain, they typically think of a series of connections separated by a left side and a right side. All the connections, pathways and their housings that communion the brain's ability to communicate fully with itself are what I call the faith sector. This part of the brain connects the left and right sides. It helps people overcome major obstacles, and inspires people to create new technology. Plus, it appears to initiate significant body healing.

Image courtesy of Olympia LePoint.

I am witnessing that highly innovative and triumphant people use this third faith side of the brain to do great things, independent of time and space. Let's consider some examples. Olympic athletes often envision themselves winning the gold medal before the games begin. Inventors have visions of new technologies before they are created. People who miraculously heal are often the ones who knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would recover. And in my TED x talk, I speak of how I overcame life challenges despite every odd against my favor.

For a scientific example, according to the October 27, 2013 Medical Press article, "Neuroscientists discover new 'mini-neural computer' in the brain," dendrites which are the branch-like projections of neurons, were once thought to be passive wiring in the brain. However scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are showing that these dendrites are more powerful than once believed. They relay information from one neuron to the next. They actively process information, multiplying the brain's computing power.

A computer simulated collection of dendrites, the branch-like structures of multiple neurons in the brain. Image credit courtesy of UCL/ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


According to the February 22, 2016 Science New Journal article, "A 'Neuroscience Bombshell' -- Human Brain is Capable of Storing the Entire World Wide Web," the brain with its connections is far more powerful than the web and is far more powerful than scientists have projected. The article states:

"An average human brain contains around 100 billion neurons and each neuron is capable of making around 1,000 connections (synapses) with the other neurons. These 1,000 potential synapses created by each neuron are responsible for data storage inside the brain. Now if we multiply the count of neurons (100 billion) by the number of connections (1000) that each of them can make, then we get a whopping 100 trillion data points -- which can at the very least account for storing about 1000 terabytes or 1 petabyte of information."

From my personal experience supporting my mother in her brain therapy support groups, I witnessed that the people who typically recovered fastest were the people who saw themselves healed before test results returned. Naturally while working with brain specialists, I needed to know the science behind such phenomenon. And I was surprised when I discovered that the brain's reshaping science had yet to be fully understood. So as a scientist, I started applying my own tools of math and science to find answers.

Image of Olympia LePoint and her mother after her mother's surgery. Picture courtesy of Olympia LePoint.

The Science Behind The Triabrain and Brain Reshaping

I am seeing that Space and the human brain are almost identical in its structure through the application of Chaos Theory Mathematics. To fly to distant locations in our solar system with a fixed amount of fuel, a "freeway" through the solar system -- resembling a vast array of virtual winding tunnels and conduits around the Sun and planets -- allowed engineers to fly to distant planets like Mars and Jupiter. With all the crooks and turns used to transport rockets as I describe in my Huffington Post Martian Movie Review by a Rocket Scientist, there are identical unknown crooks and turns in the human brain that are used to transfer knowledge from one area to another faster, igniting the frontal lobes as a result. And these frontal lobes are responsible for creating solutions.


Artist's concept of interplanetary superhighway. Image credit courtesy of NASA/JPL.

According to Dr. Caroline Leaf, a neuroscientist and author specializing in brain neuroplasticity and cognitive therapy, when a person experiences fear or trauma, dark tar-like mass forms in the brain that binds brain tissue together. The mass is like glue. This mass causes cognitive issues and grows with the presence of fear and trauma. It is through my scientific understanding that these masses block the original pathways and forces the interior of the brain to alter its superhighway pathways, creating new crooks and crannies to certain pathways. As a result, massive structures block the physical space and brain's fire. However through my chaos math analysis, the brain fire acts like a rocket traveling in space. The brain information travels on two types of pathways: where information can stall, or where it would accelerate to an intended destination. And unlike brain synapses that consists of a presynaptic ending that contains neurotransmitters, mitochondria and other cell organelles, these brains neurons are specially acting on each other through collisions caused by blockages.

Through the blockage caused by the dark-trauma-mass, neurons form collisions on a miniature scale to us, but it constitutes a large collision in the brain space. And Einstein's Theory of Relativity characterizes their action. Ideally, all neurons are electrically excitable, maintaining voltage gradients across their membranes. And neurotransmitters tell a neuron either to fire, or not.

Calculations and graphics by Olympia LePoint with image credit, iStock Photo.

Neuroplasticity science has yet to incorporate Einstein's Theory of Relativity, gravitational waves, chaos theory mathematics together within understanding how the brain reshapes itself. As a result, through my understanding of the brain, this led to the Triabrain Theory of Relativity, which says that the brain is composed of three sectors and the third sector consists of all the brain connections transferring energy inside and outside of itself using principles of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. In this faith sector, it converts energy to mass in conjunction with light. Light can defined as the way in which a person is consciously aware of the world based on their location in space. Religious officials may call this "c" in the equation the effects of "holy enlightenment." And some energy workers may refer to this "c" as "awareness."


Einstein's theory hinged his proof on the fact that gravitational waves existed, which was recently proven when audio recordings captured two black holes colliding in January 2016. The Scientific American Special Report on February 14, 2016 "The Discovery of Gravitational Waves" gives a detailed account of all The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory (LIGO) gravitational wave discoveries. As a background, gravitational waves are "ripples" in space-time produced by violent events in the cosmos, such as the collisions and mergers of massive black holes. Their existence was predicted by Einstein in 1916, when he showed that accelerating massive objects would shake space-time so much that waves distorted space. Similar to the way two black holes collided in space, brain neurons and dark brain masses collide and merge. These collisions are considered massive in the brain space, thus they exert a force in the brain space, resulting in brain gravitational waves that I call Triabrain Waves.

The brain creates its own gravitational waves, known as 'Triabrain Waves' as depicted in this image. Image credit: Alamy Science Photo Library.

These waves are apart of the brain energy structure that directly builds (or destroys) mass in conjunction with brain light. These waves work to connect the left and right brain together and serve to reshape the brain's interior. The Triabrain Waves are a part of the brain's energy system that also sends waves exterior to the brain. This is the reason why a person may call when you are thinking about him or her. Or friends may know each other's thoughts for a split second. This energy is sensed by all living organisms. These waves reshape the brain and its physical properties are similar to how gravitational waves in space pierce through all matter. But most importantly, I believe these Triabrain Waves are the foundation of all future neuroplasticity science, human intuition studies and is the method in which prayer and faith work to change the exterior world.

For more information about the Triabrain, listen to my Answers Unleashed talk thow episode "Triabrain" by clicking the link.

