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Reports and Resources (64)Show
Climate.gov's El Niño page
Climate.gov's new ENSO page provides information on the current status of El Niño and La Niña, plus links to forecasts, maps, and videos from across NOAA that help explain the impacts of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation on the U.S.
The Great American Adaptation Road Trip
After visiting more than 30 communities preparing for climate change across the United States, the Georgetown Climate Center released a report identifying six big lessons from ongoing adaptation work across the country.
NOAA Fisheries releases draft Climate Science Strategy for public comment
NOAA Fisheries has released a draft Climate Science Strategy for public comment that identifies 7 steps to increase the production & use of climate-related information; proposes actions to address common needs across regions and agency mandates; and aims to help reduce impacts and increase resilience of marine resources and the communities that depend on them. It is open for comment until March 31, 2015.
Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Next Generation
The American Planning Association's Hazards Planning Center worked with FEMA to develop Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Next Generation. This updated manual offers a no-nonsense explanation of the benefits and limitations of planning for unpredictable events.
Researchers Offer New Insights Into Predicting Future Droughts in California
According to a new NOAA-sponsored study, natural oceanic and atmospheric patterns are the primary drivers behind California's ongoing drought.
Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report
This new Synthesis Report from the IPCC summarizes the contents of 5 studies released over the past year. These studies confirm that climate change caused by human activities is having impacts on ecosystems and human well-being across the U.S. and around the world.
Climate Change Impacts in Hawaii: A Summary of Climate Change and its Impacts to Hawaii's Ecosystems and Communities
This report, from Hawaii Sea Grant, is intended to provide a basic summary of the observed and projected changes to Hawaii's ecosystems and their resulting impacts for Hawaii's residents.
Reducing Coastal Risk on the East and Gulf Coasts
This new National Research Council report reviews coastal risk-reduction strategies and levels of protection that have been used along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts to reduce the impacts of flooding associated with storm surges. The report evaluates their effectiveness in terms of economic return, protection of life safety, and minimization of environmental effects.
Preparing Our Communities for Climate Impacts: Recommendations for Federal Action
The Georgetown Climate Center has released a report outlining 100 recommendations to help improve federal programs and their ability to prepare for climate change. The new report--Preparing Our Communities for Climate Impacts: Recommendations for Federal Action--will inform the White House's State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
NJADAPT is a collaborative effort consisting of scientists and data managers in academia, government, the private sector, and the NGO community who have developed a strategic plan for a New Jersey platform to host and apply climate science and impacts data. This effort has been supported by the New Jersey Recovery Fund, the New Jersey Coastal Management Program, and NOAA.
'Nuisance Flooding' an Increasing Problem as Coastal Sea Levels Rise
This technical report from NOAA looks at more than 60 years of coastal water level and local elevation data, analyzing sea level rise and nuisance flood frequency changes around the United States.
UN Climate Change Learning Partnership Releases Learning Resources Guides on Climate Change Science
The UN Climate Change Learning Partnership released two resource guides to help people understand the science of climate change. The two guides provide a tour of the best & most relevant resources on climate change science.
Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaption Principles into Practice
This new report by the National Wildlife Federation looks at how climate change is affecting the nation's wildlife & habitats, & addresses how natural resource managers need to prepare for and adapt to these unprecedented changes.
National Climate Assessment Released
The third National Climate Assessment, released May 6, provides an in-depth look at climate change impacts on the U.S both now and into the future. It details the multitude of ways climate change is already affecting and will increasingly affect the lives of Americans.
First Federal Ocean Acidification Strategic Plan Released
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification, of which EPA is a participating agency, has recently released the "Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification."
The Plan will guide research and monitoring investments that will improve our understanding of ocean acidification, its potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. Highlights of the Plan's research goals include: improve existing observing systems that monitor chemical and biological effects of ocean acidification and document trends; undertake laboratory and field research to examine the physiological, behavioral, and evolutionary adaptive capacities of selected species and complexes of species; develop comprehensive models to predict changes in the ocean carbon cycle and effects on marine ecosystems and organisms; develop vulnerability assessments for various carbon dioxide emissions scenarios; and, assess the cultural, subsistence, and economic effects of ocean acidification.
To learn more, visit: http://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/IWGOA.aspx.
NOAA Releases Arctic Action Plan
Climate change is making the Arctic a greener, warmer, and increasingly accessible place for economic opportunity. However, climate impacts such as sea ice loss and rising ocean acidification are straining coastal community resilience and sound resource stewardship. The NOAA Arctic Action Plan report outlines ways for scientists and stakeholders to share their progress regarding this vast, valuable, and vulnerable region.
Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change
On April 15 in Berlin, Germany, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change approved and released Working Group III's Fifth Assessment Report - a comprehensive assessment of all relevant options for mitigating climate change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as activities that remove them from the atmosphere.
Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
On March 31 in Yokohama, Japan, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change approved and released Working Group II's Summary for Policymakers and the underlying scientific and technical assessment.
Navigating Change: Hawaii's Approach to Adaptation
A report based on the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) was recently presented to the President's Task Force for Climate Preparedness and Resilience. The report examines climate change impacts in Hawaii and also assesses the adaptive capacity of the Pacific Island communities.
Managing for a Future in a Rapidly Changing Arctic
In consultation with the National Ocean Council, the National Security Staff, and the Arctic Research Commission, the Alaska Interagency Working Group completed a report describing environmental, social, and economic issues in the arctic U.S. to the federal government and its partners in order to address management challenges in the region.
USC Seagrant Outlines L.A.'s Vulnerability to Future Sea Level Rise
In anticipation of rising sea levels, a team from the University of Southern California Sea Grant partnered with the city of Los Angeles to gauge the impact of rising tides on local communities and infrastructure in order to protect at-risk assets through proactive planning and early identification of adaptation measures.
U.S. Submits 2014 Climate Action Report to UNFCCC
The U.S. Department of State has submitted its 2014 Climate Action Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The report details actions the United States is taking domestically and internationally to mitigate, adapt to, and assist others in addressing climate change.
Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis
On September 27, 2013, Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented its report to member governments for approval and acceptance. The report is the first of four that will make up the IPCC's 5th Assessment.
Oceans and Marine Resources in a Changing Climate
According to a new National Climate Assessment report, the nation's valuable ocean ecosystems and marine resources are being affected by a changing climate. These impacts are expected to increase in coming years, putting marine resources — and the people and economies that depend on them — at risk.
Climate Sensitivity of the Nation's Estuaries
The United States' 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) are experiencing negative effects of human and climate-related stressors, according to a new report from NOAA's National Ocean Service. This is the first national-scale climate sensitivity analysis of estuaries to help coastal managers protect the health of estuaries.
The Island Climate Update
The Island Climate Update is a monthly summary of the climate in the tropical South Pacific islands, with an outlook for the coming months, to assist in dissemination of climate information in the Pacific region. This bulletin is a multi-national project with collaboration from a number of Pacific nations and support from various organizations.
Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research
This is a rigorously researched, peer-reviewed scientific assessment of the climate of the Western Pacific region. Building on the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this two-volume publication represents a comprehensive resource on the climate of the Pacific.
Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts
Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts is a report developed by the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) aimed at assessing the state of climate knowledge, impacts, and adaptive capacity of Hawaii and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands.
U.S. Climate Change Webinars
An ongoing series of webinars by leading experts on variety of climate change issues rangings from energy to health to public engagement sponsored by Ohio Sea Grant.
Coastal Climate Adaptation Resources
An archive of adaptation resources such as guidebooks, tools, and state and local plans as well as a blog about coastal concerns by NOAA's Coastal Service Center. Users can parse resources by states or category.
NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Service Center Publications
A regularly updated database of reports, theses, working papers, and more written by PIFSC staff and collaborators.
NOAA Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications funding
The Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications (COCA) program addresses the needs of specific decision makers grappling with pressing climate-related issues in coastal and marine environments. This program strengthens initiatives to support interdisciplinary applications research aimed at addressing climate-related challenges in coastal communities as well as coastal and marine ecosystems.
Grants are available annually for researchers and decision makers.
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Climate Summit
Reports from the 2008, 2010, and 2013 summits focused on communication and natural resource management of coastal issues on Californiaís north-central coast.
Alaska Climate Webinar Archives
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy has an archive of all its webinars on a variety of climate issues in the Alaska and the Arctic. The webinar series is also ongoing with new speakers and topics scheduled regularly.
Alaska Climate Dispatch
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy produces this climate information tool in partnership with the Alaska Climate Research Center, SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and the National Weather Service. The quarterly Alaska Climate Dispatch provides seasonal weather and climate summaries as well as Alaska weather, wildfire, and sea ice outlooks in one easily accessible document with the latest issue and archives available online.
Storm Data Resource Guide
This guide from NOAA's Coastal Service Center provides links to resources for managing the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms, and helps users locate data to use before, during, and after a storm. The site also highlights geographic information system (GIS) data layers useful for planners and emergency responders.
2013 Draft National Climate Assessment
Global climate is changing, and this is apparent across the U.S. in a wide range of observations. Rising temperatures, changes in precipitation and extreme events and their causes and impacts on society and the environment are chronicled in the 2013 National Climate Assessment. A team of over 240 experts compiled the report, which is open for public comment through April 12, 2013.
Climate and the Oregon Coast
A library of videos on a variety of coastal and ocean topics specific to Oregon.
