Wong announces $1.4b climate change fund (click here)Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says small businesses and community groups will get $1.4 billion over five years to help them adjust to the introduction of an emissions trading scheme.
The money will be available to businesses and groups purchasing energy efficient equipment through a Climate Change Action Fund.
She says there will also be grants for developing long-term energy-efficiency plans.
"This is about the Government delivering on its commitment to ensure that the monies raised from the scheme are invested back into Australian businesses and Australian households to enable everyone to make the transition to a low-pollution future," she said....
December 13, 200807:00:35 AM EDTNorthern North American Satellite (click here to animate satellite). All those 'clouds' are storm clouds. The 'torquoise areas' reflect snow.
December 13, 20081130zUNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of North And West Hemisphere (click here for 24 hour loop) - There are two additional vortex systems coming across the country. One currently over Idaho and the other south of Alaska.The chances there are some dead is high with this degree of cold and power loss. There is also going to be a repeat of the event in a short period of time. Everybody better get ready ! People at risk should be staying with family or younger folks to be safe.
December 12, 2008Brunswick, ME
December 11, 2008Covington, LOUISIANAPhotographer states :: First snow in several years in Covington.
December 11, 2008Covington, LOUISIANAPhotographer states :: First snow in several years in Covington. If Robert Frost had seen bamboo bending under heavy snow, would he have written "Bamboo" instead of "Birches"? Probably not -- the bamboo merely bends but the stalks don't click as ice-clad branches do.
December 12, 2008Worcester, MAPhotographer states :: Worcester, MA, looks like a war zone after last night's ice storm.The trail of the ice storm
The graphic below shows the path of the storm that knocked out power to nearly 1 million New England customers.
Senate recount: 133 + 5 ÷ 87 = 1 big muddle (click title to entry - thank you)A state panel's haggling over 133 stray Minneapolis votes and previously rejected absentee ballots in all 87 counties fell to Al Franken's favor.By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE and MARK BRUNSWICK, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: December 12, 2008 - 11:33 PMDFLer Al Franken's campaign scored significant victories in the U.S. Senate recount Friday, as the state Canvassing Board approved the use of Election Day results for 133 Minneapolis ballots that can't be found and also recommended that counties sort and count absentee ballots that were mistakenly rejected.
But the five-member board revealed some fissures. That came when its two Supreme Court justices put the brakes on the apparent hopes of its two district judges to declare in advance that the board would accept the new results that include the previously rejected absentee votes.
The board chose instead to wait until those votes come in before deciding whether to accept them.
Coleman campaign officials planned to file a request today for an order from the state Supreme Court requiring counties to follow consistent standards for counting their rejected absentee ballots. They said they hoped to have a decision by early next week.
"This is the kind of chaos the board has walked us into that we are trying to avoid," said Coleman attorney Tony Trimble.
Marc Elias, Franken's lead recount attorney, called the Coleman petition "an extraordinary action to try and halt this count and re-disenfranchise these voters. ... This is all just smoke and mirrors. They are hoping to run out the clock, delay the counting of these ballots."...
