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[ Thursday, June 12, 2008 12:27 ]

Legacy Journal: Toxic Planet or Better Living thru Chemistry?

Section:
Environment

Summary:
It may be my imagination, but it seems that the number of narrowly focused research PhD’s in search of projects and funding is driving the explosion of PhD thesis, grant proposals, funding requests, committee meeting, international conferences, popular press articles, and journal publications. One example is environmental endocrine dysfunction, a kind of mini-movement with vocal advocacy hot spots in northern California and New York. Politics and public policy is part of the mix. A staff person for Senator Boxer of California and Marin Country is “connected”

Environmental Endocrine Disruptors (EED) is the title of this week’s GRC group’ retreat at the Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire for their 6th annual meeting. Shanna Swan of URMC is the Chairwoman.

Main:
This community of environmental toxicologists, biologists and epidemiologists focusing on a wide range of “reproductive failures”. Among the failures are a variety of animal and human gross anatomy and microscopic tissue finding that are associated with maternal or egg exposure to environmental chemicals. Some of the chemicals are pharmaceutics like diethyl stilbestrol, but most are petro-chemicals like agricultural pesticides and herbicides.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 06/12 at 12:27 PM
Calendar: • Thursday: • Caveat Emptor: • Chances are ---: • Cause & Effect: • Cherry Picking: • Data: • Dollars and Cents: • Follow the Money: • Environment: • Advocacy: • Policy: • Studies: • Fact vs Fiction: • Going Green: • IT3 Tech: • Internet Tech: • Google: • Calendar: • Medicine: • Voice: • Demonization: • Dooms Day: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Tuesday, March 18, 2008 07:17 ]

Legacy Journal: Economic Moral Hazard

Section:
Politics

Summary:
* “Moral Hazard” is the current term of ART among the political and economic crisis oriented media pundits. What does it mean? Perhaps we should attempt to define the idea behind the phrase.

Main:
It seems to be an insurance term that began in England. One can imagine the talk in the early coffee houses of London where Lloyds of London syndicates were pooling investors stakes to insure the nations trading ships, their cargos, and maybe event the lives of their crews against accidents and piracy as they sailed at sea to the edges of the known world. The talk among these sober risk takers may have incluced the possibility of some imprudent risks. like overloading, if insurance was inforce and playable if the ship, cargo and crew capsized and all were lost. London, the west’s first metropolis, had long been supplied with coal via coast carriers, before they were replaced by canals and railroads. Captain James Cook learned his hazardous trade aboard vessels of just this type.

Today, the term moral hazard has a similarly negative connotation ---- imprudent risk taking without a penalty or price like bankruptcy or insolvency of a business or loss of a house. Bear Stearn’s most valued asset, trust, was lost, liquidity evaporated and its partners and customers would not trade. Insurance can not cover or restore loss of trust.

Currently, the economic good news is that not all Wall Street investment firms took the same risks in low quality mortgage backed derivative instruments at Bear Stearns. Today Lehman Bros. profit report excessed expectations. The nation’s unemployment rate is low and stable. Productive is good. Exports are Strong. Technology, transportation and services sectors are growing. Biotechnology and genomics are red hot. Agricultural incomes and land prices are a boom for the heartland and the national balance sheet. The stock market continues to contain safe and sure value. Pension and Truct funds are performing well.

Yes, New York and other states are facing budget deficits. Inflation rate outpaces Treasury returns. Discretionary consumer spending may continue to contract. Housing construction continues to contract in California and Florida. Decreasing defense spending is not currently an option. Health care and medical insurance costs are rapidly rising to fund patient expections, institutional and professional liabilty protection ,applied documentation imaging technology, and nursing shortages.

The weaking dollor and low interest rates are a double edged sword,

Meanwhile, in the wild and wonderful worlds of evolutionary biology and genetic molecular biology, guarantees of individual and species perfection and survival are hard to come by.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 03/18 at 07:17 AM
Basics: • Black and White: • Bottom Line: • Business and Trade: • Calendar: • Tuesday: • Caveat Emptor: • Chances are ---: • Roll of the Dice: • Chronicles: • Culture Clash: • High Brow: • Data: • By the Numbers: • Dollars and Cents: • Follow the Money: • Deal: • Fact vs Fiction: • Finance: • Heartland: • IT3 Tech: • Internet Tech: • Google: • Calendar: • Language: • Rhetoric: • Metaphors: • New York: • Cities: • News: • Retrospect: • Personal Pearls: • Insurance: • Sign of the Times: • Word Play: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Saturday, February 09, 2008 09:35 ]

Legacy Journal: Tornados, Darwin, and Right Sizing

Section:
Columns

Summary:
* Andrew Revkin, the nytimes writer covering the environment from his blog a Dot Earth seem to be on to something significant--- the real nature of Weather Science, Records, and Tornados.

