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Spectrum Publication
Spectrum 24: September 2015
This issue has been published to coincide with the Ninth Article XIV Conference on 29 September 2015 at UN headquarters in New York, United States.
The Foreign Ministers of Japan and Kazakhstan, Fumio Kishida and Erlan Idrissov will jointly preside over this conference. In this issue, they explain how their countries' eagerness to see an end to all nuclear testing is rooted in experiencing the horrific effects of nuclear weapons explosions.
Federica Mogherini, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and member of the Group of Eminent Persons (GEM), argues why the Iran nuclear agreement bodes well for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Angela Kane, former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and also GEM member, recommends progress on the CTBT's entry into force as an antidote to the prevalent "disarmament malaise". Reflecting on this summer's 70th commemoration of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 is an article by Ari Beser, a young journalist whose grandfather was the only U.S. airman to be on board during both attacks.
A little-known aspect of the first series of nuclear tests carried out after the Second World War is explored by physicist and science communicator Michael Bücker, the fate of the captured warships used in the Baker test at the Bikini atoll in 1946.
The effects of a nuclear explosion the size of the Baker test or that of a much more powerful h-bomb developed in the course of subsequent nuclear testing can be visualized for any location on Earth with the "Nukemap". U.S. nuclear weapons historian Alex Wellerstein explains his motivation for creating this unique online tool.
The Member States' forum overseeing the build-up of the CTBT's verification regime that is capable of detecting a nuclear explosion anywhere on Earth is Working Group B (WGB). One of WGB's longest-serving members, Robert Kemerait, Senior Scientist at the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), looks back upon two successful decades of WGB's work.
One of the topics discussed by WGB but yet to be exercised is drilling for radioactive samples, the ultimate of the 17 on-site inspection techniques. Walter D. Dekin from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Ward L. Hawkins from Los Alamos National Laboratory explain what it takes to safely conduct this most elaborate and potentially most hazardous of all on-site inspection techniques.
Finally, this issue features Chinese artist Xiaoyu Li and samples from other artists from China, Kazakhstan and the United States inspired by the issue of nuclear testing.
Spectrum 23: April 2015
The 23rd issue of Spectrum contains a number of high-calibre political and verification-related contributions.
Commissioner of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Nobuyasu Abe, outlines a range of measures to further consolidate the no-test norm, including completing the establishment of the verification regime while working in parallel on the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Vice Chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and former UK Defence Secretary, Des Browne, points out that: "The CTBTO has fulfilled its task and built a remarkable verification regime. It's time to be honest about that and remove the word 'preparatory' from its name."
Former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Sérgio Duarte, highlights the importance of finally turning the de-facto global moratorium on nuclear testing into a firm legal ban by bringing the CTBT into force.
The CTBTO's first Executive Secretary, Wolfgang Hoffmann, describes the organization's remarkable evolution from its establishment up until the present day, and outlines ways in which the Group of Eminent Persons is helping to promote the CTBT's entry into force.
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd argues that "movement by the United States and China is not only central to advancing the CTBT's entry into force, it would also constitute a major confidence and security building measure between Beijing and Washington at a time when U.S.-China relations are entering a new phase."
This issue of Spectrum has been published to coincide with the 2015 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Treaty which entrenches the promise of a universal nuclear test ban. In her article, President of the NPT Review Conference and Senior Adviser to the Foreign Minister at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taous Feroukhi, explains how the CTBT helps to bridge gaps between the diverging interests of NPT Member States.
Director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, Ellen Williams, chaired the Committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2012 which reviewed technical issues related to the CTBT. In this interview she reflects on the main issues the report addressed and its significance, three years after its release.
Director of the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, Rebecca Johnson, draws lessons from the CTBT's negotiations in the mid-1990s and highlights the powerful dynamics of the new humanitarian disarmament discourse.
The Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE14) in Jordan in late 2014 was a milestone for the development of the CTBT's on-site inspection (OSI) regime. This issue features the personal reflections of three of the key protagonists involved in IFE14: Director of the CTBTO's OSI Division, Oleg Rozhkov; Director, CTBT and nuclear disarmament at the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, Malcolm Coxhead; and Chief of the Equipment and Implementation Section, OSI Division, Gregor Malich.
With the next CTBT: Science and Technology 2015 Conference (SnT2015) fast approaching, Project Executive of SnT2015 and Director of the CTBTO's International Data Centre Division, Randy Bell, stresses the importance of continued collaboration with the scientific community.
The CTBTO's new International Monitoring System (IMS) Director, Nurcan Meral Özel, describes how she envisages the IMS evolving under her leadership and the challenges of maintaining some of the earliest IMS facilities. And IMS Infrasound Engineering Officer, James Robertson, chronicles the extreme weather conditions he and his colleague and staff from the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory encountered during the installation and certification of infrasound station IS40 in Papua New Guinea.
Geophysicist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Milton Garces, describes how he uses data from CTBTO infrasound stations to study volcanoes and identify early warning signals of hazardous eruptions.
And in a new feature, the 'People' page acknowledges members of the international community who have recently received awards for their contributions to nuclear disarmament and international security, and also introduces the Director of the CTBTO's Administration Division, Thierry Dubourg.
Spectrum 22: August 2014
In the 22nd issue of Spectrum, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour of Jordan describes his country's longstanding support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In particular, he explains the significance of Jordan's decision to host the Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE14) at the end of the year and its importance for peace and stability in the Middle East. This huge logistical undertaking will be the largest, most realistic and challenging on-site inspection simulation ever conducted by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). It will involve a thorough search of a clearly defined inspection area to determine whether or not a nuclear explosion has been conducted.
On 11 April 2014, the Group of Eminent Persons (GEM) released a joint statement outlining a number of strategic approaches and modes of action designed to promote the CTBT's entry into force. This group of global leaders and internationally recognized experts in the field of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament was established at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 26 September 2013 at the initiative of CTBTO Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo. The GEM statement was issued at the end of a two-day meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, which was hosted by Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.
Northern Utah Director with the U.S. Senate, Ryan Wilcox, opposed his country's ratification of the CTBT in 1999. However, he argues that there is now a strong case to justify ratification. He concludes that such a move will ensure "that we can both preserve our nuclear deterrent, and prevent further proliferation both at home and by enemies abroad." As one of the eight remaining States that must still ratify the CTBT before it can enter into force, U.S. ratification would be a highly significant move.
Also in this issue, U.S. author and journalist William Lambers provides an analysis on the prospects of ratification of the Treaty by the United States, while Pakistani journalist Rizwan Asghar explores the option of the CTBT's provisional application and lists some of the many benefits that Pakistan would reap by joining the Treaty.
CTBTO staff members Georgios Haralabus, Lucie Pautet, Jerry Stanley and Mario Zampolli, provide readers with a unique insight into the technical and logistical challenges encountered during the reconstruction of the CTBTO's hydroacoustic station HA03. Located on Robinson Crusoe Island in Chile's Juan Fernandez Archipelago, this remote station is fully operational again after its destruction by a tsunami in 2010.
In addition to listening for underwater sounds generated by nuclear explosions, scientist Mark Prior explains how hydroacoustic technology can increase the understanding of different "soundscapes' in the underwater world. These 'soundscapes' include noises produced by whales, breaking ice, earthquakes and volcanoes.
As the starting date of the organization's largest ever integrated field exercise approaches, CTBTO staff members Gordon MacLeod and Matjaz Prah compare the elements and techniques for the upcoming exercise in Jordan with those employed in the last full-scale on-site inspection simulation, IFE08, which took place in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, in 2008.
Finally, the paintings by Doug Waterfield from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA, on the cover and inside Spectrum 22 illustrate the power of art in educating and communicating political messages. The paintings are part of the artist's 'Doomtown' series, which were on display at the Vienna International Centre in an exhibition to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests on 29 August.
Spectrum 21: September 2013
This 21st issue of Spectrum features an address by the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, who became the first head of state to address the CTBTO Preparatory Commission at its 40th Session on 13 June 2013. Compaoré shares his vision for peace and international security in a world without nuclear weapons, calling on those remaining States that have not yet signed or ratified the CTBT to do so in order that the Treaty can become legally binding. He also describes the usefulness of CTBTO monitoring data which "are of great importance in defining effective responses to natural risks and disasters."
