20150930 - detecting viruses

A single test could detect almost any virus

A new test that detects virtually any virus that infects people and animals has been developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, according to results published in the journal Genome Research.

Many thousands of viruses are known to cause illness in people and animals, and diagnosing them correctly can be a long and costly process, involving numerous tests.
Viruses that occur in and on the human body are collectively known as the virome. According to the study's senior author Dr. Gregory Storch, the Ruth L. Siteman professor of pediatrics, in a process known as "enhanced virome sequencing," researchers have developed a way to cast a broad net and "efficiently detect viruses that are present at very low levels."
No test so far has been sensitive enough to detect low levels of viral bugs. Many tests are limited to detecting only those viruses suspected of being responsible for a patient's illness.

 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/300259.php

20150929 - 100 years ago

A lot of this is applicable to our grandparents, and even some of our parents.

It May Be Hard to Believe That A Scant 100 Years Ago...

The average life expectancy in the United States was forty-seven.

Only 14 percent of the homes in the United States had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A three minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was ten mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the twenty-first most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in the U.S. was twenty-two cents an hour. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2500 per year, a veterinarian between $1500 and $4000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the United States took place at home.

Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.

 http://www.naute.com/stories/100years.phtml
 http://www.jenksps.org/vnews/display.v/TP/4cc3a8c2da910

20150928 - water on mars

Water on Mars exists today almost exclusively as ice, with a small amount present in the atmosphere as vapor^] The only place where water ice is visible at the surface is at the north polar ice cap. There is also strong evidence to suggest that liquid water exists on the surface of Mars during summer periods.Abundant water ice is also present beneath the permanent carbon dioxide ice cap at the Martian south pole and in the shallow subsurface at more temperate latitudes.More than five million cubic kilometers of ice have been identified at or near the surface of modern Mars, enough to cover the whole planet to a depth of 35 meters. Even more ice is likely to be locked away in the deep subsurface.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_on_Mars
 http://www.theguardian.com/science/across-the-universe/live/2015/sep/28/water-on-mars-buildup-to-nasa-mystery-solved-announcement-live

 https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/3mjrdt/nasa_to_confirm_active_briny_water_flows_on_mars/

20150927 - urgenda

Urgenda wins the case for better Dutch climate policies

The Hague, 24 June 2015 – Urgenda and nine hundred co-plaintiffs were victorious in the climate case today, forcing the Dutch government to adopt more stringent climate policies. The district court of The Hague has granted the plaintiffs’ claims, and the government is now required to take more effective climate action to reduce the Netherlands’ considerable share in global emissions. This is the first time that a judge has legally required a State to take precautions against climate change. This verdict will provide support to all the other climate cases around the world.
“All the plaintiffs are overjoyed by the result. This makes it crystal clear that climate change is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with much more effectively, and that states can no longer afford inaction. States are meant to protect their citizens, and if politicians will not do this of their own accord, then the courts are there to help,” says Urgenda director Marjan Minnesma, who in 2013 initiated this case against the Dutch State with a team of lawyers and nine hundred co-plaintiffs. “It’s all up to the State now. Luckily, sustainable solutions are ripe for the picking.” 

 http://www.urgenda.nl/en/
 http://www.theclimatemiles.nl/

20150926 - william cortvriendt

Living a Century or More: 

A Scientifically Fact-Based Journey to Longevity

Living a Century or More: A Scientifically Fact-Based Journey to Longevity is widely praised by the press, medical professionals and the general public. Cortvriendt’s groundbreaking, easy-to-read health guide will provide you with the vital information you need to gain mastery over how long and how well you spend your coming years. Through fact-based and quantifiable medical evidence drawn from today’s most renowned medical journals, you can learn to embrace healthy behaviors today that will radically change your tomorrow.

 http://www.amazon.com/Living-Century-More-Scientifically-Fact-Based/dp/1492870080
 http://www.ahealthylife.nl/hoe-word-je-100-12-tips-van-arts-william-cortvriendt/
 https://www.facebook.com/events/402261396620078/

20150925

What is the Rotterdam Science Festival?

The 4th edition of Rotterdam Science Festival will take place on Friday 25 September in the heart of Rotterdam. The festival is part of the European Researchers’ Night, a European event held more than 300 cities simultaneously. Rotterdam Science Festival is THE festival where science and society come together. The event offers a unique chance for curious citizens of Rotterdam to get inspired by the latest scientific insights. You can enjoy lectures, interactive science cafés, participate in workshops, debates, demonstrations, a Meet & Greet and much more. And don’t forget to try and experience ‘De Smaakmakers van de toekomst’ on our outside plaza!

Mission Rotterdam Science Festival

“To improve the wellbeing of society by sharing new insights”.

What is the theme of 2015?

This year’s theme is food. A topic which keeps us busy every day, but also a topic which leaves us with many questions. For example: How transparent are today’s food chains? Does food change our genes? What is our ‘food print’ and what can we do to reduce food waste? How do supermarkets seduce consumers? What happens in the brain of an (food) addict? How can we increase the change of getting pregnant and having a healthy child? What exactly is appetite? These are some of the many topics that will be discussed. Hungry for more?

 http://www.rotterdamsciencefestival.nl/en/festivalinfo

20150924 - deon meyer

Deon Meyer was born in the South African town of Paarl in the winelands of the Western Cape in 1958, and grew up in Klerksdorp, in the gold mining region of Northwest Province.
After military duty and studying at the Potchefstroom University, he joined Die Volksblad, a daily newspaper in Bloemfontein as a reporter. Before becoming a full-time crime author in 2009 he also worked as press liaison, advertising copywriter, creative director, Internet strategist, and brand consultant. Deon completed an honours degree in History (UFS), and an MA in Creative Writing at the US.
He wrote his first book when he was 14 years old, and bribed and blackmailed his two brothers into reading it. They were not impressed (hey, everybody is a critic ...)

 http://www.deonmeyer.com/bio.html
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deon-Meyer/e/B001IODFI6

20150923 - health problem #1

Overweight and Obesity 

as Public Health Problems in America

 

 

This Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity seeks to engage leaders from diverse groups in addressing a public health issue that is among the most burdensome faced by the Nation: the health consequences of overweight and obesity. This burden manifests itself in premature death and disability, in health care costs, in lost productivity, and in social stigmatization. The burden is not trivial. Studies show that the risk of death rises with increasing weight. Even moderate weight excess (10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height) increases the risk of death, particularly among adults aged 30 to 64 years.¹
Overweight and obesity are caused by many factors. For each individual, body weight is determined by a combination of genetic, metabolic, behavioral, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic influences. Behavioral and environmental factors are large contributors to overweight and obesity and provide the greatest opportunity for actions and interventions designed for prevention and treatment.
For the vast majority of individuals, overweight and obesity result from excess calorie consumption and/or inadequate physical activity. Unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary behavior together account for approximately 300,000 deaths every year.^2,3 Thus, a healthy diet and regular physical activity, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, should be promoted as the cornerstone of any prevention or treatment effort.^4,5According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, very few Americans meet the majority of the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations. Only 3 percent of all individuals meet four of the five recommendations for the intake of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meats.⁶ Much work needs to be done to ensure the nutrient adequacy of our diets while at the same time avoiding excess calories. Dietary adequacy and moderation in energy consumption are both important for maintaining or achieving a healthy weight and for overall health.


 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44210/
 http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/obesity/obesity_overweight.html

20150922 - pilates

 http://www.glasbergen.com/

20150921 - dahlia

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico. A member of the Asteraceae (or Compositae), dicotyledonous plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. There are 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 2 in (5.1 cm) diameter or up to 1 ft (30 cm) ("dinner plate"). This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids—that is, they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two. In addition, dahlias also contain many transposons—genetic pieces that move from place to place upon an allele—which contributes to their manifesting such great diversity.
The stems are leafy, ranging in height from as low as 12 in (30 cm) to more than 6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m). The majority of species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars. Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly colored, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlia
 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Dahlia.jpg

20150920 - food additives -2

Food additives have been used for centuries to enhance the appearance and flavor of food and prolong shelf life. But do these food additives really “add” any value to your food?

Food additives find their way into our foods to help ease processing, packaging and storage. But how do we know what food additives is in that box of macaroni and cheese and why does it have such a long shelf life?

A typical American household spends about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, and are in doing so exposed to a plethora of artificial food additives, many of which can cause dire consequences to your health.

Some food additives are worse than others. Here’s a list of the top food additives to avoid:

1. Artificial Sweeteners

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup

3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG / E621)

4. Trans Fat

5. Common Food Dyes

6. Sodium Sulfite (E221)

 

 http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/top-10-food-additives-to-avoid

 http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/10/6-common-food-additives-you-should-avoid.html

 

20150919 - food additives

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance. Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling (with vinegar), salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as with wines. With the advent of processed foods in the second half of the twentieth century, many more additives have been introduced, of both natural and artificial origin.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_additive
 http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2015/04/16/food-additives-are-they-safe/

20150918 - high speed rail

High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was widely known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design.
Many countries have developed high-speed rail to connect major cities, including Austria, Belgium, China (PRC), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan (ROC), Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan. Only in Europe does HSR cross international borders.
While high-speed rail is usually designed for passenger travel, some high-speed systems also offer freight service.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail
 http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/aug/05/rail-transport-transport

20150917 - extraterrestrial

How to Find 'Strange Life' on Alien Planets

by Nola Taylor Redd, Space.com Contributor   |   August 28, 2015 07:00am ET

Detecting signs of life very different from that of Earth in the atmospheres of alien planets may be difficult, but it is possible, researchers say.
A team of scientists examined models of "super-Earths" — exoplanets slightly larger than Earth — to determine how easily signs of life could be spotted. They determined that such biosignatures could be identified more easily on planets orbiting stars producing relatively low amounts of radiation — but even then only if everything worked out just right.
The team, led by Sara Seager of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), did not focus solely on Earth-like life. [10 Exoplanets That Could Host Alien Life] 

 http://www.space.com/30404-alien-life-search-super-earths.html
 http://www.openminds.tv/mit-scientist-encourages-a-broader-search-for-extraterrestrial-life-999/20611

20150916 - marine life

Loss of Marine Biodiversity

Life in the ocean, where evolution began, comprises more major taxonomic groups (phyla), which represent separate evolutionary paths, than does life on land. Of the approximately 55 phyla, approximately 80% include species that are marine while about 50% include species found on land. It is therefore certain that in the ocean there are more species that are very different from each other, although it is not yet known which realm has the most species.

The Problem

• Because so much of the ocean is only accessible with expensive technology and/or remote instrumentation, uncovering the extent of marine biodiversity has been and continues to be a slow and difficult undertaking. Much of ocean life remains a mystery and there are an unknown number of species yet to be discovered. Consequently, scientific estimates of the number of species in the ocean vary greatly, ranging from many thousands to several tens of millions.
• It is also difficult -- and in many cases impossible -- to determine the status of most species in the ocean. So little is known of many species' distribution or range that it cannot be determined whether they are plentiful or naturally rare or whether populations are stable or changing, and if they are threatened or endangered. Marine species that are relatively easily monitored are those restricted to near-shore habitats, especially if they are sedentary or attached (e.g. seagrasses and corals) and those that spend time at the sea surface or on land (e.g. marine mammals and seabirds).

 http://www.seaweb.org/resources/briefings/marinebio.php
 http://www.slideshare.net/rdn100/marine-biodiversity-presentation

20150915 - photography news

Remembering Gustave Le Gray, one of the most important French photographer of the 19th century

Gustave Le Gray's technical innovations include:

• Improvements on paper negatives, specifically waxing them before exposure making the paper more receptive to fine detail.
• A collodion process published in 1850 but which was theoretical at best. The invention of the wet collodion method to produce a negative on a glass plate is now credited to Frederick Scott Archer who published his process in 1851.
• Combination printing, creating seascapes by using one negative for the water and one negative for the sky at a time where it was impossible to have at the same time the sky and the sea on a picture due to the too extreme luminosity range.

http://www.photography-news.com/2015/08/in-photos-remembering-gustave-le-gray.html
http://www.museumsyndicate.com/artist.php?artist=1001

20150914 - history

 

Today In History.

 What Happened This Day In History

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

 http://www.historytoday.com/
 http://emanuelcountylive.com/2015/03/today-in-history-2/

.

20150913 - polar bear

Polar Bear Facts

by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor   |   November 24, 2014 08:36pm ET

Polar bears are large, white bears that like cold climates, fatty meals and long days of hunting. No matter how adorable polar bears look, these animals are not cuddly. In fact, polar bears are ferocious hunters, and they are the biggest carnivores among land animals.

Size & appearance

Polar bears are also the largest species of bear. For bears, height is usually measured at the shoulder when the animal is on all fours, according to Polar Bear International. On average, polar bears on all fours are 3.5 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) tall, but when standing on its hind legs, an adult male polar bear may reach more than 10 feet (3 m). Lengthwise, they are 7.25 to 8 feet (2.2 to 2.5 m) from head to rump. Their tail adds another 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 centimeters).
An adult male polar bear weighs around 775 to 1,200 lbs. (351 to 544 kilograms). The largest polar bear recorded weighed 2,209 pounds (1,000 kg), according to Polar Bear International. Females weigh half as much as their male counterparts, at only or 330 to 650 lbs. (50 to 295 kg).

 http://www.livescience.com/27436-polar-bear-facts.html
 http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear

20150912 - homo naledi

Ancient ancestor of humans with tiny brain discovered

Homo naledi raises intriguing questions

Date:

September 10, 2015

Source:

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Summary:

Scientists have discovered a new species of hominin, a small creature with a tiny brain that opens the door to a new way of thinking about our ancient ancestors.

An international team of scientists, including one from the University of Colorado Denver and another from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, announced the discovery Thursday of a new species of hominin, a small creature with a tiny brain that opens the door to a new way of thinking about our ancient ancestors.

The discovery of 15 individuals, consisting of 1,550 bones, represents the largest fossil hominin find on the African continent.
"We found adults and children in the cave who are members of genus Homo but very different from modern humans," said CU Denver Associate Professor of Anthropology Charles Musiba, PhD, who took part in a press conference Thursday near the discovery inside the Rising Star Cave in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site outside Johannesburg, South Africa. "They are very petite and have the brain size of chimpanzees. The only thing similar we know of are the so-called `hobbits' of Flores Island in Indonesia."

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150910084610.htm
 http://news.wisc.edu/naledi/

20150911 - egg

Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within various thin membranes. The most popular choice for egg consumption are chicken eggs. Other popular choices for egg consumption are duck, quail, roe, and caviar.
Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline,^[2][3] and are widely used in cookery. Due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture categorizes eggs as Meats within the Food Guide Pyramid. Despite the nutritional value of eggs, there are some potential health issues arising from egg quality, storage, and individual allergies.


 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_%28food%29
 https://www.google.nl/search?q=chicken+egg&biw=1024&bih=591&noj=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI4feN_M_vxwIVwa7bCh2xHgpj#imgrc=TLWPKw0QbH2j8M%3A
 http://freefromharm.org/eggfacts/

20150910 - milk

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to its young and can reduce the risk of many diseases. Milk contains many other nutrients and the carbohydrate lactose.
As an agricultural product, milk is extracted from mammals during or soon after pregnancy and is used as food for humans. Worldwide, dairy farms produced about 730 million tonnes of milk in 2011 from 260 million dairy cows. India is the world's largest producer of milk, and is the leading exporter of skimmed milk powder, yet has little to no other milk product exports. The ever increasing rise in domestic demand for dairy products and a large demand-supply gap could lead to India being a net importer of dairy products in the future. New Zealand, the European Union's 28 member states, Australia, and the United States are the world's largest exporters of milk and milk products. China and Russia are the world's largest importers of milk and milk products.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk
 http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=130
 http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-cows-milk/

20150909 - cheese

Is cheese good for you?

Cheese tends to be a standard accompaniment to popular foods like burgers, pizza, Mexican dishes, salad and sandwiches but can also stand-alone as a snack or an appetizer.
The amount of cheese being consumed in the US has tripled over the past 40 years but is still only half that of European nations like Greece, France and Germany.³
Whether cheese is a healthy choice depends on the individual, the type and amount of cheese being consumed. There are some cheeses that are high in protein and calcium, but there are just as many loaded with sodium and saturated fats.
For someone with a milk allergy, any type of cheese would be off limits. Lactose intolerant individuals may be able to tolerate some types of cheese depending on their level of intolerance.


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/299147.php
http://www.chuckecheese.com/activities/downloads

20150908 - the earth

The interior structure of the Earth is layered in spherical shells, like an onion. These layers can be defined by either their chemical or their rheological properties. Earth has an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core that is much less viscous than the mantle, and a solid inner core. Scientific understanding of the internal structure of the Earth is based on observations of topography and bathymetry, observations of rock in outcrop, samples brought to the surface from greater depths by volcanic activity, analysis of the seismic waves that pass through the Earth, measurements of the gravitational and magnetic fields of the Earth, and experiments with crystalline solids at pressures and temperatures characteristic of the Earth's deep interior.


 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_of_the_Earth
 https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_to_the_Center_of_the_Earth
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIzDxmkoH-U

20150907 - watching tv

Prolonged television watchers have higher risk of fatal pulmonary embolism

Published: Tuesday 1 September 2015 at 12am PST

Prolonged television watchers have a higher risk of fatal pulmonary embolism, a condition associated with long haul flights, reveals research presented at ESC Congress today by Mr Toru Shirakawa, public health research fellow in the Department of Social Medicine at Osaka University in Japan.¹ The 18 year study in more than 86 000 people found that watching an average of five or more hours of television per day was associated with twice the risk of fatal pulmonary embolism as watching less than two and a half hours daily.
"The association between prolonged sitting and pulmonary embolism was first reported among air raid shelter users in London during World War II," said Mr Shirakawa. "Nowadays, a long haul flight in an economy class seat is a well known cause of pulmonary embolism that is called 'economy class syndrome'."


 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/298771.php
 http://southfloridareporter.com/prolonged-television-watching-could-kill-you21949/

20150906 - north sea

North Sea

The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. An epeiric (or "shelf") sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north. It is more than 970 kilometres (600 mi) long and 580 kilometres (360 mi) wide, with an area of around 750,000 square kilometres (290,000 sq mi).
The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major fishery. The sea is a popular destination for recreation and tourism in bordering countries and more recently has developed into a rich source of energy resources including fossil fuels, wind, and early efforts in wave power.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea
 http://home.comcast.net/~marshallabrams/Baltic/album/Copenhagen/North%20Sea.html

20150905 - marine traffic

Worldwide vessel tracking by VesselFinder

VesselFinder vessel tracking system may offer the users chance for vessel tracking in real time totally for free. There is also a new version of the VesselFinder website that was launched with OpenStreetMap interface, which is very simple and easy for the users for AIS Live vessel tracking.

AIS Live ship tracking is a place where people may search for their own vessel, vessel of their competitors, all worldwide ports, latest news for the maritime industry and business. AIS Live vessel tracking service by VesselFinder is a totally Free internet-based service, that does not require any registration, it is also with really fast interface and quite simple navigation facility. There is also a modified simple map with litlle icons for the vessels’ positions which is better for the users for their vessel tracking.

 http://www.marinetraffic.org/

20150904 - world ports

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land. Port locations are selected to optimize access to land and navigable water, for commercial demand, and for shelter from wind and waves. Ports with deeper water are rarer, but can handle larger, more economical ships. Since ports throughout history handled every kind of traffic, support and storage facilities vary widely, may extend for miles, and dominate the local economy. Some ports have an important military role.


http://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/index/ports/all
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world's_busiest_container_ports

20150903 - EU climate politics

The Challenge

The diversity and multi-level governance of 28 Member States in the European Union provide a challenging context for Europe’s climate policies. Experience in the energy, climate, and efficiency fields has shown that robust targets and effective enforcement mechanisms are necessary to provide a clear direction for EU climate policies. Currently, the 2020 ‘rudder’ is in limbo: the overall greenhouse gas (GHG) target for 2020 was already achieved by 2012, mainly as a result of the economic crisis and not directly related to the two key implementation tools covering all of Europe’s emissions – the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) – are over-allocated and insufficiently stringent to drive efforts by governments and the private sector.
The mitigation goals Europe has set for 2020 are indeed low and there is the risk that the next set of 2030 targets reflects business-as-usual with current policies. The end goal for 2050 in itself is weak: governments are aiming for an 80% emissions reduction vs. 1990, while the IPCC concluded that developed countries need to aim for up to 95% to be in line with a 2°C warming scenario by the end of the century. Altogether, this provides limited incentive for strong policies and action on the ground.
Added to this challenge is the fact that over the coming two years, the EU will experience several key national and EU elections along with a change in leadership of the European Commission. These events will likely slow the pace of decision making just when it should be accelerating towards the 2015 climate negotiations.

The Opportunity

Europe must demonstrate to the rest of the world that it delivers on its commitments. Europe’s emissions may be a diminishing part of the world’s contribution to global warming, but – contrary to the allegations by some – its role as a model for developing policies and setting a benchmark for effort remains critical.
Success requires rallying a broad range of actors, not just environmental, but also in the business and trade union sectors, as well as consumer, health, and finance community groups. It also requires equating more effectively Europe’s economic success with a new path towards greater resource efficiency. Finally, it demands targeted activities in key Member States, coordinated with advocacy at EU level as the collective ambition both depends on the Member States’ aspirations and, in turn, influences Member States’ agendas.


 http://europeanclimate.org/home/what-we-do/eu-climate-policies/
 http://europeanclimate.org/ecf-annual-report-2014/

20150902 - heart age

'Heart age' 

older than actual age for most Americans

A new report suggests that three-quarters of American adults have "heart ages" that are older than their actual ages, leaving them at a higher risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke.

An individual's heart age represents the age of their cardiovascular system and is calculated by looking at their risk factor profile - whether the individual is affected by risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cigarette smoking.
The new Vital Signs report was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is the first study to illustrate differences in heart age across the US at a population level.
The researchers state that around 69 million adults aged 30-74 have a heart age that is older than their actual age - equivalent to the combined population of the 130 biggest cities in the US.
"Too many US adults have a heart age years older than their real age, increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke," reports CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. "Everybody deserves to be young - or at least not old - at heart."
Researchers utilized risk factor data obtained from every US state and the long-running Framingham Heart Study - a research project that began in 1948 to identify common factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease.


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298929.php
http://www.heartage.me/your-heart-age/your-health

20150901 - september

“for all I can really do is
stand here
in September’s rain
savoring…
soaking it all in
slipping..
and simply
holding on to poetry
for dear life.”

― Sanober Khan, Turquoise Silence



  http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/september
 http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/8023620.Sanober_Khan