Saturday, December 31, 2011

The Pulp Mill...

...won't be the only thing that smells in Prince Albert:

Prince Albert residents still using too much water
"The city asked residents on Thursday to cut out non-essential uses, like washing vehicles and taking long showers, during a temporary decrease in production because of facility upgrades.

Until Jan. 3, 2012, the treatment plant cannot produce enough water to meet normal consumer demand."

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A Good Step...

...in the right direction, but nowhere near far enough:

Downsized, decentralized CBC remains key goal for Tories: Heritage Minister James Moore
"And while insisting the CBC is a crucial instrument for national unity and the promotion of artistic talent in Canada, Moore has pointedly allowed the broadcaster to be brow-beaten by his Conservative colleagues in recent months..."
[---]
"...the Conservative government has enjoyed “strong positive feedback . . . whenever we’ve engaged in a history initiative.”
[---]
There is, he said, “a real silent, vast majority of Canadians out there who want to see this country talk about our history, so that young people especially can better understand our history and that we can feel more united as a country.”

But while the government plans to invest in some aspects of its heritage mandate, Moore made clear that other cultural organizations will feel the pinch — and worse — as funding dries up in certain areas.

Moore underlined the fact organizations matching government support with significant private funding will insulate themselves best from cuts and prosper most during the Conservative era."
I'm, frankly, surprised that such a vision is coming from Moore. I agree with the history bit. But, I think Canadians need to have a country-wide very open debate about why we need publicly funded arts in the first place, and whether or not the arts in general is the place to develop and showcase our identity or even whether we really need to bolster our identity in some way.

It seems to me that better knowledge of our history will automatically create a sounder, more accurate identity and any arts organization that doesn't get this should be weaned from the public teat. Something is up in Ottawa, but Moore seems to be going only a small portion of the way.

If you had asked me, I'd have said the first step you can take is canning the CBC altogether, but hosting a country-wide open debate about the need for publicly funded arts and especially, the need for a publicly funded broadcaster, would be just as good.  In other words, let's find out if Canadians actually agree with you that "the CBC is a crucial instrument" and that "national unity and the promotion of artistic talent in Canada" is high up on our list of priorities. 

If it isn't, then let the private sector fund the arts.  But it seems this is the way you are headed, anyway.

If so, then more please, Mr. Moore.

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Too Much...

...for an old biddy:

Alberta couple celebrates birth of 100th grandchild

I only have four and I can't keep their names strait.

PS: Don't let the eco-freaks learn about this. They think earth is already over populated.

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Friday, December 30, 2011

That Spinning, Popping Sound...

...that's lefty heads exploding:

Trump fired up over Keystone delays
"The White House-delayed Keystone XL pipeline proves Canada's government trumps America's, says The Donald.

Contacted by the Sun, colourful U.S. billionaire Donald Trump bemoaned what he calls his country's lack of leadership on a vital economic lifeline.

"It's an outrage our president isn't approving the Keystone pipeline," he said through a spokeswoman who reached Trump in Florida.

"And Canada is lucky to have superior leadership to our's.""
See. He even puts in a plug for the Harper government. LOL!!

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Good Grief!!

Health Canada warns of 'significant labelling error' on Vita Health product
"The incorrect product directions in French say the product is for adults and children two years of age and older. In fact, it should have read: the product is for children 12 years and older.

Health Canada warns that ingestion by children younger than 12 years old can result in acetaminophen overdose and may cause serious health consequences, including liver damage."
Makes me want to scream!!

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Thomas Sowell

One of my heroes:



You should get some of his books and read them.   Or watch more videos.

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Santa's On His Way

Watch him.

I have to go to bed, else he won't stop here.

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Big Pharaoh Is Back!

I just discovered one of my favourite Middle Eastern bloggers is back at it. He had quit about two or three years ago, but now he's back. Check out Big Pharaoh in my blogroll. He and the Egyptian Sandmonkey were the best of the best from Egypt, especially during the Iraq war. Hopefully, he'll stick around. Together, these two bloggers, and a handful of others, gave, and continue to give me hope about the Middle East and the Arab Spring.

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Vaclav Havel's Funeral

Anyone who wants to know more about this man (if you are too young to remember the Cold War era, for example), go read this. The eulogisers tell the story.

In other news, today I'm off to Saskatoon for Christmas. Don't expect to be blogging until after. Any comments received will not be posted until I'm back. (Get a life, people.) Maybe the 27th or 28th. Merry Christmas, one and all.

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Ha! Chiquita Caves...

...Chiquita won’t join bunch boycotting Alberta oilsands products

Won't stop me from boycotting them, though. They've lost this customer, for good.

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Been Busy All Day...

...About the only thing I could muster up was this cutie about the English language from the comments at The Other McCain:
"'English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammer (sic).'"
That explains it.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Message From...

For Some Reason....

...maybe this is an instance of God moving in mysterious ways...I decided to pay a visit to Terry Glavin's blog, just a few minutes ago. I'm glad I did.

Go read his moving tribute to Christopher Hitchens.

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Maybe It's The Grandmother In Me



A couple of days ago, via Facebook, I got some videos of little kids (including granddaughter #1) performing on a stage in front of adoring parents. They're so cute. And there's always a little boy like this one, hamming it up, having a great time. It's too bad these little fellows have to have their enthusiasm hammered out of them in order to fit into a classroom.

All the other kids either look paralyzed with fear or they're constantly looking to their left or right to make sure they are doing the same thing their neighbour is doing. But there's always at least one kid, usually a boy, who is fully immersed in it and is not the least bit self-conscious.

I wanna hug them all.