As Co-Presidents of the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT at the UN Headquarters in New York on 27 September, Hungary's Minister for Foreign Affairs, János Martonyi, and Indonesia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marty M. Natalegawa, explain why the CTBT's entry into force is of paramount importance. Outlining their priorities in promoting this objective, Martonyi calls on the remaining Annex 2 States, especially the United States, to ratify. Appealing to the United States as a NATO partner, he states that "ratification by the United States is in no way detrimental to NATO's nuclear deterrent, but that it would, on the contrary, enhance global security." Expressing his concern over the nuclear tests announced by North Korea in 2006, 2009 and 2013 which have exacerbated tensions in the region, Natalegawa says: "Such nuclear tests highlight the urgent need for the CTBT's entry into force "
Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, maintains: 'It is abundantly clear that all non-proliferation efforts are critical in tackling the threat of terrorists acquiring nuclear weapons. A fully ratified and implemented CTBT is an indispensable building block for these efforts." He also highlights the potential use of CTBT monitoring data in helping to mitigate the effects of natural or man-made disasters, particularly in terms of monitoring volcanic eruptions, which he explains is of great interest to Iceland.
This issue also features excerpts of keynote addresses made at the CTBT: Science and Technology 2013 Conference in Vienna, Austria, in June 2013. These include: former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hans Blix; former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, Ellen Tauscher; former Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Siegfried Hecker; and Director for Strategic Affairs in the French Ministry of Defence, Michel Miraillet. The keynote speakers present a range of arguments as to why countries that have not yet ratified the CTBT should delay no longer.
Miaki Ishii from Harvard University describes how the CTBTO's seismic stations "serve unexpectedly well as powerful telescopes to view inside the Earth." Detailed knowledge of the internal structure of the Earth is essential, she explains, for unravelling its dynamics and history.
An article on 'Joining forces to reduce radioxenon emissions' highlights some of the recent collaboration between the CTBTO and radioisotope producers such as the Belgian-based Institute for Radioelements to achieve this goal.
With preparations for the next Integrated Field Exercise in Jordan in 2014 well underway, Spectrum 21 features a photo story depicting 'Build-Up Exercise III' which took place in Hungary from 26 May to 7 June 2013. This exercise will simulate an on-site inspection almost in its entirety. Also on this theme, an article by the CTBTO's Aled Rowlands describes the role of airborne imagery in an on-site inspection.
Issue 20: July 2013
In this 20th issue, the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari, reports on the steps taken by the Iraqi parliament towards ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the importance Iraq attaches to promoting the Treaty's entry into force. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, who helped the Kennedy administration draft the Partial Test Ban Treaty, describes why the case for ratification of the CTBT by the United States is stronger than ever. Zia Mian from Princeton University focuses on the role of civil society in South Asia in advocating nuclear disarmament.
Columbia University's Paul Richards explains the seismic findings of the nuclear test announced by North Korea on 12 February; we also elaborate on the radionuclide findings almost two months later. Astronomer Margaret Campbell-Brown from the University of Western Ontario explains how CTBTO data have helped us understand the characteristics of the meteor over the Ural mountains on 15 February. Anders Ringbom and Anders Axelsson of the Swedish Defense Research Agency describe the key role played by noble gas detection systems in responding to the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 and some of the lessons learned.
This issue also features an interview with CTBTO Executive Secretary Tibor Tóth in which he discusses a range of issues related to nuclear non-proliferation, including the main challenges and achievements during his eight years as head of the organization.
Finally, the paintings by Elin O'Hara Slavick from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the cover and inside Spectrum 20 illustrate the power of art in educating and communicating political messages.
Issue 19: September 2012
In this 19th issue, the Foreign Ministers of Chile and Finland, Alfredo Moreno and Erkki Toumioja, make a strong political pitch for the Treaty and also highlight the contribution of CTBT verification data for disaster mitigation. They are joined by two prominent South Asian thinkers: former UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Jayantha Dhanapala, and Hindustan Times Foreign Editor Pramit Pal Chaudhuri.
Nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker explains why nuclear armed States stand to gain more than they lose from CTBT ratification and Tatsujiro Suzuki, Vice Chairman of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, provides an invaluable insight into the Fukushima accident. Elena Sokova from the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation explains why nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education should be sustainable and global, with the CTBTO's Capacity Development Initiative a welcome development in this field.
Ik Bum Kang from the Korea Institute of GeoScience and Mineral Resources outlines some of the challenges of operating and maintaining primary seismic station PS31, one of the CTBTO's closest station to the North Korean nuclear test site. Former CTBTO staff member Kirsten Haupt describes how practice makes future on-site inspection inspectors perfect, and guest writer Angela Leuker how the perception of nuclear war has changed over recent decades.
Issue 18: March 2012
In this special 15th anniversary issue of Spectrum and video, a number of former and current staff share some of their personal memories of the journey since March 1997 when the CTBTO began its operations in Vienna. In the words of the first Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, Wolfgang Hoffmann: "We were a very small group of people with a huge task."
Although confronted with numerous challenges, many staff refer to the enthusiasm, optimism and team spirit which have made it all worthwhile and have enabled great progress to be made. Reflecting on the last 15 years, the CTBTO's Executive Secretary Tibor Tóth concludes: "I think we can be proud that we have managed to deliver on things that were just dreams in March 1997 and to turn them into reality by spring 2012."
Issue 17: September 2011
In this 17th issue of Spectrum, the former leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, calls for a total ban on nuclear testing. In his article entitled The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: Helping to create a truly global community, Gorbachev states that we should not be content with the current virtual moratorium on nuclear testing "because commitments that are not legally binding can easily be violated." He urges the nine 'rejectionist' countries that must still ratify the CTBT to do so in order for the Treaty to enter into force.
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, states that "the CTBT stands as a beacon, lighting the path towards a peaceful world, free from nuclear explosions, whether for military or for peaceful purposes. For this reason, Trinidad and Tobago signed the CTBT on 8 October 2009 and ratified it on 26 May 2010." She also describes how CTBT monitoring data can be used for disaster mitigation, especially by providing faster tsunami warnings, and outlines efforts to establish a tsunami warning system in the Caribbean. And recognizing the vital links between women and disarmament, the article stresses Trinidad and Tobago's belief that "all discussions on disarmament, conflict resolution and peace-building must include women to ensure an expansion of their role."
Issue 16: May 2011
In this 16th issue of Spectrum, Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan of Jordan underlines the importance of focusing on the nexus between nuclear safety and nuclear security. In her article entitled Safeguarding the Arab Renaissance, Princess Sumaya explains that: "We in Jordan are ready to help shape our nuclear renaissance safely and securely, with a full commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament in our region." She also outlines a proposal to establish sub-National Data Centres at several science universities in Jordan "to increase the use of invaluable IMS [International Monitoring System] data to aid scientific research in fields as diverse as seismology, geology, the environment and ICT," and her desire for the establishment of a Regional Data Centre in her country to help expand Treaty acceptance in the region.
Three analysts from the International Data Centre (IDC), geophysicist Marcela Villarroel, seismologist Jane Gore, and physicist Carla Pires, provide unique insights into one of the CTBTO's core activities – analyzing the data transmitted by the IMS to the CTBTO headquarters in Vienna. They talk about some of the challenges and rewards of their work and the importance of ensuring that CTBTO Member States receive data bulletins and analysis reports in a timely manner.
Issue 15: November 2010
The articles in this issue of Spectrum are from a diverse range of voices, setting a new precedent for the publication. Former U.S. Republican Senator Jake Garn of Utah urges the United States to provide the leadership needed to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons by permanently ending nuclear weapons testing and ratifying the CTBT. Talat Masood, former Secretary for Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence, Pakistan, outlines the near term and long term developments that will influence the nuclear landscape. Bharath Gopalaswamy, formerly of the Indian Space Research Organization and now at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), highlights the benefits of CTBTO membership and points out that States that have not signed the Treaty are at a disadvantage since they do not have access to verification data. Xia Liping from Tongji University in China explains why CTBT ratification is in China's strategic interests. And Michel Nambobona, the Director General of the National Data Centre in the Central African Republic, outlines his personal role in helping to secure CTBT ratification by his nation.
Spectrum 15 also covers various verification-related issues. On-site inspection expert, Charles Carrigan, describes the evaluation of equipment during the CTBTO's 2009 Noble Gas Field Operations Test (NG09) in Slovakia. And finally, our own infrasound experts describe some of the recent experiences gained by the infrasound network.