Olympia LePoint shares how to reshape the brain with science and human experiences. Image courtesy of Olympia LePoint and Michelle Manley.


So instead of looking at my two family members' situations as tragedies, I chose to look at these brain surgeries as blessings. Their recoveries help shed light on our brains' powerful reshaping capabilities, as well as the energy we have yet to fully harness. There is still much for us to understand about the brain. And I welcome other scientists to help in developing this knowledge. And hopefully, this blog is a significant introduction to unlocking a new way of thinking about the brain's true capabilities, outside of a science fiction movie seen in theaters.

Until next time, find me on facebook on facebook.com/OlympiaLePoint and share your thoughts.

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Public Health Research Reduced Smoking Deaths -- It Could Do The Same For Gun Violence  
By Sandro Galea, Boston University and Michael Siegel, Boston University

After the most recent mass shooting in the U.S. at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said:

Other politicians echoed that sentiment. But prayers are not going to fix the fact that each year 30,000 deaths and many more injuries are caused by firearm violence. Recognizing gun violence for the public health problem it is might.

So what does it mean to view firearm violence as a public health problem? And how does that change the debate Americans are having about gun violence?

A public health perspective on firearms

First, and most importantly, viewing firearms violence as a public health problem means declaring that the current situation is unacceptable, and preventable.

We did not successfully tackle the AIDS epidemic until we made it a national health priority, an act marked by the passage of the Ryan White Care Act in 1990. Today this position is reflected by the federal government's commitment to ensure that at least 90 percent of HIV-infected individuals in the U.S. are properly treated by 2020. Federal funding has increased over the course of the epidemic, and the government is spending US$28 billion on domestic HIV prevention and treatment programs during the current fiscal year.

Second, treating firearm violence as a public health problem also means conducting research to identify the underlying causes of the problem and to evaluate potential strategies to address it. For instance, research may reveal common sense structural changes - such as firearm safety features - that limit the potential damage that can be done by guns.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has avoided conducting research on firearm violence since 1996, when Congress passed an appropriations bill barring the CDC from using funds to advocate or promote gun control.

In 2012 President Obama ordered the CDC and other federal bodies to resume research on firearms violence in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. But Congress has yet to allocate a single dollar for CDC research on firearm violence.

While the the National Institutes of Health is undertaking firearms research, very little funding is allocated for it, on the order of just $2 million over three years. That's not much out of the NIH's nearly $32 billion budget for fiscal year 2016.

Third, a public health perspective on firearm violence means moving beyond blaming individuals and toward societal programs and policies to curb this epidemic. Just as individual smokers are not to blame for the tobacco epidemic, individual gun owners are not to blame for what is a much larger societal problem.

Taking a broad, societal approach is exactly what we have done with other public health problems, such as smoking. Public health research helped identify a proven set of programs and policies that denormalized smoking, such as limitations on smoking in public places and anti-smoking media campaigns. Thanks in large part to these societal-level public health interventions, cigarette smoking prevalence dropped to its lowest level in history last year.

And fourth, a public health approach means the "public" is included in the discussion. This means that we need to listen to concerns across sectors, including gun owners, gun dealers, law enforcement officials and public health advocates. With a public health problem of this magnitude, everyone should be at the table. That might seem impossible now, given the deep polarization on both sides of the gun control debate. However, a lack of willingness to even discuss potential solutions to the problem is simply unacceptable.

A recent collaboration between the public health community and gun dealers to reduce firearms-related suicide in New Hampshire offers an example of what this might look like.

So what does that kind of research look like?

In 2013, Boston University's School of Public Health started to conduct research aimed at understanding social norms about firearms and gun culture. We have also created a dedicated Violence Prevention Research Unit. So what have we found so far?

In a 2013 study, we linked state homicide data from the CDC with data on gun ownership, which revealed a strong relationship between levels of household gun ownership and firearm-related homicide rates at the state level. We found that this relationship is specific to homicides committed by offenders who are known to the victim.

Earlier this year, we published a study that documented a strong link between gun ownership levels and firearm-related suicide rates. These findings suggest that responding to mass shootings by arming teachers and ordinary civilians is not only unlikely to reduce homicide rates, but the resulting increase in the prevalence of firearms might actually increase deaths from both homicide and suicide.

We have also found a strong relationship between the implementation of state laws that require universal background checks for all gun sales and lower rates of firearm-related homicide.

These findings suggest that the loophole in federal law that allows unlicensed dealers to sell guns to any individual without conducting a background check may be contributing toward higher rates of firearm violence. On June 20, the Senate blocked four gun control measures, including a measure to close the loophole for background checks.

Where our research is headed

Our future work will explore the impact of various state firearm policies and identify policies that are specifically effective in reducing urban violence, which disproportionately impacts the African-American community.

Even though much of this work has been done without external funding, it is essential that Congress allow the CDC to do its job and conduct research on gun violence, and that other federal agencies like the NIH increase allocations for research in this area.

Allocating $0 for research, as CDC currently does on a problem that results in more than 30,000 deaths each year, is not how we handle a public health issue.

Sandro Galea, Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University and Michael Siegel, Professor of Community Health Sciences, Boston University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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let's create a scarf!  

marco18678 posted a photo:

 
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354095589435308156/  
Flower longhorn beet  

Flower longhorn beetle (Xestoleptura crassicornis) collected in Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada, and photographed at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (sample ID: BIOUG22381-D09; specimen record: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_RecordView?processid=GMOSK841-15; BIN: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_BarcodeCluster?clusteruri=BOLD:AAF2123)

 
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/146859637827871726/  
Daily Dozen — Photos  
Daily Dozen — Photos -- National Geographic Your Shot  
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/281543706160098/  
Columbia lilies on H  
Columbia lilies on Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington (© Dennis Frates/Alamy) 2016-07-08 [www.bing.com/search]  
pin-images  

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http://thenextweb.com/offers/2016/07/08/become-confident-web-developer-javascript-coding-2016-bundle-96-off/  
Become a confident web developer with the JavaScript Coding 2016 Bundle (96% off)  

If you're interested in a future in coding, the JavaScript Coding 2016 Bundle is a perfect launchpad to your expertise-driven success as a web developer. For a limited time, you can pick up this great offer for only $59 from TNW Deals. The architecture behind the internet we use every day, JavaScript serves as the engine behind all modern browsers from Chrome to Firefox, utilized in front-end development frameworks and libraries around the world. Through a dozen comprehensive tutorials, the coding bundle will develop a strong foundation of knowledge in essential front-end subjects such as Sammy.js, Agility.js, Ember.js, Node.js, jQuery, AJAX,…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

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https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/4-10-july-2016/facebook-creates-wireless-internet-system-developing-world/  
Facebook creates wireless internet system for developing world  

Facebook has announced it is developing wireless internet access hardware and software that can be used in areas where the current infrastructure doesn't support connectivity.

