text:
e360 digest
Pollution & Health
28 Aug 2013:
Illegal Slash-and-Burn Fires
Are Causing Smog Problem in Indonesia
Skies above Indonesia have been
blanketed with smog
as wildfires burn throughout its forests. Ignoring
Click to enlarge
Smog above Indonesia (Photo credit: NASA)
environmental laws, companies are using the practice of slash-and-burn to clear land for palm oil plantations. The illegal fires decimate rainforests and peatlands and fill the air with lethal levels of smoke, as seen in this NASA satellite image taken on August 27. Indonesia's pollution index hit a record-high 401 earlier this month; any reading above 400 is considered life-threatening to the elderly and sick. Palm oil is the world's
largest vegetable oil commodity
and demand is rising rapidly, causing massive damage to tropical forests, especially in Southeast Asia.
23 Aug 2013:
Arsenic in Groundwater
May Affect 20 Million People in China
Nearly 20 million people in China are exposed to high levels of arsenic in the water they use for drinking and cooking, a new model based on geological and
Click to enlarge
Groundwater arsenic in China
hydrological data and well samples shows.
The model predicts high arsenic concentrations
(10 micrograms per liter or greater) across more than 580,000 square kilometers, according to Chinese and Swiss researchers, who published their findings in
. Researchers had long known that some regions had high arsenic concentrations, but it would have taken several decades to test the millions of wells in China. The new prediction combined the most recent tests with data about the underlying geology, soil characteristics, and topography.
13 Aug 2013:
Too Many Urban Beehives
May Do More Harm Than Good, Experts Say
A surge in urban beekeeping
may be doing more harm than good to honeybee populations
, according to UK scientists. As
the number of rooftop hives increases in cities worldwide
— including London, where there are
Matthias Walendy
A Berlin beekeeper
now 10 hives per square kilometer — two researchers from the University of Sussex warn that too many hives can be detrimental.
Writing in
The Biologist
, the magazine of the Society of Biology, they suggest that inexperienced beekeepers can create conditions in which there isn't enough food for their insects. "If there are too many colonies in an area, then the food supply will be insufficient," Francis Ratnieks, a professor at the university's Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, told the BBC. "This will mean that colonies do not thrive, and may also affect other species that also visit flowers."
09 Aug 2013:
Mapping of Monarch Butterfly
Migration Yields Clues About Decline
A comprehensive mapping of the
North American migration patterns of the iconic monarch butterfly
could help preserve a species
threatened by loss of habitat and food sources
, a team of international
Wikimedia Commons
A monarch butterfly
researchers says. In a study conducted across 17 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, from southern Texas to Alberta, biologists from Canada, the U.S., and Australia tracked the northward migration of the monarchs, documenting five generations in a single breeding season. By analyzing a chemical signature found on the adult butterflies' wings that reveals their specific birthplace, scientists were able to track the different generations of butterflies as they migrated north to the U.S. Midwest, from which many butterflies then traveled to Alberta. According to Tyler Flockhart, a Ph. D. student at the University of Guelph in Canada and lead author of the study
published in the
Proceedings of the Royal Society B
, the decline in milkweed and a surge in genetically modified crops might be affecting monarch survival.
29 Jul 2013:
Wired Honeybees Show
Harmful Impacts of Pesticides on Navigation
Using tiny radar antennae glued to the backs of honeybees, European scientists have found that bees exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides
were more likely to become disoriented
and separated from their hives.
Honeybee wired with radar antennae
After attaching the small transponders to 200 bees, including some that were fed pesticide-laced syrup, scientists discovered that the exposed bees had difficulty navigating and were unable to retrace the path back to their hives. "We find the control bees are just fantastic — they use their landscape and their vector memory and they do fine," Randolf Menzel, an insect neurobiologist at the Free University in Berlin, told the London
. "The treated bees, depending on the doses of the substance, are more confused." The findings appear to support a theory that neonicotinoids make bees more vulnerable to pathogens and could be a factor in so-called "colony collapse disorder,"
a phenomenon that has decimated honeybee populations
in recent years.
24 Jul 2013:
European Investment Bank
Will Not Finance Most Coal Power Stations
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the main lending arm of the European Union, has decided to
stop financing most coal-fired power plants
, part of an effort to help the 28-nation bloc meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030. The EIB says that new and refurbished coal-fired power stations will be ineligible for funding unless they emit less than 550 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour, a standard that traditional coal power plants would be unable to meet. Power stations that burn coal would only be able to meet the standards if they also produce heat for municipal or commercial heating systems or burned biomass. The EIB says it plans to further tighten its emissions standards for coal- and natural gas-fired power plants in the future.
09 Jul 2013:
Coal Emissions in China Slash
5.5 Years off Life Expectancy, Study Says
The life expectancy of people living in northern China
is 5 ½ years less than in southern China
as a result of the north's notoriously bad air pollution, largely due to the burning of coal, according to a new study. In an analysis
Getty Images
of air quality recordings from 90 Chinese cities from 1981 to 2000 and mortality data from the 1990s, a team of researchers estimated that high air pollution will cost the roughly 500 million people living north of the Huai River a combined 2.5 billion years of life expectancy compared with people living in the south. Writing
in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
, the researchers say increased mortality,
attributable to cardiorespiratory illness
, is the unintended consequence of a Chinese policy that from 1950 to 1980 provided free coal for boilers in cities north of the Huai, but not for those living in the south.
26 Jun 2013:
Exposure to Lead Costs
Developing Nations $1 Trillion Annually
The exposure of children to toxic lead, and the subsequent declines in IQ and earning potential,
costs the developing world nearly $1 trillion annually
, according to a new report. Based on the average lead levels in children under the age of 5, researchers from New York University found that Africa suffers the greatest costs from lead exposure, losing an estimated $137.7 billion annually, or about 4 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). In Latin America, the costs are about $142.3 billion, the study found, while in Asian nations the costs are about $699.9 billion. By comparison, the annual costs in the U.S. and Europe, where exposure to lead has decreased significantly in recent decades, are about $50 billion and $55 billion, respectively. The report said
lead consumption has increased worldwide
since the early 1970s, largely because of rising demand for lead batteries. The study was
published in
Environmental Health Perspectives
21 Jun 2013:
Illegal Fires in Sumatra
Send Dangerous Pollution to Singapore
Billowing smoke from illegal fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has engulfed Singapore this week,
pushing air pollution to record levels
for three
Click to enlarge
Smoke engulfs Singapore
consecutive days. The smoke, which is captured in
a new NASA satellite image
, has created an acrid blanket of smog across the region and historic levels of air pollution. According to government officials, Singapore's air pollution index reached 401 on Friday, a level considered hazardous for breathing. Before this week, the previous high was 226. The smoke has been
blowing east toward southern Malaysia and Singapore
from Sumatra, where farmers set illegal fires to clear land for new crops during the mid-year dry season. The fires are yet another sign of the large-scale deforestation taking place on Sumatra.
20 Jun 2013:
Global Reports Underline
Threats to Planet's Bird Species
New global research underlines the rising threats facing the world's bird species, with three reports providing evidence that climate change, overfishing, and unsustainable agriculture are taking a heavy toll on
Puffins along the Maine coast.
avian populations worldwide. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reports that numbers of some migratory bird populations in Maine — including Arctic terns and puffins —
have plummeted in recent years
because their food supplies are disappearing as a result of commercial fishing and the shifting of fish to cooler waters, which is making it more difficult for some birds to feed their young. In a separate study, scientists predict that rising sea levels
will devastate habitat for some migratory shore birds
in the coming decades. Higher sea levels, the study predicts, will flood 23 percent to 40 percent of the intertidal habitats for several shorebird species, triggering population declines of as much as 70 percent. Overall, one in eight bird species globally
is at risk of extinction
, according to a new report by
BirdLife International
12 Jun 2013:
Bird-Mimicking Mobile Apps
Harmful to Species, UK Groups Say
Wildlife officials in the UK are urging people not to use mobile phone apps that mimic bird songs in nature reserves, warning that the devices
can harm some sensitive species
, particularly during breeding season.
Icon for Chirp! app
The increasingly popular apps, which use recordings of bird calls to lure the birds closer for photographs or better viewing, can distract birds from critical tasks, such as feeding their young, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT), a conservation group that oversees 42 reserves,
is discouraging the use of the mobile apps at its reserves
, calling it an intentional disturbance of sensitive species such as the Nightjar, a nocturnal bird that has experienced a recent recovery in the area. "I'm sure visitors would be devastated if they realized the possible disturbance they were causing to wildlife," said Chris Thain, a manager at DWT's Brownsea Island reserve.
30 May 2013:
Nuclear Power Has Prevented
1.84 Million Premature Deaths, Study Says
The use of nuclear power from 1971 to 2009
prevented more than 1.8 million premature deaths
related to air pollution and 64 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, a new study says. Using historical production data and estimates of mortality per unit of electricity generated, scientists from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University calculated that replacing nuclear energy sources with fossil fuel-burning sources during that period would have caused about 1.84 million premature deaths. By midcentury, they project, nuclear power could prevent an additional 420,000 to 7 million deaths, depending on which fossil fuels it replaces, and 80 to 240 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions. "By contrast, we assess that large-scale expansion of unconstrained natural gas use would not mitigate the climate problem and would cause far more deaths than the expansion of nuclear power," said Pushker A. Kharecha, who, along with NASA's James Hansen, co-authored the study
published in the journal
Environmental Science & Technology
. The study calculated that nuclear power plant accidents caused about 4,900 deaths during the same period.
28 May 2013:
Electricity Availability Growth
Must Double to Achieve Global Access
The rate of expansion of access to electricity
will have to double over the next 17 years
if the world's population is to achieve 100 percent access to modern energy, a new report says. While about 1.7 billion people became connected to electricity sources worldwide between 1990 and 2010, that increase barely outpaced population growth during that period, according to Sustainable Energy for All, a group lead by the World Bank and the United Nations. More than 1.2 billion people still do not have access to electricity, and 2.8 billion still rely on burning wood or other biomass for household fuel, a source of pollution that causes about 4 million premature deaths annually. Achieving universal access to modern energy will require investments of $45 billion annually, which is five times the current levels. If combined with an expansion of renewable energy sources and improved efficiencies, however, achieving this growth in energy access would increase CO2 emissions by less than 1 percent, the report says.
23 May 2013:
China Poised to Launch
Much-Anticipated Carbon-Trading Project
China has revealed details of a carbon cap-and-trade pilot project that will be launched next month, a much-anticipated market attempt to rein in carbon dioxide emissions by the world's biggest emitter. The first phase of the program, which will be implemented in the southern city of Shenzhen,
will cover 638 companies
that produce 38 percent of the city's carbon emissions, according to the city branch of the government's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The system will impose caps on the companies' CO2 emissions and establish a market for the buying and selling of emissions permits. Eventually, the program will be expanded to include the transportation, manufacturing, and construction sectors, the
reports. By 2014, the experimental scheme will be expanded into six other designated cities and provinces, including Beijing and Shanghai. Earlier this week, the Chinese newspaper
21st Century Business Herald
reported that the NDRC is contemplating a nationwide system to control CO2 emissions by 2020.
21 May 2013:
Large Majority of Americans
Believe Global Warming Should be a Priority
Roughly 70 percent of Americans say global warming should be a priority for President Obama and Congress and 61 percent support requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a carbon tax that would be used to help reduce the national debt,
according to a new survey
by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. In a national survey conducted in April, 87 percent of respondents said that the president and Congress should make developing clean sources of energy a priority, 68 percent favored regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant, and 71 percent supported providing tax rebates for people who buy solar panels and energy-efficient vehicles. Seventy percent said global warming should be at least a "medium" priority, while 28 percent said it should be a low priority. The poll showed that 7 in 10 Americans support funding more research into green energy sources.
16 May 2013:
Scientist's U.S. Road Trip
Reveals Unexpected Methane Emissions
Methane measurements collected during a scientist's road trip across the U.S. indicate that local emissions of the potent greenhouse gas
are higher than previously known in many regions
. Using a gas chromatograph mounted to the roof of a rented camper, Ira Leifer of the University of California, Santa Barbara, collected air samples from Florida to California, finding the highest methane concentrations in areas with significant refinery activity — such as Houston, Texas — and in a region of central California with oil and gas production. He found that methane concentrations exceeded the levels estimated by the U.S. Department of Energy, particularly in areas near industrial fossil fuel extraction sites. The results point to the importance of targeting these "fugitive" methane emissions in parallel with efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Leifer's findings were published in the journal
Atmospheric Environment
13 May 2013:
Project Looks to Quantify
Power Emissions Through Crowdsourcing
A team of scientists is enlisting public support to help produce a more comprehensive inventory of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants globally,
urging citizens to identify power plants in their communities
with a new digital app. While data from some of the
Google Earth
world's industrialized regions — including the U.S. and Europe — are already widely available, researchers at Arizona State University (ASU) say specific information on carbon emissions from most parts of the world is difficult to obtain. "It turns out that we know far less about fossil fuels than we thought we did," Kevin Gurney, an emissions modeler at ASU and co-leader of the so-called Ventus Project,
. "We could use some help." Using a simple Google Earth application, the technology enables users to upload exact coordinates of local power plants, and, if possible, information on the type of fuels used or the quantity of CO2 emissions. Organizers hope that the crowdsourcing initiative will fill data gaps on the world's roughly 30,000 power plants.
10 May 2013:
U.S. Web Tool Aims to Bolster
Research on Climate and Health Links
The Obama Administration this week
introduced an online tool
to improve research into the link between climate change and human health and promote innovative responses to future threats. As climate change triggers more extreme weather events and temperature shifts, it is becoming increasingly important to determine how these changes will affect respiratory illnesses, infectious diseases, allergies, and other human ailments, said Tom Armstrong, executive director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Writing
on the department's blog
, Armstrong said the so-called
Metadata Access Tool for Climate and Health
, or MATCH, will provide an accessible portal of metadata from more than 9,000 health, environment and climate science data sets. "MATCH will help researchers and public health officials integrate the latest information from across environmental and health disciplines in order to inform more effective responses to climate and health threats," he said.
09 May 2013:
Third Coal Export Proposal
Falls By Wayside in Pacific Northwest
A large U.S. pipeline developer has dropped plans to build a $200-million coal export facility in northern Oregon, the third major terminal proposal to be shelved or canceled in the Pacific Northwest. Officials at Houston-based Kinder Morgan say the Columbia River site could not optimally accommodate the 30 million tons of coal that were expected to run through the site annually, largely for markets in Asia. While the company said the decision had nothing to do with public opposition to transporting massive amounts of coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming to the coast, critics of the plan say growing protests affected the decision. "If that site didn't meet their physical constraints, they would have known that… years ago when they proposed this," Brett VandenHeuvel, director of the group Columbia Riverkeeper,
told the
Los Angeles Times
. Thousands of residents have signed petitions to block the project, citing concerns that the coal trains would cause pollution from coal dust and create traffic congestion. Three other coal export projects — two in Washington and one in Oregon —
are still on the table
01 May 2013:
Program Targeting Diesel
Emissions Will Be Cut by 70 Percent
A federal program that has cleaned up or removed 50,000 high-polluting diesel engines from U.S. roads is scheduled to be
cut by 70 percent under President Barack Obama's latest budget.
The program eliminated 230,000 tons of soot and smog-causing pollutants, slashed more than two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and saved 205 million gallons of fuel. But the program's budget has faced steady cuts in recent years, falling from $50 million in fiscal year 2011, to $20 million in 2013, to a proposed $6 million in fiscal year 2014. The diesel cleanup program has succeeded in removing only a fraction of the 11 million dirty, pre-2006 diesel vehicles on the road. But environmentalists say that the program has been successful in helping clean the air in low-income communities that often are situated near ports, highways, and other areas with high diesel traffic.
23 Apr 2013:
Conservation of Forests
Can Prevent Malaria Spread, Study Says
The conservation of woodlands and biodiversity
can actually help prevent the spread of malaria
in tropical forests, a new study says. Using a mathematical model of different conditions in a forest region of southeastern Brazil, scientists found that the circulation of the parasite
Plasmodium vivax
— which is associated with 80 million to 300 million malaria cases worldwide — is likely to decrease in less developed forests where populations of non-malarial mosquitoes and warm-blooded animals are abundant. While no malaria cases have been reported in 30 years within the biodiverse study area, located in the Atlantic Forest, researchers say a primary malaria mosquito is found nearby. According to their study, published
in the journal
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
, the findings suggest that malarial and non-malarial mosquito populations are likely to compete for blood feeding, and that the animals act as "dead-end reservoirs" of the malaria parasite. "These aspects of biodiversity that can hinder malaria transmission are services provided by the forest ecosystem," Gabriel Zorello, an epidemiologist at the University of Sao Paulo and lead researcher of the study, told ScieDev.Net.
18 Apr 2013:
Reducing Short-Lived Pollutants
Could Slow Sea Level Rise, Study Says
Reducing the emissions of four critical pollutants in the coming decades could at least temporarily
slow the rate of global warming and reduce projected sea level rise by as much as 50 percent
, according to a new study. Building on previous research that found that reducing the emissions of four short-lived pollutants — tropospheric ozone, hydrofluorocarbons, black carbon, and methane — could slow the rate of global warming by 50 percent, the new study projects that sea-level rise could, in turn, be reduced by 24 to 50 percent by 2100, depending on the level of emissions cuts. Unlike carbon dioxide, which persists in the atmosphere for centuries, these four pollutants remain in the atmosphere anywhere from a week to a decade, so altering their atmospheric concentrations can have a more immediate effect on the global climate, scientists say. "Society can significantly reduce the threat to coastal cities if it moves quickly on a handful of pollutants," said Aixue Hu, a researcher at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and lead author of the study
published in the journal
Nature Climate Change
02 Apr 2013:
Air Pollution Linked to
1.2 Million Chinese Deaths in 2010
Air pollution contributed to the premature deaths of more than 1.2 million people in China in 2010, or about 40 percent of early deaths worldwide caused by dirty air, according to a newly released analysis. The findings, based on data from a study on the distribution and causes of death globally, categorized "ambient particulate matter pollution" as the fourth-leading factor in premature deaths in China, behind dietary risks, high blood pressure, and smoking. Worldwide, air pollution was the seventh-leading cause of premature death, contributing to 3.2 million deaths, according to the study. While the study was
published in
The Lancet
, a UK-based medical journal, the summary of China statistics was reported at a forum in Beijing,
New York Times
. The findings come as public outrage grows in China as residents of many cities endure choking air far in excess of safe levels.
27 Mar 2013:
Natural Gas Extraction
Causing More Earthquakes in Netherlands
Extraction of natural gas from the deep soil in a region of the Netherlands has triggered an increase in minor earthquakes, similar to seismic effects that have raised concerns about drilling operations, including hydraulic fracturing, in other countries. While the extraction of gas has occurred for decades in the northern Netherlands, including in the province of Groningen, quakes have become more frequent in the last few years,
New York Times
. The region experienced as few as 20 quakes a year before 2011, but there were 18 during the first six weeks of 2013, with some strong enough to cause significant property damage. According to Chiel Seinen, a spokesman for a local gas consortium known as NAM, natural gas extraction has created at least 1,800 faults in the region's subsoil, although he said the controversial drilling technique known as fracking is not used in the Dutch region. A new study by Columbia University's Earth Institute found that a 5.7-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Oklahoma in 2011
may have been the largest quake yet
that can be linked to the injection of wastewater as part of an energy extraction project.
22 Mar 2013:
Expansion of Chinese City Poses
Environmental and Safety Risks, Critics Say
An ambitious plan to expand the western Chinese city of Lanzhou into a regional industrial hub is raising concerns over what critics call lax government oversight of the environmental and safety impacts, including worries that it will siphon huge amounts of water from
an already parched region
and devastate nearby mountains. Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, is a city of 3.6 million and a gateway to Tibet and the Xinjiang region. It is known as one of the most polluted cities in China, and now the government is working to expand the city's footprint by at least 70 percent,
according to Caixin Online
. That expansion involves the flattening of mountaintops, and the additional 1 million people and increased industrial activity will draw water from the already polluted and over-stressed Yellow River. Opponents of the plan say buildings will also be constructed on loose soil that will be vulnerable to collapse. "It was a rash decision to begin construction on the new city before receiving environmental approvals or seeking opinions from the Lanzhou public," said Zhao Zhong, a local activist.
18 Mar 2013:
New Chinese Premier
Vows To Tackle Pollution With 'Iron Fist'
China's new premier, Li Keqiang,
has vowed aggressive government action
to curb the rampant pollution that has provoked growing public outrage, saying the country would phase out "backward production
Getty Images
Smog covers Beijing in January
facilities" that have contributed to dangerous health conditions in numerous regions. Speaking at his first press conference, Li said the government would set deadlines to address the public health controversy, exemplified by choking air pollution over Beijing that has kept air quality
at dangerous levels
since the beginning of the year. Chronic air pollution problems in major metropolitan areas, coupled with a recent episode in which more than
12,000 rotting pig carcasses
were discovered in a river that provides Shanghai's drinking water, have triggered growing public protest. While Li offered few specific solutions, he promised "vigorous" efforts to tackle pollution. "We need to face the situation and punish offenders with no mercy and enforce the law with an iron fist," he said. "We shouldn't pursue economic growth at the expense of the environment."
Interview: An Advocate for
Environmental Justice at EPA
Matthew Tejada brings on-the-ground experience to his new job as director of the Office of Environmental Justice at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Tejada, 33, took over his EPA post
Matthew Tejada
this month after leading Air Alliance Houston, where he helped organize communities along the Texas Gulf Coast to fight air pollution from chemical plants, oil refineries, and the shipping industry. In an interview with
Yale Environment 360
, Tejada explains how he sees his role at the EPA as an advocate for environmental justice, a concept that first emerged in the 1980s and focuses on the pollution burdens often placed on poor and minority neighborhoods. Tejada tells
why he thinks his work as a community advocate will help in his new job, why it is important for environmental organizations to build coalitions with grassroots groups, and how he sees "similarities across environmental justice communities, whether they're in Puerto Rico or in Kansas."
Read the interview
07 Mar 2013:
Shale Gas Boom Drives
Surge in Propane-Fueled Vehicles
The U.S. satellite TV provider DISH Network Corporation has announced it
will introduce 200 propane-fueled vans
to its fleet in 2013, another sign that propane, like natural gas, is offering an increasingly cost-effective transportation fuel alternative to gasoline and diesel. While there are already more than 13 million propane-fueled vehicles worldwide, propane historically has been considered a niche fuel because of high production costs. But driven by the surge in domestic shale oil and gas production, the wholesale cost of propane is now only about 85 cents per gallon — about half of 2011 costs. And while the vehicles cost about 10 percent more than diesel-fueled trucks, propane-fueled trucks ultimately can save $50,000 in fuel costs over the life of a vehicle, according to Reuters. In addition, DISH officials say their new propane-fueled vans
will reduce the fleet's overall emissions of carbon dioxide by 12.5 million pounds
over the lifetime of the vehicles. According to Pike Research, sales of natural gas-fueled vehicles
are projected to increase 10 percent annually
through 2019 while propane-fueled vehicles are expected to climb 8 percent per year.
26 Feb 2013:
Major U.S. Utility Will Close
Three Coal-Burning Plants in Midwest
One of the U.S.'s largest electric utilities
has agreed to close three coal-fired power plants
in the Midwest, the latest sign of how the U.S.'s electricity supply is shifting away from coal to natural gas and renewable energy. American Electric Power (AEP) will shut down the three plants in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky by 2015 — retiring a total of 2,011 megawatts of coal-burning capacity — and replace some of the power generation with wind and solar investments in Indiana and Michigan. According to the agreement, which settles a lawsuit originally filed in 1999 over the environmental costs of pollution that drifts east from the plants, the Ohio-based company will also spend $5 billion to install pollution-control technologies at its aging coal-burning plants in the eastern U.S. and cut its annual sulfur dioxide emissions from 828,000 tons to 174,000 tons within 12 years. With the latest shut-downs, utilities have now closed or announced the closing of 142 coal-burning plants
since 2010.
25 Feb 2013:
Labor Capacity To Fall as World
Gets Warmer, More Humid, U.S. Study Says
Increasingly warm and humid conditions that are predicted in the coming decades
could slash worker productivity 10 percent worldwide
by mid-century and could eliminate worker capacity altogether in some regions during the hottest months, a new U.S. study predicts. In an analysis of labor capacity based on existing military and industrial heat stress standards, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that the amount of work that people can do in some regions has already dropped by 10 percent over the last six decades and that the lost labor capacity could double by 2050 based on global warming projections. According to their analysis, published
in the journal
Nature Climate Change
, a temperature increase of 6 degrees C (11 degrees F) would "eliminate all labor capacity in the hottest months in many areas," including the U.S.'s lower Mississippi Valley. "This planet will start experiencing heat stress that's unlike anything experienced today," Ronald Stouffer, co-author of the study,
told Reuters
. According to the study, temperature increases must be limited to less than 3 degrees C (5 F) to maintain labor capacity in all areas during the hottest months.
Business & Innovation
Policy & Politics
Pollution & Health
Science & Technology
Antarctica and the Arctic
Central & South America
Middle East
North America
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
Yale Environment 360 is
a publication of the
Yale School of Forestry
& Environmental Studies
SEARCH e360
RSS Feed
Email Updates
Mobile Site
About e360
Submission Guidelines
Accepting entries through June 15, 2015.
E360 en Español
Yale Environment 360
articles are now available in Spanish and Portuguese on
, the online educational network.
Visit the site.
e360 Digest
Video Reports
Business & Innovation
Policy & Politics
Pollution & Health
Science & Technology
Antarctica and the Arctic
Central & South America
Middle East
North America
e360 SPECIAL REPORT
A three-part series
Tainted Harvest
looks at the soil pollution crisis in China, the threat it poses to the food supply, and the complexity of any cleanup.
Read the series.
e360 MOBILE
The latest
Environment 360
is now available for mobile devices at
e360 VIDEO
The Warriors of Qiugang
, a
Yale Environment 360
video, chronicles a Chinese village's fight against a polluting chemical plant. It was nominated for a 2011 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
Watch the video.
Top Image: aerial view of
. © Google & TerraMetrics.
e360 VIDEO
Badru's Story
, winner of the Yale Environment 360 Video Contest, documents the work of African researchers monitoring wildlife in Uganda's remote Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Watch the video.
Centre for Science and Environment
Circle of Blue
Climate Progress
Ecological Internet
Environmental Health News
Environmental News Network
New Scientist
Real Climate
Science Blogs
Scientific American
© 2008-2015 Yale University |


