Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Fuel Cell or not Fuel Cell? That is the question.
Fuel Cell or not Fuel Cell? That is the question.
by Richard Lewis
Everytime I see a news story either online or on the TV about hydrogen, they always seem to mention fuel cell technology. It's not that I hate fuel cell technology. It's just that there are so many problems as of current, that it isn't a suitable technology for the near future. Maybe in 10 years or so...who knows.
Cost
Let's take the average sedan with 100 horsepower and do some simple math. If you have 100 hp, then that is equal to 74,600 watts. A good internal combustion engine (ICE) runs at about 35% efficiency (average car is about 25%). So, that would mean that the car used 213 kw in fuel just to get its useable power. The average cost for a fuel cell is about $4,500/kilowatt. That would mean that a fuel cell for that average sedan would cost (at 50% eff.) a whopping $475,000! By the end of the decade they hope to be down to $800/kw. Even that would make for an expensive fuel cell costing about $85,000. If they ever make it to $35/kw by 2015 or so, then that would be $3700 per fuel cell.
And platinum is getting more rare and more expensive. There simply isn't enough platinum on the planet to supply all 800 million cars with fuel cells. And platinum will skyrocket in price if fuel cells become more mainstream. Alkaline fuel cells could be used, but they don't work well when carbon monoxide is present. And as a transitional phase to a hydrogen economy, there will still be "regular" cars on the road producing plenty of carbon monoxide. Also, the alkaline fuel cell is far too bulky for cars.
Efficiency
Everyone will tell you that fuel cells are more efficient than internal combustion engines. The fuel cell is often just above 50% efficient. While a typical internal combustion engine (ICE) is about 25%. But here is the rub. If you take a typical ICE and convert it to run off of 100% hydrogen, then you will have to change the timing to about top dead center. Then the efficiency will go up to about 50%. Less power is wasted in heat and less is transfered to the walls of the cylinder. In fact, most will be transfered to the downstroke of the piston. In reality, this efficiency boost isn't always seen as pure horsepower but rather a boost in fuel efficiency.
How long do they last?
Another problem is how long a fuel cell lasts. According to Perdue University, an ICE will last about 5,000 hours while a fuel cell will typically last about 1,000 hours. If you were to drive an hour to work and an hour home and a couple hours on the weekend, then that would be about 12 hours per week. That works out to just over a year and a half before your $100,000 fuel cell is dead. Yeah, that's a bargain. NOT
Pure Hydrogen
To put it simply, the hydrogen going into your $100,000 fuel cell has to be extremely pure. Otherwise, you might damage it.
Alternatives? Meet the ICE engine
Let's face it, switching over to hydrogen is a huge step. We don't really have the infrastructure set up. At $250,000 per fuel cell car, it doesn't seem likely that a large portion of the 800 million cars on the planet will switch over. I don't even see a large portion of wealthy people switching over, especially knowing that a $100,000 fuel cell has to be replaced every couple of years.
But there are some shortcuts we can take. For example, we could use natural gas pipelines to transfer hydrogen across the country. And depleted oil wells could be used as a temporary storage of excess hydrogen.
We could setup hydrogen generators at home that will turn electricity and water into hydrogen. They could also be run with solar and/or windmills.
And since most vehicles on the road these days use internal combustion engines, we could do a cheap conversion on them so they could utilize hydrogen and/or gas. The IC engine will last about twice as long running off straight hydrogen and will need fewer oil changes and tuneups. Imagine 10,000 hours of driving. In the above example, that would be 16 years of nice driving and only changing the oil and spark plugs a few times.
And the upgrade is simple and fairly fast. It involves a carbon fiber tank for storage, a header injection system and a few controls and valves. Something any mechanic can perform. A rough estimate today would be about $1,000 in parts...maybe $1,500. That sure beats a $250,000 car and a $100,000 fuel cell replacement every few years. The government could even offer tax breaks for having a conversion done.
A car properly modified to run off of hydrogen can actually clean the air. The only exhausts from this type of vehicle will be water vapor and a very small amount of nitrous oxides. Although, the nitrous oxides would be about 500 times less than a normal car emits. So, a hydrogen car driving around the city would actually clean the air.
And since you can still run off of regular gasoline, there is no downside. You can even run in hydrogen boost mode. This is when you run off of normal gas and add about 7% or more hydrogen to the mix. This will boost your fuel economy about 30%.
sources-------
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html4ever/2005/050510.Agrawal.fuelcells.html
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/fuelcells/
http://www.bullnet.co.uk/shops/test/hydrogen.htm#cost
http://www.clean-air.org/
"The Solar Hydrogen Civilization" by Roy McAlister
Posted by Richard at 10:09 PM
by Richard Lewis
Everytime I see a news story either online or on the TV about hydrogen, they always seem to mention fuel cell technology. It's not that I hate fuel cell technology. It's just that there are so many problems as of current, that it isn't a suitable technology for the near future. Maybe in 10 years or so...who knows.
Cost
Let's take the average sedan with 100 horsepower and do some simple math. If you have 100 hp, then that is equal to 74,600 watts. A good internal combustion engine (ICE) runs at about 35% efficiency (average car is about 25%). So, that would mean that the car used 213 kw in fuel just to get its useable power. The average cost for a fuel cell is about $4,500/kilowatt. That would mean that a fuel cell for that average sedan would cost (at 50% eff.) a whopping $475,000! By the end of the decade they hope to be down to $800/kw. Even that would make for an expensive fuel cell costing about $85,000. If they ever make it to $35/kw by 2015 or so, then that would be $3700 per fuel cell.
And platinum is getting more rare and more expensive. There simply isn't enough platinum on the planet to supply all 800 million cars with fuel cells. And platinum will skyrocket in price if fuel cells become more mainstream. Alkaline fuel cells could be used, but they don't work well when carbon monoxide is present. And as a transitional phase to a hydrogen economy, there will still be "regular" cars on the road producing plenty of carbon monoxide. Also, the alkaline fuel cell is far too bulky for cars.
Efficiency
Everyone will tell you that fuel cells are more efficient than internal combustion engines. The fuel cell is often just above 50% efficient. While a typical internal combustion engine (ICE) is about 25%. But here is the rub. If you take a typical ICE and convert it to run off of 100% hydrogen, then you will have to change the timing to about top dead center. Then the efficiency will go up to about 50%. Less power is wasted in heat and less is transfered to the walls of the cylinder. In fact, most will be transfered to the downstroke of the piston. In reality, this efficiency boost isn't always seen as pure horsepower but rather a boost in fuel efficiency.
How long do they last?
Another problem is how long a fuel cell lasts. According to Perdue University, an ICE will last about 5,000 hours while a fuel cell will typically last about 1,000 hours. If you were to drive an hour to work and an hour home and a couple hours on the weekend, then that would be about 12 hours per week. That works out to just over a year and a half before your $100,000 fuel cell is dead. Yeah, that's a bargain. NOT
Pure Hydrogen
To put it simply, the hydrogen going into your $100,000 fuel cell has to be extremely pure. Otherwise, you might damage it.