OpenCellular is designed to tackle the problem of 4bn people around the world still not having basic internet access, while 10% of the world's population live outside the range of cellular activity, according to the United Nations' Broadband Commission.

The hardware is currently the size of a shoe box and can support up to 1,500 people as far as 10km away.

2G, LTE and Wi-Fi

Due to the system's computing and storage, it can be used as a network-in-a-box or purely as a cellular access point, meaning that it can be customised to provide internet access in the form of 2G, LTE or Wi-Fi.

It has also been adapted to take in multiple input power sources, including PoE (power-over-ethernet), solar, DC, external batteries (seal lead acid) and internal battery (lithium-ion).

In order to withstand extreme weather conditions such as high winds and rugged climates, the OpenCellular device has sensors to monitor temperature, voltage and current, and can be deployed by one person at a range of heights from a pole a few metres off the ground to a tall tower or tree.

“more affordable connectivity”

Facebook's main goal in developing the technology is to make it affordable for operators and entrepreneurs to deploy networks in places where coverage is currently minimal or non-existent.

The social media company has said it will open-source the hardware and software design, making it freely available and more cost-effective for existing and potential operators.

In a post on his Facebook page, Mark Zuckerberg writes: “OpenCellular is the next step on our journey to provide better, more affordable connectivity to bring the world closer together.”

The system is currently being tested in labs at Facebook HQ in California. So far it has been able to send and receive text messages, make voice calls and use 2G data connectivity.

Images from OpenCellular 

The post Facebook creates wireless internet system for developing world appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

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https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2016/jul/08/trippy-visions-of-the-future-architecture-graduate-shows  
Life in Technicolor: 11 trippy visions of the future by student architects  

From Game of Thrones-inspired castle estates to spiralling pink robo-slides, this year's graduate architecture shows offer a window to escapist fantasy lands

Architects might be known for wearing black, as if in permanent mourning for the lives they once had, and for spending months searching for the perfect shade of grey. But judging by this year's student shows, that monochromatic hegemony is under threat: the next generation appears to be plotting a psychedelic revolution.

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https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jul/08/chairman-mao-neo-naturists-occult-the-week-in-art  
Chairman Mao, neo naturists and the occult the week in art  

Merseyside comes alive with art and Antony Gormley laments the ‘termites' nests' of today's cityscapes. All that and more in your weekly art dispatch

Colour and Vision
This exploration of visual experience across the natural world has everything from fossils of the first creatures to develop eyes in the ancient seas to an installation about the Newtonian spectrum. Science and art come together in what should be a mind-expanding show.
• Natural History Museum, London, 15 July-6 November.

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https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jul/08/gundam-edmonton-how-city-worthy-blown-up-anime  
Gundam trashes Edmonton: how the city became worthy of being blown up  

Forget New York, let alone Tokyo: as reader Greg Whistance-Smith points out, the wildly popular Japanese anime show Mobile Suit Gundam has rather bizarrely chosen quiet Edmonton, Alberta as the backdrop for its two-part season finale

One of the peculiar honours shared by the world's major cities is a knack for getting destroyed on screen. Residents of London, New York and Los Angeles have seen their cities fantastically ruined by natural and manmade disasters alike. None have experienced this quite as frequently as Tokyo: radioactive monsters, giant robots, supernatural forces and earthquakes have taken turns smashing the city in films and television shows for the past 60 years. Meticulously depicting a city's demise is, if nothing else, a declaration of its importance: these places are worth destroying.

In Edmonton, a quiet city at the northwestern tip of the Canadian prairies, those images of mass destruction seem exhilaratingly foreign. Edmonton is often forgotten not just in discussions of cities but in discussions of Canadian cities; or else it is humorously acknowledged as a place with endless winters and harsh, Soviet-like architecture. Those half-truths noted, the city nevertheless has its gems, among them an incredible river valley, one of the world's biggest universities (the University of Alberta), and a thriving arts scene, including the world's second largest fringe festival after Edinburgh. It's one of the youngest cities on the continent, with a median age of 36.5, and the northernmost city of more than 1 million people.

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https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/4-10-july-2016/dad-new-blood-reveals-pencil-award-winners/  
D&AD New Blood 2016 reveals Pencil award winners  

D&AD's New Blood Pencil 2016 winners have been revealed, after being selected from a list of entrants from a total of 58 different countries.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at Village Underground, London last night, to coincide with the final day of the D&AD New Blood Festival.

To apply, entrants needed to be in full-time or part-time education, recent graduates or under the age of 23.

Black, White, Yellow, Graphic and Wood Pencil winners

Applicants were tasked with designing their projects for a particular brief by various brands, such as Dr. Martens: Celebrate Dr. Martens' Unique Brand Using Radio's Unique Platform.

From the entries, the judges chose two overall Black Pencil and four White Pencil Winners. A further 24 young creatives were awarded a Yellow Pencil, with 58 being given a Graphite Pencil and 111 a Wood Pencil.

Paul Drake, D&AD Foundation director says: “D&AD New blood is all about inspiring the next generation, which is where our ‘Win One, Teach One' mantra really comes to life.”

“Winning a New Blood pencil is a huge turning point in a young creative's career. Not only are they recognised for being the best at what they do, but they get access to a wealth of contacts and advice from professional award Pencil winners and industry experts alike.”

We've rounded up the winning entries below.

Black Pencil winners

James Wuds, Bottles of Squash
Brief by Dazed: Declare Independence in 15 Seconds

James Wuds decided to interpret Dazed's brief by portraying “the feeling of being a teenager” in a series of short black and white video clips.

The videos capture the moments when you are not yet old enough to get away from your parents but are in the midst of your search for identity. Or as Wuds describes it: ‘fizzy drinks and bottles of squash”.

Jonny Kanagasooriam, creative strategy director, Dazed Media, describes Bottles of Squash as a “truly excellent stand out piece of work. Funny, poignant, cool and accomplished.”

Polina Hohonova, Retro Serif
Brief by Monotype: Use the Power of Typography to Activate Your Cause

Retro Serif seeks to revive a lost Russian language. Hohonova has used letters such as I, Ѳ and Ѣ that were abolished by the Communist Party after the Russian Revolution in 1917, due to their association with “High Russia” and the now defunct Tsarist regime.

Reviving these characters is a protest against the prescribed dictatorship of the language.

