Credit To MSNBC ?When Sam Klein was still in kindergarten, he became fascinated with the things we throw away. Every week, on trash-collection day, the curious youngster would wait outside his house in St. Louis to watch, talk with, and oftentimes assist the visiting garbage men as they made their daily rounds. It was then, perhaps, that Sam first learned of the ugly realities of landfills ? which may be why the now 12-year-old entrepreneur has entered the national spotlight for his recycling business.
?When you throw something away ? it hasn?t gone away,? says Sam. ?It?s just gone to a different location.?
So, for the last few years, Sam has dedicated his free time visiting local businesses to collect their empty printer ink cartridges, an easily recyclable item too often destined for the local dump. Once he gathers enough, Sam sorts them and sends them back by the box-full to the manufacturers, who pay sometimes as much as $200 for the recycled materials.
While his bold plan has shown that recycling can be profitable for both the environment and business-owners, the preteen pioneer never intended to line his pockets. Sam has donated all proceeds from his recycling charity ? around $1,000 so far!
?It hurts him to see someone tossed aside, whether it?s a person or it?s garbage,? says Sam?s mother, Rachel.
Earlier this week, Sam garnered some well-deserved national attention. The story of this recycling philanthropist?s remarkable work was featured on NBC Nightly News ? inspiring countless others with Sam?s youthful wisdom and contribution to making the world a better, cleaner, place.?
@JERSEYNIGERIAN
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Cornell researchers warn that Arctic ice melt is setting stage for severe wintersPublic release date: 6-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: John Carberry johncarberry@cornell.edu 607-255-5353 Cornell University
ITHACA, N.Y. The dramatic melt-off of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is hitting closer to home than millions of Americans might think.
That's because melting Arctic sea ice can trigger a domino effect leading to increased odds of severe winter weather outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere's middle latitudes think the "Snowmageddon" storm that hamstrung Washington, D.C., during February 2010.
Cornell's Charles H. Greene, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences, and Bruce C. Monger, senior research associate in the same department, detail this phenomenon in a paper published in the June issue of the journal Oceanography.
"Everyone thinks of Arctic climate change as this remote phenomenon that has little effect on our everyday lives," Greene said. "But what goes on in the Arctic remotely forces our weather patterns here."
A warmer Earth increases the melting of sea ice during summer, exposing darker ocean water to incoming sunlight. This causes increased absorption of solar radiation and excess summertime heating of the ocean further accelerating the ice melt. The excess heat is released to the atmosphere, especially during the autumn, decreasing the temperature and atmospheric pressure gradients between the Arctic and middle latitudes.
A diminished latitudinal pressure gradient is associated with a weakening of the winds associated with the polar vortex and jet stream. Since the polar vortex normally retains the cold Arctic air masses up above the Arctic Circle, its weakening allows the cold air to invade lower latitudes.
The recent observations present a new twist to the Arctic Oscillation a natural pattern of climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere. Before humans began warming the planet, the Arctic's climate system naturally oscillated between conditions favorable and those unfavorable for invasions of cold Arctic air.
"What's happening now is that we are changing the climate system, especially in the Arctic, and that's increasing the odds for the negative AO conditions that favor cold air invasions and severe winter weather outbreaks," Greene said. "It's something to think about given our recent history."
This past winter, an extended cold snap descended on central and Eastern Europe in mid-January, with temperatures approaching minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit and snowdrifts reaching rooftops. And there were the record snowstorms fresh in the memories of residents from several eastern U.S. cities, such as Washington, New York and Philadelphia, as well as many other parts of the Eastern Seaboard during the previous two years.
Greene and Monger did note that their paper is being published just after one of the warmest winters in the eastern U.S. on record.
"It's a great demonstration of the complexities of our climate system and how they influence our regional weather patterns," Greene said.