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BWHAHAHAHAHA!!

The big lie just became much, much easier.
"I Just Made Love app lets you tell the world where and when - and thousands already have
"The Android - and now iPhone - app lets you record where, when and even in what position you 'made love' - and then upload it to an online database - with your comments.

The Android app has already been downloaded 10,000 times."
And what's with those Poles?
"The I Just Made Love site claims to have recorded 193,000 'acts of love', along with where the event occurred and a limited amount of context - very limited, in fact, offering only the options of Inside, Outdoors, In a Car and On a Boat.

Most of the posts via the site so far seem to be in Polish - with only isolated instances of lovemaking in other countries."
Oh my!! Gives a whole new meaning to the word "pole", doesn't it!!

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More Good News

"Conservative premiers across Canada are faring markedly better than their more left-leaning counterparts, as a new survey shows that Saskatchewan's Brad Wall, Newfoundland's Kathy Dunderdale, and Alberta's Alison Redford are the most liked premiers in the country. The Angus Reid poll found that 71 per cent of Saskatchewan residents approve of Wall's premiership, while 60 per cent of Newfoundlanders approve of Dunderdale and 53 per cent of Albertans approve of Redford. On the other side of the spectrum, Quebec and Ontario's Liberal premiers, Jean Charest and Dalton McGuinty, fared the worst, with Charest landing just 26 per cent of support and McGuinty nabbing 38 per cent after winning a third term in October."
Expect more whining from the usual suspects.

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Mommy!

Oh, I Like That!

Canada forbids Iran to open Vancouver consulate
"Iran wants to open a consulate in Vancouver to serve the city’s Iranian-Canadian population, who under some circumstances must go to Ottawa to get consular services, but a federal government policy prohibits it.

Many Iranians have business interests or family members in Iran, Kambiz Sheikh-Hassani, Charge d’Affairs of Iran’s Ottawa embassy said in a statement.

Because that country’s law does not recognize dual citizenship, they must use Iranian travel documents to enter the country.

The only place in Canada where these documents can be obtained is through Iran’s embassy in Ottawa. This means Iranian-Canadians living outside of Ottawa must put valuable documents such as birth certificates and passports in the mail, Sheikh-Hassani said.

Other transactions, such as the issuance of an Iranian birth certificate or power of attorney for valuable transactions, must be completed in person. This means the applicant must either go to Ottawa or wait for embassy representatives to come to them."
Awe. Too bad. So sad.

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

No Accolades For You...

...sweetheart. You were no Vaclav Havel. Quite the opposite in fact.

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And Now For Something...

...completely different and kinda funny:



h/t Barce Pundit

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Man, Do I Ever Hate It...

...when Canada gets recognition for crap like this:

More on Canada's Serial Censor

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Obligatory American Pull-Out From Iraq Post

About the only thing that stands out here is the numbers:

Last U.S. troops leave Iraq, ending war
"The last convoy of U.S. soldiers pulled out of Iraq on Sunday, ending nearly nine years of war that cost almost 4,500 American and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives and left a country grappling with political uncertainty."
Don't let Lancet know.

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Sad News

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel dies
"Havel, the president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992 and of the successor Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003, had long battled poor health, partly caused by the five years he spent in communist jails."
Perhaps he was not that well known, but I admired the man, most especially for the way he peacefully negotiated the breakup of Czechoslovakia into two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He was one of a small group of great men whose work brought about the end of the Soviet Empire and restored Eastern Europe. Not bad, for a playwright. Not bad at all.

Oh, and I think the Velvet Revolution was the first of a long line of similar "revolutions" in other parts of the world - of people longing to be free.

Rest in peace, good man.

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Putting Aside...

...the big kerfuffle about the "s" word and the fact that he's Liberal, young Justin Trudeau is actually quite a good looking dude.

Sorry, guys, but even old biddies notice things like that. And his mustache and goatee actually make him look even better. Certainly better than his father ever looked.

So what's more important? Good looks or intellect? If you haven't got the intellect, you can at least strut your facial hair. I think he looks pretty good. Look for a centerfold somewhere...soon. After all, Liberal fortunes are sagging badly.

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No Skin Off My Nose

I found out yesterday via SDA that Chiquita, the banana company, was boycotting Canadian Oilsands oil (don't know how they can tell it apart from any other oil, but that's another story), but anyway, it  seems Chiquita is not the only company. This morning, there's this:

Harper to defend Alberta oilsands
"Cosmetics giant Avon and US drugstore chain Walgreen's have also made similar commitments."
Now, I do eat bananas, but I can easily get along without them, especially Chiquita brand. So that's no problem. As for Avon? I've never used it. Not much into cosmetics, anyway. And Walgreens? Sorry. They don't have any stores in this part of the world. But I'd boycott them if I could.

What a bunch of idiots!

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Friday, December 16, 2011

Time For Another Memory Lane Trip

I was a very, very young teen, or younger, when this stuff was on the "transistor radios".  I had one, BTW, which was constantly glued to my ear. They don't make music like this today.  My God, what a long time ago!  And Oh My God, the HAIRDOS!!

/old fartdom












 

























 
Thinking about how much society has changed since then, I don't think we younger ones even knew what "Will you still love me tomorrow" really implied, when we fell in love with that song. And so many of the songs of that era were scandalous in our parent's eyes. Look at the way they moved!

Those were the days when  -  or rather -  if a girl became pregnant she was sent away to live with "some aunt" or something (ya, sure) until the baby was born and then the baby was given up for adoption and everyone back home secretly, quietly knew what was going on but nobody said anything, - or - she was married off to the young guy who had knocked her up. None of this out of wed-lock teen motherhood crap.  My God, was there really a time like that?  And what of this one:  "I will follow him, wherever he may go..."  Holy crap!! Oh, the loss of innocence!