Craig Oldham, creative director & founder of Office of Craig Oldham, says: “Rarely does a piece of work have the potential to inspire change and have such a profound impact on culture and society.”

White Pencil winners

Laurens Grainger and Matt Kennedy, Every Minute Matters
Brief by Amnesty International/WPP: Break Barriers Between Young Adults and Amnesty International

These students from School of Communication Arts 2.0 have come up with a campaign for Amnesty International that allows young adults who only call home every two weeks on average to donate their wasted monthly phone minutes to refugees who, without a credited SIM card, are unable to call home at all.

Every Minute Matters would allow these minutes to be transferred onto an Amnesty International SIM card, which would then be distributed at refugee camps around the world.

Chloe Lam and Ryan Ho, Ford Fu
Brief by Ford: Team Up With Ford To Mobilise City-Wide Change

In response to Ford's brief, the two Falmouth University students targeted Shanghai's ageing population, which make up over a third of the city's overall population.

Using Ford's InfoCycle and E-Boke technology, with one click Ford Fu tokens send a GPS check-in to an older person's loved one, while two clicks calls a taxi and a third alerts emergency services.

Kegan Greenfield, Better Together
Brief by Monotype: Use the Power of Typography to Activate Your Cause

The Chelsea College Art students have given a simple, modern update to the Moon Type that was designed by William Moon for visually impaired people back in 1845.

The new version Moon Two is a hybrid of the original typeface and Roman script. It aims to bridge the gap for children with normal sight and those who are visually impaired, who are often required to choose either visual language or a tactile alternate during the early stages of education.

Elisa Beretta, Rosita Rotondo, Alessandro, Prestia, Massimo Mazzucca and Giulia D'agosta, Human Filter
Brief by WWF: Activate A Global Conservation Community

Students from the Academy of Communication Foundation in Milan, Italy are hoping to tackle air pollution with their project for WWF.

Their proposal is simple by washing clothes with a photocatalytic water solution, people are able absorb the same amount of nitric oxide produced by a car every day.

A WWF organised marathon that aims to spread the message could turn every runner who participates into a “human filter”.

See the full list of winners here.

The post D&AD New Blood 2016 reveals Pencil award winners appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/07/nevermind-the-concrete-national-trust-to-show-the-beauty-of-croydon  
Never mind the concrete: National Trust to show the beauty of Croydon  

Bowie hated it. Peep Show besmirched it. The London suburb may get a bad rap in popular culture, but now there is the chance to see a different side

David Bowie absolutely hated the place while Kirsty MacColl hoped it might one day be blown up. But the National Trust profoundly disagrees it wants people to love Croydon.

The organisation, best known as custodian of some of Britain's most beautiful country houses, is turning its gaze on to the 60s and 70s high rise office blocks of a London suburb that always seems to spark extreme opinions.

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design  

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https://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2016/jul/08/fancy-a-jar-celebrities-cork-their-dreams-for-the-bfg-in-pictures  
Fancy a jar? Celebrities cork their dreams for The BFG  in pictures  

A new public art installation, The BFG Dream Jar Trail, opens across the UK on Saturday. Celebrities were tasked with coming up with a dream to inspire and improve children's lives, which was then made into a sculpture and popped into a jar. These will be displayed round the country through the summer before being auctioned for Save the Children. We let the light in on some of the best …

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art  

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https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jul/08/chairman-mao-neo-naturists-occult-the-week-in-art  
Chairman Mao, neo naturists and the occult the week in art  

Merseyside comes alive with art and Antony Gormley laments the ‘termites' nests' of today's cityscapes. All that and more in your weekly art dispatch

Colour and Vision
This exploration of visual experience across the natural world has everything from fossils of the first creatures to develop eyes in the ancient seas to an installation about the Newtonian spectrum. Science and art come together in what should be a mind-expanding show.
• Natural History Museum, London, 15 July-6 November.

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art  

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https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jul/08/chairman-mao-neo-naturists-occult-the-week-in-art  
Chairman Mao, neo naturists and the occult the week in art  

Merseyside comes alive with art and Antony Gormley laments the ‘termites' nests' of today's cityscapes. All that and more in your weekly art dispatch

Colour and Vision
This exploration of visual experience across the natural world has everything from fossils of the first creatures to develop eyes in the ancient seas to an installation about the Newtonian spectrum. Science and art come together in what should be a mind-expanding show.
• Natural History Museum, London, 15 July-6 November.

Continue reading...  
art  

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http://www.designboom.com/art/jason-briggs-grotesque-porcelain-objects-07-08-2016/  
jason briggs' grotesque porcelain objects are surrealistically erotic  

the objects express strong sexual references—at once abstract, but laced with figurative forms and life-like textures, bordering on being pornographic.

The post jason briggs' grotesque porcelain objects are surrealistically erotic appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

 
art  

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https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/jul/08/this-weeks-new-exhibitions  
Five of the best... art exhibitions  

David Hockney | Jorge Otero-Pailos | Liverpool Biennial | David Bomberg | Etel Adnan

Britain's most famous living painter is a master of the portrait, capturing entire decades and states of mind in such iconic works as Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy and Beverly Hills Housewife. His new series 82 Portraits And 1 Still-Life paints a picture of the 21st century through portraits of friends including architect Frank Gehry and artist John Baldessari. Everyone poses in the same lemon-yellow upholstered chair as Hockney eyeballs them in often delicious detail.

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art  

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/2qXLLs52ATM/alien-mindscapes-sea-changes-in-the-search-for-advanced-intelligent-life.html  
“Alien Mindscapes" --Radical New Changes Called for in Search for Advanced Intelligent Life  
 
astronomy  

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/kuPoWfWM5xc/exoplanet-discovered-unlike-any-other-known-world-three-suns-and-a-550-year-orbit.html  
Exoplanet "Unlike Any Other Known World!" Discovered --Three Suns and a 550-Year Orbit  
 
astronomy  

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https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2016/jul/08/newly-discovered-planet-is-in-a-three-star-system-video-animation  
Newly-discovered planet is in a three-star system video animation  

This animated video shows a gaseous planet with three suns and a mass four times that of Jupiter. Located 320 light years away in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet, discovered by an international team of astronomers and known as HD 131399Ab, orbits around only the brightest of the three stars which is thought to be around 80% more massive than our own sun

• Planet with three suns spotted by astronomers

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astronomy  

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/KPvvpCEj8ek/mysterious-anomaly-in-cassini-saturn-mission-orbit-caused-by-planet-9-gravitation.html  
Mysterious Anomaly in NASA's Cassini Saturn-Mission Orbit --"Caused By Planet 9 Gravitation?"  
 
astronomy  

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/europeanspaceagency/28090785201/  
Moving heart of the Crab Nebula  

europeanspaceagency posted a photo:

This ESA/NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the moving heart of the Crab Nebula.

