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Federal Helium Reserve faces uncertainty amid global shortage
While browsing the Bureau of Land Management's website, I found an odd piece of trivia. True or False: Inhaling helium causes your vocal cords to constrict, raising the pitch of your voice.
I was surprised. What was the agency in charge of overseeing the dry husks of the West's open spaces doing with a colorless, odorless gas used for medical equipment, computer manufacturing, and NASA's rockets? Turns out they're doing a lot: The BLM manages the Texas panhandle's Federal Helium Reserve, which supplies a third of the world's helium, and just last week permitted the first ever helium-only well, in eastern Utah.
That well, it turns out, tells a story about the fascinating economics of helium extraction. It's a story that ranges from Cold War-era paranoia to fracking, from air ships to party balloons. And, most importantly, the well is an indicator that the West is becoming a bigger player in this obscure but important industry, and could be on the verge of a helium boom.
Helium, the second-smallest element, is created by radioactive decay deep within the earth's crust, where it percolates upward and is trapped in certain pockets of natural gas. It first became a coveted resource during World War I, when the federal government needed a reliable supply to keep their airships, critical for national security, afloat. Helium was a safer alternative to flammable hydrogen, and could prevent disasters like the Hindenburg crash. The government set up a facility near Amarillo, Texas, to extract and refine the helium from a deposit of natural gas where it existed in high concentrations. From 1925 until 1960, the facility, operated by the Bureau of Mines, was the only domestic helium producer.
In the 1950s, airships had fallen out of fashion, but demand for helium increased as engineers discovered new applications like arc welding. Soon, researchers began using the noble gas in low-temperature physics experiments considered critical during the Cold War. To protect the strategic resource, in 1960 the feds borrowed $300 million from the U.S. Treasury to create a massive helium stockpile (today's Federal Helium Reserve). The BoM built a spider-like pipeline system to transport crude helium from natural gas wells across the Panhandle region and inject it into the underground pocket. The Reserve was to pay back the loaned money -- the "helium debt" -- by 1985 with proceeds from selling the gas to NASA and the Department of Defense. But the government didn't buy as much helium as it had planned, so the deadline for repayment was extended to 1995.
In the meantime, the Berlin Wall fell, and it no longer made sense to maintain a government stockpile of a Cold War-era resource that could be sold to private companies, where demand was building. The Helium Privatization Act of 1996 ordered the BLM -- which took over the facility from the BoM as that agency was phased out in the '90s -- to sell the stockpile off to private refineries at a rate sufficient to pay down the helium debt, which had ballooned to $1.3 billion. The Reserve is on track to repay its debt as early as a few months from now, and once that happens it will close -- despite still having a significant helium stockpile underground.
But in the years since 1996, demand for helium has exploded, mostly due to its use in computer and other high-tech manufacturing. World-wide supply hasn't kept up: Helium plants in other countries are having mechanical problems, and a big plant being constructed in southwest Wyoming is behind schedule. The global shortage has caused prices to quadruple since 2000, and is causing helium users, ranging from physicists to party balloon dealers, to worry.
Now many in the industry are questioning the wisdom of leaving so much helium underground when the Reserve closes. Politicians are also skeptical of that plan and have proposed a bill to sell the remaining helium stockpile at higher prices, making the government a profit.
You might be wondering: If helium is found with natural gas, and the natural gas industry is booming, how can there be a shortage? It turns out that shale gas, where most of the new drilling is happening, contains virtually no helium. And the glut created by the boom has driven down natural gas prices so much that it's been uneconomical to tap the lower-grade, impure natural gas pockets that do contain helium. But rising helium prices and new technology are now providing incentives for companies to tap wells for helium alone.
Even if the Federal Helium Reserve changes course and continues to sell its stockpile, the West's pockets of helium-rich natural gas are set to become an important part of the global supply. "The majority of helium produced in the United States, in 20 years, will be coming from those Western areas," says Joe Peterson, assistant field manager for helium resources at BLM's Amarillo Field Office.
Another bit of BLM trivia asks: What does helium mean? The answer is "sun." But in terms of the West's future, it could mean new wells and refineries plying the earth for an unexpected noble gas.
Marshall Swearingen is an intern at High Country News.
Photo courtesy Flickr user cizauskas


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"Top-of-atmosphere radiative cooling with white roofs: experimental verification and model-based evaluation." Environmental Research Letters 7.4 (2012)..
"Meteorological modeling applications in building energy simulations." 1992 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 1992..
"Measured impact of neighborhood tree cover on microclimate." 1992 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 1992: 149-158..
"Role of Surface Characteristics in Urban Meteorology and Air Quality." University of California, Berkeley, 1993..
"Cool roofs as a strategy to tackle global warming: economical and technical opportunities." Advances in Building Energy Research 7.2 (2013) 254 - 268..
"Policies to reduce heat islands: Magnitudes of benefits and incentives to achieve them." 1996 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. 18th ed. Vol. 9. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA, 1996. 177-186. LBL-38679..
"Painting the town white: California Energy Commissioner, Art Rosenfeld, explains the benefits of cool roofs." National Public Radio. 2009. Television..
"Painting the Town White—and Green." MIT Technology Review 100.2 (1997) 52-59..
"Cool communities: strategies for heat island mitigation and smog reduction." Energy and Buildings 28 (1998) 51-62..
"Mitigation of urban heat islands: materials, utility programs, updates." Energy and Buildings 22.3 (1995) 255-265..
Characterizing the fabric of the urban environment: a case study of greater Houston, Texas. 2003. LBNL-51448..
"Measured temperature reductions and energy savings from a cool tile roof on a central California home." Energy and Buildings 80 (2014). LBNL-1005104..
"A Simple Tool for Estimating City-Wide Annual Electrical Energy Savings from Cooler Surfaces." Urban Climate 14.2 (2015) 315 - 325. LBNL-184804..
The effect of pavements' temperatures on air temperatures in large cities. Berkeley, CA, 2000. LBNL-43442..
"Cooler reflective pavements give benefits beyond energy savings: durability and illumination." ACEEE 2000 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2000: 293-304. LBNL-45370..
"Are Cooler Surfaces a Cost-Effect Mitigation of Urban Heat Islands?." Urban Climate (2017). LBNL-2001095..
Examples of cooler reflective streets for urban heat-island mitigation : portland cement concrete and chip seals. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2003. LBNL-49283..
"Reflective surfaces for cooler buildings and cities." Philosophical Magazine Part B 79 (1999) 1457-1476..
"Measured and simulated performance of reflective roofing systems in residential buildings." ASHRAE Transactions 104 (1998)..
"Effects of soiling and weathering on the albedo of building envelope materials: Lessons learned from natural exposure in two European cities and tuning of a laboratory simulation practice." Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 205 (2020)..
"Regional climate consequences of large-scale cool roof and photovoltaic array deployment." Environmental Research Letters 6.3 (2011)..
"Radiative forcing and temperature response to changes in urban albedos and associated CO2 offsets." Environmental Research Letters 5.1 (2010)..
"Estimating cost effectiveness of residential yard trees for improving air quality in Sacramento, California, using existing models." Atmospheric Environment 32.1 (1998) 75-84..

subset: commoncrawl


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to his blog Friday to defuse a fiery situation: shocking online images from an accident involving its Model S car.
Auto blog Jalopnik posted photos and videos of the Seattle-area accident on Wednesday, showing an electric Tesla Model S engulfed in flames. Tesla released a statement with scant details shortly after the incident, which the driver survived without injury, was made public.
Musk's 560-word post explained the accident in his usual painstaking detail. He said the cause of the accident appeared to be a piece of metal that fell off of a semi-trailer and struck the Model S.
He said the metal piece "caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car." Only a force of 25 tons would have been strong enough to punch the three-inch hole in the armor plate at the base of the Model S, he added.
The fire started in the front battery section and was contained to that area, Musk wrote, adding that the flames didn't enter the passenger compartment.
Musk also tried to reassure his readers. "There should be absolutely zero doubt that it is safer to power a car with a battery than a large tank of highly flammable liquid," he wrote.
Related story: Is Tesla a trap for small investors?c
The post came out just a few minutes before the close of trade, but Tesl (TSLA)stock added half a percent after it was published. Tesla closed 4.4% higher on the day.
The stock had slumped more than 10% between Wednesday and Thursday, hit by both news of the accident and a handful of negative analyst reports.
Musk also enclosed a copy of emails sent between Tesla sales chief Jerome Guillen and the driver, Rob Carlson.
In the email sent on Thursday, Guillen expressed concern for Carlson and said Tesla's review so far revealed the "Model S performed as designed by limiting the resulting fire to the affected zones only."
Carlson said he agreed with that assessment, and that he remains a supporter of both Tesla and the Model S itself. He added that he is a Tesla investor and said he felt the Model S "performed very well under such an extreme test."
"I guess you can test for everything," Carlson said, "but some other celestial bullet comes along and challenges your design."
Despite Tesla's tough week, shares are up an incredible 434% so far in 2013.