In any particular region, many factors can have an influence, including the El Nino/La Nina cycle. This winter, La Nina in the Pacific shifted undulations in the jet stream so that while many parts of the Northern Hemisphere were hit by the severe winter weather patterns expected during a bout of negative AO conditions, much of the eastern United States basked in the warm tropical air that swung north with the jet stream.
"It turns out that while the eastern U.S. missed out on the cold and snow this winter, and experienced record-breaking warmth during March, many other parts of the Northern Hemisphere were not so fortunate," Greene said.
Europe and Alaska experienced record-breaking winter storms, and the global average temperature during March 2012 was cooler than any other March since 1999.
"A lot of times people say, 'Wait a second, which is it going to be more snow or more warming?' Well, it depends on a lot of factors, and I guess this was a really good winter demonstrating that," Greene said. "What we can expect, however, is the Arctic wildcard stacking the deck in favor of more severe winter outbreaks in the future."
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Cornell researchers warn that Arctic ice melt is setting stage for severe wintersPublic release date: 6-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: John Carberry johncarberry@cornell.edu 607-255-5353 Cornell University
ITHACA, N.Y. The dramatic melt-off of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is hitting closer to home than millions of Americans might think.
That's because melting Arctic sea ice can trigger a domino effect leading to increased odds of severe winter weather outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere's middle latitudes think the "Snowmageddon" storm that hamstrung Washington, D.C., during February 2010.
Cornell's Charles H. Greene, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences, and Bruce C. Monger, senior research associate in the same department, detail this phenomenon in a paper published in the June issue of the journal Oceanography.
"Everyone thinks of Arctic climate change as this remote phenomenon that has little effect on our everyday lives," Greene said. "But what goes on in the Arctic remotely forces our weather patterns here."
A warmer Earth increases the melting of sea ice during summer, exposing darker ocean water to incoming sunlight. This causes increased absorption of solar radiation and excess summertime heating of the ocean further accelerating the ice melt. The excess heat is released to the atmosphere, especially during the autumn, decreasing the temperature and atmospheric pressure gradients between the Arctic and middle latitudes.
A diminished latitudinal pressure gradient is associated with a weakening of the winds associated with the polar vortex and jet stream. Since the polar vortex normally retains the cold Arctic air masses up above the Arctic Circle, its weakening allows the cold air to invade lower latitudes.
The recent observations present a new twist to the Arctic Oscillation a natural pattern of climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere. Before humans began warming the planet, the Arctic's climate system naturally oscillated between conditions favorable and those unfavorable for invasions of cold Arctic air.
"What's happening now is that we are changing the climate system, especially in the Arctic, and that's increasing the odds for the negative AO conditions that favor cold air invasions and severe winter weather outbreaks," Greene said. "It's something to think about given our recent history."
This past winter, an extended cold snap descended on central and Eastern Europe in mid-January, with temperatures approaching minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit and snowdrifts reaching rooftops. And there were the record snowstorms fresh in the memories of residents from several eastern U.S. cities, such as Washington, New York and Philadelphia, as well as many other parts of the Eastern Seaboard during the previous two years.
Greene and Monger did note that their paper is being published just after one of the warmest winters in the eastern U.S. on record.
"It's a great demonstration of the complexities of our climate system and how they influence our regional weather patterns," Greene said.
In any particular region, many factors can have an influence, including the El Nino/La Nina cycle. This winter, La Nina in the Pacific shifted undulations in the jet stream so that while many parts of the Northern Hemisphere were hit by the severe winter weather patterns expected during a bout of negative AO conditions, much of the eastern United States basked in the warm tropical air that swung north with the jet stream.
"It turns out that while the eastern U.S. missed out on the cold and snow this winter, and experienced record-breaking warmth during March, many other parts of the Northern Hemisphere were not so fortunate," Greene said.
Europe and Alaska experienced record-breaking winter storms, and the global average temperature during March 2012 was cooler than any other March since 1999.
"A lot of times people say, 'Wait a second, which is it going to be more snow or more warming?' Well, it depends on a lot of factors, and I guess this was a really good winter demonstrating that," Greene said. "What we can expect, however, is the Arctic wildcard stacking the deck in favor of more severe winter outbreaks in the future."