Issue 14: April 2010
In this 14th issue of Spectrum, several world leaders reinforce the importance of the CTBT entry into force. President Jurelang Zedkaia of the Marshall Islands describes the legacy of nuclear weapon testing on his country and urges full global acceptance and ratification of the Treaty. Kanat Saudabayev, the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, summarizes the 13 years of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the CTBTO and his country's strong support for the CTBT. The Foreign Minister of Australia, Stephen Smith, and the Foreign Minister of Mexico, Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, both reiterate the unwavering commitment of their respective countries to a CTBT in force and outline the different ways in which Australia and Mexico have supported the Treaty and the CTBTO over the years. Ambassador Stephen Ledogar, the U.S. chief negotiator of the CTBT, expands on a number of key issues from the Treaty's negotiations, which continue to be relevant for today's debate.
Spectrum 14 also covers a range of verification-related issues and some of the Treaty's potential scientific applications. On-site inspection expert, John Walker, highlights the main lessons of the Integrated Field Exercise 2008, the largest ever on-site inspection exercise carried out by the CTBTO in Kazakhstan in September 2008. Data mining experts, Stuart Russell, Sheila Vaidya and Ronan Le Bras, describe different machine learning concepts. Flore Samaran, a specialist in bioacoustics and whale conservation, writes about the use of hydroacoustic data for monitoring large whales. And members of the CTBTO's Public Information team, Peter Rickwood and Kirstie Gregorich Hansen, explain how developing countries benefit from the CTBTO's capacity building activities.
Issue 13: September 2009
Reflecting the renewed political prominence of the CTBT, this 13th issue of Spectrum has an abundance of political and scientific contributions from prominent authors. No less than four foreign ministers explain why the CTBT is important to their countries: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and his Moroccan counterpart, Taieb Fassi Fihri, who will be jointly presiding over the Article XIV conference; Alberto Romulo, Foreign Minister of the Philippines and Carl Bildt, Foreign Minister of Sweden, the country currently holding the Presidency of the European Union. With regard to the articles by political analysts, Chinese academic and nuclear arms control expert, Shen Dingli, explains why the CTBT should be ratified by China. James Goodby, former U.S. diplomat and specialist on nuclear non-proliferation and security issues, places the CTBT into the wider context of nuclear non-proliferation.
On the more scientific side, physicist and verification expert David Hafemeister presents a detailed analysis on the CTBT's verifiability. Sidney Drell, physicist and longtime adviser to the U.S. government and the nuclear weapons laboratories, reflects on the Stockpile Stewardship Program, an important factor for the U.S. discussions on CTBT ratification. The North-West Pacific Tsunami Information Center in Japan explains how it profits from International Monitoring System (IMS) data for tsunami warning purposes. And finally, our own experts provide insights into the CTBTO's findings on the May 25 North Korean nuclear test.
Issue 12: April 2009
While the current global financial crisis has been dominating headlines recently, it is important not to neglect another complex and insufficiently regulated system: the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime. CTBTO Spectrum 12 highlights the crucial role that the CTBT plays in this regime and is honoured to have an interview with the Academy Award-winning actor and UN Messenger for Peace, Michael Douglas, as well as articles by the German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. Their contributions are complemented by articles from Deepti Choubey of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Raymond Jeanloz of the University of California, Berkeley. Spectrum 12 also outlines the build-up of the International Monitoring System over the last decade, the Integrated Field Exercise 2008 for on-site inspections, the International Scientific Studies project to assess the readiness and capability of the CTBT to detect nuclear explosions worldwide, and Part 2 of the ongoing cooperation between the CTBTO and the World Meteorological Organization.
Issue 11: September 2008
In view of the current political climate, this 11th issue of CTBTO Spectrum focuses on the role of the CTBT in the wider non-proliferation and disarmament context. We are privileged to have received articles from several internationally acclaimed leaders and political figures including President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, former US Senator Sam Nunn, and US senior diplomats, Ambassadors Max Kampelman and Tom Graham. Their contributions are complemented by an article by Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, and there are also feature articles on the Integrated Field Exercise 2008 for on-site inspections, the challenges of establishing monitoring stations in Antarctica, the ongoing International Scientific Studies project to assess the readiness and capability of the CTBT to detect nuclear explosions worldwide, and the cooperation between the CTBTO and the World Meteorological Organization.
Issue 10: August 2007
This special issue of CTBTO Spectrum focuses on the political importance of early entry into force leading up to the Article XIV Conference and the many challenges arising when building a global verification system. World-renowned personalities, such as United Nations Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon and Dr Hans Blix, former Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, give their views on the significance of the CTBT. Their contributions are complemented by a special feature analysis by Dr Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Acronym Institute, and a respected voice from the non-governmental community.
Issue 9: January 2007
This issue of CTBTO Spectrum looks at the many interactions between the NAWE region and the CTBT, at the anniversary activities marking the adoption of the Treaty ten years ago, as well as at the achievements of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission and future challenges. Several hundred participants listened to presentations of world-renowned scientists in the first scientific symposium organized by the PTS, which was held from 31 August to 1 September 2006 at the Hofburg in Vienna. Delegations and scientists engaged in a multi-disciplinary exchange of ideas and explored synergies between the global scientific community and the CTBTO Preparatory Commission.
Issue 8: July 2006
Besides providing an outlook on the scientifi c symposium by Ola Dahlman, former Working Group B Chairman, this issue of CTBTO Spectrum looks at the many interactions between the South-East Asia, the Pacifi c and the Far East (SEAPFE) region and the CTBT. The PTS is particularly honoured to publish an interview with the Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand, Hon Phil Goff, focusing, inter alia, on the eminent role of New Zealand in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Furthermore, a special feature article by Ambassador Yukiya Amano of Japan looks at his country's contribution to the Treaty. The Ambassador of Vietnam, H.E. Nguyen Truong Giang, gives his personal view on Viet Nam's decision to ratify the CTBT as the 34th Annex 2 State.
Issue 7: December 2005
This 7th issue of CTBTO Spectrum takes a close look at the Article XIV process and the results of the 2005 Article XIV Conference. Two eminent supporters of the Treaty provided contributions in this context: An interview with Alexander Downer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia and President of the 2005 Article XIV Conference, recaptures, inter alia, his own personal efforts and the special historic role of Australia regarding the CTBT. The cover story by Ambassador Jaap Ramaker provides new insights into his role in promoting the entry into force of the Treaty as the Special Representative of the Ratifier States. The Eastern European region, the main focus of this issue, is a particularly good example of the continuing and robust support for the Treaty, with all 22 Member States having signed and 19 having ratified it.
Issue 6: July 2005
The African region, which this issue of CTBTO Spectrum focuses on as an overarching theme, is a particularly good example for the ever increasing numbers of signatures and ratifications: Of those States, who signed and ratified the Treaty in 2004, 75 and 66 percent respectively, were from the African region. Besides looking at the relations between Africa and the CTBT, this issue of CTBTO Spectrum provides an overview of the Commission's work over the past six months, including an update on the latest session of the Preparatory Commission.
Issue 5: December 2004
This 5th issue of CTBTO Spectrum focuses on the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) geographical region and the CTBT. It is the first issue in a series which will be covering all six Treaty-defined regions. The LAC region has always played an important role in contributing towards ensuring the entry into force and universality of the CTBT. When the Treaty opened for signature in 1996, 21 LAC States signed it. In the meantime, the number of signatures has increased to 27, with 20 LAC countries having also ratified the CTBT as of 6 December 2004.
Issue 4: July 2004
This 4th issue of CTBTO Spectrum focuses on the legal aspects of building the verification regime. It sets out to examine the essential role played by facility agreements and other legal arrangements in placing the provisional operation and maintenance of the IMS on a secure legal foundation. An interview with Palitha Kohona, Chief of the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs at the United Nations in New York, a special feature article by Anthony Aust, former Legal Counsellor of the United Kingdom Foreign Office, and the cover story by Peter Hulsroj, PTS Legal Advisor, give further insights into the unique legal status of the Preparatory Commission and its verification regime.
