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In 1999, the Government of Luxembourg opted for a comprehensive water management policy, designed to consolidate the various aspects of the water economy and create a tool for integrated water management. The Water Management Administration, which reports to the Minister for the Interior, was created in 2004, amalgamating the various units responsible for water protection and management that had previously operated within other administrations.
A new Water Act has been implemented to consolidate water legislation and transpose the EU Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive into national law. As of 1 January 2010, the law seeks to harmonise the structure of water pricing and introduces the principle of full cost recovery for drinking water supply and urban sewage treatment. In addition to water supply and sanitation service charges, which are levied by the service providers, the law introduces an abstraction tax and a pollution tax, income from which goes to the Water Management Fund.
The abstraction tax is levied on anyone who draws surface water or groundwater and is based on the volume of water drawn (measured by a metering device installed by the user). In addition to the public utilities, which provide 43 million m3 of water annually (70 % for the public network and 30 % for industry), the agri-food industry extracts an additional 4 million m3 of ground water, but not all these extraction sources are equipped with metering devices.
The discharge of waste water into surface or underground water sources is subject to a pollution tax. The tax is proportionate to the units of pollutant load in the water discharged. It must be paid when any of the following thresholds is exceeded: 250 kg/year for chemical oxygen demand (COD); 125 kg/year for nitrogen (N); 15 kg/year for phosphorus (P); or 5.2 kg/year for suspended particulate matter (SPM). The volume of water discharged is equal to the volume of water drawn from the public distribution network. A 10-20 % reduction in the tax is offered to municipalities that have installed rainwater treatment and management facilities in their network. For industry, the number of units of pollutant load taken as a basis for calculating the tax is the authorised pollutant load. However, if that load is exceeded, the tax may be increased. It can also be reduced if the pollutant load is at least 20 % less than what would result from the discharge authorisation.
The Water Management Fund was created in 1999 to subsidise sewage treatment and is financed by budgetary allocations. The Fund is also considering resorting to loans from the European Investment Bank, so as not to hinder the development of sanitation and waste water treatment infrastructure in the coming years. The Fund can cover up to 90 % of the municipality's capital costs for sewerage and sewage treatment. The Water Act expands the scope of the Fund. It authorises coverage of: (i) up to 50 % for measures to protect water resources intended for human consumption (with the exception of agricultural activity); (ii) up to 80 % of the cost of flood risk abatement and (iii) up to 100 % of watercourse rehabilitation costs. The law also allows the Fund to cover up to 100 % of expenditure on projects of national interest to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater or protect available water resources in the long term. The Water Management Fund must distribute its revenues on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis for the projects selected. The Fund itself is administered by a management committee, including representatives of the ministries responsible for water management, the budget, agriculture, health and the environment.
The Water Act also called for management plans to be prepared for Luxembourg's two river basins (the Moselle and the Chiers) and these were made public at the end of 2009. Furthermore, it requires the establishment of a "general municipal plan for the urban water cycle" in each municipality. This plan must contain an inventory of underground waters, water supply and sanitation infrastructure; areas listed in the protected zones registry and details of flood-prone districts. These municipal plans will provide the basis for preparing a national urban water cycle plan.
According to the Water Act, the Water Management Administration is to work with the municipalities and administrations concerned to establish a master plan for flood risk management, reflecting the objectives of the European Floods Directive (2007/60/EC). Between 1998 and 2002, the Spatial Planning Department established a partial management plan for flood zones and retention zones for various communities affected by high water along the Moselle and its tributaries. During the period 2002-09, the project was upgraded to a Flood Vulnerability Atlas and the investigated area has been raised to 15 Luxembourg's watercourses. The results of the TIMIS flood project (Transnational Internet Map Information System on Flooding) were posted on the internet – site 1 and site 2. In application of article 13 of the Floods Directive, the flood hazard maps and flood risk maps are being accomplished by the end of 2010 and will be send out to the municipalities for validation. The mapping of flood zones and flood risks is to be superimposed onto the municipalities' general land use plans. In particular, new urban development must be prohibited in flood zones, unless the retention volume lost can be offset and the development does not increase risks upstream and downstream.
Beyond conventional dike-building measures, the flood risk management plans will focus on improving the eco-morphological structure of riverbeds and restoring natural water retention areas. The costs are borne by the municipalities; however they may receive government subsidies of up to 50 % (or 80 % for inter-municipal works). Agricultural restrictions can also be imposed with a view to limiting the leaching of pollutants. For example, surface water management seeks to keep watercourses flowing freely and to maintain their banks in good condition. Maintenance focuses on riverbeds and the vegetation of river banks, riparian zones and floodplains. Up to 50 % of the costs incurred are borne by the Government. Another example is the rehabilitation of watercourses and associated wetlands to enhance their flood control function. A number of "watercourse partnerships" - rehabilitation projects involving local communities and citizens at the watershed level - are now underway. The cost of rehabilitation is borne by the municipalities, although they may receive state subsidies of up to 100 %. Achieving sound hydro-morphological status for watercourses, as required under the Water Act, will largely depend on cooperation with riparian owners to maintain vegetation along river banks and/or state purchase of the river banks. Several "flood partnerships" (national and transnational) are founded in order to maintain a certain level of flood risk awareness among the population and to involve the public into the implementation of the Floods Directive. Concerted action with neighbouring countries has led to the implementation of the Flood Action Plan Moselle since 1998 (with Germany, Belgium and France), under the aegis of the International Commissions for the Protection of the Moselle and the Sarre, and to closer cooperation on flood risk information (with France and Germany). The Flood Action Plan Moselle provides a basis to establish the flood risk management plan in conformity with the Floods Directive.
The quality of all drinking water resources (250 catchment sources, 50 drilling holes and the Esch-sur-Sûre reservoir) is regularly monitored. Suppliers are responsible for monitoring the quality of the water they deliver for human consumption. The Grand Ducal Regulation of 7 October 2002, which transposes into law Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption, requires drinking water suppliers to audit their infrastructure and assess the state of water resources. A total of 97 of the 116 municipalities and the seven inter-municipal syndicates had finished their audit by the end of March 2010.
Delimitations of ground water protection zones according to Art. 44 of the Water Act are about to be established. By October 2010 technical studies started at 28 % of the catchment areas. The first official delimitations are expected during the first term of 2011.
Financial assistance to the municipalities from the Water Management Fund has been doubled to help them to cover 90 % of investments in sewerage and sewage treatment. However, although the proportion of the population connected to a waste water treatment plant is very high (95 %), only 22 % is connected to a tertiary treatment station, even though the entire country is classified as a sensitive area under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). A dual-channel system to separate rainwater (which can re-infiltrate the water table naturally) and sewage (which requires purification) is still not in place, with the exception of the cities of Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette and in new housing developments.
The Water Administration web site: click here (in French and German).
2009 Activity Report of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Greater Region – p. 57-58 and Annex 4, p. 62-119: click here (in French).
]]>The population of Luxembourg looks set to continue increasing. It is estimated that by 2024 it could reach 560 000 to 605 000 inhabitants, giving rise to an overall increase in the demand for drinking water (estimated at between 47 and 51 million m3). To ensure an adequate supply of drinking water, new sources (underground and surface) will have to be developed.
The usage intensity of available resources in households, industry and agriculture is relatively low compared to other developed countries, reflecting the low level of abstractions for agriculture. Daily household consumption is 140 litres per capita. There is little loss through leakage and many of the water supply systems have been upgraded over the last 10 years.
Ground water provides 57 % of the 47 million m3 of drinking water used annually in Luxembourg. In the southern industrial region, industries and utilities must draw from the water table of the Luxembourg sandstone aquifer, located in the centre of the country, and from the Esch-sur-Sûre reservoir in the north to cover their water needs. Under the Water Act, there must be a balance between depletion and renewal of underground water sources so that they will be in good condition no later than 2015. The preference given to surface tapping over groundwater pumping eliminates the risk of over-exploitation of the sandstone aquifer, which supplies more than half of the country's drinking water. On the other hand, the Esch-sur-Sûre reservoir, which provides 43 % of the water supply to public utilities in Luxembourg, is in a critical state of eutrophication.
While the demand for water from industry has decreased with the improvement of industrial processes, notably in the metallurgy sector, household consumption has increased by 1.35 % per year over the last 15 years, reflecting the country's strong demographic growth and the steady increase in cross-border workers.
According to the Water Act, all surface water bodies must be protected, improved or restored to meet the definition of "good status" by the end of 2015. However, it is estimated that at least 72 % of surface water bodies (watercourses and reservoirs) will not meet the 2015 chemical and biological quality targets under the EU Water Framework Directive. While the pollution level in watercourses has decreased slightly in recent years, 39 % of watercourses are still heavily polluted and 54 % moderately polluted.
With regard to new contaminants, the watercourses of the Alzette and the Mess, located in industrialised and heavily populated environments, have been found to contain xenobiotic pollution from antibiotics, analgesics and hormones. There are several xenobiotic pollutants coming from diffuse pollution that are found in all major watercourses. These pollutants can not be eliminated by the existing purification plants.
Under the terms of the Water Act, all bodies of groundwater must be protected, improved and restored to "good status" by the end of 2015. The main groundwater pollutants are nitrates and pesticides. The nitrogen content at the national level has decreased considerably since the early 1990s, dropping from 200 kg N/hectare to 111 kg N/hectare in 2004 (last available year). However, a recent study showed that 40 % of the surface area that drains into drinking water sources discharges water containing 25-50 mg/l of nitrates. Moreover, some of the sources show a clear trend towards deterioration. At the national level, half of the nitrogen input comes from the use of chemical fertilisers, and a third from livestock effluents; the rest is atmospherically deposited. In up to 90 % of the monitored ground water sampling sites pesticides are detected, sometimes at concentrations that exceed the threshold value of 100 ng/litre. This indicates that not only is the Luxembourg sandstone aquifer more vulnerable to pollution than the aquifers of neighbouring regions, but also that there is a lack of protection for the abstraction areas.
