This is another one of these photo diaries meant to provide a brief respite from Tea Party insanity and Meta Madness and as a reminder that we share this planet with a wide variety of amazing critters. These photos with a couple of exceptions were taken this past weekend. I hope you enjoy your visit here.
He'eia
Windward Oahu.
In August, US officials claimed that 75% of the oil had vanished. Today, the Oil Spill Commission was told that "over 50 percent of the total discharge" remains in the Gulf, still embedded in the ecosystem and on the ocean floor.
His assessment implied some 2.5 million barrels of oil -- or 105 million gallons -- was still embedded in the fragile ecosystem, out of the estimated 4.9 million barrels that gushed into the Gulf during the 87 days before the well was capped.
"Much of it is now buried in marine and coastal sediments," MacDonald warned, adding there was "scant evidence for bacterial degradation of this material prior to burial."
While the oil might not be clearly visible now, MacDonald warned that "any storm event tends to resuspend them."
How do you drill a well in waters where the US Government has told you that you can't because it's dangerous off shore drilling ... and you're the very Oil Corp that has proven it can't be trusted?
Easy! Move Off Shore ... to On Shore!
This is the next in a series of diaries on the state of Arctic sea ice (and other topics as warranted) in memory of Johnny Rook, who passed away in early 2009. He was the author of the Climaticide Chronicles.
Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent (the area covered 15% or more sea ice) last week on 18 September 2010, according to the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at University of Alaska Fairbanks. Since the minimum, sea ice extent in the Arctic Basin has increased by almost 300,000 km2 to about 5.1 million km2 as of 24 September.
Here's a the Barrow AK Arctic Sea Ice webcam at 14:36 Alaska Time on 25 September. There's a trace of snow on the ground, but no sea ice as yet. Conditions at photo time are annotated.
More below.
Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.
Sorghum is Africa’s contribution to the world’s major food crops, with only rice, wheat, maize, and potatoes playing a larger role. Collectively, these five crops provide over 85 percent of all human energy. Sorghum was eaten in Egypt 4,000 years ago, and today is Africa’s second most important cereal. Ethiopia is the center of the crop’s diversity and sorghum is still an important staple food for most of the Horn of Africa. It has long been a staple food in South Asia,brought by traders as many as 20 centuries ago.
There simply are not enough thanks to go around for the amazing support the Daily Kos community has shown for the ongoing Gulf Watchers liveblog effort. It turned out to be needed longer than anyone had hoped.
However, this will be the last Gulf Watchers Mothership. This format will be discontinued. Instead, there will be a Gulf Watchers Morning Edition diary posted at the same time, 5:00 a.m. CDT for a few days as we sort out how to go forward. Recs and discussions will be welcome just like they would be for a normal Daily Kos diary.
A Gulf Watchers Evening Edition will be posted if needed. After a few days Gulf Watchers will review the situation and decide whether to retain that type of organization or try something different. Ursoklevar has an excellent diary summarizing Gulf Watchers's discussion about future plans. Please add to the discussion here or the current ROV if you have ideas or preferences going forward.
The current ROV DIARY: Daily Kos Gulf Watchers ROV #395 - Condition: transition - BP's Gulf Castastrophe - David PA