While many other images of the famous Crab Nebula have focused on the filaments in the outer part of the nebula, this image shows the very heart of the Crab Nebula including the central neutron star — it is the rightmost of the two bright stars near the centre of this image.

The rapid motion of the material nearest to the central star is revealed by the subtle rainbow of colours in this time-lapse image, the rainbow effect being due to the movement of material over the time between one image and another.

Read more here.

Credit: ESA/NASA

 
astronomy  

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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jul/07/juno-mission-settles-jupiter-orbit-spacewatch  
Juno mission settles into Jupiter orbit  

Marathon journey across solar system concludes with 35-minute rocket burn

Nasa's Juno mission is spending its first week in orbit around Jupiter. This giant planet is more than 11 times the diameter of Earth.

Having travelled for more than 1.7bn miles through the solar system, Juno was captured by Jupiter's gravity at 03:18 GMT on 5 July after an engine burn that lasted 35 minutes.

Related: Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft ready for Pluto fly-by

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astronomy  

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/eospso/28122628836/  
AWMA (ACE) 2016  

NASA's Science Program Support Office posted a photo:

Air and Waste Management Association Annual Conference and Exhibition
New Orleans, LA
June 20 - 23, 2016

 
astronomy  

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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jul/07/planet-with-three-suns-spotted-by-astronomers  
Planet with three suns spotted by astronomers  

Giant gas ball four times the mass of Jupiter is in a three-star system. It swings around one, but sees sunrises and sunsets from all three. Take that Tatooine

A gaseous planet with three suns and a mass four times that of Jupiter has been spotted by astronomers.

Located 320 light years away in the constellation of Centaurus the planet, known as HD 131399Ab, goes one better than Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine in the film Star Wars, which famously boasted two sunrises.

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astronomy  

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http://borrachas.tumblr.com/post/147054807594  
314  

314

 
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http://journal.benbashford.com/post/147096155638  
"We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to..."  
“We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to detonate where the suspect was…other options would have exposed our officers to great danger,”

- Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown
 
technology  

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http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fredirect.viglink.com%2F%3Fu%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.theguardian.com%252Flifeandstyle%252F2016%252Fjul%252F08%252Fhow-to-relate-to-robots%26key%3Dddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
r0B0t: Why you should be nice to your robots | Oliver Burkeman  

Oliver Burkeman says it's hard to bark orders at a machine without feeling like the kind of obnoxious person who barks orders at waiters

I became highly confused the first time I used the Amazon Echo, a voice-activated “smart home assistant” that sits in the corner and responds to the name Alexa as in “Alexa, play some music!” or “Alexa, how many ounces in a kilogram?” Partly, this was because the only person I know who owns an Echo is herself called Alexa, and she was home at the time. But that aside, it's hard to bark orders at a machine without feeling like the kind of obnoxious person who barks orders at waiters. That is, unless you start young. “We love our Amazon Echo… but I fear it's also turning our daughter into a raging asshole,” the Silicon Valley investor Hunter Walk fretted recently. Alexa doesn't need you to say please or thank you; indeed, she responds better to brusque commands. “Cognitively, I'm not sure a kid gets why you can boss Alexa around, but not a person,” Walk wrote. How's a four-year-old supposed to learn that other household members aren't simply there to do her bidding, when one (electronic) household member was designed to do exactly that?

Such worries will grow more urgent as we interact with more convincingly humanesque devices. As the tech writer John Markoff puts it: “What does it do to the human if we have a class of slaves which are not human, but that we treat as human?” Most of us would agree with Immanuel Kant that it's unethical to treat others as mere means to our own ends, instead of ends in themselves. That's why slavery damages the slaveholder as well as the slave: to use a person as if they were an object erodes your own humanity. Yet Alexa (like Google Home, and Siri, and the rest) trains us to think of her as both human yet solely there to serve. Might we start thinking of real humans that way more frequently, too?

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robots  

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http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fredirect.viglink.com%2F%3Fu%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.theguardian.com%252Fus-news%252F2016%252Fjul%252F08%252Fdallas-police-shooting-gunman-kill-white-officers%26key%3Dddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
r0B0t: Dallas shooting suspect stated he wanted to 'kill white officers'  

Shooter, who was killed with bomb on robot device during standoff, was reportedly upset over recent killings of black men by law enforcement

The gunman who opened fire on police in Dallas said he wanted to kill white police officers and expressed anger at a recent spate of shootings by police before he was killed, it was revealed on Friday.

Related: Dallas protest shooting: five police officers dead and standoff over live

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robots  

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http://insider.si.edu/2016/07/castle-corbel-chisled-basque-country-stone-carver-bernat-vidal/  
Castle corbel chisled by Basque Country stone carver Bernat Vidal  

Peering closely at the surface of the ruddy red Maryland sandstone block, Bernat Vidal sets a chisel resolutely against the stone and confidently taps it with a wood-handled mallet. With every strike, puffs of dust wisp upward, and tiny sharp chips fly off in all directions.

Vidal, unflinching, etches the beginnings of an incised line into a semi-circle that he has already coaxed out of the squared-off stone. With the easy reflex of 30 years' practice, he flicks away larger shards to reveal the beginnings of an ornate corbel to crown a stone column.

The column in question is on the west face of the Smithsonian's iconic red sandstone Castle, and the sculptor bending to the task traveled from the Basque Country, located in northern Spain and southern France, to share his craft with the public at the 2016 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The unique Seneca Creek sandstone block from a nearby quarry is very similar to the buttery sandstone Vidal chisels in his studio outside Bilbao, on Spain's northern coastline.

“We gave Mr. Vidal a couple of pieces of Seneca sandstone from our attic stock and a photograph of one of the Castle's decorative corbels,” says Paul Westerberg, registrar for the Castle Collection. “He's going to leave it unfinished and rough for us in order to show his tool marks in the stone.”

Vidal's unfinished block will eventually go on display in the Castle's Schermer Hall next to an 1846 Castle model by architect James Renwick “as a representative sample of how these carvings are made,” Westerberg adds. “People normally only see the finished product. It's rare to see something in the process of its creation. We were very happy a master stone carver was working on the Mall.”

Though once renowned in the Middle Ages for their skill, today, only a handful of traditional Basque stone workers continue the craft. Originally a painter and ceramics artist, Vidal came to the tradition almost on a whim, but became so smitten that he began to teach to the younger generation at a stone carvers' college in Bilbao 20 years ago.

