Climate Change, Labor Capacity Losses Examined By Government Scientists

Yummy Pancake Breakfasts

It may be a bit harder to drown your pancakes in maple syrup in the future, <a href="http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/effects-global-warming-maple-syrup-production-20078.html" target="_hplink">studies suggest</a>. According to <a href="http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov10/SyrupClimate.html" target="_hplink">a 2010 Cornell University study</a>, "maple syrup production in the Northeast is expected to slightly decline by 2100, and the window for tapping trees will move earlier by about a month." Additionally, most maple syrup production south of Pennsylvania "will likely be lost by 2100 due to lack of freezing." <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/01/no-maple-syrup-2100" target="_hplink">Click here to watch one farmer's fight to save New Hampshire's sugar maples.</a>

Rudolph (And Donner And Blitzen)

Reindeer, also known as "caribou" in North America, could face a difficult future in a warmer climate. <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/energy/slideshows/10-animals-threatened-by-global-warming" target="_hplink">According to U.S. News & World Report</a>, "Russell Graham, associate professor of geosciences and director of the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum at Penn State University, says global warming will most harm the animals adapted to the coldest environments, primarily those accustomed to life in the Arctic." A 2008 study found that caribou in West Greenland are "now arriving after peak foraging time, fewer calves are being born and more calves are dying," <a href="http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/341435/title/Animals_on_the_Move" target="_hplink">reported ScienceNews</a>.

Spring Break, Wohoo!

As global temperatures rise this century, sea levels are also expected to increase. South Florida may be hit particularly hard. If greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, global sea levels <a href="http://globalwarming.markey.house.gov/impactzones/florida.html" target="_hplink">could rise over three feet</a> by 2100, with a six foot rise possible. The U.S. Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming notes: <blockquote>This threatens to submerge Florida's coastal communities and economies since roughly 9 percent of the state is within 5 feet of the existing sea level. Rising sea level also threatens the beaches, wetlands, and mangrove forests that surround the state.</blockquote> University of Florida professor Jack Putz said in 2008, "People have a hard time accepting that this is happening here," <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/globalwarming/article435224.ece" target="_hplink">reported the <em>Tampa Bay Times</em></a>. Seeing dead palm trees and other impacts "brings a global problem right into our own back yard," he added. <a href="http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/florida.shtml" target="_hplink">Click here</a> to see a map showing what different levels of sea level rise would look like for Florida and other states.

Coffeehouse Snobs

Coffee lovers may want to get that caffeine fix before the treasured drink becomes a rare export. Starbucks raised the issue last year when the company's director of sustainability told <em>The Guardian</em> that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/16/starbucks-climate-change_n_1011222.html" target="_hplink">climate change is threatening the supply chain</a> for the Arabica coffee bean. Starbucks Sustainability Director <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/oct/13/starbucks-coffee-climate-change-threat?newsfeed=true" target="_hplink">Jim Hanna told the paper</a>, "What we are really seeing as a company as we look 10, 20, 30 years down the road - if conditions continue as they are - is a potentially significant risk to our supply chain, which is the Arabica coffee bean."

Cute Baby Polar Bear Videos

A November 2011 study found that polar bear litters are getting smaller as climate change causes sea ice decline. <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2011/WWFPresitem19837.html" target="_hplink">According to World Wildlife Fund</a>, the study "found that if spring sea ice break-up occurs one month earlier than usual, 40-73 percent of pregnant females could fail to bring cubs to term." The National Snow and Ice Data Center found that in 2010, <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=49132&src=share" target="_hplink">Arctic sea ice</a> was at its lowest January level in 30 years. With decreased sea ice, polar bears may have greater trouble finding food sources. This could lead to cannibalism, which has already been observed by photographers. Environmental photojournalist Jenny Ross <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16081214" target="_hplink">told BBC News</a> in 2011, "There are increasing numbers of observations of it occurring, particularly on land where polar bears are trapped ashore, completely food-deprived for extended periods of time due to the loss of sea ice as a result of climate change."

'Friday Night Lights' & 'Varsity Blues'

As average temperatures rise over the course of this century, states in the Southern U.S. are expected to see a greater number of days with temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit each year. Hotter temperatures will mean that football players in the South will face a greater risk of hyperthermia, <a href="http://txchnologist.com/post/41213194156/heres-a-reason-to-care-about-climate-change-it-could" target="_hplink">explains GE's TXCHNOLOGIST blog</a>. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/02/05/419061/will-global-warming-ruin-football-in-the-south/" target="_hplink">ThinkProgress suggests</a>, "Indeed, it is the conservative southern U.S., especially the South central and South east, who have led the way in blocking serious climate action, as it were, making yesterday's worst-case scenario into today's likely outcome."

Wine Tasting Parties

Winegrowers in France's Champagne region and scientists have already seen changes in the past 25 years, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/business/energy-environment/winemakers-rising-to-climate-challenge.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all" target="_hplink">reported <em>The New York Times</em></a> last year. They have "noted major changes in their vineyards, including an increased sugar content in the grapes from which they make their wine, with a consequent decrease in acidity, and a harvest time that regularly comes two weeks earlier than it once did." Last year, the <em>Telegraph</em> reported that Bordeaux, one of the world's most famous wine-producing regions, may be "<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/8354820/Global-warming-threatens-wine-production-in-France.html" target="_hplink">unsuitable for wine-growing by 2050</a>." <a href="http://e360.yale.edu/feature/what_global_warming_may_mean_for_worlds_wine_industry/2478/" target="_hplink">Yale Environment 360 explains</a> that many European wines are tied to a specific geographical area, creating a problem for regions which may soon find themselves most suited to a new kind of grape. In the U.S., <a href="http://www.climatechangeandwine.com/noticia-detalle.php?id=421" target="_hplink">researchers at Stanford University found</a> that climate change could mean "50% less land suitable for cultivating premium wine grapes in high-value areas of Northern California." A 2006 study published in the <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</em> found that "up to 81 percent" of "premium-wine-grape production area" could decline in the U.S. by the end of this century, <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/04/climate-desk-wine-industry/" target="_hplink">reported Wired</a>. Without any adaptation measures, wine-grape production could disappear from "many areas" of the country. Wired notes, "By the law of supply and demand, that suggests the best wines of tomorrow will cost even more than the ridiculous amounts they fetch today."

Not Sneezing

Bad news for allergy sufferers -- climate change, and specifically warmer temperatures, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/31/seasonal-allergies-rising_n_913650.html" target="_hplink">may bring more pollen and ragweed</a>, according to a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21259264" target="_hplink">2011 study</a> from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Along with allergies, a changing climate may be tied to more infectious diseases. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/flu-pandemic-climate-pattern-la-nina_n_1211480.html" target="_hplink">According to one study</a>, climate change could affect wild bird migratory patterns, increasing the chances for human flu pandemics. Illnesses like <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/global-warming-lyme-disease-west-nile_n_1400692.html" target="_hplink">Lyme disease could also become more prominent</a>.