Issue 3: December 2003
This 3rd issue of CTBTO Spectrum looks at the results of the Article XIV Conference. The cover story by Ambassador Yukio Takasu provides a Member State's view of the Conference. As an overarching theme, this issue focuses on the benefits of signing the Treaty, both political and those deriving from the potential civil and scientific applications of the verification technologies. An interview with Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and a special feature article by Hein Haak, a Dutch infrasound expert, concentrate on this theme. As usual, we include an overview of the Commission's work over the past six months, including an update on the latest session of the Preparatory Commission.
Issue 2: July 2003
This 2nd issue of CTBTO Spectrum looks at the 'mechanisms' of Conferences on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT, focusing in particular on the upcoming Conference, which will take place in Vienna from 3 to 5 September this year. An interview with Ambassador Tom Grönberg, who is chairing the preparatory process of the 2003 Conference, and a special feature article by the former United Nations Under-Secretary General Jayantha Dhanapala, concentrate on this theme. This issue also provides an overview of the Commission's work over the past six months, including an update on the latest session of the Preparatory Commission. In addition, the cover story by David McCormack, a Canadian seismologist, gives an example of the potential benefits of civil and scientific applications of the CTBT verification technologies.
Issue 1: December 2002
This first issue gives an overview of the status of the verification regime build-up and, as an overarching theme, it highlights the significant role of the Treaty in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. An interview with Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament, and a special feature article by Peter Marshall, an expert on seismology, focus on this theme. This issue also provides an update on the latest session of the Preparatory Commission, in addition to regular columns on verification science, the potential civil and scientific applications of the CTBT verification technologies and a column on the PTS staff, which introduces the PTS mission statement.


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Heralding a new era in European river cruising, the Viking Longships have arrived. These revolutionary vessels are setting innovative standards in style, space and comfort. With names inspired by the celebrated Viking gods, the Viking Longships represent a quantum leap in design, elegance and state-of-the-art engineering.
Viking Idun: Onboard Activities
Activities & Services (included in cruise)
- Chess
- Educational Programs
- Guest Lecturers
- Walking Track
- Putting Green
- Bars/Lounges
- Library
- Complimentary Wireless Internet
- Sun Deck with Shaded Sitting Area
- Concierge Desk
- Duty-Free Shops/Boutiques
- Elevators
Activities & Services (available for an extra fee)
- Dry Cleaning/ Laundry Service
Costco Travel makes every effort to verify the accuracy of all information provided. Additional fees for amenities or services may be charged by the cruise line. Amenities or services may be discontinued or revised by the cruise line without notice. Staterooms designated as wheelchair-accessible do not necessarily meet ADA requirements. Costco Travel is not responsible for inaccuracies or provider modifications.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Message-driven beans, like other well-behaved MessageListeners, should not, in general, throw runtime exceptions. If a message-driven bean's onMessage method encounters a system-level exception or error that does not allow the method to successfully complete, the Enterprise JavaBeans Specification, v3.0 provides the following guidelines:
If the bean method encounters a runtime exception or error, it should simply propagate the error from the bean method to the container.
If the bean method performs an operation that results in a checked exception that the bean method cannot recover, the bean method should throw the javax.ejb.EJBException that wraps the original exception.
Any other unexpected error conditions should be reported using javax.ejb.EJBException (javax.ejb.EJBException is a subclass of java.lang.RuntimeException).
Under container-managed transaction demarcation, upon receiving a runtime exception from a message-driven bean's onMessage method, the container rolls back the container-started transaction and the message is redelivered. This is because the message delivery itself is part of the container-started transaction. By default, the GlassFish Server container closes the container's connection to the JMS provider when the first runtime exception is received from a message-driven bean instance's onMessage method. This avoids potential message redelivery looping and protects server resources if the message-driven bean's onMessage method continues misbehaving. To change this default container behavior, use the cmt-max-runtime-exceptions property of the MDB container. Here is an example asadmin set command that sets this property:
asadmin set server-config.mdb-container.property.cmt-max-runtime-exceptions="5"
For more information about the asadmin set command, see the Oracle GlassFish Server 3.0.1 Reference Manual.
The cmt-max-runtime-exceptions property specifies the maximum number of runtime exceptions allowed from a message-driven bean's onMessage method before the container starts to close the container's connection to the message source. By default this value is 1; -1 disables this container protection.
A message-driven bean's onMessage method can use the javax.jms.Message.getJMSRedelivered method to check whether a received message is a redelivered message.
The cmt-max-runtime-exceptions property is deprecated.


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Conservation and Protection of the Biota of Karst: Extended Abstracts and Field-trip Guide for the Symposium Held February 13 Through 16, 1997, Nashville, Tennessee
Ira D. Sasowsky, Daniel W. Fong, Elizabeth L. White
Karst Waters Institute, 1997 - Biodiversity - 118 pages
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Population Genetic Studies of Plants Endemic to Karst With an Emphasis on the Limestone
Reproduction and Population Structure of the Marine Cave Isopod Bahalana geracei
Bryophytes in Australian Karstlands
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Amblyopsis amphipods anchihaline caves anchihaline habitats animals aquatic aquifer Australia Bahamas bats beetle biodiversity biological Biota of Karst Blue River bryophytes Caecidotea Cape Range carabid carbonate Cave Conservancy cave crickets cave fauna cave stream cave system communities crustaceans Culver Danielopol Dinaric karst distribution diversity ecology ecotonal endangered endemic entrance environment Environmental feces fish forest genetic Gibert Green River groundwater habitats Hard Bargain Holsinger Humphreys hypogean Indiana input interstitial invertebrates isopod IUCN karst features karst poljes Karst Waters Institute karstic KARSTLANDS known Logan Cave Malard Mammoth Cave National Park Nature Conservancy ofKarst Oilbirds organic matter ostracods Ozark cavefish phylogenetic plateau pollution pool population Pospisil Poulson protection Pseudanophthalmus pseudoscorpions pumping region Remipedia sampling San Salvador Island sediments sinkhole sinkhole plain Sket Slovenia soil souterraines springs stygobionts substrates subterranean surface taxa temperature Tennessee terrestrial Tongass Tongass National Forest troglobites troglomorphic troglophiles vegetation Wildlife zone


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The November ballot is chockablock with proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution, even more so than usual.
Editor's note: This is a longer version of the editorial that appeared in print Oct. 21.
The November ballot is chockablock with proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution, even more so than usual. It�s worth noting that none of the amendments were sponsored by citizens groups. All originated in the Legislature, and several reflect partisan political agendas.
This is a summary of where The News Herald stands on each issue.
AMENDMENT 1 states that government can�t require citizens to buy health insurance. This is Florida�s attempt to thumb its nose at the individual mandate portion of Obamacare that was upheld by the Supreme Court. We oppose that mandate, but this amendment, if passed, would carry no legal weight as federal law trumps state law. The Florida Constitution should not be cluttered with symbolic political statements.
We recommend a NO vote.
AMENDMENTS 2, 9 and 11 expand property tax exemptions for certain groups � disabled veterans who move, spouses of veterans or first responders killed in the line of duty, low-income seniors who have lived in their homes a long time. The state constitution already is full of such carve-outs, and we have opposed most of them because they make a Swiss cheese of the tax code. We would prefer to see comprehensive tax relief for everyone, not just sympathetic groups.
We recommend a NO vote on all three.
AMENDMENT 3 would change the way Florida calculates its revenue limit. Currently it is capped according to the increase in personal income. Under this amendment, it would be based on the rate of inflation and population growth. This would help prevent the state from going on a spending spree during flush economic times, which is what happened prior to the 2006 downturn that led to so many painful budget cuts.
Revenues collected in excess of the cap would be placed in a reserve fund for emergencies. Also, the Legislature could temporarily suspend the cap during emergencies.
Amendment 3 would impose spending discipline on Tallahassee while giving lawmakers flexibility to loosen the purse strings when it is truly needed. We recommend a YES vote.
AMENDMENT 4 would give the Legislature the power to repeal the �recapture rule,� which allows the taxable value of a homeowner�s property to rise even when the property�s market value is falling. We have supported repeal of the recapture rule for years on the grounds that it undermines the protections afforded by the Save Our Homes amendment.
However, this amendment also includes other changes to homestead exemptions that would complicate the system and risk shifting the tax burden to residents.
We recommend a NO vote and urge the Legislature to come back with a clean, recapture-only amendment in 2014.
AMENDMENT 5 would give the Legislature more authority over state courts, including confirmation power over judicial nominations. This is a partisan power grab in response to some court rulings that have not gone the Republicans� way. It would politicize the judiciary and threaten its independence. The current setup works fine.