Alternatives? Meet the ICE engine
Let's face it, switching over to hydrogen is a huge step. We don't really have the infrastructure set up. At $250,000 per fuel cell car, it doesn't seem likely that a large portion of the 800 million cars on the planet will switch over. I don't even see a large portion of wealthy people switching over, especially knowing that a $100,000 fuel cell has to be replaced every couple of years.
But there are some shortcuts we can take. For example, we could use natural gas pipelines to transfer hydrogen across the country. And depleted oil wells could be used as a temporary storage of excess hydrogen.
We could setup hydrogen generators at home that will turn electricity and water into hydrogen. They could also be run with solar and/or windmills.
And since most vehicles on the road these days use internal combustion engines, we could do a cheap conversion on them so they could utilize hydrogen and/or gas. The IC engine will last about twice as long running off straight hydrogen and will need fewer oil changes and tuneups. Imagine 10,000 hours of driving. In the above example, that would be 16 years of nice driving and only changing the oil and spark plugs a few times.
And the upgrade is simple and fairly fast. It involves a carbon fiber tank for storage, a header injection system and a few controls and valves. Something any mechanic can perform. A rough estimate today would be about $1,000 in parts...maybe $1,500. That sure beats a $250,000 car and a $100,000 fuel cell replacement every few years. The government could even offer tax breaks for having a conversion done.
A car properly modified to run off of hydrogen can actually clean the air. The only exhausts from this type of vehicle will be water vapor and a very small amount of nitrous oxides. Although, the nitrous oxides would be about 500 times less than a normal car emits. So, a hydrogen car driving around the city would actually clean the air.
And since you can still run off of regular gasoline, there is no downside. You can even run in hydrogen boost mode. This is when you run off of normal gas and add about 7% or more hydrogen to the mix. This will boost your fuel economy about 30%.
sources-------
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html4ever/2005/050510.Agrawal.fuelcells.html
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/fuelcells/
http://www.bullnet.co.uk/shops/test/hydrogen.htm#cost
http://www.clean-air.org/
"The Solar Hydrogen Civilization" by Roy McAlister
Posted by Richard at 10:09 PM
Friday, July 23, 2010
Vortex Energy Part 2 of 22 Vibration and the Secret of Healing
Physician Heal Thyself.
Anyone ever notice how the NHS and other government controlled medical services only use one snake in their logos? They are taking you all for one big ride. They have removed the spirituality from thier healing methods, taking your money and causing you more problems so they can take more of your money and run us into early graves. Time to wake up and learn to heal ourselves.
http://www.youtube.com/gridkeeper
http://www.youtube.com/gridkeepermusic
Latest audio release from Gridkeeper - Moon Transmissions e.p. http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Transmissi...
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Vertical Wind Turbines /WildNature's "GUS ©"-VAWT
Green Utility Systems©- The "GUS©" Vertical Wind Turbine from WildNature Solutions !
Totally Silent! 100% Safe for ALL Wildlife, including Birds and Bats.....
contact:
WildNature Solutions
Port Townsend, Wahington USA
360-385-9910
http://www.wildnaturesolutions.com
Maglev Wind Turbine
I thought I should post this again for everyone to ponder upon...
I really won't suggest a fixed fin for a typhoon prone area... perhaps lowering it's height by as much as 75% will make it safer to be placed in countries where typhoons or hurricanes are constantly occuring...
A top support with Guy wire cables or steel trusses to keep the top part as firmly supported as the bottom will do the trick.
This system can also be placed on top of vehicles on a small scale so as to make extra electrical energy to supply for the vehicles electrical requirements... which can also be used to generate supplemental fuel like HHO, Hydrogen and Oxygen based on water.
More stuff to ponder...
Jay's Tiny House Tour
Jays house is the perfect statement...
One needs only the bare essentials in life. Why live in a house you cannot clean by yourself?
As a child, I have lived in big houses and often wondered... what if we don't have maids or househelp? Will the house stay clean for a whole week? very unlikely.
People often go in the thinking that bigger is better. To live in a small house is not only economically wise... it is also environmentally responsible.
In order to really save this planet... we must all reinvent ourselves... our way of living... our living spaces.
Know more about Little houses at... http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
Or just start building your own.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wave of UFO Sightings over Cleveland (March 2010)
A strange light over Lake Erie has Cleveland residents nervously eyeing the sky.
For more than a week, a mysterious pulsating light has been appearing nightly over Lake Erie east of downtown Cleveland — showing up at approximately 7:30 pm and zipping around in the darkness for about two hours before disappearing — reports MSNBC. Captured on film from various angles, it's now drawing nightly crowds at the lakefront. While Nick Pope, former chief UFO investigator at the British defense ministry, calls it a "significant sighting," some of the UFO's fans do not exactly inspire faith: "I have absolutely no expertise in this field, but I can guarantee you that it is not human!" says Eugene Erlich, a local college student who has been videotaping the lights. Watch MSNBC's report:
http://www.theweek.com/article/index/...
msnbc: Man claims UFO in Cleveland (10 Nights in a row)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdAjqY...
UFO: The Greatest Story Ever Denied (Full Length version)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMXBy5...
Is there anybody out there?- http://royalsociety.org/Is-there-anyb...
msnbc: 'Aliens are Real'- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GyzoW...
Aliens Exist and UFOs Are Covered-up by US Government, says Ex-Astronaut- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/sp...
Aliens Are out There (The Detection of Extra-terrestrial Life) RS Conference 25/1/2010- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcNcTd...
Man 'Must Prepare to Meet Alien Life Forms (25/1/2010) - http://news.stv.tv/scotland/152841-ma...
UFO Report Live Website- http://www.uforeportlive.ning.com/
BP chokes off the oil leak; now begins the wait
AP
This image taken from video (http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/image-taken-video-provided-BP-PLC-1557-CDT-shows-that/photo//100715/480/urn_publicid_ap_org7eb9aab082a2449f8c8513a9c8eaaab6//s:/ap/20100715/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill;_ylt=AkYbmPT3_n9dHgx9jVXAh0yp_aF4;_ylu=X3oDMTE5bjA4dGg1BHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl9yX3RvcF9waG90bwRzbGsDdGhpc2ltYWdldGFr)
provided by BP PLC at 15:57 CDT, shows that oil has stopped flowing from the new 75-ton cap atop the site of the Deepwate AP – This image taken from video provided by BP PLC at 15:57 CDT, shows that oil has stopped flowing from …
* Gulf Coast Oil Spill Slideshow:Gulf Coast Oil Spill
* BP says no more oil going into Gulf Play Video Video:BP says no more oil going into Gulf AP
* BP Gets the Green Light Play Video Video:BP Gets the Green Light ABC News
By COLLEEN LONG and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writers Colleen Long And Harry R. Weber, Associated Press Writers –
NEW ORLEANS – BP finally choked off the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday — 85 days and up to 184 million gallons after the crisis unfolded — then began a tense 48 hours of watching to see whether the capped-off well would hold or blow a new leak.