The Best Part Of July 4th

With droughts and wildfires hitting many parts of the U.S., municipalities from <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/colorado-wildfires-2012-f_n_1647571.html" target="_hplink">Colorado</a> to <a href="http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2012/07/03/climate-change-is-totally-ruining-your-4th-of-july" target="_hplink">Tennessee</a> canceled July 4th public fireworks displays or banned personal fireworks this year, citing the fire hazards they posed. In June, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/climate-change-wildfires_n_1588741.html" target="_hplink">study published in the journal <em>Ecosphere</em></a> found that almost all of North America will see more wildfires by 2100, reported Reuters. The study's lead author, Max Moritz, said, "In the long run, we found what most fear - increasing fire activity across large areas of the planet."

Valentine's Day Cliches

With higher temperatures expected in northern latitudes in coming decades, the U.K. has begun a program to develop strawberries that will survive in higher temperatures with less water. Since chocolate also may be threatened, could sexy chocolate-covered strawberries, a Valentine's Day staple, be endangered? <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8603607/Climate-change-resistant-strawberries.html" target="_hplink">According to <em>The Telegraph</em></a>, Dr. David Simpson, a scientist with England's East Malling Research, said last year, "Consumer demand for fresh strawberries in the UK has been growing year on year since the early 1990s. The British growers have done a great job of increasing their productivity to satisfy this demand between April and October. The future will be challenging due to the impacts of climate change and the withdrawal of many pesticides but the breeding programme at EMR is using the latest scientific approaches to develop a range of varieties that will meet the needs of our growers for the future."

Sweet Snorkeling Pics

As humans increase atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, oceans absorb some of the CO2. The resulting drop in ocean pH, known as ocean acidification, has been called <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/09/ocean-acidification-reefs-climate-change_n_1658081.html" target="_hplink">climate change's "equally evil twin"</a> by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco. Coral reefs, which are an invaluable part of marine ecosystems and tourism economies, are threatened by ocean warming and acidification. At the 2012 International Coral Reef Symposium in Cairns, Australia, 2,600 scientists signed a petition calling for international action to preserve global coral reefs, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18765584" target="_hplink">reported the BBC</a>. Noting that 25 to 30 percent of the world's reefs are already "severely degraded," <a href="http://www.icrs2012.com/Consensus_Statement.htm" target="_hplink">the statement asserts</a> that "climate-related stressors [represent] an unprecedented challenge for the future of coral reefs and to the services they provide to people." A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/coral-triangle-reefs-threatened_n_1662620.html" target="_hplink">recent report from the World Resources Institute</a> found that the Coral Triangle, an important area from central Southeast Asia to the edge of the western Pacific with many reefs, is threatened at a rate far greater than the global average.

PB&Js

Thanks to a failing peanut crop due to last summer's scorching hot weather, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/10/peanut-butter-price-jump_n_1003732.html" target="_hplink">there was a shortage of peanuts in supply</a> at the end of 2011. If temperatures continue to rise, a jump in peanut butter prices is just the prelude to what could be in store for the beloved spread.

Gone Fishin'

According to a <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/ntrout.asp" target="_hplink">2002 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Defenders of Wildlife</a>, a warming planet does not bode well for species that thrive in cold streams. The study found that "global warming is likely to spur the disappearance of trout and salmon from as much as 18 to 38 percent of their current habitat by the year 2090." A 2011 study published in the <em>Proceedings of the National Academies of Science</em> produced "models [which] forecast significant declines in trout habitat across the interior western United States in the 21st century," <a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/trout-fishing-in-a-climate-changed-america/" target="_hplink">reported <em>The New York Times</em></a>. The study claims, "The decline will have significant socioeconomic consequences as recreational trout fisheries are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars in the United States alone."

Chocolate Cravings

<a href="http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/Newsroom/Documents/ghana_ivory_coast_climate_change_and_cocoa.pdf" target="_hplink">A report released by the International Center For Tropical Agriculture </a>warns chocolate could become a luxury item if farmers don't adapt to rising temperatures in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where a majority of the world's cocoa is grown. The October 2011 report, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, "calls for increased research into heat and drought resistant crops, and to help transition cocoa farming to new regions that will be suitable for production in the future," <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/09/30/332951/chocolate-climate-change-cocoa-industry-study/" target="_hplink">reported ThinkProgress</a>.

NYC's Waterfront Real Estate

According to a 2012 report from New Jersey-based nonprofit <a href="http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/" target="_hplink">Climate Central</a>, thousands of New York City residents may be at risk for severe <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/rising-sea-levels-threate_n_1347333.html" target="_hplink">coastal flooding as a result of climate change</a>. <a href="http://slr.s3.amazonaws.com/factsheets/New_York.pdf" target="_hplink">Climate Central explains</a>, "the NY metro area hosts the nation's highest-density populations vulnerable to sea level rise." They argue, "the funnel shape of New York Harbor has the potential to magnify storm surges already supplemented by sea level rise, threatening widespread areas of New York City."

Winnie The Pooh's Key Plot Point

<a href="http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Hone/Hone-03-30-2012.pdf" target="_hplink">According to the USDA, bee populations are dropping nationwide</a>. Wetter winters and rainy summers make it harder for bees to get out and about to collect, leaving them to starve or become malnourished and more prone to other diseases. This doesn't just mean a decline in honey. We rely on bees to pollinate crops. When bees disappear, many food crops could also die off.

The Non-.com Amazon

Along with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/06/brazil-amazon-rainforest-deforestation-levels_n_1130554.html" target="_hplink">deforestation</a>, climate change also poses a serious threat to South America's Amazon rainforest. A 2009 study from the U.K. Met Office found that a global temperature rise of four degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would cause 85 percent of the Amazon to die off in the next 100 years. Even a two degree Celsius rise would kill 20 to 40 percent of the rainforest, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/11/amazon-global-warming-trees" target="_hplink">reported the <em>Guardian</em></a>. In May, The Club of Rome think tank predicted a global average temperatures rise of "2 degrees Celsius by 2052 and a 2.8 degree rise by 2080," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/club-of-rome-climate-change_n_1499183.html" target="_hplink">reported Reuters</a>. Jorgen Randers, author of the club's report, said, "It is unlikely that governments will pass necessary regulation to force the markets to allocate more money into climate-friendly solutions, and (we) must not assume that markets will work for the benefit of humankind." He added, "We are emitting twice as much greenhouse gases every year as are absorbed by the world's forests and oceans. This overshoot will worsen and will peak in 2030."

Keg Stands

Famed for producing some of the world's best beer, <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080502/full/news.2008.799.html" target="_hplink">Germany could suffer from a drop in production due to climate change-induced water shortages</a>. Barley and hops can only be grown with water, and using cheaper alternatives like corn isn't possible in Germany because of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot" target="_hplink">strict regulations</a> about what you can make beer with. Research published earlier this year in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v2/n7/full/nclimate1491.html" target="_hplink"><em>Nature Climate Change</em></a> found that "unless farmers develop more heat-tolerant corn varieties or gradually move corn production from the United States into Canada, frequent heat waves will cause sharp price spikes," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/business/climate-change-effect-seen-for-corn-prices.html" target="_hplink">reported <em>The New York Times</em></a>. Price spikes for U.S. corn could affect prices of <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/38/" target="_hplink">American macrobrews</a> made with an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjuncts" target="_hplink">adjunct ingredient like corn</a>.

