Back to 1969 - a year in the rainforest (thread 69)

The second:

http://www.livescience.com/environment/060330_warming_antarctic.html

"...Signs of global warming are three times more apparent in Antarctica than across the rest of the planet, a new study shows.

Using newly digitized temperature, humidity, and wind data collected from instruments aboard weather balloons between 1971 and 2003, scientists found a winter season warming throughout the Antarctic atmosphere.

The scientists estimate that atmospheric temperatures over Antarctica in the winter have risen by about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 Celsius) in the last 30 years, and the change is due in large part to greenhouse gas emissions.

"Greenhouses gases could be having a bigger impact in Antarctica than across the rest of the world and we don't understand why," said John Turner of the British Antarctic Survey...."

Rare forest man of South Asian, the hoolock gibbon

http://www.livescience.com/imageoftheday/siod_060330.html

That 'man' is apparently a woman...... grin The male was hiding out somewhere.......

all clicked...................

Howdy wildclikers

Info from the 'budget' bill...note the 10 Billion Dollar Gulf Appropriation Recovery Program - talk about a crock!

Budget/Appropriations

On 3/16, the Senate voted 51-49 to pass a $2.8 trillion budget resolution bill
for fiscal year 2007 (S.Con.Res 83). The major component of the bill is $3
billion in revenue that would come from authorization of lease sales for oil
and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The only Democrat to
vote in favor of the budget resolution was Sen. Landrieu (D-LA), who struck a
deal to create a $10 billion fund for Gulf Coast protection and recovery
efforts. The Gulf Coast fund would draw money from a variety of sources,
including revenues from oil and gas development in the Arctic and receipts from
offshore drilling elsewhere. Despite approval of the drilling provision in the
Senate budget bill, several more hurdles would need to be cleared before oil
and gas leasing in the Arctic coastal plain could occur. The House would still
have to pass a budget bill that paves the way for Arctic drilling, and leasing
would then have to be authorized through the subsequent budget reconciliation
process in both chambers.

During consideration of the budget bill, Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) offered an
amendment (S.Amdt.3121) to boost energy program spending that was defeated by a
vote of 46-54. The Bingaman amendment would have added $3.55 billion in energy
program funding for a variety of initiatives, including hybrid vehicle
technologies, fuel cell school buses and advanced coal technologies. The
amendment would have funded the increase by assuming the reauthorization of the
Superfund tax on industry, which has lapsed and currently lacks the support
needed for reinstatement. <tax industry? he jests>

Also on 3/16, the House passed a $92 billion supplemental appropriations bill
(H.R. 4939.) by a vote of 348-71. The legislation would fund the war in Iraq
and increase money available for hurricane recovery on the Gulf Coast. The bill
would provide a $19.1 billion increase in funding for Hurricane Katrina
recovery and restoration efforts. Of the total allocated for hurricane
recovery, $9.55 billion would be directed to the Federal Emergency Management
Agency's Disaster Relief Fund, which could be used for debris removal and
infrastructure repairs. Additionally, the Army Corps of Engineers would receive
$1.46 billion for levee repairs, flood control projects and environmental
restoration. Another $100 million would be specifically targeted for wetlands
restoration. The Senate has not yet started work on its version of the
supplemental bill.

Stradee, I don't quite know how to react to all of that budgeting. Someone had better start actually collecting lease fees if they plan on spending it.

Yup, Dan, I knew it was a female. Just forgot. Actually the word 'man' was used in one of the titles.

ehBeth,

I know I'm causing you some grief on another thread, so I figured I could at least come click a few.

Anon

Funny thing bout appropriations, sue. The money is generally funded elsewhere - as seen with the including restoration of levees and the Iraq war in the same sentence.

Where's the money coming from? Oil leases? Thats a laugh especially since the oil companies won't pay one dime out of their pockets for restoring anything. Collectively, the oil companies could rebuild New Orleans, the gulf states affected by Katrina, and repair their oil rigs - without recieving one dime from the federal government.

What will happen is the States will pay for energy company screw-ups, not industry <unless they are successful with legislation> and we know Alaska is gung ho for drilling ANWR. There is no longer a Superfund tax. Instead, industry receives billions of dollars each year in tax cuts from the federal government.

