http://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/world-class-oil-spill-recovery-is.html
Two officials of British Columbia's Raincoast Conservation Society have gutted Joe Oliver's assurances and exposed Sideshow Steve Harper's "world class" oil spill mechanisms as an utter sham.
Misty MacDuffee and Chris Genovali, writing in the Toronto Star, shred Oliver and Harper's empty promises.
The reality is that human nature and physical nature are the forces that produce tragedies at sea. Unforeseen events that inevitably occur in narrow channels, high-traffic corridors and bad weather increase the risk of oil tanker accidents on B.C.’s coast. Major oil spills show that despite assurances of low risk and advanced technology, poor decisions still lead to major incidents.
Groundings, collisions, equipment failures and explosions are all cited as causes for accidents, but these are consequences, not causes. Root causes of incidents are more insidious, with human error, cost-cutting and miscommunication foremost among them.
Lost in all the minister’s warm and fuzzy rhetoric about increased tanker inspections, tanker safety panels and new navigational aids is the fact that human failures account for up to 80 per cent of the world’s oil spills. Underscoring the fact there is no accounting for human error, B.C.’s largest oil spill response vessel ran aground en route to Oliver’s news conference last month.
Oliver’s announcement is viewed by many as nothing more than empty pandering to the legitimate concerns of British Columbians as the phrase “world-class oil spill response and prevention” is a meaningless platitude. There is no such thing as world-class oil spill response and prevention. The existing yardstick is wholly inadequate as estimates of open-water recovery by mechanical equipment recover only 10 to 15 per cent of the oil from a marine spill at best.
As we have learned from previous spills, no response is possible in rough weather, high seas and dangerous conditions. Importantly, these conditions often precede, or follow, oil spills. Pumping and skimming recovery options are impossible in over one knot of tide or in waves over two to three metres. In rough conditions or offshore spills, response is limited to the use of dispersants, as containment is not an option. Dispersants have proven to be largely unsuccessful on water-in-oil emulsions and on oil that has weathered, and will not likely be successful on bitumen. Furthermore, reliable knowledge regarding the extent of dispersant toxicity is lacking.
The Canadian coast guard has also identified uncertainty around the effectiveness of spill recovery with the products that Enbridge plans to transport. In its submission to the joint review panel assessing Northern Gateway, the coast guard stated it was “not aware of a scientific consensus regarding how these products will behave once introduced into the marine environment or the effects over time of the products being in the water. The Canadian coast guard therefore is uncertain whether or not traditional oil spill recovery methods would be effective.”
The coast guard’s fear that bitumen could submerge or sink has recently been reinforced by top Canadian and U.S. chemical scientists. But this would not be the only impact of a diluted bitumen spill. If a slick hits the water, it would immediately release dangerous components that are acutely toxic to fish and animals. Currently, no technology can recover those volatile diluents. The bottom line on the B.C. coast, as has been shown elsewhere, is that having the ability to respond does not necessarily translate into effective cleanup of an oil spill.
What is especially telling is that Oliver's photo-op/press conference on Vancouver's waterfront should have been the perfect opportunity for him to address each of these concerns. They're not new and they go straight to the heart of the Harper/Enbridge/Redford initiative. Yet he ducked each and every one of them and instead prattled on with nonsense aimed to target drylanders to make them believe the government has the real concerns, the one he won't address, under control.
Tuesday 9 April 2013
Sunday 14 October 2012
NATURE NEWS | Crown Capital Management Jakarta Indonesia
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/category/nature-news/
Protein to combat reef-destroying starfish
A group of scientists in Australia has announced this week an potentially effective way to eliminate the destructive starfish, crown of thorns, that are feasting on coral reefs in the Pacific ocean. The crown of thorns is already prominent in the Pacific and Indian Ocean where they feed mainly on coral polyps. Outbreaks of the…
Continue Reading
October 2, 2012
NATURE NEWS
A solution for Asian carp infestation
Brought from the East to aid in managing aquatic plants in aquaculture industries, Asian carp has been unwittingly introduced to freshwater sources of the US. Today, they are seen as a big problem in the fishing industry for their big appetite and fast breeding, overshadowing other fish for space and food in lakes. Asian carp…
Protein to combat reef-destroying starfish
A group of scientists in Australia has announced this week an potentially effective way to eliminate the destructive starfish, crown of thorns, that are feasting on coral reefs in the Pacific ocean. The crown of thorns is already prominent in the Pacific and Indian Ocean where they feed mainly on coral polyps. Outbreaks of the…
Continue Reading
October 2, 2012
NATURE NEWS
A solution for Asian carp infestation
Brought from the East to aid in managing aquatic plants in aquaculture industries, Asian carp has been unwittingly introduced to freshwater sources of the US. Today, they are seen as a big problem in the fishing industry for their big appetite and fast breeding, overshadowing other fish for space and food in lakes. Asian carp…
Crown Eco Management Beeswax discovered as ancient tooth filling | Crown Capital Management Jakarta Indonesia
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/beeswax-discovered-as-ancient-tooth-filling/
An ancient tooth patched with beeswax filling and was recovered from Slovenia a hundred years ago could very well be the oldest evidence of ancient dentistry.