Island Getaways

As global sea levels rise during the 21st century, low-lying island nations like the Maldives could see their very existence threatened. With a three to six foot sea level rise predicted by 2100, nations like the Maldives could become uninhabitable, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/05/25/25climatewire-island-nations-may-keep-some-sovereignty-if-63590.html" target="_hplink">explained <em>The New York Times</em></a>. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/06/mohamed-nasheed-maldives-climate-change-united-states_n_1652409.html" target="_hplink">Maldives' former president, Mohamed Nasheed</a>, has been a tireless campaigner for the urgent need for countries to take action against climate change, arguing "You can't pick and choose on science."

Ski Bums

Although seasonal fluctuations occur and El Nino/La Nina weather patterns affect snowfall, global temperature rise may impact conditions for skiers and boarders. "The long-term trend is less snow and earlier snowmelt. This means more frustration for snow sport enthusiasts and a negative impact on the snow sports industry," <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/tspencer/skiing_snow_blog_2312.html" target="_hplink">writes the Natural Resources Defense Council's Theo Spencer</a>. In May, a snow-less ski race was held in Aspen, Colorado to "highlight the effect climate change has on the outdoor recreation industry," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/aspen-ski-area-climate-change_n_1489390.html" target="_hplink">reported the Associated Press</a>.

Thanksgiving Dinner Food Comas

A 2010 paper in the journal <em>Food Research International</em> found that climate change may one day affect the cost and quality of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, <a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/thanksgiving-climate-change.html" target="_hplink">reported Discovery News</a>. Future temperature rises could impact the quality of turkey meat. Additionally, foods like "pumpkins, sweet potatoes, potatoes, grains [and] green beans ... will be sensitive to water shortages should they arise," study author Neville Gregory told Discovery News. In fact, common Thanksgiving foods were <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/thanksgiving-dinner-battles-weather_n_1099899.html" target="_hplink">impacted by weather events in 2011</a>, with shortages and price spikes hitting over the holidays.

Water Out West

According to a 2011 U.S. Interior Department report, "annual flows in three prominent river basins - the Colorado, Rio Grande and San Joaquin - could decline by as much [as] 8 percent to 14 percent over the next four decades," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/26/western-us-water-supplies-climate-change_n_853882.html" target="_hplink">reported the Associated Press</a>. Expected changes in temperature and precipitation are likely to alter river flows "with increased flooding possible in the winter due to early snowmelt and water shortages in the summer due to reductions in spring and summer runoffs." Mike Connor, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said, "Impacts to water are on the leading edge of global climate change." Earlier this year, the Bureau of Reclamation <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/11/us-reviews-ideas-for-boos_n_1418724.html" target="_hplink">asked the public to suggest ideas</a> for meeting future water demand around the Colorado River basin.

The Views On Your Alaska Vacation

Earlier this year, researchers from the U.S. Forest Service confirmed that climate warming is killing southeast Alaska's mighty yellow cedars. The study, published in the journal <em>Bioscience</em>, found that with decreasing snow cover, the trees' shallow roots are more vulnerable to freezing, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/18/climate-change-yellow-cedar_n_1286387.html" target="_hplink">reported AP</a>. Paul Schaberg, a U.S. Forest Service plant pathologist, said, "As time goes on and climates change even more, other species, other locations, are likely to experience similar kinds of progressions, so you might do well to understand this one so you can address those future things."

"Lady & The Tramp"-Like Scenes

Scientists at the British Met Office warn that Italy may soon be forced to<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/climate-threat-to-italys-pasta/story-e6frg6so-1225797946930" target="_hplink"> import the basic ingredients to make pasta because climate change will make it impossible to grow durum wheat domestically</a>. The crop could almost disappear from the country later this century, scientists say.

Home Sweet Home (For Kiribatians)

Along with the Maldives and other island nations, Kiribati is also threatened by climate change. Earlier this year, the president's cabinet endorsed a plan to spend about $9.6 million for 6,000 acres on Fiji's main island, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/kiribati-global-warming-fiji_n_1334228.html" target="_hplink">reported AP</a>. President Anote Tong told AP, "We would hope not to put everyone on one piece of land, but if it became absolutely necessary, yes, we could do it." He added, "It wouldn't be for me, personally, but would apply more to a younger generation. For them, moving won't be a matter of choice. It's basically going to be a matter of survival."

Super Duper Fast Wi-Fi Connection

A 2011 report from the U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found that climate change could affect certain infrastructure, like wireless internet. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/09/climate-change-wi-fi-connections" target="_hplink">The <em>Guardian</em> reports</a>, "higher temperatures can reduce the range of wireless communications, rainstorms can impact the reliability of the signal, and drier summers and wetter winters may cause greater subsidence, damaging masts and underground cables," according to secretary of state for the environment. The <em>Guardian</em> notes, "The government acknowledges that the impact of climate change on telecommunications is not well understood, but the report raises a series of potential risks."

The Great Smoky Mountains' Smoke

The Great Smoky Mountains have the most annual rainfall in the southeastern U.S., which mostly falls as a light, misty rain, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/great-smoky-mountains-climate-change_n_1461482.html" target="_hplink">explains OurAmazingPlanet</a>. A study by a team from NASA's Precipitation Measurement Missions found that "light rainfall is the dominant form of precipitation in the region, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of a year's total, governing the regional water cycle." <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/great-smoky-mountains-climate-change_n_1461482.html" target="_hplink">OurAmazingPlanet</a> notes: <blockquote>The results suggest the area may be more susceptible to climate change than thought; as temperatures rise, more of the fine droplets from light rain will evaporate in the air and fail to reach the ground. Lower elevations will have to contend with not only higher temperatures, but less cloud cover.</blockquote>

California Beach Bums

Along the California coast, beach communities are finding that it may be impossible to stop coastal erosion as global sea levels rise. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/02/beach-communities-moving-inward_n_1565122.html" target="_hplink">According to AP</a>, David Revell, a senior coastal scientist at <a href="http://www.pwa-ltd.com/" target="_hplink">ESA PWA</a>, acknowledged the relentless power of the sea, saying, "I like to think of it as getting out of the way gracefully." A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/west-coast-sea-level-rise_n_1619568.html" target="_hplink">report released in June by the Natural Resources Defense Council</a> found that West Coast ocean levels will rise several inches in the next few decades. Sea levels along the California coast are expected to be six inches higher by 2030 and three feet higher by the end of the century. Despite the risks, another recent NRDC study found that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/08/california-climate-change-study_n_1409312.html" target="_hplink">California is one of several states</a> with the best plans to deal with the effects of climate change.

Repeats Of The Titanic

2012 could be a record year for the extent of Arctic sea ice at its yearly summer minimum. Walt Meier, a research scientist at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center, said that with recent satellite observations, "It definitely portends a low-ice year, whether it means it will go below 2007 (the record minimum in September), it is too early to tell," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/arctic-sea-ice-levels_n_1605441.html" target="_hplink">reported LiveScience</a>. As sea ice declines in the Arctic, countries are anticipating a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/arctic-climate-change-military-activity_n_1427565.html" target="_hplink">competition for control of shipping lanes and mineral extraction</a> in the region. In Antarctica, research from the United States' Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula has found that "87 percent of the peninsula's land-bound glaciers are in retreat," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/12/environmental-threats-antarctica_n_1669023.html" target="_hplink">reported OurAmazingPlanet</a>. Decreasing sea ice levels were also addressed in <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/shell-arctic-ready-hoax-greenpeace_n_1684222.html" target="_hplink">a recent spoof of Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic this summer</a>.