To the relief of millions of people along the Gulf Coast, the big, billowing brown cloud of crude at the bottom of the sea disappeared from the underwater video feed for the first time since the disaster began in April, as BP closed the last of three openings in the 75-ton cap lowered onto the well earlier this week.
"Finally!" said Renee Brown, a school guidance counselor visiting Pensacola Beach, Fla., from London, Ky. "Honestly, I'm surprised that they haven't been able to do something sooner, though."
But the company stopped far short of declaring victory over the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history and one of the nation's worst environmental disasters, a catastrophe that has killed wildlife and threatened the livelihoods of fishermen, restaurateurs, and oil industry workers from Texas to Florida.
Now begins a waiting period during which engineers will monitor pressure gauges and watch for signs of leaks elsewhere in the well. The biggest risk: Pressure from the oil trapped under the cap could fracture the well and make the leak even worse, causing oil to spill from other spots on the sea floor.
If engineers see any sign of a new leak erupting, the cap will be reopened, allowing oil to spill into the sea again.
Even if the well holds out for the whole two days, the vents will be opened again and oil released while engineers conduct a seismic survey of the ocean floor to make sure oil and gas aren't breaking out of the well into the bedrock, said retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the Obama administration's point man on the disaster.
"For the people living on the Gulf, I'm certainly not going to guess their emotions," BP vice president Kent Wells said. "I hope they're encouraged there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico. But we have to be careful. Depending on what the test shows us, we may need to open this well back up."
The news elicited joy mixed with skepticism from wary Gulf Coast residents following months of false starts, setbacks and failed attempts. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's face lit up when he heard the oil flow had stopped.
"That's great. I think a lot of prayers were answered today," he said.
"I don't believe that. That's a lie. It's a (expletive) lie," said Stephon LaFrance, an oysterman in Louisiana's oil-stained Plaquemines Parish who has been out of work for weeks. "I don't believe they stopped that leak. BP's trying to make their self look good."
Billy Nungesser, president of Plaquemines Parish and an outspoken critic of the federal and corporate response to the spill, warned against complacency.
"We better not let our guard down. We better not pull back the troops because, as we know, there's a lot of oil out there, on the surface, beneath it. And I truly believe that we're going to see oil coming ashore for the next couple of years," he said.
President Barack Obama called it a positive sign, but cautioned: "We're still in the testing phase."
The stoppage came 85 days, 16 hours and 25 minutes after the first report April 20 of an explosion on the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers. Somewhere between 94 million and 184 million gallons spilled into the Gulf, according to government estimates.
The skepticism comes after a string of failed attempts by BP to contain the leak, including the use of a giant concrete-and-steel box that became clogged with ice-like crystals; a colossal stopper and siphon tube that trapped very little oil; and an effort to jam the well by pumping in mud and shredded rubber.
Wells said the oil stopped flowing into the water at 2:25 p.m. CDT after engineers gradually dialed back the amount of crude escaping through the last of three vents in the cap, an 18-foot-high metal stack of pipes and valves.
On the video feed, the violently churning cloud of oil and gas coming out of a narrow tube thinned, and tapered off. Suddenly, there were a few puffs of oil, surrounded by cloudy dispersant BP was pumping on top. Then, there was nothing.
"I am very pleased that there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, I'm really excited there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico," Wells said.
The cap is designed to stop oil from flowing into the sea, either by bottling it up inside the well, or capturing it and piping it to ships on the surface. Allen said if the cap holds, it will probably be used to pipe oil to the surface, with the option of employing it to shut the well completely if a hurricane threatens.
Even if it works, the cap is not a permanent fix, and not the end of the crisis by any means. BP is drilling two relief wells so it can pump mud and cement into the leaking well in hopes of plugging it permanently by mid-August. After that, the Gulf Coast faces a monumental cleanup and restoration that could take years.
BP stock, which has mainly tumbled since the spill began, closed nearly 8 percent higher on the New York Stock Exchange after the news.
Steve Shepard, Gulf Coast chairman of the Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club, said: "I think it's a little premature to say it's definitely over. They've gotten our hopes up so many times before that in my mind I don't think it's going to be over until Christmas."
Nine-year-old Lena Durden threw up her hands in jubilation when her mother told her the oil was stopped.
"God, that's wonderful," said Yvonne Durden, a Mobile-area native who now lives in Seattle and brought her daughter to the coast for a visit. "We came here so she could swim in the water and see it in case it's not here next time."
Randall Luthi, president of the Washington-based National Ocean Industries Association, a trade group representing the offshore oil industry, said: "This is by far the best news we've heard in 86 days. You can bet that industry officials and their families are taking a big sigh here."
___
Weber reported from Houston. Associated Press Writers Holbrook Mohr in Empire, La., Shelia Byrd in Jackson, Miss., Jay Reeves in Dauphin Island, Ala., Mary Foster, Alan Sayre, Kevin McGill and Vicki Smith in New Orleans, and Matt Sedensky in Pensacola Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
This image taken from video (http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/image-taken-video-provided-BP-PLC-1557-CDT-shows-that/photo//100715/480/urn_publicid_ap_org7eb9aab082a2449f8c8513a9c8eaaab6//s:/ap/20100715/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill;_ylt=AkYbmPT3_n9dHgx9jVXAh0yp_aF4;_ylu=X3oDMTE5bjA4dGg1BHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl9yX3RvcF9waG90bwRzbGsDdGhpc2ltYWdldGFr)
provided by BP PLC at 15:57 CDT, shows that oil has stopped flowing from the new 75-ton cap atop the site of the Deepwate AP – This image taken from video provided by BP PLC at 15:57 CDT, shows that oil has stopped flowing from …
* Gulf Coast Oil Spill Slideshow:Gulf Coast Oil Spill
* BP says no more oil going into Gulf Play Video Video:BP says no more oil going into Gulf AP
* BP Gets the Green Light Play Video Video:BP Gets the Green Light ABC News
By COLLEEN LONG and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writers Colleen Long And Harry R. Weber, Associated Press Writers –
NEW ORLEANS – BP finally choked off the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday — 85 days and up to 184 million gallons after the crisis unfolded — then began a tense 48 hours of watching to see whether the capped-off well would hold or blow a new leak.
To the relief of millions of people along the Gulf Coast, the big, billowing brown cloud of crude at the bottom of the sea disappeared from the underwater video feed for the first time since the disaster began in April, as BP closed the last of three openings in the 75-ton cap lowered onto the well earlier this week.
"Finally!" said Renee Brown, a school guidance counselor visiting Pensacola Beach, Fla., from London, Ky. "Honestly, I'm surprised that they haven't been able to do something sooner, though."
But the company stopped far short of declaring victory over the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history and one of the nation's worst environmental disasters, a catastrophe that has killed wildlife and threatened the livelihoods of fishermen, restaurateurs, and oil industry workers from Texas to Florida.
Now begins a waiting period during which engineers will monitor pressure gauges and watch for signs of leaks elsewhere in the well. The biggest risk: Pressure from the oil trapped under the cap could fracture the well and make the leak even worse, causing oil to spill from other spots on the sea floor.
If engineers see any sign of a new leak erupting, the cap will be reopened, allowing oil to spill into the sea again.