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Bill Morse stands outside the Landmine Museum in Siem Reap, Cambodia, wearing the Army uniform of the pro-Western Lon Nol government (1970-75).
From the good life to digging up land mines in Cambodia
While living in Palm Springs, Calif., with retirement looming, Bill Morse chose to move to Cambodia to help activist Aki Ra rid the country of land mines that kill and maim.
The Republican National Committee and allied Super PACs have all made countless puns on "hope and change" at the expense of President Obama this election, but those with the true creative gift for Obama punnery are the the unpaid and unheralded anonymous trolls on news websites and conservative message boards. They don't get the paychecks or accolades of conservative consultants, but these trolls have introduced dozens of Obama puns into our vocabulary. We've decided to rank some of the best.?
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"Bad puns will not stir the populace, and while the effective pun seems impishly tossed-off, writing one is not easy," Jerry Adler explains for New York,?ticking through some classics, like the terrible 1852 Democratic slogan "We Polked You in ?44, We Shall Pierce You in ?52." Trolls' Obama puns are much better.?We are ranking them puns by three metrics. First, syllabic fidelity, or whether the pun rhymes with Obama, or at least has the same vowel sounds and number of syllables as the president's name. Second, relevance, or whether the pun communicates a widespread complaint about a specific Obama policy instead of merely a negative emotion. Third, elegance, which we define as whether the pun can be easily read -- its meaning instantly communicated -- without forcing the reader to pause and puzzle over it. We graded each pun on these three qualities from 1 to 5 and added them to find the winner.
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Pun: Nobama
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Syllabic fidelity: 5. This is Obama's name, with an N sound at the beginning.
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Relevance: 1. The N turns the first syllable of Obama's name into "no," indicating a rejection of the president. But what policy and why its being rejected is frustratingly unclear.
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Elegance: 3. The pun is fairly easy to read.
Example of typical usage: At an Obama speech at Texas's Eastfield College, an anti-abortion protester held aloft a sign reading "Nobama Baby Murderer," according to an October 4, 2011 White House pool report. Example two: The sign at left, taken at a March 2010 rally, via Flickr's Fiobonacci Blue.
Score:?9.
Pun: Obummer
Syllabic fidelity: 3.5. The pun retains the O, B, and M sounds, and the -er is close to rhyming with -a.
Relevance:?2.5. Like Nobama, Obummer communicates a fairly general negative feeling. However, "bummer" connotes a general "meh" feeling, so the pun communicates the widespread feeling that Obama has let down those who were so excited by him in 2008.
Elegance: 4. Though the sound significantly diverges from the sound of the president's name, in print, it's easy to read, and you get the meaning instantly.
Example of typical usage: "Obummer, on the other hand, has spent the last couple months of his election and service as president to surgically remove all hope from the psyche of the American people with a chainsaw," wrote the blog Daily Anti-Kos?on?March 4, 2009.?Example two: "Poor Obummer he put the curse on four great teams and they lost," scoffed Free Republic commenter ncfool on March 28, 2010, when Obama didn't pick the right teams to go to the NCAA Final Four.?
Score:?10.
Pun: Oblamer
Syllabic fidelity:?2. The pun retains the O, B, and M sounds, but the middle A is long instead of short.?
Relevance: 5. The pun suggests a current Republican talking point, that Obama is blaming everyone else for the high unemployment rate and sluggish economy, instead of taking responsibility.
Elegance: 3.5. It takes a quick re-reading of the word the first time you see it to get that it's "O-blamer," and not "Oblahmer." But it's clear it's a reference to the president's name.
Example of typical usage: "Go back to stroking for Oblamer...it's what you do best," Atlantic Wire commenter Ex Speaker Nan?said on a post about Mitt Romney's high school bullying on May 10.
Score:?10.5.
Pun: Owebama
Syllabic fidelity: 5. Perfect rhyme.
