Cold and Snow - NASA Earth Observatory (click here)
...Latitude is not the only thing that influences temperature and snow cover. Arcs of cold blue and snow cut across otherwise warm, snow-free areas in Asia, Europe, and Africa. These seemingly out-of-place cold areas are mountain ranges. The Alps curve across the boot-shaped Italian peninsula like a cuff; the Pyrenees separate Spain and France; a single line of snow in northern Africa follows the Atlas Mountains; the Caucasus Mountains connect the Black and Caspian Seas in western Asia; and the Himalaya and the Tian Shan form an oval in central Asia. Higher elevations are cooler than lower elevations because of adiabatic heating....
BASICALLY, while Rutgers is counting snow cover that extends around Earth it does not discriminate in regards to where snow falls 'traditionally' without Human Induced Global Warming. Although mountain tops may have snow, the quantity available as 'normal' is grossly diminished. This effects more than recreation, but, also water supply. In fact, the loss of snow is also a loss of water supply. The reality is, simply, the loss of snow is far greater where it impacts on human activity than anyone is stating in brevity.
The Philadelphia Inquirer with a focus on the less talked about aspects of Iraqi politics
2007 a Year of Weather Records in U.S.
SETH BORENSTEIN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When the calendar turned to 2007, the heat went on and the weather just got weirder. January was the warmest first month on record worldwide , 1.53 degrees above normal. It was the first time since record-keeping began in 1880 that the globe's average temperature has been so far above the norm for any month of the year.
And as 2007 drew to a close, it was also shaping up to be the hottest year on record in the Northern Hemisphere.
U.S. weather stations broke or tied 263 all-time high temperature records, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. weather data. England had the warmest April in 348 years of record-keeping there, shattering the record set in 1865 by more than 1.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
It wasn't just the temperature. There were other oddball weather events. A tornado struck New York City in August, inspiring the tabloid headline: "This ain't Kansas!"
In the Middle East, an equally rare cyclone spun up in June, hitting Oman and Iran. Major U.S. lakes shrank; Atlanta had to worry about its drinking water supply. South Africa got its first significant snowfall in 25 years. And on Reunion Island, 400 miles east of Africa, nearly 155 inches of rain fell in three days , a world record for the most rain in 72 hours.
Individual weather extremes can't be attributed to global warming, scientists always
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_ap_2007ayearofweatherrecordsinus.html
New-home sales in Nov. drop to a 12-year low
One bright spot: Philadelphia-area builders say conditions here are better than in trouble spots such as Florida and California.
By Harold Brubaker
Inquirer Staff Writer
Nationwide new-home sales in November slid to their slowest pace in more than 12 years and were more than 50 percent off their peak in July 2005.
Philadelphia-area home builders said conditions were not as bad here, cautioning that trouble spots - such as Florida, Nevada, Arizona and California - were driving the national numbers.
"Things aren't as good as they once were," but the current numbers look so bleak only because the peaks of two or three years ago were so high, said Craig Poff, owner of MJJ Investments, a Chester County developer.
Overall home sales in a 13-county region around and including Philadelphia peaked in 2005 at 96,082 units. Sales were 87,468 in 2006 and 73,186 through November of this year, according to Trend, a data service used by the residential real estate industry. The figures include existing and new homes and some multifamily units.
The national numbers released yesterday by the Census Bureau included only newly built single-family houses. Last month's annual rate of 647,000 was down 9 percent from October and off 34 percent from a year ago. The peak rate in July 2005 was 1.39 million.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/homepage/20071229_New-home_sales_in_Nov__drop_to_a_12-year_low.html
Bush rejects defense measure
With Congress away, he used a "pocket veto," saying the bill could expose Iraq to costly lawsuits. Democrats fumed.
By Ben Feller
Associated Press
CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush used a "pocket veto" yesterday to reject a sweeping defense bill because of a provision that he said would expose the Iraqi government to expensive lawsuits seeking damages from the Saddam Hussein era.
In a statement, Bush said the legislation "would imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets at a crucial juncture in that nation's reconstruction efforts." The provision at issue was sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.).
The overall legislation sets defense policy for the coming year and approves $696 billion in spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also mandated in the bill are improved benefits for veterans and tighter oversight of contractors and weapons programs.