Global Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States National Climate Assessment
Global sea level has been steadily rising for decades and is expected to continue. Scientists have very high confidence that global sea level will rise at least another 8 inches and as much as 6.6 feet by 2100, causing significant impacts in U.S. coastal regions. This report lays out the science and describes possible scenarios to help planners and policy leaders assess the risks.
2012 Arctic Report Card
The annual Report Card provides clear, concise scientific information on the state of the Arctic region, organized into 5 sections: Atmosphere, Sea Ice & Ocean, Marine Ecosystems, Terrestrial Ecosystems, and Hydrology & Terrestrial Cryosphere. This edition was prepared by an international team of 121 scientists from 14 different countries. Independent peer-review of the 2012 Report Card was organized by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme of the Arctic Council.
Highlights from 2012 include new records set for snow extent, sea ice extent and ice sheet surface melting, despite air temperatures - a key cause of melting - being unremarkable relative to the last decade. Multiple observations provide strong evidence of widespread, sustained change driving Arctic environmental system into new state.
Digital Coast Connections (Newsletter)
A newsletter published seven times a year from NOAA's Coastal Programs Division.
National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
From the Arctic to the Everglades, impacts like rising sea levels, warmer temperatures, loss of sea ice, and changing precipitation patterns are affecting the species we care about, the services we value, and the places we call home. Federal, state, and tribal partners with input from many other diverse groups from across the nation have worked to develop a common strategy to respond to these challenges. The National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is currently in draft form and, when finished, will provide a unified approach for reducing the negative impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants, and the natural systems upon which they depend.
Arctic Report Card: 2011
The annual Report Card provides clear, concise scientific information on the state of the Arctic region, organized into 5 sections: Atmosphere, Sea Ice & Ocean, Marine Ecosystems, Terrestrial Ecosystems, and Hydrology & Terrestrial Cryosphere. This edition was prepared by an international team of 121 scientists from 14 different countries. Independent peer-review of the 2011 Report Card was organized by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme of the Arctic Council.
Maine's Climate Future
A report that considers past change over geologic time, recent evidence of accelerated rates of change, and the implications of continued climate change in Maine during the 21st century as a result of greenhouse gas emissions and their associated pollutants.
America's Climate Choices
This is the final report in the America's Climate Choices series. It includes analysis by scientists, engineers, economists, business leaders and policy experts on how to address climate change in the United States. The report advocates for an iterative risk management approach to climate change and using strong federal climate policies to support and enhance existing local, state and private sector efforts. It identifies four key areas policymakers should focus on.
Indicators to Assess Community-level Social Vulnerability to Climate Change
A guide for communities and non-governmental organizations to help identify key climate change vulnerabilities in tropical coastal communities.
Adapting to Climate Change: A Planning Guide for State Coastal Managers
A guide from NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management to help coastal managers develop and implement adaptation plans in the face of climate change. The guide is designed to help U.S. state and territorial coastal managers develop and implement adaptation plans to reduce the impacts and consequences of climate change and climate variability. It was written in response to a request from state coastal managers for guidance from NOAA on adaptation planning in the coastal zone.
Technical Considerations for Use of Geospatial Data in Sea Level Change Mapping and Assessment
Guidance for federal and state agencies and coastal planners for conducting sea level change assessments and mapping. The report is intended to provide technical guidance to agencies, practitioners, and coastal decision-makers seeking to use and/or collect geospatial data to assist with sea level change assessments and mapping products.
Sea Ice Manual
The purpose of the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy's Sea Ice Manual is to improve the availability of current information about sea ice from operational and academic observation programs to key user groups. It provides Arctic Alaska coastal community leaders and local user groups with an up-to-date, comprehensive, and practical guide to current reference resources on sea ice and climate that are relevant to their planning, subsistence activities, and way of life.
Building a Resilient Coast: Maine Confronts Climate Change
A five-part documentary on the concerns and interests of Maine coastal residents regarding climate change, published by Maine Sea Grant in partnership with Oregon Sea Grant. The project had several objectives: exploring how climate variability and coastal hazards are affecting the Maine coast and how these relate to coastal development; encouraging collaboration among decision-makers and coastal property owners; and discovering the barriers to taking action to prepare for or mitigate climate-related impacts.
Hawaii Coastal Erosion
A collection of historical maps and air photos, modern vertical and oblique air photos, and maps depicting rates of shoreline change spaced every 20 meters on the sandy beaches of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai.
Climate Change Impacts: Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries
A 2010 report on climate change impacts and climate change action plans for marine ecosystems on California's north-central coast.
Coastal Strategies for Addressing Climate Change
A collection of case studies and information about how coastal communities can plan for and adapt to climate change. These resources represent a national guide for how coastal communities can plan and adapt. Case study issues range from coastal managers addressing sea level rise in Rhode Island to coral bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures in Florida.
Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change
Much of the nation's experience to date in managing and protecting its people, resources, and infrastructure is based on the historic record of climate variability during a period of relatively stable climate. This report from the America's Climate Choices suite of studies concludes that adaptation to climate change calls for a new paradigm--one that considers a range of possible future climate conditions and associated impacts, some well outside the realm of past experience.
Our Living Oceans: A Report on the Status of U.S. Living Marine Resources
The sixth edition of a report card to the American public on the biological health of U.S. living marine resources, published by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. The report includes updates on major fisheries and marine resources as well as feature articles on fisheries science, coral, and cooperative and proactive approaches to the Endangered Species Act.
Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States (2009)
Climate changes are underway in the United States and are projected to grow. Consequently, crops and livestock production will be increasingly challenged and threats to human health will increase. These are two key findings presented in this 2009 assessment report by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The report gives an overview of climate-related issues and impacts for seven geographical regions and seven sectors of society.
Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region
Global sea level is rising at an accelerating rate. This report examines the implications of rising sea level, with a focus on the U.S. mid-Atlantic region, where storm impacts occur and there is a large extent of critical habitat, high population densities, and infrastructure in low-lying areas.
Past Climate Variability and Change in the Arctic and at High Latitudes
Over the past 30 years, average temperatures in the Arctic have increased at almost twice the rate of the planet as a whole. Such temperature changes have been accompanied by shrinking sea ice, melting ice and permafrost on land, and widespread impacts to land and ocean ecosystems.
Understanding Coral Reef Use
A trio of reports on the impacts of human use on coral reefs in the Florida Keys and opportunities for more sustainable practices from the Florida Reef Resilience Program. Topics include snorkeling, SCUBA diving, and recreational fishing.
Estuarine Fish and Shellfish Species in the U.S. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries: Economic Value as an Incentive to Protect and Restore Estuarine Habitat
An analysis of the economic value of commercial and recreational fisheries in the United States, published in 2008.
Uses and Limitations of Observations, Data, Forecasts, and Other Projections in Decision Support for Selected Sectors and Regions
Scientific information about Earth's climate, water, air, land, and other dynamic processes is essential for our understanding of humankind's relationship to our natural resources and our environment. This report examines contributions of Earth science information in decision support activities and their relationship to climate change science.
Preliminary Review of Adaptation Options for Climate-Sensitive Ecosystems and Resources
A review of adaptation options for climate-sensitive ecosystems and resources in the United States. This report focuses on the following selected land management systems: National Forests, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Estuaries, and Marine Protected Areas.
Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure ― Gulf Coast Study
As global temperatures increase, sea levels rise, and weather patterns change, the stewards of our Nation's infrastructure are challenged to consider how these changes may affect the country's roads, airports, rail, transit systems, and ports. This study focuses on potential impacts of climate change on human infrastructure in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
An international project of the Arctic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment evaluates and synthesizes knowledge on climate variability, climate change, and increased ultraviolet radiation and their consequences for the Arctic region.
Decision Support Tools (24)Show
OceanAdapt tool tracks shifts in the distribution of marine species with changing oceans
The OceanAdapt Web Tool can help managers, scientists, fishermen, fishing communities, and the public track changes in the distribution of marine species with changing climate and ocean conditions.
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
In response to the President's Executive Order 13653, a NOAA-led U.S. federal agency partnership released the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit to provide tools, information, & scientific expertise to help communities & businesses build resilience to climate-related impacts & extreme events.
State Adaptation Progress Tracker
Georgetown Climate Center's new online tool tracks what steps each state has made towards implementing climate change preparedness plans. Now, anyone will be able to quickly determine how much progress their state is making and decision-makers will be able to learn from innovative examples of actions other states are taking.
Lake Level Viewer: United States Great Lakes
This tool helps users visualize lake level changes that range from six feet above to six feet below historical long-term average water levels in the Great Lakes, along with potential shoreline and coastal impacts. Communities can use this information to determine what preparations make the most sense in planning for water level change scenarios.
New Jersey Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper
Help jump-start your community discussions about hazard impacts with maps of your area that show people, places, and assets exposed to coastal flooding. The map data and the discussions spurred from these maps are valuable and applicable to a variety of community planning processes—from comprehensive land-use to hazards mitigation and conservation planning.
NJ FloodMapper
The New Jersey FloodMapper is a user-friendly visualization tool for local communities who need to make decisions concerning flooding hazards and sea level rise. This tool should be used to promote enhanced preparedness and land use planning decisions with considerations for possible future conditions.
USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal
The U.S. Geological Survey's Coastal Change Hazards portal offers interactive access to coastal change science and data for our nation's coasts. The portal is designed to aid decision-makers, organizations, or the general public make decisions that involve emergency preparedness, ecosystem restoration, and where and how to develop coastal areas. Anyone interested can explore the interactive portal to find information about historical or future potential storm impacts for a specific coastal area.
