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The Camel Whisperer of California  
They're misunderstood beasts, if you ask Gil Riegler. Camels offer milk, beauty and, for Riegler, a life mission.  
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Grand Cayman Wildlife #3 Grand Cayman Blue Iguana  

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next stop! St Pauls  

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FlickrFriday theme: #Sunset

 
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Zika Epidemic May Have Peaked But Will Threaten U.S. For Years  

Scientists have evidence that the epidemic in Latin America may have started to subside. But the U.S. isn't out of the woods yet.

 
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NSA Boss Says U.S. Cyber Troops Are Nearly Ready  

The Cyber Mission Force is the largest single unit dedicated to operating in computer networks, both for defense and offense. It will reach "initial operating capability" by the end of September.

 
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In Wake Of Shootings, Facebook Struggles To Define Hate Speech  

After last week's police shootings, Facebook received a flood of complaints, with users calling out posts as hate speech. According to Facebook insiders, the company was not prepared.

 
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How A 'Nightmare' Law Could Make Sharing Passwords Illegal  

A recent federal court ruling has advocates, researchers and the dissenting judge worried that sharing passwords, even in seemingly innocuous circumstances, could be considered unlawful.

 
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The Code Switch Podcast, Episode 9: Black And Blue  

Black police officers live on both sides of the debate over race and policing. In this week's episode, they weigh in on the limits of force diversity in bridging gaps between black people and cops.

 
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Social Media Abuse Of Nursing Home Residents Often Goes Unchecked  

Iowa health officials recently discovered it wasn't against state law for a nursing home worker to share a photo on Snapchat of a resident covered in feces. They are trying to change that.

 
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Public Figures Struggle With Social Media Boundaries After Dallas Shooting  

Politicians, police officers, and media personalities have all gotten blow-back for inflammatory social media posts about the shooting of officers in Dallas.

 
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r0B0t: Researchers create skeleton robot with human-like muscles  
If robots that mimic animal or human behavior are your nightmare fuel, turn away now. Researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology went one step further with a skeleton robot, giving it human-like muscles to help with movement. The microfilament...  
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r0B0t: Kim Kardashian says Taylor Swift loves 'playing the victim' with Kanye West  
More about Kardashians, Rapper, Pop Star, Kanye West, and Taylor Swift  
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r0B0t: Mr Robot's revolutionary tips for Jeremy Corbyn | Lucy Mangan  
A skinny, unsmiling man determined to try and save the world could Labour learn from the hit US TV series?

If you really want to know where we are as a world, rather than a tiny and bamboozled nation, turn away from the news and towards Mr Robot, the award-winning US drama that has just entered its second season. It follows the adventures of Elliot Alderson, an emotionally troubled young computer security engineer turned vigilante hacker. He is recruited by the eponymous character, the leader of a New York-based anarchist group, to destroy the largest conglomerate in the world.

Related: Mr Robot's season two is proof the show refuses to play by the rules of TV

Continue reading...  
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Sintra by Jolien Roos  

Sintra by Jolien Roos

Seconds before we couldn't see a thing, seconds later the sky was clear.... Such a magical moment. www.jolienroos.be

Jolien Roos: Photos

 
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The Radical Rap Of Los Angeles  
From LA to the Bay, from NWA to the Coup, California has produced a few generations of radicalized rappers. YG and Schoolboy Q are the latest.  
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Don't Jump View Hello World Fine Art Photography Architecture Sunset Londonview Night Lights Cityscapes Long Exposure United Kingdom LONDON❤ London Tower Bridge Dusk Night Dusk In The City Nightphotography Night Photography Touristythings Tourist A  

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THE ENERGY GANGS OF NEW YORK  
It's not surprising that Governor Andrew Cuomo's "50 by 30" goal - 50 percent of New York's power will come from renewable sources by 2030 - has caused a stir among the energy cognoscenti that is now beginning to seep into the mainstream media. Keeping lights on, factories humming, and people entertained - a.k.a. electric power -- is a huge business in New York and the Governor's ambitious climate-saving program will move profits around from the old to new energy businesses.