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Various - Tapeworms Eat Bookworms
D Yellow Swans, Wives and The Cherry Point, Robedoor and Impregnable will mislead you into thinking this is a straight ahead release. The label will tell you this is some warped shit.
Double C60 released on Not Not Fun Records in 2004.
Tapeworms Eat Bookworms


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Author Archives: admin
This is our year of giving back! Through our May recital, "Dancespirations", we want to inspire our dancers to not only shine on stage but in life through acts of kindness! We know as our young dancers grow, new dance clothes are a must! Instead of throwing away […]Read More
Let's see what the power of love can accomplish! We recently met a little girl who is going through a difficult journey in life, and through special friends, we were able to witness her live one of her dreams. Kailyn is a special, vibrant little girl who is […]Read More
A big SHOUT OUT to Miss Brittany C. and Miss Morgan! They came on a very rainy day to help our non-profit, the Infinite Smile Project, Inc., raise money for a family in need this past Sunday. A very special family with two young boys lost their mother […]Read More
As much as you love your dance teachers and dance classes at OC Dance, did you know that many of them give back to events in the community? Our dance instructors not only work to give you child a warm, nurturing, and educational experience in learning dance but […]Read More
Introducing OC Dance's newest location, Marina Park, in Newport Beach's beautiful peninsula! Marina Park's Grand Opening took place this weekend drawing in thousands to this beautiful new building we are fortunate to hold our studio classes in their new dance room starting winter 2016. This week Newport Marina […]Read More
Ever gone to Disneyland and wish you could dance with everyone in the park parade? Now you can! Dance the Magic is a program where people everywhere can live their dreams of dancing for Disney. With OC Dance, you can learn the […]Read More
Year after year we are told how amazing our camps are from parents all around Southern California. There have been many reasons over the years: our fantastic, warm, knowledgeable instructors, content, themes, and activities. However, last summer we received so much feedback on our Kindness format for our […]Read More
It's that time of year again! We are a month away from our Spring 2015 recital, Movie Mania! Your dedicated instructors are perfecting their dances and getting the kids prepared for their stage debut. Here are a few things we would like for you […]Read More
Welcome to the new Orange County Dance Productions! We've grown so much, won some awards and had so much fun in the last few years we decided it was time for a facelift. We are still the same OC Dance parents and kids love but are excited to unveil […]Read More
This past summer, we partnered with the Infinite Smile Project, a non-profit dedicated to performing and promoting acts of kindness; to promote being kind to one another in our dance camps. The result of this partnership and the encouragement of kindness proved to be far more rewarding and […]Read More


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To borrow a cute term William Safire penned for Spiro Agnew, the "nattering nabobs of negativism" carrying on about the evils of the Affordable Care Act aren't going to roll back the health insurance overhaul they like to deride as "Obamacare."
Reality sure isn't on their side. Since the ACA began to take effect, at least 9.5 million uninsured Americans have cut through the nonsense and gotten themselves some coverage.
And while the Republican Party's propaganda war is great at rankling the party faithful, it's unlikely to win back the White House. Not one single GOP candidate is polling well nationwide. Americans are overwhelmingly favoring the presumptive 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton whenever pollsters pit her against anyone expected to lead the Republican pack.
However, the ceaseless attack on President Barack Obama's health care reform may have inflicted some serious damage. For one thing, it has shifted public sentiment the wrong way on the question of whether government ought to guarantee that all Americans enjoy health care coverage.
In late 2006, 69 percent of respondents said "yes" when pollsters asked them about this obligation. In 2013, only 42 percent did.
Even if all other rich countries take it for granted that governments must ensure that their people get decent care, that's no surprise. Professional propaganda funded with boatloads of corporate money can sway opinions.
But as Obama puts it, this does seem odd. "Why are folks working so hard for people not to have health insurance?" he asked when he declared that his administration had met its goal of enrolling 7 million people through the newly established health care exchanges. "Why are they so mad about the idea of people having health insurance?"
One way to answer Obama's question is to figure out what's driving the GOP to keep beating this dead horse.
Although it's not often discussed, the taxes on the rich that are partly funding the Affordable Care Act are one likely motive. There' a new 0.9 percent payroll tax and a 3.8 percent tax on investment income — including proceeds from very profitable real estate sales — for couples making more than $250,000 and individual tax filers earning at least 200,000 a year.
Those tax tweaks will raise an estimated $318 billion between 2013 and 2022 to cover many of the costs of this new government program.
Over the same period, middle-class taxpayers are supposed to get more tax relief than they will pay in new ACA-linked taxes if all goes according to plan.
Several months after Tax Day, Americans will learn how all this went in 2013, as the government ramped up the ACA's rollout.
And sure, that rollout certainly ranks among the biggest bureaucratic and PR disasters of our time.
But moving forward, the health care reform is bound to become more popular as it delivers care to millions of people who couldn't get it, increases job mobility for Americans who were trapped by their insurance situation until now, and gives the middle class a break.
The Affordable Care Act won't fix every health care woe. It won't ever appeal to the many progressives who would have preferred a public option or Medicare-for-all approach. Yet no one should bet on it getting legislated away by the Republicans in Congress or completely quashed in the courts.
As Agnew said about those nabobs, GOP politicians who keep trying to repeal the ACA have "formed their own 4-H Club — the 'hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.'"


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ETA News Release: [02/19/2014]
Contact Name: Jason Kuruvilla or David Roberts
Phone Number: (202) 693-6587 or x5945
Email: email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com
Release Number: 14-0293-NAT
$150M Ready to Work Partnership grant competition to help those facing
long-term unemployment return to work announced by US Labor Department
Grant applications accepted through June 19, 2014
WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $150 million in grants to prepare and place those facing long-term unemployment into good jobs. The Ready to Work Partnership grant competition will support and scale innovative partnerships between employers, nonprofit organizations and America's public workforce system to build a pipeline of talented U.S. workers and help those experiencing long-term unemployment gain access to employment services that provide opportunities to return to work in middle- and high-skill jobs.
Approximately 20 to 30 grants ranging from $3 million to $10 million will be awarded to programs focused on employer engagement, individualized counseling, job placement assistance, and work-based training that facilitate hiring for jobs where employers currently use foreign workers on H-1B visas.
"These grants are part of President Obama's call to action to help ensure that America continues to be a magnet for middle-class jobs and business investment," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "We need to do everything we can to help employers expand and grow while at the same time remembering that those who have been out of work through no fault of their own deserve a fair shot."
Secretary Perez made the grant announcement from the Pulaski, N.Y., headquarters of the Fulton Companies, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial heating systems. Thanks in part to federal funding from the multi-agency Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Fulton develop strong training partnerships with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. Together, they were able to develop the local workforce Fulton needed to expand the manufacturing capacity of their Pulaski plant to better serve the North American and overseas markets.
Programs funded through Ready to Work Partnership grants will use on-the-job training, paid work experience, paid internships and Registered Apprenticeships to provide employers the opportunity to train workers in the specific skill sets required for open jobs. Programs will have to recruit those who have been out of work for six months or longer and will incorporate a strong up-front assessment, allowing for a customization of services and training to facilitate re-employment.
As a pre-condition to be considered for funding, at least three employers or a regional industry association must be actively engaged in the project. The grants are financed by a user fee paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to view additional online resources at http://www.doleta.gov/readytowork. Any organization that meets the requirements of the solicitation may apply. The Solicitation for Grant Applications, which includes information about how to apply, is available at http://www.grants.gov.


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Adobe Analytics Features
No matter where you are with your maturity with analytics, Adobe Analytics can help. We are consistently Leaders in analyst reports like the Gartner Magic Quadrant and the Forrester Waves because we develop features that make data easier and faster to access and insights smarter and easier to use. Take a look at what we can do.