Assessing the Vulnerability of Fish Stocks in a Changing Climate
NOAA Fisheries and NOAA's Earth Research Laboratory have finalized a new methodology to rapidly assess the vulnerability of U.S. marine stocks to a changing climate. The methodology uses existing information on climate and ocean conditions, species distributions, and species life history characteristics in order to estimate the relative vulnerability of fish stocks to potential changes in climate.
Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy
President Obama's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force released a rebuilding strategy that outlines a set of principles and recommendations to guide recovery and rebuilding efforts in the wake of Sandy. The Strategy will help ensure communities are better able to withstand and recover from future storms.
Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System
The NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System provides a diverse suite of long-term ecological and environmental observations and information products over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. Its goal is to help people understand coral reef ecosystem conditions and processes, and to inform stakeholders and assist managers in making improved and timely ecosystem-based management decisions to conserve coral reefs.
The PacificIslandsClimate.org (PIKO) website is a gateway to a broad range of information related to climate in the Pacific Islands. PIKO includes summaries of programs, projects, and activities, as well as data, information products, and services.
Gulf of Mexico Climate Outreach Community of Practice
The NOAA Gulf of Mexico Regional Team and the Sea Grant Programs from the Gulf States support a Community of Practice (CoP) for long-term engagement with coastal communities addressing climate change. This CoP is a group of professionals working together to enhance climate literacy in the region and to develop and implement strategies for adapting to sea level rise.
Cal-Adapt is a web-based climate adaptation planning tool developed in part by the University of California, Berkeley's Geospatial Innovation Facility for the State of California. Cal-Adapt allows users to identify potential climate change risks in specific geographic areas throughout the state. Users can either query by location, or click on an interactive map to explore what climate impacts are projected to occur in their area of interest.
Historical Hurricane Tracks
This interactive mapping application easily searches and displays global tropical cyclone data. Users are able to query storms by the storm name, Zip Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates. Custom queries can track storms of interest and allow for data extraction and download.
C-CAP Land Cover Atlas
An online data viewer from NOAA's Coastal Services Center providing user-friendly access to regional land cover and land cover change information. The Land Cover Atlas eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing Coastal Change Analysis Program data for the user and providing easy access. The tool summarizes general change trends (such as forest losses or new development) and can highlight specific changes of interest (salt marsh losses to open water, or evergreen forest losses to development, for instance).
CanVis is a visualization program used to see potential impacts from coastal development or sea level rise. Users can download background pictures and insert the objects (hotel, house, marina, or other objects) of their choosing. The free PC-based software is used by municipalities to brainstorm new ideas and policies, undertake project planning, and make presentations.
Habitat Priority Planner
This free PC-based tool from NOAA's Coastal Service Center aids in decisions about conservation, restoration, and planning. The Habitat Priority Planner takes away much of the subjective nature of the process by providing critical habitat analyses that are consistent, repeatable, and transparent. The program allows users to easily test various ideas and "what if" scenarios on the fly, making it the perfect tool to use in a group setting.
Impervious Surface Analysis Tool
The Impervious Surface Analysis Tool (ISAT), which is available as a geographic information system extension, is used to calculate the percentage of impervious surface area within user-selected geographic areas (e.g, watersheds, municipalities, subdivisions). In small watersheds, the correlation between an increase in impervious surfaces and a decrease in water quality has been well established. People use the information derived from ISAT to predict how different management scenarios might impact local water quality.
OpenNSPECT, an open-source version of the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT), is a plugin to the free MapWindow GIS open-source platform. Enhancements in this version of N-SPECT include faster processing time, additional coefficients for common land cover data products, and a comparison function to evaluate differences in land use scenarios.
Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network
A database of tools created and used by a network of over 4000 coastal and marine conservation practitioners. The EBM Tools Network is currently focusing on tools for climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning, ecosystem-based coastal and marine spatial planning and integrated land-sea planning to minimize the impacts of land use on coastal and marine environments.
Shoreline Management Toolbox
A suite of tools that provides guidance on addressing issues such as coastal erosion and sea level rise.
Sea Level Rise Viewer
A map-based decision support tool for coastal managers and scientists to plan for different sea level rise scenarios and potential coastal flooding impacts.
Coastal Inundation Toolkit
A collection of tools and information from the NOAA Coastal Service Center for coastal communities to help them better understand and address the inundation issues. The kit specifically includes a crash course in key concepts related to inundation, visualization and risk recognition tools, and resources to help explain the consequences of coastal inundation and the benefits of preparing for it.
Coastal County Snapshots
Coastal County Snapshots turn complex data into easy-to-understand stories, complete with charts and graphs. Users select a coastal county of interest and the website does the rest, providing information that can help communities become more resilient to coastal hazards.