The pocket veto means troops will get a 3 percent raise Jan. 1 instead of the 3.5 percent authorized by the bill.
Bush's decision to use a pocket veto, announced while he was vacationing at his Texas ranch, means the legislation will die at midnight Dec. 31. This tactic for killing a bill can be used only when Congress is not in session.
The House last week adjourned until Jan. 15; the Senate returns a week later but has been holding brief, often seconds-long pro forma sessions every two or three days to prevent Bush from making appointments that otherwise would need Senate approval.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Bush_rejects_defense_measure.html
U.S. toll in Iraq
Saturday, December 29, 2007
As of Friday, at least 3,901 members of the U.S. military had died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The latest deaths reported by the military:
Tutten, Bryan J., 33, Army Sgt., St. Augustine, Fla.
Inman, Rowdy J., 38, Army Capt., Panorama Village, Texas.
Portell, Benjamin B., 27, Army Sgt., Bakersfield
For a list of all U.S. troops who have died in Iraq, see sfgate.com/ZCQ.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/29/MNG9SU6NJG.DTL
2007 a Year of Weather Records in U.S.
SETH BORENSTEIN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When the calendar turned to 2007, the heat went on and the weather just got weirder. January was the warmest first month on record worldwide , 1.53 degrees above normal. It was the first time since record-keeping began in 1880 that the globe's average temperature has been so far above the norm for any month of the year.
And as 2007 drew to a close, it was also shaping up to be the hottest year on record in the Northern Hemisphere.
U.S. weather stations broke or tied 263 all-time high temperature records, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. weather data. England had the warmest April in 348 years of record-keeping there, shattering the record set in 1865 by more than 1.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
It wasn't just the temperature. There were other oddball weather events. A tornado struck New York City in August, inspiring the tabloid headline: "This ain't Kansas!"
In the Middle East, an equally rare cyclone spun up in June, hitting Oman and Iran. Major U.S. lakes shrank; Atlanta had to worry about its drinking water supply. South Africa got its first significant snowfall in 25 years. And on Reunion Island, 400 miles east of Africa, nearly 155 inches of rain fell in three days , a world record for the most rain in 72 hours.
Individual weather extremes can't be attributed to global warming, scientists always
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_ap_2007ayearofweatherrecordsinus.html
New-home sales in Nov. drop to a 12-year low
One bright spot: Philadelphia-area builders say conditions here are better than in trouble spots such as Florida and California.
By Harold Brubaker
Inquirer Staff Writer
Nationwide new-home sales in November slid to their slowest pace in more than 12 years and were more than 50 percent off their peak in July 2005.
Philadelphia-area home builders said conditions were not as bad here, cautioning that trouble spots - such as Florida, Nevada, Arizona and California - were driving the national numbers.
"Things aren't as good as they once were," but the current numbers look so bleak only because the peaks of two or three years ago were so high, said Craig Poff, owner of MJJ Investments, a Chester County developer.
Overall home sales in a 13-county region around and including Philadelphia peaked in 2005 at 96,082 units. Sales were 87,468 in 2006 and 73,186 through November of this year, according to Trend, a data service used by the residential real estate industry. The figures include existing and new homes and some multifamily units.
The national numbers released yesterday by the Census Bureau included only newly built single-family houses. Last month's annual rate of 647,000 was down 9 percent from October and off 34 percent from a year ago. The peak rate in July 2005 was 1.39 million.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/homepage/20071229_New-home_sales_in_Nov__drop_to_a_12-year_low.html
Bush rejects defense measure
With Congress away, he used a "pocket veto," saying the bill could expose Iraq to costly lawsuits. Democrats fumed.
By Ben Feller
Associated Press
CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush used a "pocket veto" yesterday to reject a sweeping defense bill because of a provision that he said would expose the Iraqi government to expensive lawsuits seeking damages from the Saddam Hussein era.
In a statement, Bush said the legislation "would imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets at a crucial juncture in that nation's reconstruction efforts." The provision at issue was sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.).
The overall legislation sets defense policy for the coming year and approves $696 billion in spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also mandated in the bill are improved benefits for veterans and tighter oversight of contractors and weapons programs.