Relevance: 5. The pun speaks to the feeling that Obama has piled up massive debts that will be a crushing burden for the next generations.
Elegance: 1. It takes a close re-reading of this pun to figure out how it's supposed to sound. It looks like it's supposed to be pronounced "Aw-weh-bama." Perhaps a hyphen could help?
Example of typical usage: "More of owebama?s 'virtual' recovery," Free Republic commenter 43north said on March 13, 2012. Or, from gatoradams on Flickr, there's the above sign demanding we "Impeach Owebama."
Score:?11.
Pun: Obozo
Syllabic fidelity:?1.5. The pun retains only the O and B sounds, and the three syllable format.
Relevance: 1. It just suggests Obama possesses a clownish stupidity. This could be true of any politician.
Elegance: 1. The letters are too different to immediately communicate that the writer is mocking Obama.
Example of typical usage: Obozo's America: Why Bother Working for a Living? is a board game created by Robert Johnson. It stars "Obozo the Marxist Clown." According to the Christian Post's Jeff Schapiro, the game goes like this: "Players begin with a 'welfare grant' of $1,000 then move along ?Obozo's Welfare Promenade? while accumulating money by producing children out of wedlock, committing 'Saturday Night' crimes involving armed robbery, prostitution, gambling and drugs, or by finding a job for their live-in partner on the 'Government Cakewalk.'"
Score:?3.5.
Pun: Ovomit
Syllabic fidelity: 1. The pun retains the O and M sounds, plus the vowel sound in "vom" sounds close to the vowel sound in the "bam" part of Obama.
Relevance: 1. This pun conveys a strong but nonspecific negative feeling.
Elegance: 1. This reader first read the "ovo" part and immediately thought of the Latin prefix that means eggs. Another reader, polled via Gchat, thought it sounded like an industrial cleaner.
Example of typical usage: "Learn to tell all, not select items,?? Learn to report on Ovomit, the truth, not what you want it to be," an Atlantic Wire reader emailed last week.
Score: 3.
Winner: ?Owebama, which beat my sentimental favorite, Obummer, by a point and a half.
In the event of an emergency, the thought of leaving my pets behind is unimaginable. Our pets are family members and of course we would want to make sure that they are taken care of if something were to happen.? June 1st is the start of hurricane season and it is a good time to make sure you are ready.
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Do you have a current photograph, and are your pet?s shots up to date.? If you had to bring your pet to a boarding facility they would be turned away if you did not have your pet?s vaccination records.? It is also a good idea to create a document for each of your pets that includes their feeding regimen, any medications, medical issues and any other vital information.? The more a new place knows about your pet, the easier it will be for them to make them feel more comfortable.? Having a pet information sheet with a recent photo can also help if you pet gets out.
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What other things would you need to consider? It has been my experience that we all intend to have plenty of pet food but often we are down to their last serving before we head to the store.? It is always a good idea to keep at least one extra bag of food that will last at least 2 weeks and some treats.? As more and more natural foods come on the market you should think about trying dehydrated and freeze dried products.? Firstly they don?t take up much space and secondly the added benefit is that it is less processed and provides your pet with lots of nutrient rich ingredients, essential minerals and probiotics; not to mention pets love it (even the difficult ones).? Also keep some canned pet food on hand. Not only does it provide moisture to pets, but almost all pets always will be tempted by canned food.? You should keep on hand a couple of cans of canned pumpkin.? Pumpkin is excellent for digestive upset and helping cure loose stool.
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So what other pet supplies should you have on hand?? You should put together an emergency kit for non food supplies.? The kit should include portable or stainless steel food and water bowls, poop bags, a leash (and maybe a collar), some toys (toys are great to distract or occupy a nervous pet).? Pack all these items in an extra bag.? The good news is that you will always remember were they are and can come in handy in non emergency situations as well.? In an emergency situation, it is easy to forget key things like a can opener for canned food or even a bowl to put it in.? If you have to leave, you need a plan on how to transport your pets.? Whether, it is a hotel, shelter or friends house, you will likely need to have a kennel for them.? A good wire crate is ideal as they are easy to fold away when not being used and also give maximum ventilation.