text:
TanyDi said
I have 68 sales almost at the end of the month which is not so good for me. But before a while I made my 777th sale and a few days ago I've got 51% commission rate. So I'm happy with the hope January will be better for me and for all of us
Congrats TanyDi !!!
Dec – best month ever
this month is quiet bad for me. but affiliate program works
onlycreativeworks said
Dec – best month ever
+1 for me. December, surprisingly, has been a really good month.
TanyDi – when will you start January thread?
azamshah72v saidCheck this thread http://graphicriver.net/forums/thread/january-2013-sales/83825
TanyDi – when will you start January thread?
Is it just me, or have the sales really picked up since this week? I had more sales this week than I had the last month.
nCrafts said
Is it just me, or have the sales really picked up since this week? I had more sales this week than I had the last month.
No! they have stopped almost completely for me now – I had a great December and now it's all gone wrong! Glad you are having better luck!
Helpful Information
- Please read our community guidelines. Self promotion and discussion of piracy is not allowed.
- Open a support ticket if you would like specific help with your account, deposits or purchases.
- Item Support by authors is optional and may vary. Please see the Support tab on each item page.
Most of all, enjoy your time here. Thank you for being a valued Envato community member.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Liam Neeson gets mistaken for Ralph Fiennes
Liam Neeson and Sam Worthington star in this fantastical action adventure, a remake of the 1981 film of the same name, about the mortal son of Zeus and the perilous journey he takes in an effort to stop the underworld and its minions from spreading their evil to Earth as well as the heavens.
Liam Neeson is often mistaken for Ralph Fiennes.
The 'Taken' actor has appeared in a number of films alongside Fiennes including 'Schindler's List', 'Clash of the Titans' and 'Wrath of the Titans' but admits their 'fans' often confuse them for one another.
He laughed: ''I keep getting fans and stuff mixing me up with Ralph because we have very similar profiles. So I've been complimented on winning a Tony Award for my Hamlet, he's been complimented on the 'Taken' movies.''
Neeson - whose wife Natasha Richardson died in a skiing accident in 2009 - admits he doesn't always tell fans they have got the wrong actor and has even signed autographs on behalf of his ''dear friend''.
He explained on an episode of 'The Jonathan Ross Show' airing tomorrow (01.02.14): ''My wife and I were walking through a hotel in Paris passing these two elderly couples. They got up and this lady said 'Excuse me, can I introduce you to my husband and his best friend who landed on D Day 50 years ago...
''I was about to move away and the lady said 'Would you mind signing this ... and as I'm about to write my name she says 'We love The English Patient.' So, I just wrote, 'With love, Ralph Fiennes'.''


