The two edged sword that is Pakistan. This is a propaganda video. There is a lot of truth in it.

After billions of dollars US and more years than it took to defeat Hitler, there is still no resolve of any of the issues that promoted the attacks of September 11, 2001. There is no cohesive government of Pakistan. There is simply a figure head to match that of Bush, struggling to 'make it right' without the support of the people of Pakistan. There is a reason why the people of Pakistan do not support Musharraf and it should be the same reason Americans cannot support him or back any Bush decisions regarding same.

This video critiques the Musharraf regime for becoming traitors after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Musharraf gave comfort and aid to the enemy prior to the attacks of September 11th. The coup that placed Musharraf as the President-General of Pakistan occurred only before the attacks that Osama bin Laden instrumented against the USA.

To allow this regime to continue to reign over a country that has been a strong ally to the USA is a hideous notion. Musharraf has to be replaced by a government of the people of Pakistan. To continue to deal with a coup leader is to continue the turbulence that brought the attacks of al Qaeda to the doorstep of the West.

The facts are plainly obvious. The Taliban was nurtured within Karachi in recent years and are now carrying out violence to all those that oppose them inside of Pakistan while returning to Afghanistan.

If Musharraf were assassinated, would the elections go forward? There would be no way.

"We repeatedly informed the government to provide her proper security and appropriate equipment including jammers, but they paid no heed to our requests."-- Bhutto security adviser Rehman Malik

There are three days of mourning to follow the death of the only person capable to lead a sincere democracy in Pakistan. Then the Bhutto Political Party, The People's Party of Pakistan, needs to be allowed to put forward another candidate, while a full investigation is conducted into the death of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. To go forward with elections in Pakistan would only provide a foothold for the Musharraf government which completely compromised her security, thus insuring her assassination.

A boycott of the elections is more than appropriate and a sincere expression of respect for the very democracy that Bhutto was demanding for her beloved country.

Once again, the allies of Bush/Cheney have found a way to mutany a country for their own purpose which never brings 'peace' to the venue of global priority. To place Musharraf in power for another presidential term, which will be the outcome to this illegitimate government of Pakistan and it's elections, is to insure war without a defined end and a continued presence of the USA in Iraq rather than stopping the violence of the very terrorist networks that promoted Perez Musharraf's coup.

Musharraf needs to be removed from the presidency of Pakistan. The rise in violence in Pakistan only insures a long term reign of anarchy without resolve. The government structures of Pakistan are in complete disarray (click here. This article regarding the lack of infrastructure in the Kashmir region alone, only begins to illustrate the chaotic nature of such a government.) and the best anyone can hope for at this point is the deployment of humanitaritan aid to provide less incentive to violence.

Musharraf has insured a hostile regime to any democracy in Pakistan. There are no alternatives but to place the elections into postponement and wait for the opposition leaders to emerge with the next generation of candidates suitable for leadership to end the Musharraf coup. Any election at this point is a faux election in Pakistan and only serves the purpose of continued upheaval.

The political face of Pakistan has yet to emerge, we wait with vigilance. I completely reject the Musharraf presidency.

Who was Benazir's real enemy? Bush allied a coup government against 'the rule of law' of the USA. What was to follow with her election ?

Benazir Bhutto was committed to the establishment of a democracy in Pakistan in the image of the USA Consitution. She spoke freely regarding the demise of freedom within the USA as noted with the Bush/Cheney administration and their assault on democracy through corrupt grabs for power.

Benazir was more than the Pakistani hope for a return to democracy, she was a dear and loved friend of American democracy, now succumbed to the rigors of Republican corruption and distain.

She is missed, but, those that surround her revolution in Pakistan must go forward to regain stability and correct the course of freedom and humanity to the world. She was more than right when she stated The West was wrong in looking for extremists to arm to defeat the Soviets. In doing so, The West created it's own 'terrorist hell' and turned loose the demands of those extremists to provide a home for al Qaeda which placed Musharraf in control of a Pakistani nuclear arsenal.

She was far more than a potential return of a maligned former Prime Minister, she was the hope of peace and democracy throughout Islam.

It has been the directive of the Bush/Cheney White House since John Negroponte stated the USA would move into sovereign countries to fight Bush's so called "War on Terror." Pakistan was one of those countries (click here - billions of USA $ are already invested into Pakistan). Benazir Bhutto was actively seeking support for her campaign in the tribal areas where she could establish loyalty to her government and defeat terrorist regimes from within Pakistan. It would thwart any need for USA assistance in regaining stability and hence provide an autonomous region whereby Islamic independence without interference by Western influence would take away still another front to a Russia-USA conflict.

Benazir, was capable of peace and democracy with India and the denuclearization of the entire region. Many fears would have been set aside with a denuclearized Middle East and the safe distance to a Russian front by The West. Both Bush and Blair are known to have increased tensions with Russia, including the estranged relations that now exist between Russia and Great Britain. These men weren't interested in the 'natural' progression of democracy in any country, they wanted war that would give Western domination of Russian and Caspian oil and gas. The West wants to 'own' the world and it's natural resources, Benazir would have stopped any progression toward that end.

Dearly loved Benazir succumbs to her bravery and gives new life to her revolution.