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From www.huffingtonpost.com
The Blog – Emily Drake.Health promotion specialist, researcher, advocate
Part 2 of a 3-part series:
In October of 2013, I had the opportunity to attend the first annual meeting of the Society of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (SAYAO) held in Irvine, California at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), in partnership with the Hyundai Cancer Institute at the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC Children's). SAYAO was envisioned and developed under the leadership of Dr. Leonard Sender, a pediatric and adult Hematologist/Oncologist and one of the pioneer physician advocates in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer movement. Dr. Sender is the Medical Director of the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC Children's; Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty Division Chief of Oncology; and Director of Clinical Operations and Program Development at the UC Irvine Health's Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. The society is part of an initiative that Dr. Sender undertook to engage health professionals in the AYA cancer movement.
Dr. Sender first led the creation of an academic journal designed to fill an imminent need for multidisciplinary health research specifically involving adolescent and young adult oncology issues, which was named the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (JAYAO). JAYAO was launched in 2011 and it is currently under the editorial leadership of Dr. Sender. Dr. Sender also created a society to bring these health professionals together, the Society of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (SAYAO). SAYAO "is an international professional organization dedicated to improving adolescent and young adult cancer care through the promotion of interdisciplinary research, education, communication, and collaboration among health professionals" (www.sayao.org). The society believes that patients who are between the ages of 15 and 39 (AYAs) represent a unique patient population within oncology practice. The society states that "pediatric and adult oncology research and clinical agendas are not designed to focus on the unique biological, clinical, psychosocial, and survivorship issues of this age group. Therefore, significant advances in adolescent and young adult cancer (AYA) care can be best achieved through an AYA specific focus. The annual meeting was launched as an initiative under this endeavor.
The AYA cancer patient advocate movement has gained tremendous momentum in the last few years. However, it is imperative that health professionals become invested and educated on the needs of this unique group of patients in order for their health-related needs to be met. Physicians and other invested health professionals need to be educated on issues specific to this population, regardless of their sub-specialty. In addition, they need to know how AYA cancer advocates can support them to achieve these goals. The intention of the SAYAO conference was to create an academic space where health professionals and researchers could educate each other on relevant issues related to AYA oncology. The attendees hailed from a variety of backgrounds, including physicians, lawyers, health promotion specialists, nurses and psychologists. Also in attendance were residents and medical students, a professional group that certainly needs to be included if we hope for the needs of this population to be addressed by the future generation of physicians. The annual meeting also served as a means to connect individuals and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration between scientists and countries on future research projects. The latest information on fertility issues and preservation were discussed. This year, four cancer types, each occurring at high frequency in AYAs, were presented (breast cancer, leukemia, cervical cancer and melanoma) and the information provided highlighted emerging knowledge from each working group. Different sides of current debates in the field were highlighted to generate academic discussion and next year it is expected that another four types of cancer will be discussed.
The creation of this annual meeting is a big deal for the AYA oncology community. It is about getting health professionals to talk to other health professionals about the unique issues adolescent and young adult cancer patients encounter. It is taking the conversation of why this population is unique to the next level by 1) sharing and collaborating on new and novel ways healthcare professionals can address the needs of AYA patients; 2) discussing steps that still need to be made to ensure that the survival rates of this population start increasing; and 3) determining best practices to ensure that the needs of these patients get met. The conference built excitement for professionals from both the research and practice realms such that people were engaged in the discussion and professionals from a variety of fields were given the platform to educate each other.
The meeting highlighted what providers need to know when working with this population, including unique legal issues which were presented by Monica Bryant, a Cancer Rights Attorney. Stupid Cancer (www.stupidcancer.org) Co-Founders Matthew Zachary (CEO) and Kenny Kane (EVP, Mission) gave a powerful presentation about the AYA cancer advocacy movement and how far it has come in the past decade. They highlighted how advocacy groups can help health professions gain insight and information on how to address these patients' specific needs. Additionally, they presented Instapeer (www.instapeer.org), a new mobile app that they are developing to help decrease the sense of isolation that AYA patients often experience. The app will facilitate 1-on-1 peer connections via mobile connection. This is a modern and novel way to deliver social support.


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Thanks to www.michellemorelli.it the super-luxury brand of Italian artisan footwear, DARIO CUOMO a young talent of Italian pop music can realize his dream of bringing his music all over the world.
Patrons still exist, not only in the Renaissance Florence of the Medici or in the Baroque Rome of the popes, today the most exclusive and interesting brand of Italian handmade shoes www.michellemorelli.it is the modern patron who is supporting the singer-songwriter DARIO CUOMO in the promotion of his new single track entitled IL TUO SAPORE (ITALIAN MUSIC RECORDS).
We reached the top management of www.michellemorelli.it by telephone, which has made excellence its trademark and we asked them why they decided to launch into this type of business.
This is the answer:
"Our customers have always asked for quality, beauty, eco-compatibility, exclusivity and luxury of the highest level. We thought that the mainstream world cannot feed on swear words, vulgarity, violence and everything that only creates negativity and inadequacy. We wanted to reward a young talent who brings positive messages and who proves to be a worthy and extraordinary ambassador of our brand. In music and in the art world today there is room for everyone, we are simply tired of garbage. Thanks to Magic&Unique Group for having involved us in an operation where there is so much poetry and harmony".
IL TUO SAPORE the new song by DARIO CUOMO will be available on Spotify and on all Digital Music Streaming services in the world starting from November 25, 2021.
Stay tuned!
Media ContactCompany Name: MAGIC&UNIQUE GROUPContact Person: JP DEVERAEmail: Send EmailPhone: +1 424 777 2283City: LOS ANGELES Country: United StatesWebsite: https://www.magicandunique.com/global-marketing-and-promotion


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The Joys of High Visibility Micro Goals
I like to create games.
Games that motivate. Games that create focus, pressure, supreme concentration. Done right they can be a fantastic hack for programmer productivity.
A few weeks ago I set out to build a working prototype of the DealNation members zone in a single day. To make it interesting, I let everyone in on the game. At 9:45am I setup my day as a collection of mini-milestones in building the system from start to finish, each with a target completion time, and put the progress chart + time line on the office whiteboard for all to see.
I had declared my fate for the day, and effectively given my word to "this is what will get done with every passing hour today". Folks were curious to get that kind of high-resolution look into how I work, and I promised they could view the work in progress as I pushed each mini-milestone to our dev server.
To make it more real and pressing, I openly advertised my progress throughout the day. When a milestone was completed I would rise from my desk, write the actual completion time on the whiteboard, and settle back into my trance-like concentration at the computer once again. No chit-chat, I was on a mission and everyone knew it. Green marker meant I was on time, red meant I was behind.
At the end of the day, this is what everyone in my office got to see:
There are a lot of payoffs to this structure. First, this day was a ton of fun for me. It was like being in the zone of pure productive concentration for a hour, 7 times over. I had zero problem blocking out distraction, and the mini-race to the next milestone keyed me in with renewed focus each time (it's WAY fun to write the next actual time on the board, and striving to use the green marker keeps it interesting).
The final show off was the grand prize. My team was delighted to see all that got accomplished in just one day, and I think their sense of appreciation was heightened by being vicariously in on the process along the way. This is about as close I know to the experience of performing for an audience as a programmer, and it creates a certain buzz which theatrical and musical performers will understand.
Next: Taking a Position as CTO of DealNation
This is Programmer for Hire, a series of essays and explorations on the art of being a great programmer doing on-demand custom software development.


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A forum for fans of Rich Koz / Svengoolie
svengoolieweb, #rich, svengoolie
Nick and Rich's silly betting game
It's 2020 and a year ago there was a nuclear explosion. Many people died and the people who survived have genetic mutations. It's a struggle for survival. The rich people of the government live easily where people on the streets join the white or bla
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Some things are kept secret for a reason....
Reba McEntire. Reba McEntire Network. Reba McEntire Alexander Xayavongsa Reba The Reba Show Chris Rich Melissa Peterman JoAnna Garcia Steve Howey Scarlett Pomers Mitch Holleman
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The Dark and Mysterious realm of Warlord is rich in history and in violence. Darkness has taken hold, and now the people must choose to either restore the light or guide the dark to its prosperous and
Item Inc is a RuneScape Merchanting clan. The clan is run by proffesional merchanters, with many years of experience who are happy to share their knowledge.
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Urdu poetry (Urdu: اردو شاعری Urdu Shayari) is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part o
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Iron PTC. info is NOT an MLM, Pyramid Scheme, or Get-Rich-Quick program. We do not require you to pay any fees ever to join and participate in our site. We do not require you to have a website or sell
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Main forum website for the Guild Wars Guild Guild With No [NAM트].
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text:
A couple months ago, @WTFPinterest (who runs a hilarious blog that you should totally go check out) sent me a tip that Huffington Post was saying that popsicle stick bracelets are one of the most popular pins ever to hit Pinterest. My very own sister had pointed the pin out to me even before that, so with two requests in the bag, I couldn't very well ignore this project any longer. Except I did. For two months. But now I'm doing it, so quit nagging, ok?
Know why I took so long to test this one? I didn't have any popsicle sticks. No lie.
But I was foraging for food the other night in my freezer and found some fudgesicles. Some very old fudgesicles. I briefly considered eating one.
But then I gave up and just put it down the sink. I did save the popsicle stick, though. Given my crafting history, I decided I'd better have two popsicle sticks, on the off chance that I messed one up– haha– so I fed the garbage disposal one more really old fudgesicle. And I knew just what to do with the popsicle sticks…
I boiled the shit out of them. I boiled those suckers on a double double toil and trouble rolling boil for fifteen full minutes.
So I expected them to be sort of pliable when I fished them out (with tongs, because I ain't dumb– that shit was hot).
They were not very pliable. In fact, they very much resembled… popsicle sticks, in their pliability. Still, I managed to bend them very carefully and slowly into a semi-circular shape and stick them, as instructed, in a glass. And, since this is me we're talking about, it was a Bailey's high ball glass.
Then, also as instructed, I let them sit overnight. This tried my patience. You will note that my usual pintests are not over-nighters. I am not a patient woman. But for you, and to test the most popular pin ever on Pinterest, I managed.
I got home from work today all excited, thinking I'd never have to pay good money for a bracelet ever again. (And then I took my tongue out of my cheek and stopped being such a snarky bitch.)
Alas, it was not to be.
This resembles a bracelet sort of in the way my dog resembles a tabby cat.
All of my wishing could not make it work.
And, so, I did what any other crafter would do when faced with insurmountable odds and a failed craft. I quit and drank some damn wine.
They actually look more like my retainers than any bracelet I own. Hear that, Pinterest people? You can make your own retainers at home!


