“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.”
— Charles Darwin
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“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.”
— Charles Darwin
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano, located near the epicentre of a strong weekend earthquake, showed increased activity Monday, belching more lava and heat clouds, scientists said. Tri Yani, who works in the vulcanology office in the city of Yogyakarta, said numerous clouds of volcanic gases, ash and dust had spewed from the peak early in the day. Merapi also sent 78 lava trails running 2.5 kilometres (one mile) down its slopes on Monday, she told AFP.
Kelp forest ecosystems that span the West Coast — from Alaska to Mexico’s Baja Peninsula — are at greater risk from overfishing than from the effects of run-off from fertilizers or sewage on the shore.
NASA’s rovers are getting a software upgrade that will allow them to search “intelligently” for clouds and dust devils on Mars.
Samples from hundreds of French children have yielded evidence for a link between autism and exposure to heavy metals. If validated, the findings might mean some cases of autism could be treated with drugs that purge the body of heavy metals.
A new tree-ring-based reconstruction of 508 years of Colorado River stream flow confirms that droughts more severe than the 2000-2004 drought occurred before stream gages were installed on the river. The new research also confirms that using stream gage records alone may overestimate the average amount of water in the river because the last 100-year period was wetter than the average for the last five centuries.
How safe are nanoparticles? The May issue of Nano Today launches a dedicated forum for debate on the effects of nanoparticles on human health. In “Nanotechnology: assessing the risks”, Andrew Maynard of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars calls for a strategic approach to research on potential risks to ensure the development of safe, publicly acceptable nanotechnology products.
Canadian regulators are considering drastic action against flame retardants because laboratory studies using animals link the chemicals to behaviour changes that bear an uncanny similarity to attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorders common in children.
China, with desert covering one third of its landmass, is slowing the rate at which desertification is eating up arable and other land but the problem remains serious, a government official said on Monday. In 2000, areas affected by desertification in China were expanding at an annual rate of 10,400 square km (4,015 sq mile), said Zhu Lieke, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration. This had now slowed to about 3,000 square km a year [!!!], he told a news conference, but despite the progress, a lack of rainfall was also contributing to forest fires across north China. More than half a million sq km of land could yet be improved to turn back the deserts, and in some areas the sand was advancing at a fast rate, Zhu said. “Disadvantageous climatic reasons, especially the influence of drought on speeding up desertification, cannot be underestimated,” he said. “Over-planting, over-grazing and over-use of water are also issues yet to be totally resolved.”
link to LA Times article which does not seem to be behind subscription.
TEHRAN, Iran — To Iran’s west lies a natural ally and perhaps its most potent weapon in the international fray over its nuclear program. While Iran and Iraq were arch enemies during the rule of Saddam Hussein, all signs point to an increasingly robust relationship now that Shiites have achieved a dominant role in the Iraqi leadership.
[snip]
But Iran and Iraq share a Shiite Muslim majority and deep cultural and historic ties, and Tehran’s influence over its neighbor is growing. Iran will likely try to use Iraq as a battleground if the United States punishes Tehran economically or militarily, analysts say.
Many key positions in the Iraqi government now are occupied by men who took refuge in Iran to avoid oppression by the Saddam’s former Sunni Muslim-dominated Baathist regime.
Iraq’s powerful militias, meanwhile, have strong ties to Iran and have deeply infiltrated Iraqi security forces. They can be expected to side with Iran if the West should attack, said Paul Ingram of the British American Security Information Council.
[snip]
With Tehran’s Taliban enemy no longer ruling Afghanistan to the east and with Saddam gone in the west, Iran is seeking to assert its regional muscle and wants the international community to accept that role — including the right to develop its nuclear program for what it says are peaceful purposes.
[snip]
Iran views the Gulf as its sphere of influence and sees the American military presence as both a potential military threat and an attempt to control the region’s vast oil resources.
Compounding the nuclear dispute with Iran is the U.S. memory of the Islamic revolution in 1979 and the subsequent crisis after Iranians took over the American Embassy and held hostages there for 444 days. Both issues have left the West eager to contain Iranian influence.
Iran also rushed into Iraq after the US invasion to provide humanitarian, medical and religious aid… something the Coalition was unable to provide. An average seventh grader could have figured out that invading Iraq would drive it closer to Iran’s sphere of influence. Bush’s government, in it’s blind arrogance, couldn’t see it.
Over at Orange a diarist is reporting that John Snow is resigning today. The commenters indicate both NPR and Fox are also reporting the news.
Yeah, Bush is on CNN right now yakking it up about Snow. I have the sound off, but I THINK he’s saying… “Blah blah blah; blah, and blah.” Same old poo.
OOoo, there’s Snow. I never noticed how much he resembles a bald eagle. News is much better with no sound.
News is much better with no sound.
You need to try watching “Wizard of Oz” with the sound turned off and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” playing, LOL. Here is what one person with more time than I do makes of it all.
Remember the good old days before the 2000 election when we had the time for such self-indulgences?
