Marine Ornithologists need to summit and soon.

The Atlantic Ocean Puffins may only be showing distress, but, the Pacific Puffin pollution was on the verge of collapse about a year ago. Scientists need to close ranks and protect these birds. They may be endangered already and their genetics could be narrowing if there are only a few Atlantic colonies left.

July 29, 2022

By David Able

Eastern Egg Rock, Maine - On a recent balmy afternoon, (click here) at the extreme southern end of their range, a steady stream of Atlantic puffins, with their unmistakable tuxedo plumage and orange webbed feet, swooped in from the sea, alighting on the granite rocks surrounding this remote island off midcoast Maine.

Many carried in their multicolored beaks the small fish their chicks depend on for survival, and that have been increasingly difficult for puffins to find as waters warm.

Biologists are watching intently to gauge the future of this beloved, bellwether species. Maine’s population, long stressed, took an alarming hit last summer as water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine surged to record highs. As the chunky seabirds struggled to find enough to eat, the number of surviving chicks plummeted to about a quarter, down from about two-thirds in a typical year...

There is inherent problems with any marine species. As the oceans warm the species that call the oceans home will become disoriented due to that temperature change. The ocean waters is where they live and they are very conscious of their environment no different the human experience understands temperature on land.

In the case of shore birds, there can be a drastic change in their food source as the ocean waters warn and fish species migrate. Most of these shorebird species are really hard wired genetically. They don't change much generation to generation. These species are the ones in most danger since their genetics are so limited. They simply don't have the ability to adapt if their food sources crash. That was happening in the Pacific. The most profound loss of birds was stated to be along the Bering Strait. If the fisheries collapse due to species migration the shorebirds are going to be trouble.

August 2, 2013
By Mia Bennett

The Farne Islands, England (click here) lie at 55 degrees N. Off the coast of Northumberland, they’re not too far from Newcastle, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. I took a boat trip out to the islands a few weeks ago and saw thousands of puffins. The black and white birds were diving, bobbing, and flying with fish in their beaks.

Puffins are usually associated with the Arctic, so I was surprised to see them in the country I’ve called home for the past ten months. Even though I wasn’t really that far north – still eleven degrees south of the Arctic Circle – the presence of puffins made me feel closer to the Arctic than I have since I was in Tromso in January....

The American people love the Zelenskyy leadership.

It is difficult to make a beautiful lady look more glamorous. The photos are by Annie Leibovitz. There is no one better to conduct the photography. There is no way the genocide in Ukraine can be glamorized. No one is taking this war lightly. It is an incredibly dense war intent on killing an entire race of people.

We know that for a fact.

Setting aside the bombing, the carelessness of the Russian invasion to Chernobyl, the disgusting behavior of Russian troops; the survivors taken to Russia are being assimilated into a Russia culture. It is completely hideous to realize the reason for the invasion is to unite all Russian speaking people and the people taken captive have to be assimilated into the Russian culture including the Russian language. Such assimilation is another definition of genocide. The assault by Putin's Russia is simply unbelievable.

From what I have seen Annie Leibovitz photos are real eye openers. The pictures are definitely parts of this war others have not seen. There is no way to glamorize the stark reality of Ukraine and it's people. I appreciate the photos and the effort to make this horrendous reality palatable.

Russia hates the people of Ukraine. Everyday is a profound reminder of it. This has to be some of the saddest times in the world considering the destruction being rendered by Putin's Russia for absolutely no reason at all.

July 27, 2022
By Martha Ross

By posing (click here) for photos for a Vogue cover story, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, have sparked an online debate about whether stylized imagery of the couple in fashion’s most iconic magazine is appropriate for the leader of a country under attack by invading Russian troops.

As Russian missiles continue to pummel parts of Ukraine, and civilian and military casualties mount on both sides, the country’s first couple has faced accusations from some that they indulged in a vanity project in the midst of a war zone. They were photographed for the international fashion bible by Annie Leibovitz, best known for her photos of A-list celebrities, some of which are idiosyncratic and controversial but are almost always highly stylized and glamorous....

The UAW is not the problem. Corruption is the problem. Transparency is the best medicine.

It is correct to postpone an increase in strike pay until the stability of the union is known when it comes to it's treasury and investments. Cleaning up corruption is vital. It is the era of the union and transparency is the answer. How can a company look at union representatives across the table if they aren't transparent to their members?