text:
Ram Recall T82: Fire Extinguisher May Be Clogged Or Inoperable
2017 Ram ProMaster
If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
- Summary
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
- Actions
- Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
- Documents (9)
- Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) - January 17, 2018 *IMPORTANT* T82 & T83 Safety Recall Reminder
- Defect 573 Report
- Recall Acknowledgement
- Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) - 01/05/2018 New Safety Recall Advanced Communication – T82
- Vehicle Model List
- MOPAR Fleet Service & Parts Group Email
- ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)
- Remedy Instructions and TSB - February 2018
- Recall 573 Report-Amendment 1


text:
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text:
Health effects of coal
There are a number of negative health effects of coal that occur through its mining, preparation, combustion, waste storage, and transport. Negative health effects from coal use within the U.S. include:[1]
- Reduction in life expectancy (particulates, sulfur dioxide, ozone, heavy metals, benzene, radionuclides, etc.)
- Respiratory hospital admissions (particulates, ozone, sulfur dioxide)
- Black lung from coal dust
- Congestive heart failure (particulates and carbon monoxide)
- Non-fatal cancer, osteroporosia, ataxia, renal dysfunction (benzene, radionuclides, heavy metals, etc.)
- Chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, etc. (particulates, ozone)
- Loss of IQ from air and water pollution and nervous system damage (mercury)
- Degradation and soiling of buildings that can effect human health (sulfur dioxide, acid deposition, particulates)
- Global warming (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide)
- Ecosystem loss and degradation, with negative effects on health and quality of life.
Coal Mining
Health effects from coal mining include:
- the release of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas estimated to account for 18% of the overall global warming effect triggered by human activities (CO2 is estimated to contribute 50%).[2]
- the release of carbon monoxide (CO) from explosives, which pollutes the air and poses a health risk for mine workers.[3]
- coal dust and coal particles stirred up during the mining process, as well as the soot released during coal transport, which can cause severe and potentially deadly respiratory problems.[3]
- drastic alteration of the landscape, particularly with mountaintop removal, which can render an area unfit for other purposes, even after coal mine reclamation. The clearing of trees, plants, and topsoil from mining areas destroys forests and natural wildlife habitats. It also promotes soil erosion and flooding, and stirs up dust pollution that can lead to respiratory problems in nearby communities.[3]
- water pollution from acid mine run off and coal sludge.[3]
As of June 2010, no national limits exist on air pollution from coal mines. On June 17, 2010, in a petition presented to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, a coalition of environmental groups called for new controls over coal mine air pollution. The petition states that coal mines should be held to the Clean Air Act standards in force for gravel mines, coal-fired power plants, coal processing plants, and other sources. The petition also calls on Jackson to adopt strict limits on other dangerous air pollutants released from coal mines, including methane, as well as particulate matter, nitrogen oxide gases, and volatile organic compounds — all toxic air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.[4]
Coal Mining Hazards
Chronic exposure to coal dust can lead to black lung disease, or pneumoconiosis, which took the lives of 10,000 miners worldwide over the last decade.[5] Rates of black lung are on the rise, and have almost doubled in the last 10 years. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that close to 9 percent of miners with 25 years or more experience tested positive for black lung in 2005-2006, compared with 4 percent in the late 1990s.[6]
Miners can also suffer other serious, long-term respiratory ailments: industrial bronchitis is very common among coal workers. In nonsmokers (who are less prone to develop bronchitis than smokers), studies of coal miners have shown a 16%[7] to 17%[8] incidence of industrial bronchitis.
Miners are also at risk of injury and fatality from coal mining disasters, such as the Upper Big Branch mine disaster that occurred on April 5, 2010 at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Mine at Montcoal in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Twenty-nine miners were killed.[9]
Mountaintop Removal
In mountaintop removal mining, most common in the Appalachian region of the U.S., mountaintops are literally blown off to reach coal seams, with the waste products deposited into valleys below, causing permanent damage to the landscape and the local ecosystem. According to the Sierra Club, this practice has "damaged or destroyed approximately 1,200 miles of streams, disrupted drinking water supplies, flooded communities, eliminated forests, and destroyed wildlife habitat. Coal companies have created at least 6,800 fills to hold their mining wastes, and the government estimates that if this mining continues unabated in Appalachia it will destroy 1.4 million acres of land by 2020."[3]
Coal Combustion
Coal is the least efficient of the fossil fuels in terms of the amount of energy gained vs. CO2 released. Burning it also releases numerous toxic chemicals and particulates, which can exact a cost on a country's population in terms of reduced life expectancy and increased health costs [10].
Coal combustion releases nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM), mercury, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health.[11]
Coal-fired power plants that sell electricity to the grid produce more hazardous air pollution in the U.S. than any other industrial pollution sources. According to the report details, over 386,000 tons of air pollutants are emitted from over 400 plants in the U.S. per year. Interestingly, while most of the power plants are located in the Midwest and Southeast, the entire nation is threatened by their toxic emissions. An ALA graph shows that while pollutants such as acid gases stay in the local area, metals such as lead and arsenic travel beyond state lines, and fine particulate matter has a global impact. Particle pollution from power plants is estimated to kill approximately 13,000 people a year [12]
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, in an average year, a typical coal plant (500 megawatts) generates the following amounts of air pollutants:[13]
- 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), an amount equivalent to chopping down 161 million trees. CO2 pollution is the principal human cause of global warming and climate change.
- 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain and forms small airborne particles that can cause lung damage, heart disease, and other illnesses.
- 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), equivalent to half a million late-model cars. NOx leads to formation of smog, which inflames lung tissue and increases susceptibility to respiratory illness.
- 500 tons of small airborne particles (particulate matter), which can cause bronchitis, reductions in lung function, increased hospital and emergency room admissions, and premature death.[14]
- 220 tons of hydrocarbons, which contribute to smog formation.
- 720 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), which causes headaches and places additional stress on people with heart disease.
- 170 pounds of mercury. 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury deposited in a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat. Mercury also causes learning disabilities, brain damage, and neurological disorders.[15]
- 225 pounds of arsenic, which leads to cancer in 1 out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion.
- 114 pounds of lead, 4 pounds of cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals. These toxic metals can accumulate in human and animal tissue and cause serious health problems, including mental retardation, developmental disorders, and damage to the nervous system.[16]
Coal ash, the hazardous waste that remains after coal is burned, can also contain: chromium, which can cause stomach ulcers, anemia, and stomach and lung cancers; selenium, which in excess can cause impaired vision or paralysis; and boron, which can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, or in large amounts damage to testes, intestines, liver, kidney, and brain. All effects can eventually lead to death. [17]
Aging coal plants "grandfathered" in after passage of the Clean Air Act have been particularly linked to large quantities of harmful emissions.[18][19]
Emissions from coal power plants in Europe contribute significantly to the burden of disease from environmental pollution. The brand-new figures published in this report show that European Union-wide impacts amount to more than 18,200 premature deaths, about 8,500 new cases of chronic bronchitis, and over 4 million lost working days each year. The economic costs of the health impacts from coal combustion in Europe are estimated at up to €42.8 billion per year. Adding emissions from coal power plants in Croatia, Serbia and Turkey, the figures for mortality increase to 23,300 premature deaths, or 250,600 life years lost, while the total costs are up to €54.7 billion annually.These costs are mainly associated with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, which are two important groups of leading chronic diseases in Europe [20].
Physical Effects
A November 2009 report on the effects of coal by the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) found that coal combustion affects not only the human respiratory system, but also the cardiovascular and nervous system.[21]
Respiratory Effects
- Premature death: according to a 2004 report by the Clean Air Task Force, fine particulates from power plants result in nearly 24,000 annual deaths, with 14 years lost on average for each death.[22]
- Coal combustion contributes to smog through the release of oxides of nitrogen, which react with volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight to produce ground-level ozone, the primary ingredient in smog. Air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particulate matter adversely affect lung development.[21]
- Air pollution triggers attacks of asthma, which now affects more than 9% of all U.S. children, who are particularly susceptible to the development of pollution-related asthma attacks. There are now tens of thousands of hospital visits and asthma attacks each year.[21]
- Coal pollutants also plays a role in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease characterized by permanent narrowing of airways.[21]
- Exposures to ozone and PM are also correlated with the development of and mortality from lung cancer, the leading cancer killer in both men and women.[21]
Cardiovascular Effects
- Air pollution is known to negatively impact cardiovascular health. The mechanisms have not been definitively identified, but studies in both animals and humans suggest they are the same as those for respiratory disease: pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress. Pollutants produced by coal combustion can lead to cardiovascular disease, such as artery blockages leading to heart attacks, and tissue death and heart damage due to oxygen deprivation. It is estimated that soot pollution from power plants contributes to 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks each year.[22]
- Recent research suggests that nitrogen oxides and PM2.5, along with other pollutants, are associated with hospital admissions for potentially fatal cardiac rhythm disturbances. Cities with high NO 2 concentrations have death rates four times higher than those with low NO 2 concentrations, suggesting a potential correlation.[21]
- There are also cardiovascular effects from long-term air pollution exposure. Exposure to chronic air pollution over many years increases cardiovascular mortality, a correlation that remains significant even while controlling for other risk factors like smoking. Conversely, long-term improvements in air pollution reduce mortality rates: reductions in PM2.5 concentration in 51 metropolitan areas, due to the Clean Air Act, were correlated with significant increases in life expectancy.[21]
- A 2012 Journal of the American Medical Association article looked at 34 studies comparing the risk of suffering a heart attack at various levels of inhaling industrial and traffic-related air pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. The researchers conclude that: "All the main air pollutants, with the exception of ozone, were significantly associated with a near-term increase in [heart attack] risk."
Nervous System Effects
- According to the PSR report, the nervous system is also a target for coal pollution's health effects, as the same mechanisms thought to mediate the effect of air pollutants on coronary arteries also apply to the arteries that nourish the brain. These include stimulation of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, which can lead to stroke and other cerebral vascular disease.[21]
- Several studies have shown a correlation between coal-related air pollutants and stroke. In Medicare patients, ambient levels of PM2.5 have been correlated with cerebrovascular disease, and PM10 with hospital admission for ischemic stroke, which accounts for eighty-seven percent of all strokes.[21]
- Coal contains trace amounts of mercury that, when burned, enter the environment and can act on the nervous system to cause loss of intellectual capacity. Coal-fired power plants are responsible for approximately one-third of all mercury emissions attributable to human activity. Researchers have estimated that between 300,000 and 630,000 children are born in the U.S. each year with blood mercury levels high enough to impair performance on neurodevelopmental tests and cause lifelong loss of intelligence.[21]
Researchers from Harvard University's School of Public Health found that pregnant women exposed to high levels of diesel particulates or mercury were twice as likely to have an autistic child compared with peers in low-pollution areas. The findings were published in a 2013 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, and is the largest U.S. study to examine the ties between air pollution and autism.[23]
Climate change
Coal-fired power plants are responsible for one-third of America's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions—about the same amount as all transportation sources (cars, SUVs, trucks, buses, planes, ships, and trains) combined.[24] A 1000 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant produces approximately the same amount of global warming as 1.2 million cars.[25]
SO2 emissions have roughly paralleled the increase in coal consumption, reflecting heavy coal burning and inadequate sulfur control measures. Coal burning, the primary source of China's high SO2 emissions, accounts for more than three quarters of the country's commercial energy needs, compared with 17 percent in Japan and a world average of 27 percent [20]. China's consumption of raw coal increased annually by 2 percent between 1989 and 1993. Meanwhile, SO2 emissions increased by more than 20 percent and TSP increased by approximately 10 percent. The country is expected to burn 1.5 billion metric tons of coal annually by the year 2000, up from 0.99 billion metric tons in 1990. Without even more dramatic measures to control emissions than are currently in place, the deterioration of air quality seems inevitable [26].
Health costs from climate change
A November 2011 analysis published in the journal Health Affairs by NRDC scientists estimated that climate change-related events in the United States during the last decade added up to health costs exceeding $14 billion dollars and over 760,000 interactions with the health care system. The analysis looked at cases in six specific categories in the U.S. occurring between 2002 through 2009, including: Florida hurricanes, North Dakota floods, California heat waves and wild fires, nationwide ozone air pollution, and Louisiana West Nile virus outbreaks. The group of events resulted in an estimated 1,689 premature deaths, 8,992 hospitalizations, 21,113 emergency room visits, and 734,398 outpatient visits, totaling over 760,000 encounters with the health care system.[27]
Coal Waste
Coal sludge from mining and coal ash from combustion are stored throughout the U.S. in coal waste sites. As of October 2010, coal waste is not regulated by the federal government, even though New York Times analysis of EPA data found power plants are the nation's biggest producer of toxic waste, surpassing industries like plastic, paint manufacturing, and chemical plants.[28]
Coal Sludge
After mining, coal is crushed and washed to remove the surrounding soil and rock. Coal sludge, also known as slurry, is the liquid coal waste produced by mining activities. The washing process generates huge amounts of liquid waste. Another form of liquid coal waste is acidic mine runoff, as sulfuric acid forms when coal is exposed to air and water. Each year coal preparation creates waste water containing an estimated 13 tons of mercury, 3236 tons of arsenic, 189 tons of beryllium, 251 tons of cadmium, and 2754 tons of nickel, and 1098 tons of selenium. The mining process also produces millions of tons of solid coal waste each year from dredging up land and its natural elements, including heavy metals.[11] Coal companies usually dispose of sludge by constructing dams from the solid mining refuse to store the liquid waste. These impoundments are often located in valleys near their coal processing plants, and are at risk from breaking open and spilling onto residential areas (see Coal waste Spills below), or leaching into and contaminating groundwater supplies.[29]
Coal Ash and Toxic Waste
Burning coal produces airborne compounds, known as fly ash and bottom ash (collectively referred to as coal ash), which can contain large quantities of heavy metals that settle or wash out of the atmosphere into oceans, streams, and land.[30][11] The amount of fly ash is going up: in 2006, coal plants in the United States produced almost 72 million tons, up 50 percent since 1993.[13]
The large quantities of toxic metals in coal ash include lead, mercury, nickel, tin, cadmium, antimony, and arsenic, as well as radio isotopes of thorium and strontium.[11] Small amounts of heavy metals can be necessary for health, but too much may cause acute or chronic toxicity (poisoning). Many of the heavy metals released in the mining and burning of coal are environmentally and biologically toxic elements, stored in federally unregulated coal waste sites.[30]
Sulfur dioxide scrubbers also create coal waste. The flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) process creates a wet solid residue containing calcium sulfite (CaSO3) and calcium sulfate (CaSO4). Often dry material such as fly ash is added to stabilize the sludge for transport and landfill storage.[31]
A power plant that operates for 40 years will leave behind 9.6 million tons of toxic waste.[11] This coal waste constitutes the nation's second largest waste stream after municipal solid waste.[32]
Soil and Water Pollution
Most often coal waste is disposed of in landfills or "surface impoundments," which are lined with compacted clay soil, a plastic sheet, or both. As rain filters through the toxic ash pits year after year, the toxic metals are leached out and pushed downward by gravity towards the lining and the soil below. An EPA study found that all liners eventually degrade, crack or tear, meaning that all landfills eventually leak and release their toxins into the local environment.[33][34] In a best case scenario, the EPA study determined that a 10-acre landfill would leak 0.2 to 10 gallons per day, or between 730 and 36,500 gallons over a ten-year period, an amount guaranteed to infiltrate the drinking water supply.[33]