According to a report by researchers published in the PLoS ONE journal last week, the beeswax filling is 6,500 years old and was applied on a tooth recovered from Italy. It was estimated that the person who owned it could be in his 20s. Furthermore, the extreme wear on the tooth is evident of other activities like making tools, weaving and softening leather where it was used, aside from eating.
Radiocarbon dating performed on the beeswax and a large ion accelerator, revealing it to be thousands of years old. The particular jaw has been in an international center for a hundred years and yet no one noticed something interesting in it until recently.
The beeswax is apparently applied to the left tooth of a jaw around the time of death but scientists cannot determine if it was before or after. But if the person was still alive when the beeswax was applied to his tooth, then this discovery could be the oldest evidence of therapeutic dentistry in the European region.
Experts assume that the beeswax application might be for relieving sensitivity and pain in teeth so they are now looking into dental tests to verify if this treatment will be effective.
“At the moment we do not have any idea if this is an isolated case or if similar interventions were quite spread in Neolithic Europe. In collaboration with our interdisciplinary team, we are planning to analyze other Neolithic teeth in order to understand how widespread these types of interventions were,” said archeologist Federico Bernardini.
On the other hand, it is also possible that the beeswax was placed on the tooth after death as part of burial customs at that time, and that the crack they found was due to its exposure for many years. This particular hypothesis is believed to be unlikely because of how the beeswax was placed in the crack.
Discovering proof of ancient dentistry is very rare, with oldest examples dating back from 5000 to 9000 year-old teeth found in the Middle East.
An ancient tooth patched with beeswax filling and was recovered from Slovenia a hundred years ago could very well be the oldest evidence of ancient dentistry.
According to a report by researchers published in the PLoS ONE journal last week, the beeswax filling is 6,500 years old and was applied on a tooth recovered from Italy. It was estimated that the person who owned it could be in his 20s. Furthermore, the extreme wear on the tooth is evident of other activities like making tools, weaving and softening leather where it was used, aside from eating.
Radiocarbon dating performed on the beeswax and a large ion accelerator, revealing it to be thousands of years old. The particular jaw has been in an international center for a hundred years and yet no one noticed something interesting in it until recently.
The beeswax is apparently applied to the left tooth of a jaw around the time of death but scientists cannot determine if it was before or after. But if the person was still alive when the beeswax was applied to his tooth, then this discovery could be the oldest evidence of therapeutic dentistry in the European region.
Experts assume that the beeswax application might be for relieving sensitivity and pain in teeth so they are now looking into dental tests to verify if this treatment will be effective.
“At the moment we do not have any idea if this is an isolated case or if similar interventions were quite spread in Neolithic Europe. In collaboration with our interdisciplinary team, we are planning to analyze other Neolithic teeth in order to understand how widespread these types of interventions were,” said archeologist Federico Bernardini.
On the other hand, it is also possible that the beeswax was placed on the tooth after death as part of burial customs at that time, and that the crack they found was due to its exposure for many years. This particular hypothesis is believed to be unlikely because of how the beeswax was placed in the crack.
Discovering proof of ancient dentistry is very rare, with oldest examples dating back from 5000 to 9000 year-old teeth found in the Middle East.
Crown Eco Management Protein to combat reef-destroying starfish | Crown Capital Management Jakarta Indonesia
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/protein-to-combat-reef-destroying-starfish/
A group of scientists in Australia has announced this week an potentially effective way to eliminate the destructive starfish, crown of thorns, that are feasting on coral reefs in the Pacific ocean.
The crown of thorns is already prominent in the Pacific and Indian Ocean where they feed mainly on coral polyps. Outbreaks of the large and poisonous starfish are blamed for the massive destruction of corals.