Even if the well holds out for the whole two days, the vents will be opened again and oil released while engineers conduct a seismic survey of the ocean floor to make sure oil and gas aren't breaking out of the well into the bedrock, said retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the Obama administration's point man on the disaster.
"For the people living on the Gulf, I'm certainly not going to guess their emotions," BP vice president Kent Wells said. "I hope they're encouraged there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico. But we have to be careful. Depending on what the test shows us, we may need to open this well back up."
The news elicited joy mixed with skepticism from wary Gulf Coast residents following months of false starts, setbacks and failed attempts. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's face lit up when he heard the oil flow had stopped.
"That's great. I think a lot of prayers were answered today," he said.
"I don't believe that. That's a lie. It's a (expletive) lie," said Stephon LaFrance, an oysterman in Louisiana's oil-stained Plaquemines Parish who has been out of work for weeks. "I don't believe they stopped that leak. BP's trying to make their self look good."
Billy Nungesser, president of Plaquemines Parish and an outspoken critic of the federal and corporate response to the spill, warned against complacency.
"We better not let our guard down. We better not pull back the troops because, as we know, there's a lot of oil out there, on the surface, beneath it. And I truly believe that we're going to see oil coming ashore for the next couple of years," he said.
President Barack Obama called it a positive sign, but cautioned: "We're still in the testing phase."
The stoppage came 85 days, 16 hours and 25 minutes after the first report April 20 of an explosion on the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers. Somewhere between 94 million and 184 million gallons spilled into the Gulf, according to government estimates.
The skepticism comes after a string of failed attempts by BP to contain the leak, including the use of a giant concrete-and-steel box that became clogged with ice-like crystals; a colossal stopper and siphon tube that trapped very little oil; and an effort to jam the well by pumping in mud and shredded rubber.
Wells said the oil stopped flowing into the water at 2:25 p.m. CDT after engineers gradually dialed back the amount of crude escaping through the last of three vents in the cap, an 18-foot-high metal stack of pipes and valves.
On the video feed, the violently churning cloud of oil and gas coming out of a narrow tube thinned, and tapered off. Suddenly, there were a few puffs of oil, surrounded by cloudy dispersant BP was pumping on top. Then, there was nothing.
"I am very pleased that there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, I'm really excited there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico," Wells said.
The cap is designed to stop oil from flowing into the sea, either by bottling it up inside the well, or capturing it and piping it to ships on the surface. Allen said if the cap holds, it will probably be used to pipe oil to the surface, with the option of employing it to shut the well completely if a hurricane threatens.
Even if it works, the cap is not a permanent fix, and not the end of the crisis by any means. BP is drilling two relief wells so it can pump mud and cement into the leaking well in hopes of plugging it permanently by mid-August. After that, the Gulf Coast faces a monumental cleanup and restoration that could take years.
BP stock, which has mainly tumbled since the spill began, closed nearly 8 percent higher on the New York Stock Exchange after the news.
Steve Shepard, Gulf Coast chairman of the Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club, said: "I think it's a little premature to say it's definitely over. They've gotten our hopes up so many times before that in my mind I don't think it's going to be over until Christmas."
Nine-year-old Lena Durden threw up her hands in jubilation when her mother told her the oil was stopped.
"God, that's wonderful," said Yvonne Durden, a Mobile-area native who now lives in Seattle and brought her daughter to the coast for a visit. "We came here so she could swim in the water and see it in case it's not here next time."
Randall Luthi, president of the Washington-based National Ocean Industries Association, a trade group representing the offshore oil industry, said: "This is by far the best news we've heard in 86 days. You can bet that industry officials and their families are taking a big sigh here."
___
Weber reported from Houston. Associated Press Writers Holbrook Mohr in Empire, La., Shelia Byrd in Jackson, Miss., Jay Reeves in Dauphin Island, Ala., Mary Foster, Alan Sayre, Kevin McGill and Vicki Smith in New Orleans, and Matt Sedensky in Pensacola Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
Monday, July 12, 2010
GM Blight-resistant Potatoes – Who Needs Them?
ISIS Report 12/07/10
######################################
While researchers are wasting taxpayers’ money to create hazardous GM blight-
resistant potatoes, non-GM highly blight-resistant varieties are already on the
market, with low carbon impact and all-round appeal to consumers Dr Eva Novotny
A new trial of genetically modified (GM) crops has begun in England [1]. The
Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norfolk is testing a GM version
of the popular Desiree potato to determine whether, as in the laboratory, the
field-grown GM potato will remain resistant to late-blight disease. The
challenge to develop such potatoes had already been taken up in 2007 by the
German chemical giant BASF, in its Plant Science GmbH division; but their trials
ended prematurely without a marketable result. In fact, all such efforts are
unnecessary, as blight-resistant non-GM potatoes already exist that are also
outstanding in other respects, and further such varieties are in the pipeline.
Late blight is a serious disease of potatoes
Late blight is “ the most devastating disease of potatoes and one of the most
devastating plant diseases of any crop [2, 3].” In the UK, farmers typically
spray potato crops with fungicide 10-15 times a year [4]. Much effort,
therefore, has been put into means of controlling the disease. As part of good
farming practice, it is clearly advantageous to plant blight resistant
varieties.
The disease can kill all the leaves of a plant within 10 days. It was the cause
of the great Potato Famine in Ireland and western Scotland in the 1840s and
1850s. The pathogen responsible is Phytophthera infestans, notionally a fungus
but actually more closely related to brown seaweeds. Warm, humid weather
favours the disease. Leaves and stems can be infected, as can the tubers when
spores are washed into the soil by heavy rain. The disease can be carried from
year to year by tubers that were infected in the previous season. Although soil
is not usually a source of the blight, it is possible for the disease to be
transmitted when both mating types of the blight pathogen (see [5] GM Potatoes
not Proven Safe for Release, SiS 47) are present in the soil. In gardens, it is
possible for the disease to be carried over on infected foliage in an
insufficiently hot compost heap.
Unfortunately, the pathogen is evolving. Until 1976, there was only the single
mating type A1, which had various strains, all reproducing asexually. Then
mating type A2 appeared in Europe, brought from Mexico (the probable origin of
the blight pathogens) on imported potatoes. The two types were able to mate and
produced new strains by sexual reproduction. Since 2005, a highly aggressive
strain A2-Blue13 has developed; causing blight in some potato varieties that
were previously resistant, and it has become the dominant strain in the UK.
There is always the danger that the pathogen will evolve into a new strain that
can overcome the resistance of potato varieties now free of the disease, and
development of new varieties needs to take place on a continuing basis.
New trial by the Sainsbury Laboratory
The Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norfolk, England has
received approval for field trials of GM blight-resistant potatoes, beginning in
2010. The Laboratory claims that existing non-GM blight-resistant potatoes
suffer from “other deficiencies”, but this claim cannot justly be applied to
Sárpo potatoes, described later.
Natural resistance to blight occurs in some wild, inedible potato species in
South America. Two genes isolated from these have been transferred to a potato
variety popular in Britain, Desiree [4, 5], and will undergo field trials for
three years.