Among his works: a 1.5-ton coat of arms, carved from a 6-ton block, mounted on the City Hall of Guernica, an important symbol of Basque autonomy before and after it was bombed during World War 2; and the Puerta del Mar in the Dominican Republic, commissioned in 1992 for the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas.

Vidal laments the economic realities that make even highly regarded traditional craft a lackluster prospect for Basque youth, though he hopes that his efforts in educating others and demonstrating the craft may yet bring renewed interest to the trade.

Insider writer Michelle Donahue spoke to Vidal during a lull at the Festival, and he shared some of his thoughts on the history and future of Basque traditional stone carving.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about the importance of what you do as a reflection of the Basque culture as a whole?

Vidal: Basque carvers were very important during the Crown of Castile [the consolidation of Spanish kingdoms in the 13th century]. These were carvers whose works were very much sought after, but then this art was all forgotten because all of this work was being done outside of Basque country. So, the Basque people as well as the rest of Spain have lost the tradition. For me to discover this art form was very beautiful.

Q: Was the purpose of traditional Basque stone carving originally for house building, fortress building, or some other reason?

Vidal: Historically, it was for house building and making artistic works. It was even further divided than that, with specialists in different forms. Nowadays, 80 percent is for custom work at houses, family crests, or the name of the house in stone with different designs, because in Spain traditional homes have names.

Q: How did you come to be a stone carver? Was this a family tradition?

Vidal: In the village where I lived, there was strong stone influence—not in carving, but in quarrying. Then I had the opportunity to take a carving class and I loved it, the complexity of the rock. It was something that filled me.

Q: Was it easy for you to master?

Vidal: It wasn't too easy, but it wasn't too difficult, either. When you are absolutely dedicated to something, you slowly begin to master it.
Has your work attracted the interest of young people who want to learn from you?
Approximately 20 years ago, I was a professor at the stone carvers college in Bilbao. But now with the economic crisis in Spain, few are interested. It's a tough and dirty job, and people nowadays prefer to be in front of a computer.

Q:What do you hope people here learn from your work?

Vidal: By virtue of seeing it here, people can value the effort that is required to do this kind of work, and that there are very few people who actually do this. Truthfully, I've been surprised—people have been very interested in all of the aspects of my work, with a desire to learn [about] my craft.

Q: How do you find the experience of carving the Castle stone compared to the others you've worked with?

Vidal: It's intriguing. Where I'm from in Navarre there is also a different kind of red stone that looks exactly the same. But upon a closer look there are differences—that one has larger grains and it's more abrasive, whereas this one is much finer and is very malleable, but breaks very easily.

Q: How long will it take you to complete this piece?

Vidal: It's difficult to say. It's a very detail-oriented job. I'd calculate that if I was back in my shop, I'd say about a week.

Q: Will you take it back and finish it or will you stay here until it's completed?

Vidal: I can always send it back because it would be great to show all of the phases of the work, so others can see what is necessary to prepare a stone for carving. But the Basques also like this type of stonework, so they might want to keep it! [laughs]

The post Castle corbel chisled by Basque Country stone carver Bernat Vidal appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

 
culture  

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http://insider.si.edu/2016/07/monitoring-seafood-catch-data/  
Monitoring seafood catch data  

Knowing what we take from our oceans matters. Smithsonian scientists are developing tools to better understand and protect our oceans. One project they are working on is a mobile app that collects catch data from remote fishing communities. Find out more at ourfish.org

The post Monitoring seafood catch data appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

 
culture  

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http://movieposteroftheday.tumblr.com/post/147053662257  
US one sheet for ON MY WAY TO THE CRUSADES, I MET A GIRL...  

US one sheet for ON MY WAY TO THE CRUSADES, I MET A GIRL WHO… aka THE CHASTITY BELT (Pasquale Festa Campanile, Italy, 1969)

Designer: uncredited

Poster source: Heritage Auctions

 
culture  

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160707131810.htm  
Beating heart of the Crab Nebula  
Peering deep into the core of the Crab Nebula, this close-up image reveals the beating heart of one of the most historic and intensively studied remnants of a supernova, an exploding star.  
astronomy  

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Remembering The Seeds Of Freedom  
In America's early days, the nation's founders required a potent symbol to communicate the concept of freedom. In colonial Boston, the symbol that became synonymous with freedom was an elm tree.

The Liberty Tree, as it came to be known, was a gathering place for advocates for freedom. Though eventually cut down by opponents, its symbolic resonance only grew, gracing flags and pins, with elms being planted throughout the new nation.

This week following Independence Day, and throughout this summer, I hope that we can all remember the Liberty Tree and why it was such a powerful symbol. And, why the growth that it promises may continue to resonate as we undertake a new struggle for freedom.

The struggle we now face is no less a campaign for self-determination than the American Revolution. Much like the Revolution, what is at stake is personal freedom and the ability to choose your own destiny.

It is a struggle over the freedom to choose what you can grow and eat; each of us is involved, whether we know it or not. The right to choose seems basic. Indeed, you may assume that farmers have the ability to save and exchange seed that they are growing our food with, but you would be wrong.

Seeds are a gift of nature, the result of centuries of labor by farmers worldwide who have conserved heirloom seeds and thousands of natural varieties. But over the past few decades, legislation restricting access to seeds helped diminish small farmers' holdings and have established industrial agriculture as globally dominant.

Under certain laws, seed varieties must undergo complicated tests and registration procedures. Costly and lengthy processes, these favor companies with deep pockets that produce seeds -- many of them genetically modified -- dependent upon chemicals for their cultivation.

The putative goal of these laws is to protect food security. The ironic result is that our food security -- both in the U.S. and globally -- is threatened due to a lack of agro-biodiversity. As we face the uncertainty of climate change, we need more, rather than less, types of seed capable of flourishing under conditions such as drought, insects or flood.

With a handful of global seed companies monopolizing the market, we have handed our freedoms over to corporate boards. Right now, according to the ETC Group, six multinationals control 75% of all private-sector plant breeding research, 60% of the commercial seed market and 76% of global agrochemical sales.

New laws which make it illegal for farmers to save and exchange seed are a further threat. Ethically and ecologically unjustified, seed patents grant exclusive rights for inventions; but, seed is not an invention. Further, genetically engineered seeds contaminate our farms, removing the option for GMO-free food.

That's untenable. It's time for a declaration of independence that recognizes that seed is the source of life and seed freedom is the birthright of every farmer and food producer. Seed Freedom -- an initiative created by activist, author and scientist Dr. Vandana Shiva -- has done just that: created the Declaration on Seed Freedom. It's very much needed right now.