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Is It Any Wonder...

Quebec and the ROC are always at odds?

This is so true.
"...like 'lads looking for a brawl outside a pub on a Friday night'"
[---]
"...when Franco-British relations sank to an all-time low over Paris's fierce but ultimately futile opposition to the invasion of Iraq. Blair termed Chirac's stance "foolish" and "irresponsible", Chirac asked Blair how he would answer when Leo asked what he had done in the war, his foreign minister Jack Straw recalled "Napoleon – and remember who won", and even Straw's urbane French counterpart Dominique de Villepin complained of "comments unworthy of a friend and a European partner"."
[---]
"...in the period from 1066 to 1815, when the two countries fought each other in, among others, the Norman invasion, the wars of Henry II, the hundred years war, the Italian wars, the wars of the Spanish and Austrian succession, the seven years war, the American revolutionary war, the French revolutionary wars and the Napoleonic wars. Eight-hundred-odd years of near-continual armed conflict do tend to colour a relationship.

Today's Anglo-French rivalries, though, are born not of military ambition but long-established and strongly-held differences of view: social, cultural, political, commercial, on the economy, Europe, America, and free-market liberalism versus the "social model". Each remains the other's favourite mirror, in which to hold itself up and say: 'Well, at least we're not like them.'"
"For as Chirac once put it, "You can't trust people who cook as badly as that." Or as Noel Coward preferred: "There's always something fishy about the French."
There's something about this ancient row, which actually does date back to the early Middle Ages, that feels rather comfortable. LOL!! The world has always been thus.  There were connections dating to Offa, King of Merica and Charlemagne, Richard the Lion Heart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, remember Charles de Gaulle and his "Vive Quebec Libre".  Anyone who thinks we can easily rid ourselves of this yoke should think again. In days gone by, both our friends and our enemies were those people who lived next door, simply because we knew them best...and they were next door.

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Yeah. By Leftards.

Ah, Hitch..

You'll be missed.

I always love a leftie who sees the light, although I'm not too sure about your religious non-beliefs.

RIP, nonetheless.

More on Hitch.

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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Morning Roundup

No wonder they called him Black Jacques Chirac!

Oh come on. With his curly hair, his little goatee how could we stay incensed at pretty Justin for long? Sounds like it was a rollicking good time. Must have been into the Christmas cheer.  Doncha just love parliamentary democracy?   What would I have to blog about?

Just creepy: Jar labelled ‘Dad’s Ashes’ donated to Langley thrift store

...and richer and richer.

and desperater and desperater. Do these so called scientist actually believe nothing ever changes? Sometimes you'd think so.

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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

So What??!!

Quitting Kyoto could cost Canada down the road
"Few issues have attracted international attention to Canadian policy like the withdrawal from the Kyoto accord. There was a wave of international criticism. Will Canada face a real cost?"
[---]
"Canada’s Kyoto withdrawal was an unusually big news story for a country that gets little mention, playing as a big deal in international media. It was a top Web-hit story for the BBC. Reporters kept asking U.S. climate negotiator Todd Stern about Canada. Canada’s emissions story jumped to the masses. It could be the new seal hunt. Japan and Russia won’t meet Kyoto targets either, but Canada withdrew and got headlines."
Frankly, I'm glad to see Canada lose it's goody-two-shoes reputation, and there's nothing wrong with taking a stand for common sense when everyone else is out to lunch.
"Still, some foreign officials don’t expect much short-term consequence for Canada. It wasn’t a surprise to them. They knew Canada wouldn’t reach its Kyoto target or buy carbon credits to comply. The Harper government wasn’t going to enter a second, post-2012 phase of Kyoto. They expect Mr. Harper to act when the United States does; the 2012 presidential election may be Canada’s climate policy-maker. Many foreign governments already saw a non-Kyoto Canada.

“There are political implications to abandoning Kyoto, but Canada has already suffered them,” said Michael Levi, an energy expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

It causes diplomatic gripes and was probably a factor in Canada’s lost UN Security Council bid."
That's a two-fer, as far as I'm concerned.

Same with you, Justin. An S-Bomb from you makes it three-fer.

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The Netherlands Gets A Backbone

Well, my father can stop rolling in his grave:

The Netherlands to Abandon Multiculturalism
"The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism that has encouraged Muslim immigrants to create a parallel society within the Netherlands.

A new integration bill (covering letter and 15-page action plan), which Dutch Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner presented to parliament on June 16, reads: "The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people. [Ed: Sound familiar?] In the new integration system, the values of the Dutch society play a central role. With this change, the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society.""
[---]
"The integration will not be tailored to different groups."

The new integration policy will place more demands on immigrants. For example, immigrants will be required to learn the Dutch language, and the government will take a tougher approach to immigrants to ignore Dutch values or disobey Dutch law.

The government will also stop offering special subsidies for Muslim immigrants because, according to Donner, "it is not the government's job to integrate immigrants." The government will introduce new legislation that outlaws forced marriages and will also impose tougher measures against Muslim immigrants who lower their chances of employment by the way they dress. More specifically, the government will impose a ban on face-covering Islamic burqas as of January 1, 2013.
[Ed: Yes, very familiar. In fact, it goes even further than Jason Kenney's initiative.]
"If necessary, the government will introduce extra measures to allow the removal of residence permits from immigrants who fail their integration course."
And thank you, Geert Wilders. I hope my letter to the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa played a small part. Europe, you have a civilization worth saving. Well done!!