We recommend a NO vote.
AMENDMENT 6 would change the state�s right-to-privacy law by prohibiting public funding of abortion. However, that is already federal and state law. Therefore, this measure seems redundant.
In addition, supporters argue the amendment is needed to allow the Legislature to pass a law requiring minors to get parental consent for an abortion. But the text of the amendment says nothing about that. If proponents want to purse that goal, they should do so explicitly in a separate amendment.
We recommend a NO vote.
AMENDMENT 8 would allow taxpayer funding, both directly and indirectly, of religious institutions. This opens the door to state-funded education vouchers that could be used at parochial schools. That is something we have supported, so long as the aid goes directly to parents and allows them to choose where it will be spent � public, private or parochial. That is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
For example, in a 2002 case that upheld a Cleveland school voucher system, the court developed a �private choice test� for such programs:
l They must have a valid secular purpose.
l Aid must go to the parents and not to the schools.
l A broad class of beneficiaries must be covered.
l The programs must be neutral with respect to religion.
l There must be adequate nonreligous options.
However, this measure also would open the door to government choosing which religious organizations to fund directly (under current law, state agencies can use taxpayer dollars to fund social or health-care services provided by nonprofit organizations affiliated with religious groups). That is problematic. Those funds will come with government strings attached, which could undermine the religious mission of the organization. It could exacerbate religious differences among the public if the state funds groups that some citizens disagree with. If the state denies funding based on these objections, that will spark lawsuits.
Legislators should craft a narrower amendment tailored specifically to vouchers.
We recommend a NO vote.
AMENDMENT 10 would double the tax exemption on tangible personal property used in businesses (machinery, office furniture, computers, etc.). This is an existing tax, not the creation of a new one. Increasing the exemption will lower the cost of doing business, which could benefit the state economy.
We recommend a YES vote.
AMENDMENT 12 would change the way student representatives to the Board of Governors is chosen. This is a minor procedural matter that is unnecessary and unbecoming of the state constitution.
We recommend a NO vote.


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Editors' Pick
Walking 6,000 Steps a Day May Help Improve Knee Arthritis
A new study shows that walking 6,000 steps, the equivalent of an hour a day may help improve knee arthritis and prevent disability.
The study, funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis Care & Research suggests that walking 6,000 or more steps per day may protect those with or at risk of knee of OA from developing mobility issues, such as difficulty getting up from a chair and climbing stairs.
Researchers used pedometers to track the daily steps of 1,788 participants aged 50 to 79 for seven days. Two years later, researchers evaluated participants' functional ability by testing their walking speed, as well as collecting self-reported data on participants' ability to perform everyday tasks like climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, and performing household activities. Those who walked 6,000 steps or more per day experienced fewer functional limitations compared to those who walked less. And for each 1,000 daily steps participants walked, their limitations dropped by 18%.
"People with or at risk for knee arthritis should be walking around 6,000 steps per day, and the more walking one does the less risk of developing functioning difficulties," said the study's lead author, Daniel White, a research assistant professor in the department of physical therapy and athletic training at Boston University.
"People usually average 100 steps per minute while they walk, so (6,000 steps) is roughly walking an hour a day," White said. "It doesn't seem to make a difference where the steps come from."
For each additional 1,000 steps people took daily, their chance of these problems dropped by 16 percent to 18 percent. The findings were similar when the researchers looked separately at people who had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, and also at those who had symptoms from their condition.
Dr. White concludes, "Walking is an inexpensive activity and despite the common popular goal of walking 10,000 steps per day, our study finds only 6,000 steps are necessary to realize benefits. We encourage those with or at risk of knee OA to walk at least 3,000 or more steps each day, and ultimately progress to 6,000 steps daily to minimize the risk of developing difficulty with mobility."
Nearly 27 million Americans aged 25 and older have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
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Editors' Pick
AMCA Breach: 20 Million Victims, 19 Class Actions
[bctt tweet="AMCA previously reported that there were only 200,000 victims in the recent breach, but their partner labs said there were more than 20 million." username="Z6Mag"]
More than 20 million and not 200,000 have fallen victim to a massive data breach that has seen medical clients using the services of healthcare billing company, American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA), to pay for their laboratory tests in different blood testing labs across the U.S. were confirmed by the SEC filings of affected medical institutions amidst the earlier claims of AMCA that there were fewer victims.
The data breach was a result of a cyber attack that aims to phish for financial information from the website of the AMCA. The exposed data belongs to Americans who paid laboratory services at several clinical and blood testing labs and institutions and used the AMCA billing portal.
What happened in the AMCA breach?
Data that were stolen from the victims include their names, phone numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other bank details. The said information was auctioned off by the hacker in several financial hacking forums.
According to DataBreaches.net, the organization who first reported about the incident, AMCA officials, following the notification of the breach confirmed that their system has been compromised and has remained undetected for more than eight months. AMCA corroborated that the breach took place between August 1, 2018, and March 30, 2019.
Notifications have been sent by several of AMCA's corporate partners and clients to their customers following the disclosure of the security breach that has seen information from millions of Americans compromised.
Related: Hospitals Only Spend 5% Of Its Budget For Cybersecurity Amidst 82% Of Them Reporting To Have Been Attacked
The list of impacted testing laboratories includes Quest Diagnostics (11.9 million patients), LabCorp (7.7 million patients), BioReference Laboratories (Opko Health subsidiary, 422,600 patients), Carecentrix (500,000 patients), and Sunrise Laboratories (undisclosed number of patients).
However, neither the AMCA nor its five clients have yet to notify ALL impacted citizens by the breach making them vulnerable to a lot of cyber crimes and their financial data could be used by anyone who gets hold of the information against the persons of those who still don't know that their financial information is floating around the internet.
The companies involved in the breach are facing several lawsuits
Appropriately, the lawsuit came into the direction of AMCA, Quest, and LabCorp regarding the incident. More than 11 class-suite actions have been filed against the three companies for their inability to protect consumer data. The 11 lawsuits were recorded at The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) on June 3. Since then, eight more lawsuits were filed against the companies in federal courts from New Jersey, New York, and California.
According to litigation experts, "If many cases are filed in federal court, any of the lawyers on any of those cases can file a motion with the JPML [..] to centralize the various federal cases that have been filed by sending all of them to a single judge for coordinated pre-trial proceedings."
"Healthcare companies are especially susceptible to data breaches not only because they aggregate a tremendous amount of important and sensitive data, but also because they tend to be less focused on cybersecurity protection than other industries," said John Yanchunis of Morgan and Morgan, one of the firms who filed lawsuits against Quest Diagnostics.
"These companies, like Quest Diagnostics, know they are at an increased risk and yet have not taken the proper steps to protect their patients' data. We will fight for justice on behalf of those impacted by this breach," added Yanchunis.
Lawmakers are demanding an explanation
The U.S. government, led by attorneys general from Connecticut and Illinois has also opened an investigation on the matter. Furthermore, lawmakers and other politicians have sent letters to the responding companies to ask for an explanation of why an eight-month data breach remained undetected and to demand accountability from them.
In Washington, US Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) also sent a letter to Quest Laboratories demanding the company explain its vetting process for selecting AMCA as a billing vendor, and what requirements a third-party vendor has to pass. Democratic New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez also sent letters to AMCA, Quest, and LabCorp, seeking official answers on how a breach of this severity went undetected for eight months.
"The months-long leak leaves sensitive personal and financial information vulnerable in the hands of criminal enterprises. Moreover, such breaches force victims to contend with identity theft that may lead to irreparable harm to their credit reports and financial future," said the letter sent by the NJ senators.
Arts & Entertainment
'The Hunger Games' Is Launching A Prequel And A Possible Movie
[bctt tweet="Suzanne Collins is releasing a prequel to The Hunger Games storyline and Lionsgate is already looking forward in turning it into a blockbuster movie" username="Z6Mag"]
Almost fours years after the last The Hunger Games movie (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II) and almost nine years after the first book from the trilogy was released, Suzanne Collins is returning with the famed trilogy — but this time in a form of a prequel.
Scholastic, the publishing company that distributed Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy, announced today that it is publishing a prequel novel to the series, currently untitled, which will hit shelves on May 19, 2020.