Hence it's not surprising that the Governor's energy czar, Richard Kauffman, has had a pointed exchange with New York's electric market operator (the New York ISO, or NYISO) about the cost of New York's Energiewende (the energy transformation, a word coined by the equally ambitious Germany). On Tuesday, the ISO warned in a letter to the New York regulators (the Public Service Commission) that it had "concerns over how the Commission is developing and planning to implement the CES to achieve the 50% by 30 objectives." Specifically, the NYISO estimated that the goal could require nearly 1,000 miles of new bulk power transmission. The next day, Politico reported that "in a sharply worded rebuttal, Richard L. Kauffman, who chairs the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, called the NYISO filing 'misleading, incomplete and grossly inaccurate,' saying that technology and 'simply smarter markets and operations allow the system to easily accommodate renewable resources.'"

This is an understandable exchange. NYISO is doing its job by raising questions, and Kauffman is doing his by challenging the NYISO to think outside the box (while keeping the lights on). For those of us deep in the belly of the electric whale, 50 by 30 is an exciting and challenging opportunity. We love to paraphrase John F. Kennedy's statement about going to the moon: "we do it not because it's easy; we do it because it's hard." On the inside, many of us deeply believe that Kaufmann is right: that the advances of power technology (on both the demand and the supply side) are so remarkable - especially the development of microgrids - that 50 by 30 can be achieved without compromising reliability and without raising the overall cost of electricity.

During this process, however, we do need NYISO and the electric utilities to continue to serve as the platform on which all this innovation happens. New York's regulatory apparatus - called REV for Reforming the Energy Vision -- is being reshaped to allow this to happen. From the inside, we see three essential activities that New York has to enable simultaneously to implement the Vision. First, the rules of the game have to be amended to enable distributed energy (including efficiency and demand management) to thrive. Second, the grid does need to be strategically expanded to bring bulk clean energy from the places it exists (upstate, neighboring states and provinces, western New York, and offshore) to where it's consumed (most of it naturally is consumed downstate). Third, and seldom discussed, the grid needs to be better optimized with modern technology and better software.

If electricity were only lightly regulated, this would happen naturally. But it remains heavily regulated and one of the heaviest hands on it is that of the New York ISO. It's the gatekeeper of what is allowed to be installed into the grid. If it is too heavy-handed, there will be a rebellion from the cleantech innovators, who in the long run command the political power in a progressive state like New York. If NYISO is too permissive, the lights will go out more often than society can tolerate. It's a tough assignment. NYISOs natural propensity is probably to be too conservative. Kauffman's letter is a shot across the bow to nudge it to be more accommodating.

Governor Cuomo's 50 by 30 is a worthy goal for a state like New York. He was indeed channeling his inner JFK when he first proposed it. The NYISO and the rest of New York's powerful old power elite need to come onboard. While 50% of the power in 2030 will come from renewables, they should remember the other 50% will still come from a leaner and more efficient fossil fuel industry.

-- 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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Will The Next Natural Disaster Doom The Nation's Energy Grid?  
California is facing a power calamity. Not only does the state have the most expensive energy in the continental U.S., but also the least reliable. It's leading the nation with more than 470 power outages this year alone, and is expected to enact 14 planned blackout days throughout the summer as a response to power sourcing issues.


Power lines at dusk.

Natural disasters are, and will be, the main undoing of California's power structure. Climate change is already impacting the grid, due to significant shifts in temperature and weather patterns. Because of the ongoing drought, hydro dams (a primary energy source in the state) are only producing 20% of their normal capacity. Extreme heat led the California ISO to post a Flex Alert on the first day of summer, setting the stage for the beginning of rolling blackouts. Wildfires, a yearly and growing grievance in the arid Southern California climate, can impact the grid in a variety of ways; flames damage transmission poles and smoke and particulate matter can ionize the air, leading electricity away from transmission lines and forcing a shutdown of the system.