Flooding is the most serious natural hazard in Luxembourg, both because of the damage it causes and because of the number of municipalities affected. In recent decades, Luxembourg has suffered numerous bouts of flooding, in 1983 along the Moselle and in 1993, 1995 and 2003 in the Sûre basin. Since 1995, the Government has been covering 50 % of the cost of flood control measures.
]]>In Luxembourg, at least 70 % of surface water is likely to fall short of the EU's 2015 targets for chemical and biological quality as determined under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). With regard to drinking water, sources have not yet been protected, despite a legal obligation to do so dating back more than 15 years. According to the application of the Ground Water Directive 2 of 5 ground water bodies are considered to be in poor qualitative status regarding nitrates and pesticides. Moreover, rural development policies have focused more on farm modernisation and the continued use of agricultural land than on the targeted protection of water resources.
]]>Agricultural and forestry use are crucially important for the status of species, biotopes and ecosystems, and are therefore areas in which action is particularly needed to conserve biodiversity.
Around 53 % of the land in Germany is used for agriculture, the largest form of land use. Intensification, particularly in areas with good soil, is threatening conservation, but the discontinued use of farmland in the Central German Uplands (Mittelgebirge) and other areas with less good soils also represents a threat to biodiversity. Here some landscapes and sites of high conservation value are losing that value because agricultural use is not longer maintained. The main factor responsible for this has been the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which has encouraged both intensification and land abandonment in recent decades. The agricultural reforms of 2003 and the CAP health check decisions have marked the first steps in giving a more nature-friendly structure. However, the key to conserving and developing biodiversity on the majority of the land in Germany is for the CAP to be given a new, even more nature-friendly direction after 2013. The use of agro-genetic technologies must continue to be subject to environmental sustainability checks in each individual case and must take stronger account of the precautionary principle.
Woods and forests currently cover around 30 % of Germany's land area, with conifer forests of spruce and pine, as well as other species, accounting for approximately 60 % of the woodland. Some of management methods such as clear cutting, large-scale shelterwood felling have caused problems for conservation, fundamentally changing the woodland's spatial mix and age structures. Many forestry services, particularly after experiencing storm damage on various occasions, have reacted by changing their approach and shifting to non-coniferuous mixed woodland and more natural management methods. Recently, however, these efforts have begun to falter for various reasons including the greater emphasis on profitability by the reformed forestry services and the increased demand for wood for bioenergy. Further progress must be made in pursuing these conservation efforts. Key elements here are the use of locally endemic and native tree species, an adequate proportions of old and dead wood, effective management of wild fauna and the designation of 5 % of woodland to remain unmanaged, as called for in the National Biodiversity Strategy (National Response).
Air pollution poses a major threat to ecosystems and biodiversity. In the 1970s the cross-border movement of acidifying pollutants – acid rain – demonstrated that international efforts were the only way to fight this. Throughout Europe eutrophication by atmospheric nitrogen discharges constitutes the greatest problem, alongside ozone damage and acidification.
Although the emission of eutrophying pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and ammonia, has been significantly reduced, it is still too high when measured against what ecosystems can tolerate in the long term. The sulphur and nitrogen that have accumulated in the soil over past decades will pose a critical threat for years to come (see also 'Air pollution in Germany').
The discharge of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) to water bodies has far-reaching effects, such as eutrophication and nitrate pollution of groundwater, surface waters and oceans.
The main sources of water pollution are agriculture, municipal wastewater treatment plants, power stations, transport and industrial plants. However, water pollution caused by wastewater from municipal treatment plants and industry has been considerably reduced in recent years, in part because of changes to the Water Management Act (see also chapter on 'Fresh water in Germany').
The area of land used for human settlement and transport in Germany increased by 104 ha/day between 2005 and 2008, though the increase was slower than in the period 2004 to 2007 – 113 ha/day. Much of the land taken was previously farmland (see also the chapter on 'Land use').
The growing area taken for settlement and transport in Germany not only means that landscape is constantly being consumed and habitats destroyed, but there are also other indirect effects, such as habitats being fragmented and isolated. Fragmentation impedes and prevents exchanges between populations and, depending on the volume of traffic, can present an insuperable barrier for the species affected (see also the chapter on 'Land use').
]]>Until the start of the 1990s, the airborne pollutant sulphur dioxide (SO2) was still one of the leading components of atmospheric pollution in Germany. The successful reduction of SO2 pollution by emission-reducing measures, above all from power stations and industrial plants, has led to the situation in which air pollutants from the transport sector increasingly predominate. These include above all particulates (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which are at the forefront of public concern in view of their high airborne concentrations and the resulting health-related risks. However, the secondary airborne pollutant ozone (O3), which is generated from volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen under the influence of intensive solar radiation, also plays a not insignificant role. In contrast, extensive emission-reducing measures have significantly reduced atmospheric pollution by benzene (CH6). The limit value for CH6 for the protection of human health, which comes into effect in 2010, is already being met with few exceptions in conurbations and cities.
Traffic-related pollutant emissions are among the main sources of air pollution in the conurbations of the industrialised countries. The major pollutants emitted by motor vehicles in their exhaust gases include nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds which are essential precursors of ground-level ozone, and particulates.
The limit values for the airborne pollutant NO2 have only been mandatory in Germany since 1 January 2010. It is already clear that the annual limit value of NO2 for the protection of human health (40 µg/m³), cannot be met at many urban air measurement points – readings taken at more than half of the urban traffic-oriented air measurement stations indicate that this value is being exceeded. In the urban background environment, only a few measurement stations are at present exceeding the annual limit value of NO2. The 1-hour limit value for NO2 that takes effect from 2010 – according to which 200 µg/m³ must not be exceeded more often than 18 times per year– is mostly being met at the urban background measurement points. In recent years, the 1-hour limit value was exceeded mainly on roads with heavy traffic and steep lateral walls. In 2005, for example, the measurement point at Neckartor in Stuttgart recorded a total of 848 hours in which the 1-hour limit value for NO2 was exceeded.
The concentration of ground-level ozone has been continuously monitored for decades. In 2007 data were collected by the Federal Government and the Länder at 282 measurement stations.
Europe-wide target values to be met from 2010 and 2020, respectively, as well as a public information threshold and an alarm threshold for short-term peak loads, were adopted into German law with the 33rd Regulation under the Federal Emission Control Act.
The number of ozone values in excess of the information threshold, 180 µg/m³ and the alarm threshold, 240 µg/m³, fluctuates from year to year because of annually fluctuating weather conditions in the summer.
Compared with 1990, emissions of ozone precursors, NOx and VOC, had decreased by 2006 by around 51 % and 64 % respectively. The lower emissions of these had already led to a reduction in ozone peak values in the 1990s. An exceptionally long-lasting weather situation was observed in the summer of 2003, which favoured the formation of ozone, making the ozone summer of 2003 a special case.
A target value for ozone has been set from 2010 onwards with a view to the protection of human health: 120 µg/m³ as an 8-hour mean should not be exceeded on more than 25 days per calendar year, averaged over three years. Averaging is carried out in order to make allowance for the meteorological variability of individual years over a long-term observation period. The highest numbers of days on which the target is exceeded are recorded at rural and suburban background stations, i.e. at some distance from the sources of the precursor substances. In the past few years, the aspired target value was exceeded in many parts of Germany.
By 2020, the 8-hour mean value of 120 µg/m³ during a calendar year should no longer be exceeded. In 2007, this value was still being exceeded almost everywhere.
In order to be able to exclude risks to health in the future, emissions of the precursors from transport and from the use of solvents in industry, business and private households must be further reduced. The Federal Government reviewed its National Programme for the Reduction of Ozone dating from 2002 with this in mind and published an updated version in 2007. The programme contains measures with medium- and long-term effects. The aim is to reduce emissions of NOx and VOC from mobile and stationary sources.
The Europe-wide limit values for particulate matter (PM10) that have been in force since 2005 were adopted into German law with the 22nd Regulation under the Federal Emission Control Act. The Regulation stipulates the following limit values for the protection of human health:
The PM10 annual mean value must not exceed 40 µg/m³.
The PM10 daily mean value must not exceed 50 µg/m³ on more than 35 days in a calendar year.
Since 2000, the monitoring networks of the Länder have been carrying out comprehensive PM10 measurements. The monitoring network density is particularly high in conurbations as the high number and density of emission sources – in addition to the transport sector, for example domestic heating installations, commercial enterprises and industrial plants – leads to a higher PM10 concentration in conurbations than in the surrounding countryside. Particularly high concentrations are recorded at traffic-oriented measurement stations, partly because of high traffic-related emissions such as diesel soot, tyre abrasion particles and dust suspended in the air. It has been established since 2000 that PM10 pollution is not verifiably falling in Germany, but that it merely fluctuates from year to year depending on the weather conditions.
There are many places in conurbations that overshoot the permissible number of days on which daily mean value may be exceeded. In 2007, 23 % of the urban traffic-oriented stations recorded more than 35 days on which the limits were exceeded. The high number of days of exceedance in 2003 can be attributed to episodes of high PM10 pollution all over Germany. At the urban background stations – locations that are more remote from traffic emissions – exceedance of the daily mean PM10 value is less frequent; in 2007, it was never exceeded at any urban background station. The PM10 limit value for the annual mean is rarely exceeded and if so exclusively at locations with a heavy traffic load.