Crazy Sugar Highs

Climate change has already impacted sugarcane production in Indonesia. In late 2011, the <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/09/sugar-association-blames-climate-change-production-drop.html http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/09/sugar-association-blames-climate-change-production-drop.html" target="_hplink">chairman of the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association said</a>, "sugarcane production decreased by up to 30 percent in 2011 due to climate change that has occurred since 2009."

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Greenpeace Australia

Adam Wiesehan

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Michael Gesme

John Lingenfelder

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Belle Medina

Ashley

Nicastani American

Nicole Pardy

Anna Cleveland

Rick Bosman

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Manda Bear

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/24/climate-change-labor-capacity-loss-_n_2754399.html

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US government joins suit against Lance Armstrong

NBC's Pete Williams reports on the Justice Department's plans to notify the court about the Lance Armstrong suit on Friday.

By Pete Williams, Justice Correspondent, NBC News

Lance Armstrong faces a powerful new adversary -- the United States government.

The Justice Department notified a federal court Friday that it is joining one of his former racing teammates in suing him for using performance-enhancing drugs during the Tour de France.

The government signed on to a lawsuit filed two years ago by Floyd Landis, one of Armstrong's former Tour de France teammates who has already admitted cheating. Among its claims: Landis saw Armstrong store and then re-inject his own blood to boost his performance, and Armstrong twice gave Landis banned hormones before races.

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The government?s legal theory in joining the lawsuit is that when Armstrong agreed to race for the U.S. Postal Service team a decade ago in the Tour de France, he defrauded the government, violating its strict ban on illegal drugs, all the while claiming he did not use them.

Though the government?s action presents a serious new legal threat to Armstrong, the Justice Department case is not foolproof: Legal experts say Armstrong could argue that his contract with the team owners never explicitly prohibited blood doping, and he could claim that he never signed any agreement directly with the Postal Service that banned the practice.

But if the government wins, Armstrong could face huge fines, because the Postal Service paid at least $30 million to sponsor his racing teams.

Armstrong's attorney, Robert Luskin, said in a statement Friday that the Postal Service had no losses deserving of compensation.

"Lance and his representatives worked constructively over these last weeks with federal lawyers to resolve this case fairly, but those talks failed because we disagree about whether the Postal Service was damaged," Luskin said. "The Postal's Services own studies show that the Service benefited tremendously from its sponsorship -- benefits totaling more than $100 million."

After denying for years that he cheated, Armstrong gave a general admission last month in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.?

"This issue of performance enhancers, to me, we're going to pump up our tires, put water in our bottles and, oh yeah, that, too, is going to happen. That was it," he said.

The cycling website Velo News reported this week that Travis Tygart, the CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder last month, urging the government to join the Landis lawsuit.

A decision by the Justice Department to join the case ?in order to get to the bottom (or top) of this massive fraud would also be viewed by the press and public as necessary and legitimate,? the letter said.

Joel Saget / AFP - Getty Images

The cyclist's historic run of Tour de France championships made headlines, as did his fall from grace after being stripped of the titles in 2012.

This story was originally published on Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:58 AM EST

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/22/17057708-sources-us-department-of-justice-to-join-lawsuit-against-lance-armstrong?lite

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You Can Be a Real Superhero With This Spider-Sense Robot Suit

Who doesn't want real-life superpowers? Unfortunately, getting yourself bitten by some kind of radioactive spider isn't really the best way to go about it. But thankfully, tech is here to resurrect your childhood hopes and dreams. University of Illinois' Victor Mateevitsi, for instance, has managed to bring "spider-sense" to the real world with a haptic bodysuit. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/AxDmfOOczZ0/spider+sense-is-real-when-you-wear-this-robotic-body-suit

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Israel rocket attacks increase miscarriage likelihood -- Ben-Gurion U. research study

Public release date: 22-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrew Lavin
andrewlavin@alavin.com
516-944-4486
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

BEER-SHEVA, Israel, February 21, 2013 -- Rocket attacks in Sderot, Israel significantly increase the likelihood of miscarriages, according to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

The study, published in the January issue of Psychosomatic Medicine Journal of Bio-behavioral Medicine, compared 1,341 pregnancies of women (exposed group) who resided in Sderot, an area exposed to frequent rocket fire, with 2,143 pregnancies of women who lived in Kiryat Gat (unexposed group), which is out of range of missiles. Among women residing in the exposed town, the number of weekly alarms during the 6 months preconception was 2.2 with a range of 0 to 15.3. During pregnancy, the mean weekly alarm rate was 3.5 with a range of 0 to 31.

The study found that exposure to rocket attacks increased miscarriages (also known as Spontaneous Abortion) (SA) risk by 59 percent, as compared to women not experiencing this stress during or before pregnancy (in Sderot 6 percent compared with 4.7 percent in Kiryat Gat).

The Israeli southern town of Sderot has been a constant target of rocket firing from the Gaza Strip since 2001. The rocket attacks are preceded by a warning alarm that informs residents to seek shelter. These alarms are loud, sudden as well as stress inducing because they are sounded only few seconds before the rocket hits the town. Between April 2001 and December 2008, more than 1000 alarms have been sounded in or near Sderot -- 500 during 2008 alone. Rockets have fallen and exploded within the town, killing residents and causing property damage.

The researchers also found that among the residents of Sderot those with both the lowest and highest level of exposure to rocket alarms during pregnancy had higher risk for SA than those with intermediate exposure. Researchers suggested that this finding may be explained by dysregulation of cortisol, a known stress hormone, explain Tamar Wainstock, Ph.D candidate and Professor Ilana Shoham-Vardi at BGU's Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences. "However, as the number of alarms intensified, the risk was elevated again possibly with increased cortisol level, or alternatively, with reduced cortisol level, as found in Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, which itself may increase the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes."

###

Other researchers involved in the study were Prof. Eyal Anteby, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barzilai Medical Center, Prof. Liat Lerner-Geva and Saralee Glasser, Women and Children's Health Research Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research.

This study was supported in part, by Grant No. 3-00000-6643/2011 (principal investigator Lerner- Geva L.) from the Chief Scientist Office of the Ministry of Health, Israel.

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision, creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. With some 20,000 students on campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat in Israel's southern desert, BGU is a university with a conscience, where the highest academic standards are integrated with community involvement, committed to sustainable development of the Negev. AABGU is headquartered in Manhattan and has nine regional offices throughout the U.S. For more information, please visit www.aabgu.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 22-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrew Lavin
andrewlavin@alavin.com
516-944-4486
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

BEER-SHEVA, Israel, February 21, 2013 -- Rocket attacks in Sderot, Israel significantly increase the likelihood of miscarriages, according to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

The study, published in the January issue of Psychosomatic Medicine Journal of Bio-behavioral Medicine, compared 1,341 pregnancies of women (exposed group) who resided in Sderot, an area exposed to frequent rocket fire, with 2,143 pregnancies of women who lived in Kiryat Gat (unexposed group), which is out of range of missiles. Among women residing in the exposed town, the number of weekly alarms during the 6 months preconception was 2.2 with a range of 0 to 15.3. During pregnancy, the mean weekly alarm rate was 3.5 with a range of 0 to 31.