We the people should also secure the right of farmers to save, exchange, evolve, breed and sell seed. This guarantees the right of all people to food freedom, the right to know what we are putting in our bodies and the right to exercise self-determination every time we step into a market. As growers and eaters, remember that our choices -- our demand to eat and grow foods that are the products of natural and organic agriculture -- provide moral and monetary support for this struggle.

As we think back on the birth of our independence, it's clear why the patriots chose a tree as the symbol of liberty and why we can use this symbol today. The most basic of liberties is the right to choose and that right has deep roots in our democracy. Farmers and gardeners are right now struggling to regain that right. This movement is growing, sending roots deeper and shoots upward, but it isn't over. We need all of you who care to help fight for this most basic of freedoms -- the freedom of choice.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Time Out, America  
Can American communities repair the broken interface between citizens and keepers of the peace?  
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War, Peace, and Climate: How Carbon Trading Can Help Avert Resource Wars  
This story first appeared on Ecosystem Marketplace.

Liberian environmentalist Silas Siakor knows all too well what can happen to a fragile nation when a dictator hijacks its commodity sector, as warlord Charles Taylor did in the 1990s - first by using slave labor and "blood diamonds" to finance a devastating civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone, and then by spreading that war to Guinea and commandeering the presidency of Liberia itself.

Siakor helped expose Taylor's use of "conflict timber" to finance those bloody wars, and he helped make sure farmers, conservationists, and commercial enterprises all had a role in restructuring the forest sector once the sanctions were removed - a process that Art Blundell, who chaired the UN Panel of Experts on Liberia, credits with keeping the country's current peace alive.

He cautions, however, that Liberia's peace is the exception that proves the rule.


Art Blundell

"The UN Environment Programme says that natural resources are a factor in about 40% of conflicts since the end of the Cold War, and they are often a driver," Blundell said at last month's Oslo REDD Exchange in Norway, where he presented findings from recent analysis conducted on behalf of Ecosystem Marketplace publisher Forest Trends. "But if you look at peace agreements, only about 15% of them mention natural resources, let alone call for reforms of governance in a way that will minimize the role of resources in causing future conflict."

The result, he said in a recent episode of the Bionic Planet podcast, is tragic: "More than half of peace agreements fail within five years, often because belligerents get money from the exploitation of natural resources, like logging, that they can use to fuel the resumption of civil war."

Liberia has so far avoided slipping back into that cycle, in part because it tore up corrupt concessions and started with a clean slate on forest governance. That peace, however, has a downside of its own: without civil war, the forests are now safe for illegal logging - which is often carried out not by ruthless logging companies, but by desperate farmers looking to feed their families.

As the government steps in to save forests, it risks pitting conservationists against small farmers - something Siakor says has already happened.

"The government has tried to impose [conservation] projects on the people - in protected areas - but people have resisted, and they're very active in this resistance," he said at the Oslo REDD Exchange. "The government had to roll back [its conservation efforts] and grant the community the right to manage that particular forest."

This story has been adapted from the Bionic Planet episode "Climate, Conflict, and Commodities: The Calculus of Peace on a Changing Planet", which is available on iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, and elsewhere.

Siakor sees a more workable solution in President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's efforts to tap carbon finance through the United Nations REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation of forests, plus other land uses) initiative, which aims to slow deforestation by funding sustainable agriculture initiatives so that farmers aren't forced to chop trees - a process that aligns the interests of small farmers with those of the forest and also promotes the kind of governance associated with lasting peace.


Silas Siakor

Such initiatives have proven successful in several Latin American and African countries, and forest-carbon projects are currently being used to conserve forested areas larger than the entire Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the most recent State of Forest Carbon Finance report. Both Siakor and Blundell say that REDD+ can support the peace process in war-torn areas, but only if its implemented in ways that recognize the challenges particular to war-torn regions.

"REDD programs working in the countries have to remember that people have been traumatized," said Blundell, adding that traumatized people are slow to develop trust. "You have to understand the history of the conflict, the legacy of that conflict in the present, and your interaction with it."

Understanding REDD+

For a deeper understanding of REDD+ and forest carbon, check out:
REDD Dawn: The Birth Of Forest Carbon
How Markets And Mother Earth Each Found A Home In The Paris Climate Accord

Liberia, Colombia, Myanmar: States of Readiness

Liberia began overhauling its forest governance more than a decade ago - when REDD+ was still in its infancy - but Colombia and Myanmar are now struggling to implement peace agreements. Colombia's peace agreement explicitly builds on resource reform, says the country's Vice Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Pablo Viera Samper, while Myanmar's peace agreement gives short shrift to resource management, says Saw Frankie Abreu, the director of Myanmar's Tenasserim River and Indigenous People's Network (TRIP NET). Both men see a potential for REDD+ in supporting resource management.

"When you're designing a REDD programme, the main objective is not [to get] money for planting trees," said Samper, who said that, from his perspective, the role of REDD+ is to "transform those drivers that are resulting in deforestation into more sustainable activities that will lead to a reduction of the conflict - social, environmental - and generate opportunity's, generate jobs, and generate income for the population."

REDD+ and Peacebuilding: Untapped Potential

Blundell's analysis shows that more than half of the countries developing REDD+ initiatives have experienced organized armed conflict since 2008, when the UN first started considering REDD finance.


Pablo Viera Samper

"The governance reform that's required for peace building is very much what is also required by REDD Readiness," he said in Oslo, referring to the process of getting a country's ducks in a row. To be "REDD Ready," countries must not only be able to demonstrate that the government can accurately monitor its forests, but also to show that their forest people and small farmers are engaged in the governing process.

"REDD+ offers a plausible alternative to sectors that have contributed to conflict, such as industrial forestry and plantation agriculture, and governance reform associated with REDD readiness can contribute to 'environmental peacebuilding'," his analysis states. "But to be effective, REDD+ must address challenges unique to countries attempting to recover from conflict."

Key Challenge: Spoilers

Blundell said that "spoilers" present a common challenge in war-torn areas.

"These are people who did well through war...and they can take advantage of grievance to go back to war to protect their own self-interest: their power and money streams," he said.

Siakor agreed, and said that Liberia's reforms were designed to make sure no vested interests are in a position to disrupt forest governance.

"We are building on the good elements of reform that have been initiated, bearing in mind the possibility that some of the spoilers could take advantage of it's not designed very well," said Siakur. "The logging companies come at the very top, wanting business-as-usual."