The pocket veto means troops will get a 3 percent raise Jan. 1 instead of the 3.5 percent authorized by the bill.
Bush's decision to use a pocket veto, announced while he was vacationing at his Texas ranch, means the legislation will die at midnight Dec. 31. This tactic for killing a bill can be used only when Congress is not in session.
The House last week adjourned until Jan. 15; the Senate returns a week later but has been holding brief, often seconds-long pro forma sessions every two or three days to prevent Bush from making appointments that otherwise would need Senate approval.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Bush_rejects_defense_measure.html
U.S. toll in Iraq
Saturday, December 29, 2007
As of Friday, at least 3,901 members of the U.S. military had died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The latest deaths reported by the military:
Tutten, Bryan J., 33, Army Sgt., St. Augustine, Fla.
Inman, Rowdy J., 38, Army Capt., Panorama Village, Texas.
Portell, Benjamin B., 27, Army Sgt., Bakersfield
For a list of all U.S. troops who have died in Iraq, see sfgate.com/ZCQ.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/29/MNG9SU6NJG.DTL
Stable, secure Iraq, Iran's priority
Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:59:46
Iran's deputy foreign minister has said that reinforcement of stability and security in Iraq is among priorities of the Islamic Republic.
"Enemies are unable to damage amicable ties between the Iranian and Iraqi nations. Iran has always supported the democratically elected Iraqi government and has urged that others follow the Islamic Republic's favorable view of the government and people of Iraq," Mohammad-Reza Baqeri told IRNA Saturday.
Pointing to recent remarks allegedly made by the Iraqi President, Jalal Talebani, on the 1975 Algiers Accord, he added that Talebani's office had already issued a statement to the effect that his words had been distorted.
Baqeri, who is Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, said that Talebani himself had stressed the indisputable validity of the accord between the two neighbors. The Iraqi president stated that the interests of the two nations would be ensured by mutual respect for the accord.
The 1975 Algiers Accord is legal and has been duly validated by the United Nations, international legal institutions and the Iraqi and Iranian governments, the Iranian official noted, adding that it forms the basis for the stable border ties between the two countries.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=36738§ionid=351020101
Iraqi president retracts criticism of 1975 border accord with Iran
2007-12-28 18:50:15 -
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani took back his earlier statement that he does not recognize the 1975 Algiers border
accord with Iran, saying on Iranian state television Friday that the treaty remains valid.
«In my view, this agreement is not nullified,» Talabani said in Persian, the language spoken in Iran. «I'm calling
for a long-term strategic agreement between Iran and Iraq.
Talabani made the comments in an interview with the Iranian
Friday after a meeting with Iranian ambassador to Baghdad Hasan Kazemi Qomi.
The official IRNA news agency also quoted a statement released by Talabani's office Thursday as saying that the Algiers Accord was «valid» but Iraq had some «reservations» about it and wanted mutual talks with Iran for an agreement.
The fresh statements by Talabani are in sharp contrast with his earlier remarks saying he didn't recognize the Algiers Accord because it was signed between the former Shah of Iran and Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein and not between Iran and Iraq.
http://www.pr-inside.com/iraqi-president-retracts-criticism-of-r364862.htm
Iraqi govt. says Algiers Agreement still in force, seeks alternative
Voices of Iraq
Baghdad, Dec 27, 2007 (VOI) – An Iraqi presidential statement on Thursday said that the Iraqi-Iranian 1975 Algiers Accord is still in force, denying any intention by the government to cancel it, while an official spokesman said that the government is seeking an alternative to the agreement which "violates" Iraq's sovereignty.
"President Jalal al-Talabani's improvised comments were not meant to cancel the Algiers Accord between Iraq and Iran," read a presidential statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
"The current agreement is valid and no single party has the right to cancel or tear it up…This is a fact known by the president," the statement indicated.
"We have remarks on some items of the agreement, which will be mutually discussed by the Iranian and Iraqi sides," the statement added.
Meanwhile, an official government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, reiterated Iraq's commitment to all previously signed international agreements and revealed his government's intentions to come up with an alternative agreement.