However, the elephant in the room is not the drought, or rising temperatures, or even wildfires. It is what Kathryn Schulz referred to in The New Yorker as "The Really Big One": An earthquake of epic proportions that is likely to hit the West Coast any day.

While all natural disasters can lead to blackouts and power complications, earthquakes make an exceptional impact. In a 2011 article in IEEE Power and Energy Magazine, Hugh Rudnick points out that countries such as China, Japan and the U.S. have all suffered from serious energy infrastructure damage during earthquake aftermath, leading to extended economic ramifications.

A high magnitude earthquake could destroy California's entire energy system. "The whole western side of (San Francisco) is built on sand," Cal Broomhead, the energy and climate program manager for SF Environment told the website GreenBiz. "If we have a massive earthquake, the gas infrastructure will be shot, and we could face an extended power outage."

Historically, the country relied on diesel and gas generators and large-scale gas turbines for emergency power. Beginning in World War II, naval ships had diesel engines in case one of the main boilers malfunctioned. It wasn't until the 1990s that utilities began exploring flywheel energy storage and deep cycle batteries for emergency power generation.

Yet diesel and gas are both still largely relied upon to provide backup power. Not only are these generators wieldy and loud, but they are also environmentally damaging and require investment in finite resources. By having generation rely on a continuous supply of gas, these systems are not fully independent and can be unworkable in emergency situations. Additionally, they are expensive to keep on hand. Fuel-powered generators require valuable space, and they need to be cycled often to ensure the fuel is fresh and usable.


San Francisco earthquake, 1909.

Although this paints a grim picture of energy inertia, a silver lining exists. As mentioned, batteries and energy storage are becoming increasingly attractive options. Right now, most deep cycled batteries are made of lead-acid, the cheapest material on the market, which is heavier, and lower in power capacity and lifespan than other batteries such as lithium-ion. Lithium-ion is not only superior to lead-acid in performance, but is rapidly dropping in price. These batteries are quickly becoming the main choice for energy storage innovation on both a large and small scale, making them likely to price out lead-acid in the next few years. An influx of second-life lithium ion batteries, which were once in cars and other high-energy positions but still have power capacity for other uses, are a cheap and valuable power source. In addition, flow batteries, made of vanadium and zinc, and sodium-ion options are undergoing testing with large-scale commercial potential.

This research is not solely geared towards one state. Overall, the U.S. energy infrastructure received a D+ from the American Society of Civil Engineers during its most recent assessment, and utilities across the nation are investigating energy technology. However, California is pioneering emergency power preparedness. In 2013, the CPUC passed a mandate requiring the three largest state utilities to add 1.3 gigawatts of energy storage by 2020. That same year, California lead the country (tied with Texas) in smart grid success, receiving 83 out of 100 points awarded by the GridWise Alliance and Smart Grid Policy Center.

Locally, cities are also exploring resilient backup systems, with San Francisco being one of the most prominent examples. In 2015, the Solar Market Pathways Program gave the city funding to integrate renewables and storage into its emergency response plan. Additionally, local government is working with PG&E to develop a series of microgrids -- energy systems that can operate both independently and in tandem with the larger power grid. The city is also urging private developers to build affordable homes that are more resilient to natural disasters.

According to Rudnick, this cooperative strategy is integral to the success of worst-case scenario preparations. "Resilience not only depends on equipment, building codes and technology, but more so on the organization and standardized emergency preparedness of well-structured electric companies," he explains.

Previously an Associate Editor for HuffPost Green, Jessica now works for FreeWire Technologies, a mobile energy storage company based in the Bay Area.

-- 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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Electric Cars Are More And More At Home In California  


My Sacramento office overlooks a parking lot that recently resurfaced its top level. In addition to new pavement, the proprietors also installed several charging stations for electric vehicles. The owners of that garage are not alone.