In January 2009, an Associate Press study found that 156 coal-fired power plants store ash in surface ponds similar to one that ruptured at Kingston Fossil Plant. The states with the most storage in coal ash in ponds are Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama. The AP's analysis found that in 2005, 721 power plants generating at least 100 MW of electricity produced 95.8 million tons of coal ash, about 20 percent of which - or almost 20 million tons - ended up in surface ponds. The rest of the ash winds up in landfills or is sold for other uses.[35]
In October 2009, Appalachian Voices released an analysis of monitoring data from coal waste ponds at 13 coal plants in North Carolina. The study revealed that all of them are contaminating ground water with toxic pollutants, in some cases with over 350 times the allowable levels according to state standards. The contaminants include the toxic metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead, which can cause cancer and neurological disorders. The study was based on data submitted by Duke Energy and Progress Energy to state regulators.[36]
High hazard coal ash dumps
In response to demands from environmentalists as well as Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California), chair of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, the EPA made public its list of 44 "high hazard potential" coal waste dumps. The rating applies to sites at which a dam failure would most likely cause loss of human life, but does not include an assessment of the likelihood of such an event. The list includes sites in 10 states, including 12 in North Carolina, 9 in Arizona, 6 in Kentucky, 6 in Ohio, and 4 in West Virginia. Eleven of the sites belong to American Electric Power, 10 to Duke Energy. No Tennessee Valley Authority sites were included on the list. EPA relied on self-reporting by utilities to rank the facilities, and TVA classied all of its dump sites - including Kingston Fossil Plant - as "low hazard."[37]
Coal Waste "Spills"
On December 22, 2008, a retention pond wall collapsed at TVA's Kingston plant in Harriman, TN, releasing a combination of water and fly ash that flooded 12 homes, spilled into nearby Watts Bar Lake, contaminated the Emory River, and caused a train wreck. Officials said 4 to 6 feet of material escaped from the pond to cover an estimated 400 acres of adjacent land. A train bringing coal to the plant became stuck when it was unable to stop before reaching the flooded tracks.[38] Hundreds of fish were floating dead downstream from the plant.[39] Water tests showed elevated levels of lead and thallium.[40]
Originally TVA estimated that 1.7 million cubic yards of waste had burst through the storage facility. Company officials said the pond had contained a total of about 2.6 million cubic yards of sludge. However, the company revised its estimates on December 26, when it released an aerial survey showing that 5.4 million cubic yards (1.09 billion gallons) of fly ash was released from the storage facility.[39] Several days later, the estimate was increased to over 1 billion gallons spilled.[41] The TVA spill was 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, which released 10.9 million gallons of crude oil.[42] Cleanup was expected to take weeks and cost tens of millions of dollars.[43]
Drinking water contaminated with hexavalent chromium from coal may cause cancer
A report released by EarthJustice and the Sierra Club in early February 2011 stated that there are many health threats associated a toxic cancer-causing chemical found in coal ash waste called hexavalent chromium. The report specifically cited 29 sites in 17 states where the contamination was found. The information was gathered from existing EPA data on coal ash and included locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virgina and Wisconsin.
As a press release about the report read:
- Hexavalent chromium first made headlines after Erin Brockovich sued Pacific Gas & Electric because of poisoned drinking water from hexavalent chromium. Now new information indicates that the chemical has readily leaked from coal ash sites across the U.S. This is likely the tip of the iceberg because most coal ash dump sites are not adequately monitored.[44]
Coal Transport
18% of hard coal production is traded on the world coal market.[45] In 2007, the United States exported almost 60 million tons of coal.[46]
Coal is often transported via trucks, railroads, and large cargo ships, which release air pollution such as soot and can lead to accidents. On April 3, 2010, Chinese-owned bulk coal carrier named Shen Neng 1 rammed into the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the planet's largest coral reef and selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The fuel oil is a byproduct of oil production that is used by many cargo ships because it is cheap, but also full of contaminants and very gooey, making it dangerous for animals and hard to clean up. A light aircraft was seen spraying a chemical dispersant on the spilled oil. [47]
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it would be conducting a full investigation of the incident.[47] The Chinese freighter was in a no-shipping zone, and the owners of the ship could face a fine of $1 million if found to have violated Australia's shipping laws. It is possible that the Captain was attempting to make his voyage shorter by taking a short cut through the reef. Critics say commercial ships are supposed to be monitored by Australian authorities, but the monitoring is weak. The Australian group World Wide Fund for Nature (Australia) claims the Chinese company that owns the ship, Shenzhen Energy, a subsidiary of the COSCO Group, has had three similar incidents occur during the past four years.[48]
Health costs from US coal plants
2010 Clean Air Task Force Report
A 2010 report from the Clean Air Task Force, The Toll From Coal found that, in the United States, particle pollution from existing coal power plants is expected to cause some 13,200 premature deaths in 2010, as well as 9,700 additional hospitalizations and 20,000 heart attacks.[49]
Estimated mortality figures for 2010 have Pennsylvania leading the nation with 1,359 premature deaths, 1,016 people admitted to the hospital, and 2,298 additional heart attacks. Ohio comes in second with 1,221 additional premature deaths; New York takes third with 945 dead from coal pollution. Per capita, the figures change slightly: West Virginia is first in the nation, with an estimated 14.7 coal-related deaths per 100,000 adults. Pennsylvania and Ohio tie for second, with 13.9; Kentucky comes in third at 12.6.[49]
The report found that the total monetized value of these adverse health impacts amounts to more than $100 billion per year. This burden is not distributed evenly across the population. Adverse impacts are especially severe for the elderly, children, and those with respiratory disease. In addition, the poor, minority groups, and people who live in areas downwind of multiple power plants are likely to be disproportionately exposed to the health risks and costs of fine particle pollution.[49]
In the previous version of this study, done in 2004, it was estimated that coal pollution would caused about 24,000 premature deaths annually. The authors cited EPA action in 2005 under the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) as resulting in the declining mortality figures. Though CAIR was struck down in Federal court in 2008, the pollution reduction requirements remain in effect until a replacement is established. In making their projections, the authors of the study assume similarly stringent requirements will be in place for the remainder of 2010.[49]
Even with much decreased numbers, the report says sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from coal power plants will "continue to take a significant toll on the health and longevity of millions of Americans." Overall, the report says "among all industrial sources of air pollution, none poses greater risks to human health and the environment than coal-fired power plants."[49]
2011 Harvard report: external costs of coal up to $500 billion annually
A Feb. 2011 report, "Mining Coal, Mounting Costs: the Life Cycle Consequences of Coal," led by associate director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School Dr. Paul Epstein, found that accounting for the full costs of coal would double or triple its price. The study, which was released in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, tallied the economic, health and environmental costs associated with each stage in the life cycle of coal – extraction, transportation, processing, and combustion - and estimated those costs, which are borne by the public at large, to be between $175 billion and $500 billion dollars annually.[50]
In terms of human health, the report estimated $74.6 billion a year in public health burdens in Appalachian communities, with a majority of the impact resulting from increased healthcare costs, injury and death. Air pollutants from combustion accounted for $187.5 billion, mercury impacts as much as $29.3 billion, and climate contributions from combustion between $61.7 and $205.8 billion. The study discussed a number of other impacts that are not easily quantified, including effects of heavy metal toxins and carcinogens released into water supplies as part of coal mining and processing; the death and injury of workers mining coal; and the social impacts in mining communities.[50]
Table 1: Estimates of external costs of coal in cents/kWh of electricity (2008 US$)[51]
|Type of impact
|Land disturbance
|Methane emissions from mines
|Public health burden in Appalachia
|Fatalities due to coal transport
|Air pollutants from combustion
|Lost productivity from mercury emissions
|Excess mental retardation from mercury emissions
|Excess cardiovascular disease from mercury emissions
|Climate damage from combustion emissions of CO2 and N2O
|Climate damage from combustion emissions of black carbon
|Abandoned mine lands
The study concluded:
- "Our comprehensive review finds that the best estimate for the total economically quantifiable costs, based on a conservative weighting of many of the study findings, amount to some $345.3 billion, adding close to 17.8¢/kWh of electricity generated from coal. The low estimate is $175 billion, or over 9¢/kWh, while the true monetizable costs could be as much as the upper bounds of $523.3 billion, adding close to 26.89¢/kWh. These and the more difficult to quantify externalities are borne by the general public." The average residential price of electricity at the time of the report is 12¢/kWh.[50]
Skeptical Science notes that when the coal externalities of the study are included in coal's price, it increases the levalized costs to approximately 28 cents per kWh, which is more than the 2009 U.S. Energy Information Administration cost of hydroelectric, wind (onshore and offshore), geothermal, biomass, nuclear, natural gas, and solar photovoltaics, and is on par with solar thermal, although the costs of solar thermal are falling.[52]
The study noted that its estimates did not include the full cost of coal:[50]
- "Still these figures do not represent the full societal and environmental burden of coal. In quantifying the damages, we have omitted the impacts of toxic chemicals and heavy metals on ecological systems and diverse plants and animals; some ill-health endpoints (morbidity) aside from mortality related to air pollutants released through coal combustion that are still not captured; the direct risks and hazards posed by coal sludge, coal slurry, and coal waste impoundments; the full contributions of nitrogen deposition to eutrophication of fresh and coastal sea water; the prolonged impacts of acid rain and acid mine drainage; many of the long-term impacts on the physical and mental health of those living in coal-field regions and nearby MTR sites; some of the health impacts and climate forcing due to increased tropospheric ozone formation; and the full assessment of impacts due to an increasingly unstable climate."[50]
- ↑ "Damages assessed," ExternE website, accessed March 2009
- ↑ Environmental Impacts of Coal Mining, World Coal Institute, accessed April 2008.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "The Dirty Truth about Coal: Mining", Sierra Club, June 2007.
- ↑ "Coal mine air pollution targeted" WY Business report, June 18, 2010.
- ↑ Jeff Biggers,"What Killed the Miners? Profits Over Safety?", Huffington Post, April 6, 2010.
- ↑ "Black lung on the rise among US coal miners" World Socialist Web Site, January 11, 2010
- ↑ Seixas NS, Robins TG, Attfield MD, et al. ["Exposure-Response Relationship for Coal Mine Dust and Obstructive Lung Disease Following Enactment of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969"] Am J Ind Med 1992;21:715-734.
- ↑ Marine WM, Gurr D, Jacobsen M. [Clinically Important Respiratory Effects of Dust Exposure and Smoking in British Coal Miners], Am Rev Resp Dis 1988;137:106-112.
- ↑ Massey Energy, "Update on Rescue Efforts From Massey Energy", Media Release, April 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Coal's high cost in China: 2.5 billion years of life expectancy" ARS Technica, July 9, 2013.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Green Coal?," Rachel's Environment & Health News, November 6, 2008.
- ↑ "Power Plant Air Pollution Kills 13,000 People Per Year, Coal-Fired Are Most Hazardous: ALA Report" The Huffington Post, March 15, 2011.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Coal Power: Air Pollution," Union of Concerned Scientists, accessed August 2008
- ↑ Particulate Pollution, NRDC, accessed April 2008.
- ↑ Air Pollution in the Mountains, Appalachian Voices, accessed April 2008.
- ↑ Public Benefits of Renewable Energy Use, Union of Concerned Scientists, 1999.
- ↑ "Health Impacts of Coal Ash Contaminants", Earth Justice.
- ↑ "Deadly Power Plants? Study Fuels Debate" MSNBC.com, June 9, 2004
- ↑ "America's Biggest Polluters: Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Power Plants in 2007" Environment America, November 24, 2009
- ↑ "The Unpaid Health Bill: How Coal Power Makes Us Sick" (Executive Summary) Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL), March 7, 2013
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 21.8 21.9 Alan Lockwood, Kristen Welker-Hood, Molly Rauch, Barbara Gottlieb,"Coal's Assault on Human Health" Physicians for Social Responsibility Report, November 2009
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Clean Air Task Force, "Dirty Air, Dirty Power: Mortality and Health Damage Due to Air Pollution from Power Plants", June 2004
- ↑ Elizabeth Lopatto & Nicole Ostrow, "Autism Tied to Air Pollution, Brain-Wiring Disconnection," Bloomberg, Jun 17, 2013.
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2004," April 2006.
- ↑ Barbara Freese and Steve Clemmer,"Gambling with Coal: How New Climate Laws Will Make Future Coal Plants More Expensive," Union of Concerned Scientists, September 2006, page 2.
- ↑ "China's Health and Environment: Air pollution and health effects" World Resources Institute
- ↑ "Groundbreaking Study Quantifies Health Costs of U.S. Climate Change-Related Disasters & Disease: Set of Climate-Related Events Result in Billions in Health Costs and Lost Lives" NRDC Press Release, Nov. 8, 2011.
- ↑ Charles Duhigg,"Cleansing the Air at the Expense of Waterways" New York Times, October 12, 2009
- ↑ "What is a Coal Sludge Impoundment?," Sludge Safety Project, accessed August 2009.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Eilene Toppin Ording,"Heavy Metals and Coal: Carbon Footprint Aside, Coal is not Environmentally Friendly" Suite 101, accessed November 2009
- ↑ "FGD SCRUBBER MATERIAL," U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, accessed December 2009.
- ↑ Sue Sturgis, "Coal's ticking timebomb: Could disaster strike a coal ash dump near you?," Institute for Southern Studies, January 2009
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Analyzing why all landfills leak," Rachel's Environment & Health News, February 14, 1989.
- ↑ "EPA says all landfills leak, even those using best available liners," Rachel's Environment & Health News, August 10, 1987.
- ↑ Dina Cappiello, "Toxic Coal Ash Piling up in Ponds in 32 States," Associated Press, January 9, 2009.
- ↑ Sue Sturgis, "All North Carolina coal ash ponds are leaking toxic pollution to groundwater," Institute for Southern Studies, October 7, 2009.
- ↑ Shaila Dewan, "E.P.A. Lists 'High Hazard' Coal Ash Dumps," New York Times, June 30, 2009.
- ↑ Chloe White, "Dike bursts, floods 12 homes, spills into Watts Bar Lake," Knoxville News Sentinel, December 22, 2008.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Ash spill: TVA triples amount of sludge released," Knoxville News Sentinel, December 26, 2008.
- ↑ "Lead and thallium taint water near TVA pond breach," Knoxville News Sentinel, December 26, 2008.
- ↑ "Tennessee sludge spill estimate grows to 1 billion gallons," CNN, December 26, 2008.
- ↑ "Exxon Valdez oil spill," Encyclopedia of the Earth, access 12/08
- ↑ Rebecca Ferrar, "The cleanup: Weeks, millions needed to fix impact from TVA pond breach," Knoxville News Sentinel, December 27, 2008.
- ↑ "Coal ash waste tied to cancer-causing chemicals in water supplies" Alicia Bayer, Examiner.com, February 1, 2011.
- ↑ World Coal Institute, "The Global Coal Market", in The Coal Resource: A Comprehensive Overview of Coal, World Coal Institute, 2005.
- ↑ Lee Buchsbaum, "New coal economics," EnergyBiz Insider, December 24, 2008
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 John M. Glionna and Ju-min Park and Kenneth R. Weiss,"Great Barrier Reef rammed by Chinese coal ship" L.A. Times, April 5, 2010.
- ↑ Stephanie Dearing,"Oil from grounded Chinese ship threatens Great Barrier Reef" Digital Journal, April 5, 2010.
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 49.4 Matthew McDermott, "Coal Pollution Will Kill 13,200 Americans This Year & Cost $100 Billion in Additional Health Care Bills" Treehugger, Sep. 13, 2010.
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 "Life-cycle study: Accounting for total harm from coal would add 'close to 17.8¢/kWh of electricity generated'" Climate Progress, Feb. 16, 2011.
- ↑ Paul R. Epstein et al, "Mining Coal, Mounting Costs: the Life Cycle Consequences of Coal," Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1219 (2011) p. 92
- ↑ "The True Cost of Coal Power" Skeptical Science, March 18, 2011.
Related GEM.wiki articles
- External costs of coal
- Climate impacts of coal plants
- Health costs of coal plants
- Mercury and coal
- Sulfur dioxide and coal
- Global warming
- Environmental impacts of coal
- Air pollution from coal-fired power plants
- Coal waste
- Coal sludge
- Fly ash
- Heavy metals and coal
External resources
- Keith Johnson, "What's the true cost of electricity," Wall Street Journal, 2/9/09
- "Externalities of Energy: Extension of accounting framework and Policy Applications," European Community study, 2005 (PDF file)
- David Roberts, "The health externalities of coal," 1/28/08
- Ontario Cost of Coal Generation & Replacment Generation, Page A
- Paul Gipe, "Coal's High Environmental & Social Cost in Ontario," July 5, 2005
- "Cost Benefit Analysis: Replacing Ontario's Coal-Fired Electricity Generation" by DSS Management Consultants Inc. and RWDI Air Inc., for the Ontario Ministry of Energy, April, 2005, 93 pages.
- "Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use," National Academy of Sciences, 2009
- Technical Support Document for the Powerplant Impact Estimator Software Tool, prepared by Abt Associates for the Clean Air Task Force, July 2010 (state-by-state mortality and morbidity figures - Table 37, page 97)
- C.B. Szpunar, "Air Toxic Emissions from the Combustion of Coal: Identifying and Quantifying Hazardous Air Pollutants from U.S. Coals," U.S. Department of Energy, ANL/EAIS/TM-83, September 1992