Whereas airborne nitrogen deposition from traffic and industry has decreased in recent years, deposition of ammonia gas and ammonium from animal husbandry has remained at a high level.
The improvements in respect of eutrophication that have been achieved through national and international air pollution control measures are poor in comparison to those achieved for acidifying depositions. Critical loads for eutrophying nitrogen are still being exceeded over almost the entire area of fragile ecosystems in Germany. In parts of the northwest, where intensive animal husbandry takes place on ecologically sensitive land and the deposition of nitrogen - predominantly ammonium – is especially high, the critical loads are exceeded particularly seriously.
The proportion of areas with very high exceedances fell between 1990 and 1995, but no further reduction was noted thereafter. The greatest proportion of the observed areas exhibit at least distinct exceedances. The classes of critical load exceedance used in the chart can be defined as follows:
no exceedance: zero kg ha-1 a-1
low exceedance: more than zero to 10 kg ha-1 a-1,
distinct exceedance: more than 10 to 30 kg ha-1 a-1,
very high exceedance: more than 30 kg ha-1 a-1 above the critical load.
Furthermore, the almost nationwide eutrophication of semi-natural ecosystems must be expected to continue in the next few years as a consequence of the only marginally decreasing emissions of ammonia gas. There is thus a significant need for action to reduce diffuse nitrogen emissions.
]]>Finland is rich in surface waters, with a total of 187 888 lakes and ponds larger than 500 square metres, and rivers totalling 25 000 kilometres in length. Almost a tenth of the country's land area is covered by water. Finland's lakes contain only 235 cubic kilometers of water (Main characteristics of the surface waters in Finland). Finland's shallow lakes are easily contaminated by pollution. Even relatively low concentrations of excess nutrients, acidic deposition or other harmful contaminants can easily disrupt their sensitive aquatic ecosystems.
Discharges of harmful substances into Finland's inland and coastal waters have fallen considerably during the last few decades.
The monitoring is composed of both administrative monitoring and compulsory inspections by industrial operators and other businesses. The frequency of water quality observations and the factors under analysis vary according to local needs. Biological monitoring has been expanded, and the process will continue over the coming years.
Most of Finland's classified water bodies[4] are in a high or good ecological state. Waters with lower ecological status than 'good' include almost a third of the classified lakes, half of the classified stretches of rivers, and more than half of the total extent of coastal waters. With a few exceptions, the chemical state of the water is good.
The classification in 2008 was carried out to meet the obligations under the EU Water Framework Directive and related national legislation. A target has been set that all surface waters should have a good or excellent ecological status by 2015, and conditions in waters already classed as good or excellent should not deteriorate.
The amount of work needed to achieve the goal of a good ecological status is greatest for rivers and coastal waters. Particularly in southern, western and southwestern Finland, many rivers are still only in a poor or passable state. Problems include diffuse loads of nutrients from farmland, and constructions such as dams along watercourses. In northern Finland, most rivers are in an excellent or good state.
Currently, the ecological quality status of most of Finland's inland waters is either good or high. However, the quality of over 40% of total river length and 60% of the coastal water areas included in the plans is moderate, poor or bad. The water quality of Finland's lakes is generally better. Only 2% of the groundwater resources important to and suitable for water supply purposes are classified as bad, even though approximately 500 groundwater areas are at significant risk from human activity.
The status of lakes is worst for small and medium-sized lakes in agricultural areas, where problems associated with eutrophication, such as algal blooms, are widespread.
Table 1: Ecological status of surface waters by proportion of total length (rivers) or surface area
Ecological status |
Rivers |
Lakes |
Coastal waters |
High or good |
52% |
87% |
36% |
Moderate, poor or bad |
48% |
13% |
64% |
Figure 1: Ecological status of surface waters by proportion of total length (rivers) or surface area
Link to a more detailed figure:
Ecological status of surface waters assessed by river length and surface area of lakes and coastal waters
A provisional map of the ecological state of Finland's surface waters has been completed. Water bodies are classified largely according to monitoring data mainly compiled over the period 2000–2007.
Map 1: the ecological status of the surface waters
Link to a more detailed map:
Ecological state of surface waters
See also:
The chemical state of surface waters is classified on the basis of environmental quality norms defined for 42 harmful or hazardous substance and substance groups. The norms, which refer to annual average concentrations of the substances in aquatic environments, were included in Government Decree 1022/2006 on Substances Dangerous and Harmful to the Aquatic Environment. Some of the norms applied in evaluating the chemical state of water bodies have not yet been fully enacted in official legislation, but they still serve as useful guidelines in the classification procedure.
The concentrations of harmful and hazardous substances measured in Finland's surface waters have generally been below the provisionally defined norms (environmental quality standards), and in many cases the substances have not been detected at all. Chemical statuses worse than "good" have been assigned to several rivers in Ostrobothnia which flow through regions with acidic, sulphate-rich soils, and contain high concentrations of substances including cadmium. Some of the metals that affect the chemical state of water bodies also occur naturally, and this factor must be considered in classifications to ensure that statuses are not misleadingly lowered by naturally high concentrations of metals.
Map 2:
Finnish lakes classified by total phosphorus levels (median in 2005-2010).
Total P levels were compared to status class boundaries of total p in different
lake types.
Figure 2: Annual medians of total phosphorus and total nitrogen in 1970-2008 calculated for a group of 33 Finnish rivers. Linear trend line is shown.
The general usability classification of water bodies gives an idea about the average suitability of the water bodies for water supply, fishing and recreation in Finland. The quality class is determined based on the natural quality of the water and human impacts. The water bodies have been classified as: excellent, good, satisfactory, passable and poor (Criteria for the general water quality classification in Finland).
The latest classification was based on data from the period 2000–2003. It covered 82 % of the total area of lakes larger than one square kilometre, 16 % of the total length of rivers more than two metres wide as well as the sea area inside the Finnish territorial waters.
The quality of water was excellent or good in 80 % of the classified lake area. In general, the water quality in rivers was worse than in lakes, because human activities, such as agriculture and development, are concentrated along rivers. Moreover, many rivers are sensitive to the effects of nutrient loading because of their low flow rates. The quality in 43 % of rivers is classified as excellent or good. These rivers are mostly located in northern Finland (Map of water quality of lakes, rivers, and sea areas in 2000-2003), (Comparison of classifications in 1984-2003).
In the vicinity of towns and industrial plants, water quality had improved considerably already at the beginning of the 1990s, because of long-term measures for water protection. These measures were further improved during the 1990s. However, a similar improvement in the state of water bodies has not been observed in areas with heavy diffuse loads.
See also: Large lakes in good condition; problems in rivers and coastal waters
Acidification problems first became evident in the 1960s. It took some time for action to be taken, and ultimately international agreements were signed to curb harmful emissions. The concentrations of sulphur compounds declined and buffering capacity increased in all types of lakes in Finland during the 1990s. Some 5 000 smaller lakes in Finland are now considered to be recovering well from serious acidification problems.
Declining atmospheric deposition has also reduced acidification problems in Finland's groundwater reserves, although it may take decades for groundwater to recover completely.
In water bodies, eutrophication particularly boosts the growth of planktonic algae. Its effects can be seen in reduced water clarity and the increased growth of filamentous algae and aquatic plants. In the worst cases, eutrophication may result in the increased occurrence of massive blue-green algal blooms, oxygen depletion in winter, and in dramatic changes in fish stocks.
Eutrophication is basically a natural phenomenon. Certain lakes or habitats are naturally poorer in nutrients than others are, but over time they may become richer in nutrients through natural processes. Where nutrient pollution is widespread, however, eutrophication often becomes a problem.
Badly affected lakes can be restored to some extent by removing nutrients from the ecosystem through selective fishing or the removal of excess plant growth. The nutrient-rich silt on lake-beds may also be dredged or covered over. During the winter, air may also be pumped into lakes to improve the oxygen content of their deeper waters and slow the release of nutrients from bottom sediments.
See also:
Information on concentrations of toxic substances is mainly limited to major point sources of emissions, such as large industrial plants. Municipal wastewater treatment plants, for instance, routinely measure only variables linked to eutrophication and heavy metal concentrations in their treated effluent and sludge. Calculations and extrapolation are also used to estimate the point loads and diffuse loads.
EU legislation and Finland's other international commitments mean that in future, environmental loads of hazardous substances must be monitored much more widely than they have been so far.
Finland's groundwater reserves are replenished in the spring when the winter snow and ice melts, and often again in the autumn – typically the rainiest season.
Although Finland has plenty of aquifers – a bit over 6 000 – these resources are not distributed evenly across the country. Water is typically clean, well oxygenated, and often also easily extractable. Especially the Salpausselkä deposits in southern Finland hold important aquifers.
Groundwater can be found in almost every part of Finland, but is particularly widespread in areas with extensive deposits of permeable sands and gravels formed during the last ice age. The depth of the water table may vary from less than a metre to more than thirty metres, but is typically about two to five metres below ground level.
Groundwater reserves can be significantly reduced, and the water table lowered, due to the excessive use of groundwater, or after major groundwork or excavation, as well as following droughts.
In Finland, groundwater is widely used by local residents and by waterworks, since it is often much purer and better protected from contamination than the water in lakes and rivers. Groundwater can usually be consumed safely without any treatment.
Approximately 60 % of the total water supply distributed by Finland's waterworks consists of groundwater. This figure also includes water from artificially maintained reservoirs of groundwater fed from lakes and rivers.
The aquifers in Finland's glacial deposits rank in quality among the best reserves of groundwater in the world. Groundwater in Finland is generally soft, with low concentrations of dissolved substances and low pH (6-7).
Most of Finland's groundwater is of good quality, since it is better protected against contamination than surface water. Harmful concentrations of arsenic, fluorine and radon as well as iron and manganese occur in certain areas due to local geological features. Groundwater reserves in Finland do not normally suffer from contamination on a wider scale, since individual bodies of groundwater tend to be small. Considerable contamination may be caused locally where salts are used to de-ice slippery roads, on over-fertilised farmland, at garages and service stations where oils may accidentally enter the soil, and following accidents involving chemicals.