Benazir Bhutto dies (click here)

ISLAMABAD

Dec 27: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto succumbed to her injuries in the hospital, tv channels reported. She had received grievous bullet injuries in the neck region and head injuries from the bomb blast at the election meeting at Liaquat Bagh which also claimed at least 20 more lives. (Posted @ 18:28 PST)

More powerful in death than life...

...A graduate of Harvard and Oxford, she brought the backing of Washington and London, where she impresses with her political lineage, her considerable charm and her persona as a female Muslim leader....

December 26, 2007

Musharraf asks administration to ensure foolproof security during polls (click here)
Islamabad (PTI): President Pervez Musharraf on wednesday directed the administration to ensure foolproof security during next month's general election and to "eliminate" militancy in Swat valley in the North West Frontier Province.
Musharraf, who reviewed the security situation in Pakistan during a five-hour meeting with top civil and military officials, said foolproof security should be provided to all politicians and parties for the January 8 parliamentary polls.
He also said polls would be held as scheduled in Swat where the army is conducting a major operation against pro-Taliban militants led by radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah.
Musharraf told the officials that the election code of conduct and security measures should be implemented in letter and spirit.
The government would not tolerate any insurgency and all militants would be eliminated from Swat, he said.
Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah briefed the meeting on the overall security situation and the investigation into recent suicide attacks in the North West Frontier Province. The meeting was co-chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro.
Shah also submitted a report on the recent escape of terror suspect Rashid Rauf, who was arrested last year on suspicion of involvement in a plot to bomb airliners travelling from Britain to the US.
The Director General Military Operations, Maj Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, briefed the meeting about the military operation in Swat.

Perhaps, simply, convenient timing.

Tough action ordered against display of weapons at rallies (click here)

By Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: A high level meeting held here on Wednesday directed the interior ministry and the provincial governments to make foolproof security arrangements for the general elections.
Informed sources told Dawn that President Pervez Musharraf, who presided over the meeting, directed the officials concerned to also ensure security of political leaders and candidates.
Sources said that the meeting took notice of display of illegal arms during the poll campaign and directed the authorities to take necessary action.
According to the sources, the president said that people involved in displaying weapons should be arrested and their weapons should be confiscated. The president was of the view that even licensed arms should not be allowed to be displayed in political rallies and meetings.
He told the meeting that the army would stay in Swat till the entire valley was cleared of militants.
He directed the federal government and the NWFP administration to prepare as soon as possible a socio-economic development package for the people of Swat and adjoining areas.
The meeting was attended by caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro, the governor and chief minister of the NWFP, senior officials of interior ministry, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the director general military operations.
President Musharraf called for an immediate damage assessment for payment of compensation to families affected during the military operation.
Secretary interior Syed Kamal Shah briefed the meeting on steps being taken to provide security and maintain law and order during the elections.

The American Republican Party alliance repeats history. It's always lead by a Bush !!!

The Bush Curse

The Republicans have a very long history of being regressives. Reagan was never inventive in his economic strategy. He simply deregulated dearly important environmental policies, among others. George W. Bush simply had no ideas regarding an economic strategy except to use hubris to exaggerate 'the feeling' of confidence where there was none. He was able to 'pull it off' because of a cooperative majority Republican House and Senate.

A record American deficit to fund pork projects while exploiting American health to bolster profits at any cost. At every turn, the Bush/Cheney administration exploited old Republican stalwarts of crony infrastructure to create still 'again' a faux American economy. Every measure should be taken legislatively in a majority Democratic House and Senate to prevent such exploitation again.

The USA natural resources are dearly limited and need to be protected while other safe but synthetic materials are 'manufactured' in the USA to accomodate growth while realizing alternatives to energy, transportation and housing materials ARE the future of the economic strength of this country.

The USA under Democratic leadership has always been regulated for consumer protection while encouraging invention to a better quality of life rather than a diminishment of it. The USA's greatest strength for the future is to discard the ways of the past and plot a new and inventive path the world will envy.

Let's get on with it, shall we?

"Nature Materials" (click here)

Materials science or materials engineering is an interdisciplinary field involving the properties of matter and its applications to various areas of science and engineering. This science investigates the relationship between the structure of materials and their properties. It includes elements of applied physics and chemistry, as well as chemical, mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. With significant media attention to nanoscience and nanotechnology in the recent years, materials science has been propelled to the forefront at many universities.



Want a 'real' financial paper to read? Barron's !!!!

Today's Barron's Headlines ! Now tell me who believes in the potential of the future?


A Bet on Eco-Friendly Plastics (click here)
By Naureen S. Malik
Word Count: 970 Companies Featured in This Article: Metabolix, Target, Archer Daniels Midland, Abbott Laboratories
DUSTIN HOFFMAN'S CHARACTER IN the 1967 film "The Graduate" received one word of career advice from a well-intentioned family friend: "plastics."
But if the film were made in today's greener times, the advice might have come in two words: "biodegradable plastics."
Metabolix, though currently unprofitable, is at the forefront of developing this new type of environmentally-friend plastic. Derived from corn, natural plastic completely breaks down to its basic elements of carbon dioxide and water on its own whether it is in a landfill or sitting in water. These plastics can be engineered to biodegrade over weeks or months.
Next year ...


Robert Shiller is a professor of economics at Yale University, and is also one of the first to have pointed out the possibility of a housing bubble in print (as opposed to online). Above is a graph from data he compiled while writing the second edition of Irrational Exuberance that appeared in Barron’s not too long ago.