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Jim Bowden over at ESPN.com posted today about how the Dodgers can turn it around. And his assessment is, give up on 2013--and no matter what, don't let GM Ned Colletti keep trading away the future for the present (link insider only):
What's wrong with the Los Angeles Dodgers?
When the Dodgers placed second baseman Mark Ellis on the disabled list Monday, their DL had five players with combined 2013 salaries of more than $60 million on it. And last week, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez had an MRI for a strained trapezius. Simply put, the Dodgers have too many players hurt and cannot compete effectively in a division that features the reigning world champion San Francisco Giants, who have retained most of last year's team.
It's the rotation that's been affected the most, losing Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly and Chris Capuano to the DL at various points. Frankly, it's amazing the Dodgers have been able to hover around .500.
In addition, the left side of the diamond has been a major disappointment. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez was lost to a major hamstring injury and Justin Sellers has hovered around the Mendoza Line in his place. Meanwhile, third baseman Luis Cruz has been equally bad.
How to fix them: Honestly, the Dodgers should focus more on the next three to five years rather than this year's team, though GM Ned Colletti has traditionally not been shy about making deals in order to win now at the expense of the future. In 2008, he traded catcher Carlos Santana to the Cleveland Indians for veteran third baseman Casey Blake -- a deal that worked in the short term, but Santana has since developed into a bona fide slugger, while Blake has retired.
With a strong core of veteran players in their prime like Clayton Kershaw, Greinke, Matt Kemp, Gonzalez and Carl Crawford already in place, the Dodgers should spend this season's deadline fortifying that core, rather than trading for more stop-gap players for a wobbly playoff run.
For example, the club could shop outfielder Andre Ethier to the New York Mets, who desperately need outfield and middle-of-the-order help. Deal him for prospects, then flip those to the Houston Astros for 23-year-old second baseman Jose Altuve. Second base is the Dodgers' biggest long-term hole, and Altuve is a .300 hitter with great character and energy who would look great hitting behind Crawford at the top of the lineup. While the Astros are rebuilding, they have shown a willingness to trade anyone if they can add depth to their farm system.
No matter what, the Dodgers should be looking to move Ethier to acquire some depth and open up right field for prospect Yasiel Puig, who, despite immaturity issues (including his arrest last week for speeding and reckless driving), is the Dodgers' long-term answer in right field and will eventually give them one of the most athletic speed/power outfield combinations in baseball.
Step 2 would be to poke the San Diego Padres to see what it would take to acquire third baseman Chase Headley. Here Colletti could better use his farm system (outside of Puig or Zach Lee) to deal for a 28-year-old switch-hitter and Gold Glover who is just hitting his prime. Headley would replace Ethier and his left-handed power in the middle of the lineup. Of course, Headley would have to be signed to a long-term contract, but we know the Dodgers have money to spend.
As much as the Dodgers spent over the past couple of years, it's clear this is still an incomplete team. Instead of trying to put Band-Aids on this year's club, Colletti should be looking to build a sustainable winner.
That's some strong medicine to swallow. Let's see if the Dodgers, and Ned Colletti, agree and comply.