The study found that exposure to rocket attacks increased miscarriages (also known as Spontaneous Abortion) (SA) risk by 59 percent, as compared to women not experiencing this stress during or before pregnancy (in Sderot 6 percent compared with 4.7 percent in Kiryat Gat).

The Israeli southern town of Sderot has been a constant target of rocket firing from the Gaza Strip since 2001. The rocket attacks are preceded by a warning alarm that informs residents to seek shelter. These alarms are loud, sudden as well as stress inducing because they are sounded only few seconds before the rocket hits the town. Between April 2001 and December 2008, more than 1000 alarms have been sounded in or near Sderot -- 500 during 2008 alone. Rockets have fallen and exploded within the town, killing residents and causing property damage.

The researchers also found that among the residents of Sderot those with both the lowest and highest level of exposure to rocket alarms during pregnancy had higher risk for SA than those with intermediate exposure. Researchers suggested that this finding may be explained by dysregulation of cortisol, a known stress hormone, explain Tamar Wainstock, Ph.D candidate and Professor Ilana Shoham-Vardi at BGU's Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences. "However, as the number of alarms intensified, the risk was elevated again possibly with increased cortisol level, or alternatively, with reduced cortisol level, as found in Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, which itself may increase the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes."

###

Other researchers involved in the study were Prof. Eyal Anteby, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barzilai Medical Center, Prof. Liat Lerner-Geva and Saralee Glasser, Women and Children's Health Research Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research.

This study was supported in part, by Grant No. 3-00000-6643/2011 (principal investigator Lerner- Geva L.) from the Chief Scientist Office of the Ministry of Health, Israel.

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision, creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. With some 20,000 students on campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat in Israel's southern desert, BGU is a university with a conscience, where the highest academic standards are integrated with community involvement, committed to sustainable development of the Negev. AABGU is headquartered in Manhattan and has nine regional offices throughout the U.S. For more information, please visit www.aabgu.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/aabu-ira022213.php

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Microsoft patent application would automatically disinfect grimy touchscreens (update: related tech)

We've all seen that touchscreen device in the store that's covered with fingerprints (and possibly contagions) from curious shoppers. While it's unlikely that we'll get sick from all that touching, Microsoft is trying for a patent that would set our minds at ease. The method would send ultraviolet light bouncing through a film on or inside a touchscreen, disinfecting fingertips and contact areas without blasting the person directly. Processing inside the gadget could also dictate just when and for how long the UV blast would run. It could kick in only after a user was done, for example, and last just long enough to kill common germs. There's no clues that Microsoft is about to use the technology in real-world products. Still, we wouldn't mind touching an extra-sanitary Windows phone or tablet -- or rather, someone else's.

Update: Microsoft applied for a UV cleaning approach before, but that depended on coupling UV with the backlight; this newer patent would give Microsoft considerably more flexibility.

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Tablets, Microsoft

Comments

Source: USPTO

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/TUXFajNbLwQ/

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Please explain prices: Parliament subpoenas Apple, Microsoft, Adobe | Delimiter...

Please explain prices: Parliament subpoenas Apple, Microsoft, Adobe | Delimiter

delimiter.com.au

Federal Parliament has issued documents formally compelling major technology vendors Apple, Microsoft and Adobe to compulsorily appear before its committee investigating price hikes on technology products...

Source: http://www.facebook.com/creately/posts/144263339069309

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Mainzeal Collapse: Positive Outlook Despite Collapse... | Stuff.co.nz

The collapse of the country's third-largest construction company will be just a "blip" in six months' time, the head of a major construction firm says.

Arrow International chief executive Hugh Morrison says the construction industry in New Zealand is robust, and the sector would absorb the collapse of Mainzeal Property and Construction and move on.

"Let's not overreact to the Mainzeal situation as a commentary on where the market is," Morrison said.

The construction industry had slid back over the last four or five years, but prior to 2008 or 2009, it was probably around levels not too dissimilar from where it was now, Morrison said.

The receivership of Mainzeal was a major blow to staff, subcontractors and suppliers, with the market the toughest it had been for at least five years, but the industry itself was not in crisis.

Morrison said he believed there was enough capacity in the construction industry to absorb those who lost their jobs as a result of the collapse.

"Yes I believe they will be absorbed reasonably quickly . . . I think all companies have cut their staff pretty tightly.

"Somebody has to do the job somewhere and the market is quite tight resource-wise."

The industry in Christchurch would continue to absorb people, he said.

"There won't be a long- term impact on the market, I don't believe."

In the broader construction industry in New Zealand there was activity in sectors like education, with work on the go for schools, universities and other tertiary institutions.

The Christchurch rebuild was also generating a bit of work although significant volumes of work had yet to come onstream, while in Wellington clients were looking at their seismic exposure, and in Dunedin the university was driving some work, Morrison said.

"That's the underbelly, if you like, that keeps ticking away. There is certainly a level of activity."

It was not all "doom and gloom" for the construction industry, Morrison said.

"It is such a robust industry it will absorb this knock, regrettably for the people suffering, it will absorb it very quickly."

The Christchurch and Auckland markets were starting to move, and residential housing was picking up.

"Within six months I'd say this would just be a blip on our memories and we'll be pushing on, regrettably for the people suffering now, because they are the ones who will have to do the hard work to find the new opportunities," he said.

However, he believed there were opportunities out there for them.

But throughout the industry margins were very tight.

Large volumes of work had yet to come through from the "Christchurch saviour" but the forecast, driven by Christchurch, was optimistic. As the work flowed through the margins would start to move.

Supplier margins were not yet moving that much and contractors' margins would later start to move, but slowly, Morrison said.

- ? Fairfax NZ News

Comments

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8286607/Outlook-positive-despite-Mainzeal-collapse

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How the iMore community uses their iPhones and iPads to stay in shape

February is Fitness Month at iMore and Mobile Nations, and that means our whole community is involved -- readers, listeners, viewers, and most of all, forum members. I wrote my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu routine up a couple of days ago, but all week you've been sharing how you use your iPhone and iPad to stay in shape, and the apps and accessories you use along with it. Sure, we sweetened the deal by putting a $100 iTunes gift card up for grabs -- and we'll do it again next week -- but you guys brought serious game.

So what did you tell us?

Our winner, msiry, had this to say:

I use My iPhone to help me stay in shape. Below are the Apps and Accessories I use:

• Lose It: I use this app every single day to help me track how much I eat. Its very useful as I try to keep my carb intake at a minimum of 18% daily. I believe it is free in the AppStore as well, and very simple to use. Just recently it has added an extra bonus for users with the Nike FuelBand, which leads to me my next section.

• Nike+ FuelBand: Best thing to ever happen to me to keep going at the gym, and stay active. It's worn on the wrist, and actually has taken place of my watch. So, each day you set a goal for yourself and how many FuelPoints(its a measurement of how active you are) you think you will achieve. I started out low around 1500 FuelPoints for my first week, but when I was destroying those goals, I decided to up it up 2000 for my second week. I am now consistently at around 3200-3800 after a month of use. To reach my goals, I do what I have to stay active, as I no longer take escalators and take the stairs when available to me. I try to walk everywhere, and my dog loves it, as she gets extra long walk walks now. A friend of mine actually got one as well, and we have a daily competition of who is where, and what they set their goal too for the day, if it's too low, we talk trash to each other about it. Also, the FuelBand keeps track of Calories burned, Steps taken, and has a pretty nice watch on it as well. The one downfall of the FuelBand is the price tag, as it retails around $150 dollars. Luckily, I found a good deal on Ebay and was able to score one for $100 dollars after shipping and handling. Nike has a wide range of products to track your daily activities, so If you're interested, I would visit your local sports store, nike store, or google, and do as much research as possible before getting any product.