Local officials can use the snapshots as a planning tool to assess their county's resilience to flooding and understand the benefits provided by natural resources. The handouts generated by the snapshots can be a helpful educational tool when working with governing bodies and citizen groups.Current topics include flood exposure, wetland benefits, and ocean and Great Lakes jobs.
Fact Sheets (4)Show
Reducing the Nation's Vulnerability to Extreme Weather & Climate
NOAA is helping people prepare and protect their homes, communities, and businesses from extreme climate- and weather-related impacts.
Sustaining Marine Ecosystems in a Changing Climate
NOAA envisions a future with a strong economy and thriving marine ecosystems. NOAA and its partners are working to identify and manage risks to our nation's valuable marine ecosystems and the services they provide.
Preparing for Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding
The U.S. has one of the world's largest and most diverse coastal zones. Climate variability and change present real threats to our coasts. NOAA is working with partners to build climate-smart coastal communities.
Toward a Climate Smart Nation
Americans' health, security, and economic wellbeing are tied to climate and weather. This briefing sheet describes how NOAA is leveraging its climate science and services to help the nation prepare for the impacts of climate variability and change.
Data Products (5)Show
University of Hawaii Sea Level Center
The University of Hawaii Sea Level Center collects, processes, distributes, and analyzes in situ tide gauge data from around the world in support of climate research. UHSLC scientists conduct research on global sea level rise, sea level variations associated with ocean circulation, tidal processes, extreme sea level events & coastal inundation.
NOAA OceanWatch
OceanWatch-Central Pacific acquires and processes satellite information and creates a variety of satellite data products for the Pacific Ocean region. We provide daily satellite observations of the Central Pacific Region.
Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program Data Products
The NOAA-funded Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP) has developed a range of experimental and prototype tools to support climate-related decision-making and planning. These datasets and tools are designed to help increase resiliency and preparedness for weather and climate extremes now and in the future across the Southern-Central United States.
Gulf of Mexico Data Atlas
The Gulf of Mexico Data Atlas provides online answers to questions related to the physical environment, marine resources, and economic activity in the Gulf of Mexico. Information is presented in the form of map plates with descriptions, written by recognized subject matter experts, explaining how the data were gathered and how they are relevant. The Gulf of Mexico Data Atlas, prepared by NOAA, has data from federal, state and non-governmental agencies, and academia.
International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)
NOAA's IBTrACS system provides tropical cyclone best-track data in one centralized location to aid understanding of the distribution, frequency, and intensity of tropical cyclones worldwide.


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Teresa Giudice Pleads Not Guilty To Latest Round Of Fraud Charges
November 20, 2013 05:01 PM by Suzy Kerr
Teresa Giudice arrived in a New Jersey court today to enter a plea on her two most recent fraud charges, which were handed down earlier in the week. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star unsurprisingly pled not guilty to the new counts of bank fraud, which brought the total number of indictments against her and her hubby Joe to 41. FORTY-ONE, people. This has to be some sort of record, right?
The reality star was due in court today following the latest charges against her. Just like her attorney said she would on Tuesday, Teresa entered a not guilty plea to the new counts. He also said the reality star "looks forward to defending herself at the trial, scheduled for February 24, 2014. Beyond that, we will answer all of the charges in court, not out."
The two new counts stem from allegations that the couple submitted a bogus mortgage loan application for $361,000. Court documents also reveal that Teresa Giudice allegedly lied about her employment status to get the loan, saying that she was making $15,000 a month as a real estate agent. Prosecutors are calling BS on that one, too, saying that Teresa was "not employed outside the home at the time." In addition to allegedly lying about employment status and filing fake loan docs, the pair is also accused of mail and wire fraud, tax evasion and a bunch of other stuff that the IRS frowns on.
The two Real Housewives of New Jersey stars arrived at the courthouse earlier today hand in hand, showing a united front and giving a silent F you to all their haters. The duo has maintained their innocence from day 1, but if convicted, they could be facing up to 50 years behind bars as well as a $1 million fine.
What are your thoughts on the Giudice's innocence? Do you think they'll be convicted, and if they are, what kind of sentence are they facing? Tell us in the comments!
Want more? Follow our tweets on Twitter and like us on Facebook!. Click here for more information about The Real Housewives Of New Jersey. For other great reality TV news, please feel free to check out SirLinksALot: The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Photo Credit:E!
Topics: Bravo Reality TV Shows, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey |
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subset: commoncrawl


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Ahead of their upcoming webinar, The 5 Step Approach to Identifying and Attracting the Right Employees, CareerBuilder's Senior Director of Talent Intelligence, Sanja Licina, and Director of Employment Branding, Keith Hadley, recently sat down for a Q&A to discuss some of the content of the webinar, as well as offer hiring advice small business owners and hiring managers can apply today.