WaPo has the headline Paulson Named for Snow’s Post at Treasury and my immediate reaction was “I thought Pat Paulson ran as a Democrat.” No, just some Goldman Sachs CEO named Henry Paulson… At this point, Pat might have been an interesting idea, though!
Here’s an interesting tidbit from Think Progress about Goldman Sachs Chairman Henry M. Paulson Jr., Bush’s nominee for Treasury Secretary
President Bush’s new nominee for Treasury Secretary, Goldman Sachs Chairman Henry M. Paulson Jr., not only endorses the Kyoto Protocol to limit greenhouse emissions, but argues that the United States’ failure to enact Kyoto undermines the competitiveness of U.S. companies. Here’s a statement from the Nature Conservatory, where Paulson serves as chairman of the board:
[snip]
As a result, Paulson’s nomination is strongly opposed by a coalition right-wing groups seeking to cast doubt on climate science, such as the National Center for Public Policy Research, describing Paulson as “diametrically opposed to the positions of [the Bush] Administration.”
Do you think Bush knows about this? (snort)
Imho, Bush (or whoever has his hand up Bush’s back at the moment) is being told by The Big Boys to chill out & play nice, ergo Paulson is an urgent concession.
The market reacted badly today…wonder if this had something to do with it:
Dow: down 184.18 (-1.63%)
NASDAQ: down 45.63 (-2.06%)
S&P: down 20.29 (-1.58%)
Oh yeah…the economy’s doing great. Are you better off than you were 5 1/2 years ago?
From Blomberg News:
I’d like to see that debate…assuming, of course, there’re people in the democratic party willing to have it.
Peace
If you haven’t been over to European Tribune lately, you should go to check out Jerome’s diary Lugar: Energy More Important Than Al Qaeda
(also available in Orange).
It’s not just Lugar: The Republican big business PermaGov wing, always acutely aware of what’s necessary for their own survival, is abandoning Bush and the War on Terror. Rapidly.
Go enjoy the whole thing.
You were right about Jerome’s post… it’s a gas! I love the turmoil in the Republican party being brought on by strong doses of reality.
Knox, is it Monday?
ROTFLMAO
I’ll go fix it now…
link
Jamail’s post goes hand in hand with our Patriot Daily’s Iraqi Massacre: It’s Not Just Haditha
The media feeding frenzy around what has been referred to as “Iraq’s My Lai” has become frenetic. Focus on US Marines slaughtering at least 20 civilians in Haditha last November is reminiscent of the media spasm around the “scandal” of Abu Ghraib during April and May 2004.
Yet just like Abu Ghraib, while the media spotlight shines squarely on the Haditha massacre, countless atrocities continue daily, conveniently out of the awareness of the general public. Torture did not stop simply because the media finally decided, albeit in horribly belated fashion, to cover the story, and the daily slaughter of Iraqi civilians by US forces and US-backed Iraqi “security” forces had not stopped either.
Earlier this month, I received a news release from Iraq, which read, “On Saturday, May 13th, 2006, at 10:00 p.m., US Forces accompanied by the Iraqi National Guard attacked the houses of Iraqi people in the Al-Latifya district south of Baghdad by an intensive helicopter shelling. This led the families to flee to the Al-Mazar and water canals to protect themselves from the fierce shelling. Then seven helicopters landed to pursue the families who fled … and killed them. The number of victims amounted to more than 25 martyrs. US forces detained another six persons including two women named Israa Ahmed Hasan and Widad Ahmed Hasan, and a child named Huda Hitham Mohammed Hasan, whose father was killed during the shelling.”
The report from the Iraqi NGO called The Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI) continued, “The forces didn’t stop at this limit. They held an attack on May 15th, 2006, supported also by the Iraqi National Guards. They also attacked the families’ houses, and arrested a number of them while others fled. US snipers then used the homes to target more Iraqis. The reason for this crime was due to the downing of a helicopter in an area close to where the forces held their attack.”
This is a very powerful article that made my stomach turn. I didn’t snip it apart, because it deserves to be read in full. If you have a few minutes, go read it.
By the way, My Lai is prounced “me lie”… every time I hear Soledad O’Brien on CNN call it “My Lie” I cringe.
Haditha cartoon from Times Online UK.
about the Iraq “war”, the apparant coverup, and the person ultimately responsible, “My Lie” is probably more appropriate…
An appropriate song and video for today, the actual (non-Monday holiday) Memorial Day:
No Bravery
The artists:
Capt. J. Blunt LG — piano, vocals
Col. L. Perry — guitar
Pte. P. III — bass
Cpl. B. McCloud — drums
(Blunt wrote the song based on his experiences as a member of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo…)
I read the words to the song… very powerful. (Dial up limits my online video viewing.) There are also some good links on that page… thanks, Cali Scribe.
The EU’s top court scrapped a decision forcing airlines to give data about European passengers to US authorities as part of their post-September 11, 2001 security crackdown. Story here
More from Europe:
E.U. Urges Europeans to Act Locally to Help Stop Global Warming