Charles Darwin, his fellow 19th century Victorians, and the Royal Navy were also keenly aware of the complexity of weather, ocean currents, and natural events like volcanoes. Janet Browne, professor of the History of Science, Medicine and Biology, among others, reminds us of the importance of a historical frame of reference.

* 4 Giga (billion)tons of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning added to the atmosphere seem like a sure burden with consequences. But, each of our nucleated cells has 6 billion DNA base pairs , my thumb drive has 2 Gigs of memory, and each cubic kilometer of ocean water contains one billion gallons or 4 billion pounds of water.

Main:

: So, what is the cause and effect relationship between atmospheric carbon dioxide, Gulf of Mexico surface water temperature, and the frequency and severity of mid west tornadoes? One of the discussant to the Tornado blog article presents graphic evident that suggests that this winter, Arctic Ocean ice has be restored to its historic norm. The story of the arresting photo of polar bears apparently stranded on a summer ice float at sea is interesting.

:: Darwin is coming to the fore yet again. Next year will be the Bicentennial celebration of his birth. Multiple events are planned around the world.

::: Meanwhile, the general level of math, science, and technology Literacy appears to be rather low. Even this week’s brainy PhD student appearing on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? missed the answer to the the million dollar question. The answer was Chuck Yeager. What was the question?

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 02/09 at 09:35 AM
Basics: • Burden of Proof: • Calendar: • Saturday: • Chances are ---: • Cause & Effect: • Climate: • Climate Chronicles: • Earth Sciences:: • Energy: • Environment: • Air: • Features: • Permalinks: • Q & A: • History: • IT3 Tech: • Internet Tech: • Google: • Calendar: • Nature: • Northern Lights: • Show and Tell: • Snow Flakes: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Friday, February 01, 2008 12:19 ]

Legacy Journal: Final Friday: Sure Things for 2008

Section:
FrontPage

Summary:
* Super Bowl Sunday means Buffalo Wing sales will soar in Rochester, New York.

* The country is experiencing widespread freezing weather in the heartland, record precipitation in the west, chilly nights in the a hurricane free season in the Gulf, and a near absence of voter, media candidate concern about AGW. Will there be an Al Gore spot ad in Super Sunday? Not likely. The issue is down around # 16th on the priority list.

* The rate of growth of the $14.6 trillion GDP is slowing. But, employers are competing for reliable employees with the necessary personal qualities, technical skills, and experience. The real story of the American story is told by those in line on the outside seeking an personal or family chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity than many US citizens take for granted. Immigration demographics are increasing, not decreasing.

* Voters for the national ticket in November may have Democrat bonus choice: Three for the price of One. Come on down.

* Expect a high gloss, high cost, high profile TV and endorsement blitz and buzz for the next ten daze. The haze of campaign may be the next step in the degradation of the environment by noise pollution and jet contrails.

*

Main:
: Medical Care costs about 16% of the GDP or over $2 trillion. Some what a federally funded Universal Medical System at a matter of “Right” based on the British National Health Service. On the other hand, the American system is also fueling research, expansion of hospital beds, capital investment and a talent magnet in the service sector of the economy. Media advertising , Big Pharma profits , Medical Foundation non profit trust funds, and executive compensation also seem to have benefited.

:: Hillary Rodham Clinton is long off her Saul Alinski and Wal- Mart SOAP box gigs. She has now gone national with her campaign. Her organizing network in upstate New York is impressive, her hold in California is formidable, and she is portrayed as respected in Arkansas.

::: Meanwhile, everybody over the age of 30 who make their living off the little screen is trembling before the HD switch over. The darn thing shows wrinkles after all.

:::: Fast fact checkers and caught on tape moments will continue to fuel the cheap instant analysis part of covering the campaign.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 02/01 at 12:19 PM
Business and Trade: • Cal Water New: • Calendar: • Friday: • Chances are ---: • Roll of the Dice: • Climate: • Climate Noise: • Forecasting: • Data: • Dollars and Cents: • Follow the Money: • Energy: • Nuclear Power: • Entitlements: • Environment: • Air: • Features: • Permalinks: • Feedback Loop: • Going Green: • Heartland: • Hot and Cold: • IT3 Tech: • Internet Tech: • Google: • Calendar: • Lights Out: • Moral Jeopardy: • News: • Global: • Northern Lights: • Predictions: • Previews: • Promise Makers: • Science and Technology: • Social Sciences: • Demography: • Talking Points: • Voice: • Cross Over: • Washington Watch: • Weather Watch: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Friday, January 25, 2008 12:59 ]