Now, if we can just get Ottawa to put a bit more teeth into our own recently announced decision about the veil. I like the idea of booting them out, if they refuse to adapt.

HT, Abe Froman at SDA.

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Oh, You Again!

Imam says Muslims being persecuted like Jews
"A Calgary-based Imam says Muslims are being attacked in the same way Jews were before Hitler ordered their extermination.

Syed Soharwardy, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, says a regulation change requiring Muslim women to remove their niqabs and burkas when swearing the oath to become a Canadian amounts to Muslim bashing.

From intimidating and bad-mouthing the Muslim faith and belittling the Koran and Muslim beliefs, he drew a parallel with the treatment of Jews in Germany.

"Muslims are going through that situation right now that the Jews faced before the Holocaust," Soharwardy told CFCN TV in Alberta."
And where have we heard your name before, Mr. Soharwardy? Keep whining. That'll do the job.

PS: I think there's a Madrassa back home in Pakistan that needs a new headmaster. You seem to have the qualifications they're looking for.

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Proving Once Again...

...that they have no new ideas, the Liberals dig deeply into the past to drag out this old horse:

Tories ripping apart Canadian values, Chrétien says

Here we go again. The Liberals get to define "Canadian values". No one else is good enough.

You know, Jean, it just may be Liberal values that Canadians find wanting. Thanks for that. Anyway, the more of that we can unravel, the better. Now go back to your crypt. You and your party haven't had a new idea in ages. You're history. The fact that they have to drag you out of the dungeon illustrates that quite well.

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Good Grief!!

Oh Great!!

Charles the Stupid is coming to Canada. I think I'll take a pass.

Interesting that Queen Liz has been sitting on the big chair for 60 years, though. That pretty much spans my lifetime. With any luck, she'll out live me, and I won't have to call Chucky-pooh my Head of State.

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Monday, December 12, 2011

Not Safe For Effette City Folk

Polar bear 'cannibalism' pictured
"It is an image that is sure to shock many people.

An adult polar bear is seen dragging the body of a cub that it has just killed across the Arctic sea ice.

Polar bears normally hunt seals but if these are not available, the big predators will seek out other sources of food - even their own kind."
Heck. I remember having an old mother cat, back in the day on the farm, who once ate her own kittens. I don't think it was for lack of mice or birds to eat, but it was kinda creepy. Growing up on a farm does expose you to the real world, which is full of grizzle, blood and guts. Then there was the two-headed calf. But that's enough for now.

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Sex

There. That got your attention, didn't it.

Here's more about it:

Toronto Zoo’s ‘gay’ penguins Buddy and Pedro turn attention to females

They're bi!

And even more!!!

Canadians are doing it less, study reveals
"We are having less sex and we are apparently masters at concocting excuses to avoid sex."
[---]
"And from headaches, to fatigue to life’s many distractions, Canadians suffer terribly from the “not tonight dear” syndrome. Two in five Canadians use excuses to avoid sex."
Geeze. And I thought on these long dark nights in the winter, we'd be doing more, not less. But we're sexier than Americans, apparently.

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I Swear...

...Canada's current government is composed of men with massive balls:

No veils allowed during citizenship oaths, Kenney says
"Mr. Kenney, who made the announcement in Montreal, dismissed questions of religious freedom.

“When Muslim women do the Haj (pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia) they’re required not to wear a veil. They’re required to show their face,” he said. “The idea this is a religious requirement I do not accept.”

Additionally, Canadian law takes precedence over religious edict, Mr. Kenney said."
Related: New niqab law puts Canadian values first
"As part of a wider circle of reforms in his department, Citizenship and Immigration minister Jason Kenney has announced a regulation requiring Muslim women who observe the custom of wearing the niqab to remove it before taking the oath of citizenship, the final step in becoming fully Canadian. According to the new rule, the judge must see her face as she takes the oath, but she can replace the face cover afterwards.

Women with face cover will receive two warnings before being refused the oath. On her arrival, a department official will explain the new regulation. If the woman does not comply, the judge will inform her that she cannot say the oath with her face covered. If she again refuses, the judge will request that she leave.

Women who do not swear the oath in this scenario will not receive their citizenship papers and will remain classified as permanent residents, a status that withholds the right to vote, run for office or hold certain jobs. Nor does it offer protection from deportation in the event of serious criminal charges. Such women will have the right to retake the oath if they choose to respect the rule."

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And Here, All Along, I Thought This Was Just A Joke

Yeeeehaaaaaaw!!

Canada pulling out of Kyoto accord
"“The Kyoto Protocol does not represent the path forward for Canada,” Kent told a news conference in the foyer of the House of Commons, after his return from an international climate-change summit in Durban, South Africa.

“It’s now clear that Kyoto is not the path forward for a global solution to climate change. If anything, it’s an impediment.” Canada will formally withdraw from the Kyoto accord on climate change, Environment Minister Peter Kent said Monday."
Take your scam and shove it!

From Aussieland:

The great climate change gravy train rolls on
"THE great climate gravy train rolls on and Julia Gillard and Bob Brown's great big carbon tax just got bigger. Much bigger.

Phew. The dedicated delegates had to sacrifice a weekend, stay up all night and pump out even more carbon dioxide, but they were able to pull victory right out of the jaws of disaster, figuratively at five minutes after midnight.

There they were facing the end of their world, their cosy world of riding the climate gravy train from one annual two-week conference in a resort city, to the next, and all the points through the year in-between.

Always, always, being prepared to make the tough choices: which resort city, and indeed, north or south?