text:
This week we have an educational atlas app for kids, an excellent updated Amtrak app, a better way to take notes, and many more.
Keep reading more apps are this way.
This week we have an educational atlas app for kids, an excellent updated Amtrak app, a better way to take notes, and many more.
Keep reading more apps are this way.
The Amtrak app has been updated to allow passengers to display their tickets on their iPhone and let conductors scan them.
Price: free
Incredibooth is a phone booth in your pocket. Apply cool Instagram-like filters to your finished pictures and share the results with your friends.
Price: $0.99
Have you been swept with Olympic fever? If you can't get enough of the games bring them to your iPhone with Finger Olympics. Compete in all of the Track & Field events.
The best part is the finger characters!
Price: Free
Digg relaunched their website and iPhone app this week and we love it. The app is simple, easy to navigate, and aims to get you the most important information on the internet.
Check out our walkthrough of the app >
Price: Free
Amazon Instant Video became available for the iPad this week. The service provides unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows, included with your Amazon Prime membership at no additional cost.
Price: Free (with Amazon Prime Membership)
Projectbook is the ultimate note taking app. Brought to you by a former Apple exec, Projectbook lets you take notes of different font sizes, colors, create outlines, hand write, sketch, and more.
The app helps you stay on top of your projects and due dates with a flexible to-do manager. It can search Word docs, PDFs, web clips, notes, and more. And, it automatically connects related information throughout your notebook, so you can find anything fast -- even if it's not organized.
Price: $1.99
Infinity Blade II is one of our favorite iOS games. The game challenges you to swipe and stab to take down creatures and enemies.
The graphics behind this game are also amazing.
Grab it while its on sale.
Price: $2.99 (normally $6.99)
|NASDAQ Composite
|NYSE Composite