Legacy Journal: Science on the Run, Media Muddle, and the Local Weather

Section:
Environment

Summary:
* New junkies are getting whiplash. First ABC evening news nice guy, Charlie Gibson, polishes his exit with a pretty picture of the first sign of spring. It is a brief view of the sun peaking over the horizon at Pt Barrow Alaska. Then the ABC GMA sunrise crew chirps in with a full light clip on the use of mobile Arctic Norwhales being tagged by a research team with temperatures sensors. The sensors record realtime water temperatures as the pod cruises for food in the open Arctic channels off the west coast of Greenland. The team is assisted by noble and knowledgeable native kayak builders, paddlers, and hunters. Franz Boas of Baffin Bay fame must be smiling. Yet another early morning weekend crew the recent California rain, snow and avalanche deaths to yet further evidence of AGW . They almost came unglued over pictures of a cute Zoo born Polar bear cub.

The disconnect is the light. Most fifth graders know that the Arctic regions are cold and dark in winter. Yet, the GMA report fails to date and time their picture. Is there a problem here?

Meanwhile, primary politics is piling up and piling on. It is five men standing on the Republican side. One woman, two men and one proxy standing on the
Democrat side. The good news is that one field of candidates appear to be serious about civility and putting their best public faces, feet, and voices forward. The controversy focused media is not pleased, but voters are ecstatic.

* Today the D&C and ABC WHAM, weather guy, Glenn Johnson explains that space satellites can report images, infrared date, and atmospheric water vapor information. That data can report on jet engine contrails and open ocean water channels through the summer Arctic Ocean ice packs. Apparently, satellites are not able to accurately report the temperature on the earth side of clouds. Nor are they able to take photographs of the North Pole in the dark of winter.

Main:

: Meanwhile, Revkin of the nytimes Dot Earth blog has a piece that outlines the scientific framework of his views. His lead is begins, The world’s largest group of earth scientists says “the human footprint on Earth is apparent.” The UGS, incorporated in Washington, D.C., and its active 12 subgroup leadership including the Atmosphere group are examples. Revkin also mentions the AGS and includes part of their October 2006 policy statement.

“The Geological Society of America (GSA) supports the scientific conclusions that Earth’s climate is changing; the climate changes are due in part to human activities; and the probable consequences of the climate changes will be significant and blind to geopolitical boundaries. Furthermore, the potential implications of global climate change and the time scale over which such changes will likely occur require active, effective, long-term planning. GSA also supports statements on the global climate change issue made by the joint national academies of science (June 2005), American Geophysical Union (December, 2003), and American Chemical Society (2004). GSA strongly encourages that the following efforts be undertaken internationally:

(1) adequately research climate change at all time scales,
(2) develop thoughtful, science-based policy appropriate for the multifaceted issues of global climate change,
(3) organize global planning to recognize, prepare for, and adapt to the causes and consequences of global climate change,
(4) organize and develop comprehensive, long-term strategies for sustainable energy, particularly focused on minimizing impacts on global climate.”

:: TimeInc has a Climate Change piece called Winds of Change. It is not serious science. Sadly, the article is sophomoric in style, superficial in analysis, and scant in originality. Here is an example.

“You have Republicans and Democrats getting on board with this,” says Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, “and the reason why is because the public is increasingly there already.” Think about the logic and the grammar: “ increasingly there already”. As Mrs Van taught in the fourth grade, “ Either we have arrived at the station, or we have not.” End of story.

::: Finally, a very cool blog. Snow biking in Alaska. Now there is something that Californians transplanted to western upstate New York can identify with.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 01/25 at 12:59 PM
Bright Lights: • Calendar: • Friday: • Chances are ---: • Certainty: • Cherry Picking: • Climate: • Climate Change: • Critical Questions: • Northern Exposure: • Counter Currents: • Data: • Numbers: • Earth Sciences:: • Environment: • Advocacy: • Studies: • Fact vs Fiction: • Features: • Graphic: • Image: • Have a Good Day!: • Hot and Cold: • Lights Out: • Media Watch: • Smarter than a 5th Grader?: • TV Journalism: • Missing Parts: • Nature: • News: • Good News: • Northern Lights: • Political Watch: • Really? A Reality Check: • Science and Technology: • Natural Sciences: • Physical Sciences: • Show and Tell: • Snow Flakes: • Tall Tales: • Filling in the Blanks: • Tenure: • Truth Telling: • Winter Watch: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Saturday, January 12, 2008 08:11 ]

Legacy Journal: Saturday Breeze

Section:
Climate Change

Summary:
Concerned about:

Winter Tornados in Wisconsin, Whiteouts in the southern Rockies, Frost in Florida, Floods in the Pacific Northwest? African Desert Drought? Clan violence in Pakistan ? Snow is Bagdad.? The cause is fossil fuels and AGCC. The cure? Crisis and Fear driven Action. The Agenda? Education to influence the young , general public opinion and the polls , emergency civic duty advocacy and political activism, and fund raising.