The USA Economy is headed for a slide into a huge depression even with the best bail out program that can only be designed by a Bush, after all Neil Bush should know, was it Silverado?


The much coveted coastal areas of the USA experience huge over valued home prices. The recession of the USA will be most felt in Blue states where Republicans will attempt to exploit it for political gain in any elections across the board.




October home prices post record decline
A sale sign stands outside a home for sale at a co-housing development in Lafayette, Colo., on Friday, Oct. 19, 2007. U.S. home prices fell in October for the 10th consecutive month, declining a record 6.7 percent compared with a year ago, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
By Stephen Bernard
AP Business Writer / December 26, 2007
NEW YORK—U.S. home prices fell in October for the 10th consecutive month, posting their largest drop since early 1991, according to a key index released Wednesday.
The record 6.7 percent slide in the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index also marked the 23rd consecutive month that prices either fell or grew more slowly than the month prior.
"No matter how you look at these data, it is obvious that the current state of the single-family housing market remains grim," said Robert Shiller, who helped create the index, in a statement.
The previous record decline was 6.3 percent, recorded in April 1991. The index tracks prices of existing single-family homes in 10 metropolitan areas.

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2007/12/26/october_home_prices_post_record_decline/



U.S. STOCKS
Retail woes put drag on market
ELIZABETH STANTON
Bloomberg News
December 27, 2007
Most U.S. stocks fell for the first time in four days as slower sales at Target Corp. and a bigger-than-expected drop in home prices overshadowed a rally in energy companies.
Circuit City Stores Inc., Big Lots Inc. and Dillard's Inc. led declines in 28 of 31 members of the Standard & Poor's 500 Retailing Index.
CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., the world's largest commercial real estate broker, posted its steepest retreat in two weeks.
Citigroup Inc., the biggest U.S. bank, fell the most in the Dow Jones industrial average after billionaire investor Warren Buffett said he rebuffed financial firms that approached him about buying stakes.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071227.RMARKETWRAP27/TPStory/Business


U.S. home prices plunge
October housing values down 6.7% from 2006, index says
December 27, 2007
BY GRETA GUEST
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
U.S. single-family home prices fell a record 6.7% in October compared with 2006, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index released Wednesday.
And home prices in metro Detroit were 11.2% lower this October compared with the previous year, the index found.
Advertisement
The national index measures annual returns from the nation's 10 largest cities. The metro area breakouts include the top 20 markets.
"No matter how you look at these data, it is obvious that the current state of the single-family housing market remains grim," said Robert J. Shiller, chief economist for MacroMarkets LLC.
Miami had the largest decline in home prices for October at 12.4% down from the same month a year earlier. Tampa followed with an 11.8% drop and Detroit placed third.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071227/BUSINESS04/712270337


Japan Stocks Fall After U.S. Home Prices Drop Most in 6 Years
By Patrick Rial and Kotaro Tsunetomi
Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks fell for the first time in five days after U.S. home prices slumped by the most in at least six years, sparking concern the worsening housing recession will lead to more losses on mortgage-backed securities.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. led declines among banks. Honda Motor Co. slipped on speculation the housing slump will drag down spending.
``Housing prices continue to fall in the U.S. and as that erodes people's equity in their homes we could see consumer spending take a dive,'' said Hideyuki Ookoshi, who helps oversee $365 million at Chiba-Gin Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. ``The feeling is that the U.S. economic outlook is dim.''
Lenders also dropped after the Nikkei newspaper reported consumer finance companies will pay twice as much out in customer refunds in 2007 versus the previous year.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=alKe.qlecRQ8&refer=japan


Record Fall For US Home Prices
By Dee Chisamera
12:17, December 27th 2007
The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Schiller home price index showed on Wednesday a 6.1% record price drop since October 2006 in 20 metropolitan areas, the largest in the last 10 years.
Ten of the metropolitan areas recorded the most significant drop since 1991, reaching 6.7%, compared cu 6.3% 16 years ago.
Robert Schiller, chief economist at Macro Markets LLC, said that “no matter how you look at these data, it is obvious that the current state of the single-family housing market remains grim.”
Among the metropolitan areas with the largest drops, Miami comes first with 12.4%, followed by Tampa, with a 11.8% drop, 11.2% in Detroit and 11.1% in San Diego.
There were however positive growth rates in three areas, out of which Charlotte gained the most, 4.3%, then came Seattle with 3.3%, and Portland with 1.9%.
Looking at the index from a month-to-month perspective, the percentages dropped 1.6 in October compared to September, which makes this the tenth consecutive month of continuous decline.
According to Joshua Shapiro, chief economist for Maria Fiorini Ramirez Inc, home prices are to considerably decline taking into account the harder to obtain mortgages and the increasing number of unsold homes, and the tendency will comprise the same major metropolitan areas.

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Record_Fall_For_US_Home_Prices_12267.html

I suppose everyone is going to sit by and watch Earth melt down, huh?

December 26, 2007
0900 AM UTC
Wind Satellite Antarctica (click here)

The winds are mostly calm with some consistent turbulence on the southeast continent where still another heat transfer is noted on the jet stream satellite.