July 28, 2022
By Jordyn Grzelewski and Breana Noble

Detroit — The United Auto Workers' 38th Constitutional Convention (click here) ended on a dramatic note Thursday, reflecting internal fissures — as well as some signs of progress — in a union attempting to move beyond a years-long corruption scandal and position itself for an uncertain future.

In an unexpected move, UAW President Ray Curry skipped the traditional state of the union address after repeatedly delaying it earlier in the week. Some delegates also left the convention furious and confused about a move late in the day to reverse a vote that increased strike pay. And much of the morning on the convention's final day at Huntington Place was spent on a procedural matter that some saw as an attempted filibuster.

Still, numerous delegates to the quadrennial event said they felt it was the most democratic convention they'd been to yet, and were encouraged by progress they felt had been made on key reforms and policies.

"I thought Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were wonderful. I thought they were democratic. Everybody got to speak their mind, including me, and I got to talk when I was saying things nobody wanted to hear," said Bill Bagwell Jr., 65, a delegate from Local 174 in Livonia. He works at General Motors Co.'s customer care and aftersales facility in Ypsilanti and has attended numerous constitutional conventions.....

The companies are healthy. They seem to have good and decent leadership. They are taking the climate crisis seriously and moving forward toward those goals. These are all necessary changes. It would have been easier for the country and investors if the changes were gradually worked into the companies if there was real leadership in DC regarding greenhouse gas pollution. These dynamics are all compressed now because of the high degree of corruption of the petroleum industry and their willingness and ability to pollute the political dynamics in the USA.

July 29, 2022
By Breana Noble and Jordyn Grzelewski

Detroit's three automakers (click here) say they're prepared to weather an economic downturn and pursue their electrification targets — though it's coming at the cost of consumers' pocketbooks and jobs.

The companies say their order books are strong and a global microchip shortage that's plagued the industry for more than a year is improving — albeit, slowly. The resulting low vehicle inventories have fueled high transaction prices and billions of dollars in profits. Inflation, raw material price increases and rising interest rates, however, remain wild cards that could send economies into a downturn, potentially jeopardizing auto profits and companies' ability to invest in transformational technologies.

So far, General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NV haven't blinked. The companies this week each maintained their financial guidance and championed plans for double-digit margins throughout the decade, while acknowledging the potential for a rough road ahead.

They say they're prepared: GM is cutting "discretionary" spending and has a hiring freeze except for critical roles; Ford CEO Jim Farley reiterated that the company has "too many people;" and Stellantis says it's keeping its breakeven point low....

NOAA California hydrology map

CNRFC - Hydrology - Observed Precipitation Map

This is the 24 hour precipitation map for NAPA Valley (click here).

That's right. Zero precipitation over the past 24 hours. All areas examined of the CNRFC are zero.

Is a climate emergency emerging?

Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam (click here)

The purple is 2020 according to the key below. The lime color is 2021. The blue is current 2022. This is really bad news. There is a radical difference with Lake Mead. There has been some recent rain, but, it is about 9.6 inches. That is good, but, it is not nearly enough to move the needle set on Emergency Climate Crisis. President Biden has to speak to his Governors and find out if a Climate Emergency is a potential solution for the country as we enter winter and a projection for snowfall that would alleviate this drought.

July 29, 2022

By Marisa Kendall

...But while most have water on their minds,(click here) fewer than half said they have done a lot to reduce their water use, and 16% say they have done nothing. At the same time, people are pointing fingers at their neighbors — 69% of Californians said people in their area are not doing enough to conserve....

Depriving farmers from irrigation water is not a reasonable solution.

Everything old is new again.

Please be sure the ships are seaworthy and not ready for the scrap yard. Additionally, the previous use of the ship may have residues that could contaminate the new cargo, such as grain.

This is nothing short of genius. I congratulate all the people involved in improving the supply chain. They are impressive in their knowledge of global resources.

If any of these recommissioned ships are carrying precious food around the world, please be certain they are not contaminated with poisons from previous use.

July 28, 2022
By Elizabeth Low

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (click here) has supercharged one segment of the shipping market, with soaring freight rates prompting companies to rush to purchase rather than rent vessels.

Trade curbs on Moscow have upended fuel flows, locking up more ships on long-haul routes, while others handle Russian shipments. That’s tightened tanker supply, lifting freight costs and setting off a scramble for used vessels, with the price of so-called clean tankers jumping as much as 60% this year, according to VesselsValue.

Commodity markets, and the shipping trade that’s vital for transporting materials around the globe, have been upended Europe’s worst military crisis since World War II. While freight rates have recently eased from their highs, ship owners are still likely to fetch healthy earnings for the rest of the year, according to Anoop Singh, head of tanker research at Braemar ACM Shipbroking.