Main:
Meanwhile, the media rush and gush is fixated on events South Carolina. Temperature records from there are interesting. No evidence of warming according to local records.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 01/12 at 08:11 AM
Burden of Proof: • Calendar: • Saturday: • Chances are ---: • Cause & Effect: • Climate: • Climate Change: • Climate Chronicles: • Southern Comfort Zone: • Data: • By the Numbers: • Dollars and Cents: • Follow the Money: • Environment: • Movements: • Features: • Permalinks: • Hot and Cold: • IT3 Tech: • Internet Tech: • Google: • Calendar: • Missing Parts: • News: • Good News: • Running Scared: • Voice: • Tribal Chant: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

[ Friday, January 11, 2008 11:23 ]

Legacy Journal: Friday Faceoff: Fitness, Forcasting, and a Free Ride --- to the White House?

Section:
Commentary

Summary:
“ It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” —Aristotle.

* Long time controversial Washington Post columnist psychiatrist, and former Mondale speech writer, Charles Krauthammer, has an critical eye for bad manners from people who should know better. He has gone where others fear to tread and he writes about the cynical live TV debate Obama “ nice enough” remark directed toward Hillary Clinton. Polled New Hampshire voters were not asked, nor would they reliably report, their reaction to the low brow blow. Obama shot himself in the foot and probably paid a continuing price: embarrassment, an likely wifely rebuke , and an altered public perception of the pol from Chicago. Meanwhile, for the pollster, who were 0 for 9 in New Hampshire, and the poll watching political junkies, it is out of there and on to South Carolina.

Economic fitness and security has cycled to the fore. Job and spending forecasts, fuel prices, costs of government entitlements, education, and an early year sloppy wall street marketplace are now front and center.

* In the candidate winnowing process five case makers remain on the Republican side; three remain standing on the Democrat side and the endorsement phase of the campaign is underway.

Main:
Meanwhile:

: President Boren of the the recently BSC Bowl chastened University of Oklahoma, and Mayor Blomberg of NYC are sounding like UN potentates, “ Stop the bickering and make nice with everyone.”

:: Mitt Romney will soon learn about how much love and support he has in Michigan.

::: On this date in Rochester, NY, the record high was 56 in 1939. The record low was -12 in 2004. Today, the temperature is in the low 40’s. Politically Correct Town of Brighton had a “Go Green
Campaign Kickoff evening this week. The next morning winds downed power lines and freezers were off . But is was RG&E to the rescue with emergency dry ice ( CO2) available at strategic locations. We are curious about the possible adverse environmental impact of the C02 whether the Spanish owners purchased Carbon Credits at current market rates. BTW, the FTC has started a fact finding process on the accountability and soundness carbon trading market system in the U.S.

:::: The kicker and really big news for today is the new machine for the masses, and a new polluter, the four door , 5 passenger Tata Nano introduced at the 12 day Auto-Expo in New Delhi, India attended by 1.2 million people. The market is gigantic, 7 in a 1,000 Indian families has a car. The good news is that once on the road they will be filled with people. The auto guys in Michigan know the game, but seem unsure if it wants to play in that league with the competitions ball. They seem to mostly complain about the rules, the environment on the field and then change the coachs.

In Rochester and Brighton, most cars and service vehicles are 6 cylinder + and have one driver and no passengers. A significant number are driven by women grraduate and post doctoral students and working professionals from Asia, southern and eastern Europe, and the middle East. Central and South American hispanics are also represented. The evidence is on displace at mini-UN places like the Eastman General Dental Clinic at the URMC and the area campus like RIT and the University of Rochester.

More:

Footnotes:

Posted by: webscribe2 on 01/11 at 11:23 AM
Black and White: • Calendar: • Friday: • Chances are ---: • Cause & Effect: • Courage: • Features: • Quotes: • Foul Ball: • Voice: • Purple: • Humor: • Zinger: • (0) Comments: • (0) Trackbacks: • Permalink:

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