[Paisleychick-lj] news items etc.

[Beatrice M's blog]

I could go on about how the US Congress caved when it passed the FISA bill legalizing wiretapping on international communications to the USA and how surprised I was that Obama decided to vote for it after saying last year that he would filibuster it. (donate to the [EFF][1] or [ACLU][2] to help stop the madness as they sue the government.) I could wonder at people's gaganess over the [new iPhone when really they are just rewarding AT&T][3], one of the MAIN companies that has been illegally ("legally" now that FISA passed) wiretapping US citizens. I could say how worried I am about banks collapsing in the States, with a [bank run and collapse of IndyMac and the *very* questionable status of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac][4]. Here's an [interesting comparison chart of Argentina and the USA][5] with regards to economic meltdowns. Instead I'm going to talk more about items that are making the international news from (mostly) down under.   
  
1. The [Wilkins Ice shelf is melting][6] at an alarming rate and will probably collapse, any day now, despite the fact that it's winter. The [animated gif of satellite images][7] from May through July is quite something to witness. When this ice shelf breaks off, it won't change the sea levels, because that ice is already resting on water, not on land, but that is not to say that more melting won't occur soon which *will* rise the sea levels.  
  
2. Part of the [Perito Moreno Glacier in southern Argentina collapsed last week][8]. Again, despite the fact that we're in winter here. Glacier ice supposedly breaks off like this every four years or so and usually not in the winter. It last broke off in 2006. That's only two years ago.  
  
3. Russian scientists had to be [rescued from their studies in the Arctic][9] when the ice flow they were camping on melted down to 600 meters from 6 kilometers back in September. Whoa.  
  
4. There's a [search on for Dr. Death in southern Chile & Argentine Patagonia][10]. He'd be 94 and people don't know if he's still alive, but that would be quite a find.  
  
5. Eating beef is a huge waste of resources and the cow's farts and burps produce a large amount of methane that is just released into the air. This article [talks about the research that Argentines are conducting to capture that gas][11]. The accompanying photograph is the funniest picture I've seen in a while. I'm not sure if it's the whole setup, or the fact that the tank is pink or what. But I laughed. Really, you should click on the link.  
  
6. Remember that horrible earthquake that just ripped through China? There's a[n article online that says that it might have actually been an underground nuclear explosion][12]. Getting the real story from Chinese officials won't be easy and I don't know if this article has any truth to it, but it definitely caught my eye. Great quote... ""Was it magma?" somebody asked. "No, those were concrete blocks," said He. "The eruption lasted about three minutes," he added. Earthquakes may sometimes result in a volcanic eruption, but no concrete eruption has ever been recorded, said an expert."  
  
If you're in a climate where you use air conditioning, here are [some useful tips][13] for cutting your energy use down. Thought I'd end on a somewhat positive note. We just got our AC unit installed this weekend, but it will be a long while before we need to turn it on.

   [1]: https://secure.eff.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=1741
   [2]: http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FJ_donationhome
   [3]: http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/MarguJ/2008/MarguJ20080711A_low.jpg
   [4]: http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/513-Fannie,-Freddie,-Banks-and-Government-Debt.html
   [5]: http://itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?p=38547#post38547
   [6]: http://www.physorg.com/news134908534.html
   [7]: http://www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/hires/wilkinsicesh.gif
   [8]: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0939298820080709
   [9]: http://www.physorg.com/news135241508.html
   [10]: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7496715.stm
   [11]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2274995/Cow-farts-collected-in-plastic-tank-for-global-warming-study.html
   [12]: http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-7-9/73205.html
   [13]: http://greenlivingideas.com/air-conditioning/5-great-green-indoor-climate-control-tips.html

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/340263.html