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The Paris Hotel marqui in Las Vegas suffered a spectacular "Écran Bleu De la Mort" recently, according to pictures snapped by a vacationer. Photos show they finally got the system booted by morning, but that WASN'T VERY PRETTY EITHER.
Uh-huh. Let me tell you what I take away from this: Based on the photos, the Paris Hotel is clearly still using Windows 2000, and not a modern Windows version, so maybe they got what they deserved. Something tells me a still-supported version of Windows might have handled things a little better.
Just a thought.
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BRG Sports and 360fly Unveil Action Sports Helmet, Industry's First Line of 360-Degree Video Integrated "Smart" Helmets
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
LAS VEGAS – Action-sports helmet-industry leaders, BRG (Bell, Ridell, Giro) Sports, and 360-degree camera innovators, 360fly, announced a full line of "smart" helmets, integrated with 360fly's proprietary 360o 4K video, at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The innovative product line encompasses several of BRG Sports' core sport categories and brands, comprising the following products:
- Bell Star with 360fly – Driven by the essential needs of the modern racer, and completely new for 2016, the Bell Star is the most advanced full-face street motorcycle helmet on the market today
- Bell Moto 9 Flex with 360fly – Bell's most comprehensive off road motorcycle helmet, featuring its proprietary "progressive layering" energy-management system
- Bell Super 2R with 360fly – Bell's most versatile and award-winning all-mountain helmet, with an innovative detachable chin bar feature for maximum performance and adaptability
- Giro Edit with 360fly – Giro's lightest full-featured snow helmet
"The benefits of integrating digital video and intuitive digital technology into action sports helmets is a ground-breaking advancement for our sports," said Terry Lee, Executive Chairman & CEO, BRG Sports. "This "smart helmet" collaboration with 360fly is yet another landmark milestone within our 60-year history of helmet innovation and industry leadership."
"From day one, our focus has extended beyond the baseline benefits of immersive 360-degree VR content, and into the expansive universe of intuitive "smart" technologies that our single- lens technology enables," said Peter Adderton, 360fly CEO. "These helmets are merely the first of many unique applications for these technologies enabled by our proprietary 360fly 4K platform."
All four helmets feature an integrated 360fly 360o 4K camera, capable of also shooting conventional 16×9 video. The video capabilities are driven by 360fly's proprietary mobile app, featuring a simple user interface that allows users to instantly edit and share content to popular platforms such as Facebook or YouTube. Shooting at 2880 x 2880 at up to 30 FPS, the integrated camera also includes a built-in GPS sensor to tag locations, a barometer/altimeter and accelerometer all powered by an advanced Qualcomm® Snapdragon 800 processor. Like the original 360fly camera, the integrated camera comes standard with Bluetooth, built-in Wi-Fi and has up to two hours of battery life.
For significantly added value, the integrated 360fly camera is detachable, allowing it to be utilized independent of the helmet by the user in the widest variety of lifestyle applications.
In addition to the existing mobile app functionality featured in the integrated helmets, 360fly's CES exhibit showcased live demonstrations of a several new technologies that are a result of the company's new 360fly 4K platform and are currently planned for inclusion across the advanced BRG Sports helmet line including:
- AutoPilot action tracking – Allows users to track and follow the main subjects in their videos, making it easy to create dynamic edits with the rider at the center of it all.
- Collision Avoidance Alert – Senses and automatically notifies the rider of potential oncoming dangers that are outside the rider's natural field of vision
- Live Streaming — For professional, commercial or advanced users looking to live stream 360-degree video, the integrated camera pairs with its Micro-HDMI accessory base (sold separately) and is able to output a real-time full 360-degree HD video stream
These features will undergo a rigorous series of trials and tests over the coming months in preparation for the helmets' debut at retail later in the year.
Another new feature planned for the camera-integrated helmet line is "Highlight Reel" – an auto-editing function that compiles a 1-2-minute highlight reel based on the specific sections of video that feature the most action.
The majority of VR devices on the market today are purely focused on consumption of VR content and not creation. From day one, 360fly's mission has been to put the power to create immersive personal VR content into the hands of consumers. There simply is no other comparable option for creating and consuming 360-degree immersive video and personal VR content on the market today.
About BRG SPORTS
BRG Sports is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded sports equipment, protective products and related accessories. The company markets and licenses products under such well-known brands as Bell, Riddell, Giro, Blackburn, Raskullz and Krash!. Its products incorporate leading technology and designs and are used by professional athletes and enthusiasts alike. Headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, the company has facilities worldwide. More information is available at: www.brgsports.com.
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360fly creates unique, 360-degree digital products that inspire users to capture, share and experience life's greatest moments in 360 degrees. Our passion has led us to redefine video capture, because we believe life is too rich to capture just part of it. https://360fly.com
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Home Page Chess Life Online 2008 July Negi Wins Philadelphia International
|Negi Wins Philadelphia International
|By Jennifer Shahade
|July 2, 2008
Philadelphia International (June 26-30) after winning his first
five games and drawing his final four. In other great news for the large Indian chess delegation now in Philly, IM Arun Prasad earned clear second plus the rating points for his GM title (he already has three norms.)
The 15-year-old Indian GM, Parimarjan Negi cruised into clear first at
Indian media reports on chess regularly with sports-style commentary; check out: "Negi Wins as Indian GMs Rule in Philadelphia."
Prasad and Negi fought to a draw in round six in a long Grunfeld game:
GM Julio Becerra was the highest scoring American player, delivering a crucial blow to Indian IM Rajaram Laxman in round six. In the following position, Becerra found a scary move:
Becerra played 32...Re8 with the idea 33.axb5 Re2 when the rook is supposedly taboo in view of Bxd5. But White can play 33. axb5 anyway when 33...Re2 34. Bxe2 Bxd5+ 35. Qxd5 Qxd5+ 36. Bf3 Qd6 37. bxa6! Qxa6 (Qxb4? a7 wins!) has got to be a draw. In the game White played Kf1 but lost more important material after 33...Re5.
Gabriel Battaglini of France earned an IM norm in the Philadelphia International.
The action continues non-stop in Philadelphia. June 30 saw the start of the World Open's 7-day schedule. The Open section features GM Artur Yusupov as number one seed. Check out 7-day results from all sections here. The larger 5-day schedule begins tonight.