Car charging stations are popping up all over California. Drive Solar--a joint venture with the charging station locator app company PlugShare and the solar panel installation company Sungevity--allows individuals to install charging stations in their home at the same time they install solar panels, making both options much cheaper. Virtually every major tourist attraction and event venue, from Disneyland to Levi Stadium, has charging stations for electric vehicles.

And that is exactly what I intended when I introduced AB 631 in 2012, during my last year in the Assembly.

That bill, which was signed into law by Governor Brown, exempted electric charging stations for cars from getting approval by the Public Utilities Commission if the station was only to be used for charging cars.

The Public Utilities Commission is an outgrowth of the old Railroad Commission, which was established during the Progressive Era, to ensure that Californians of that era were getting fair market rates for transporting themselves and the fruits of their labors to market. In the ensuing years, the PUC has grown to regulate virtually all of the utilities in California.

That's an important role, and it requires the PUC to be vigilant and thorough in approving the construction of, say, a new natural gas-fired power plant, or the pipelines that are used to move natural gas from storage to the power plant. But that same level of exhaustiveness makes it difficult to get smaller projects, like a car charging station, approved.

By taking the PUC out of the process, we helped remove one of the major roadblocks to keeping consumers from moving towards electric cars: the "range anxiety" they feel when they worry their car won't be able to make it to their destination on a full charge.

That is a very real concern in a state where commuters can sometimes travel as much as 50 or 100 miles to work every day. More charging stations means greater range for electric car owners, and every single charger doubles as a billboard for electric cars themselves.

In a typical month, anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 electric cars are sold in the United States, and up to half of that total are purchased right here in California. Almost 185,000 electric cars cruise our roads and highways every day. Now, that's not because of one piece of legislation--it's part of a broader cultural trend towards sustainability.

But those trends are strengthened by legislation, like our efforts to pass AB 631 in 2012, or the efforts of Assemblymember David Chiu, to pass AB 1236 last year. That bill, which was also signed into law by Governor Brown, mandates that cities and counties develop an expedited permit process for electric car charging stations within their borders.

The lack of charging stations was one of the major roadblocks to consumers really embracing electric vehicles. We removed that roadblock, and that helped the market shift gears in fundamental ways.

As recently as a decade ago, consumers only had their choice one or two truly electric (and very expensive) models on the market. But today's consumers have their choice of electric vehicle: stylish sports cars, outdoor friendly utility vehicles for family adventures, and sophisticated sedans for commuters.

And once Assemblymember Chiu's legislation is fully implemented, even more communities will be electric car-friendly.

This September, when we commemorate national Drive Electric Week (9/10-9/18), we will have a lot more to celebrate. California's electric car market is expanding faster than you can say "zero emmissions vehicle," and the ongoing efforts in the legislature to expand public transit and encourage renewable energy shows why the world is looking to us for leadership.

Given California's history as a national trendsetter for new technologies, it's a safe bet that the whole country will be going from 0 to 60 on electric vehicles a lot sooner than anyone expects.

-- 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 Chemistry Is The Path To Chemical Safety  
Co-authored by Glynis Lough

On June 22nd, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was signed into law, bringing the first legislative reform to chemical management regulation in 40 years! From car seats to zippers, nearly every product in and out of the home has the potential to change because of this bill - meaning your favorite toy or cooking pan could be reformulated because chemicals toxic to human health are used in the production.  And the bill also includes special protections for women's and children's health. Sound great?  Sort of.  The reality of the bill is that it's a mixed bag - only twenty chemicals of the thousands and thousands that are actually used in consumer goods are required to be tested per year, and there's a 64,000 backlog - but with increased authority, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can prevent new problems from entering the market.

That means that real effort is needed to make this bill more than just public relations. To be sure, there are some good things in this bill, such as setting new safety standards for chemicals with ties to cancer, mental health, and infertility and allowing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to obtain more information about a chemical before approving its use. We need more action to pollute less.