text:
Logan Road RV Park -
Park your RV, walk two blocks and gaze out over the mighty Pacific, and then turn around and walk into Oregon's only oceanfront casino. Chinook Winds Casino Resort offers all your favorite table games, top name entertainment, 1,200 of the hottest slots, two oceanview restaurants, and an all-u-can-eat buffet.
Enjoy a scenic stroll along seven miles of sandy beaches or mosey back to the RV for a little cat nap. Awaken, fully rejuvenated, take a deep breath of fresh ocean air, and then shoot a round of 18 at the Chinook Winds Golf Resort .
We're Lincoln City's only RV park west of Highway 101, closest to the casino, walking distance to the beach, pet friendly and right smack in the middle of all the action. Whether you're driving down the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway or rambling over the temperate Coast Range, you'll want to make sure your Oregon Trail stops at Logan Road RV Park.
Read more at Travel Oregon
Logan Road RV Park
4800 N.E. Logan Road
Visit Website


text:
Special Offer | Buy one frame, get one frame 50% off. use code: BOGO50
We're sorry, this frame is currently sold out.
Regular Price: $88.00
(No reviews)
- Gender:
- Female
- Material:
- Acetate
- Color:
- Brown Tortoise
- Spring Hinges:
- Yes
- Progressive Eligible:
- Yes
- Lens Width:
- Lens Height:
- Bridge Width:
- Arm Length:
- Frame Width:
- 54 mm
- 30 mm
- 15 mm
- 135 mm
- 133 mm
Size MatchHow will I know if these frames fit?
Product DescriptionVera Bradley VB3040 IMP Imperial Toile eyeglasses are elegantly fierce. This flattering style features a rich havana acetate frame front paired with edgy oval shaped lenses. The metal temples are outlined with an embossed border and decorated with the Vera Bradley initials on a brown enameled base, completed with smooth acetate tips.
About the BrandVera Bradley has earned a distinguished reputation as a leader in the gift industry. Guided by the founders, Patricia R. Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Vera Bradley started with stylish luggage, handbags and accessories that combined smart product designs with distinctive fabrics and trims. The Vera Bradley eyeglasses collection incorporates the same playful patterns and savvy designs with classically flattering shapes that you'll love.
Rates estimated for shipping to:
United States
United States
- Eyeglasses and Sunglasses Shipping is FREE for all orders! No minimum or coupon code required.
- Contact Lenses and Accessories UPS - $9.99 Shipping time 3-5 business days. Does not include handling time.
For free shipping on Contact Lens orders over $49 – Use code FSOVER49 at checkout.If you're not completely happy with your item, return it to us for FREE!
Within 365 day of purchase, you may return your order in its original condition. See Return Policy.
Within 365 day of purchase, you may return your order in its original condition. See Return Policy.
Site operated by Coastal Contacts Inc.
COPYRIGHT @ 2015 Coastal Contacts Inc. All rights reserved


text:
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), which is developing the 417-square kilometre Khalifa industrial zone (Kizad) between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is eyeing an $45-50-billion worth of investments from Indian companies by 2015, a senior company official said today.
ADPC targets a 12-15% of the total investments from Indian companies in Kizad. It is also expecting around $45-50-billion investments from Indian companies by 2015, the official said.
"India and the UAE have a long history of trade and business relations that facilitates our presence. We believe that Kizad offers Indian businesses a great opportunity to expand their presence with facilities and advantages that justify doing business in Abu Dhabi," APDC executive vice-president of industrial zones, Khaled Salmeen, told reporters here.
The company, which has completed the first phase of the project of 51 square kilometre with an investment of around AED 26.5-billion or $7.2-billion, has signed MoUs with 23 companies from different countries for setting up their operations in Abu Dhabi.
ADPC has launched an international marketing campaign wherein it plans to visit six countries including the US, Germany, the UK, South Korea, China and India to showcase the capabilities of Kizad.


text:
Featured stories about Tunisia
Stories about Tunisia
27 April 2015
Understanding Copyright in the Arab World
Arab countries should not extend the length of their copyright term without thinking of the consequences that this will have on the ability of society to access knowledge and culture.
25 April 2015
Tunisia Looks to Tap Into Its History and Push Its Olive Oil Front and Center
The so-called Arab Spring gave Tunisia international name recognition. Now Tunisia wants to be known for something else — its olive oil.
26 March 2015
Defiant Tunisia Hosts the World Social Forum
Less than a week after the deadly attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis, the World Social Forum kicked off on Tuesday with an anti-terror march.
18 March 2015
Nineteen People Killed in Museum Attack in Tunisia
At least 19 people, among them 17 foreigners, were killed when gunmen attacked the National Bardo Museum, in downtown Tunis. Tunisians took to the streets to protest against terrorism.
8 January 2015
What Drives Blasphemy Charges in the Middle East? (It's Not Just Religion)
Sentenced to death for his online writing, Mauritanian blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed is yet another victim of a repressive government using "apostasy" pretexts to crack down political speech.
4 January 2015
Lovers of the Middle East, Unite!
Two lovers have started collecting 100 love stories from around the Middle East to show the world that the Arab Uprisings brought about unique social change.
21 December 2014
Tunisians Head to Polls to Elect a New President
Tunisians are heading to polls today to elect a new president. Political veteran Beji Caid Essebsi, aged 88, faces outgoing interim president Moncef Marzouki.
22 November 2014
How the Tunisian Electoral Authority Robbed Me of the Right to Vote
On the eve of her country's presidential elections, one Tunisian expatriate suspects politics are at the root of at a rule-change by the electoral authority that prevents her from voting.
6 November 2014
GV Face: Voting After the Revolution in Tunisia and Ukraine
Tunisia and Ukraine recently held elections, a challenging feat in a post-revolutionary time.
5 November 2014
Tunisian Election Paves the Way for a Brave New Future of Plural Democracy
A high turnout, a relatively trouble-free vote and the candidates' acceptance of the results of Tunisia's October 26 election signal the country's maturing as a democracy.


text:
Email Alerts
Who else thinks resellers can thrive in the cloud era?
I'm a bit confused by the Channel Transformation Alliance, the body which has been set up to promote and further the spread of cloud computing and managed services in the channel. It's not that I don't think it's a good idea. After all, who could... Opinion
How Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff made me feel small - then big again
At a Billy Graham-style rally in London last week, Marc Benioff told his converts to reject their government and follow him into the cloud. It was all very humbling. They can make you feel very small, these charismatic CEOs of billion dollar corporat... Opinion
PCs in retreat as market prepares for tablet invasion
Poor old PC. Things are not looking good. After all the furore surrounding HP's decision to retreat from the PC arena, we now read that Gartner has downgraded its PC market forecast for 2011, suggesting the PC is "not a particularly compelling p... Opinion
Will you end up being the Norman Wisdom of the cloud?
Panic can set in when a cloud service is over subscribed. In their desperation to keep the plates spinning, the staff and systems will bumble all over the place, like a team of Norman Pipkins, the comic creation of Norman Wisdom. Are you about to exp... Opinion
If you don't get cloud right first time, you're mullered
Craig Beddis, the regional software vice president at UC4 Software, says if you don't get your cloud supplier right first time, it'll be ruinously expensive to change. Investing in cloud services is not a new thing but what's on offer is getting bett... Opinion
Window shopping for clouds
As a partner and a senior manager at Deloittes technology Consulting Practice, John Winstanley (left) and Bhavesh Morar spend all their time talking to big corporations who want advice on cloud computing. These retail, consumer and life sciences gian... Opinion
What to do when the service provider says gerroff my cloud?
Hey, hey, you, you, get offa my cloud! Not my words, but the words of a service provider that decides you are surplus to their requirements, for whatever reason. But the of process of moving between cloud offerings is punishing, saysVladimir Jirasek ... Opinion
Cloud computing's hidden costs part 6 - can we get some SLAs round here?
There's an awful lot that can go wrong with service level agreements (SLAs) oncloud-based services says Craig Beddis, Regional SVP at UC4 Software. Services in the cloud are not available when there is an outage. Gradually we're starting to see busin... Opinion
Cloud computing's hidden costs, part five. Far from the Madding Cloud
Vladimir Jirasek, non executive director CSA UK & Ireland and member of CAMM, speaks from bitter experience about a cloud heist that went wrong. "I have had experience of migrating to Cloud and between different SaaS clouds," he laments... Opinion
Cloud computing's hidden costs, part four. The roar of the cloud
Ten years ago, Winston Bogarde was a very good footballer. He must have been, because show biz club Chelsea paid him forty thousand pounds a week! That was a lot of money in them days. So he must have been pretty handy. Mind you, I never saw him play... Opinion