• Nike FuelBand App: My FuelBand goes hand in hand with the Nike FuelBand App for the iPhone. It syncs via BlueTooth, and keeps track of all your goals, how far you've traveled that day, how many calories you've burned, and it has fun little animations when reaching certain goals. The App is Free in the App Store.

• Evernote: I use this app to track my workouts, and setup new workouts for myself. I basically follow a Circuit training workout I found online, that I feel has been very beneficial for me, I do that every other day, and the other days are just cardio/core exercises.

Overall these are the 4 main apps I use on a daily basis, and since January 1st, I am currently down 11 pounds to 200lbs, my goal is to be at 175 by May 30th. I am a competitive baseball player, as well as a casual golfer & surfer, and I have been out of shape for way too long. I feel great, I've received many compliments that It shows that I've lost weight, and a lot of my clothes that didn't fit me this time last year, I am now able to wear them, or the're too big on me.

Thanks msiry! We also had great tips from many of the other entrants.

Darthgreg, among other things, bought his analog fitness content with him to iOS:

• AirVideo: The DVD workout system p90x was what really got me started taking fitness seriously. Since I finished it, I've expanded my workout regime quite a bit into other workout videos as well as some self designed stuff. Consistently, however, I want easy access to p90x or another workout video, and since I've ripped them all to a computer, AirVideo gives me access to them no matter where I am or who is using the main tv. AirVideo streams all of my workout movies to my iPhone or iPad whether at home or abroad. I don't always use it, but I can always turn it it if I need it. It is very, very handy.

Daspoo has been using, among other things, the new incarnation of iFitness Pro for recording and storing routine stats

• Full Fitness : Exercise Workout Trainer: The app allows for entry of weight, reps per set, and set counts per exercise, lets you save routines for repeated use, and even allows for backup/restores of data in case something ever happens to your phone; not to mention it shows vids explaining how to perform many exercises. It's a fantastic tool for tracking your steady improvements and also for remembering baselines for starting exercises during workouts. There was drama in the past with the older version of the app (something about the dev creating false 5-star reviews, or something to that effect), but it really is a handy thing to have at the gym when you want to graduate from the notebook of set/reps info. Highly recommended!

Gregory Schneider, among other things, used Zombies 5K to get to the point where he could run a full 5K. But he also used the more general version:

• Zombies, Run!: Zombies 5k helped me get to the point where running more than 100m wasn't a struggle but Zombies Run! keeps me motivated not just on runs, but on walks with my dog too. I still use runtastic in the background as I prefer it's stat tracking over that of zombies run but the story pieces and voice acting in zombies run keep me thoroughly entertained while I'm out and about.

TheBiggMann, who works as a personal trainer, has even incorporated the cloud into his regime:

• Dropbox: This app saves my life on a regular basis. I upload all my clients workouts to my Dropbox because it seems like every week I need a new log or to change something on someone's workout. Having all my files at my fingertips allows me to do just that, all from the comfort of our training studio.

We had a lot of other great posts as well, and a lot of great recommendations, so make sure you check them all out, and if you haven't already, please add yours to the thread!

• How the iMore community uses their iPhones and iPads to stay in shape

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/d-z870Uk-lk/story01.htm

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South Sudan attack leaves more than 100 dead

JUBA (Reuters) - More than 100 people have been killed in South Sudan in an attack by rebels and ethnic allies on a convoy of families from a rival tribe and their cattle, an official said on Sunday.

Since breaking from Sudan in 2011, oil-producing South Sudan has struggled to assert control over remote territories awash with weapons after a 1983-2005 war with the north and torn by ethnic rivalries.

The attack on Friday was the worst violence in Jonglei State since 900 people were killed there in tribal attacks linked to cattle rustling in 2011, the United Nations said.

Rebels loyal to former theology student David Yau Yau and members of the Murle community had killed 103 people, most of them women and children, in the ambush on ethnic Lou Nuer families, state governor Kuol Manyang said.

"They came under attack from people in a huge force," he told Reuters. "There are many children and women missing. Their fate is not yet known."

Fourteen soldiers escorting the convoy were also killed, he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had sent a medical team to treat the wounded.

Yau Yau rebelled in July last year. He recruited armed youths antagonised by a government campaign to end tribal violence in Jonglei, which human rights groups say was marked by abuses by soldiers.

More than 1,500 people have been killed in Jonglei since independence, according to the United Nations.

South Sudan accuses Sudan of dropping weapons and ammunition to Yau Yau's rebels, an allegation denied by Khartoum.

The violence in Jonglei is hindering government plans to explore a major oil concession with the help of France's Total.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudan-attack-leaves-more-100-dead-141900268.html

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'This Week' Web Extra: Stephanie Cutter

Stephanie Cutter, Obama 2012 deputy campaign manager, joined ABC News in a web exclusive before her appearance on the "This Week" roundtable on Sunday. She discussed working with the president, the 2012 campaign, and a few of her favorite things.

Cutter looked back on her time on the campaign trail and news-making moments, such as when she said that Mitt Romney was either possibly guilty of a felony for misrepresenting his position at Bain Capital after 1999 to the SEC or guilty of misrepresenting his position to the American people. "I don't regret saying it. It's the truth," Cutter said.

"What I said was there were a series of documents that came out, that came to light in a news report that showed that Romney had signed SEC documents alleging that he was in charge of Bain Capital from 1999 to 2001, when he alleged he wasn't in change of Bain Capital, and that he was off running the Olympics. But he was signing these documents as the chairman, president, CEO and sole owner of Bain Capital to the federal government. So only one of two things could be true? either he's not telling the truth to the SEC or he's not telling the truth to the American people. If he's not telling the truth to the SEC, then that could be a felony. That's exactly what I said."

"Now of course we know what the truth is. The truth is, he didn't want the American people to know he was in charge of Bain Capital at that time because there were a series of deals that went down that led to outsourcing of American jobs overseas, that led to bankruptcies, Americans losing their jobs here at home, but Bain walking away with a pretty hefty profit. That was the story that he was trying to separate himself from. So, at the end of the day, what we were arguing, which I think the American people agreed with was that, you know, if you're the CEO, chairman, president of a company, it is very difficult to say that you're not in charge."

See more of Cutter's responses to viewer questions below:

Did you ever say no to the president?

"Well, certainly, you know, if there was a time that I felt strongly about something the president would listen to that and we normally would come to an agreeable solution. But you know, I think that this campaign was remarkable in that we knew what our task was from a year out, two years out we had a strategy and we stuck to it from the beginning to the end. And it proved to be successful. We had minor deviations from it along the way, but for the most part we stuck to the strategy and it worked. "

How did it feel to be one of the few senior women involved in the campaign? Do you agree with that premise?

"Well, we were actually pretty lucky in that we had a lot of senior women on the campaign. I was a deputy campaign manager, and there were two other deputy campaign managers that were both women: Julianna Smoot and Jennifer O'Malley Dillon. And we basically split the campaign into thirds. So we were lucky in that way. There was plenty of diversity at the top of the campaign and all the way down?When you're in the thick of it and you're looking around the table, you're not counting how many men or how many women are sitting around. That's your team. And we had been together for many, many years. So it was a close-knit team that worked well together."