December 24, 2007
0600 gmt
Antarctica Jet Stream

It's a meandering jet stream. There is an approaching heat transfer at 2 o'clock. The reason there is less turbulence is because the upper troposphere is becoming more homogenous in temperature. In the satellite below where the 'orchid' color dominates there is less difference in temperature throughout the southern hemisphere including Antarctica. There is the law of inertia that takes over whenever homogenous temperatures are at play. Weather requires air movement and the less temperature difference that occurs the less air movement. Night and day frequently cause air movement, but, at the poles the difference between night and day are minimal.


December 26, 2007
0900 AM
Antarctica

The 24 hour loop at title to entry is missing 12 PM and 3 PM.


The warmest reporting stations :

Base Esperanza, Antarctica

Time :: 12:00 PM GMT

Elevation :: 43 ft / 13 m

Lat/Lon :: 63.4° S 57.0° W

Temperature :: 40 °F / 4 °C

Conditions :: Partly Cloudy

Humidity :: 42%

Dew Point :: 25 °F / -4 °C

Wind :: 16 mph / 26 km/h from the SW

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.31 in / 992 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 7.0 miles / 12.0 kilometers

Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 16 mph / 26 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 230° (SW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m


Maitri, Antarctica

Time :: 12:00 PM

Elevation :: 394 ft / 120 m

Lat/Lon :: 70.8° S 11.8° E

Temperature :: 38 °F / 4 °C

Wind :: 6 mph / 9 km/h from the SSW

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.02 in / 983 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometer

Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 6 mph / 9 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 200° (SSW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m


The coldest reporting stations :

Vostok, Antarctica

Time :: 6 PM VOST

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

Lat/Lon :: 78.4° S 106.9° E

Temperature :: -19 °F / -28 °C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 48%

Dew Point :: -28 °F / -33 °C

Wind :: 5 mph / 7 km/h from the WSW

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 5 mph / 7 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 240° (WSW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m


University Wi Id 8904, Antarctica

Time :: 1:00 PM GMT

Lat/Lon :: 74.5° S 123.0° E

Elevation :: 10761 ft / 3280 m

Temperature :: -19 °F / -28 °C

Wind :: 2 mph / 4 km/h from the

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa


Amundsen-Scott, AA

Time :: 1:00 PM GMT

Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m

Lat/Lon :: 89.7° S 148.8° W

Temperature :: -17 °F / -27 °C

Conditions :: Mostly Cloudy

Wind :: 6 mph / 9 km/h / 2.6 m/s from the North

Pressure :: 28.55 in / 967 hPa (Steady)

Windchill :: -31 °F / -35 °C

Visibility :: 6.2 miles / 10.0 kilometers

UV :: 1 out of 16

Clouds:
Few 2000 ft / 609 m
Mostly Cloudy 8000 ft / 2438 m
(Above Ground Level)

Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR (NZSP)
Wind Speed :: 6 mph / 9 km/h / 2.6 m/s
Wind Dir :: 360° (North)
Ceiling :: 8000 ft / 2438 m


December 26, 2007
0721 gmt
Antarctica/South Hemisphere

And why not? The Christ child had his birthday one more day on the human timeline and why shouldn't people willing to wage war for no good reason except money do anything about Human Induced Global Warming?

I mean for real.

Everyone should be patting the moral backs of Bush and Cheney and their lack of policy to stop and reverse this deadly trend, after all if one has the license to wage illegal wars for cronies, why not destroy the biotic nature of a planet and hope shuttle tourism is ready in time to survive a hot Earth, right? Sounds like somebody's idea of survival, so it must be possible.

Everyone buy their condos on the Arctic Ocean yet? Can't guarantee the view of course, since Georgie is putting up oil derricks and the landscape will be littered with starving Polar Bears and dead Walrus. Then there is that whole State Department issue with Russian sovereignty, but, I'm sure another oil war can resolve that as well.

Oh, yeah, the most moral men on Earth is in the White House. You betcha.

The weather in Antarctica is temperate. Temperate. There is high humidity and fog at Scott Base. Temperate. Antarctica is temperate.

December 26. 2007
Scott Base, Antarctica 0628: 23 AM
Fog. There is fog in Antarctica. It's called Human Induced Global Warming.

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is melting! Anything left in the way of significant glacier formation?

December 20, 2007
Amish Country

The Amish have never been 'the source' of air quality or water quality issues, nor the source of poor food quality. Their values and lifestyles for their farming practices have sustained healthy and benevolent outcomes for centuries.


December 20, 2007
Amish Country
Photographer states :: Amish at play

The issue of air quality is being purposely confused with 'nuisance law suits' regarding odors and 'Right to Farm (click here).' While farming has a place, it cannot endanger air quality when it causes damage to the very biotic nature of farming enterprises and therefore damage to the biotic and benevolent nature of our National Parks.

There is no reason for any of these cases to be 'different' if they are approached from the 'correct' perspective of Air Quality in the contribution to acid rain and unrelenting damage to valueable biotic areas including flourishing farmland and National Parks. Ammonia from farms is only one source, but, one that needs to be addressed. The other sources including transporation and energy sources are equally as quilty and require state legislatures to take up the part of the biotic nature of our states.

The case of the Peters vs. Premium Standard/Smithfield Foods suit needs to be appealed to include new information regarding the source of ammonia as a contribution to severe air quality standard violations as well as the right of people to be free of the burden of malodorous, unregulated and out of control farming practices that even disregard other farming operations engaged in field crops.