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Poultry is one of the most common animals raised by backyard growers. They are easy to maintain, do not take a lot of space, and provide their growers with a fresh source of protein. Although relatively easy to maintain, some steps need to be taken to ensure that poultry are cared for properly and that… Read More
Tag: backyard chickens
Does Apple Cider Vinegar protect your flock?
With Christmas being right around the corner, it's time to celebrate and enjoy all things APPLE CIDER! Believe it or not, apple cider can be dated back to nearly 55 B.C. when the Romans sailed to the British Isles. Historians believe that the locals were drinking a cider-like drink made from apples. This popular cider… Read More
Raising Turkeys as Pets
When thinking of the definition of commercial poultry, people often forget that poultry extends to all domestic fowl such as chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. While the most common practice of backyard poultry farming includes mainly chickens and ducks, it's also possible to raise turkeys! With November quickly approaching and Thanksgiving being right around the… Read More
Pumpkin Seeds and Chicken Treats
"So… since it's October, does this mean I can start playing Christmas music?" There's nothing better than the month of October and Halloween. The crisp air that makes your eyes squint when you walk outdoors, the smell of firewood burning, the feeling of the holidays being right around the corner, college football and let's not… Read More
Comparing Brown Eggs to White Eggs
It still never gets old to me. You know… when your friend comes up to you and says, "So, I've been buying brown eggs at the grocery store and I can really tell a difference in their taste." Their taste? You notice the difference in… nothing? It's funny how some marketers have done such a… Read More
Red mites in poultry
Oh, how the (MITE)Y have fallen… While we are closer to approaching autumn and fall, we are still having record heat in North Carolina. A few issues that have been brought up on poultry blogs and questionnaires is that backyard farmers have seen a rise in their poultry having bloody vents. When looking closer at their… Read More
Heat Stress and Ventilation
As the summer months approach, so does the blistering temperatures and humidity. As poultry owners, one of the concerns that consume our thoughts during summer is heat stress because of its negative effects on the welfare of meat birds and laying hens. So, what exactly happens internally to the birds that cause low productivity, reduced… Read More
Longer days mean what for your birds?
We often hear of the concern of hens not laying well when the winter months creep upon us, but do we ever hear about how hens react when the daylight time increases? A question and concern that I've noticed from many backyard chicken groups is the fear that their hens may be laying too many… Read More
Do chickens get allergies? I've always been curious as to whether or not chickens develop allergies… I figured, just like any pet, cats or dogs, for example, chickens are able to develop allergies over time. After talking with our poultry technical service members, I was informed that while it might be possible for chickens to… Read More
April showers bring May… bugs?
Ahhhh, the rainy season of April… you know how the saying goes! "April showers bring May flowers!" The days begin to lengthen, warmer temperatures and cool mornings and nights. The perfect environment and weather and "all you need is a light jacket!" This is the month where you check your phone in the morning to… Read More