Will you ever run for office yourself? There is an open Senate seat in your home state of Massachusetts.

"And there is a great candidate running for that seat: Ed Markey, who's been the dean of the Massachusetts delegation for a very long time. I think he'd make a wonderful senator. I don't think that running for office is in my future. I've enjoyed working on campaigns, helping other people get elected for offices. I've been very lucky to work for some incredible people, from Bill Clinton to John Kerry to Ted Kennedy, who was a great mentor of mine, to President Obama. So I've been very lucky to see these great leaders in action and help them get to their elected offices. I don't think that running for office is for me though."

Lightening Round: iPhone or Blackberry?

"iPhone."

Favorite film?

"We're in Oscar season so I'm gonna talk about my favorite film this year. My favorite is actually "Silver Linings Playbook." That it's so real and identifiable to everybody in life. That whether it's a bad breakup or moving home to live with your parents, I just thought it was a great film the way it used humor to get at these issues."

Comfort food?

"What isn't? I guess cheese."

Any specific type of cheese?

"Anything."

Like "This Week" on Facebook here. You can also follow the show on Twitter here.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/week-extra-stephanie-cutter-answers-viewer-questions-210721041--abc-news-politics.html

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Gunmen kill Nigeria women giving polio vaccines

KANO, Nigeria (AP) ? Gunmen suspected of belonging to a radical Islamic sect shot and killed at least nine women who were taking part in a polio vaccination drive in northern Nigeria on Friday, highlighting the religious tensions surrounding the inoculation of children in one of the few nations where the disease still remains endemic.

The attack shocked residents of Kano, the largest city in Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north, where women often go from house to house to carry out the vaccination drives as Muslim families feel more comfortable allowing them inside their homes than men. It also signaled a new wave of anger targeting immunization drives in Nigeria, where clerics once claimed the vaccines were part of a Western plot to sterilize young girls.

The first attack Friday morning happened in Kano's Hotoro Hayi neighborhood and saw gunmen arrive by three-wheel taxis and open fire. At least eight female vaccinators died in that attack, witnesses said.

The second attack, in the Unguwa Uku neighborhood, saw another four people killed, witnesses said. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of angering the radical sect known as Boko Haram.

However, confusion surrounded the death toll, as Kano state police spokesman Musa Magaji Majia said the attacks killed only nine people ? all of them women taking part in the drive and giving the oral vaccine drops to children. A local hospital later said it received only two corpses from the Unguwa Uku attack, with four others wounded.

Definitive death tolls for such attacks in Nigeria are difficult to obtain. Police and military forces in Nigeria routinely downplay such casualties, and families quickly bury the dead before the next sunset per local Muslim traditional.

While police said they had no immediate suspects for the attacks, witnesses said they believed that Boko Haram had been behind the shootings. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the Hausa language of the north, has been behind a series of violent attacks across northern Nigeria as part of its fight against the country's weak central government. Boko Haram is blamed for killing at least 792 people last year in Nigeria, according to an Associated Press count. That includes a massive attack in Kano last January that killed at least 185.

There have been other attacks targeting polio vaccinators in Kano. In October, police said two officers involved in guarding a polio immunization drive there were shot and killed.

The suspicion surrounding polio vaccinations in Nigeria comes from 2003, when a Kano physician heading the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria said the vaccines were "corrupted and tainted by evildoers from America and their Western allies." That led to hundreds of new infections in children in Nigeria's north, where beggars on locally made wooden skateboards drag their withered legs back and forth in traffic, begging for alms.

Today, Nigeria remains one of only three countries where polio remains endemic, the others being Afghanistan and Pakistan. Last year, Nigeria registered 121 new polio infections, more than half of all cases reported around the world, according to data from the World Health Organization.

Attacks targeting polio vaccinators don't just occur in Nigeria, however. In December, militants in Pakistan killed at least nine workers on a polio vaccine drive. Militants there have accused health workers of acting as spies for the U.S., alleging the vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile. Those rumors only grew after it was revealed a Pakistani doctor ran a fake vaccination program to help the CIA track down and kill al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden.

___

Jon Gambrell contributed to this report from Johannesburg and can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-08-Nigeria-Polio-Attacks/id-12189aebdef647bea76747306a3f6070

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The Need For An Entertainment Lawyer In Film production ...

Does the film producer in fact need a film lawyer or entertainment attorney as a matter of pro practice? An entertainment lawyer's own bias and my stacking of the interrogate notwithstanding, which might plainly indicate a "yes" riposte 100% of the time - the forthright riposte is, "it depends". A number of producers these days are themselves film lawyers, entertainment attorneys, or other types of lawyers, and so, often can take care of themselves. But the film producers to worry about, are the ones who act as if they are entertainment lawyers - but without a license or entertainment attorney legal taste to back it up. Filmmaking and request for retrial picture custom contain an commerce wherein these days, unfortunately, "bluff" and "bluster" sometimes serve as substitutes for actual knowledge and experience. But "bluffed" documents and cture yield procedures will never flee the trained eye of entertainment attorneys working for the studios, the distributors, the banks, or the errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance carriers. For this presume alone, I suppose, the job function of film yield counsel and entertainment lawyer is still secure.

I also suppose that there will always be a few lucky filmmakers who, throughout the entire yield process, fly under the proverbial radar without entertainment attorney accompaniment. They will seemingly avoid pitfalls and liabilities like flying bats are reputed to avoid people's hair. By way of analogy, one of my best friends hasn't had any health insurance for years, and he is still in good shape and economically afloat - this week, anyway. Taken in the aggregate, some citizen will always be luckier than others, and some citizen will always be more inclined than others to roll the dice.

But it is all too simplistic and pedestrian to tell oneself that "I'll avoid the need for film lawyers if I plainly stay out of problem and be careful". An entertainment lawyer, especially in the realm of film (or other) production, can be a real constructive asset to a request for retrial picture producer, as well as the film producer's personally-selected inoculation against possible liabilities. If the producer's entertainment attorney has been through the process of film yield previously, then that entertainment lawyer has already learned many of the harsh lessons ordinarily dished out by the industrial world and the film business.

The film and entertainment lawyer can therefore spare the producer many of those pitfalls. How? By clear thinking, true planning, and - this is the absolute key - skilled, thoughtful and complete documentation of all film yield and associated activity. The film lawyer should not be conception of as plainly the cowboy or cowgirl wearing the proverbial "black hat". Sure, the entertainment lawyer may sometimes be the one who says "no". But the entertainment attorney can be a positive force in the yield as well.

The film lawyer can, in the policy of legal representation, aid the producer as an effective company consultant, too. If that entertainment lawyer has been complicated with scores of film productions, then the request for retrial picture producer who hires that film lawyer entertainment attorney benefits from that very cache of experience. Yes, it sometimes may be difficult to stretch the film allocation to allow for counsel, but pro filmmakers tend to view the legal cost expenditure to be a fixed, predictable, and primary one - akin to the fixed obligation of rent for the yield office, or the cost of film for the cameras. While some film and entertainment lawyers may price themselves out of the price range of the median independent film producer, other entertainment attorneys do not.