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the northeastern coast of Australia and composed of thousands of reef formations. The report by Australian Institute of Marine Science showed that almost half of the coral reef is gone compared to its size 30 years ago.
Clearly, the first phase would be to remove the voracious eaters, starfish, and convince farming operations to reduce their chemical-laden runoffs that victimize coral, and in some cases even support the starfish growth.
James Cook University in Queensland announced their discovery of a bacteria culture that could help in preserving the Great Barrier Reef by killing the culprit, starfish. The protein mixture where the bacteria is cultured was discovered to be capable of destroying starfish within 24 hours.
According to researchers of the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the university, the next phase will deal with determining how safe the protein is when it comes to other marine life.
“In developing a biological control you have to be very careful to target only the species you are aiming at, and be certain that it can cause no harm to other species or to the wider environment. This compound looks very promising from that standpoint — though there is a lot of tank testing still to do before we would ever consider trialing it in the sea,” said Professor Morgan Pratchett of the ARC center.
However, this discovery alone is not enough to curb the massive outbreaks of starfish being seen today.
A group of scientists in Australia has announced this week an potentially effective way to eliminate the destructive starfish, crown of thorns, that are feasting on coral reefs in the Pacific ocean.
The crown of thorns is already prominent in the Pacific and Indian Ocean where they feed mainly on coral polyps. Outbreaks of the large and poisonous starfish are blamed for the massive destruction of corals.
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the northeastern coast of Australia and composed of thousands of reef formations. The report by Australian Institute of Marine Science showed that almost half of the coral reef is gone compared to its size 30 years ago.
Clearly, the first phase would be to remove the voracious eaters, starfish, and convince farming operations to reduce their chemical-laden runoffs that victimize coral, and in some cases even support the starfish growth.
James Cook University in Queensland announced their discovery of a bacteria culture that could help in preserving the Great Barrier Reef by killing the culprit, starfish. The protein mixture where the bacteria is cultured was discovered to be capable of destroying starfish within 24 hours.
According to researchers of the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the university, the next phase will deal with determining how safe the protein is when it comes to other marine life.
“In developing a biological control you have to be very careful to target only the species you are aiming at, and be certain that it can cause no harm to other species or to the wider environment. This compound looks very promising from that standpoint — though there is a lot of tank testing still to do before we would ever consider trialing it in the sea,” said Professor Morgan Pratchett of the ARC center.
However, this discovery alone is not enough to curb the massive outbreaks of starfish being seen today.
Crown Eco Management Mini satellite from Japan will send Morse |Crown Capital Management Jakarta Indonesia
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/mini-satellite-from-japan-will-send-morse/
Five small low-cost satellites are deployed today from the ISS to conduct scientific missions and test a possible type of optical communication scheme.
CubeSats, palm-sized satellites measuring 4 inches, are solar-powered cubes that will orbit the Earth for the next 100 days.
One of the satellites launched was a Japanese one tasked with sending a Morse code message that would be seen across the world.
To be the first orbiter to transmit a message across the sky using LED is what the designers of the satellite is hoping to achieve. The small cube, measuring only 10cm, is set to send a message in Morse code using bursts of intense light.
The message was only meant to be seen in Japan but according to Professor Takushi Tanaka of Fukuoka Institute of Technology, they were flooded with requests from researchers in Slovakia, Germany, Britain, Hungary, Italy and US that the satellite also communicate when it flies over their countries.
“Requests came from far more people than I expected – a man in Silicon Valley wanted to see it while another man wanted us to flash it over Central Park in New York,” said Professor Tanaka.
Tanaka said they would try their best to fulfill the requests but also cautioned observers against possible deception from random light flashes and added that seeing the Morse code message would depend on the weather.
The satellite is named Niwaka, a pun in southwestern dialect of Japan. It will flash the message “Hi this is Niwaka Japan” to observers around the world equipped with binoculars. They will, weather-permitting, be able to catch colored flashes of light from the sky — red for those in the southern hemisphere and green for those in the northern. That is because the front part of the satellite has a differently colored LED from its back part.
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have launched the satellite from its Kibou (Hope) laboratory and is set to orbit Earth 16 times per day. Three of the five satellites launched is from Japan, each of them provided by Wakayama University, Tohoku University and Fukuoka Institute of Technology.
Aside from transmitting the Morse message, the satellite is also set to take pictures of Earth using its camera and high-speed data transmission capability.