What this really means is that we need to find other ways to protect people and the environment from the chemicals that we routinely use, like dry cleaning solvents, and this is exactly what green chemistry aims to do. One important way to do this is to promote green chemistry. This is a movement to create products that reduce pollution without sacrificing function. While a nod to green chemistry is hidden at the bottom of this bill (about a Sustainable Chemistry Initiative), in reality, it does not do enough to either raise consciousness or change practice.  This rule does present opportunities to really benefit from better integration of a discipline called green chemistry, and we must do more to capitalize on this.

But if education, industry, AND government simultaneously work to integrate green chemistry into our daily lives, then change is possible. 

If we practice green chemistry, our daily lives will change and make our kids and the world safer.  Food packaging will necessarily change because instead of Styrofoam, which isn't biodegradable but does release cancerous by-products when burned, we can use mushroom-based packaging that's non-toxic and compostable! From how we use transportation (ethanol) to the shoes we wear (thanks, Nike!) green chemistry is already touching our lives. It's time for consumers and the federal government alike to highlight green chemistry! Here are the two key reasons why we should focus more on green chemistry.

First off, green chemistry makes and saves money.

Green chemistry industry is expected to grow from $2.8 billion in 2011 to $98.5 billion by 2020 while saving industry $65.5 billion according to one often-cited study. 

Businesses care...

Because businesses tend to emphasize forward-looking, streamlined processes, businesses already implement green chemistry into the production of many of their goods, and even more could be on the way with greater pressure from consumers. Individual businesses and coalitions like the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute and the industrial sectors drawn into it (e.g. pharmaceuticals and chemical manufacturers) have begun to respond to their main driver, consumer pressure, and are becoming more competitive by incorporating green chemistry - their gains in productivity are likely to offset any potential costs of reducing their environmental impact. 

To fully incorporate the benefits of green chemistry throughout society, what should we change? 

Industry is already poised to go big time into green chemistry. That innovation and the effects of green chemistry will be magnified across society if we are better educated about it, and if all sectors - industry, consumer and government - are better connected. 

Education - The next generation of consumers should pressure even more

Because green chemistry principles are just now emerging as part of chemistry education in the United States, students, who are the next generation of practitioners and consumers, do not understand the scientific and economic relevance of green chemistry to their lives. We need to leverage increased awareness and funding concurrently because this will lead to more and better sustainable products and processes and funding opportunities.

Better-equipped citizens make informed decisions about green and sustainable technologies, products, and industries that affect their lives, and this Act begins that process. Integrating green chemistry into school curricula will connect chemistry curriculum to students' everyday lives allowing benefits of real world contexts to motivate learning about chemistry. For example, leveraging the popularity of environmental sustainability among youth is a great way to connect chemistry concepts with issues we are passionate about.  Imagine encouraging students to use chemistry to develop alternative cosmetics or toys that are more sustainable? 

In green chemistry, innovation and education can happen concurrently. Society does not have time to wait for innovation before educating the next generation. Using real world issues as a starting point to introduce science concepts contextualizes environmental and sustainability issues, improves decision-making, and helps to create a scientifically literate citizenry. This approach will also improve consumers' understanding of the products they buy, which has the potential to create a positive feedback where educated consumers demand more sustainable products and processes and where scientists are literate in green chemistry and can employ its principles broadly.

Connect Industry, Government, and the Public 

While the EPA has supported many important projects, green chemistry is multi-disciplinary and can support cross-agency efforts from the EPA to the Department of Energy to the US Department of Agriculture. A new model for interagency coordination - modeled after the Sustainable Chemistry Initiative suggested at the very bottom of this Act - would coordinate green chemistry research, development, technology transfer, education, and training across federal agencies and in support of larger US national efforts. This kind of mega effort supported by a green chemistry curriculum can make our use of chemicals more sustainable.   

While the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is a good step forward, let's make sure that our government doesn't forget about the Sustainable Chemistry Initiative tucked away at the very bottom of the bill.  The more green chemistry is used and understood, the closer we get to fulfilling our legislators' promise to make the chemicals in our lives safer.  A coordinated and integrated effort across education, industry, and government can make this Act a truly effective reality.