Justifying the use of genetic engineering to produce the new potatoes, the
Laboratory claims that [4]: “Potato breeding is extremely slow and inefficient.
… Breeding is not an exact science and changes many genes that affect important
agronomic traits such as yield, quality and maturity time. By using GM we can
be sure that only the desired resistance gene is introduced into the resulting
variety, without changing other characteristics.” This disingenuous statement is
actually false: it is well known that the random insertion process of genetic
engineering leads to disruption and rearrangement in the host’s own genome,
causing ‘insertion mutagenesis’ in many genes with totally unpredictable effects
(see review in [6] The Case for A GM-Free Sustainable World, Independent Science
Panel, ISIS publication).
The GM potato also has an antibiotic resistance marker gene nptII that confers
resistance to kanamycin and neomycin [7]. The Laboratory claims erroneously
that the antibiotic is not used for medical treatment of either humans or
animals. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) gave an
approving opinion for the trials, on grounds that [7]: “(a) the likelihood of
transfer of a functional gene from plant material tobacteria is extremely low;
(b) bacteria with resistance to these antibiotics arewidespread in the
environment; and (c) the acquisition of an intact gene isonly one of the
possible mechanisms by which bacteria may developresistance.” This is
essentially the same opinion delivered by the pro-GM European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) when it examined the use of antibiotic resistance genes in food
crops. On that occasion, however, two senior scientists on the panel disagreed
and issued a minority opinion in an annex to the statement, saying it was not
possible to assess any adverse effects and that the probability that the gene
could transfer from the GM plants to environmental bacteria was between
‘unlikely’ and ‘high’ (see [8] GM DNA Does Jump Species, SiS 47).
The Norfolk trials are funded entirely by UK taxpayers, through the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [4]. This is
unfortunate and a waste of taxpayers’ money, as even a Monsanto representative
acknowledged that “ultimately [non-GM] biotech offers the greatest potential”
for developing crops with such complex traits [9].
Another questionable aspect of the trials, and indeed of the whole project, is
that the parent variety Desiree is already widely planted. Thus, a newly
invading disease affecting the GM potato may wipe out a major portion of the
UK’s potato harvest, both GM and non-GM.
In fact, GM potatoes for late-blight resistance had already been trialled and
abandoned by another corporation. German chemical company BASF had produced GM
blight-resistant potatoes. Field trials were started in 2007, originally
planned for the Irish Republic but moved to England after the Irish authorities
placed very high requirements on the conduct of the trials, especially the
requirement for safety testing by feeding the potatoes to animals prior to
commencement of trials.
Read the rest of this report at the ISIS website:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GM_Blight-resistant_Potatoes.php
Or read other reports about genetic engineering in agriculture
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GE-agriculture.php
=======================================
######################################
While researchers are wasting taxpayers’ money to create hazardous GM blight-
resistant potatoes, non-GM highly blight-resistant varieties are already on the
market, with low carbon impact and all-round appeal to consumers Dr Eva Novotny
A new trial of genetically modified (GM) crops has begun in England [1]. The
Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norfolk is testing a GM version
of the popular Desiree potato to determine whether, as in the laboratory, the
field-grown GM potato will remain resistant to late-blight disease. The
challenge to develop such potatoes had already been taken up in 2007 by the
German chemical giant BASF, in its Plant Science GmbH division; but their trials
ended prematurely without a marketable result. In fact, all such efforts are
unnecessary, as blight-resistant non-GM potatoes already exist that are also
outstanding in other respects, and further such varieties are in the pipeline.
Late blight is a serious disease of potatoes
Late blight is “ the most devastating disease of potatoes and one of the most
devastating plant diseases of any crop [2, 3].” In the UK, farmers typically
spray potato crops with fungicide 10-15 times a year [4]. Much effort,
therefore, has been put into means of controlling the disease. As part of good
farming practice, it is clearly advantageous to plant blight resistant
varieties.
The disease can kill all the leaves of a plant within 10 days. It was the cause
of the great Potato Famine in Ireland and western Scotland in the 1840s and
1850s. The pathogen responsible is Phytophthera infestans, notionally a fungus
but actually more closely related to brown seaweeds. Warm, humid weather
favours the disease. Leaves and stems can be infected, as can the tubers when
spores are washed into the soil by heavy rain. The disease can be carried from
year to year by tubers that were infected in the previous season. Although soil
is not usually a source of the blight, it is possible for the disease to be
transmitted when both mating types of the blight pathogen (see [5] GM Potatoes
not Proven Safe for Release, SiS 47) are present in the soil. In gardens, it is
possible for the disease to be carried over on infected foliage in an
insufficiently hot compost heap.
Unfortunately, the pathogen is evolving. Until 1976, there was only the single
mating type A1, which had various strains, all reproducing asexually. Then
mating type A2 appeared in Europe, brought from Mexico (the probable origin of
the blight pathogens) on imported potatoes. The two types were able to mate and
produced new strains by sexual reproduction. Since 2005, a highly aggressive
strain A2-Blue13 has developed; causing blight in some potato varieties that
were previously resistant, and it has become the dominant strain in the UK.
There is always the danger that the pathogen will evolve into a new strain that
can overcome the resistance of potato varieties now free of the disease, and
development of new varieties needs to take place on a continuing basis.
New trial by the Sainsbury Laboratory
The Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norfolk, England has
received approval for field trials of GM blight-resistant potatoes, beginning in
2010. The Laboratory claims that existing non-GM blight-resistant potatoes
suffer from “other deficiencies”, but this claim cannot justly be applied to
Sárpo potatoes, described later.
Natural resistance to blight occurs in some wild, inedible potato species in
South America. Two genes isolated from these have been transferred to a potato
variety popular in Britain, Desiree [4, 5], and will undergo field trials for
three years.
Justifying the use of genetic engineering to produce the new potatoes, the
Laboratory claims that [4]: “Potato breeding is extremely slow and inefficient.
… Breeding is not an exact science and changes many genes that affect important
agronomic traits such as yield, quality and maturity time. By using GM we can
be sure that only the desired resistance gene is introduced into the resulting
variety, without changing other characteristics.” This disingenuous statement is
actually false: it is well known that the random insertion process of genetic
engineering leads to disruption and rearrangement in the host’s own genome,
causing ‘insertion mutagenesis’ in many genes with totally unpredictable effects
(see review in [6] The Case for A GM-Free Sustainable World, Independent Science
Panel, ISIS publication).
The GM potato also has an antibiotic resistance marker gene nptII that confers
resistance to kanamycin and neomycin [7]. The Laboratory claims erroneously
that the antibiotic is not used for medical treatment of either humans or
animals. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) gave an
approving opinion for the trials, on grounds that [7]: “(a) the likelihood of
transfer of a functional gene from plant material tobacteria is extremely low;
(b) bacteria with resistance to these antibiotics arewidespread in the
environment; and (c) the acquisition of an intact gene isonly one of the
possible mechanisms by which bacteria may developresistance.” This is
essentially the same opinion delivered by the pro-GM European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) when it examined the use of antibiotic resistance genes in food
crops. On that occasion, however, two senior scientists on the panel disagreed
and issued a minority opinion in an annex to the statement, saying it was not
possible to assess any adverse effects and that the probability that the gene
could transfer from the GM plants to environmental bacteria was between
‘unlikely’ and ‘high’ (see [8] GM DNA Does Jump Species, SiS 47).