See also:
During the period 1961-1990, the Finnish territory received a mean precipitation of 660 mm. Of this amount, 341 mm evaporated, while 318 mm flowed into the seas or passed over the national borders. The water storage was increased by 1 mm during this period. The mentioned value 318 mm corresponds to a mean discharge of 3400 m3/s.
The study of some main hydro-meteorological variables (precipitation, snow cover, river discharge) since early 1980s show decreasing snow volumes in southern and central Finland. Consequently, some decrease in spring high flows have been observed in these areas. Precipitation does not reveal statistically significant trends or changes in general. The study of longer time series – starting from 1910s or 1960s – highlights some increasing wintertime river discharges.
The water plants deliver over 1.1 million m3 water daily, and the households consume 3/5 of the water. About 60 % or 0.7 million m3/day of the water is groundwater or artificial groundwater. Supply networks of water plants cover about 90 % and sewage networks about 80 % of Finnish households.
The Water exploitation index[14] (WEI) is one of EEA's core set indicators. The WEI is the ratio between the annual total water abstraction and the available long-term freshwater expressed as a percentage. The WEI for Finland is about 2 % that is one of the best WEI values in Europe, and far below the value 20 % that is seen as the critical value of WEI.
The notification of food or water-borne epidemics came into effect in February 1997. The municipal health authorities are responsible for the reporting. It is clear that the identification of a water-borne epidemic is not always straightforward.
A total of 56 epidemics were reported in 1998–2006 with about 16 800 persons fallen ill. In more than 90 % of the cases, the municipal waterworks had delivered the water. Private water supply was used in the rest of cases, for example in different holiday or camping centres or rehabilitation centres. Of the waterworks, most were small units with less than 500 customers. Almost always, the reason for the epidemic is some harmful microbe infecting the drinking water. Even if the groundwater in general is cleaner than the surface waters, the water-borne epidemics are more often caused by the groundwater. WHO publishes regularly fact sheets of outbreaks of water-borne diseases. However, the level of monitoring and the quality of reporting varies greatly between countries.
Finland has been placed near the top or at the top in several recent international comparisons of the water and environmental sectors. Water policies in Finland are described in more detail in the report to the UN: Country Profile: Freshwater and Sanitation, Finland, 2004.
United Nations/UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) monitors freshwater issues in order to provide recommendations, develop case studies, enhance assessment capacity at a national level and inform the decision-making process. In the first World Water Development Report in 2003 water quality indicator values were assessed in 122 countries and Finland was ranked number one in this assessment. WWAP has published three reports, the most recent one in 2009.
In the international Water Poverty Index published by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in 2003, Finland was ranked the best in the world. A total of 147 countries were included in the comparison. The study assessed the extent of water resources, the comprehensiveness of water supply, and water use, as well as environmental impacts and general readiness for addressing water-related concerns.
[1] Source: Surface waters. Finnish Environment Institute
[2] Source: The state of Finland's surface waters. Finnish Environmental Administration
[3] Source: Ecological and chemical state of surface waters. Finnish Environmental Administration
[4] Surface water bodies include distinct and significant sections of river systems, i.e. lakes; reservoirs; streams, rivers or canals in their entirety or parts thereof; as well as specific areas of Finland's coastal waters.
[5] Source: Map of the ecological state of Finland's surface waters. Finnish Environmental Administration
[6] Source: Chemical state. Finnish Environmental Administration
[7] Source: The general usability classification of surface waters. Finnish Environmental Administration
[8] Source: Acidification. Finnish Environment Institute
[9] Source: Eutrophication. Finnish Environment Institute
[10] Source: Toxic substances. Finnish Environment Institute
[11] Source: Groundwater. Finnish Environment Institute
[12] Source: Groundwater resources, Finnish Environment Institute
[13] Source: Water resources in Finland. Finnish Environmental Administration
[14] Source: Water exploitation index. European Environment Agency
[15] Source Drinking water (in English) and Vesiepidemiat (in Finnish). National Institute for Health and Welfare
[16] Source: International evaluations of water policies in Finland. Finnish Environmental Administration
Air quality is monitored in settlements and cities or their parts where a more significant pollution occurs. In rural areas the air is generally clean, and pollution is transported there from polluted urban or industrial areas.
Clean or slightly polluted air (first category air) was recorded in 60 % of cities and settlements or their parts in Croatia in the period from 2005 to 2008 [1]. Moderately polluted air, or second category air, was recorded in 20 % of cities and settlements or their parts, while excessively polluted air, or third category air, was also recorded in 20 % of cities and settlements or their parts.
The pollutants which excessively or moderately contaminate the air include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, total suspended particulate matter, suspended particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm (PM10), suspended particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), benzo-a-pyrene in PM10, hydrogen sulphide, ozone, benzene, ammonia, total deposited matter, lead, nickel, cadmium and thallium in total deposited matter.
Atmospheric pollution of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm (PM10) is the most widespread problem in Croatia. The particles primarily come from traffic, large combustion plants and large point sources (Figure 1).
Targeted measurements of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) are done in Rijeka, Kutina and Sisak. The air quality was of second and third category due to too many exceedances of hourly concentration of limit values and margins of tolerance. Mean annual concentrations were mainly below the allowable limit value (Figure 2).
Air pollution with ammonia (NH3) has been reduced in Croatia (Figure 3).
Tropospheric ozone is the key ingredient of so-called summer smog, the main pollution problem in almost all big cities worldwide. In Zagreb and Rijeka agglomerations, air quality with respect to ozone was of second and third category respectively. The ground-level ozone is the most important photochemical oxidising agents in troposphere. It is a secondary pollutant since it is not emitted directly, but generated by photochemical reactions (with solar irradiation) from nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds which comprise the urban atmosphere.
The spatial distribution of mean annual concentrations (mg/l) and mean annual deposition (kg/ha) of sulphate, nitrate and ammonia is shown in Figure 4. Precipitation pollution by sulphates is the most prominent in Osijek, eastern Croatia, and in areas with increased SO2 emissions (City of Rijeka area).
Ammonia concentrations in the region of Slavonia, eastern Croatia, are twice the national average. Significant sources of ammonia emissions are agriculture and animal husbandry, which are dominant in the eastern Croatia (Slavonia) region. Transboundary air pollution movement from neighbouring countries, particularly from Serbia and Hungary considerably contributes to increasing values acidification and eutrophication compounds in the area of eastern Croatia.
The largest deposition of acidification and eutrophication compounds is recorded around the City of Rijeka and in Gorski Kotar region, and in eastern Croatia. Although ammonia concentrations in precipitation are greatest in eastern Croatia, the highest level of deposition has been recorded in Gorski Kotar, which is due to increased precipitation rates in this area. Climate in areas with particularly high levels of deposition is characterised by increased precipitation, but there is also an important contribution of local sources of sulphate, especially in the area of the City of Rijeka.
If all European targets are met, acidification will by then have a negligible impact on the environment. Eutrophication, on the other hand, will remain problematic, especially for heathland vegetations5, which thrive on soils with a very low fertility.
4 Flemish Environment Agency, 2009b
The areas of forests for wich the critical loads were exceeded in 2007 coincide with the ones that have been calculated considering that the emission ceilings fixed by european legislation (2001/81/EC directive) were respected. This shows the positive impact of measures that are implemented in order to reduce nitrogen pollutants atmospheric emissions in Wallonia (AGW dated 25/03/2004, Plan Air Climat) and at the european level.
On the other hand, no beneficial effects are expected for the semi-natural vegetation of open environments, given that more than 98 % of corresponding superficies (areas? surfaces?) are still set to suffer the negative impacts of excessive nutrient nitrogen fallout between now and 20103.
3 Cellule Etat de l'Environnement wallon (2010), p129. Also available at: http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/index.php?page=le-tableau-de-bord-2010
Other key drivers and pressures such as eutrophication, acidification, climate change and invasive alien species are discussed in this section with regional indicators and figures on the subject. Additionally, high recreation pressure – especially in the Brussels-Capital Region - is also an important driver of biodiversity loss in Belgium1, but is not discussed in the current analysis.
1 National Focal Point of Belgium for the Convention on Biological Diversity (2009), p15.
For the most part, Sweden's water bodies are not rich in nutrients, except in agricultural and metropolitan areas. This points to the areas in Sweden where we can find bodies of water with excessive nutrients. At the same time as we are seeing a positive trend in water quality, eutrophication of new bodies of water is occurring. One explanation is that while agricultural acreage is decreasing, loading from other sources, such as runoff and traffic, is increasing. In addition, nitrogen and sulphur continue to be introduced from distant sources within and outside the country.
Acidification is caused by national and international anthropogenic loads. Acid fallout has decreased by more than 90 % during the past ten years. One source of acidifying pollutants that is becoming increasingly important is shipping. Differences within Sweden are large. This is clearly shown in the figure.
How various toxic substances are distributed among water, sediment and organisms depends on the substances' characteristics, such as whether they bind with humus and whether or not they are fat-soluble. Many substances have not been produced, used or spread within the country but have been conveyed through atmospheric fallout. These substances often occur in a gradient from south to north and can be found in otherwise unpolluted water bodies.
Other substances have a particular area of usage or are produced as by-products within industries and occur in more limited places, such as large cities, mining areas, agricultural areas or other specific areas. If these substances are detected in high concentrations, it is often possible to find a way to deal with the pollution since the source can usually be found, the exception being those groups of substances that accumulate in the food chain.
Mercury occurs naturally in high concentrations in Sweden. However, there are still no clearly established explanations for the high concentrations that exist today in almost all Swedish freshwater bodies. There are hundreds of small, seemingly unpolluted forest lakes where the mercury concentration in fish is too high for human consumption of the fish.
The large hydroelectrical constructions and dams in northern Sweden cause enormous impact on the environment. The hydromorphology of many smaller rivers and lakes has also been changed due to hydropower, timber floating, trenching, etc. These changes are often quite old and can be difficult to evaluate. They are also expensive to remediate.


