Image by Getty Images via @daylifeImpact of Gulf Spill’s Underwater Dispersants Examined
A review has now been published by Earthjustice, in collaboration with Toxipedia, an online toxicology Wiki, of all the scientific literature concerning the potential health impacts of these 57 chemicals. The report finds that “Of the 57 ingredients: 5 chemicals are associated with cancer; 33 are associated with skin irritation from rashes to burns; 33 are linked to eye irritation; 11 are or are suspected of being potential respiratory toxins or irritants; 10 are suspected kidney toxins; 8 are suspected or known to be toxic to aquatic organisms; and 5 are suspected to have a moderate acute toxicity to fish.”While words like “associated with” or “linked to” may sound weak and unconvincing, the syntax highlights just how little is actually known about these chemicals. For 13 of the dispersant ingredients, no relevant data could be found.
On Libya Frozen Assets, US Drops "TNC" for "Relevant Authorities," Only 13 of 15 Show Up for Syria Sanctions
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 25 -- After a standoff on whether $1.5 billion in frozen Libya funds would be released to the National Transitional Council, the US on Thursday agreed to amend its unfreezing request to drop references to the NTC (or TNC as the US and some others call it) and replaced it with the phrase "relevant authorities."
Al Jazeera's Nour Samaha conducted an interview with Professor Goodwin-Gill to get a clearer picture of the dangers the Palestinian people may potentially face with the bid. His entire legal judgment on the problems with the current Palestinian bid for statehood can be accessed here.
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NATO nations set to reap spoils of Libya war
It looks like the more telling news on Libya has migrated to the business pages. With jubilant reporting of Gaddafi's imminent downfall seizing headlines, it's the financial pages that have the clinical analysis. So, for instance, it is in this section that the Independent reports a "dash for profit in the post-war Libya carve up".
Similarly, Reuters, under the headline, "Investors eye promise, pitfalls in post-Gaddafi Libya" noted that a new government in that country could "herald a bonanza for Western companies and investors".
Before Tripoli has completely fallen, before Gaddafi and his supporters have stepped down and before the blood dries on the bodies that have yet to be counted, Western powers are already eyeing up what they view us just rewards for the intervention.
There are no more illusions over how far NATO forces exceeded the UN security resolution that mandated its campaign. For months, NATO officials insisted it was operating within brief - an air campaign, designed to protect civilians under threat of attack. But now it is described as an "open secret" that NATO countries were operating undercover, on the ground.
Add to that the reluctance to broker a negotiated exit, the practice of advising, arming and training the rebels, and the spearheading of an escalation in violence and it looks like NATO's job morphed from protecting civilians to regime change.
Evidence of 'mass execution' in Tripoli
The Unrecovery, Acknowledged
One positive thing in Bernanke’s speech — I’m trying to look on the bright side — is that for what seems to me the first time he has more or less acknowledged that we are not, in any real sense, experiencing a recovery:Notwithstanding these more positive developments, however, it is clear that the recovery from the crisis has been much less robust than we had hoped. From the latest comprehensive revisions to the national accounts as well as the most recent estimates of growth in the first half of this year, we have learned that the recession was even deeper and the recovery even weaker than we had thought; indeed, aggregate output in the United States still has not returned to the level that it attained before the crisis. Importantly, economic growth has for the most part been at rates insufficient to achieve sustained reductions in unemployment, which has recently been fluctuating a bit above 9 percent.
Hurricane Irene: Thinking the unthinkable
Here's the bad news, according to Nate:"According the model, a hurricane with wind speeds of about 100 miles per hour — making it a “weak” Category 2 storm — might cause on the order of $35 billion in damage if it were to pass directly over Manhattan. Such a storm would probably flood New York’s subway system as well as acres upon acres of prime real estate in neighborhoods like the East Village, the Financial District, TriBeCa, Coney Island, Red Hook, Dumbo, as well as parts of Staten Island and most of the Rockaways.
Although far from the most likely scenario, this may represent a reasonable-worst-case estimate of what could happen if Hurricane Irene took exactly the wrong turn at exactly the wrong time."