"The Iraqi government is seeking a better alternative to the agreement, which violates Iraq's sovereignty," al-Dabbagh said.
http://uruknet.info/?p=m39593&s1=h1
IRI envoy in Baghdad calls President Talabani's remarks surprising
IRI Ambassador to Baghdad said here Wednesday Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's remarks on 1975 Algiers Agreement between Iran and Iraq are surprising.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi added, "In accordance with international norms and laws, that agreement is an official international document and such matters as regime changes, fundamental political changes in countries, and even wars cannot annual, or breach any part of them." Qomi who was speaking with Iranian media reporters in Baghdad added, "The 1975 Agreement is the foundation stone for the two countries' relations and the entire issues related to bilateral cooperation are defined keeping in mind its articles as unalterable rules."
He added, "There are many agreements, including bilateral border acts and those on officially confirmed international pathways that are included in that comprehensive agreement, annulling which would lead to the emergence of many problems."
Kazemi Qomi said, "The remarks of his eminence, who is one of Iraqi leaders that are determined to further boost comprehensive Tehran-Baghdad relations, and has a long record of combat against Saddam's tyrannical rule and objection against his war against Iran, have truly surprised many commentators, not only in Iran, but also in Iraq. --IRNA
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=575983
Man is charged in slaying of cabdriver
Ramir Steve was arraigned in the shooting of Gregory Cunningham.
By Susan Snyder
Inquirer Staff Writer
Upper Darby police yesterday charged a 19-year-old man with the murder of a cab driver on the day before Christmas, and said he boasted of the killing over the taxi's radio.
Ramir Steve was arraigned yesterday morning in the shooting of Gregory Cunningham, 42, of Clifton Heights. He was held without bail on homicide, gun and robbery charges, and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday.
Police believe that the shooting, about 3 a.m. Monday, was the result of a botched robbery attempt, and that Steve fled taking only the cab driver's cell phone. The driver was found with $700 in his pocket.
"We believe it was a robbery, but apparently the cab driver resisted," said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. "After he shot him, he panicked and he ran."
Steve admitted shooting the driver in a written statement to police, according to the arrest affidavit. He also told police that he then drove the cab to an area near his residence and "got rid of it."
Chitwood said Steve brashly used the cab driver's two-way radio after the killing to report that Cunningham would not be showing up for his next assignment.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Man_is_charged_in_slaying_of_cabdriver.html
Ex-Delco school supt. enters no-contest plea
She gets fine, house arrest, parole & will testify against alleged co-conspirator
By WILLIAM BENDER
Philadelphia Daily News
benderw@phillynews.com 215-854-5255
Leslye Abrutyn, the former superintendent of the Penn-Delco School District, arrived at a Media courthouse yesterday morning dressed in black with a sullen face to match.
Her attire was appropriate. A felony conviction can be death to your career.
Abrutyn, once among Delaware County's most distinguished school administrators, pleaded no contest to a serious violation of the state ethics act and agreed to testify against former school board President Keith Crego at his upcoming trial.
She admitted to giving Crego a $10,000 cash payment in the parking lot of Pennell Elementary School in 2005 to become a silent partner in Quick Start Preschools. The company ran day-care programs for Penn-Delco children - and allegedly provided Crego with an undisclosed source of income.
Standing before Judge Barry Dozer, Abrutyn mustered only a five-word apology: "I am very, very sorry."
"Anything else?" Dozer asked.
She had nothing to add.
"You have failed your oath of office," Dozer scolded her. "You have violated your public duty."
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Ex-Delco_school_supt__enters_no-contest_plea.html
Council asks court to stop city casino A petition to the state Supreme Court seeks to halt SugarHouse from building on the riverbed.
By Jeff Shields
Inquirer Staff Writer
City Council has joined a group of state legislators in an attempt to block SugarHouse Casino from building over state-owned land underneath the Delaware River.
Council's petition to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court mirrors one filed by seven state legislators from Philadelphia on Wednesday - saying Mayor Street's Commerce Department improperly licensed SugarHouse to build on submerged state land.
The petition asks the court to stop SugarHouse immediately from building on the state-owned riverbed and piers, which take up 12 of SugarHouse's 22 acres on Delaware Avenue at Shackamaxon Street on the Fishtown-Northern Liberties border.