LEGAL AFFAIRS
Premium Standard Farms wins hog stench lawsuit
By DAN MARGOLIES
Similar cases, different results.
Fourteen months ago a Jackson County jury awarded $4.5 million to three families who contended that the stench from a northwestern Missouri hog farm operated by Premium Standard Farms created a legal nuisance.
Last week a Jackson County awarded another family living near the hog farm nothing.
Why the difference?
One explanation may be that this time the plaintiffs were less convincing.
Take this, for example: Under questioning by defense attorneys during a videotaped deposition, the daughter of the plaintiffs, Everett and Cindy Peters, was seen smiling and winking while stating that she was seeking $20 million in damages. During cross-examination and closing arguments, the defense lawyers froze that picture of her facial expression on a large screen.
Or this: The daughter testified that she vomited 300 to 500 times over a three-year period in high school and suffered from intense headaches that left her incapacitated for hours. She attributed her ailments to the odors. But the defense elicited testimony that she never mentioned those ailments to her parents or school nurse.
The Peters’ home sits on two acres just south of Albany, Mo., in Gentry County. Premium Standard Farms’ 80,000-hog Homan Farms is less than a mile away. Everett Peters, who worked in campus security at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before retiring, and his wife moved to the area from Kansas City less than a year before the facility was built.
The couple alleged that Homan Farms’ waste-holding reservoirs were insufficient to handle the waste generated by the hogs, causing sewage to spill into the groundwater and the emission of foul odors. They claimed to have suffered from a variety of ailments as a result.
Premium Standard Farms countered that its use of the land was consistent with the agricultural nature of the area. It pointed to Missouri’s “Right to Farm” law, which states that pre-existing agricultural operations can’t be considered legal nuisances when the surrounding neighborhood changes.
“You’ve got to raise hogs someplace, and we tried to present this as a case of raising hogs in an agricultural area,” said Jean Paul Bradshaw of Lathrop & Gage, which along with McGuireWoods of Richmond, Va., represented Premium Standard Farms.
That defense availed the company little in September 2006, when a Jackson County jury awarded $750,000 each to five individuals and the estate of another. Premium Standard Farms, which was acquired earlier this year by Smithfield Foods, was represented in that case by Shook Hardy & Bacon.
Despite its recent victory, the company won’t be able to rest on its laurels. Still in the pipeline are hundreds of other nuisance cases against Premium Standard Farms. Some are awaiting trial in Jackson County. Others are expected to be transferred soon to northern Missouri.
“We see this latest case as an isolated example,” said one of the Peters’ attorneys, Charles Speer of the Speer Law Firm.
Whether or not that is so, Premium Standard Farms has made it clear that it intends to fight every case one by one.
“Premium Standard believes that what they’re doing is as good as anybody’s doing it in terms of environmental and odor compliance,” Bradshaw said. “As a result, we continue to plan to try the other cases."

Glacier Bay National Park is in Alaska, Glacier National Park is in Montana. It used to be one could tell the difference. Now? Makes no difference, neither have glaicers significant contributing to the benevolent nature of Earth or the USA.

...Ammonia is made of nitrogen and hydrogen. When it mixes with water, it becomes ammonium. It's often associated with large animal feeding operations and fertilizers. It also occurs naturally.
Ammonia is part of a mix of elements that's swept up from vehicle exhaust, factory emissions and agricultural operations and travels in clouds before it's deposited with rain and snow.
Park Service officials say they've seen increasing amounts in national parks in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, Utah and Arizona.
A Colorado State University study of Rocky Mountain park pollution indicated that it was originating from east of the park and being deposited during rain- and snowstorms.
It's still unclear where increasing levels at other national parks are coming from, Vimont said. The effects, if any, will probably be slightly different at every park. In some cases, more ammonium could reduce visibility or have ecological effects on sensitive environments.
"I think we should be watching it from the standpoint that we don't really know what's going on," he said.
Mark Wenzler, clean-air program director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said it's been troubling to see increasing levels of ozone and other pollutants over national parks in the West, especially as so much of the focus has been improving air quality at eastern national parks such as at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
"We can see these threats coming but it's not too late to stop them," Wenzler said.





NH3: A pungent colorless gaseous compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed into a liquid by cold and pressure. Ammonia reacts with NOx to form ammonium nitrate -- a major PM2.5 component in the Western United States.



Glacier Bay National Park (click here). The Shifting Baseline of the American reality. There is absolutely NOTHING geologically significant about Glacier Bay National Park, yet, consumers will attempt to sell pictures they consider to be beautiful when this is the greatest tragedy to any environmental directive Americans mandated of their government. It is a completely failed policy to insure the beauty of the national parks to generations of Americans.

It is a failed policy to insure the sustained survival of Americans on a benevolent Earth. There is nothing significant Glacier Bay National Park contributes to the benevolence of Earth's Climate.

8:57 AM EST

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

Temperature :: 41 °F / 5 °C

Conditions :: Overcast

Humidity :: 61%

Dew Point :: 28 °F / -2 °C

Wind :: 13 mph / 20 km/h / 5.7 m/s from the SSE

Wind Gust :: 20 mph / 32 km/h / 8.7 m/s

Pressure :: 29.47 in / 998 hPa (Falling)

Windchill :: 34 °F / 1 °C

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Mostly Cloudy 3300 ft / 1005 m
Overcast 4100 ft / 1249 m
(Above Ground Level)

end

Outside the Boston Public Library (second picture below)

That is the Charles River in the background and Logan International. The perspective is interesting as I watched a plane land in the very early hours of the day, before sunrise. The flight path was in the direct path of my vision. The headlight of the plane did not move but only got closer. I could image, but only image, the terror felt by many on September 11, 2001 to watch a plane not veer off but continue to approach a skyscraper with no place to run or seek shelter.