text:
By Sevak Sarkisian: As fight fans we were treated to a thrilling and grueling fight this weekend on HBO. Fans have probably come to the conclusion that the most exciting fight of the year has already taken place. However in my humble opinion I believe there's a good chance the most fan friendly fight of the year is soon to be. No, I am not talking about the intriguing rubber match between legends Marquez and Pacquiao taking place this weekend. The fight I have on my mind is the re-match between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito taking place on Dec 3rd at Madison Square Garden!
Fight Fans will never forget the war those two gave us in July of 07 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The re-match is expected to be another entertaining fight by the general public, and it should be. We as fans know "styles make fights", and this intriguing re-match features a great clash of styles. Margarito always fights by throwing punches in bunches while constantly coming forward applying immense pressure. Cotto on the other hand loves to slowly stalk his opponents and does not generally fight well going backwards, although possessing better skills then Margarito.
Undoubtedly this fight posses a huge test for both fighters, they both have their work cut out for them. However I must say the stylistic advantage goes to Margarito. I say this because of the fact that Cotto feels uncomfortable fighting backwards and we all know that's what he's going to have to do in this fight. In the first fight Cotto got tired and broken down, he will have to be in top physical form to withstand the pace he's going to be fighting at. With all of that said, I pick him to win the re-match by decision.
previous article: SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS; Aydin vs. Jo Jo Dan II on November 26; Crolla-Limond on 11/25
next article: Fury-Pajkic match-up LIVE; Peter Quillin, the #1 middleweight in the U.S
If you detect any issues with the legality of this site, problems are always unintentional and will be corrected with notification.
The views and opinions of all writers expressed on Boxing247.com do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Management.
Copyright © 2001- 2015 Boxing247.com - Privacy Policy l Contact


text:
Sign Up ForFREE Pattern Info!
Tell A Friend!
Out of Stock
With Our "Find This For Me" Service we notify you via email once we have stock!
Piece Code: F2
Piece Name: Fork
Size: 7 5/8 in
© 2015 Replacements, Ltd. All rights reserved
Piece Code: TS
Piece Name: Teaspoon
Piece Code: LAS
Piece Name: Solid Soup Ladle
Size: 8 3/4 in


text:
Formula E's electric-powered race car takes its first test laps
A few months ago we got our first look at the Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula Eteams will be racing next year, and just recently, that car hit a test track in France for the first time to see how it held up.
Formula E's new fully-electric race car, the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, completed is successful test debut recently at the La Ferté Gaucher circuit near Choisy-le-Roi, France.
Comments »
No comments yet.


text:
Hotel address6, boulevard Vincent Auriol
How to reach the hotelGPS :N 48° 50' 14.85'' E 2° 22' 23.20''
Contact the hotel
- Tel. (+33)1/45824800
- Fax. (+33)1/45821916
- email@example.com
Recently viewed hotels
Mercure Paris Bercy Bibliothèque Hotel - hotel description
Hotel code: 0934
Within easy reach of the Metro Line 6, Austerlitz station, the François Mitterrand library and just 5 minutes from the Palais Omnisport Paris Bercy, this Mercure hotel offers comfortable rooms, some with views of the Seine. They are designed and equippedwith both business travellers and families in mind. Some rooms come with a private balcony. To round your day off nicely, come and join us at the hotel bar and soak up its unique ambience.
See the rooms
See the meeting rooms
Extras of this hotel
Seminar room equipped with the latest technology (25 people), private underground paid car park and free WIFI: this Mercure hotel is an ideal venue for business trips, family stays or organizing events.
Message from the hotel manager
Lynda Lecolier, the manager of the Mercure Paris Bercy Bibliothèque Hotel hotel, would like to welcome you.
See you in Paris
The Making of holy images. Rome-Paris, 1580-1660, exhibition at the Louvre
Exhibitions and Tours
From Thursday, April 2 2015 to Monday, June 29 2015In parallel with the exhibition Poussin and God, the Louvre explores Papal Rome's love for religious icons and...3.80 km from the hotelView other attractions near the hotel
Work in this hotel
These prices may be based on different room types. Depending on the country, these prices may not include taxes, may include VAT only or may include all taxes (VAT and city tax). When prices do not include all taxes, the relevant taxes (VAT and/or city tax) will be stated in the following stages of the reservation process. The price is only guaranteed at the time of reservation.
Hotel classifications (1 to 5 stars for France) correspond to criteria laid down by local regulations.


text:
Rangana Herath grabbed three wickets to put Sri Lanka in command in the second Test match against Bangladesh on Monday as the tourists ended day three with a meagre 52-run second innings lead with four wickets lost.
The left-arm spinner dismissed Mohammad Ashraful (4), Jahurul Islam (48) and Mahmudullah (0) to finish with 3-45. He had bagged five wickets in the first innings of the match.
Monimul Haq was batting on 36 with captain Mushfiqur Rahim on seven.
Sri Lanka was earlier dismissed for 346 with a 106-run first innings lead.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 240 and 158 for 4 (Tamim 59 not out, Herath 3-45)
Sri Lanka 346 (Sangakkara 139, Chandimal 102)
Keywords: Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka, Rangana Herath


text:
Patiala State
|Patiala State
|Princely State of British India
|Independence of India
|Today part of
|Punjab, India
|This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Patiala State [1] was a princely state during the British Raj in India.
|This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014)
Brief History[edit]
The family claims descent from the Bhatti founder of Jaisalmer, Jaisal. His third son Rai Hem, left the family domains after the usual quarrel and carved out a small principality for himself around Bhatinda and Bhatner. His successor in the fourth degree, Khiwa, fell on hard times ad was forced to move to Kot Ladwa, where he married a girl from the Jat Basehra caste, against the clan traditions of the Rajputs. Thereafter many quarrels ensued between his descendants at the Bhattis. The Mughals appointed his descendant Mehraj in 1526. This office became hereditary amongst his descendants until Phul, the Sikh ancestor of the dynasty, which came to rule over Patiala, Jind and Nabha.[2]
Early history[edit]
The history of Patiala state starts off with the ancestor of the Sikh Patiala Royal House, Mohan Singh being harassed by neighbouring Bhullars and Dhaliwals farmers . They would not allow Mohan to settle there. He was a follower of Guru Hargobind Sahib and the Guru appealed on behalf of Mohan but to no avail. The result was an armed struggle and the Bhullars and Dhaliwals were defeated by the Guru's men, which allowed Mohan to establish the Village of Meharaj in 1627.[3]
Battle of Mehraj[edit]
Mohan fought against the Mughals at the Battle of Mehraj 1631 on the side of Guru Hargobind Sahib.[citation needed] Mohan and his eldest son Rup Chand were later killed in a fight against the Bhatti's (a tribe who also claim to be the descendants of Rawal Jaisal of Jaisalmer, but also an enemy of the Phulkians ). Kala, Mohan's younger son succeeded the "chaudriyat", and was guardian to Rup Chand's sons Phul and Sandali.
When Kala died, Phul formed his own village (Phul), five miles from Meharaj (under the blessings of Sikh Guru's) in 1663. Nabha and Jind trace their ancestry to the devout Sikh Phul. It was one of the first Sikh Kingdoms of Punjab to be formed. Apparently the appellation of dynasty "Phulkian" is derived from their common founder. One of his sons, Chota Ram, was baptized and blessed by Guru Gobind Singh. His son Ala Singh assumed the leadership in 1714 when Banda Bahadur was engaged in the fierce battle against the Mughals. A man with vision and courage, Ala Singh's general, Gurbaksh Singh Kaleka, carved out an independent principality from a Zamindari of 30 villages. Under his successors, it expanded into a large state, touching the Shivaliks in north, Rajasthan in the south and upper courses of the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers while confronting the most trying and challenging circumstances.
Baba Ala Singh[edit]
In the middle of the eighteenth century, Baba Ala Singh, unlike many of his contemporaries, displayed tremendous shrewdness in dealing with the Marathas and Afghans, and successfully established a state which he had started building up from its nucleus Barnala. He became traitor to the Sikhs, who made him a Sardar from a peasant and fought on the side of Ahmad Shah Abdali against the Sikhs .
Qila Mubarak[edit]
In 1763 Baba Ala Singh laid the foundation of the Patiala fort known as Qila Mubarak, around which the present city of Patiala developed. After the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 in which the Marathas were defeated, the writ of the Afghans prevailed throughout Punjab. It is at this stage that the rulers of Patiala began to acquire ensigns of royalty. Ahmad Shah Abdali bestowed upon Ala Singh furm and banner, and the title of Maharaja of Patiala. After his death, his grandson Amar Singh succeeded and received the title of Raja-I-Rajaan. He was also allowed to strike coins.
Treaty with the British[edit]
After forty years of ceaseless struggle with the Marathas and Afghans, the borders of the Patiala state witnessed the blazing trails of Ranjit Singh in the north and of the British in the east. Bestowed with the grit and instinct of survival, making self-preservation a priority the Raja of Patiala entered into a treaty with the British against Ranjit Singh in 1808, thus becoming collaborators in the empire building process of the British in the sub-continent of India. The subsequent rulers of Patiala, such as Karam Singh, Narinder Singh, Mahendra Singh, Rajinder Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Yadvindra Singh were puppets in the hands of British.
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh[edit]
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (reign: 1900 to 1938) gave Patiala a prominent place on the political map of India and in the field of international sports. Particularly in the Game of Polo with the World's best Polo Back Player, General Chanda Singh on his side who later went on to play for England and Spain upon the requests of King Edward VII and King Alfonso winning both the Kings a Prestigious Polo Cup. The Maharaja was also fond of dog kennels and he and the Maharaja of Jind were equally interested in a range of dog breeds. His son Maharaja Yadavindra Singh was the first Indian prince to sign the Instrument of Accession, thus facilitating the process of national integration after independence in 1947. In recognition of his services, he was appointed the Rajpramukh of the newly established state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), from its founding in 1948 until its merger with Punjab in 1956. The downtown area of Patiala is Adalat Bazaar, which means 'the court corridor', because this was used as the administrative building by one of the caretakers, before Maharaja Bhupinder Singh had reached the age of majority. The Royal Family are Jats of the Sidhu family, of which Rajmata Mohinder Kaur is the oldest member.
The rulers of Patiala bore the title 'Maharaja-e Rajgan' from 1810 onward.[4]
- 29 Mar 1761 - 22 Aug 1765 Ala Singh (b. 1691 - d. 1765)
- 22 Aug 1765 - 1767 Amar Singh (b. 1748 - d. 1781)
Raja-e Rajgan[edit]
- 1767 - 5 Feb 1781 Amar Singh (s.a.)
- Feb 1781 - 1810 Sahib Singh (b. 1774 - d. 1813)
Maharaja-e Rajgan[edit]
- 1810 - 26 Mar 1813 Sahib Singh (s.a.)
- 26 Mar 1813 - 23 Dec 1845 Karam Singh (b. 1797 - d. 1845)
- 26 Mar 1813 - 1823 Maharani Aus Kaur (f) -Regent (b. 1772 - d. af.1823)
- 23 Dec 1845 - 13 Nov 1862 Narendra Singh (b. 1823 - d. 1862) (from 25 Jun 1861, Sir Narendra Singh)
- 13 Nov 1862 - 14 Apr 1876 Mohendra Singh (b. 1852 - d. 1876) (from 28 May 1870, Sir Mohendra Singh)
- 13 Nov 1862 - 26 Feb 1870 Jagdish Singh -Regent (chairman of regency council)
- 14 Apr 1876 - 9 Nov 1900 Rajendra Singh (b. 1872 - d. 1900) (from 21 May 1898, Sir Rajendra Singh)
- 14 Apr 1876 - Oct 1890 Sir Deva Singh -Regent (b. 1834 - d. 1890) (chairman of regency council)
- 9 Nov 1900 - 23 Mar 1938 Bhupindra Singh (b. 1891 - d. 1938) (from 12 Dec 1911, Sir Bhupindra Singh)
- 9 Nov 1900 - 3 Nov 1910 Sardar Gurmukh Singh -Regent (chairman of regency council)
- 23 Mar 1938 - 15 Aug 1947 Yadavindra Singh (b. 1913 - d. 1974) (from 1 Jan 1942, Sir Yadavindra Singh)
See also[edit]
- ^ Gazetteer
- ^ http://www.royalark.net/India/patiala.htm
- ^ A History of Sikh Misals, Dr Bhagat Singh
- ^ Princely states of India


