| LIFE-NET NEWS |
| by Ret Z. |
| Covering Poverty Widely in a Net of Many Voices |
| April 26, 2006 | No Profit; No Proceeds |
| Volume 9 Number 25 | All-Volunteer |
| "Give a family a fish, and they'll eat a meal; give them a Net, and they'll have fish for Life." |
| New Global Warming Hypotheses Dismisses CO2 |
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A controversial new theory to explain global warming was revealed in a meeting at the University of Leicester (UK) and is being considered for publication. The theory has
nothing to do with fossil fuels and carbon dioxide (CO2). According to Vladimir Shaidurov of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the apparent rise in average global temperature
over the last hundred years or so could be due to changes in the amount of high-altitude ice crystals that damaged the mesospheric layer of thin, high altitude clouds that reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth's surface.
Shaidurov analyzed the mean temperature change over the last 140 years and explains that there was a slight cooling until the early twentieth century. This flies in the face of current theories that blame a rise in temperature on rising CO2 emissions since the start of the industrial revolution. Shaidurov suggests that the rise, which began between 1906 and 1909, could have begun with the massive Tunguska Event that rocked a remote part of Siberia on June 30, 1908. The Tunguska Event, sometimes known as the Tungus Meteorite, is thought to have resulted from an asteroid or comet entering the earth's atmosphere and exploding. The event released as much energy as fifteen one-megaton atomic bombs, blasted an enormous amount of dust into the atmosphere, and felled 60 million trees over an area of more than 2,000 square kilometers. Shaidurov suggests that this explosion would have caused "considerable stirring of the high layers of atmosphere and change its structure." This disruption triggered the subsequent rise in global temperatures. The most potent greenhouse gas is water, explains Shaidurov: Small changes in atmospheric water levels, in the form of vapor and ice crystals, can far outweigh the effects of CO2 and other gases released by human activities. A rise of just 1% in water vapor could raise the global average temperature of Earth's surface more than 4 degrees Celsius. The role of water vapor in controlling our planet's temperature was hinted at almost 150 years ago by Irish scientist John Tyndall. Tyndall, who also provided an explanation as to why the sky is blue, explained the problem: "The strongest radiant heat absorber, is the most important gas controlling Earth's temperature. Without water vapor," he wrote, the Earth's surface would be "held fast in the iron grip of frost." Thin clouds at high altitude allow sunlight to reach the earth's surface, but they reflect back radiated heat, acting as an insulating greenhouse layer. We have less control over water vapor than over CO2. According to Andrew E Dessler of Texas A & M University, "Human activities have little direct control over [water vapor's] atmospheric abundance, which is controlled instead by the worldwide balance between evaporation from the oceans and precipitation." Shaidurov has concluded that only an enormous natural phenomenon, such as an asteroid or comet impact or airburst, could seriously disturb atmospheric water levels, destroying persistent so-called "silver", or noctilucent, clouds composed of ice crystals in the high altitude mesosphere (50 to 85km). The Tunguska Event was just such an event, and it coincides with the period of time during which global temperatures appear to have been rising the most steadily -- the twentieth century. There are many hypothetical mechanisms of how this mesosphere catastrophe might have occurred, and future research is needed to provide a definitive answer. Source: University of Leicester Preprint: Atmospheric Hypotheses of Earth's Global Warming |
| Judge Rejects Lawsuit Over Cement Plant |
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A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed five years ago by South Camden residents charging the state Department of Environmental Protection with environmental racism for
granting air quality permits to St Lawrence Cement Co. Olga Pomar of South Jersey Regional Legal Services filed the suit on behalf of the neighborhood group South Camden Citizens in Action.
Residents accused the DEP of intentional discrimination because it granted the air-quality permits in an area that already included the county sewage treatment plant, a trash-to-steam operation, rail lines, and a steady stream of trucks ferrying materials to and from the Camden port. Pomar said it was too soon to predict if the group would appeal the decision by US District Judge Freda L Wolfson. "I'm not surprised by the decision, though we thought there was enough evidence to, at least, be granted a trial," Pomar said. "Unfortunately, it shows how hard it is to protect people against the discriminatory burden of air pollution through the courts." In a prepared statement, Brian Montag, an attorney for St Lawrence, said the decision highlights the integrity of the state's permitting process and assures the business community that "bogus" health claims will be dismissed. "The decision sent the message that this type of case is better served in a political forum as opposed to a legal forum. In other words, when the plaintiffs claimed that they were being discriminated against, they should have addressed the issues with their representatives, not the courts." The Montreal-based St Lawrence Cement Group, a publicly traded company with 3,200 employees, is the world's largest cement maker. The Camden plant grinds slag imported from Italy into a cement substitute under the trade name GranCem. "We didn't lose," said Lula Williams, president of South Camden Citizens in Action. "We got the DEP to take notice of this part of town and to create an action plan to monitor all industries around here to a higher standard." Late last month St Lawrence agreed to pay about $650,000 to settle two suits in state court brought by residents who claimed the company's presence caused them to suffer from allergies and other respiratory ailments. If no appeal is filed, the residents' bitter five-year siege to shut St Lawrence down appears to be over. "We are pleased that the Camden litigation has now been successfully resolved," said Michael Davis, senior vice president of St Lawrence's US division. "Our company has made an important and long-term investment in Camden and we look forward to continuing our ongoing community outreach activities while being an important economic contributor for many years to come." Source: Courier-Post |
| Senator Hears Tribal Leaders On Reservation Economics |
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Economic development in Indian Country benefits all of
South Dakota, tribal leaders told Sen Tim Johnson, D-SD, at a Friday economic development listening session in Rapid City. Participating tribal leaders included Oglala Sioux
Tribe President Cecelia Fire Thunder, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier, and Yankton Sioux Tribe Chairman Robert Cournoyer.