-- 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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The Real Differences Between Animals And Humans  

Image Credit: Huffington Post Images

While humans evolved to have the largest brain-to-body-size ratio, supposedly making us one of the smartest animals on Earth, we also evolved to be the most destructive.

In 1950 there were 2.5 billion people on Earth, and we created 1.5 million tons of plastic per year. Now there are 7.4 billion people on Earth - a five-fold increase; yet, we create over 300 million tons of plastic each year, a 200-fold difference.

Not only that, but, since 1950, we have also over-fished nearly every inch of our oceans.

So, what does this have to do with the difference between animals and ourselves?

The major difference is that (**most**) animals consume or eat for survival, they kill only what they need to live. That might mean a pod of Orcas kills one seal, or a pride of lions kills one Impala.

Humans, on the other hand, kill indiscriminately.

When we fish in our oceans, we don't just get the one species we are looking for. We trawl the bottom of the ocean killing everything in our path, corals or bottom-dwelling creatures, and irresponsibly catch and kill multiple unintended species of fish, invertebrates, sea mammals such as dolphins, porpoises, or whales, and sometimes, even seabirds.

Our search for oil damages marine habitats, food chains, health, and also may damage the sensitive hearing of marine animals, making it difficult for them to find food, or communicate, and may even cause mass strandings or death from starvation as animals become confused, overwhelmed, or disoriented from the cacophony.

Meanwhile on land, we are destructive in a myriad of other ways: We clear-cut forests, build cities, disrupt waterway, infiltrate and destroy habitats, and indiscriminately kill, again.

Hundreds of thousands of elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, and other endangered species are killed every year for their "medicinal" "purposes, or to demonstrate wealth; and, many of these animals are on the brink of extinction, and may become extinct within the next decade.

The true wealth on our planet is the animals. Their lives. It is what they give to the planet and to each other as part of an intricate web, they have figured out already. They've been here a lot longer than we have.

They know how to live in harmony, and take only what they need.

They know the importance of returning to the land what they take, reaping what they sow, and do not kill without reason.

We may have the largest brains, but I argue that we are not the smartest.

If we would just start paying attention, we would learn so much from our fellow animals about conservation, relationship building, giving back to the earth, and perhaps most importantly contributing to the web in which we are also a part of.

They were here long before we were, yet, we are killing them, and altering the planet faster than they can adapt.

By 2050 it is estimated that more than half of all species on the planet will be extinct, by our hands.

By 2050, It is expected that there will be more plastic in the ocean and fish.

These to me are scary statistics. It is time to stem the wave of destruction, and instead to be leaders and advocates for conservation.

Here's how:

1. If you eat seafood, look only for sustainable sources, that our line-caught, meaning they use traditional, discriminate fishing methods.

2. Write your congressmen and senators.

3. Educate others by Sharing this blog and others like it.

4. Eliminate or significantly reduce your intake of animal products - treat them as a condiment, not a main. For more specific meal suggestions and recipes, please refer to my previous post: "Why Plants are This Summer's "Coolest" Diet."

5. Read and review your food labels, because, it is possible that there are ingredients in them that are unsustainable (such as coconut or palm kernel oil - which destroy several habitats) and or possibly shark fin or cartilage.

6. Give up your fish oil in lieu of plant sources of omega-3 black, such as flax, walnut, and algal sources.

7. Encourage your local coffee shop to invest in eco-lids and cups that are compostable.

8. Reduce your food waste, buy only what you need, cook it, and eat it or store it in a way that it won't go bad. Food storage tips.


To contact Dana: recipe.for.survival@gmail.com
Twitter: recipe4survival
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeForSurvival/
blog: recipeforsurvival.wordpress.com

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Putting Your Self(ie) And Animals At Risk  
What's a picture really worth? What's the price for a moment of wonder, excitement, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be just... that... close to a wild animal?

I have written these words before about the concept of having an exotic animal as a pet--a chimpanzee, a macaque, a tiger, or any number of others. I understand it. I understand the profound and emotional yearning to be close to a wild animal. To touch a wild animal. To embrace the companionship of a wild animal. It's got to be magical and exciting.