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Interest Check
Quick Summary: People of all ages wake up from their dreams to find themselves in a different dream, a bigger dream...the urban legend's dream academy, where all dreams can be fulfilled at. Some refused to believe that this is real, some went with the flow, some were delighted, and some knew what this place was instantly and saw this as an opportunity to change their lives. This first encounter with the dream academy isn't easy, since the staff keep things vague, and the longer attending students are just as bad...
(Let me know if you need super extensive...I'll make a separate post for that...!)
((Straight From The Interest Check))
We live our lives, and we dream our dreams…but do we ever truly live our dreams?
There is an urban legend being spread around. An academy you go to when you sleep, and a series of simple tasks you must complete in other's dreams in order to get 'a wish' fulfilled. It might seem fantastical to outsiders, but once you've been enrolled…you realise just how real it is. Every little task changes the waking world in some way, even though it might not be obvious at first, having your wish fulfilled has now become a much easier thing. Well, maybe. You aren't the only one who desires to have their wish fulfilled, not the only attendee at this academy…but you'll have to fight to be. Having a wish granted is so much easier when there is less people, so when students aren't fulfilling tasks, they're trying to eliminate the competition. Disrupt, discredit, disqualify, or straight up killing the competition…in a dream or the waking world, both have to happen in order for a wish to be granted to one student...that's even if you know who to destroy.
If you think the summary or whatever is vague or strange or stupid, there is the discussion that got this interest check started...it's much better.
-No meta gaming, no god modding
-Permission is needed for 'critical' interaction, if you know what I mean/is implied
-Respect others and me too!
-Always question others, and the GM/DM/Me…I'm trying to work with you guys, and you should always be willing to work with others, the best way is to question and answer.
-Wait for all approved character's introposts before posting again
-Wait two posts before posting again, or else collab
-The usual RP rules
-----Things to Know!
-The real world is sandbox…within reason, like normal reality.
-Non-challenge areas of the school (hallway, auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria) are also sandbox...
-Weapons from the office are random and pretty unassuming…
-Weapons from the office cost 25 points.
-Challenge points…Common: 1-5 Points (2 Person Team/Duo: 2-3 Points Each). Special Common: 25 Points (2 Person Team/Duo: 20 Points Each!). Advanced challenges are unlocked to those who have accumulated 100 challenge points. Advanced: 50-75 Points (2 Person Team/Duo: 30-40 Points Each). Advanced Special: 100 Points (2 Person Team/Duo: 75 Points Each!).
Accepted Characters
KradKazumi - Hasegawa Seru, Minezuki Ren and Fujisaki Kiri
UnendingEmpire - Marilyn "Jone" Jones, Jakkie Manson, Artemis Kokinos and Ampelio de Nox
Jman2220 - Ryan Mason and Cathal "Cal" Hughes
Luna008 - Ann Byrd
Kiria Ithica - Yamazaki Takashi, Kobayashi Miyuki, Cheng Lan-Yu and Tanaka Kei
Major Ursa - Rufus Dunn
TaroAndSelia - Timothy and Jennifer Marks