Faced with going down in history as the free-lunchers that betrayed not just this generation of climate change main-chancers, but the next free-lunching generation and indeed the generation after that, they resolutely put their snouts - sorry, their shoulders - to the wheel and ground out a deal.

Success! Simply put, they ensured that the great climate gravy train would NOT come to a shuddering stop in Durban. It was given a new head of steam to roll on to Qatar next year and who knows where else right through to at least 2015."
[---]
"It's not just the billions of dollars that have been rescued for the ten thousand-plus people that most prominently ride the climate gravy train from one conference to the next.

But in the finest example of real trickle-down in action, all the people who feed off the climate hysteria and inanity beneath them.

From people building useless solar panels and wind turbines (sic), to feeding off the exorbitant power subsidies, to all the climate institutes (sic), to those doing research, all the NGOs, etc, etc, etc.

All their dollars were at risk if the gravy train had ground to a stop in Durban.

Further, on top of all those tens of billions of wasted dollars, the single biggest prize at risk was the $US100 billion a year, EVERY YEAR, that the developed world is supposed to direct to developing nations from 2020."
[---]
"Precisely when the global emissions trading scheme on which it totally depends - and on which it will depend even more if the tax is increased - recedes further and further into the distance and from harsh reality.

In the euphoria over the saving of the gravy train, if not the planet, it might have been overlooked that the conference also agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol from its otherwise demise at the end of next year, to 2020."
What further proof do you need that this whole thing was a total scam? I am so proud of Canada's stance and of our Colossal Fossil Award!!

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Well, That's Fine

Sunday, December 11, 2011

And While We're On The Topic...

...of the Durban Freakers' Ball, the time has come to assess its relative success/failure.

According to some it was a complete dud, but not to worry, there will be other opportunities.

Durban climate change the agreement explained
"At the end of the gruelling talks the world decided on the "Durban Platform for Enhanced Action". The two-page document commits all countries to cutting carbon for the first time. A "road map" will guide countries towards a legal deal to cut carbon in 2015, but it will only come into affect after 2020."
[---]
"The world has agreed to a help poor countries cope with climate change through a new Green Climate Fund that will hand out around £60bn per annum from 2020. However, again the details of the agreement are very vague. All that has been decided is that a body will be set up to distribute and manage the funds. It is not yet clear how the money will be raised. Possible plans to raise fund from a tax on shipping or aviation have not been signed off."
[---]
"There is still a lot of work to do on the agreement. The next UNFCCC meeting in Quatar [Ed, Qatar?] next year will start negotiations towards the 2015 deal, including the kind of targets each country will sign up to. There will also be discussion of carbon cuts for the EU and a few other countries under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol."
[---]
"There is still a lot of work to do on the agreement. The next UNFCCC meeting in Quatar [Ed. I think they mean Qatar, another nice warm place where conference attendees can easily be persuaded the earth is getting really hot.] next year will start negotiations towards the 2015 deal, including the kind of targets each country will sign up to. There will also be discussion of carbon cuts for the EU and a few other countries under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol."
[---]
"India emerged as the villains (sic), after Jayanthi Natarajan, India’s Environment Minister, refused to sign up a deal that would commit the developing world to a strong legal treaty. She was backed by China, who also seemed reluctant to cut carbon at home.

However although the protests by the world’s second and third biggest carbon emitters claimed their concerns are based on "climate justice". They argue that they need to carry on emitting carbon to bring millions of people out of poverty over the next few decades.

The US was unusually quiet throughout the talks, but as the world’s biggest emitter made it clear they were also happy with a weak legal outcome.

The EU are painting themselves as the heroes of the hour for rescuing the talks from collapsing but it could be a bitter victory as the deal is so vague and fails to cut carbon fast enough.

The South Africans were criticised for letting the conference go into extra time for two days but ultimately it has been a success for them by achieving some sort of a deal."
[---]
"This is a major signal to business to start investing in green technology as the world moves towards a low carbon future.

Europe is already cutting carbon but this will increase pressure to increase the target from 20 per cent by 2020 to 30 per cent by 2030. As part of the bloc it will also encourage the UK to increase our targets, although we are already committed to 34 per cent by 2020. The rest of the world will also be encouraged to cut carbon on a voluntary basis at first and as part of the deal in 2020.

It could mean the carbon price increases and carbon markets begin to function better pushing up the price of fossil fuels but ensuring investment in wind and solar. In the UK this could mean ‘green jobs’ for the economy but also costs to the tax payer through energy bills to pay for the new power stations.

The new Green Climate Fund will also be paid for by tax payers. The UK has already spent £3.4bn on helping poor countries fight climate change and will invest around £1bn a year from 2020 as part of the fund. The climate change conference itself costs the UK Government around £500,000 every year."
[---]
"It has been estimated that the carbon footprint for the event could be in the order of 15,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. However this does not include the flights of the 13,000 delegates that is likely to increase the emissions to the annual footprint of a small African country. Durban City Council is offsetting the footprint by through an ecosystem rehabilitation project in the uMbilo catchment west of Durban. It is expected to offset 16,000 CO2e."
I wonder what Qatar will do to offset its increased carbon footprint? Plant a forest of palm trees?

Why do I get the feeling this scam will go on and on for the next thirty to forty years, long after people will have forgotten the dire urgency the warmists have been crying about for the past couple of decades, at least.

Anyway, good news for alternative energy experiments. No one seems to have noticed, or, at least, is willing to acknowledge they have been primarily failures.  Taxpayers to the rescue!! Again!! Investors will be pleased. Certain kinds of investors,  that is.