The picture above is the view off my balcony as of 20 minutes ago (10:45 AM on 12/24/07). This is very different than the last week. It has been very frigid and it is my contention Earth is trying to recap itself. The reaches to the cold were all the way to the Gulf Coast with at least nine dead in the USA.

It is also my contention that no matter how cold it gets, shortly thereafter, there is a heat transfer from Human Induced Global Warming and the attempts by Earth to recap itself in ice is demised and therefore the underlying reality is, that Climate Change as it is occuring now is very dangerous, unique to the history of Earth and is primarily irreversible without humans reinventing their civilizations to accommodate their intimate relationship of survival.

Earth will continue to exist as it has with every extinction event to date, but, unless humans come to terms with their need to modify their 'carbon foot prints' on a societal/governmental level, there will be an unrelenting heating of Earth that will be unsurvivable.


This is a monument outside the Boston Public Library, Main Collection. It is difficult to see from this photo but it includes the name, Darwin. I have never seen a monument that included Charles Darwin's name among the great scientists. Now I know I am home.

I've been here since Monday of last week. I apologize for any loss of input. I think the last entry was evident to a focus that is urgent to the USA. More about that in a minute. It's taken a while to secure services at the Midtown apartment at the Charles River location. It's been fascinating to watch Boston in the frigid cold. It's an incredible city, when planes couldn't fly, the subways and buses still ran on time.

Love it here.

You could call it 'The Harvard Effect.' It is distinctively Boston and not far from New Hampshire and the first primaries by the way. Benevolence. Intellect. Thriving humanity. It's magnificent.

But, to the 'George Bush/Richard Cheney' impeachment. It's vital it happens. These men are horrible men. They have with every act of their being simply attempted to undermine the very constructs of our nation, government and Constitution. There is no doubt about it. One cannot walk the same streets where so many of our greatest patriots first declared war in the name of freedom without realizing how these men, including so many corrupted Republicans still in office have 'used' the freedoms afforded the populous of this nation to maneuver political 'rhelms' to appear to be influential when all they have been is desperate. That desperation was for wealth faciliated by power.

There is every reason to believe the Bush administration and 'corruptly cooperative' Republicans in the House and Senate have endangered the sovereignty of the USA and I'll make that a topic to explore soon.

But, the reality is profoundly the USA is in danger by the simple fact the Executive Branch did not cooperate with the Legislative Branch in providing all information to insure the 911 Commission had more information than they needed.

On September 11, 2001, the USA was attacked on the east coast, in it's metropolitan complexes of business and government to disable this nation and facilitate fear. We have lost sight of that reality and have been caught up in a 'faux' reality of weapons of mass destruction orchestrated by maniacal men desperate to turn the USA into a war machine with permission of it's populous out of fear. Bush/Cheney and their subsequent legion of followers used the assets of the USA to create fear among the populous within the country and abroad. As a result the world no longer views the USA as the great haven and provider of freedom, but, more a nation to be contained and manipulated in that containment to provide sustenance to it's populous and a market for huge amounts of imports.

The facts are clear. The White House, through some perverse idea of Executive Priviledge did not cooperate with the 911 Commission. They did not cooperate with the efforts of the Legislature to seek answers and protections for this nation. They hid not only some of the most valuable information regarding known terrorists but also the evidence that would provide a clear understanding of torture techniques employed with the permission of the Executive Branch. Those tapes were known to The White House and were withheld. There is no question about it. The Bush/Cheney administration including the President and Vice President are treasonists and require removal from office.

The arduous work by the 911 Commission is tainted with no way of revisiting that reality to solve the problems with conclusions that are valid. Perhaps, George Walker Bush dragged his feet so profoundly in regard to the recommendations of the 911 Commission because he knew the reality of the Commission was incomplete. There is no other conclusion one can come to in reality of the destruction of the CIA tapes regarding interrogations. George Walker Bush and Richard Cheney must be impeached and a reconstruct of the known content of the tapes must go forward by any and all that may have made them or witnessed their content including foreign service answering to the White House in regard to any interrogations and their outcomes.

We are Americans. We are not divided by religious denominatons and political parties in our loyalties to the USA Constitution. We are Americans and it is time we all started to act like it.

In a conversation with a person on his way home for a family sit-down dinner at his brother's tonight in celebration of Christmas it was noted to me that if Bush/Cheney were successful to incite war with Iran or escalate war in other areas of the world it would be deemed necessary under The Patriot Act for them to remain in office through a third term. Hm. I don't recall that being an aspect of The Patriot Act much discussed. But, leave it to Boston to pay attention to details.

Have a pleasant day and I'll be starting the week a new tomorrow with a day of news and views.

If you are celebrating a holiday, may it be a good one.

Until tomorrow. I appreciate your continued interest.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors - the 'lack' of 'swearing in' was a calculated decision. It makes no difference, ie: Big Oil Hearings

Swearing in at any official committee hearing is viewed by this administration as a superfluous measure that was eliminated from the hearings of Big Oil before the Senate Committee.