It's also dangerous, inhumane, and stupid. These are wild animals, meant to be in the wild. They bite and scratch. They experience fear and suffering in the unnatural life we force them to endure. They escape and become invasive species, or they escape and cause harm. They are confiscated and become the burden of the local humane society or wildlife sanctuary.

Wildlife belongs in the wild.

Now, the "selfie" or the photo-op: the moment to take a picture with a wild animal. I have seen it myself in Cancun, Mexico, where hopeless tourists take pictures with helpless animals. For one dollar, you can cuddle an old, chained chimpanzee. I cross my fingers, hold my breath, and close my eyes to a squint. Please don't let this be the moment the chimpanzee has had enough and rips the flesh from that young lady's body.

I have seen it in Thailand, where people sit bottle-feeding a tiger for the chance to get a photograph together. It's dangerous for a tiger cub that young to be that close to people (risk of disease is high). It's also part of a brutal breeding industry that mass-produces tigers. The young ones forcibly pose for pictures; the older ones languish behind bars; and many of them likely end up slaughtered or sold for body parts to China.

But, this "selfie" phenomenon is beyond crazy. It's a perverse abuse of our newfound technology that makes us yearn to document every moment.

Take a picture of a wild animal in the wild, behaving naturally. Yes, absolutely. Do not manipulate wild animals, touch wild animals, or remove wild animals from their natural habitats for the sake of a Facebook update.

The internet is full of them. Argentinian beachgoers pulled a young dolphin from the water and passed her around for pictures until she tragically died. People in Lake Tahoe creep perilously close to wild black bears to capture just the right picture, putting themselves at risk of attack. Hikers in Yellowstone National Park have been attacked by bison and other wild animals while attempting to photograph them. A tourist in Macedonia pulled a swan from the water for a picture together, harming the bird. A shark was pulled from the water in the Dominican Republic for photos--and the shark died. Even the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a warning about taking selfies with seal pups because of the risk to the animals.

I wonder if the destructive and highly dangerous trend of selfies with wild animals stems from a societal view of animals as objects rather than as individuals. Perpetuated by zoo exhibits that place animals in a fishbowl, circus acts forcing highly unnatural behaviors, and media that treat animals as stylish accessories, the exploitation of animals has become normalized and encouraged. We see animals up close. For some, human nature dictates wanting to be even closer.

Wild animals are not novelties, are not safe for human interaction, do not exist to entertain us, and belong in the wild. Period.

While many people have an affinity for wild animals, not all of them are able to moderate their desire to be close to them. Meanwhile, modern society dramatically desensitizes people to the animals' very wildness. The desire to be close to animals, the opportunities to do so, and the misguided, trusting belief that it must be safe... Taken together, they result in people taking massive, dangerous risks for a mere photo opportunity.

A picture is worth a thousand words? Fine. Just don't let those words include "cruelty," "injury," "stress," "suffering," or "death." Take a selfie... with your dog or cat.

Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Adam

-- 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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Newborn ducklings can acquire notions of 'same' and 'different'  
Scientists have shown that newly hatched ducklings can readily acquire the concepts of 'same' and 'different' -- an ability previously known only in highly intelligent animals such as apes, crows and parrots.  
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Biodiversity is below safe levels across more than half of world's land study  

Habitat destruction has reduced the variety of plants and animals to the point that ecological systems could become unable to function properly, with risks for agriculture and human health, say scientists

The variety of animals and plants has fallen to dangerous levels across more than half of the world's landmass due to humanity destroying habitats to use as farmland, scientists have estimated.

The unchecked loss of biodiversity is akin to playing ecological roulette and will set back efforts to bring people out of poverty in the long term, they warned.

Continue reading...  
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Biodiversity falls below ‘safe levels' globally  
Levels of global biodiversity loss may negatively impact on ecosystem function and the sustainability of human societies.  
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