text:
Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut Dated for Steam
By Matthew Bennett, Associate Editor
Posted on September 3, 2013 AT 07:07am
Posted on September 3, 2013 AT 07:07am
Steam has updated its listing for Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut with an official release date.
The game will be available to download from October 31, following its successful Steam Greenlight campaign last month. The Director's Cut was released on PlayStation 3 back in April and adds a new scenario, HD textures, and improved controls.
The Steam version includes all of the above plus achievements and Trading Cards.
Today's Top 10 Stories
An upcoming Witcher 3: Wild Hunt patch will lock the game at 30 frames per second on Xbox One
Partner Pages
Top Partner Stories
Until Dawn Announced For August 25th With New Trailer, Pre-Order Bonus Scene, And Screenshots
8840 Wilshire Blvd.,
Third Floor,
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Third Floor,
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
© 2015 EGM Media LLC. All rights reserved. Trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Website Interface © 2012 EGM Digital Media, LLC.
Website Interface © 2012 EGM Digital Media, LLC.


text:
1 Park near Albia, Iowa
Centerville, Iowa 21.08 miles S
Drakesville, Iowa 25.18 miles SE
Albia, Iowa (map) | (641) 932-7181
Sites: 20 | Latest Rate: $29.00 | 7 Reviews
|Clean Restrooms:
|Clean Showers:
Sep 2010 - $29.00
This is our third time here in 5 years. The park seems to be well maintained: the sites and hook ups still looks almost new. 14 of the 19 sites are a single row of pull-throughs on level gravel and the remaining sites are unusual horizontal sites in front of the pull-throughs. All sites are FHU with 60+ channel cable TV and free, at site WiFi. Everything worked flawlessly. There are a few small trees but nothing to block satellite reception. Coupons for 2 free drinks at the bar and 10% off at the restaurant are included with the price of your stay. As I said in my first review of this park, it is the best place to stop if you are crossing Iowa on US 34. - Jerry S
Aug 2010 - $28.00
We've stayed here before, it is the only place in Albia. Has fairly level sites, and a restaurant/bar nearby. Kind of dusty as everything is gravel. We will be back. - winterset
Jan 2010 - $30.00
Yep, it's a small park close to a highway and a railroad track. Yep, the sites are gravel, but we did not find them to be muddy or rutted. But the owners and staff make this a special place worth noticing. Very helpful and accommodating. In the middle of winter, the sparkling clean, heated pool is a refreshing treat. RV'ers have access to all the amenities of the Inn - even the showers with guest towels. This place goes on our list of places we hope to return to someday. - Joann26


text:
My stay at the Courtyard San Antonio/ North Star was great. It was in a very convenient location. The rooms were nice and change. The personnel at the front desk was very friendly and welcoming. It was better than I expected on a last minute booking. It was kind of expensive but I'm not complaining. Only thing I was disappointed... More
Related hotels...


text:
Max Kämper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (February 2013)
Max Kämper (16 December 1879 – 10 November 1916) was a German mining engineer.
His 1908 survey and map of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky represent the first accurate instrumental survey of portions of the cave system. Kämper arrived at the cave in January 1908.
Kämper was killed in trench warfare at the Somme River in north-eastern France, on November 10, 1916, during the closing days of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried in the War Cemetery of Cambrai near Arras, France.
External links[edit]
- Max Kämper and the Mammoth Cave Connection – (English and German) describes the search for and discovery of Max Kaemper's identity.
- Max Kämper's genealogy - With pictures and soundtracks about his story as well as his genealogy (English and German)
|This German engineer, inventor or industrial designer biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


text:
Search the Collection
Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993), Actress
Sitter in 44 portraits
The Belgian-born actress trained in ballet in Amsterdam and made her London stage debut in 1948 in the chorus for High Button Shoes. On Colette's recommendation she made her first appearance on Broadway in Gigi in 1951. She played small parts in English films before Hollywood stardom made her chic, gamine style a byword for fashion in the 1950s. Her grace, charm and pencil-slim looks made her famous in films such as Roman Holiday (1953, for which she won an Academy Award), Funny Face (1957), The Nun's Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and My Fair Lady (1964).
Related People
- Sean Hepburn Ferrer (son)
Exhibitions and displays
- Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon
From 2 July
Related pages
Thematic collections
Related shop items
- Audrey Hepburn Quote Canvas Tote Bag
- Audrey Hepburn Pocket Mirror
- Audrey Hepburn Quote Tea Towel
- Audrey Hepburn by Sir Cecil Beaton Postcards
- Famous Faces Playing Cards
- Audrey Hepburn Fridge Magnet
- Audrey Hepburn Quote Fridge Magnet
- Audrey Hepburn by Bassano Mini-print
- Audrey Hepburn Quote Mini-print
- Audrey Hepburn greetings card


text:
A. Billing Provider Asha Gupta, MD
Billing Provider's Primary Identifier 5432109876 (NPI)
Billing Provider's Secondary Identifier HL59004 (CHAMPUS ID Number)
Subscriber Alfred R. Piotrowska
Patient Mary Amy Piotrowska
Subscriber's Primary Identifier 565-97-9087
Relationship Spouse
Claim Filing Indicator Code CH (CHAMPUS (TRICARE))
Payer Name / ID TRICARE Standard / 56509709087 (N4441514)
Place of Service Code 11(Office)
Diagnosis Codes 473.9
Total Charge $45.00
Amount Collected $0.00
Service Line Information
Date of Service $
Procedure Code / Charge 99212 / $45.00
Diagnosis 473.9
Chegg is one of the leading providers of homework help for college and high school students. Get homework help and answers to your toughest questions in math, calculus, algebra, physics, chemistry, science, accounting, English and more. Master your homework assignments with our step-by-step solutions to more than 3000 textbooks. If we don't support your textbook, don't worry! You can ask a homework question and get an answer in as little as two hours. With Chegg, homework help is just a few clicks away.