With demand outstripping availability, buyers have been willing to bid significantly higher, shipbrokers told Bloomberg. Given a new tanker takes up to three years to order, companies hoping to cash in on the rally are mostly limited to existing vessels, they said....

I have been protesting the F35 since it's first blueprints.

I am not going to stop now in validating my absolutely correct point of view. It is like the Toyota Takata air bags. They never work no matter how much they are CORRECTED. Maybe the latest Tom Cruise film will put faith back in the jets.

I never liked them. I will never like them. They do not need to be manufactured again. They are flying relic of the IDEOLOGY OF COMPUTER PERFECTION for superior flight machines in a world that believes in war as opposed to peace. If the USA is going to continue to invest in flying machines, they need to do something far better and FAR LESS COMPUTERIZED than the F-35.

29 July 2022
By Keith Griffith

The Air Force is grounding its fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (click here) to check for a faulty component that could prevent pilots from safely ejecting.

A spokesperson for the Air Force confirmed Friday's temporary stand-down order in a statement to DailyMail.com, saying the aircraft are currently being inspected 'to mitigate safety concerns.'

'There is a concern with a component used in the pilot ejection system of several aircraft operated by the US Air Force,' the spokesperson said.

At issue are the explosive cartridges inside F-35 ejection seats that blow the pilot clear of the aircraft in an emergency. The Air Force has roughly 300 F-35s, which cost around $78 million apiece for the latest model.

British ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker has identified certain production lots of the explosive cartridges in its seats as defective and needing replacement, the Air Force said.

The ejection system component in question is also used T-38 Talons and T-6 Texan IIs, and the Air Force has also taken some of those aircraft out of service for inspection....

Christian nationalism is a political movement as old as man himself.

Christian nationalism is power. It pretends to portray an honest and honorable form of politics that in reality is destroying democracy.

The wall separating church and state was assaulted by the administration of George W. Bush, the former governor of Texas. 

Call it "The Poisoning of American Politics" also known as how to make a loser, a winner.

I don't think we can overstate this mobilization of the individual churches. (click here) Never happened before. Vast sort of untapped source of political energy in this country. The evangelicals didn't just come on board for him: They were campaigning; they were at the events; they were the poll volunteers; they were making the phone banks, the phone calls. You know, that's how you win elections. It was good old grassroots, door-knocking politics, but they tapped this group and organized it in a way that just had never been done to that extent before.

Religious conservatives, if they wanted to get into politics, [used to get] involved with Ralph Reed and his Christian Coalition. No more. You're doing it right through your church. The Christian Coalition had no important effect on this election at all. It was all about your local Christian church. That turned out to be the rallying point....

Republicans were finding a new base with the help of Karl Rove, "Bush's Brain." All the Republicans wanted to know is how to keep them as their base, hence, Christian nationalism raises it's ugly head again.

The USA needs to regain it's balance and rebuild the wall. It has been successfully assaulted by Supreme Court Judges put in place by the Federalist Society that has invested well into Republican candidates.

The Federalist Society and any other Special Interest Group with lots of money to buy candidates that will practice Quid Pro Quo will be provided a place in Republican politics with absolutely no regard to the USA Constitution. 

Interestingly, the changes in the USA regarding the wall separating church and state took place after September 11, 2001 and the wrongful invasion into Iraq. The country was in a very unusual mood back then. The American people were wounded. They basically didn't pay attention to issues of God. There were angels everywhere, even on the Victorian Secret runway. It was a very strange time. But, it was at this time the Christian Conservative judiciary took advantage of that odd mood and plowed into the separation of church and state. It is up to the people of the American people to take back their country in November 2022. They have to do this before it becomes so ridiculously corrupt.

The history that took down the wall between church and states is only about two decades old. It is not too late.

The crumbling wall...

...otherwise known as Christian Nationalism. 

This is from the Federalist Society website, under the Religious Liberties Practice Group. (click here)

On June 21, 2022, the Supreme Court decided Carson v. Makin. In a 6-3 opinion, the Court reversed and remanded the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The Court held that Maine's "nonsectarian" requirement for otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments to parents who live in school districts that do not operate a secondary school of their own violates the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.

Chief Justice Roberts delivered the opinion of the Court. Justice Breyer filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Kagan joined, and in which Justice Sotomayor joined as to all but Part I-B. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion....

This is the latest case deteriorating the wall that separates church and state. There is absolutely no constitutional basis for this assault against the USA Constitution either.