subset: commoncrawl


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Americans may finally get to hear the Voice of America over the air for the first time since the network started 68 years ago. As it is, a majority of Americans have no exposure to the media operations costing them around $750 million a year. Meanwhile, cable platforms stateside carry Al Jazeera, and DirecTV carries MHz Networks, home of several international newscasts.
It would be the height of cynicism to assert the Genachowski FCC has become a propaganda machine for the wireless industry. Only the most jaded conspiracy theorist could imagine that a Web entrepreneur temporarily appointed as a government regulator would have a self-serving agenda.
When broadcasters shut down their full power analog signals a year ago, anticipation ran high as to how the public would react.


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Pathé Cinemas
16.08.2011 - You can watch the Dutch National Ballet's anniversary season in nine Pathé Cinemas throughout the Netherlands. read more
01.08.2011 - New dancers, promotiions and dancers which (temporarily) have left the company. read more
01.08.2011 - Don Quichot performed by the Dutch National Ballet is now available for viewing in iTunes in Canada & the US read more
25 years
30.07.2011 - The Amsterdam Music Theatre celebrates its 25 year jubilee. De Nederlandse Opera and The Dutch National Ballet look back on 25 years of highlights in the Music Theatre. But they look forward as well. read more
05.07.2011 - Starting with the 50-year jubilee season, Marijn Rademaker - currently principal with the Stuttgarter Ballet - will be a regular guest principal with the Dutch National Ballet. read more
28.06.2011 - Toer van Schayk has been presented with the Life Time Achievement Award by the Benois de la Danse 2011. The 'Benois' is the 'Oscar' of dance. Van Schayk will receive the award next year, and is on behalf of his work as choreographer and as set designer. In this anniversary season, you can see his designs and choreography for De omkeerbaarheid van roest and Nutcracker & Mouse King, as well as his set and costume designs for Four Last Songs, Swan Lake and Giselle.
16.06.2011 - The secretary for Culture, Halbe Zijlstra, has proposed his plans for cuts in the cultural sector. As it now stands, the Dutch National Ballet is (relatively) spared. There still will be a 5% cut, however. read more
26.05.2011 - Regular tickets for the Dutch National Ballet's anniversary season 2011 | 2012 went on sale on Wednesday 1 June. read more


text: CloseYou were reading: Travel and tourism Nation Daters speed up relationship with voyage, sans luggage Online daters take a three-week trip with no specific plans and no luggage. View Story Ohio France labels 3 Cleveland suburbs too dangerous to visit Local After LAX shooting, should TSA be armed? HeadlinesGridListOpinionAllergy sufferers cope with pets on planes: Your SayAllergy sufferers cope with pets on planes: Your SayBig U.S. airlines allow pets to be brought into cabins by passengers for a fee, USA TOD...Big U.S. airlines allow pets to be brought into cabins by passengers for a fee, USA TODAY found.Opinion1 month, 3 weeks agoCruiselogComing soon: Cruise cabins for allergy sufferersComing soon: Cruise cabins for allergy sufferersWhat's billed as the first hypoallergenic rooms at sea will debut in November.What's billed as the first hypoallergenic rooms at sea will debut in November.Cruiselog4 months agoGene SloanPeople'Real Housewives' stars plead not guilty'Real Housewives' stars plead not guiltyNew Jersey 'Housewives' couple plead not guilty today on fraud charges.New Jersey 'Housewives' couple plead not guilty today on fraud charges.People4 months agoDestinationsWedding, Gangnam Style: S. Korea attracts affluent ChineseWedding, Gangnam Style: S. Korea attracts affluent ChineseThe Chinese craze for all things South Korean is driving an expanding wedding business.The Chinese craze for all things South Korean is driving an expanding wedding business.Destinations4 months agoElizabeth ShimCruiselogNew river cruise line to debut in EuropeNew river cruise line to debut in EuropeNewly announced Emerald Waterways will launch in 2014 with two ships.Newly announced Emerald Waterways will launch in 2014 with two ships.Cruiselog4 months agoGene SloanCruiselogFast-growing Un-Cruise Adventures unveils new shipFast-growing Un-Cruise Adventures unveils new shipThe 88-passenger S.S. Legacy will offer history-focused trips to Alaska, Northwest.The 88-passenger S.S. Legacy will offer history-focused trips to Alaska, Northwest.Cruiselog4 months agoGene SloanTheovalNixon: 'August is really a dull month'Nixon: 'August is really a dull month'Richard Nixon's comments about August still ring true.Richard Nixon's comments about August still ring true.Theoval4 months agoDavid JacksonWorldMore than 200 killed as Egyptian forces bust up sit-insMore than 200 killed as Egyptian forces bust up sit-insEgyptian forces cleared out sit-ins demanding the return of ousted president Mohammed M...Egyptian forces cleared out sit-ins demanding the return of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.World4 months agoSarah LynchShow More News The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in Branson exhibits hundreds of strange things, the biggest of which is a 6-ton twine ball. Ripley's Believe It Or Not!Fullscreen Dick's 5 and 10 is filled floor to ceiling with an eclectic mix of merchandise -- some of which you might not have seen in decades. Dick's 5 and 10Fullscreen Fewer travelers lug laptops to hotels, more bring iPads: The image of a business traveler plugging away on a laptop in a hotel room is starting to become dated, a new survey suggests. During the last nine months ending March 31, the number of travelers checking in with laptops fell, a first in history, according to new data from iBahn. "For the third consecutive quarter, we've seen the number of travelers carrying laptops decreasing while we've seen an acceleration in iPads and tablets," says Garrison. Rebecca KollarasFullscreen Marriott and Ikea team up on trendy new hotel chain: Ikea has been filling college dorms, apartments and starter homes for years in the U.S. and around the world. Now, the Swedish company's teaming up with Marriott to give younger, price-conscious travelers rooms on the road. Marriott and a unit of Ikea next year will launch Moxy, a European budget chain that has been designed to please people who love design, technology, interesting lighting, music — and a bargain price. Marriott InternationalFullscreen Orlando's Floridays Resort named top family-friendly hotel: Orlando's the biggest winner this year in TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice awards. The online review giant crunched its members' reviews to identify the 231 "best of the best" family friendly hotels, and Orlando properties located near Walt Disney World grabbed six of the top 10 spots for the USA. TripAdvisorFullscreen As Hawaii hotel rates rise, budget lodging are scarce: Rates are riding a multi-year wave, making it harder for flip-flop loving tourists to find cheap lodging, especially in once-modestly priced Waikiki. The average Hawaiian hotel room in January cost $231 per night, or 12% more than one year ago and 30% more than 2010, when the average rate was $177. Outrigger HotelsFullscreen Hotels embrace rec rooms in digital age: Whether a vacation resort, big-city boutique hotel or a suburban extended-stay hotel popular with dollar-conscious vacationers and long-term business travelers, hoteliers are figuring out that games can put people in a good mood and encourage them to linger in the lobby. The Sonesta ES Suites hotel in Orlando has plenty of games for guests, as well as a coin-operated arcade game room. Sonesta ES Suites OrlandoFullscreen U.S. chains expand with world's biggest, tallest hotels: Super-sized hotels are here - and they're not just for Americans. Last year, the Holiday Inn and Sheraton chains opened their biggest hotels ever, both in Macau (or Macao), Asia's version of Las Vegas. And this month, the J.W. Marriott chain on Feb. 27 will officially open its biggest — and tallest — hotel ever, in Dubai. Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central, is home to the brand's largest Sheraton Club Lounge. Club-level guests receive exclusive access to their own swimming pool with these poolside cabanas. Sheraton HotelsFullscreen Sneak peek: AAA's Five Diamond hotels for 2013: This year, AAA inspectors awarded the coveted title to 125 hotels and 53 restaurants in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Nine hotels were added, while 10 hotels were removed. Travelers can expect these hotels to offer world-class service, top-notch design, a beautiful spa and luxurious guest amenities that aren't necessarily available at other hotels. One of the additions was The St. Regis Bal Harbour, about a 30-minute drive from Miami's trendy South Beach district. By Barbara DeLollis, USA TODAYFullscreen Four Seasons in Hawaii named top hotel in TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards: The awards — which TripAdvisor compiles by crunching review data from its 60 million monthly users — showcase the Top 25 hotels in six categories including 'bargains.'The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu on Hawaii's Big Island won six separate titles. It was named the No. 1 overall hotel and best luxury hotel in the USA and the world. The hotel also received mentions for its service, nabbing the No. 5 spot on the list of U.S. hotels with best service, and the No. 25 spot for best service in the world. Four SeasonsFullscreenLike this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:ReplayAutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide Global travel alert shows futility of war on terror: Your Say How hot is too hot for tourists? Ky. museum remains a ventriloquist haven After crash, many still feel safer flying: #tellusatoday I'm STUCK! in traffic: Column Gas prices put a drag on travel: Your Say Fewer travelers lug laptops to hotels, more bring iPads Room service: A club sandwich can set you back $24 Country Inns gets a makeover with Millennials in mind Olympics, World Cup spur Brazilian hotel boom Mall of America gets sleek, new Radisson Blu hotel Gansevoort Las Vegas to open in January Big snowstorm wreaks travel havoc in Europe How to fix a case of the wrinkles Hilton, Marriott hike point requirements for free stays Hotels embrace rec rooms in digital age As Hawaii hotel rates rise, budget lodging are scarce U.S. chains expand with world's biggest, tallest hotels Hotel bar trends: Specialty ice, artisanal liquors Early flights help crews: Your Say