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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Durban Freakers' Ball

UPDATED:...with appropriate music, below.
============
Durban climate change: Talks descend into farce

Climate summit in disarray as exhausted ministers row

U.N. climate talks edge towards compromise pact

I can hardly wait to see what they've all agreed to, and, most especially, who's going to enforce it.



I got more where that came from, too:

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Sorry For The Absence...

...It's not for lack of interesting absurdities in the news. It's lack of enthusiasm for blogging, plus too much "getting ready for Christmas" sort of work.

Sometimes the news has too much of a "same old, same old" quality about it. Besides that, it's noon already, and I still haven't had breakfast. I'm hungry.

I might be back at it later today.

But then again, I might not.

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Thursday, December 08, 2011

Words Fail

Lawmakers Blast Administration For Calling Fort Hood Massacre 'Workplace Violence'
"Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence and suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home.

During a joint session of the Senate and House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, the Maine Republican referenced a letter from the Defense Department depicting the Fort Hood shootings as workplace violence. She criticized the Obama administration for failing to identify the threat as radical Islam."
How could the citizens of the USA possibly think of electing this man for a second term??

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Sixty-One Pages...

...with not quite enough snark, but lots of punch, nevertheless - from Climate Depot:

Special Report: A-Z Climate Reality Check - Sub-Prime Science Exposé:

“The claims of the promoters of man-made climate fears are failing - Presented to United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa on December 7, 2011”

"The Antarctic sea ice extent has been at or near record extent in the past few summers and the ice is expanding, the Arctic has rebounded in recent years since the low point in 2007, polar bears are thriving, sea level is not showing acceleration and is actually dropping, Cholera and Malaria are failing to follow global warming predictions, Mount Kilimanjaro melt fears are being made a mockery by gains in snow cover, global temperatures have been holding steady for a decade or more and many scientists are predicting global cooling is ahead, deaths due to extreme weather are radically declining, global tropical cyclone activity is near historic lows, the frequency of major U.S. hurricanes has declined, the oceans are missing their predicted heat content, big tornados have dramatically declined since the 1970s, droughts are not historically unusual nor caused by mankind, there is no evidence we are currently having unusual weather, scandals continue to rock the climate fear movement, the UN IPCC has been exposed as being a hotbed of environmental activists, former Vice President Al Gore is now under siege by his fellow global warming activists for attempting to link every bad weather event to man-made global warming and scientists from around the world continue to dissent from man-made climate fears at a rapid pace.

Climate Depot’s new A-Z report reveals that the great man-made global warming catastrophe that was predicted – has been cancelled."
RTWT

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Look At Those Beaches...

...at the Durban Koyoto conference. Who wouldn't wanna spend a week or two there, all expenses paid by the tax payer, of course!! Nice gig, if you can get it.

This year, there's a new angle to the alarmism, too. Very creative!

Warning on trade war after Kyoto's demise

And hey, count 'em! 12 Fossil of the Day Awards so far!!! Go Canada!!!!!

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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Somehow I Don't...

...think that's what they had in mind:

NDP calls for troops into Attawapiskat

However, if we could well and truly say they've been conquered....

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Not To Worry...

...there's tons of other Arabs sneaking across the Mexican border from points south. One less won't make much difference.

Anyway. Well done, Mexico. It's good to see you can still do something worthwhile occasionally.

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Once More...

...an article about global warming slips in evidence that the earth has been very warm before, long before humans began producing CO2 on an industrial scale:

Dead Sea will not survive drought, say geologists
"Environmentalists have warned that the Dead Sea would not survive a significant period of drought after discovering that it all but disappeared 120,000 years ago during high temperatures."
[---]
"Environmental scientists told the American Geophysical Union at their annual conference in San Francisco that the discovery proves the precarious existence of the Dead Sea, which is diminishing rapidly.

The Dead Sea marks the border between Israel and Jordan and is the lowest point on the planet, sitting 1,394ft [425m] below sea level. The salty water covers layer upon layer of sediment that captures the climatic history of the region going back thousands of years.

Holes drilled into the deepest point of the lake produced evidence that it almost evaporated hundreds of thousands of years ago, when there were very few humans living by its shores."
LOL!! Stooopid.

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An Even Better Christmas Present

Sask. changes clear in study
"The first wave of analyses from a massive study undertaken by the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy indicates just how great a sea change has occurred in Saskatchewan.

That the province's environment is remarkably different from a decade ago is difficult to miss. But just how much of an impact the changes have had on traditional voting trends wasn't clear until the school took advantage of the Nov. 7 election to parse out why people voted the way they did.

As political scientist David McGrane put it, "The Saskatchewan Party killed the NDP.""
[---]
"Of the 30 groups the researchers examined, the majority in 29 groups voted for the Saskatchewan Party. These included such traditional NDP supporters as those with low incomes, young persons and the elderly, unionized workers, urban, suburban, and rural voters, and even public sector workers.

Not only was the Saskatchewan Party successful in getting its message out, but Monday's throne speech made it clear Mr. Wall was also listening. Included in the 20-page document are promises to make housing more affordable, help for young families and first-time homeowners, provide more childcare spaces, help for low-income seniors, and a commitment to work with unions to provide greater accountability for members."
[---]
"In fact, the Johnson-Shoyama study suggests that when it comes to tapping into what union members want, Mr. Wall has been more successful than the union leaders who spent copious amounts of their members' dues to buy advertisements opposing the premier's ideas.

The government is wise to suggest it would like to work with unions to make sure the leaders are attuned closer to what their members want. It's a message the union leaders should take seriously."
[---]
"But the study points to places where Mr. Wall seems offside, particularly with his own base. When researchers asked about support for the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on the sale of Saskatchewan grain, there was considerable ambivalence.