text:
Jacqueline Laurita News
'Real Housewives' Star Reveals Anti-Aging Secret
Jacqueline Laurita takes time from hit show to discuss procedure known as "ultherapy."
Jacqueline Laurita of 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Shares 'Ultherapy' Beauty Secret
ABC News' Juju Chang and Cathy Becker report: Jacqueline Laurita lives a life in the spotlight. As a star of the hit reality-TV show " The Real Housewives of New Jersey ," the mother of three
'Real Housewives' Finale: Will New Jersey Survive?
show, neither star addressed recent rumors, first reported by Huffington Post, that Manzo and fellow housewife Jacqueline Laurita had been fired by Bravo from the show's fifth season. The network issued a statement denying the reports
'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Stars Feud on Twitter, Hint at Dramatic Season Finale
Kiss & Fly, March 5, 2011, in New York City. Jacqueline Laurita attends the Posche fashion show at Son Cubano, Sept ..... of the ring or, in this case, Twitter feed, is Jacqueline Laurita , a once-close friend. Giudice cryptically tweeted
The Winners and Losers of 'The Real Housewives'
Staub landed in the hands of Hustler, Inc. -- while Staub claims it was stolen, fellow Jersey "Housewife" Jacqueline Laurita tweeted in June, "Heard from a VERY reliable source that D released her OWN sex tape. Heard it's disgusting
'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Finale: Bravo's Best Cat Fight
tables and having to be restrained by husbands." The drama escalated as Staub's friend and fellow housewife Jacqueline Laurita came to her defense, angering Laurita's sisters-in-law, Dina and Caroline Manzo. During the explosive dinner
'The Real Housewives of NJ' and Their TV Character Counterparts
she said. "But the similarities stop there." Jacqueline Laurita : Margene Heffman The family ties on "The Real Housewives" don't stop with Caroline and Dina Manzo. Jacqueline Laurita , a former cosmetologist turned full-time stay-at-home-mom


text:
Noida, Apr 11: A Class nine student of Lord Mahavira School in sector 29 here on Tuesday smashed an iron rod on the head of his PT teacher, after he was failed in the annual exam.
The physical training instructor Ajay Kumar had caught the student Sailesh (name changed) while he was allegedly adopting unfair means during the annual exam. The student later failed the exam.
On Tuesday, the student alongwith his parents had come to request the school authorities to allow him to be promoted to Class X, but the school authorities refused.
After the parents went home empty-handed, the student, in a fit of fury, scaled the school wall, and finding Ajay Kumar alone, smashed an iron rod on his head and fled.
The teacher had to undergo six stiches on his school, and his eye has been affected.
School principal P K Jain said, the process to rusticate the student has been initiated.


text:
Famous quotes by Richard Guggenheimer:Sort:PopularA - Z
|Unless a life is activated by sustained purpose it can become a depressingly haphazard affair.
|Rate it:
Share your thoughts on Richard Guggenheimer's quotes with the community:
Quote of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE inspiring quote delivered to your inbox daily?
Use the citation below to add this author page to your bibliography:
"Richard Guggenheimer Quotes." Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2015. Web. 26 May 2015. <http://www.quotes.net/authors/Richard Guggenheimer>.