Here's the latest on what promises to be a very wet, and very wild, weekend on the East Coast.Hurricane Irene and Risk perception. They're BOTH Dangerous
An abstract risk usually doesn’t trigger as much concern as something we’ve actually been threatened by, or suffered from, in the past. So while the warnings will cause high alarm in some, and prompt due precautions by many, a lot of people will fail to take adequate precautions, and that leaves them at greater risk. That is the danger of The Perception Gap.
For the same reason, should evacuations be recommended, some might emperil themselves by not following that advice. Even if evacuations are mandatory, some will resist, to protect their property from thieves, which reflects an additional potentially dangerous instinctive/emotional factor that influences our perception of risk. We naturally weigh risks against benefits. Anyone who stays to protect their property is making a Risk versus Benefit choice that says the risk of a hurricane – which in a mandatory evacuation area includes the risk of dying – doesn’t feel as big as the benefit of protecting their replaceable physical belongings. OOPS!Regulating the Fear of Vaccines: An Emotional Response
( Happening to notice this, I was struck by the repeated structure of public posts advocating state power - and 'wisdom' - bypass and suppress citizens' concerns as specious and ill-advised .... promoting them as 'Denierism' without the title )
How to Win an Argument With a Vegetarian
Professor of Communication, American University
I've Always Said PETA Should Be Called "Pornographers for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
Investigative Journalist
Greedy Google blocks the global internet superorganism mind
History of global digital superorganism goes far back. This is our future. I put some background information for my followers here. This is going...
NASA'S Wise Mission Discovers Coolest Class of Stars
Scientists using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have discovered the coldest class of star-like bodies, with...
NASA's GRAIL Moon Twins are Joined to Their Booster In Focus: Secrecy shrouds costs of Perry's travel | US Life Post
Lobbying on Clean Coal, AFL-CIO Forms Super Labor PAC and more in Capital Eye Opener: Aug 26
Engineering food for whom?
Military Women Deserve Equal Medical Care
Nano Patents and Innovations: Lessons Learned From The 2 Worst ...
Disturbing article at the Post & Email
Obama In Sync With America On Standards
The Stream, August 26: New Jersey Issues Ban on Fracking
( I posted a note about a UK propagandist originating the campaign ages ago )
Powell: Cheney taking 'cheap shots' in memoir (Meghashyam Mali/The Hill)Alberta PC Leadership Q&A
The Many Collapses of Keynesianism
The Observer: Atos doctors could be struck off
U.S. Vs. China: Not To Worry, We Still Have Way More Guns and Poison
U.S. Vs. China: Not To Worry, We Still Have Way More Guns and Poison
New report maps the roots of Islamophobia
A new report traces the flow -- and funding -- of anti-Muslim ideas
Sad Tea Party freshman hates his stupid new jobNewt Gingrich Fundraising Machine Shuts Down
Headlines for August 26, 2011
President Obama Signs Puerto Rico Disaster Declaration
New York survives worst of Irene
• Hurricane blamed for 11 deaths along US east coast• Irene downgraded to tropical storm from category 1• Eye of storm makes landfall at Coney...
Israeli activists launch protest squatsSustainable fish logos: not all they're made out to be
Libya rebels reject regime offer to negotiate
Brazil Looks To Criminalize Ripping A CD?
How Much Life Does Earth Host?
Extraterrestrial Dust Collection
In Afghanistan, Building Up Means Scaling Down
Hurricane Irene hits the East Coast (roundup)
Sun Bleach Your Shirt [Clothing]
Here Comes the Story of the Hurricane
Will the Space Station be Abandoned?
In the wake of the Russian Progress vehicle crash, a chain of events has been set into motion that could result in the decision not to fly...
Pets During Hurricanes: What To Do 11 Tips to Cut Your Cholesterol Fast
WebMD provides tips for things you can do now to help lower your bad cholesterol levels. From diet to medications, find the first steps here.
Lawyers files appeal for U.S. hikers sentenced to 8 years in Iran
The lawyer for two American hikers sentenced to eight years in prison said Sunday he has filed an appeal in the case.
End the Bombing of Libya
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