Obstruction of Justice in the 9/11 Commission Hearings.

The Reasons to impeach just got longer.

Impeachment needs to be acted upon NOW !!!

...The review was conducted earlier this month after the disclosure that in November 2005, the C.I.A. destroyed videotapes documenting the interrogations of two Qaeda operatives.
A seven-page memorandum prepared by Philip D. Zelikow, the panel’s former executive director, concluded that “further investigation is needed” to determine whether the C.I.A.’s withholding of the tapes from the commission violated federal law.
In interviews this week, the two chairmen of the commission, Lee H. Hamilton and Thomas H. Kean, said their reading of the report had convinced them that the agency had made a conscious decision to impede the Sept. 11 commission’s inquiry.
Mr. Kean said the panel would provide the memorandum to the federal prosecutors and congressional investigators who are trying to determine whether the destruction of the tapes or withholding them from the courts and the commission was improper.
A C.I.A. spokesman said that the agency had been prepared to give the Sept. 11 commission the interrogation videotapes, but that commission staff members never specifically asked for interrogation videos.
The review by Mr. Zelikow does not assert that the commission specifically asked for videotapes, but it quotes from formal requests by the commission to the C.I.A. that sought “documents,” “reports” and “information” related to the interrogations...

There was no incompetency in the 911 Commission request. The Bush/Cheney White House premeditatedly withheld information from the 9/11 Commission. The Commission's work is now tainted and all recommendations and proceedings need to be reviewed. I don't know what changes can be made considering there is no new evidence, simply discarded by this administrations' lack of ability to govern effectively. The Bush/Cheney White House in 'not being particularly helpful' has compromised the security of the United States of America.

They need to be impeached and impeached now !!! There is no excuse for any further delay.

December 22, 2007
0300 PM
Antarctica

This is the 'beginning' of the Summer 2007-2008 of Antarctica. This is when heat begins to disaffect the ice. The image below is after an entire summer when the temperatures balance should be the most disaffected before proceeding into Autumn.


March 5, 2007
10:46:29 AM
Antarctica at the end of it's summer of 2006 - 2007. The heat then was absent over the Blue Ice and East Antarctica where frigid air was maintained by a mostly benevolent Earth.

Let me make it clear before moving on that this is tragic.

December 22, 2007
1329 gmt
Antarctica without it's cold.


August 13, 2007
1917 gmt
Antarctica a month from the end of it's winter. There was enormous cold over the ice.

There were several contributing events that caused the change in temperature shift over Antarctica. Both are documented on this blog, both have never occurred before, while the Ice Continent has never before been noted to lose it's frigid cold over the Blue Ice. East Antarctica has never before experienced this level of heat in recent time.

The first event was when heat was noted over the Blue Ice. I speculated at that time, since there were no heat transfers arriving to the continent, the heat decended from the top of the troposphere down. In other words the carbon dioxide had accumulated in the upper troposphere without an escape to the stratosphere and therefore was descending from altitude over East Antarctica.

(This would be more a possibility over the 'poles' since the tropospheric air in this location is shallower than over the Equator. The Equatorial air is hot and a larger mass even though there are the same number of molecules. So any 'concentration' of carbon dioxide that would disaffect the heat index of Earth in a dramatic way, would occur over the poles first. The North Pole/Arctic Ocean does not have 3 mile high ice, it is an ocean whereas Antarctica is a continent with an accumulation of ice over it's Eastern land mass.) I still believe there was a descent of hot air from the upper troposphere over Antarctica and I believe it to be a significant contributing factor to the loss of Antarctica's frigid state currently. I also believe this to be a very serious event.

Secondly, there was a 'movement' of the frigid air off East Antarctica recently. It was an 'air mass,' it moved in unison, it was heavy due to it's density and simply; when displaced by the upper tropospheric hot air; 'slid' off the upper altitudes of ice to the lower elevations and off the continent completely while mixing then with high winds, which have been noted in recent weeks, to dilute the frigid air into warmer densities and climate.

This is a tragic event for Earth and it's climate. It is a tragic event, that governments need to note and consider to be a threat to their peoples.

California to sue over emissions snub in weeks: Schwarzenegger

Denial of State Emissions Plan Was Foreshadowed (click here)
...The industry pushed for the new ruling as part of its overall lobbying on the energy bill, which also calls for a huge increase in ethanol and other biofuels over 15 years.
In meetings in October with Mr. Cheney and sessions with White House staff members, auto executives made clear that they were concerned not just about the fuel economy measures in the bill but also about the California proposal for stricter emissions standards.
California developed rules in 2004 to reduce tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants that scientists say contribute to global warming. The state applied to Washington in December 2005 for a waiver from the Clean Air Act to let it apply the tougher standards. Eventually, 16 states joined the application for the exception....

Can't make much money on oil if cars aren't buring it !!!





The above graph released by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) charts the value of the Vice President's holdings in Halliburton in the past year. (click here)


Cheney's Puppet, George Walker Bush stated yesterday, there was no reason for California (or any other state) to enact laws regarding carbon dioxide as the USA needed a national strategy.

The USA has a national strategy, it's called "Look the Other Way" while KBR, Halliburton and USA Auto makers take the world for a ride !"