text:
A secure real time voice communication system 70 is provided that allows for the secure transmission of voice communications between a sending device 72 and a receiving device 78 through the public switch telephone network 76. The device 72 uses an encryption decryption engine 30 which is capable of executing a number of encryption algorithms which are selected using an encryption selection table 80. An encryption key can be calculated from a periodic key value and a public variable key value. Further, the encryption algorithm used can be periodically changed during a voice communication session so that multiple encryption techniques can be used within the same communication session.
1. A method of communicating voice transmissions to a receiving device from a transmitting device, comprising:
receiving a user input through a user interface associated with the transmitting device;
using an encryption key value to select an initial encryption algorithm from an encryption selection table, the encryption selection table stored at the transmitting device, the encryption key value calculated as a function of at least one or both of a periodic key value and a public variable key value, the user input comprising at least one of the encryption key value, the periodic key value, or the public key value;
encrypting the initial voice transmissions from the transmitting device using the initial encryption algorithm, the transmitting device capable of encrypting voice transmissions using a plurality of encryption methods; and
transmitting the encrypted initial voice transmissions from the transmitting device.
2. The method of
receiving a periodic key value at the transmitting device;
receiving a public variable key value at the transmitting device;
calculating an index value as a function of the periodic key and public variable key values; and
calculating the encryption key value as a function of the index value.
3. The method of
4. The method of
periodically changing to a next encryption method as indicated in the encryption selection table;
encrypting subsequent voice transmissions using the next encryption method;
transmitting the encrypted subsequent voice transmissions to the receiving device; and
transmitting to the receiving device a warning switch signal prior to transmitting the subsequent voice transmissions.
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. A telecommunications device operable to send and receive encrypted voice communications through a public switched telephone network, the device comprising:
a central processing unit operable to receive a user input through a user interface;
an encryption decryption engine operable to execute a plurality of encryption methods under the control of the central processing unit;
an encryption selection table accessible to the central processing unit, the encryption selection table accessed using an encryption key value, the encryption selection table specifying at least one encryption algorithm associated with each of the encryption key values; and
the device operable to:
encrypt voice communications using an initial encryption method associated with an indicated encryption key value; and
transmit the encrypted voice communications through a public switched telephone network.
8. The device of
9. The device of
10. The device of
11. The device of
This invention relates in general to the field of electronic systems and more particularly to an improved secure communication system and method of operation.
As the use of portable electronic devices and the growth of voice and data networks have become more pervasive, one of the most important applications of these systems has been the ability to provide point to point communication capability. These communications take the form of either real time communications in the form of voice communications or in the form of near real time communications in the form of electronic mail messages or other text messaging technologies.
Unfortunately, as networks have grown larger and as electronic devices have become more numerous, the risk of the improper interception of these messages has grown. At the same time, as the use of communication and messaging technologies has increased, the value of the information that s being transmitted has grown rapidly. The confluence of these two factors results in a great deal of highly valuable information being transmitted on a relatively insecure transmission topology.
The lack of security in data communications has been addressed in large part by the development of more sophisticated encryption algorithms. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous availability of powerful computing platforms has made it possible to defeat relatively simple encryption algorithms. This risk has forced developers to create very complex encryption algorithms. While these algorithms are difficult to defeat, they are also time consuming and require a great deal of processing power to use.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a secure communications system and method which provide relatively high security without consuming the processor resources and time associated with undefeatable, complex encryption algorithms.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a secure data communications systems is provided that substantially eliminates problems and disadvantages associated with prior solutions.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method communicating in a secure fashion is provided that comprises providing two copies of a encryption selection table, one copy in each of two communication devices to be used to form a secure communication system. The encryption selection table is accessed using a table key which is calculated as a function of a private periodic key and a public variable key. The private periodic key is a value shared by the persons using the communication system. The public variable key is a value which is broadcast publicly enough to be accessible by both parties using the communication system and which varies over time.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the secure communication method of the present invention may be applied to allow real time communications between voice communication devices. According to this embodiment of the present invention, the voice communication devices may comprise, for example, cellular and wireline telephones. According to a specific embodiment of this invention, the cellular telephones may implement relatively simple encryption methods and the encryption selection table can specify using the table key and initial encryption method to be used in real time to encrypt the communication between the two voice communication devices. As a further alternative, the voice communication devices may be configured to periodically change the encryption method using the encryption selection table to specify the new encryption method to be used. One of the communication devices can signal the other communication device on a periodic basis to initiate the change to the next encryption method to be used.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be acquired by referring to the accompanying figures in which like reference numbers indicate like features and wherein:
Referring to
According to the teachings of the present invention, it is not preferable or perhaps even feasible for devices 14 or 16 to utilize highly complex encryption techniques that cannot be defeated. This is due to the fact that undefeatable encryption technologies require either a great deal of time to implement or require an inordinate amount of processing power to implement. According to the teachings of the present invention, simple electronic devices such as device 14 and 16 which have limited processing resources and which have a limited amount of time to perform encryption technologies can still be used to send relatively secure messages through the data network 12. According to one embodiment of the present invention, simple encryption techniques can be used as long as each of the devices 14 and 16 are able to implement several disparate encryption methods in synchronization with each other. In this manner, a party attempting to defeat the encryption technique must not only undo the encryption but they must also successfully guess which method was used. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the multiple disparate encryption techniques can be combined in sequence to further inhibit such piracy. The system of the present invention uses an encryption selection table which is resident on each sending and receiving device to enable the accurate encryption and decryption of messages.
Device 14 also comprises data storage system 26. Data storage system 26 may comprise both volatile and non-volatile memory systems. For example, data storage system 26 may comprise a suitable amount of dynamic random access memory. In addition, data storage system 26 may comprise magnetic or SRAM memory systems which are non-volatile in nature. In general, device 14 and specifically central processing unit 20 uses data storage system 26 to store programmatic instances of encryption algorithms and to store electronic messages which are to be encrypted, to be decrypted or which have been encrypted or decrypted. Data storage systems 26 are also used by central processing unit 20 to execute various encryption decryption algorithms and for other conventional purposes during the operation of device 14. Device 14 also includes a stored encryption selection table, the structure of an exemplary embodiment of encryption selection table 28 will be discussed with reference to
The device 14 also includes an encryption decryption engine 30 which is operable to execute a number of simple encryption and decryption algorithms as directed by the encryption selection table and under the control of the central processing unit 20. Engine 30 may comprise a single processing unit or, alternatively, may comprise multiple processing units which are able to perform encryption or decryption using the same or different algorithms simultaneously. The use of such parallel processing capability can greatly enhance the processing throughput of the overall system. Finally, the device 14 includes a timer 32 which may be used in an embodiment of the present invention that is operable to use different encryption techniques in real time communications. This embodiment of the present invention will be described more completely with reference to
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the encryption table key 34 may be discerned or calculated from a number of input keys. This provides even further security in case a device such as device 14 is lost or stolen. For example, parties wishing to trade a secure message could, prior to the transfer of the message, agree on a periodic key value. For example, the two parties might agree that for a selected week, the periodic key value would be equal to 30. According to one alternative, this periodic key value could be directly used for that week as the entry point in the encryption selection table 28. Alternatively, the periodic key value could be augmented through the use of a public variable key. A public variable key comprises a number which preferably is available to both participants in the message transfer and which changes its value over time. These changes can be periodic changes such as daily changes or they can be unpredictable changes. For example, a public variable key might comprise an opening stock price for a particular company or the high temperature for a particular city on a given day as reported by an agreed upon reporting agency. Either of these numbers would be available through publicly available news media to any participant wishing to send or receive a message. The public key variable can then be combined with the periodic key variable using an agreed upon mathematical function to result in a number which can be used as the encryption table key value to enter the encryption selection table 28. For example, if the periodic key value for a given week was agreed to be 30 and the stock price on Wednesday of that week for the agreed upon company was 24 and the combination function was agreed to be addition, the encryption key value of 54 would be used by both parties and algorithms 4, 1 and 3 would be used to encrypt messages.
Depending upon the level of security desired, the calculation of the encryption key can take place in the device 14 or the system can require the user to calculate it without using the device 14. If the device 14 is used, the central processing unit 20 can perform the given calculations upon receiving the periodic key value and the public variable key value through user interface 22. Allowing device 14 to perform the calculation increases the convenience but reduces the security of the overall system because the mathematical function is encoded into the actual device. As such, a person misappropriating the particular device 14 could possibly discern the mathematical function involved. This risk can be mitigated using user interface 22. For example, user interface 22 could prompt the input of key variables without informing the user how many numbers need to be input. Accordingly, for example, without prompting as to format, a user might be required to input two two-digit numbers separated by a space in order for the encryption system to function.
Following the calculation of the index the central processing unit 20 selects the key value within the table 28 which has the closest value to the index in step 50. The method then proceeds to step 52 where the algorithm set associated with the selected row within table 28 is retrieved. The method then proceeds to step 54 where the first encryption algorithm is loaded into the encryption decryption engine 30.
Suitable encryption techniques which might be used in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may comprise, for example, the interpositioning of false data within the actual data stream. For example, the actual data could be broken into set size blocks. Between these blocks can be interposed blocks of false data. A marker or other piece of header data may be placed at the start of the first block of real data to ensure that the system receiving the stream of encrypted data can synchronize its decryption operation. This marker can be repeated during the transmission on a periodic basis to ensure continued synchronization of the decryption process.
Alternatively, the data stream itself can be changed by reversing periodic bits within the data stream. For example, every nth bit of data could be inverted on a frequent enough basis to defeat error correcting codes that handle naturally occurring changes in data streams. Once again, a marker code or header can be inserted a predetermined number of bits before the first inverted bit of data to ensure synchronization with the receiving system. An alternative of this method could also alter the frequency of the reversal of the bit. For example, after the first marker data is encountered the nth bit could be inverted until a next marker. After the next marker every n/2 bit can be inverted. Following an additional marker, every n/4 bit can be inverted, and so on.
These are examples of simple encryption systems that can be easily and quickly encrypted and decrypted for both message traffic and real time traffic. Other similar encryption systems could also be employed. If a system is able to utilize several of these simple encryption systems, these methods can be combined to create a combined encryption scheme which is extremely difficult to defeat. In addition, as is disclosed herein, these simple encryption algorithms can be used in sequence during a real time communication to ensure a high degree of security.
The method then proceeds to step 56 where the encryption decryption engine under the direction of the central processing unit 20 runs the first algorithm to encrypt the message. The method then proceeds to step 58 where the interim encrypted message is stored in data storage media 26 by central processing unit 20. The method then proceeds to step 60 where a decision is made as to whether or not the set defined by table 28 has been completed. If the set has not been completed, the method proceeds to step 62 where the next algorithm within the defined set is loaded into the encryption decryption engine 30. The method then returns to step 56 where the next algorithm is executed. If at step 60 the set of defined algorithms has been completed, the method proceeds to step 62 where the encrypted message is sent. The method shown in
The secure communication techniques of the present invention can also be applied to real time voice communications over wireless or wireline networks. Referring to
Referring to
According to a further aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the telephones 72 and 78 are further operable to switch from one encryption technique to another on a periodic basis. As such, the key value which is calculated from the index value serves as a starting point within table 80. The devices 72 and 78 then step through the table switching to the next row in the table on a periodic basis. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the telephone which initiated the call provides a short tone signal or utilizes out of band signaling to provide an encryption switch signal to the receiving device. The sending device utilizes a timer such as timer 32 to calculate when the switch to the next encryption algorithm should be initiated. In this manner, a telephone conversation can occur which begins using an encryption algorithm and switches to a next indicated encryption algorithm on a periodic basis such as, for example, every 15 or 30 seconds.
Real time communications can utilize the same simple algorithms which have been described previously. In addition, real time communications can take advantage of the natural silences in real time conversations by inserting fixed length sections of conversation from, for example, previous phone calls. Specifically, in an analog device, prior conversations can be buffered and inserted every few fractions of a second. The receiving device can remove the inserted parts of conversation and silence the output for the associated period of time. In this way, the party attempting to intercept the conversation would hear a muddled combination of multiple conversations. Digital phones and other digital transmission devices can accomplish the same thing in the digital domain by sensing and processing the digital equivalent of a silent portion of the conversation.
Alternatively, the transmitting device can periodically insert signals associated with prior portions of the current conversation into the transmitted stream. This could happen in either the analog or digital domains. In this manner, the transmitting device may take a portion of a prior conversation and sum it with the outgoing data stream. The receiving device can perform either a digital subtraction or an analog filtering using the prior portion of the conversation. A party attempting to intercept the device would intercept a greatly distorted signal. However, the receiving device can perform a simple operation to retrieve the clear decrypted signal. Depending upon the data storage capabilities of the devices performing the encryption and decryption operations, various portions of the prior conversation could be stored in parallel. In this manner, the distortion applied to the signal could vary over time as one distorting portion of a conversation is substituted for another. This feature would be limited by the ability of the receiving and transmitting devices to store multiple portions of the prior conversations.
Similarly, the devices can use predetermined and prestored distortion elements that can be added to the signal to prevent an interceptor from discerning the conversation. In other words, instead of using variable portions of the conversation to distort the signal, the signal could be distorted using predetermined elements which are stored within the receiving and transmitting devices. As discussed herein, the receiving and transmitting devices could store multiple distortion elements as separate encryption methods and switch from one to the other as time progresses or as signaled by the transmitting system.
The method then proceeds to decision point 102 where a determination is made by the device 72 as to whether or not the telephone call has been terminated. If the call has been terminated the method itself terminates. If the call has not been terminated, the method proceeds to a second decision point 104 where a determination is made as to whether or not the timer 32 has expired. If the timer has not expired, the method returns to step 102. If the timer has expired, the central processing unit 20 increments the key value at step 106. The central processing unit 20 then sends a warning switch tone or signal to the receiving device 78 at step 108. As discussed previously, this switch signal can either be a short DTMF tone or other suitable tone or an out of band signal as permitted by the technology associated with the communication devices 72 and 78. This tone may be sent a preset period of time before the switch over to the new algorithm to provide for a suitable set-up period at the receiving device.
The method then proceeds to step 110 where the central processing unit 20 retrieves the next encryption algorithm using the incremented key and the defined point in the table 80. The method then proceeds to step 112 where the timer 32 is reset by the central processing unit 20. The method then proceeds to step 114 where the encryption and decryption of the telecommunications traffic is resumed using the newly indicated encryption algorithm. The method then returns to step 102 where a determination is made as to whether or not the call is terminated.
If at step 118, the caller ID information indicates that the calling party is capable of a secure transmission, the method proceeds to step 122 where the caller ID information is displayed to the party receiving the call. Step 122 may be included to enable different periodic and public variable keys to be used for different parties. The receiving device 78 then prompts the user at step 124 to enter the periodic key value. The method then proceeds to step 126 where the device 78 similarly prompts the user to enter the public variable key value. As discussed previously, steps 124 and 126 may be omitted if the system requires the user to calculate an index value without using the device. If the periodic and public variable key values have been entered into the device the method proceeds to step 128 where an index value is calculated using the predetermined mathematical function using techniques described previously. The index value is used to calculate a key value at step 130. As discussed previously, this may comprise the selection of the units digit of the index value as the key value. The receiving device 78 includes a copy of table 80. The copy of table 80 is then used at step 132 to retrieve the first indicated encryption algorithm from the encryption algorithm column 84. This encryption algorithm is then loaded into the encryption decryption engine 30 and is executed by central processing unit 20 to encrypt outgoing communications and decrypt incoming communications at step 134. The method then proceeds to step 136 where a determination is made as to whether or not the call is terminated. If the call is terminated, the method terminates. If the call has not been terminated, the method proceeds to a second decision point 138 where the method checks to see whether or not a switch tone signal has been received. If a switch tone signal has not been received, the method returns to step 136. If a switch tone signal has been received, the method proceeds to step 140 where the central processing unit 20 increments the key value. The method then proceeds to step 142 where the central processing unit 20 uses the incremented key value to retrieve the next encryption algorithm from the table 80. This algorithm is then loaded into the encrypt decrypt engine 30 and the encryption and decryption of communication traffic is resumed using the new encryption algorithm in step 144. The method then returns to step 136.
Accordingly, relatively simple encryption and decryption methods can be executed by telecommunications devices having relatively low processing power. These encryption and decryption methods can be switched on a periodic basis during the telephone call to further hamper the efforts of a party trying to intercept the call. As such, the party attempting interception of the call not only has to determine which of several encryption methods are being used but has to continually change to different encryption methods on a periodic basis in order to completely decrypt the telecommunications traffic.
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, alterations, substitutions, and modifications may be made to the teachings described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention which is solely defined by the appended claims.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text: The glacier Synchros S200i iOS In-Ear Headphones from JBL allow you to play back and control audio as well as take calls on your iOS device thanks to its 3-button in-line microphone and remote. They feature 10mm drivers housed in die-cast aluminum housing. The headphones are designed for an even frequency response and feature JBL's PureBass technology for accentuated low end. 3 pairs of Comply foam ear tips, 3 pairs of silicone ear tips, and a carry case are included.