The Norfolk trials are funded entirely by UK taxpayers, through the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [4]. This is
unfortunate and a waste of taxpayers’ money, as even a Monsanto representative
acknowledged that “ultimately [non-GM] biotech offers the greatest potential”
for developing crops with such complex traits [9].
Another questionable aspect of the trials, and indeed of the whole project, is
that the parent variety Desiree is already widely planted. Thus, a newly
invading disease affecting the GM potato may wipe out a major portion of the
UK’s potato harvest, both GM and non-GM.
In fact, GM potatoes for late-blight resistance had already been trialled and
abandoned by another corporation. German chemical company BASF had produced GM
blight-resistant potatoes. Field trials were started in 2007, originally
planned for the Irish Republic but moved to England after the Irish authorities
placed very high requirements on the conduct of the trials, especially the
requirement for safety testing by feeding the potatoes to animals prior to
commencement of trials.
Read the rest of this report at the ISIS website:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GM_Blight-resistant_Potatoes.php
Or read other reports about genetic engineering in agriculture
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GE-agriculture.php
=======================================
Floods, heavy rains plague China
English.news.cn 2010-07-12 10:05:46
Cars run on a waterlogged road in Jiangbei District of Chongqing municipality, southwestern China, July 9, 2010. The heaviest thunder storm since the flood season began hit main urban zone of Chongqing on Thursday morning. The municipal flood control authority started a warning system for seriously heavy rain. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
Dike breaches force evacuation of 4,200 people in east ChinaRainstorms have disrupted the lives of more than 2 million people in 29 counties across Anhui Province since July 8. (Photo: china.org.cn)
HEFEI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 4,200 people have been removed after flood-hit dykes of a river in Anhui Province suffered breaches, the local government said Sunday.
Bainian river that flows across Anqing and Tongcheng cities reported five minor dyke breaches between 10 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, forcing the evacuation. Full story
South China braces for more floods
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhuanet) --More downpour and floods in South China are expected by Wednesday after regional flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rains killed at least 50 people since the start of July.
Heavy downpours in the past few days have destroyed roads and bridges and halted at least 16 provincial highways in Chongqing, Fujian, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hunan and Qinghai provinces. All trains to and from Chongqing were suspended on Saturday, the Ministry of Transport said. Full story
Heavy rainfall in China's Guizhou destructive
People walk on the road destroyed in heavy rainfall in Daozhen County of Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 11, 2010. About 153,900 residents in the county have suffered a lot from the heavy rainfall which lasted for three days from July 8. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Rainstorms to plague flood-hit areas in next 3 days
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- China's Central Meteorological Station warned Sunday that rainstorms would again batter areas inundated by floods in central and east China in the coming days.
From Monday until Wednesday, the observatory forecast some regions in provinces including Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei and Anhui will see heavy rain storms. Full story
Rainstorms to lash flooded China provinces
Photo taken on July 10, 2010 shows the flood in Fenshui Town, Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China. The rainstorm hit here again one day after it triggered landslides and flood on Friday. (Xinhua/Zhou Hengyi)
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- China's Central Meteorological Station warned Sunday that rainstorms would again batter many provinces and regions in the coming days bringing with it bigger risks of new flooding and other geological disasters in central and eastern China.
From Monday until Wednesday, the observatory forecast some regions in provinces including Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, and Anhui will see heavy rain. Full story
Chinese Vice Premier urges increased efforts to fight floods
Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (facing camera) presides over an emergency meeting of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters in Beijing July 10, 2010. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Saturday called for more efforts to flight floods, as many parts of China have been ravaged by torrential rains again in recent days, triggering landslides and taking water above dangerous levels.
Hui, who is also the director of the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH), said at a work conference that continuous heavy rains in south China have added to difficulty in fighting the floods, but local governments must use all resources to ensure people's safety. Full story
Heaviest rain pounds Chongqing
The most severe rainstorm this summer pounded Chongqing, causing inland inundation in some parts. Local weather authorities issued a third-level storm alert. (Photo: chinanews.com)
At least 27 die after torrential rain, flood wreck havoc in south China
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people are dead, six others missing and tens of thousands evacuated after more rain-triggered landslides have caused havoc in south China, delaying flights and severing roads and railway lines in south China.
Ten people had died, two were missing and 109,000 relocated in the hardest-hit southwestern Chongqing Municipality by 6 p.m. Friday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said in a statement. Full story
Millions affected by floods in regions along Yangtze River
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Rain-triggered floods are affecting millions of people in regions along China's longest river, the Yangtze, China's flood control authority said Friday.
Provinces including eastern Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui and Chongqing Municipality were all affected by swelling rivers after heavy rain in these regions, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH) said Friday. Full story
Thousands evacuated after flash floods in SW China
Vehicles are immersed in the floodwater at a bus terminal in Youyang County of Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, July 9, 2010. The electricity supply was interrupted by a heavy rainfall in Youyang on Friday and vehicles were immersed in the ensuing flood. (Xinhua)
CHONGQING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- About 15,000 people were evacuated from their homes Friday after torrential rains left two townships in southwest China in flood waters up to 1.2 meters deep.
No casualties were reported in the flash floods that affected Fenshui Township and Sanzheng Township in Wanzhou County, near the massive Three Gorge Dam project. Full story
Rain-triggered landslide disrupts railway in SW China
GUIYANG, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Rain-triggered landslide disrupted the Sichuan-Guizhou Railway at Tongzi County in southwest China's Guizhou Province at around 8 a.m. Friday, said local authorities Friday.
The landslide carrying 2,000 cubic meters of debris occurred at Dahe Town. Over 300 workers with seven excavators were battling to repair the railway, said Wang Zhong, head of Tongzi County government. Full story
Torrential rain hits China's Hunan, leaving six dead, 50,000 relocated
CHANGSHA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rain hits central China's Hunan Province since Thursday night, leaving six people dead, two missing, 56,000 relocated and 760,000 affected as of Friday morning, said local authorities Friday. Full story
Floods kill six in central China province: ministry
Citizens ride on a waterlogged road in Xiangfan, central China's Hubei Province, July 3, 2010. A heavy rain hit the city Saturday. (Xinhua/Gong Bo)
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains and floods in central China's Hubei Province had killed six people and left two missing, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) announced Friday.
About 3.15 million people in the province have been affected by the weather, with about 94,000 people evacuated, according to a statement posted on the ministry website. Full story
China to battle storms following heat wave
BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Local authorities in central and southwest China were put on alert Thursday to fight heavy storms and floods -- termed to be the worst in a decade in some regions -- just as days-long heat wave that had scorched large areas across the country ended. Full story
Rain set to break heatwave in China: NMC
BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains are set to break the heatwave lingering across much of China Thursday, according to a forecast from China's National Meteorological Center (NMC).