SugarHouse has not started construction but says it plans to by mid-January.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Council_asks_court_to_stop_city_casino_A_petition_to_the_state_Supreme_Court_seeks_to_halt_SugarHouse_from_building_on_the_riverbed_.html
New window on hope
By Robert Moran
Inquirer Staff Writer
Lucky, a docile pit bull mix, took a tour of the new pet adoption center in Old City and seemed most fascinated by the windows - more precisely, by what was on the other side.
People. Cars. Dogs on leashes. Life, basically.
And the people strolling by the storefront at Second and Arch Streets couldn't help but stop and check out the cute doggie in the window.
That's the idea.
Next month, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) will open what it hopes will be the first of several "boutique" sites around the city designed to encourage pet adoptions.
As people peered through one of the large windows on Arch at Lucky and his wagging tail, PAWS chief executive officer Tara Derby could barely contain her excitement.
"This is why the adoption center is very cool," she said.
PAWS is the fund-raising and outreach arm of the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association, which is contracted by the city to cage and euthanize stray and unwanted animals.
The association has been successful in boosting the number of adoptions in the last few years. In 2004, it recorded 3,433. So far this year: 7,475 through November.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20071229_New_window_on_hope.html
Advice: No shame in helping police.
Hoops star can relate to Evans' gang fears
By Keith Pompey
Inquirer Staff Writer
College basketball star Tyrone Lewis knows about gang violence and the dangers that accompany it.
A potential target in a gang-related incident in 2006 while he was in high school, Lewis has some advice for Tyreke Evans, the American Christian high school star immersed in his own gang-related drama.
"I can tell him, 'Don't be ashamed,' " Lewis, a sophomore guard at Niagara University in New York, said of Evans' cooperating with the Chester Township police investigation. "As far as the gangs, watch who you hang out with."
Lewis, who was forced to miss his high school graduation because of gang-related death threats, also advised Evans to ignore the idea that snitching on family or friends involved in crimes is wrong.
"If he just stays positive and doesn't worry about that situation, he'll be fine," Lewis said. "My best advice I can tell him as far as family members [blaming Evans], you are supposed to trust and feel safe around them."
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071229_Advice__No_shame_in_helping_police_.html
The bells: One more time
What a fine dining year it's been: A maturing Philadelphia scene enjoys confident second restaurants, exciting neighborhood action, Belgian pubs, and more tasty surprises.
By Craig LaBan
Inquirer Restaurant Critic
This was the year of the second restaurant, the Vetri offspring, and the Belgian bistro boom. The plates got smaller. The wines came by the glass. And pork bellies became the new short rib.
No, none of the new stars were able to quite crack the city's four-bell restaurant elite. But 2007, in many ways, was a year in which Philadelphia's dining scene grew in significant ways. With the usually noisy Stephen Starr machine momentarily quiet, the next generation stepped to the fore with big ambitions.
Jose Garces, whom I am tagging my Chef of the Year, proved with the exquisite small plates at Tinto (his smash-hit Rittenhouse pintxo bar) that Amada was no tapas fluke. We'll be hearing much more from this young Latin maestro soon, as he expands his empire to West Philadelphia and beyond (like his hometown, Chicago).
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_left_story/20071230_The_bells__One_more_time.html
Zoo says tiger wall 4 feet lower than advised
By Jordan Robertson
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO - The director of the San Francisco Zoo, where a teenager was killed by an escaped tiger, acknowledged yesterday that the wall around the tiger's pen was just 12 feet, 5 inches high - well below the height recommended by the main accrediting agency for U.S. zoos.
The zoo director, Manuel A. Mollinedo, also said it was becoming increasingly clear that the 350-pound Siberian tiger leaped or climbed out of her open-air enclosure Christmas Day, perhaps by grabbing onto a ledge.
"She had to have jumped," he said. "How she was able to jump that high is amazing to me."
Mollinedo said investigators had ruled out a theory that the tiger escaped through a door behind the exhibit.
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the walls around a tiger exhibit should be at least 16.4 feet high. But Mollinedo said the wall at the zoo's big-cat enclosure was 12 feet, 5 inches, with a moat 33 feet across.
He said safety inspectors had examined the wall, which dates to 1940, and never raised any red flags about its size.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/daily/20071228_Zoo_says_tiger_wall_4_feet_lower_than_advised.html
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