What's the biggest obstacle that businesses face today in terms of recruiting the right people?
Keith Hadley: I think small business are too reactive. They don't typically have large numbers of vacant positions, so they go from requisition to requisition. And because they are so reactive, they don't set down some of the basics you need to have in place to attract top talent.
Sanja Licina: I agree. I'd also add that sometimes the biggest challenges for small businesses are the obstacles they create for themselves, such as the perception that they're always going to lose out to bigger businesses. Or the thought that they can only recruit in their location or that there's something inherently about them that makes them inferior to other companies; however, our research has shown that that's just not the case. I think it's really important for them to not use that as a deterrent to reach out to the people they think would be the best fit for their organization.
Because in many ways people are attracted to small businesses precisely because they are small, yet small businesses don't necessarily see that as being an asset, right?
KH: Yes, I know a lot of people who would love to find a lower-pressure job closer to home at a smaller company, where you can be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.
In your upcoming webinar, you talk about the need for small businesses to "tell their story" to appeal to job seekers. What exactly do you mean by that?
SL: Telling your story is about understanding what makes working for your company better than working somewhere else, and then saying it aloud, and saying it with confidence. The medium could be everything from word of mouth to social media – there's really no limit.
KH: One mistake businesses make is talking about your company from the perspective of your products, your services, your industry, et cetera. That's the most boring story. Small businesses need to sit back and say, "How are we approaching talent? What is it that talent is looking for?" A good story answers the question, "What's in for me?" because it engages job seekers and makes them want to learn more.
Aside from the chance to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond, as Keith mentioned, what are some other assets small business can leverage when telling their stories?
KH: I think one thing that makes small- and medium-sized businesses unique is they really are like families. Because they're small, everybody knows everybody else. People are very connected, and there tends to be more loyalty in a small business because people are still very much people. And that's a real strength.
SL: There's more upward mobility in small business. Smaller organizations can often offer people much higher levels of responsibility much more quickly than bigger businesses.
KH: Another thing is that small businesses are more agile. Right now, I'm working with a big company that is just bogged down in multiple layers of decisions. Our point person on the project keeps giving us "yesses" and then coming back later with a change, because somebody above them in that hierarchy we don't even know keeps changing things. There are so many layers of bureaucracy to navigate in bigger businesses that you don't have to deal with in smaller companies.
Sanja: Yes, and that agility also makes it easier for them to adopt trends a lot faster than other organizations, because they can implement them a lot quicker. That's a huge strength.
Could you speak a little bit about the importance of recruiting even when there aren't positions open currently?
KH: Everybody gets that product marketing is an ongoing thing, and they proactively make a plan to put together a marketing presence. Small businesses need to do the same for their recruiting presence and really think of it as an ongoing thing they need to invest money in and focus on.
SL: Yes, I think sometimes people look at the cost of doing something, but they don't think about the cost of not doing something. Ongoing recruitment gets more people to know about your organization. When you realize you need to hire somebody it's almost too late, because if nobody knows who you are and what you're doing, the time it takes to get someone good is going to be that much longer. But if you've already talked with people about the benefits of working for your organization, you already have a lot of warm candidates you can bring on board a lot faster.
Do you believe it's better to leave an open position unfilled or to hire someone who's not qualified and hope it works out?
SL: I think it depends on the supply and demand, and understanding how difficult it is going to be to find these people. There's data out there to show you whether the talent is out there or not, and if you see that there are a good number of people out there who you're looking for, you need to get smarter about how to get in front of them and how to tell your story better. So in that case, my recommendation would be to wait and hire. Now, if it's a position that's extremely difficult to hire for, then you probably need to look at your requirements and determine what it is you're willing to train for.
KH: But you definitely minimize the likelihood of hiring the wrong person by being proactive and increasing the pool of people you have exposure to, which feeds back into everything we've talked about.
Want to hear more? Join Sanja and Keith on Wednesday, March 28 for The 5 Step Approach to Identifying and Attracting the Right Employees. They'll discuss more best practices for identifying and attracting the engaged, passionate employees who will help your small business grow. Registration is free. You can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #cb5steps


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Kris Jenner Pushes Scott Disick And Kourtney Kardashian To Tie The Knot
November 01, 2012 04:00 PM by Lisa Princ
Kris Jenner, the controversial mama from Keeping Up With The Kardashians is at it again! As if forcing one of your children to get married on television for the sake of ratings was not enough, then by all means, do it again! That's right, rumor has it that Jenner is trying to force Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian to get married.
Kris Jenner just does not know when to quit, does she? I mean, we all know that she had a hand in pushing Kim Kardashian to televise her wedding to Kris Humphries because it was such a
great love story ratings winner. And now, with all the speculation that Scott Disick is going to propose to Kourtney Kardashian, rumor has it that it is the mom from hell momager who is pushing for a wedding – for what else but ratings, of course!