"Suzanne Collins is a master at combining brilliant storytelling, superb world-building, breathtaking suspense, and social commentary," Scholastic Trade Publishing President Ellie Berger said in a statement. "We are absolutely thrilled — as both readers and publishers — to introduce the devoted fans of the series and a new audience to an entirely new perspective on this modern classic."
Collins' original Hunger Games trilogy—The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay—altogether, sold more than 100 million copies and has been translated into more than 50 languages. Moreover, The Hunger Games books appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 260 consecutive weeks (more than five straight years).
After writing the last installment in 2010, Collins teased in 2013 that she was working on a new series, but did not say whether it was related to The Hunger Games.
This time, the novel will be set in the world of Panem, 64 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy—the morning where Katniss Everdeen volunteered as a tribute on the 74th Hunger Games. Presumably, Katniss Everdeen played by Jeniffer Lawrence will not be involved in the upcoming novel.
Based on the previous novels in the series, 74 years before the main novels, the 13 Districts of Panem already tried to initiate a rebellion against the Capital. In the aftermath of the failed attempt, 12 Districts remained to leave District 13 to rubbles. The Hunger Games was a result and served as a reminder that all the other Districts should obediently comply with the Capital's rule.
The novel will take place 10 years after the first rebellion and will tell the story of Panem during the "Dark Days following a failed rebellion in Panem "With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival," Collins told the Associated Press in the announcement. "The reconstruction period 10 years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days — as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet — provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity."
On other news, the Lionsgate film studio, who adapted The Hunger Games trilogy into movies, is already looking forward to the next addition to Collins' franchise given that it received praise and public attention for producing them.
"As the proud home of the Hunger Games movies, we can hardly wait for Suzanne's next book to be published," said Joe Drake, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, in a recent statement to the Associated Press. "We've been communicating with her during the writing process and we look forward to continuing to work closely with her on the movie."S
Lionsgate turned Collins' Hunger Games novels into a series of four films, dividing the last novel, Hunger Games: Mockingjay, into a two-part finale. Over the course of the four movies, it earned almost $3 billion dollars an the worldwide box office with the last movie earning $653.4 million.
Collins helped with the movies as an executive producer and a co-screenwriter on the first 2012 movie but distanced herself after she finalized Mockingjay in 2010.
Lionsgate is also known to have produced Twilight, which is one of their platinum franchises along with Collins' trilogy. The studio earlier licensed The Hunger Games to theme parks and live concert tours being built around the movie franchise.
Additionally, it starred Jenniffer Lawrence who played the main character as Katniss Everdeen in all of the four movies, which helped catapult her acting career in 2012.
Scholastic acquired world English rights to the prequel novel and it will publish in print, digital and audio formats in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand next year. The deal was negotiated by Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio for Suzanne Collins and David Levithan, VP, Publisher, and Editorial Director, for Scholastic.
Editors' Pick
Global Ice Melting At Rates Faster Than Expected
The global ice, or the size and number of glaciers located across cold spots around the world, is a clear indicator of the effects of global warming. With human's excessive and consistent use of o-zone depleting resources such as fossil fuels — the rate of global ice is melting will only keep accelerating.
The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that based on data they have gathered since the1900s, glaciers around the globe are shrinking and melting at an alarming rate.
Arctic sea ice has been in constant general low over the years following the increasing trend of greenhouse gas. Additionally, as the frozen ground across the Arctic melts, it releases a massive amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Scientists say that this effect could make global ice melt accelerate even faster.
A separate study found that parts of the Canadian Arctic are experiencing a rate of permafrost thaw six times the long-term average.
Meanwhile, melted ice is especially notable both in and around Greenland — home to the second largest ice sheet on the planet.
"Communities in #Greenland rely on the sea ice for transport, hunting, and fishing. Extreme events, here flooding of the ice by abrupt onset of surface melt call for increased predictive capacity in the Arctic," Steffen Olsen, a climate researcher at the Danish Meteorological Institute said in a tweet.
Olsen was referring to Greenland losing 2 billion metric tons of ice. "The high melt is unusual so early in the season but not unprecedented," Greenland Ice said in a tweet.
Experts are calling the lost ice "not normal" considering that it equates to almost half of Greenland. Roughly 45 percent of the ice sheet surface has been melting. Usually, less than 10 percent of the ice sheet surface is melting at this time of year. According to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Wednesday set a daily record for the widest melt area on that date, with 275,000 square miles.
"I'm losing the ability to communicate the magnitude [of change]," Jeremy Mathis, a longtime Arctic researcher and a current board director at the National Academies of Sciences told Mashable. "I'm running out of adjectives to describe the scope of change we're seeing."
On other parts of the globe, a city in western Alaska is experiencing drastic changes to its land formations as the state's ice and permafrost are starting to thaw away.
"Springtime in Alaska isn't what it used to be. This is the 3rd time past 21 years we can say" warmest spring of record." 1998 was the warmest to date, exceeded in 2016 and now 2016 exceeded in 2019. Trend +4.0F (+2.2C) since the 1970s." Rick Thoman said in a tweet.
The continued ice and permafrost melting in Iceland are causing significant damages in terms of requiring towns and villages like Newtok in western Alaska to relocate to avoid dangers.
"It's a real challenge because in the US there isn't the precedence to deal with this and there isn't the political framework to deal with it either," said Susan Natali, a scientist and Arctic expert at the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. "The numbers needing relocation will grow, the costs are going up and people's lives and cultural practices will be impacted.
"Every year there's a new temperature record, it's getting worse and worse and you feel like a broken record saying it. This should be the number one urgent conversation happening right now because it's not just going to be Alaska, it's going to be other communities all over the US," Natali added.
The problem does not only persist in Greenland, the Arctic or Alaska. Global ice is melting all across the globe. "The famed snows of Kilimanjaro have melted more than 80 percent since 1912. Glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya in India are retreating so fast that researchers believe that most central and eastern Himalayan glaciers could virtually disappear by 2035 […] From the Arctic to Peru, from Switzerland to the equatorial glaciers of Man Jaya in Indonesia, massive ice fields, monstrous glaciers, and sea ice are disappearing, fast," the National Geographic reported.
This week, the Pope has talked to oil executives in the Vatican to find solutions in the growing problem of global warming. He called for a "radical energy transition" from conventional fossil fuels and develop greener energy alternatives.
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The topic of the Batman vs. Superman sequel to Man of Steel is heating up something fierce. While we've been discussing fanboy goodies like reasons why a Superman/Batman movie can be a hit or what comic books to draw from, other websites have been digging for any scoops they can related to the film, resulting in some conflicting casting rumors that are (in our humble opinion) good either way, no matter what turns out to be true.
We've already discussed why a Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne/Lex Luthor setup is best for Man of Steel 2, and even actor choices to play a mature Bruce/Batman - but what about Luthor? Which actors are suited to portraying Superman's archenemies, a serpentine businessman who is also the greatest criminal mind of his time?
According to El Mayimbe at Latino-Review - via some not-so-subtle Twitter hints - Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston is the man Warner Bros. is looking at to play the new Lex Luthor:
Actor for Lex is so painfully obvious/on the nose, u wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Hell, I don't believe it myself. Take a guess?
— elmayimbe (@elmayimbe) August 8, 2013
FANBOY BLIND ITEM: Which superhot actor finishing final season of hit TV show who also was in 2 films for WB is up for juicy badguy part? :)
— elmayimbe (@elmayimbe) August 8, 2013
FINAL CLUE FOR Y'ALL FANBOY KNUCKLEHEADS WHO CAN'T TAKE A HINT: This actor played a bad guy (embarrassed that he did) on the POWER RANGERS.
— elmayimbe (@elmayimbe) August 8, 2013
However, Digital Spy has a conflicting report (actually, it's not so much a report as an interview) in which they spoke to Kick-Ass and Green Lantern star Mark Strong about rumors that he has been approached to play Luthor in the next Superman film. Strong's response to the query was a bit too cryptic to be ignored: "All I can say is... watch this space."
From a credibility standpoint, either actor is a believable enough choice. As Mayimbe stated, Cranston is finishing up a chapter of his career with the final episodes of Breaking Bad, and could indeed be looking for that big franchise payday as reward for his years of hustling in the industry. Meanwhile, Strong is one of the, well, strongest character actors working today - not to mention, he has a relationship with DC/WB, having played a major supporting role in their Green Lantern tentpole.
The downsides? Well, Cranston will be nearly sixty by the time Batman vs. Superman is released, and having seen him go bald for major stretches of Breaking Bad, the man certainly looks his age (read: too old, arguably, to stand against Henry Cavill - even if Cavill will be standing next to a somewhat older Batman). Strong (at age 50) is no spring chicken, either, but it's hard to debate that something in his Austrian/Italian genes is preserving him well: he looks like he would be a better Lex to stand against Cavill's Superman and an older Batman.
Sure, Strong has already been cast as a major DC Universe character (Sinestro in Green Lantern), but A) He was under enough makeup that the casual moviegoer likely didn't recognize him, and B) DC/WB currently seems intent on ignoring Green Lantern's existence in the universe they are building. Taking those points into account, a Mark Strong DC movie double-dip shouldn't be that much of a problem. Plus, Sherlock Holmes (another WB tentpole) proved that Strong is more than solid as a diabolical criminal genius; taking on an icon like Lex would be no problem for an actor of his caliber. Cranston on the other hand, can get a little hammy in his film roles (sorry, I said it).
Provided that even ONE of these options is true - who would YOU rather see play Lex Luthor? Vote in our poll below!
[poll id="659"]
Batman vs. Superman (Man of Steel 2) will be in theaters sometime in 2015. Stay tuned for updates.
Sources: El Mayimbe & Digital SpyEndgame Writers Confirm Electric State Movie is Still Happening
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A panel of federal judges told parties in a Texas redistricting case Wednesday not to expect a ruling within 30 days, throwing the date of the state's political primaries further in doubt.
A ruling by the District of Columbia court in the complex case was expected to provide guidance to another San Antonio federal panel trying to draw new maps for state House, Senate and congressional elections.
If the San Antonio court wants to maintain the April 3 primary date, "it will have to draw plans without benefit of a ruling from District Court in D.C.," said Nina Perales with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
The San Antonio court could wait until it receives a ruling from the D.C. court, which concluded testimony this week on dilution of minority voting strength and discriminatory intent.
Lawyers for the state of Texas defended the maps as drawn for political gain, with no discriminatory intent.
Texas is one of nine mostly southern states under the Voting Rights Act that must receive prior approval from the Justice Department or federal court to implement changes to political maps or processes because of a past history of discrimination.
Minority groups also claim the state diluted minority voting strength in maps drawn for state Senate seats.
Perales said that if the San Antonio court moves forward without a ruling from the D.C. court, it risks the issuance of mixed decisions by federal courts on Voting Rights Act issues.
The D.C. court issued a one-paragraph notice to litigants in the case urging all parties to comply with deadlines to file materials. The court said it "does not anticipate issuing any order within the next 30 days."
The Texas attorney general's office is "working to resolve the redistricting matters as quickly as possible in a way that properly and fairly applies the law….." said Lauren Bean, a spokeswoman for the Texas attorney general's office. "Our primary focus is protecting the integrity of Texas' elections and ensuring they are based on legally constructed redistricting maps —as quickly as possible."
"What we're awaiting is an indication from the San Antonio panel" as to what they are going to do, said Chris Elam, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Texas. "The ball rests in their court."
Boyd Richie, the Texas Democratic Party chairman, said that he no longer believes maps will be available in time for April elections unless a settlement is reached.
The San Antonio court gave all parties until Feb. 6 to draw a consensus map or risk seeing the primaries slide further back into the calendar year.
Negotiations over a consensus map broke down over the weekend.
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, an African-American lawmaker and party to the Texas redistricting case, said her attorney was not included in talks among Latino groups and the Texas attorney general over a possible consensus map.
A lawyer for Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, told the D.C. court that hurdles remain over a consensus map on congressional districts.
Because the D.C. court is not going to be rushed in its opinion, "the San Antonio court should draw the maps" on an interim basis, said state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.
Martinez Fischer said pressure is now placed on groups to resume talks on a consensus map.
"Anybody interested in having a primary election sooner than later should talk," Martinez Fischer said.


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UK Bushcraft videos
Edible wild plants
During an A-Z of Bushcraft you will learn to live comfortably in a wilderness environment using the minimum of modern equipment. You will learn how to safely use knives and axes, build shelter and find wild food. Filmed in beautiful locations in Britain, the series is a non-profit making project by award winning undercurrents.org. Presented by Andrew Price, founder of Dryad Bushcraft based in South Wales, UK.


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The Glade of Dreams is in trouble once again! During a 100-year nap, the nightmares multiplied and spread, creating new monsters even more terrifying than before! These creatures are the stuff of legend... Dragons, giant toads, sea monsters, and even evil luchadores. With the help of Murfy, Rayman and Globox awake and must now help fight these nightmares and save the Teensies!


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Next time, install Stick 'Em Up with 1-click
Learn how MacUpdate Desktop can install apps on MacUpdate with the simple click of the icon. Plus, keep all your apps updated.
Stick 'Em Up is a desktop sticky notes application, similar to Apple's Stickies application which is included in Mac OS X. Stick 'Em Up lets you create notes in different colours and sizes that can contain rich text and graphics. With Stick 'Em Up you group your notes in to categories, only the notes in a selected category are shown on screen. You can navigate your categories via the application menu, keyboard commands, the dock icon menu, or with a small categories list window. You can import your notes from Apple's Stickies application, plain text, rich text html and word files. You can print in a variety of styles and export to a
What's New in Stick 'Em Up
Version 2.1
- Added preference to choose default font for new notes
- Improved note printing
- Fixed bug where text in categories window could disappear when being edited
- Fixed bug that could cause importing or exporting to crash
- New look sticky notes with 'window shading' ability, optional scrollbars and smaller minimum size
- New look
Requirements for Stick 'Em UpMac OS X 10.4 or later
Similar Software
Suggest other similar software


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After shutdown of the second stage, the vehicle flew in a powerless glide for over 200 seconds before the third stage separated and ignited. An attitude control system using residual liquid propellant was added to the second stage to control the vehicle in zero-G during the coast. After separation of the second stage, the third stage was spun up to 180 revolutions/minute using a small spin rocket to keep it in stable flight during the solid motor burn.
The development of the solid rocket upper stage was a significant new technology for China in the late 1960's. The third stage motor for the CZ-1 had a diameter of 770 mm, a length of 4 m, and 1.8 tonnes of propellant � far beyond any previous solid motor in China. There was additionally the requirement for reliable high-altitude ignition while spinning at high speed. From May 1969 to January 1970, four full thrust tests of the solid engine under different conditions and one flight test of the two-stage modification of the DF-3 were carried out successfully. On 24 April, 1970, the CZ-1 placed the DFH-1 satellite into orbit on the first attempt. Less than a year later, the back-up vehicle was used to launch the SJ-1 scientific satellite.
On the morning of April 24, 1970, the first and second stages of CZ-1 were loaded with propellant and stacked. The satellite was mated to the spin-stabilized solid-propellant third stage, and the launcher entered the final eight hours of launch preparation. Weather forecast for the launch at 9:30 p.m. called for clouds at above 7,000 meters and a wind speed of less than 4 to 5 meters per second.
The historic launch came at 9:35 p.m. local time (13:35 UTC). Upon hearing the command "ignition", a launch controller pressed the button to start the rocket engines. The three-stage CZ-1, which was 29.46 meters tall and had a maximum diameter of 2.25 meters, lifted off the launch pad with a thrust of 104 tonnes. Liftoff weight of the CZ-1 was 81.5 tonnes. Rocket expert Shen Jianan recounted that "..as soon as I saw the liftoff on the TV screen inside the bunker, I ran outside. I could only see the beautiful rocket lighting up the night sky and streaking towards the southeast. I ran back inside to listen to the transmissions. Broadcasting on the speaker were status reports like 'capturing target', 'nominal tracking', 'nominal flight', 'nominal second and third stage separation'..." Thirteen minutes after launch, at 9:48 p.m., mission control announced "...satellite and rocket stage separation, satellite enters orbit...the bunker was filled with cheers".