Will be interesting reading how the Senate revises the 'budget'.

aktbird57 - You and your 293 friends have supported 2,309,990.1 square feet!

Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 105,327.5 square feet.
You have supported: (0.0)
Your 293 friends have supported: (105,327.5)

American Prairie habitat supported: 49,883.5 square feet.
You have supported: (12,056.2)
Your 293 friends have supported: (37,827.3)

Rainforest habitat supported: 2,154,779.0 square feet.
You have supported: (169,386.2)
Your 293 friends have supported: (1,985,392.8)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2309990.1 square feet is equal to 53.03 acres

Clicked. A fine warm day- 20C.

Glad that spring has sprung for you, Ul. Time to change your avatar then.

WIll go click now.

This time Bushco is blaming Congress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101629.html?referrer=email&referrer=email

"EPA May Weaken Rule on Water Quality
Plan Would Affect Towns That Find Complying Costly

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 1, 2006; A04



The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to allow higher levels of contaminants such as arsenic in the drinking water used by small rural communities, in response to complaints that they cannot afford to comply with recently imposed limits.

The proposal would roll back a rule that went into effect earlier this year and make it permissible for water systems serving 10,000 or fewer residents to have three times the level of contaminants allowed under that regulation.

About 50 million people live in communities that would be affected by the proposed change. In the case of arsenic, the most recent EPA data suggest as many as 10 million Americans are drinking water that does not meet the new federal standards."

The "rain" was a joke. Now I have to go drag the hose around again.

Danon- what news about Patti's health. Did I miss it? Good luck and good thoughts to you both.

You and your 293 friends have supported 2,311,722.7 square feet!

Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 105,514.8 square feet.
You have supported: (0.0)
Your 293 friends have supported: (105,514.8)

American Prairie habitat supported: 49,953.7 square feet.
You have supported: (12,079.6)
Your 293 friends have supported: (37,874.1)

Rainforest habitat supported: 2,156,254.1 square feet.
You have supported: (169,409.6)
Your 293 friends have supported: (1,986,844.5)

Hi all,
clicked....................

pwayfarer,
We have confirmed that Patti does not have MS - that's the good news. She does have three cervical vertebra pressing on her spinal cord and causing much pain. Also, she is/was experiencing many tiny strokes in her brain. The scarring from the strokes seem to be healing. We are waiting to see a neurologist about getting the cervicals fixed. That and the right meds for the mini stroke problem and all should be ok. fingers crossed.

Oh, Dan, I'm so glad it's not MS! Here's hoping they can fix Patti good as new. Thoughts and prayers are being sent up for you both.

Just clicked.

You and your 293 friends have supported 2,312,963.6 square feet!

Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 105,655.3 square feet.
You have supported: (0.0)
Your 293 friends have supported: (105,655.3)

American Prairie habitat supported: 49,977.2 square feet.
You have supported: (12,079.6)
Your 293 friends have supported: (37,897.5)

Rainforest habitat supported: 2,157,331.1 square feet.
You have supported: (169,409.6)
Your 293 friends have supported: (1,987,921.5)

All clicked on this fine spring day.

Dan - Start making your travel plan as soon as the cervicals are fixed. Europe - especially the Dordorne seems to cure all ills.
Good luck!

Stradee - did you see this someplace? I can't believe that any arm of Bushco would do the right thing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040101112.html?referrer=email&referrer=email

"River May Flow Again, Full of Salmon
Decisions Limiting Irrigation and Damming on Klamath Could Lead to Revival

By Blaine Harden
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 2, 2006; Page A03

SEATTLE -- Big rivers in the West are reliable sources of bad news. Dammed for electricity and drained for irrigation, they have pushed salmon into extinction, fishermen into bankruptcy and Indians into despair.

This dismal pattern, though, may be ending on the Klamath, which straddles the Oregon-California border and has long been one of the nation's most thoroughly fouled-up rivers. Its woes include massive fish kills, blooms of poisonous algae, diabetic Indians, fuming irrigators, litigious environmentalists and aging dams that produce little power while squatting stolidly in the way of reviving the river."