Ironically, Blundell says, Liberia's forest reforms are not enshrined in the peace agreement itself, but instead emerged from the agricultural and environmental communities, with support from the World Bank and some outside governments.

The Siren Song of Industrial Forestry

REDD+ proponents also face a perception problem: namely, that money flows quickly and abundantly from massive soy and palm plantations, but trickles only slowly from REDD+.


Saw Frankie Abreu

Blundell says both perceptions are wrong, and Samper adds that even when money does flow to illegal or industrial activities, it rarely makes its way to the laborers on the ground.

"If...the actual miners or the people who are growing the coca leaves (for cocaine production) were receiving the economic benefits from their products, then it would be very difficult [to win support for REDD+ or sustainable agriculture], but the reality is that the [laborers] make very little money," he said. "The reality is that they are under a situation where they are, a lot of times, forced to do this work; and the reality is that, when you talk to them, they all say that, given an opportunity, they would move away from those activities."

REDD+ funding tends to flow more effectively to farmers, and it also flows earlier than it did in the past, when payments for performance only followed after years of validation and verification. Today, payments tend to come intermittently over the course of a project, and more money should flow as companies implement the Paris Agreement.

"Right now, the question that people ask is, 'Where will the money come from to pay for the carbon?  Are you relying on the market?  Will there be sufficient money?'" he says, adding that mining companies have given more than $80 million towards local communities in the last few years.

This is the first of a two-part series. Click here or check back next week for Part Two.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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Perfect storm hits Taiwan as China sees worst floods in 20 years  
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Rolls-Royce reckons robot cargo ships are the future of the seas  

A million pirates yelled 'splice the mainbrace, me hearty!'

Comment Rolls-Royce and the Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) believe the future of cargo transportation is autonomous and they have published an 88 page white paper (PDF) to prove it.…

 
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New ISS crew will spend their time bombarding computers with radiation  

And seeing what happens to your bones in zero-G

Three new astronauts currently rocketing up to space in the Soyuz spacecraft will be conducting new experiments, including sequencing DNA and blasting computers with radiation.…

 
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The Art and Business of Creating Life-Like Baby Dolls  

Jean Campbell is dedicated to her craft—building “reborn” dolls that bear a shocking resemblance to real-life babies. In this short documentary, Reborning, Campbell explains the meticulous process of creating these dolls, and her motivations behind doing so. She says goal for the finished product is to have a doll that is indistinguishable from the real thing: "You want it to be so real-looking that heads turn and say, 'Oh what a beautiful baby, can I hold it?'"

The film is produced, directed, and edited by Yael Bridge and Helen Hood Scheer, who also served as cinematographer. Bridge is currently working on the feature-length documentary Saving Capitalism, and Scheer is an Assistant Professor at California State University Long Beach in the Department of Film and Electronic Arts.

 
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Photos of the Day: July 8, 2016  

Explore the news of the day with these images from around the world.  
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Photos of the Week 7/2-7/8 (35 photos)  

Tears for Alton Sterling, haute-couture fashion, a swollen river in China, a rocket to the International Space Station, gorgeous goldfish, Eid al-Fitr in a 14th century mosque, lightning strikes the Las Vegas strip,  and much more.

 
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r0B0t: AI system sifts through drinker feedback to make tastier beer - Inquirer  

Inquirer

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Ferdinand von Zeppelin Scientist of the Day Count Ferdinand...  

http://welweb.org/ThenandNow/images/Graf-Zeppelin.jpg


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1972-099-15,_Ferdinand_Graf_Zeppelin_am_Schreibtisch.jpg


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Ferdinand von Zeppelin Scientist of the Day

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, a German aeronautical inventor, was born July 8, 1838.

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Sunset north London  

Leo Hidalgo (@yompyz) posted a photo:

Instagram: @yompyz

 
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she by Nikolay Tikhomirov  

she by Nikolay Tikhomirov

Nikolay Tikhomirov: Photos

 
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flower by Nikolay Tikhomirov  

flower by Nikolay Tikhomirov

Nikolay Tikhomirov: Photos

 
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Final Jump by Julien Orre  

Final Jump by Julien Orre

Thank you so much for viewing my images ! FollowMy Facebook Page and My Instagram

Julien Orre: Photos

 
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Green valley by Sergy Shaby  

Green valley by Sergy Shaby

From june's trip

Sergy Shaby: Photos

 
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http://twitter.com/ehiebewele/status/751394553886806017 
CITES is Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora @FMEnvng 
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Does the UK comparatively underinvests in meningitis research?  
Recent research by the UK's Wellcome Trust ¹ suggests that when it comes to infectious disease, the UK is not proportionately investing public funds in meningitis research as much as it should. And it hasn't been for a long time.



In the Research Investments (ResIn) in Global Health report, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, meningitis is shown to be the 5th largest communicable disease killer (303,500 deaths globally in 2013), but only ranks 17th for public investments proportionate to the number of deaths caused by the disease in that same year.

The UK's average spend per infectious disease death is over 10 times higher across all causes than it is for meningitis. We spend only £29 on meningitis compared to an average of £337 for all causes combined.

Total UK research investments from public bodies and research charities into infectious diseases between 1997 and 2013 totalled over £3.7 billion.

Of this, meningitis received just £91m - or 2.4% of the total.

This 2.4% is for a disease that consistently ranks in the UK as the condition parents most want their children vaccinated against.

Our course, this study is only part of the picture. It does not include investments from the private sector - most notably pharmaceutical companies. A total picture would be very useful. But it is a good window into where public and charity money is going now.

Meningitis Research Foundation and our incredible supporters do everything possible to make sure meningitis research is a priority in this country. With their support, we have invested nearly £20 million in research over the past 30 years. But elsewhere in the public domain, I am increasingly worried that meningitis is somehow slipping into the 'job done' category in the UK and nothing could be further from the truth.

Some of my fears will be tested next Monday when we await news from the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) about whether they have recommended the MenB vaccine for extension to under 2 year olds. If it isn't it will be interesting to hear on what grounds.

At the same time we still await detailed plans for the teenage evaluation of the MenB vaccine despite the JCVI recommending this two years ago. And we want to know when the cost effectiveness working party recommendations will be made public so everyone can see and question whether these are fair.

So we're a long way from eradicating this dreadful disease and this is no time for the UK to take its foot off the gas. It's time to put the money, and action, where the facts indicate they should go.

References
¹Research Investments in Global Health: A Systematic Analysis of UK Infectious Disease Research Funding and Global HealthMetrics, 1997-2013, Head et al, 2015, published in EBiomedicine
²Called Investment per mortality observed.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
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