MANHATTAN, Kansas, November 24, 2008 (ENS) - The pollution of fresh water by agricultural nutrients costs government agencies, drinking water facilities and individual Americans at least $4.3 billion a year in total, finds new research from Kansas State University. Biology professor Walter Dodds, who led the study, says the researchers calculated that $44 million a year is spent just protecting aquatic species from nutrient pollution. Dodds and the K-State researchers based their conclusions on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data on nitrogen and phosphorous levels in bodies of water throughout the country. The damaging chemicals - phosphorous and nitrogen - enter the environment from nonpoint sources rather than flowing into a lake or stream from one pipe. They enter the water from various points, such as runoff from row crop agriculture across the surrounding lands, said Dodd. The researchers calculated the money lost from that pollution by looking at factors like decreasing lakefront property values, the cost of treating drinking water and the revenue lost when fewer people take part in recreational activities like fishing or boating.
Biology professor Walter Dodds, who led the study, says the researchers calculated that $44 million a year is spent just protecting aquatic species from nutrient pollution.
Dodds and the K-State researchers based their conclusions on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data on nitrogen and phosphorous levels in bodies of water throughout the country.
The damaging chemicals - phosphorous and nitrogen - enter the environment from nonpoint sources rather than flowing into a lake or stream from one pipe.
They enter the water from various points, such as runoff from row crop agriculture across the surrounding lands, said Dodd.
The researchers calculated the money lost from that pollution by looking at factors like decreasing lakefront property values, the cost of treating drinking water and the revenue lost when fewer people take part in recreational activities like fishing or boating.
Scientists have identified new rifts on an Antarctic ice shelf that could lead to it breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula, the European Space Agency said. The Wilkins Ice Shelf, a large sheet of floating ice south of South America, is connected to two Antarctic islands by a strip of ice. That ice "bridge" has lost about 2,000 square kilometers (about 772 square miles) this year, the ESA said. A satellite image captured November 26 shows new rifts on the ice shelf that make it dangerously close to breaking away from the strip of ice -- and the islands to which it's connected, the ESA said. Scientists first spotted rifts in the ice shelf in late February, and they noticed further deterioration the following week. The period marks the end of the South Pole summer and is the time when such events are most likely, said Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Scientists have identified new rifts on an Antarctic ice shelf that could lead to it breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula, the European Space Agency said.
The Wilkins Ice Shelf, a large sheet of floating ice south of South America, is connected to two Antarctic islands by a strip of ice. That ice "bridge" has lost about 2,000 square kilometers (about 772 square miles) this year, the ESA said.
A satellite image captured November 26 shows new rifts on the ice shelf that make it dangerously close to breaking away from the strip of ice -- and the islands to which it's connected, the ESA said.
Scientists first spotted rifts in the ice shelf in late February, and they noticed further deterioration the following week. The period marks the end of the South Pole summer and is the time when such events are most likely, said Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Relevant information: summer has just begun in Antarctica, today.
Obnoxious displays of wealth on TV a turn-off for many By Alana Semuels LA Times November 29, 2008 Viewers affected by the drama on Wall Street 'don't want to watch rich people whine' -- so networks are cutting back on shows that might offend. The third season of "Wall Street Warriors" started filming this spring, as the financial sector's meltdown accelerated. The show's camera crews captured the pain and anger of the biggest stock market crash in decades. But right now, the show doesn't have an audience. "Wall Street Warriors" was shot for Mojo HD, a high-definition cable channel that's shutting down Monday, leaving the reality series without a home. Its producers are shopping the show to other networks, with no takers so far. Its problem: Americans are too depressed about their own finances to entertain themselves by watching shows about money, according to industry executives and academics. "People don't want to come home at the end of the day and have more bad news about their money," said Jeanine Basinger, chairwoman of the film studies department at Wesleyan University. "They don't want to see the Enron scandal, they don't want to see CEOs getting away with it." Television ratings reflect that trend. ABC announced last week that it wasn't ordering new episodes for "Dirty Sexy Money," a show about a wealthy and unscrupulous New York family. In mid-November, only about 3.6 million viewers tuned in to watch NBC's "Lipstick Jungle," a show about three high-powered New Yorkers, which is almost half the number who tuned in when the show began.
Viewers affected by the drama on Wall Street 'don't want to watch rich people whine' -- so networks are cutting back on shows that might offend.
The third season of "Wall Street Warriors" started filming this spring, as the financial sector's meltdown accelerated. The show's camera crews captured the pain and anger of the biggest stock market crash in decades. But right now, the show doesn't have an audience.
"Wall Street Warriors" was shot for Mojo HD, a high-definition cable channel that's shutting down Monday, leaving the reality series without a home. Its producers are shopping the show to other networks, with no takers so far.
Its problem: Americans are too depressed about their own finances to entertain themselves by watching shows about money, according to industry executives and academics.
"People don't want to come home at the end of the day and have more bad news about their money," said Jeanine Basinger, chairwoman of the film studies department at Wesleyan University. "They don't want to see the Enron scandal, they don't want to see CEOs getting away with it."
Television ratings reflect that trend. ABC announced last week that it wasn't ordering new episodes for "Dirty Sexy Money," a show about a wealthy and unscrupulous New York family. In mid-November, only about 3.6 million viewers tuned in to watch NBC's "Lipstick Jungle," a show about three high-powered New Yorkers, which is almost half the number who tuned in when the show began.
Better days are ahead. In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2008) -- The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially comes to a close on November 30, marking the end of a season that produced a record number of consecutive storms to strike the United States and ranks as one of the more active seasons in the 64 years since comprehensive records began.> A total of 16 named storms formed this season, based on an operational estimate by NOAA's National Hurricane Center. The storms included eight hurricanes, five of which were major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher. These numbers fall within the ranges predicted in NOAA's pre- and mid-season outlooks issued in May and August. The August outlook called for 14 to 18 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes. An average season has 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. "This year's hurricane season continues the current active hurricane era and is the tenth season to produce above-normal activity in the past 14 years," said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. [...] Bell attributes this year's above-normal season to conditions that include: An ongoing multi-decadal signal. This combination of ocean and atmospheric conditions has spawned increased hurricane activity since 1995. Lingering La Niña effects. Although the La Niña that began in the Fall of 2007 ended in June, its influence of light wind shear lingered. Warmer tropical Atlantic Ocean temperatures. On average, the tropical Atlantic was about 1.0 degree Fahrenheit above normal during the peak of the season
ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2008) -- The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially comes to a close on November 30, marking the end of a season that produced a record number of consecutive storms to strike the United States and ranks as one of the more active seasons in the 64 years since comprehensive records began.>
A total of 16 named storms formed this season, based on an operational estimate by NOAA's National Hurricane Center. The storms included eight hurricanes, five of which were major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher. These numbers fall within the ranges predicted in NOAA's pre- and mid-season outlooks issued in May and August. The August outlook called for 14 to 18 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes. An average season has 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
"This year's hurricane season continues the current active hurricane era and is the tenth season to produce above-normal activity in the past 14 years," said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
[...]
Bell attributes this year's above-normal season to conditions that include:
