Worst Effects of Global Warming: Economic Consequences

The costs associated with climate change rise along with the temperatures. Severe storms and floods combined with agricultural losses cause billions of dollars in damages, and money is needed to treat and control the spread of disease. Extreme weather can create extreme financial setbacks. For example, during the record-breaking hurricane year of 2005, Louisiana saw a 15 percent drop in income during the months following the storms, while property damage was estimated at $135 billion [source: Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University].

Economic considerations reach into nearly every facet of our lives. Consumers face rising food and energy costs along with increased insurance premiums for health and home. Governments suffer the consequences of diminished tourism and industrial profits, soaring energy, food and water demands, disaster cleanup and border tensions.

And ignoring the problem won't make it go away. A recent study conducted by the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University suggests that inaction in the face of global warming crises could result in a $20 trillion price tag by 2100 [source: Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University].

In addition to the loss of life caused by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and Louisiana have faced the economic consequences of billions of dollars in damage.





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Arctic Methane Release Due To Climate Change Could Cost Global Economy $60 Trillion, Study Reports

Titanic violin real, hospital CT scan suggests

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the scan proved the authenticity of the violin "beyond reasonable doubt"

A violin thought to be the one played by the band leader of the Titanic as it sank has been declared genuine following a CT scan at a hospital.

Andrew Aldridge from auction house Henry Aldridge and Son said the scan proved the instrument was real "beyond reasonable doubt".

Radiographers at BMI Ridgeway Hospital in Wiltshire took a 3D image of the violin to examine it from the inside.

It has been at the centre of an authenticity debate for seven years.

Wallace Hartley, who came from Colne in Lancashire, and his orchestra, famously played on as the ship sank in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton in 1912, and were among the 1,517 who died.

"The scan revealed that the original wood was cracked and showed signs of possible restoration," said the hospital's imaging manager Astrid Little.

Wallace Hartley died at the age of 34 and came from Colne in Lancashire

Salt Water

"The fine detail of the scan meant the auctioneers could examine the construction, interior and the glue holding the instrument together. The scan also assisted in validating the instrument's authenticity.

"We are very proud to have played our part in the violin's authentication. It was a great honour to have such a rare collector's item in the department."

In 2006, Henry Aldridge and Son - specialists in Titanic artefacts - was approached by the violin's owner who wanted to sell it, but it needed authenticating.

Over the last seven years, various experts have tried to authenticate the violin, including newspaper archivists, jewellery experts and the forensic science service who found the bodywork still had deposits of salt water.

The auctioneers declared the violin to be genuine in March, but said a CT scan was needed.

"The violin was in a heavy duty leather Gladstone type bag, so the violin would have come into contact with water, but it would have been protected by the leather," said Mr Aldridge.

"The instrument is also held together with animal glue, which melts when it is hot, not when it is cold.

Display in US

 "The silver fish plate on the violin along with some other items that was with it points to it being authentic - or an extremely elaborate hoax - so we needed to carry out thorough research and commission the correct experts.

The violin is thought to be worth a six-figure sum

 

"We've spent the last seven years gathering evidence and we're confident that 'beyond reasonable doubt' this is Wallace Hartley's violin."

Mr Hartley's body was recovered from the water about 10 days after the ship sank, but the violin was not listed among the inventory of items found with him.

It is claimed the violin survived in a leather case, strapped to Mr Hartley's body, which floated upright in his cork and linen lifejacket.

A diary entry by his fiancee, Maria Robinson, said it was saved from the water in 1912 and returned to her.

Following Ms Robinson's death in 1939, the violin was given to her local Salvation Army citadel and was later passed onto the current owner's mother in the early 1940s.

The violin - complete with its certificate of authenticity - is due to go on display in the US this month, and will eventually go to auction.

In April, maritime historian Daniel Allen Butler said the violin could not possibly have been recovered from the doomed ship's wreckage.

The genuine article would have fallen apart after exposure to the waters of the North Atlantic, he said, and the wood would soon have lost its shine and shape.


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The Decline Of America's Job-Creating Small Businesses

On Friday, we learned that U.S. companies added 195,000 jobs in June, which was much higher than the 165,000 expected by economists.

Still, the unemployment rate remains painfully high at 7.6%, even as GDP, corporate profits, and stocks sit near all-time highs.

One of the reasons for this is the decline of America's small businesses, which struggle to compete against the scale of the world's multi-national, multi-billion dollar corporations.
 
Our past work has emphasized the important role of small firms as engines of growth for the economy and, particularly, as job creators. . From the late 1970s to the time of the financial crisis, the share of net job creation accounted for by small firms declined some, but remained above 60 percent.

During the financial crisis, small firms bore the brunt of the job loss, as they were hit hard by the decline in construction and real estate (where small firms predominate) and by a sharp pull-back in bank lending . Since early 2010, small firm employment has rebounded but has not yet come close to reversing the job losses sustained during the financial crisis. This is an issue that we are watching as a key indicator of the cyclical performance of the U.S. economy. Another concerning development is the steady decline since the early 1980s in the rate at which small businesses are being established. Research indicates that young firms—new start-ups—are especially powerful engines for job creation and real GDP growth. Another way of framing this observation is that it appears that the United States in the 1980s had some “secret sauce” that was effectively incentivizing the start-up of small firms. Better understanding what economic policies facilitated this outcome strikes us as a useful endeavor for future research.

Reposted from  http://www.businessinsider.com

Titanic 100: We survived

Just over 700 people escaped from the Titanic after it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on the night of 14 April 1912. More than 1,500 others were not so fortunate.

The survivors scrambled into lifeboats or plunged into the icy water. In the years after the disaster, some of them spoke publicly about the Titanic's ill-fated maiden voyage.

Here, with the help of archive images and audio, listen to what happened through the voices of crew members Charles Lightoller and Frank Prentice and passengers Eva Hart and Edith Russell.

Images courtesy Getty Images, PA, Library of Congress, Southampton City Council and BBC South. Music by Sidney Torch and the New Century Orchestra - and courtesy KPM Music. Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 10 April 2012.

Reposted From BBC News

Worst Effects of Global Warming: Disease

 A field sample of mosquitoes that could carry West Nile virus pictured in California. Image Credit: David McNew/Getty Images


Depending on where you live, you may use bug repellant to protect against West Nile virus or Lyme disease. But when was the last time you considered your risk of contracting dengue fever?

Warmer temperatures along with associated floods and droughts are encouraging worldwide health threats by creating an environment where mosquitoes, ticks, mice and other disease-carrying creatures thrive. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that outbreaks of new or resurgent diseases are on the rise and in more disparate countries than ever before, including tropical illnesses in once cold climates -- such as mosquitoes infecting Canadians with West Nile virus.

While more than 150,000 people die from climate change-related sickness each year, everything from heat-related heart and respiratory problems to malaria are on the rise [source: The Washington Post]. Cases of allergies and asthma are also increasing. How is hay fever related to global warming? Global warming fosters increased smog -- which is linked to mounting instances of asthma attacks -- and also advances weed growth, a bane for allergy sufferers.


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Hurricane Sandy Recovery Scorecard: Rebuilding in 15 hard-hit N.J. towns

 

New construction data shows the recovery process is well underway in many areas. The number of demolition permits in many towns, such as Toms River, spiked dramatically in March and April, a clear indication that even the hardest-hit areas of the state are beginning the process of getting back on their feet. Where demolitions were able to take place earlier, such as Sayreville and Brick, the number of building permits being issued for new construction and alterations to homes is on the rise as families begin rebuilding following the storm.

Despite the progress in many areas, each indicator has remained virtually zero in Sea Bright and Seaside Heights, where recovery, at least in terms of residential construction, has been slower to materialize.

Additionally, FEMA data is now available for all of New Jersey and can be accessed through links on any of the town pages. The statewide data provides both an interactive tree map showing how funding has been distributed proportionally, as well as a searchable database showing each payment made to a town. 

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At The Controls ...

Worst Effects of Global Warming: Drought

Worldwide droughts, like that in a village northeast of Nairobi, expose rural communities to food shortages. Image Credit: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images


While some parts of the world may find themselves deluged by increasing storms and rising waters, other areas may find themselves suffering from drought. As the climate warms, experts estimate drought conditions may increase by at least 66 percent [source: Scientific American]. An increase in drought conditions leads quickly to a shrinking water supply and a decrease in quality agricultural conditions. This puts global food production and supply in danger and leaves populations at risk for starvation.

Today, India, Pakistan and sub-Saharan Africa already experience droughts, and experts predict precipitation could continue to dwindle in the coming decades. Estimates paint a dire picture. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that by 2020, 75 to 250 million Africans may experience water shortages, and the continent's agricultural output will decrease by 50 percent [source: BBC].


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Rough Seas in the North Sea!

The pictures were taken from the ship during very rough seas on December 7, 2011 in the North Sea.At that time the ship that I was in command was on a voyage from Aberdeen, Scotland to Lisbon, Portugal.

During heavy rolling the chief engineer had a fall in the engine room and suffered head injury.

Fortunately, it was manageable with on board medicine and he recovered soon. God protects the seafarers!   

Survivors fume as ship captain's trial starts

The crippled Costa Concordia lies on its side off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, a stubborn reminder of the 2012 shipwreck that claimed 32 lives. On Tuesday, the luxury cruise liner's captain went on trial here as the sole defendant in a case that may take months or longer to resolve - making an end to the drama even more elusive.

Francesco Schettino is charged with manslaughter, abandoning ship and causing the shipwreck. He took his place at the defendant table at the edge of the orchestra pit in Grosseto's Teatro Moderno, a 1,000-seat theatre that is serving as a more spacious substitute for the courtroom of this Tuscan provincial capital because so many survivors and victims' relatives were expected to attend.

Instead, aside from journalists and a panel of judges, at a table on the stage, the theatre was virtually empty. A nationwide, eightday lawyers' strike had generated wide expectations that Judge Giovanni Puliatti would immediately adjourn the opening hearing. It didn't quite happen that way: Puliatti intoned a nearly hour-long roll call of lawyers' names before calling it a day - setting the next session for July 17.

It was the latest example of Italy's slow-moving justice system. But what has riled survivors even more is the lack of any other defendants in the trial, frustrating hopes of learning why the sophisticated ship struck the jagged reef, and why everyone wasn't safely evacuated.

One of the lawyers representing survivors, Daniele Bocciolini, said what his clients wanted was simple: "We are asking for justice," he told Sky TG24 TV.

Schettino "is the only defendant, but he is not the only one responsible," said Bocciolini. "There is still a need to shed light on what happened."

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UN urges Asia to ditch punitive laws to fight AIDS

A display support for HIV positive people during a World Aids Day campaign in Kuala Lumpur last December.

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — U.N. health officials urged Asian governments Monday to get rid of what they say are punitive laws that hinder the battle against HIV and AIDS by discriminating against high-risk groups and deterring them from seeking treatment.

Steven Kraus, the UNAIDS director for Asia and the Pacific, said laws that punish same-sex activities and impose harsh drug sentences have prompted a rise in transmissions in parts of Asia.

‘‘Punitive laws and practices that discriminate (against) people and prevent them from getting treatment are not helping,’’ Kraus said on the sidelines of the International AIDS Society meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Michel Kazatchkine, the UN’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said enforcement against drug addiction, for example, should focus on suppliers, not users.

‘‘It will require political bravery. We need an open debate and to break the taboo,’’ he said.

Cambodia, considered one of Asia’s more successful countries in battling HIV and AIDS, has seen annual infections fall from 20,000 in the early 1990s to about 1,300 last year.

Mean Chhi Vun, a senior Cambodian health ministry official, told the conference in Malaysia that early intervention focused on prevention has slowed transmission, with HIV prevalence among prostitutes plunging from 42 percent in 1996 to 14 percent in 2011.

‘‘There is now no fear or stigma attached to getting treatment, and this has helped us to tremendously bring down new infections,’’ he said.

Among other countries that are taking steps to move away from punitive approaches, Thailand provides condoms for sex workers and Malaysia has converted some drug detention centers into ‘‘cure and care’’ clinics, activists at the conference said.

© Copyright 2013 Globe Newspaper Company.



Reposted From Boston.com

Pirate Henry Morgan's Long-Lost Ship Unearthed

It was a pirate's life for Adm. Henry Morgan and now landlubbers can get a peek into the time during which the plundering privateer lived. Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe to be the Welshman's flagship.

An underwater archeological team consisting of divers from Texas State University, volunteers from the National Park Service's Submerged Resources Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/University of North Carolina-Wilmington's Aquarius Reef Base set off for the Chagres River in Central Panama. Using a magnetometer to help them scour the ocean floor for iron remains, they spotted a slight piece of ship hull in the sand.

"It was like looking for a needle in a haystack," said Frederick "Fritz" Hanselmann, chief underwater archaeologist and dive training officer with the River Systems Institute/Aquarena Center at Texas State University.

He was not exaggerating. Only about 2 inches of the hull were sticking up but after further excavation, the team found a ship hull and several wooden chests 2 feet into the mud and clay, leading them to believe that they had found Morgan's ship, "Satisfaction," dating back to 1671. It is the first successful archeological excavation in that area.

While Hanselmann is fairly positive that he won't find any gold or jewels, for him and the team, the history is the biggest "booty" they could have hoped for.

"The treasure is the history," Hanselmann said. "Everything we do is not for profit."

Not that they needed the money. The company that was made famous using Morgan's image, Captain Morgan's Rum, put up a substantial amount of money to back the dig, Hanselmann said.

Tom Herbst, brand manager for Captain Morgan's Rum, said in a statement. "When the opportunity arose for us to help make this discovery mission possible, it was a natural fit for us to get involved," he said. "The artifacts uncovered during this mission will help bring Henry Morgan and his adventures to life in a way never thought possible."

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Famous Captains: Captain Henry Morgan

Captain Henry Morgan was a Welsh buccaneer who famously plundered Spain's Caribbean colonies during the late 17th century. He earned a reputation as one of the most notorious and successful privateers in history, and one of the most ruthless among those active along the Spanish Main.
 
Operating with the unofficial support of the English government, he undermined Spanish authority in the West Indies. Selected commander of the buccaneers in 1668, Morgan quickly captured Puerto Príncipe in Cuba and in 1670 armed with 36 ships and nearly 2,000 buccaneers,he captured Panamá, one of the chief cities of Spain's American empire. Morgan defeated a large Spanish force and burnt the city to the ground. On his return he deserted his followers and legged it with most of the booty. 

Despite being arrested in 1672, in 1674 King Charles II knighted Morgan and he became deputy governor of Jamaica, where he lived until his death. An exaggerated account of Morgan's exploits, written by one of his crew, created his popular reputation as a bloodthirsty pirate.

Morgan had lived in an opportune time for privateers. He was able to successfully use the conflicts between England and her enemies both to support England and to enrich himself and his crews. With his death, the pirates who would follow would also use this same ploy, but with less successful results.

On 4 August 2011 archaeologists from Texas State University reported having found what may be one of Morgan's ships off the coast of Panama. The dive was conducted off the Lajas Reef; some sources are stating it was at the mouth of Panama's Chagres River, where a 52-by-22-foot (16 by 7 m) section from the starboard side of a wooden ship's hull was found. The find may be Morgan's flagship, Satisfaction.

Unopened cargo boxes and chests encrusted in coral were found, in addition to the section of hull.

Capt. P.S. Vanchiswar Receives the Varuna Award, Maritime Industry’s Highest and Most Coveted Award

Capt. P.S. Vanchiswar received the Varuna Award, Maritime industry’s highest and most coveted award, at the hands of Mr. G. K. Vasan, Minister of Shipping and Chief Guest at the Grand Finale of the 50th National Maritime Day Celebrations, which was held in Mumbai.

The “Grand Finale” was held on the 5th April at the Y.B. Chavan Auditorium, in South Mumbai with G.K. Vasan, Union Minister of Shipping gracing the occasion as Chief Guest, P.K. Sinha, Secretary (Shipping) presiding over the function and Rear Admiral (retd) Peter Brady, Director General, Jamaica Maritime Authority attending as the Guest of Honor. The country’s most prestigious Varuna Award was conferred by the NMDC on P.  S. Vanchiswar and the award for outstanding contribution to Maritime and Education Training was bestowed on Capt Harry Subramaniam. 

 
INDIAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY, MUMBAI CAMPUS - MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER  
   
Dr./Captain P.S. Vanchiswar

Ph.D., Extra Master Mariner, Professor Emeritus, World Maritime University Ex-I.M.O. Adviser/Consultant Ex-Nautical Adviser to the Government of India T.S. Dufferin 1943-45 Roll no: 633

This is a very joyous occasion for us to celebrate the great success of our Maritime Training Establishments through the national and International achievements of their alumni. I submit that at the same time it is also an occasion for the following; 

(i) Paying homage to those great Indians of the past, who made "Maritime education & training" possible for us commencing with Late Mr. P.S. Sivaswami Iyer, who made, through his tenacious efforts, the then British Government of India establish I.M.M.T.S. Dufferin, about two decades before our independence.

(ii) Heartfelt commendation of the merit and determination of the "Pioneer Batches of Cadets", who proved against odds, that Indians can be very competent officers. 

(iii) Sincere "Thanks giving" by those of us, who are beneficiaries, to those who made it possible for us to benefit. 

(iv) Expressing our admiration to the independent Government of India in giving high priority to maritime training, very soon after our independence. 

(v) Conveying our gratitude to the shipowners and others employers, who have appreciated the high quality of the alumni of our maritime training institutions. 

(vi) Planning for the future. 

I congratulate the organists and am most thankful to them for giving me the opportunity of conveying this brief message.
  
   

   

Causes of Global Warming: The Greenhouse Effect

Earth's climate is the result of a balance between the amount of incoming energy from the sun, and energy being radiated out into space.

Incoming solar radiation strikes Earth's atmosphere in the form of visible light, plus ultraviolet and infrared radiation (which are invisible to the human eye), according to the Earth Observatory of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a higher energy level than visible light, and infrared (IR) radiation has a weaker energy level. Some of the sun's incoming radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, the oceans and the surface of the Earth.

Much of it, however, is reflected back out to space as low-energy IR radiation. For Earth's temperature to remain stable, the amount of incoming solar radiation should be roughly equal to the amount of IR radiation leaving the atmosphere.

As Earth's atmosphere changes, however, the amount of IR radiation leaving the atmosphere also changes. And since the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gasoline have greatly increased the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

Along with other gases like methane and nitrous oxide, CO2 acts like a blanket, absorbing IR radiation and preventing it from leaving the atmosphere. The net effect causes the gradual heating of Earth's atmosphere and surface. [Related: Effects of Global Warming]

This is called the "greenhouse effect" because a similar process occurs in a greenhouse: Relatively high-energy UV and visible radiation penetrate the glass walls and roof of a greenhouse, but weaker IR radiation isn't able to pass out through the glass. The trapped IR radiation keeps the greenhouse warm, even in the coldest winter weather.


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