Global Warming: Arctic map "will have to be redrawn"

"Scientists in the Arctic have just carried out the first research on a huge iceberg the size of Manhattan."

"For 3,000 years, this colossal block of ice was securely fixed to the coast as part of the Ayles Ice Shelf - but now it is drifting free."

"Climate scientists predict that the Arctic will continue to warm - so the expectation is that the five remaining ice shelves here could also break away. The effect already is that the map of the Arctic will have to be redrawn."

"with the current rate of warming, those ice shelves are likely never to be reconstituted."

"according to Dr Copland, the fact that such thick ice could split apart in less than an hour - as it did back in August 2005 - illustrates a more alarming point.

"This shows how climate change can trigger very sudden changes even on a massive scale - when the ice shelf broke away, the rupture registered with the force of a small earthquake," he said."

BBC: Science team lands on Ice Island

Chemicals used on car seats 'toxic' to children, study warns

"A new study suggests that "toxic" chemicals used in the materials to make car seats can put children in danger of developing health problems if ingested or inhaled.

The study, released Wednesday by the Michigan-based environmental group Ecology Center, provides analysis of more than 60 different car seat models for chemicals including bromine, chlorine and lead.

"These chemicals can be associated with developmental disorders, learning impairment, liver disease, cancer, as well as other allergic type diseases," said Jeff Gearhart, lead author of the report."

CBC Story

You know, every time I hear some right winger yipping about how we don't need government regulation and oversight, or hear them say things like "occupational health and safety and other red tape gets in the way of business" (a quote from Brad Wall, leader of the right wing Saskatchewan Party) it makes me mad. I remember one guy I used to know saying "...business would never do anything that would hurt their customers - it would be bad for business. It would drive their customers away. And if they did they would be out of business - that's the discipline of the market."

So what was it that stopped the tobacco industry? The fact that it's bad for business to kill your customers? The above example of toxic chemicals in children's carseats is another example of the profit motive overriding common sense and basic safety. I remember how long the office furniture and carpet industries tried to deny the effects of formaldahyde and other chemicals leaching from their products in offices.

The news article does say that the manufacturer Graco is taking the study seriously and is examing the report and its methodology. Kudos to them if their effort is more than a whitewash or denial attmpt. As for other manufacturers:

"The company Britax, whose Marathon Platinum seat was found to have the highest levels of chemicals in the convertible car seat category, did not return calls."

On a side note: I wonder when corporations will be held to the same standards of accountability, availablity, and transparency of government? You always hear about business leaders beaking on the subject of accountable government, how about accountable business?

TILMA and North American Integration

I want to refer people over to Larry Hubich's blog. Larry has a piece from Lou Dobbs that shows how the intention of the integration of North America is proceeding. As Lou Dobbs says this is "not some wild conspiracy theory."

CNN- Lou Dobbs Outs Those Involved in N. American Union

Canada has the resources, the US has the industry, and Mexico has cheap labour and an untapped market ready to buy stuff. From a big industry standpoint - what could be better?

When you see the lists of people involved and you see who is pushing things like North American Free Trade and TILMA - you will see it is the same players. Canada can be absorbed - is being absorbed. Understand that. Make a choice. Don't just ignore it.

Either take action against that absorbtion, or make a conscious choice to allow it to happen.

I am not in favour of becoming like the U.S. I will be taking action against integration.

South Pacific to stop bottom-trawling

"A quarter of the world's oceans will be protected from fishing boats which drag heavy nets across the sea floor, South Pacific nations have agreed.

The landmark deal will restrict bottom-trawling, which experts say destroys coral reefs and stirs up clouds of sediment that suffocate marine life."

"Last November, leading scientists warned there would be no sea fish left in 50 years if current practices continued. "

BBC Story

I have never understood why anyone would allow, or frankly, would even engage in the practice of bottom-trawling. The very idea is appalling. I have been upset about bottom dragging since i was a small child.

The fishers take a heavy net and steel plates and they drag it all along the ocean floor with nets above. These nets and lines are up to a mile wide. Think about if that were on surface land. They are dragging and scouring a mile wide swath. This is not just harvesting off the top, this digs in the mud/ocean floor. If you dragged a forest a a depth of 6 inches to 1 foot, what would happen to that forest? Ocean bottom is as rich in life as a forest.

I am so happy that at least this has stopped. Hopefully this is the first step in a rapid shutdown of the entire practice.