Those that wrote the Declaration of Independence and the USA Constitution believed a clean break between church and state was necessary.

Vashti McCollum sits outside the Supreme Court building in 1947, while awaiting arguments before the court on her fight to ban religious education classes from an Illinois public school. Her case was one of the cases in which the Supreme Court began to interpret the First Amendment's religious establishment clause known as "separation of church and state." 

The first clause in the Bill of Rights (click here) states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

Establishment clause of First Amendment often interpreted to require separation of church and state

For approximately the first 150 years of the country’s existence, there was little debate over the meaning of this clause in the Constitution. As the citizenry became more diverse, however, challenges arose to existing laws and practices, and eventually, the Supreme Court was called upon to determine the meaning of the establishment clause.

Though not explicitly stated in the First Amendment, the clause is often interpreted to mean that the Constitution requires the separation of church and state....

The Crusades had god on their side, too.

The artwork is entitled "The taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders." War. Bloodshed all in the name of God.

The Crusades were a series of religious wars (click here) Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. In all, eight major Crusade expeditions — varying in size, strength and degree of success — occurred between 1096 and 1291. The costly, violent and often ruthless conflicts enhanced the status of European Christians, making them major players in the fight for land in the Middle East.

By the end of the 11th century, Western Europe had emerged as a significant power in its own right, though it still lagged behind other Mediterranean civilizations, such as the Byzantine Empire (formerly the eastern half of the Roman Empire) and the Islamic Empire of the Middle East and North Africa.

However, Byzantium had lost considerable territory to the invading Seljuk Turks. After years of chaos and civil war, the general Alexius Comnenus seized the Byzantine throne in 1081 and consolidated control over the remaining empire as Emperor Alexius I....

When God didn't approve of the monarchy, the monarchy found a new faith.

The artwork is Henry VII (click here).

When Martin Luther issued grievances (click here) about the Catholic Church in 1517, King Henry VIII took it upon himself to personally repudiate the arguments of the Protestant Reformation leader. The pope rewarded Henry with the lofty title of Fidei Defensor, or Defender of the Faith.

Barely a decade later, the very same Henry VIII would break decisively with the Catholic Church, accept the role of Supreme Head of the Church of England and dissolve the nation’s monasteries, absorbing and redistributing their massive property as he saw fit.

So what changed? How did the former “Defender of the Faith” end up ushering in the English Reformation?...

I guess God was on his side, until he wasn't.

What is Christian nationalism, (click here) and what should the relationship of church and state be?

I am certain there are many scholars that can address Christian nationalism, but, it is dangerous.

I think it was "W's" constituency that claimed "God is on our side." Odd, I always thought the godly didn't participate in war and hate. 

She was a hero to me. I was always a Star Trek fan and she was my favorite Lieutenant.

Besides talented, she was always a beautiful woman. Here she is 89 years old. Absolutely wonderful person. Sympathies to all her friends, fans and family.

31 July 2022
By Dave Nemetz

Nichelle Nichols‘ Star Trek (click here) costars are honoring their crewmate after the actress, who played Uhura on the original Trek series, passed away Sunday at the age of 89.

William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk alongside Nichols on Star Trek, tweeted: “I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nichelle. She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world. I will certainly miss her. Sending my love and condolences to her family.”

George Takei, who played navigator Sulu on Star Trek, added: “I shall have more to say about the trailblazing, incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lt. Uhura of the USS Enterprise, and who passed today at age 89. For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend."...

She was always larger than life.

George Takei, who played navigator Sulu on Star Trek, added: “I shall have more to say about the trailblazing, incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lt. Uhura of the USS Enterprise, and who passed today at age 89. For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend.”...

July 31, 2022
By Youssef Diab and Omar Tamo

Lebanon has seized a ship loaded with barley and wheat flour (click here) while it determines whether the cargo may have been stolen from Ukraine, said Public Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat.

The Ukrainian embassy in Beirut said the vessel was loaded at Feodosia in the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea, and that the commodities originated from Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson in southeastern Ukraine.

The embassy accused Russia of stealing more than 500,000 tons during its occupation of the three regions. While Russia denies stealing grain, it has publicly touted the resumption of grain shipments from occupied ports.

Grain shipments from Crimea have surged since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, which analysts say indicates Ukrainian grain is being exported. Exports from Crimea are sanctioned by the European Union and the US....

Those grain silos feed the world along with the USA.