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Last hurricane, we saw a lot of customers who did not have electricity and their pet?s were hot and very nervous.? Store everything in a centralized location, preferably having smaller items already packed in an extra bag.? Make sure to keep supplies for a week of medication, food, toys and other supplies for your four legged friend.? At least this way you will be prepared quickly, or in the event that something happens when you are out of town, you can be prepared to have someone else care for your pets.
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Nadine Joli-Coeur is the owner of?Natural Pawz?and a featured monthly columnist for pet nutrition.
About Natural Pawz:
With 7 stores in the greater-Houston area,?Natural Pawz?continues to set the standard in the market for 100%-natural pet food, treats and holistic health solutions?supplies, all of which are sourced from?the USA and Canada.? The Natural Pawz team can help navigate you through choosing the healthiest food for your companion cats and dogs, while showing you how easy and affordable it is to provide the proper nutrition to your beloved animal. ? Natural Pawz is not like traditional boutiques or national retailers. We are a locally owned natural pet food store that also carries a wide variety of wellness products, collars and leads, bedding and special rewards for your cat and dog. Each location is managed and staffed by a team of?customer-friendly knowledgeable associates?that are involved in the community and truly get to know you and your animal.?Natural Pawz?has been voted Best Pet Supply Store in Houston in?Click2Houston?s Best of Houston?for two consecutive years and was voted as ?Best Pet Services, Supplies or Boutique? by the Houston Press, Fort Bend Herald, Woodlands Online and, most recently, named ?Best Pet Product Company? in H-Texas Magazine?s Best of the Best list.
Sheryl Crow's strong-enough quotient is being tested once again. The Grammy winner and breast-cancer survivor has a common form of brain tumor called a meningioma, Crow's rep confirmed Tuesday to E! News.
But, happily, the tumor is benign -- and Crow, 50, is the one who broke the news last night to an unsuspecting Las Vegas reporter, practically off the cuff.
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"I worried about my memory so much that I went and got an MRI. And I found out I have a brain tumor," Crow told Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Doug Elfman.
"And I was, like, 'See? I knew there was something wrong,'" she continued with her usual humor. "I haven't really talked about it...But it's benign, so I don't have to worry about it. But it gives me a fit."
So she was being ironic when she flubbed lyrics to "Soak Up the Sun" onstage in February and joked to the Florida audience, "I'm 50, what can I say? My brain's gone to [expletive]."
Meanwhile, her rep filled us in on the nature of Crow's illness.
"Half of us are walking around with [meningioma] but you don't really know unless you happen to have an MRI," she said. "[Crow] has no symptoms and everything is fine. It was a random mention during the [Vegas] interview. It was not meant to alarm anyone. She is doing great and is healthy and happy."
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Public release date: 6-Jun-2012
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In the event of an emergency, the thought of leaving my pets behind is unimaginable. Our pets are family members and of course we would want to make sure that they are taken care of if something were to happen.? June 1st is the start of hurricane season and it is a good time to make sure you are ready.
What other things would you need to consider? It has been my experience that we all intend to have plenty of pet food but often we are down to their last serving before we head to the store.? It is always a good idea to keep at least one extra bag of food that will last at least 2 weeks and some treats.? As more and more natural foods come on the market you should think about trying dehydrated and freeze dried products.? Firstly they don?t take up much space and secondly the added benefit is that it is less processed and provides your pet with lots of nutrient rich ingredients, essential minerals and probiotics; not to mention pets love it (even the difficult ones).? Also keep some canned pet food on hand. Not only does it provide moisture to pets, but almost all pets always will be tempted by canned food.? You should keep on hand a couple of cans of canned pumpkin.? Pumpkin is excellent for digestive upset and helping cure loose stool.