Johnson said his economic program is based on four pillars: business partnerships, entrepreneurship with help from chambers of commerce and tribal colleges, water and road infrastructure, and trying to slow the increase in medical and energy costs. Fire Thunder said better infrastructure is needed throughout the nine districts and 2.7 million acres of land to improve the business climate on Pine Ridge. This includes improvement of roads, education and schools, housing, courts and law enforcement, water and sewer systems, and health services. Poor planning, inadequate technical help, lack of prompt assistance by Indian Health Services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and land-leasing red tape continue to block the tribe's economic progress. On Frazier's reservation, economic barriers included lack of access to start-up capital. Even with four banks on the Cheyenne River reservation, Frazier said it is difficult to get a business loan of $100,000 or more to launch a business. "A lot of our people just don't have equity for a loan." Cournoyer said because of the trust status of tribal land, individuals couldn't use their property as collateral to start businesses. Red tape often delays or kills businesses on his reservation. The tribe's public transit venture is still stuck in the planning stage because of continuing demands by BIA officials. He said that tribes also should extend the terms of elected officials, from two years to four, as a way to stabilize government. Officials would have to accept accountability for money spent by the tribe, he said. "We know that taxpayers always bellyache about money given to Indians; we need to be accountable for that trust." Source: Rapid City Journal |
| Mourning to Resistance: Good Friday '06 |
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The Brandywine Peace Community (BPC) observed its 29th Good Friday under the theme "Mourning to Resistance: Good Friday Stations of Justice & Peace". Location: in and around the
main driveway entrance to the Valley Forge PA weapons complex of the world's largest weapons corporation and the Iraq war's chief profiteer, Lockheed Martin (LM).
About 100 people participated on a cloudy day marked by periods of light rain. LM security had shut down the entrance; the head of security said to BPC staffer Bob Smith, "It's yours". More than the usual number of Upper Merion police and police vans were present. At the entrance, there was an upright full-size coffin with white masks with blood-red tears, pictures of Iraqi children, a large sign with the LM logo reading, "We're making a killing!", and a stack of crosses each with a LM logo at the crucifixion nail points and the name of Iraqi and US war dead as well as victims of poverty and the domestic war economy. The stations and accompanying readings juxtaposed the last steps and crucifixion death of Jesus Christ with the war, resurgent militarism, and the war-related trampling of human needs and rights. After each reading, a cross was carried into the driveway entrance, its bearer facing the main intersection through which hundreds and hundreds of cars passed. At the 12th station, "Jesus Dies on the Cross", a bell-intoned period of silence witnessed the sight of a line of crosses and cross bearers across the entire width of the entrance. The silence ended with a loudspeaker broadcast of "Adagio for Strings" as those in the driveway laid their crosses down and began a procession down the drive with a large cross overhead draped in purple and white cloth with LM logos at the crucifixion nail points. A solid line of security personnel kept the procession from delivering the cross to LM as police surrounded and began arresting the knelling activists against the musical background. The bearers of the large cross being held upright were among the last to be arrested. The last arrest was made with the LM security head holding the upright cross. Fifteen people, some of them civil disobedience first-timers, were arrested, cited for disorderly conduct, and released without court dates. Source: Brandywine Peace Community |
| New Process Holds Promise for World Water Supply |
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70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, but only 2.5% of all that water is fresh, and most of it is ice. All told, a mere 0.3% of the world’s water is available for drinking, and much of that is becoming polluted. It seems there’s only one way for humanity to save itself from dying of thirst: Make salt water fresh.