But when the University of Saskatchewan's Social Responsibility Research Laboratory used its geographic data system to calculate concern about the board, it showed that the regions west and south of Saskatoon, where most of the province's wheat, barley and durum is grown, are also where there is greatest support for the monopoly.

There is a message in here for Mr. Wall that his ideology and that of his base might not be in sync, at least on this one critical issue. This could be a damaging aberration for a premier who has built his reputation on pragmatism."
The University of Saskatchewan's Social Responsibility Research Laboratory - three guesses what this "Laboratory" is all about. No doubt it's infested with NDPers, just as the rest of the U of S is - seems to have forgotten that most Saskatchewan farmers quit growing wheat a long time ago and have been growing crops they can sell without the approval of the Wheat Board. The region described is likely the area where the farmers are too chicken-shit to try marketing their own crops - precisely the group that needs nanny's protection.

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BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Kent tells Durban audience Kyoto is 'the past'
"A group of young Canadian activists were escorted out of Environment Minister Peter Kent's opening address to climate delegates in Durban, South Africa.

The six members of the Canadian Youth Delegation stood up and turned their backs to Kent when he spoke on Wednesday. They wore T-shirts that said: "Turn your back on Canada."

They were escorted out at about 12:30 p.m. local time and immediately had their accreditation revoked, according to a press release the group issued on Wednesday.

Brigette DePape -- the so-called rogue page who made headlines when she held up a "Stop Harper" sign during a throne speech in Ottawa this past summer -- was among the six people who took part in the protest during Kent's address."
I wonder who paid her airfare? Anyway, now we know what sort of brainpower the young people who show up at these conferences have. In a word: NONE!!
"Kent's address outlined Canada's position on climate change negotiations and the reasons Ottawa believes that the previously negotiated Kyoto Protocol, which expires next year, does not go far enough.

"Kyoto, for Canada, is in the past," Kent said, according to a copy of his statement that was released to the media on Wednesday.

However, the environment minister told his audience that Canada believes the negotiations that took place in Cancun last year resulted in more realistic and substantial commitments on climate change.

"The countries who have signed up for the Cancun Agreements cover over three quarters of global emissions -- already double those covered by Kyoto," said Kent
."
Not good enough, Mr. Kent. When Canada walks away entirely from this scam, then, and only then, will it be "good enough".
"A handful of emerging countries that include China are putting pressure on wealthy countries to agree to a second round of commitments under the expiring Kyoto Protocol.

But Canadian officials have indicated that is something they won't do."
Even if a miracle happened and China signed on, it would not be "good enough". I want to see proof that CO2 emissions produced by human activity are the cause and proof that we can actually do something about what common sense and science tell us is a natural phenomenon. And not a minute sooner.

More here:
""The Kyoto Protocol is not where the solution lies — it is an agreement that covers fewer than 30 per cent of global emissions," Kent said.

"It is an approach that does not lead to more comprehensive engagement of key parties who need to be actively part of a global agreement. Nor does it provide for individual countries to take action that reflects national circumstances.

"It is for all these reasons that we have long said we will not take on a second commitment under the Kyoto Protocol."

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol expires next year.

A quartet of emerging powerhouses led by China is putting pressure on wealthy nations such as Canada to extend their Kyoto commitments.

The so-called BASIC bloc of Brazil, South Africa, India and China say they will step up their own efforts to reduce greenhouse gases if the world's richest countries take on a second round of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

Beijing has opened the once-firmly shut door to binding targets to lower China's emissions.

The lead Chinese negotiator told reporters that China is open to legally binding targets after 2020 as long as several conditions are met.

One condition is that rich countries such as Canada agree to take on a second round of commitments under the expiring Kyoto Protocol — something the federal Conservatives say Canada won't do.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also urged industrial countries to sign on for a second commitment period.

Speculation is rife that Canada will abandon Kyoto altogether. CTV has reported the Conservatives will announce Canada's withdrawal from the global pact on Dec. 23."
That'd be a great Christmas present. But, if there really is a Santa Claus, how about pulling out of all these silly agreements and putting an end to the blackmail.

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Monday, December 05, 2011

Sometimes You Just Gotta...

...feel sorry for the MSM. This non-story has been going on and on and on and on. It was boring when it broke. It's still boring.

But they've got nothing else to do but bash Canada's Kyoto withdrawal threat.

But this is interesting.

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The Cat Came Back

Perfect Time...

..to turn a corner:

Gov't-appointed consultant kicked out of Attawapiskat

There is no treaty right to housing or mega-bucks for Band Councils.

I doubt the government will take any decisive steps, though. The Indian Industry always wins.

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Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Wasn't this publicly proclaimed Canadian stance a ploy designed to call China's bluff all along, anyway? Well done, Peter Kent!

Gee. I wonder what other good stuff Harper's hidden agenda bag contains. This one is a great Christmas present. What other stuff will the New Year bring?

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Sunday, December 04, 2011

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Record amount of carbon emissions released in 2010: report
"Humans pumped out 10 billion tonnes of carbon emissions in 2010 after rebounding quickly from the global financial crisis two years ago, scientists report.

Researchers with the Global Carbon Project say emissions climbed 5.9 per cent in 2010 to hit 10 billion tonnes. That is a whopping 49 per cent increase over 1990 — even though Canada and other countries pledged to cut emissions as part of the Kyoto Protocol."
Notice they always include photos of smog or other particulate saturated air in their stories about global warming, which of course, have nothing to do with CO2? And that bit about "Canada and other countries"? You'd think they'd make their propaganda a little less obvious, wouldn't you? But maybe not.