July 31, 2022

By Taylan Bilgic and Áine Quinn

A view shows silos of grain from Odesa Black Sea port, before a shipment of grain as the government of Ukraine awaits signal from UN and Turkey to start grain shipments, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Odesa

The first ship to export Ukrainian grain (click here) since an agreement was reached for the safe transit of vessels may depart as soon as Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

“There are a few hitches, a few issues being discussed with the Russians,” Kalin said in an interview with Kanal 7 TV channel on Sunday, adding that the ships should start departing “by Tuesday at the latest.”

More than a week after Russia and Ukraine reached a deal aimed at releasing millions of tons of grain through three Black Sea ports, no ships have sailed. 

Ukraine said on Friday it’s close to restarting shipments, although the timing was linked to receiving go-ahead from the United Nations, which along with Turkey was a signatory to the July 22 agreement. The UN has declined to specify a day. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk on Friday, where he watched grain being loaded onto a Turkish vessel....

Putin's signature means nothing. The grain shipments may need a military escort.

31 July 2022
By Tara Cobham

A Ukrainian grain tycoon and his wife (click here) have been killed today in the 'strongest' Russian shelling of the southern city Mykolaiv so far, according to Ukrainian authorities.

As Moscow continue to pummel the sprawling front line, the home of Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, and his wife Raisa was reportedly struck by a missile overnight, killing them both.

The leading Ukrainian agricultural magnate was ranked as the country's 24th richest man with a fortune worth $430 million by Forbes.

The businessman owned Nibulon, which is a group involved in grain exports, including building infrastructure for its exportation....

It may be the stability of the grain exporting has to be in question with the death of the owner. It may be that Ukraine will have to nationalize the business for now.

July 29, 2022
By Aine Quinn, Salma El Wardany and Volodymyr Verbyany

Ukraine said it’s close to restarting grain shipments, (click here) although the timing will depend on go-ahead from the United Nations, which helped broker last week’s deal, and there were still few details available about how the process will unfold.

“Our side is fully ready,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in the Odesa region, where he was watching grain being loaded onto a Turkish ship at Chornomorsk port.

Crop markets are watching closely for concrete moves toward unlocking the millions of tons of grain that have been piling up in Ukraine, which is one of the biggest wheat, corn and vegetable-oil suppliers. The war has shaken the food trade and spurred warnings about a global crisis, while the country is under pressure to resume exports to boost its war-devastated economy. Its farmers have also warned they are running out of space to store crops.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq declined to commit to a day when the first ship would leave. A coordination center in Istanbul “is working to establish standard operating procedures, including monitoring and inspection procedures and emergency response procedures,” he said at a briefing. “Once all those elements are place, we’ll start seeing the first movements of ships.”...

The UK has been rather incredible through this entire struggle by Ukraine. Lloyd's was trying to assure the shipping company there would be insurance to protect the shippers' interest. They wanted to reassure shippers there would be no lose of income. I doubt Lloyd's expected the assassination of a grain exporter and his spouse.

The death of Oleksiy Vadatursky is no mistake. His spouse died of collateral damage. They were assassinated. 

The Free World has a sophisticated point of view of this war. There is no such vision in Moscow. They are killers and lives in the world mean nothing to them. The redefinition of Russia is alarming. The world needs to live with the truth, not Russian propaganda.

July 29, 2022

By John Konrad and Carolyn Cohn

Lloyd’s of London insurer (click here) Ascot and broker Marsh on Friday launched marine cargo and war insurance for grain and food products moving from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, removing a hurdle to getting shipments underway.

Russia and Ukraine signed a deal last week, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, to reopen grain and fertiliser exports that have been blocked by war to ease an international food crisis.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday he was hopeful that the first shipment of grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port could take place as early as Friday, but “crucial” details for the safe passage of vessels were still being worked out. 

The Lloyd’s of London  facility will provide up to $50 million of cover in marine cargo and war insurance, Lloyd’s, Ascot and Marsh said in a statement.

The cover would “add essential protections to the deal brokered by the UN last week and represents the latest support from Lloyd’s and the insurance industry to help the international community respond to the conflict”, said Patrick Tiernan, chief of markets at Lloyd’s.

Insurers have previously said they were only willing to cover grain moving out of Ukrainian Black Sea ports if there are arrangements for international navy escorts and a clear strategy to deal with sea mines....

There are infrastructure models to assess carbon pollution.

At ABS we are pairing our maritime (click here) and offshore experience with our in-depth understanding of carbon economics to provide you with the tools and support that you need to seamlessly develop and deploy carbon accounting within your organization. Contact us today to learn more....

Basically, no excuses for greenhouse gas pollution.