Rains will hit areas near the Yangtze River and the Yellow River as well as northeast China, affecting Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, northern Fujian, northern Jiangxi, northern Hunan, Hubei, northern Guizhou, Heilongjiang, Jilin and southeast Tibet. Full story
Floods kill 25 in western China province in July
XINING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Floods have killed 25 people and left another three missing in northwest China's Qinghai Province in the first week of July, local authorities said Thursday.
About 41,000 people in 22 counties in seven prefectures had been affected by the floods as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the provincial civil affairs bureau said in a statement. Full story
China launches emergency response amid floods in Qinghai
BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- China's flood control authority, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, on Thursday launched a level IV emergency response, as floods hit parts of northwest China's Qinghai Province. Full story
Editor: Bi Mingxin
No water crisis, but save water just the same: DENR
WITH or without a water crisis, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said Metro Manila residents should save water as the water level of Angat dam continues to fall.
"The water situation in Metro Manila remains tight. However, there is no water crisis yet. But with or without water crisis, each one of us should conserve water to avoid shortage in the near future," he said.
"We should immediately repair faucet leaks and drips, recycle our used water…or save water by simply turning off the water while brushing," he added.
Paje said the water level in Angat dam may have reached its critical level, but the supply can still meet the requirements of Metro Manila.
As of yesterday, Angat was at 158.18 meters, or 23.11 meters below normal.
Angat supplies 97 percent of supply of the National Capital Region.
"The NWRB (National Water Resources Board) assured me that even if there are no rains in the area of Angat dam in the next 45 days, water concessionaires can still supply the water needs of its consumers," Paje said.
The NWRB, an attached agency of the DENR, is in charge of allocating water in Angat dam which is being managed by the National Power Corp.
Napocor has closed its hydropower plant in Angat because of the critical level. It suspended its hydropower plant operations after its five auxiliary turbines in the dam started to malfunction last week. It said operations can resume if the water level rises to 160 meters.
NWRB executive director Vicente Paragas said the NWRB’s technical working group on water shortage agreed on Friday to lower domestic water allocation for Metro Manila due to the decline of Angat dam’s water elevation.
He said the cut in water allocation, which was implemented yesterday, has led to water rationing in some high-lying areas of Manila and Quezon City due to lower water pressure.
He said Maynilad and Manila Water consumers will also likely experience shortened hours of water supply.
Angat dam is now using a low-level water outlet which is capable of operating below a 160-meter water level.
Pagasa hydrologist Edgar dela Cruz said rains in the past days were not sufficient enough to replenish the water outflow of the reservoir.
He said the rains did not fall directly on the Angat watershed.
Dela Cruz also said Pagasa expects the Angat level to begin normalizing in September. He said it would not rain hard this month up to August, based on the agency’s forecast.
Expected this month is below-normal rainfall, near normal in August, and heavy rains in September, he said. – Angela Lopez De Leon
Climategate Ends: Scientists did not manipulate the data – Climate Change a Reality
News Type: Event — Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:21 AM EDT
The scientists at the center of a media storm known as “climategate” have been cleared of accusations that they fudged their results and silenced critics to bolster the case for man-made Global Warming.
Sir Muir Russell, the senior civil servant who led a six-month inquiry into the affair, said the
“rigour and honesty” of the scientists at the world-leading Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA) are not in doubt. They did not subvert the peer review process to censor criticism as alleged, the panel found, while key data needed to reproduce their findings was freely available to any “competent” researcher.
The panel did criticize the scientists for not being open enough about their work, and said they were “unhelpful and defensive” when responding to legitimate requests made under freedom of information (FOI) laws.
The row was sparked when 13 years of emails from CRU scientists were hacked and released online last year Skeptics claimed they showed scientists manipulating and suppressing data to back up a theory of man-made climate change. Critics also alleged that the scientists abused their positions to cover up flaws and distort the peer review process that determines which studies are published in journals, and so enter the scientific record. Some alleged that the emails cast doubt on the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Announcing the findings, Russell said: “Ultimately this has to be about what they did, not what they said.”
He added: “The honesty and rigour of CRU as scientists are not in doubt … We have not found any evidence of behaviour that might undermine the conclusions of the IPCC assessments.”
This third and most detailed report on the “climategate” affair came to the same conclusions as the previous two. Two enquires by Penn State University have also exonerated the US scientists at the other end of the e-mail exchange.
Lessons? Well clearly in the age of the Internet scientists must be open to public scrutiny. Informed bloggers have played a big role in identifying errors and misconceptions within mainstream science –as in other spheres. Of course scientists, like anyone, have a right to privacy, but that does not mean that their data remain private forever.
At just4theplanet we believe that public scrutiny of science and the scientific method is never a bad thing, especially when the research involves something as important as Climate Change. But there comes a time when results should be accepted by all reasonable people. Of course there will be people arguing that climate change – if it exists at all – has nothing to do with Humans. But such people are often not interested in the evidence. Unfortunately they start from a belief system that is often unmovable. This is not a far cry from those who believe that the US government is responsible for 9/11 and all terrorist attacks in the West and that Christianity is the cause of evil in the world. Documentaries such as “Zeitgeist” – which has been watched by many – portray pseudo science in a way that is compelling – but quite ludicrous.
The most important outcome from the publication of all five reports in the UK and the USA is proof that there is no evidence whatsoever that climate scientists set out to manipulate the data in order to boost the case for climate change. We should not be distracted any further from devising methods to deal with it.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Studies: Radio Waves Hurt Tree Growth, Kill Bees
Cell phone and other electronic use has depleted aspen seedlings and honey
bees
Tiffany Kaiser - July 9, 2010 7:15 AM
bees
Tiffany Kaiser - July 9, 2010 7:15 AM
Katie Haggerty is a woman with no academic degree from Lyons, Colorado, but
she has published an environmental research paper in the International Journal
of Forestry Research about the harmful effects radio waves have on aspen
seedlings.
Haggerty started studying electromagnetic fields 20 years ago. She had heard
of a preliminary
experiment conducted near her home north of Steamboat Mountain that aspen
seedlings were healthier when shielded from radio waves.
Sometime in 2005, she saw that her geraniums were stunted and had an inkling
that it may have had to do with radio frequencies, since she placed her plants
in a Faraday cage, which is covered by a metal screen that prevents radio
frequency energy from "hitting" the plants. Haggerty's inkling was correct,
since her geraniums were suddenly growing at a faster rate with larger leaves.
She first planted the aspen seedlings in 2007, where one group was in a
Faraday cage, another was wrapped in fiberglass that didn't protect the plants
from radio waves and the third group was completely unprotected. The procedure
began in spring, and by the end of July, there were noticeable differences in
growth. Once October approached, even the colors varied.
"I found that the shielded seedlings produced more growth, longer shoots,
bigger leaves and more total leaf area," said Haggerty. "The shielded group
produced 60 percent more leaf area and 74 percent more shoot length than the
mock-shielded group.