Related: The sea is rising. The sea is rising. The sea is rising.

The sky is falling. The sky is falling. The sky is falling.

Whaaaaa. Nobody is listening to us. Nobody is listening to us. Nobody is listening to us. Whaaaaa. Whaaaaa.

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I Wonder How Much...

...his groupies have to cough up to pay for their hero's legal fees?

Assange in final plea to avoid extradition

...and why was he fighting so hard? Is he guilty? Does he know he's not getting out of the fix he put himself into?

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Amnesty International Beclowns Itself Again

Zambia rejects rights group's call to arrest Bush
"Zambia has dismissed an international rights group's call for the arrest on torture charges of former U.S. president George W. Bush, who has been touring Africa to raise awareness about cervical and breast cancer.

“On what basis does Amnesty International want us to arrest President Bush?” state media quoted Foreign Affairs Minister Chishimba Kambwili as saying while Bush, his wife and daughters ended their visit to Zambia on Saturday."
[---]
"Earlier in the week, Amnesty International said it had asked Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia to arrest Bush, “someone who has admitted to authorizing waterboarding.” As president, Mr. Bush authorized the interrogation technique that simulates drowning and is viewed as torture by many.

Mr. Bush is warmly remembered across Africa for his U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which since 2003 has provided AIDS treatment to millions on the continent hardest hit by the disease.

Mr. Bush started his Africa tour in Tanzania. He launched his Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon project Friday in Zambia. The project is aimed at expanding the availability of breast care education and cervical cancer screening and treatment."
Oh, but he authorized waterboarding, you know.

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I've Been Watching...

...the rapid rise and disastrous crash of Herman Cain and I wonder, if only the squeakiest of the squeaky clean can survive a bid for high office, what does that do to the pool of good candidates who may have more than enough of the right stuff to provide the needed leadership? And what does this say about the mainstream media? Who among us does not have something in our past that can be paraded out and dwelt upon ad nauseam. And why is the media so selective about who they choose to pillory?

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I Think There's A...

...typo in this headline:

New Americas summit aims criticism at US

There's nothing new about that.

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Sixty-Six Years On!!

WWII bomb in Rhine near Koblenz successfully defused
"Bomb disposal experts in the German city of Koblenz have successfully defused two bombs from World War II found in the riverbed of the Rhine."
[---]
"The bigger of the two bombs weighed 1.8 tonnes and was dropped by the Royal Air Force between 1943 and 1945.

Nearly half the city's population - 45,000 - has been evacuated, including the inhabitants of two hospitals, seven nursing homes and a prison.

It is the biggest bomb disposal operation in Germany since 1945."
[---]
"About 600 tonnes of unexploded ordnance are discovered in Germany every year"
Wow!!

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Oh Dear!

Whatever shall WE do?

No more hats for you, Liz.

I wonder if they'd buy it back?

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Saturday, December 03, 2011

Blah, Blah, Blah...

Friday, December 02, 2011

Adam Carolla Tells It Like It Is

This is for you, Saskboy, and other OWS idiots:

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Oh Dear!

We're slipping:

Corruption Perceptions Index 2011

(Note the amateurish botch-up job CBC does of the chart. Two entries for Germany. Twenty countries (those ranked in the 4 to 5.9 range) completely ignored. I'm surprised they didn't at least include Israel, which at 5.8, is ranked 36th.)

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Sick, Sick, Sick

There should be a special place in hell for these people:

Police lay charges in Red Deer baby death
"Police have said they believe four-month-old Zaria McCall was inside her family home in Red Deer when she was injured, and one of her parents took her to Red Deer Regional Hospital."
[---]
"The next morning, she succumbed to her injuries, and RCMP began investigating the case as a suspicious death.

The baby's father, Julian Thomson, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder."
You know, four month old babies can cry a lot, keep you awake all night, night after night, etc. They are totally helpless and, whether they mean to or not, very demanding. It can be very, very stressful for poor sleep deprived parents, but beating a baby to death???? There is no excuse for that. Bring back the death penalty for child killers.

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Once Again...

...the word "Anthropogenic" is missing:

Arctic growing warmer and greener: Scientist
"According to the report, the average annual near-surface air temperatures over much of the Arctic Ocean in 2011 were approximately 1.5C greater than the 1981-2010 baseline period.

"Minimum Arctic sea ice area in September 2011 was the second lowest recorded by satellite since 1979," it said.

"Arctic tundra vegetation continues to increase and is associated with higher air temperatures over most of the Arctic land mass."

Commenting on the findings, Monica Medina of US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said this report "concludes that the Arctic region continues to warm, with less sea ice and greater green vegetation".

"With a greener and warmer Arctic, more development is likely," she said in a statement.

"Reports like this one help us to prepare for increasing demands on Arctic resources so that better decisions can be made about how to manage and protect these more valuable and increasingly available resources," she added."
In fact, there's even an upbeat feel to it.

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I Know...

...diamonds are a girl's best friend, and all that, but what the heck does this mean?

Entangled diamonds vibrate together

Physics was not my strong suit in high school, and even if it was, it would long since have been forgotten and, for those who were and continue to be, interested, it's moved on, quite a bit, I imagine.  After all, the Americans hadn't even landed on the moon, when I walked away from my high school building for the last time. (In fact, I remember very clearly walking away from the school after my last exam in June, knowing full well I would never walk down that walkway again. It was a kinda weird feeling.)

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Thursday, December 01, 2011

Baby executive is not pleased.. - Have you seen, Video - Independent.ie

Baby executive is not pleased.. - Have you seen, Video - Independent.ie

Some things are just too cute to pass up.

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