The vehicles that are sold and serviced by America's auto dealers are marvels of design, performance, and reliability, and all of you are rightly proud to work in this industry. You're part of the reason America remains among the strongest economies in the world. So it's a pleasure to be in the company of new-car and truck dealers from coast to coast -- and I bring good wishes to all of you and the members of your association from the President of the United States, George W. Bush. (click here)

Japan Backs Down from Hunting Humpbacks

Humpback whales have 'human' brain cells, according to some science folk (click here)

Well, this may have profound implications for the future of whales - some of them may be smarter than we had previously thought!
Humpback whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, the great apes, and other cetaceans such as dolphins, US researchers reported on Monday. This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for, and suggests the basis for complex brains either evolved more than once, or has gone unused by most species of animals, the researchers said.
Patrick Hof and Estel Van der Gucht of the Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York studied the brains of humpback whales and discovered a type of cell called a spindle neuron in the cortex, in areas comparable to where they are seen in humans and great apes. Planet Ark: Humpback Whales Have 'Human' Brain Cells – Study (Reuters)...

U.N. ice bridge reminder of melting Antarctica

Norwegian artist Vebjorn Sand (R), who was the driving force behind the building of a bridge near Oslo to the exact drawings and design of Leonardo da Vinci, works on a replica of the bridge constructed of ice outside the United Nations building in New York, December 17, 2007.

...Natural wonders of great beauty, coral reefs are a multi-billion dollar tourism draw. Australia alone makes $6.8 billion a year from its Great Barrier Reef. Damage to the corals puts at risk the world’s marine ecosystem. The total economic value of coral is estimated to be $30 billion.”

USA Today has a simple explanation about the phenomenon: “Burning coal, oil and gas adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, the same gas used to give soft drinks fizz. Just as carbon dioxide is absorbed into the drink, ocean water absorbs it from the air. When the carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it makes the water more acidic. That interferes with the ability of coral to calcify their skeletons: They can no longer grow and they begin to die.

“Coral reefs are important because they act as hatcheries and nurseries for open ocean fish. They also protect coasts from storms, and provide fish, recreation and tourism dollars. It is estimated that coral reef fisheries in Asia feed one billion people.”...

Another huge heat transfer from the Equator to Antarctica, with it goes water vapor supporting tropical rainforests

And whom is to blame for all this?

Whom?

The United States of America and it's consumerism, that's whom !!!!

December 21, 2007
1526 gmt
Western Hemisphere

December 21, 2007
1525 gmt
Africa - Europe Satellite


December 21, 2007
1103 gmt
Indian Ocean


December 21, 2007
1411 gmt
West Pacific Satellite


December 21, 2007
1611 gmt
Australia


December 21, 2007
1532 gmt
Pacific Global Satellite

December 21, 2007

1326 gmt

Antarctica

The first day of Summer in Antarctica and everything is melting or subliming. Negative 17 Fahrenheit in Vostok. Hideous. Completely

December 21, 2007
1200 PM
Antarctica Temperature Satellite

Click for animation at title to entry, missing from the 24 hour satellite are images from 9 AM, 3PM and 6 PM.

The frigid temperatures over Antarctica are gone. It's warmer than it's ever been. I doubt we'll see too many more summers before there is profound notice of the impact of Human Induced Global Warming on Antarctica.

The Warmest Reporting Station:

Base Belgrano li, Antarctica

Time :: 3 PM gmt

Elevation :: 823 ft/ 251 meters

Temperature :: 49 F / 9 C

Humidity :: 26%

Dew Point :: 25 F / -4 C

Wind :: 4 mph / 6 km/h from the SSE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 28.89 inches / 978 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Base Marmabio, Centro Met. Antartico, Antarctica

Time :: 3 PM gmt

Elevation :: 650 ft / 198 meters

Temperature :: 42 F / 5 C

Conditions :: Mist

Humidity :: 68%

Dew Point :: 35 F / 2 C

Wind :: Calm

Wind Gust :: Well, if there isn’t much wind, there won’t be much of a wind gust either.

Pressure :: 29.38 inches / 995 hPa

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Clouds :: Few 19685 ft / 6000 meters

Davis, Antarctica

Time :: 10 PM

Elevation :: 59 ft / 18 meters

Temperature :: 38 F / 3 C

Condtions :: Partly cloudy

Humidity :: 31 %

Dew Point :: 18 F / -8 C

Wind :: 24 mph / 39 km/h from the ENE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 28.57 inches / 967 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 16.0 miles / 25.0 kilometers

The coldest reporting stations ::

Dome C, Antarctica

Time :: 4:20 PM gmt

Elevation :: 10761 ft / 3260 m

Temperature :: -24 F / - 31 C

Wind :: 8 mph / 13 km/h from the SSE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)

Vostok

6:00 PM VOST

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

Temperature :: - 17 C / - 27 C

Humidity :: 55%

Dew Point :: -24 F / -31 C

Wind :: 9 mph / 15 km/h from the South

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (rising)

Visibilty :: 12.0 miles / 20.o kilometers

Amundsen-Scott, Antarctica

Time :: 5:49 AM NZDT

Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 meters

Temperature :: - 10 Fahrenheit / -23 C

Conditions :: Light Snow

Wind :: 9 mph / 15 km/h from the South

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 6.0 m / 9.0 km

UV :: 1 of 16

Clouds :: Mostly Cloudy 689 ft / 210 m
Overcast 4035 ft / 1230 m
(Above Ground Level)

The weather at Scott Base, Antarctica is temperate. This is ridiculous.