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Exterior decorating: In Hollywood Hills, outdoor rooms get vintage-Mod touch
Annette Gutierrez jokingly calls herself an "exterior decorator" because she sees outdoor spaces just like interior spaces: rooms to be designed. During a recent walk-through of her gardens, the co-owner of the garden shop Potted in Atwater Village shared the decorating ideas that lend her landscape a colorful, cool, Bohemian look.
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Indonesia Villa Rentals and Destination Wedding Locations
Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands. This makes it a great country for people in search of a place to host a destination wedding, corporate conference, or special event in a tropical, exotic setting. Despite the almost unending list of choices, one island occupies the spotlight: Bali. Bali is one of the world's great beach destinations, and deservedly so. Its palm fringed sands, always-warm waters, and welcoming people have been drawing millions of visitors per year for the past few decades. The villas, estates, and resorts that are equipped to host weddings and events on Bali are among the finest in all of Southeast Asia. Though they have all the luxuries that one would expect from world class estates, they also boast an unmistakable Balinese feel, with open air verandas, intricate locally-made décor, and gardens featuring local foliage. Bali is truly a great destination for any type of vacation. For people seeking an unmatchably exotic place for a wedding or corporate event, it is hard to go wrong in Bali.
Bali Venues
Bali is one of the most attractive and sought after tropical island destinations on earth. This Indonesian island features stunning beaches, lush interior landscapes and an amazingly welcoming and friendly population. The mix of natural beauty and exotic culture make this a very attractive destination. For people who are seeking an idyllic tropical setting for their wedding or special event, Bali is the perfect destination. It has a number of estates that offer plenty of luxury and also provide a glimpse of the exotic local customs and culture. Yes, Bali's estates are ideal for a destination wedding or even a corporate retreat that the participants will never forget. These resort-like estates are also ideal for people seeking a private and luxurious place to spend their Balinese vacation. Bali's standard resorts can sometimes be very crowded, so a stay in a vacation estate can be the best way to assure yourself of a quiet and relaxing experience.


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Meet Ickis, Oblina and Krumm, three young monsters at the "scariest" school you've ever seen! When they're not studying the best methods of frightening humans from their headmaster, The Gromble, the trio is facing off against Simon, the most determined monster-hunter in town! Can they keep the secrets of the monsters safe while on their crazy adventures?
What time is it? It's time for Adventure Time, the series that centers on the post-apocalyptic adventures of Finn, a human boy with a funny hat, and his friend Jake, a magic and mischievous dog!
It's one crazy adventure after another for human boy Finn and his best friend, Jake, a 28-year-old dog with magical powers. They're out to have the most fun possible and they sure do find it exploring the Land of Ooo! Whether it's saving Princess Bubblegum, battling zombie candy, taunting the Ice King or rocking out with Marceline the Vampire Queen, with Finn and Jake it's always Adventure Time!
Set in the lost city of Atlantis, Aquaman is the hero from the deep who protects the sea against any foes who threaten the peaceful undersea life. Aided by his ward Aqualad, Aquaman fights for justice on the ocean floor while keeping close contact with friends on dry land.
The Little Prince lives on the distant asteroid B-612. There he cleans his volcanoes and cares for his magical rose. One day, a space bird named Swifty visits his tiny planet and shows him how he can hitch rides on passing comets and visit far off galaxies. Meeting new friends at every stop, the Little Prince travels across the universe and learns valuable lessons about honesty, bravery and kindness. Contains all 26 episodes on 4 DVDs.


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Noveske CQB 10.5" AR w/ Suppressor
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I love to draw and plan on becoming a tattoo artist, so it makes me love the Ink Not Mink action even more. I have been a vegetarian for 4 years, but am now slowly going vegan. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/crazycat329
peta2 Street Team Coordinator + lover of vegan food, cats, animal rights, Dawson's Creek, and Harry Potter.
I live for love, and love animals! I try to get everyone around me to try new things and make a difference :) peace <3
I love to help out with animals and try to make change in the world.
Explain my life in 140 characters or less? lol, impossible.
A vegan girl from California. I have two indoor rabbits that are free roam (no cages).. Music is something I am very passionate about. And I would love to change the world someday.
My life has been complicated but I have one reason I keep living and it's the love for animals I have!:3
I dedicate my life to helping animals :)
Well, my name is Maria and i am from Greece,i love all the animals and especially the dogs! I am not vegeterian because i don't like to eat pulses,vegetables etc and because i believe that we must eat all the categories of food.However, I am against in the way that treat the animals in laboratories,in some farms ...
MUsic <3 Activism Hot chocolate


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Alexander Daniel Chapman, 16, 106 N. Bureau St., was cited for failure to maintain control after an accident 8:18 p.m. Friday at South Park Street.
According to a Creston Police report, Chapman, driving a 2002 Pontiac south on South Park Street, had struck a utility pole and sheared it off after he lost control of his vehicle. Chapman stated he had been driving faster than the posted speed limit but was unsure of how fast he was actually driving at the time of the accident. Chapman and his passenger were transported by ambulance to Greater Regional Medical Center.
Damage estimates are $300 to the utility pole and $10,000 to Chapman's vehicle.
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Neighbors Raise Concerns About House in Towamencin
A house near General Nash Elementary School in Towamencin has neighboring homeowners up in arms. The township supervisors Wednesday night decided to send the head of their code enforcement department to inspect 111 Dorchester Way after neighbors complained about code violations and unsanitary conditions inside. The neighbors also expressed concerns for the safety of their children because the house is apparently rented out and the tenants change frequently.