China became the fifth nation after the former Soviet Union, the United States, France and Japan to achieve an indigenous space launch capability. At 9:50 p.m., the National Broadcasting Bureau announced the acquisition of the tune 'East is Red' from the satellite loud and clear. In the following days, the People's Central Broadcasting radio and newspapers in Beijing announced and printed worldwide times of DFH-1 and CZ-1 third stage passages, and directions of travel in the sky. Senior officials in Beijing dispatched a chartered plane to JSLC to bring back Qi and other scientists. In the International Labour Day celebration on May 1, Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou warmly welcomed them at the Tiananmen Square.


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Hollywood began to take interest in Elmore Leonard, who died Tuesday, nearly 60 years ago. But back then he wasn't writing the crime novels he became famous for; he focused on western short stories and novels.
Here's a look at some of his earliest adaptations and screenplays:
"Moment of Vengeance": His western short story of the same name was adapted in 1956 for the CBS anthology series "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" and starred Ward Bond, Gene Nelson and Angie Dickinson.
"3:10 to Yuma": Delmer Daves directed this gritty 1957 western drama starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin that was based on Leonard's short tale, "Three-ten to Yuma." James Mangold adapted the story 50 years later with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
"The Tall T": In the 1950s and early 1960s, director Budd Boetticher, actor Randolph Scott and screenwriter Burt Kennedy collaborated on a series of seven dark, complex westerns known as the Ranown Cycle. Leonard's short story, "The Captives," was the basis for their 1957 western drama.
"Hombre": Director Martin Ritt and his "Hud" screenwriters Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr. brought Leonard's revisionist western drama to the big screen in 1967 with Paul Newman starring as an Apache-raised white man.
"The Big Bounce": Leonard's crime thriller was turned into a wan 1969 vehicle for then-married Ryan O'Neal and Leigh Taylor-Young. "I don't think anybody in the picture knew what they were doing," Leonard said of the movie. The 2004 version with Owen Wilson didn't fare much better. "They shot it in Hawaii. They would cut to surfers when they ran out of ideas."
"The Moonshine War": Leonard began writing for the screen with this critically panned 1970 adaptation of his Depression-era crime novel set among moonshiners in Kentucky.
"Valdez is Coming": Edwin Sherin directed this violent 1971 version of Leonard's novel of the same name starring Burt Lancaster as a Mexican-American sheriff who takes on a powerful landowner.
"Joe Kidd": Leonard wrote an original screenplay for this classic 1972 western directed by John Sturges and starring Clint Eastwood as an ex-bounty hunter.
"Mr. Majestyk": Leonard also penned the original screenplay of this Richard Fleischer-directed 1974 action tale about a a melon farmer, played by Charles Bronson, who finds himself taking on the mob because he won't exploit his migrant workers.
"High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane": Leonard provided the screenplay for CBS' disappointing 1980 TV sequel to the 1952 western classic "High Noon." This time around, Lee Majors of "The Six Million Dollar Man" fame flexed his muscles in the role for which Gary Cooper won an Oscar.


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Study abroad?
We've got you covered
February 6, 2013
By Barbara Hein
For three years running, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University have been ranked No. 1 nationally among baccalaureate institutions with students who participate in mid-length study abroad programs, according to Open Doors 2012, the annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
CSB/SJU offers 20 semester-long study abroad programs, including our signature 16 faculty-led programs. We also have more than 20 short-term international options each year, including credit-bearing study abroad, internships and volunteer programs.


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STOCKTON - A defining moment in Anthony Silva's campaign for mayor last year came in a text message that went out en masse to undecided voters.
STOCKTON - A defining moment in Anthony Silva's campaign for mayor last year came in a text message that went out en masse to undecided voters.
Silva consultant N. Allen Sawyer hit send on the message about the same time absentee ballots arrived in mailboxes. It said: "Learn the shocking truth behind Stockton's rising crime." In a flash, 16,000 targeted cellphone users received the alert.
That message marked a shift in the evolution of Stockton politics.
The text linked to a 30-second YouTube video blaming incumbent Mayor Ann Johnston for a spate of gold chain robberies and misspending at City Hall that caused a quarter of police to be laid off.
Within 30 minutes, about 4,000 people had watched the video. Silva went on to win on a shoestring budget despite Johnston's massive war chest funding her traditional race - absent a social media strategy.
"I never had anything that had that level of impact," said Sawyer, noting the power of social media's emerging role in political campaigns. "If anybody doesn't think it's a weapon, they're crazy."
For decades, candidates in Stockton, and communities like it across the country, printed up and mailed out thousands of glossy brochures. They ran costly television and radio advertisements in addition to rallying supporters to spend hours of their weekends bravely knocking on doors.
This paradigm began to change in national politics when presidential candidate Howard Dean in 2004 recognized the potential of online media, at the time using static websites and MySpace.
Four years later, candidate Barack Obama seized its power to reach and mobilize voters through Twitter.
Social media has now taken hold as an effective tool for local candidates attempting to unseat their incumbent rivals. Elected leaders can engage constituents in an ongoing dialogue, making them feel like they're part of the political process.
Council members in Stockton such as Moses Zapien and Michael Tubbs, a Stanford University graduate and former Google intern, have tapped into the power of social media. Zapien posted photos of his Christmas morning spent at the St. Mary's Dining Room.
For all the positive uses of social media, there are pitfalls, said Heather LaMarre, a communications researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Too often, politicians rush into the new terrain of the "twittosphere" and other platforms without first thinking through a strategy. They feel the pressure to have an online presence, saying, "Everybody's doing it - so should I," said LaMarre, who will publish research early next year on the use of social media in politics.
Her research found that baby boomers comprise the fastest growing group of social media users, contradicting the common belief that it is the domain of youth.
Crossing the line of what's appropriate, LaMarre said, local politicians too often tweet from closed-door meetings or lay bare their unbridled emotions in Facebook posts that might later prove to be embarrassing. She compared it to handing someone a microphone that's live 24 hours a day.
"They might as well be on reality TV," LaMarre said. "Is that the most diplomatic or professional way to handle your emotions?"
Stockton has felt these growing pains and has begun to address them. In their final meeting of the year, council members adopted policies restricting the use of Twitter and Facebook from their iPads during meetings to avoid repeating some foibles.
But there is no denying the power of social media in shaping political discourse when it's used correctly.
Lee Neves, a Stockton-based consultant, said he encourages his clients to use traditional methods and spend some money on social media.
In addition to working with Sawyer to run Silva's campaign, Neves last year managed Zapien's victory over Councilwoman Diana Lowery. Zapien seized upon Facebook in a way Lowery didn't, Neves said.
He pointed to a single Facebook post on Zapien's page that resonated most, congratulating the San Francisco Giants on the World Series victory. Despite having no direct relevance to Stockton, Neves said it worked to Zapien's advantage.
"Humanize - make your candidate more relatable," said Neves, adding that residents also hunger for dialogue and to be heard, which social media is made for. "If they want to rant, let them rant."
A paid advertisement or free post on a candidate's Facebook page might spread exponentially from one "friend" to another, or it may even go viral.
Today, people listen to satellite radio, which is free of advertisements, and they record their television programs, allowing them to skip commercials. But look around the next time you eat out and notice how many people are scrolling through their cellphones, Neves said.
"To me, that's value right there," Neves said. "Any campaign that doesn't have a social media aspect to it is going to get lost in the dust."
In his race against incumbent Dale Fritchen, Tubbs used social media to organize supporters, raise money and spread his message, said Nicholas Hatten, a Stockton consultant running Councilwoman Dyane Burgos Medina's campaign.
Tubbs held online town hall meetings via Google+, where he could "hang out" with supporters and answer questions in a real-time video chat, said Hatten, who believes it is ultimately good for the democratic process, despite potential for misuse.
"It's a whole new way of transparency and opening up a dialogue," he said.
Sawyer said he's not sure if Silva would have lost to Johnston without a social media component to his campaign, but it was clear that Silva couldn't afford a traditional campaign, so they had to be smarter.
Sawyer won't talk about strategy for current races he's managing, such as Councilman Paul Canepa's bid for county supervisor and Pat Withrow's run for sheriff. Social media is already playing a role.
It allows a newcomer to put his or her name and message out, taking away the built-in advantage incumbents have for name recognition, said Sawyer, who has produced dozens of short videos for both of his current clients gearing up for 2014 races.
The online videos are much cheaper than traditional media. Sawyer said he can target key demographics and collect data on how many people click a video and watch to the end, making it worth the investment.
"It used to be TV, radio, mail, walking - that was your campaign," Sawyer said. "It's changed so much."