The satellites were released at 400 km above the Earth last week and is now in regular orbit. Certain locations and times will be announced on the ISS website.
Five small low-cost satellites are deployed today from the ISS to conduct scientific missions and test a possible type of optical communication scheme.
CubeSats, palm-sized satellites measuring 4 inches, are solar-powered cubes that will orbit the Earth for the next 100 days.
One of the satellites launched was a Japanese one tasked with sending a Morse code message that would be seen across the world.
To be the first orbiter to transmit a message across the sky using LED is what the designers of the satellite is hoping to achieve. The small cube, measuring only 10cm, is set to send a message in Morse code using bursts of intense light.
The message was only meant to be seen in Japan but according to Professor Takushi Tanaka of Fukuoka Institute of Technology, they were flooded with requests from researchers in Slovakia, Germany, Britain, Hungary, Italy and US that the satellite also communicate when it flies over their countries.
“Requests came from far more people than I expected – a man in Silicon Valley wanted to see it while another man wanted us to flash it over Central Park in New York,” said Professor Tanaka.
Tanaka said they would try their best to fulfill the requests but also cautioned observers against possible deception from random light flashes and added that seeing the Morse code message would depend on the weather.
The satellite is named Niwaka, a pun in southwestern dialect of Japan. It will flash the message “Hi this is Niwaka Japan” to observers around the world equipped with binoculars. They will, weather-permitting, be able to catch colored flashes of light from the sky — red for those in the southern hemisphere and green for those in the northern. That is because the front part of the satellite has a differently colored LED from its back part.
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have launched the satellite from its Kibou (Hope) laboratory and is set to orbit Earth 16 times per day. Three of the five satellites launched is from Japan, each of them provided by Wakayama University, Tohoku University and Fukuoka Institute of Technology.
Aside from transmitting the Morse message, the satellite is also set to take pictures of Earth using its camera and high-speed data transmission capability.
The satellites were released at 400 km above the Earth last week and is now in regular orbit. Certain locations and times will be announced on the ISS website.
Crown Eco Management Giant mammoth carcass in Siberian frost | Crown Capital Management Jakarta Indonesia
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/giant-mammoth-carcass-in-siberian-frost/
Yevgeny Salinder, an 11-year old Russian boy, is the one who discovered the massive remains of the mammoth in August.
The mammoth, estimated to be at its 16 year when it died measured 2 meters and weighed 1,000 pounds, was excavated from the Siberian permafrost last month.
”It is the mammoth of the century,” said Professor Alexei Tikhonov of the Zoological Museum in St Petersburg.
According to a Russian scientist, the well-preserved mammoth could be attacked by another mammoth or an Ice Age man. It was best preserved remains of a mature mammoth but its DNA was already damaged and would be difficult to use for cloning.
The International Mammoth Committee working to recover and protect ancient remains: “We had to use both traditional instruments such as axes, picks, shovels as well as such devices as this ‘steamer’ which allowed us to thaw a thin layer of permafrost. Then we cleaned it off, and then we melted more of it. It took us a week to complete this task.”
A group of researchers from different countries have visited the site in September and they were surprised to see that the remains were not only made up of bones but in fact, complete with hair, one tusk and soft tissues.
“We can see that this animal was very well adapted to the northern environment, accumulating massive amounts of fat. This animal likely died during the summer period as we can’t see much of its undercoat, but it had already accumulated a sufficient amount of fat,” said Aleksey Tikhonov from the Russian Academy of Sciences .
Principal analysis on the creature’s remains has disproved that the big humps on mammoths depicted in cave paintings in European countries were not actually extension of their bone structure but great reserves of fat that helped them manipulate their body temperature during long winter seasons.
The mammoth, named as Zhenya after the 11-year old boy, is set to be the main exhibit in the Taimyr Regional Museum and will be transferred to the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Yevgeny Salinder, an 11-year old Russian boy, is the one who discovered the massive remains of the mammoth in August.
The mammoth, estimated to be at its 16 year when it died measured 2 meters and weighed 1,000 pounds, was excavated from the Siberian permafrost last month.
”It is the mammoth of the century,” said Professor Alexei Tikhonov of the Zoological Museum in St Petersburg.
According to a Russian scientist, the well-preserved mammoth could be attacked by another mammoth or an Ice Age man. It was best preserved remains of a mature mammoth but its DNA was already damaged and would be difficult to use for cloning.