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Video on Demand Report: Better Late to the Zero Dark Thirty Debate Than Never
Zero Dark Thirty
Director Kathryn Bigelow and co-screenwriter Mark Boal's follow-up to The Hurt Locker — an Oscar winner in the categories of Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture, among others — is, depending on your interpretation, a gritty, almost journalistic dramatization of the hunt for Osama bin Laden, or a propagandistic endorsement of torturing detainees. One thing is for sure: Zero Dark Thirty is the only movie newly available On Demand this week to have elicited criticism from actual lawmakers. (Better luck next time, Bilbo.)


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Jazz Nights in December
Posted on Nov 26, 2010
Next month we're holding our monthly jazz night on a slightly different date, it's going to be on Sunday the 12th December.
We're also going to hold a second jazz night in December on the 30th. We thought that it would be a nice idea to hold one of these really enjoyable evenings in that quiet period between Christmas and New Year.
To book your table give us a call on 01904 644456 or why not just pop in for a relaxed drink and savour the ambiance!
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Source: Jason King, Kansas City Star
Damon Huard had a much better night in the Chiefs' scrimmage Sunday than Brodie Croyle as the two players battled to become the starting quarterback. Huard threw the most impressive pass of the practice, a 21-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez. Croyle struggled. He had one pass intercepted by Heath Farwell, a reserve linebacker. Farwell should have intercepted a second Croyle pass, but he dropped it instead. On another play, Croyle had rookie wide receiver Maurice Price open, but threw a bad pass and an incompletion. Sports Illustrated's Peter King mentioned how shaky Croyle looked, throwing multiple interceptions. Croyle did better earlier in the sessions to be fair. Huard is going to have to out-play Croyle by a wide margin in the preseason to win the starting job.


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I booked this hotel because it had great reviews, convenient location, and offered full breakfast and cocktail hour, and restaurant. On, arrival, I was told that the owner had closed the restaurant 5 days before, so there was no breakfast, cocktails, or availability of dinner. The manager, Mark, was most apologetic, and unfortunately for him, had to bear the brunt... More
- Also Known As:
- Sun Canyon Hotel Sierra Vista
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Ling Huang
Ling Huang is an assistant professor of chemistry at Hofstra University. Dr. Huang (pronounced "Juan") was born and raised in Shanghai, China, where he attended Fudan University and graduated with a B.S. in chemistry in 2001. He traveled half the world to eventually complete an M.S. program in analytical chemistry at the University of Oklahoma. He spent the next five years studying microfluidic bioanalytical chemistry at the University of Virginia, where he fashioned DNA chemo-mechanical sensors using elastic silicone membranes and made glass microchips for protein analyses, before earning a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Since he started independent work at Hofstra University in 2009, his research group has expanded from one student to 8-10 students. His current research spans two major fields: bioanalytical chemistry and forensic science, both of which utilize the state-of-the-art instrumentation located in Berliner Hall to study bacterial carotenoid production, look for illicit drugs, generate molecular fingerprints for ink profiles, and search for nitric oxide-releasing drug candidates.
In his spare time, Dr. Huang enjoys the authentic ethnic restaurants on Long Island and in New York City. He loves to visit food blogs and writes a bilingual food blog called Lingcuisine, while also exploring chemistry in cooking.
Hofstra Horizons Articles
- Spring 2012: "Spice" Tales: Good Chemists vs. Evil


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I think 10 points is enough forever. NO MORE POINTS.
I want to get new points when a band from my wishlist is announced.
It would be more fair if everyone got more points on a regular basis (weekly/monthly, etc).
It would be more fair if everyone got more points for special occasions (holidays, anniversaries).
Points should be special rewards given to contest winners.
I want more points but I don't know how / when I want them?
I have a better idea and I will post in in the thread!
I've never had a list of players show up, but I haven't verified my account yet (because whenever I try, Rock Central isn't available on the PS3).
<Insert request for more Boston here>
PSN: Bront20
DLC: lots+RB1+LRB+RB2+ACDC+GDRB (+ RB3)
The dashboard should have an Announcements section like this forum! I would like to see a history of weekly DLCs....or you can let us sort the songs by "last added"
So how does suggested friends work?
I dont see anything clickable, do I need to do something for it to gather data? I thought it would search automatically?
I see Verify and Unlink below my name
but I shouldnt hit verify again since unlink is there right?
Since I can see the Unlink that means I AM verified correct?
Hey, at the top of this app, one of the features listed is:
"Compare DLC libraries to find people to play with!"
But I can't figure out how to do that. But it would be awesome if you could actually do that. Also, If you could use this app to track:
it would be incredibly phenomenally useful.
- Songs you own ("My Songs")
- Songs you're thinking about buying ("Wishlist")
EDIT: I think the Rock Band Dashboard may be broken for me. When I click on "Players", my whole browser window goes blank and then the app starts over at the beginning (with the same screen that I see when I click on "Your Dashboard"). If that's how you're supposed to compare DLC libraries, it's no wonder I haven't found that feature yet :-)
Last edited by MurphyRock; 04-19-2012 at 07:12 PM.
TB:RB, RB3 expert vocalist PSN: Murph_70
Always looking to friend other expert players!
Yes, I have the same problem in Chrome. In Safari I have a different problem: most of the app acts like I haven't registered, even though I see my Gamertag, fans, score level, wish list etc. on the main page. However, at the top it still has the "Add your console ID" field and there is no "Linked"/"Verified" indicator. When I click on "Players" I get a page that says (in part) "Register now to see your Facebook friends here!" I also can't see my scores anymore, just a short message prompting me to register. It seems like something got borked on the site within the last couple weeks, as I think it worked fine before that. It's too bad, I was able to get the "Players" page to work once or twice until everything got screwed up, and it seemed like a useful feature.


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more emphasis on duskier shades that makes single notes sound a little rounder and more pearlescent—giving chords a beautifully smooth character that sounds great through a blackface Fender Deluxe at just about any volume.
The neck pickup is svelte and muscular—not burly or high output like a humbucker by any means, but simultaneously lean and rich in low-end character and able to enrich a band or recorded mix without hogging frequency bandwidth. It also sounds gorgeous with just a touch of pedal compression and delay—enabling you to move from Jim Hall-in-space mellow to David Gilmour soaring with a little manipulation of the tone and volume knobs.
The two pickups together in parallel is a delicious combination—rich with harmonic content that you can feather and massage with a soft touch on the smooth and spongy tremolo. Though it's the two pickups together in series that's the revelation, and by switching it to this fourth position, the signal gets much hotter and wider. But the real treat is the expansive, beautifully sustaining low end. At lower
Pros: Super-wide range of warm tones. Stable tuning.
Great vibrato system.
Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar, $1,699 street, fender.com
Cons: Cramped neck for bigger hands. Short scale and lower output pickups mean less sustain.
Playability Build Value
to medium volumes, tones from the low E and A strings are warm and simultaneously big, detailed, and harmonically focused with a touch of just-right natural compression. Jazzy explorations and mellow space-rock excursions using a droning 6th string sound warm and sonorous—especially when tuned down to D and C#. And with a blackface Deluxe cranked wide open, the Jag rumbles with a dark, husky growl that takes to everything from light overdrive to beehive fuzz without losing any of its deep harmonic personality.
The VerdictWith its smart and practical electron-ics, great pickups, super-musical vibratosystem, and even little touches like shorterswitches that prevent accidental pickupswitching, the Johnny Marr Jaguar is a per-fect example of how an artist with decadesof playing experience across a myriad ofstyles can see deeper into a design's poten-tial, and help a manufacturer build a bettermousetrap. Marr's refinements probablywon't make a difference to a player that'sdetermined that a Telecaster or Stratocasteris the height of functionality and tonepurity. And some Jaguar purists are boundto cry foul. But for the player that canapproach each and every guitar as a blankslate and relishes every guitar's potential asan expressive tool, the Johnny Marr Jaguarwill be a carnival of sonic possibilities.


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Budget Accommodation Hostels Central America
Port Antonio, Jamaica
Just a beautiful place... Amazing location just perched on a cliff, great energy, lovely people in the town of Long Bay, and great Jamaican food places just walking distance away. I was planning on staying here for 3 nights but in the end stayed for 9...
Fort-de-France, Martinique
Good value for money; spacious and very clean room and bathroom with good air-conditioning, good breakfast, and above all very friendly and nice staff. I would definitely come again and I recommend it !