"The leaves in the shielded group produced striking fall colors, while the two
exposed groups stayed light green or yellow and were affected by areas of dead
leaf tissue. The shielded leaves turned red, which was a good sign. The
unshielded leaves in both exposed groups had extensive decay, and some leaves
fell off while they were still green."
According to the U.S. Forest Service researchers, drought conditions are
likely the cause of death for thousands of acres of aspen trees in Colorado.
While Haggerty recognizes that her study is only a preliminary experiment, she
argues that the surrounding area is "saturated" with radio waves from
televisions, radios, microwave ovens, weather radar and cell phones that are
contributing to the demise of these forests.
"It appears that there may be negative effects on the health and growth of
aspens from the radio frequency background," said Haggerty.
But trees are not the only victims falling dead to radio waves. According to
researchers at Chandigarh's Panjab University in India, radiation from mobile
phones is a key factor in the decline of honey bees throughout Europe and the
United States. The experiment was conducted by putting two cell phones that
were powered on for a total of one half hour per day inside one bee hive while
putting dummy models of cell phones in another. Three months later,
researchers found a severe decline in honey bees in the active cell phone
infested hive. In addition, the queen bee in the powered cell phone hive
produced less eggs.
Whether it's plants or bees, researchers and everyday citizens like Haggerty
alike have proven that radio waves have an adverse effect on the surrounding
environment and hope that it will change the point of views of doubters and
help find ways to protect the environment.
Haggerty's paper sparked interest in Wayne Shepperd of the Forest Service's
Rocky Mountain Research Station, and he had Haggerty present her data at the
regional conference on forest decline in Fort Collins in 2008. From there, the
paper was accepted at the North American Forest Ecology Workshop at Utah State
University and is now published in the scientific journal.
she has published an environmental research paper in the International Journal
of Forestry Research about the harmful effects radio waves have on aspen
seedlings.
Haggerty started studying electromagnetic fields 20 years ago. She had heard
of a preliminary
experiment conducted near her home north of Steamboat Mountain that aspen
seedlings were healthier when shielded from radio waves.
Sometime in 2005, she saw that her geraniums were stunted and had an inkling
that it may have had to do with radio frequencies, since she placed her plants
in a Faraday cage, which is covered by a metal screen that prevents radio
frequency energy from "hitting" the plants. Haggerty's inkling was correct,
since her geraniums were suddenly growing at a faster rate with larger leaves.
She first planted the aspen seedlings in 2007, where one group was in a
Faraday cage, another was wrapped in fiberglass that didn't protect the plants
from radio waves and the third group was completely unprotected. The procedure
began in spring, and by the end of July, there were noticeable differences in
growth. Once October approached, even the colors varied.
"I found that the shielded seedlings produced more growth, longer shoots,
bigger leaves and more total leaf area," said Haggerty. "The shielded group
produced 60 percent more leaf area and 74 percent more shoot length than the
mock-shielded group.
"The leaves in the shielded group produced striking fall colors, while the two
exposed groups stayed light green or yellow and were affected by areas of dead
leaf tissue. The shielded leaves turned red, which was a good sign. The
unshielded leaves in both exposed groups had extensive decay, and some leaves
fell off while they were still green."
According to the U.S. Forest Service researchers, drought conditions are
likely the cause of death for thousands of acres of aspen trees in Colorado.
While Haggerty recognizes that her study is only a preliminary experiment, she
argues that the surrounding area is "saturated" with radio waves from
televisions, radios, microwave ovens, weather radar and cell phones that are
contributing to the demise of these forests.
"It appears that there may be negative effects on the health and growth of
aspens from the radio frequency background," said Haggerty.
But trees are not the only victims falling dead to radio waves. According to
researchers at Chandigarh's Panjab University in India, radiation from mobile
phones is a key factor in the decline of honey bees throughout Europe and the
United States. The experiment was conducted by putting two cell phones that
were powered on for a total of one half hour per day inside one bee hive while
putting dummy models of cell phones in another. Three months later,
researchers found a severe decline in honey bees in the active cell phone
infested hive. In addition, the queen bee in the powered cell phone hive
produced less eggs.
Whether it's plants or bees, researchers and everyday citizens like Haggerty
alike have proven that radio waves have an adverse effect on the surrounding
environment and hope that it will change the point of views of doubters and
help find ways to protect the environment.
Haggerty's paper sparked interest in Wayne Shepperd of the Forest Service's
Rocky Mountain Research Station, and he had Haggerty present her data at the
regional conference on forest decline in Fort Collins in 2008. From there, the
paper was accepted at the North American Forest Ecology Workshop at Utah State
University and is now published in the scientific journal.
Friday, July 9, 2010
A Message from my friend Robert
hello all,
Independent people went to Gulf ...got water samples....had them analysis outside the powers of BP.
If I was in a refinery and some of this tested at 125 ppm....the area would be shut down...no entry without fresh air equipment and training.
This reports...375-425 ppm...at this exposure level...neurological damages occur...birth defects...DNA damages....with more than 4 days constant exposure.
Labs that test independently are required by law to report these findings to EPA...specify location...longitude and latitude.
The people that did the gathering of water samples do not know these laws exist.
They videod the location.
That will involve Homeland Security...potential to incite riotous condition(panic) in a civilian populated area?..if the wording is correctly remebered.
That was very expensive to pay for...several hundreds of dollars cost to them personally.
They just made the government's list that is forever linked to their social security numbers...
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE....as signs were posted...
they are young.
These levels of exposure will kill lower life forms...in minutes...suffocating them.
The oceans currents will move this contaminated water all over the world in months....nothing can stop it...nothing can clean it up fast enough...known to humanity.
Where will the contamination spread to and for how long?
Noone knows!!!
This is the absolute most disgraceful time of humanity...we have ever documented.
Best to you,
Robert
Independent people went to Gulf ...got water samples....had them analysis outside the powers of BP.
If I was in a refinery and some of this tested at 125 ppm....the area would be shut down...no entry without fresh air equipment and training.
This reports...375-425 ppm...at this exposure level...neurological damages occur...birth defects...DNA damages....with more than 4 days constant exposure.
Labs that test independently are required by law to report these findings to EPA...specify location...longitude and latitude.
The people that did the gathering of water samples do not know these laws exist.
They videod the location.
That will involve Homeland Security...potential to incite riotous condition(panic) in a civilian populated area?..if the wording is correctly remebered.
That was very expensive to pay for...several hundreds of dollars cost to them personally.
They just made the government's list that is forever linked to their social security numbers...
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE....as signs were posted...
they are young.
These levels of exposure will kill lower life forms...in minutes...suffocating them.
The oceans currents will move this contaminated water all over the world in months....nothing can stop it...nothing can clean it up fast enough...known to humanity.
Where will the contamination spread to and for how long?
Noone knows!!!
This is the absolute most disgraceful time of humanity...we have ever documented.
Best to you,
Robert
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
New video of flood in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon as death toll rises
In Mexico, six people have been killed in floods from tropical storms, as a result of Hurricane Alex. The northern city of Monterrey was the worst hit as a river burst its banks, washing away cars and destroying roads. More than four thousand people were evacuated from the region. The storms had earlier torn through central America, but have now dissipated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)