Enough generalities. For what exact tasks must a producer typically keep a film lawyer and entertainment attorney?:

1. Incorporation, Or Formation Of An "Llc": To paraphrase Michael Douglas's Gordon Gekko character in the request for retrial picture "Wall Street" when speaking to Bud Fox while on the morning beach on the oversized movable phone, this entity-formation issue ordinarily constitutes the entertainment attorney's "wake-up call" to the film producer, telling the film producer that it is time. If the producer doesn't properly create, file, and declare a corporate or other appropriate entity through which to guide business, and if the film producer doesn't thereafter make every endeavor to keep that entity bullet-proof, says the entertainment lawyer, then the film producer is potentially shooting himself or herself in the foot. Without the shield against liability that an entity can provide, the entertainment attorney opines, the request for retrial picture producer's personal assets (like house, car, bank account) are at risk and, in a worst-case scenario, could ultimately be seized to satisfy the debts and liabilities of the film producer's business. In other words:

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts my head when I do that".

Doctor: "So? Don't do that".

Like it or not, the film lawyer entertainment attorney continues, "Film is a speculative business, and the statistical majority of request for retrial pictures can fail economically - even at the San Fernando Valley film studio level. It is insane to run a film company or any other form of company out of one's own personal bank account". Besides, it looks unprofessional, a real concern if the producer wants to attract talent, bankers, and distributors at any point in the future.

The choices of where and how to file an entity are often prompted by entertainment lawyers but then driven by situation-specific variables, together with tax concerns relating to the film or request for retrial picture company sometimes. The film producer should let an entertainment attorney do it and do it correctly. Entity-creation is affordable. Good lawyers don't look at incorporating a client as a profit-center anyway, because of the positive possible for new company that an entity-creation brings. While the film producer should be aware that under U.S. Law a client can fire his/her lawyer at any time at all, many entertainment lawyers who do the entity-creation work get asked to do added work for that same client - especially if the entertainment attorney bills the first job reasonably.

I wouldn't advise self-incorporation by a non-lawyer - any more than I would tell a film producer-client what actors to hire in a request for retrial picture - or any more than I would tell a D.P.-client what lens to use on a exact film shot. As will be true on a film yield set, everybody has their own job to do. And I believe that as soon as the producer lets a competent entertainment lawyer do his or her job, things will start to gel for the film yield in ways that couldn't even be originally foreseen by the request for retrial picture producer.

2. Soliciting Investment: This issue also often constitutes a wake-up call of sorts. Let's say that the film producer wants to make a request for retrial picture with other people's money. (No, not an unusual scenario). The film producer will likely start soliciting funds for the movie from so-called "passive" investors in any number of possible ways, and may in fact start collecting some monies as a result. Sometimes this occurs prior to the entertainment lawyer hearing about it post facto from his or her client.

If the film producer is not a lawyer, then the producer should not even think of "trying this at home". Like it or not, the entertainment lawyer opines, the film producer will thereby be selling securities to people. If the producer promises investors some pie-in-the-sky results in the context of this inherently speculative company called film, and then collects money on the basis of that representation, believe me, the film producer will have even more grave problems than conscience to deal with. Securities compliance work is among the most difficult of matters faced by an entertainment attorney.

As both entertainment lawyers and securities lawyers will opine, botching a solicitation for film (or any other) speculation can have severe and federally-mandated consequences. No matter how great the film script is, it's never worth monetary fines and jail time - not to mention the veritable unspooling of the unfinished request for retrial picture if and when the producer gets nailed. All the while, it is shocking to see how many ersatz film producers in the real world try to float their own "investment prospectus", complete with boastful predicted multipliers of the box office figures of the famed request for retrial pictures "E.T." and "Jurassic Park" combined. They draft these monstrosities with their own sheer creativity and imagination, but ordinarily with no entertainment or film lawyer or other legal counsel. I'm sure that some of these producers think of themselves as "visionaries" while writing the prospectus. Entertainment attorneys and the rest of the bar, and bench, may tend to think of them, instead, as prospective 'Defendants'.

Enough said.

3. Dealing With The Guilds: Let's assume that the film producer has decided, even without entertainment attorney guidance yet, that the yield entity will need to be a signatory to public bargaining agreements of unions such as Screen Actors Guild (Sag), the Directors Guild (Dga), and/or the Writers Guild (Wga). This is a branch matter area that some film producers can cope themselves, particularly producers with experience. But if the film producer can afford it, the producer should consult with a film lawyer or entertainment lawyer prior to development even any preliminary taste with the guilds. The producer should in fact consult with an entertainment attorney or film lawyer prior to issuing any writings to the guilds, or signing any of their documents. Failure to plan out these guild issues with film or entertainment attorney counsel ahead of time, could lead to problems and expenses that sometimes make it cost-prohibitive to thereafter continue with the picture's added production.

4. Contractual Affairs Generally: A film production's agreements should all be in writing, and not saved until the last minute, as any entertainment attorney will observe. It will be more costly to bring film counsel in, late in the day - sort of like booking an airline flight a few days before the planned travel. A film producer should remember that a plaintiff suing for breach of a bungled compact might not only seek money for damages, but could also seek the equitable relief of an injunction (translation: "Judge, stop this production... Stop this request for retrial picture... Stop this film... Cut!").

A film producer does not want to suffer a back claim for talent compensation, or a disgruntled location-landlord, or state child labor authorities - threatening to enjoin or shut the request for retrial picture yield down for reasons that could have been in fact avoided by true planning, drafting, research, and transportation with one's film lawyer or entertainment lawyer. The movie production's agreements should be drafted with care by the entertainment attorney, and should be customized to encompass the special characteristics of the production.

As an entertainment lawyer, I have seen non-lawyer film producers try to do their own legal drafting for their own pictures. As mentioned above, some few are lucky, and remain under the proverbial radar. But consider this: if the film producer sells or options the project, one of the first things that the film seller or film buyer (or its own film and entertainment attorney counsel) will want to see, is the "chain of title" and development and yield file, complete with all signed agreements. The production's insurance carrier may also want to see these same documents. So might the guilds, too. And their entertainment lawyers. The documents must be written so as to survive the audience.

Therefore, for a film producer to try to "fake it" oneself is plainly to put many problems off for another day, as well as generate an air of non-attorney amateurism to the yield file. It will be less costly for the film producer to strike all of these issues earlier as opposed to later, through use of a film lawyer or entertainment attorney. And the likelihood is that any self-reliant film attorney and entertainment lawyer is going to have to re-draft ample parts (if not all) of the producer's self-drafted yield file, once he or she sees what the non-lawyer film producer has done to it on his or her own - and that translates into unfortunate and wasted expense. I would no sooner want my chiropractor to draft and negotiate his own filmed request for retrial picture contracts, than I would put myself on his table and try to crunch through my own backbone adjustments. Furthermore, I wouldn't do half of the chiropractic adjustment myself, and then call the chiropractor into the examining room to conclude what I had started. (I use the chiropractic motif only to spare you the clich? old saw of "performing surgical operation on oneself").

There are many other reasons for retaining a film lawyer and entertainment attorney for request for retrial picture work, and space won't allow all of them. But the above-listed ones are the big ones.

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Source: http://filmmakingnfilmediting.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-need-for-entertainment-lawyer-in.html

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