Techniques exist, but up to now they’ve cost a bundle and gobbled energy. TNO, the Dutch organization for applied natural-sciences research, has developed a purification system that turns both wastewater and seawater into clean drinking water using very little energy. The technology, called Memstill (a contraction of "membrane" and "distillation"), produces cleaner water than any other method available. The procedure works using residual heat from industrial plants -- a boundless energy source in modern countries. Memstill isn’t the only system for making seawater potable, but it is the cheapest and environmentally friendliest. The cost for large-scale water production, if industrial residual heat is free, is about half what it would cost to purify surface salt water. Memstill is a more practical option than the other state-of-the-art methods like reverse osmosis, multi-effect distillation, and multi-stage flashing, and it doesn’t produce greenhouse gases. With the world population predicted to grow by half over the next two decades, and the drinking water suppply expected to shrink even more, good and cheap water purification techniques have a bright future. The biggest growth markets have yet to be tapped. The Middle East and the Caribbean already make extensive use of desalinization methods, but India and China are still using groundwater. "That groundwater is running out," says Jansen, and "it’s heavily polluted. It’s only a question of time before these countries will switch over to seawater purification systems too." When they do, there’s a good chance Memstill will be the technology of choice. Source: Ode |
| On NJ's Proposed Higher Education Cuts |
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First, the text of a petition. Then, a few additional comments:
I, as a concerned member of the New Jersey Community, oppose the proposed drastic budget cuts to higher education that would slash $169 million from higher education institutions across the State. This reduction would amount to a 7-8% cut from College and University State aid, resulting in the cancellation of thousands of courses and zero funds for salary and benefits increases. Moreover, State aid to Colleges and Universities would sink to the dollar levels of 10 years ago. Even with steep tuition increases Colleges and Universities would face layoffs, the cancellation of thousands of classes, and a reduction in essential student services. Furthermore, a significant tuition hike and cuts to programs that ensure quality of education will severely reduce access to Colleges and Universities statewide. As a concerned citizen, I cannot let the College and University progress of the past decade be reversed by these drastic funding cuts. I am signing this petition to let Governor Corzine and the State Legislature know that I oppose these drastic cuts to higher education, because these cuts would hamper groundbreaking research as well as the economic benefits Colleges and Universities bring to the State of New Jersey. Reductions of this magnitude would result in enormous disruptions to the state College and University system, to the future of the State’s students, and consequently, the future of our nation. Please make higher education a higher priority in the State of New Jersey, by fully funding our state Colleges and Universities. As Liz Lauder of Somerset said, "A 30% rise in tuition could mean the difference between finishing my education or my family affording to eat, or heat the house. My family is heading for very troubled times, and with these cuts, it will be even harder." Luis Motta of Elizabeth: "I ask that our state government take into consideration the large number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds like mine, who truly want the benefits of a college education but will be unable to do so due to the proposed budget cuts." Lisa Convente of Midland Park: "I am a single mother trying to send both my kids to college. ... I am already working two jobs to offset the college costs plus trying to meet my everyday bills. ... Everything in this state is going up at a high rate except my salary, which is usually the way." Source: Casualties of the Cuts |
| # LNN # Small # Hauls # |
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| Life-Net News Extra |
| The Cradle-to-Prison Pipeline |
A new brief by the Children's Defense Fund looks at the socio-economic disadvantages and risks correlating with high incarceration rates among minorities and those in poverty. Selected findings:
Brief: Facts Contributing to the Cradle to Prison Pipeline |
| Basic Income Guarantee Pilot Bill Emerges |
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Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego) will introduce a bill in the US Congress in late April 2006, entitled, "A Tax Cut For the Rest of Us." The preamble of the bill reads, "To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a basic income guarantee [BIG] in the form of a refundable tax credit for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions."
The Bill would transform the standard income tax deduction into a standard tax credit of $2,000 per adult and $1,000 per child. For the first time, it would give a "refundable tax credit" to everyone who files an income tax return, even if the person had no private income. The current "Earned Income Tax Credit" provides a small refundable tax credit, but only to those who have some earned income. Anyone who earns zero is ineligible. The current "standard tax deduction" is "nonrefundable," meaning that if people’s incomes are so low that their deductions are greater than their taxes, they pay no taxes but receive no cash back either. The BIG bill would change that, allowing low-income Americans to receive up to $2,000 in cash as a tax credit, and everyone else to receive the same amount off of the taxes they pay. Al Sheahen has been working tirelessly with Filner and his staff for nearly two years to get this bill introduced. The bill is based on a proposal written by Al Sheahen and Karl Widerquist presented at the 2005 USBIG Congress. The bill lacks a Republican co-sponsor, which makes its prospects dim in the current Republican-controlled session, but Sheahen sees the bill as a long-term objective, around which to organize support and which might have a much better chance after congressional elections in November. Bill: The Tax-Cut-For-The-Rest-Of-Us Act of 2006 |
| Most material here is adapted, not quoted. Views expressed do not |
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