The International Mammoth Committee working to recover and protect ancient remains: “We had to use both traditional instruments such as axes, picks, shovels as well as such devices as this ‘steamer’ which allowed us to thaw a thin layer of permafrost. Then we cleaned it off, and then we melted more of it. It took us a week to complete this task.”
A group of researchers from different countries have visited the site in September and they were surprised to see that the remains were not only made up of bones but in fact, complete with hair, one tusk and soft tissues.
“We can see that this animal was very well adapted to the northern environment, accumulating massive amounts of fat. This animal likely died during the summer period as we can’t see much of its undercoat, but it had already accumulated a sufficient amount of fat,” said Aleksey Tikhonov from the Russian Academy of Sciences .
Principal analysis on the creature’s remains has disproved that the big humps on mammoths depicted in cave paintings in European countries were not actually extension of their bone structure but great reserves of fat that helped them manipulate their body temperature during long winter seasons.
The mammoth, named as Zhenya after the 11-year old boy, is set to be the main exhibit in the Taimyr Regional Museum and will be transferred to the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Crown Eco Management A solution for Asian carp infestation | Crown Capital Management Jakarta Management
http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/a-solution-for-asian-carp-infestation/
Brought from the East to aid in managing aquatic plants in aquaculture industries, Asian carp has been unwittingly introduced to freshwater sources of the US. Today, they are seen as a big problem in the fishing industry for their big appetite and fast breeding, overshadowing other fish for space and food in lakes.
Asian carp presence has been recorded in around 18 states and are already established in the areas of Missouri and Illinois. The fish threatening to mess with the USD 7 billion sport and commercial fishing industry of the Great Lakes can grow up to 100 pounds and measure over 4 feet.
Some are saying that the easy solution for this is closing the canal systems and any other point of entry of asian carps. However, such a step will certainly cost billions, not only in construction but also in lost profit from boat traffic that uses the canal system.
Last resort options to prevent upsetting the marine biodiversity in the Great Lakes are harmful to other industries and would also worsen the road traffic, ergo an increase in carbon emissions.
The Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework of the government is set to allocate USD 51.5 billion to protect the Great Lakes from the asian carp infestation. This program apparently involves methods to kill or drive them away, from poison pellets to soundwave-shooting underwater guns.
A more permanent and beneficial solution seems to be to catch the asian carps and turn them into foodstuffs like what Schafer Fisheries in Illinois is doing. Schafer has been selling 10 million lbs of asian carp across the world, satisfying a demand for them in other parts of the world while helping their locality get rid of a major headache. Asian carps can be processed into food products like sausage, jerk, hotdogs and can also be included in fertilizers. Even if this one industry will not be enough to totally stop the proliferation of Asian carp, it can at least be a major step in finding a solution.
Asian carp is a collective term for several species of carp: grass carp, black carp, silver carp and bighead carp.
Brought from the East to aid in managing aquatic plants in aquaculture industries, Asian carp has been unwittingly introduced to freshwater sources of the US. Today, they are seen as a big problem in the fishing industry for their big appetite and fast breeding, overshadowing other fish for space and food in lakes.
Asian carp presence has been recorded in around 18 states and are already established in the areas of Missouri and Illinois. The fish threatening to mess with the USD 7 billion sport and commercial fishing industry of the Great Lakes can grow up to 100 pounds and measure over 4 feet.
Some are saying that the easy solution for this is closing the canal systems and any other point of entry of asian carps. However, such a step will certainly cost billions, not only in construction but also in lost profit from boat traffic that uses the canal system.
Last resort options to prevent upsetting the marine biodiversity in the Great Lakes are harmful to other industries and would also worsen the road traffic, ergo an increase in carbon emissions.
The Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework of the government is set to allocate USD 51.5 billion to protect the Great Lakes from the asian carp infestation. This program apparently involves methods to kill or drive them away, from poison pellets to soundwave-shooting underwater guns.
A more permanent and beneficial solution seems to be to catch the asian carps and turn them into foodstuffs like what Schafer Fisheries in Illinois is doing. Schafer has been selling 10 million lbs of asian carp across the world, satisfying a demand for them in other parts of the world while helping their locality get rid of a major headache. Asian carps can be processed into food products like sausage, jerk, hotdogs and can also be included in fertilizers. Even if this one industry will not be enough to totally stop the proliferation of Asian carp, it can at least be a major step in finding a solution.
Asian carp is a collective term for several species of carp: grass carp, black carp, silver carp and bighead carp.
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