An insider recently spoke to In Touch, and told them: "Kris runs the family empire and knows it would be good for business so she is pressuring Kourtney to marry Scott. Even though Kim made the stupid mistake of marrying Kris Humphries and it didn't last more than 72 days, Kris thinks viewers want to see Kourtney and Scott get married. The reality show must succeed."
Indeed it must succeed for Jenner – apparently, that is all she cares about. Meanwhile, another source spoke to Radar Online and revealed that Scott Disick is definitely going to propose, but it's a matter of finding the perfect bling first. "Scott and his friend looked at a whole selection of amazing rings, all diamond, all different cuts, sizes, settings; he certainly is taking his time and wants to make the right purchase," the source explained after spotting Disick checking out rings.
Would you like to see Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian get married on television? What do you think of Kris Jenner's involvement? We know you have an opinion, and we want to hear it! Comment below to share your thoughts with us!
Want more? Follow our tweets on Twitter and like us on Facebook!. Click here for more information about Keeping Up With The Kardashians News. For other great reality TV news, please feel free to check out Sir Links Alot: Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Photo Credit: Wenn
Topics: E! Reality TV Shows, Keeping Up With The Kardashians |
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16 Responses to "Kris Jenner Pushes Scott Disick And Kourtney Kardashian To Tie The Knot"
S.Clark Says:
November 13th, 2012 at 11:15 am
No,I don't think it should be put on t.v..It should be a private moment between the bride and groom and their families and their close friends and not to be made public just because of ratings,Kris Jenner shouldn't want another wedding put on tv just for ratings
Saskia Says:
November 24th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Kris Jenner was telling Kourtney about the importance of following tradition and respecting God's ways. Would someone be so kind as to answer me the question to which I would really like to have an answer. Is it shameful for the couple living together in America to have kids unmarried. Thanks!
Lisa Says:
December 1st, 2012 at 5:01 pm
She should just leave them alone, the last wedding was a fiasco. If they want to get married do it in provate like everyone else.
Jacalia Says:
December 2nd, 2012 at 4:48 am
Kourtney has never listened to Kris why would she now… clearly you guys are giving this woman too much credit.
Linda Says:
December 5th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
I can't get past what's going on with this old broad's nose to care what she does to her kids.
christieo Says:
December 14th, 2012 at 9:59 am
i mean, come on. who gives a shite about them. they make me sick and if it wasn't for their money, they don't deserve a second look. except of course if you look at their huge butts.
peggy Says:
December 16th, 2012 at 10:21 am
this woman is evil, she is so dirty, so are her kids. I hope Bruce Jenner doesn't let her do this to Kylie and Kendall
kc Says:
December 17th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
If they get marrried they should not put it on t.v. they should do a private cermemony with friends and family. Kris needs to stay out of their business and stop using her children as puppets.
hope and pray Says:
February 1st, 2013 at 8:02 pm
STOOOOOOPPPPPP trying to push there annoying people dow our throats…..NOW!
Tama Says:
February 19th, 2013 at 7:35 pm
Leave the couple ALONE. Get the mom out of the picture and I might watch.
Roxanne Says:
February 25th, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Kris is money hungry and nasty! She needs to leave everybody alone and get a job and make her own money!
Joyce Haynes Says:
February 27th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
This woman is a disgrace to that family, what she has done to Bruce Jenner is so sad, I hope he gets out of that marriage and take her to the cleaners. She is a control freak and a whore, sleeping around with that young man while she was still married to her first husband. Courtney and her butt heads all the time,so why should she listen to her,she should have a private service, after all they already have two children.Kloe is the best in the group and stands up to Kris.
jsalle Says:
March 6th, 2013 at 12:29 am
the kardashian mom is the best and she has such a great family and she deals with her kids in such an adult manner and has the elegance to know how to talk to them and get things done. I think the trash talk about her is a bunch of nonsense and nobody has walked a day in her life. She has been supportive of all of her kids and does her best to make sure they are successful. So back off and let her do what she does best and that is manage her team the way she does.
Maddie Says:
April 6th, 2013 at 7:25 am
I would love to see Kourtney and Scott get married! But, I would like it to be their choice not Kris pushing them into it. I personally don't think they should have it broadcasted on TV. It's a special moment between the bride and groom that should be kept private.
Linda Says:
April 26th, 2013 at 10:48 pm
I love all of the Kardashian family! Kloe is my favorite. I think Kris butts in to their life a lot , but not that much more than a lot of mothers from big family's. she is also very controlling, but also, not unlike a lot of mothers. I am not crazy about the way she treats Bruce on the show, but I wonder how he treats her when not filming. I think they all are very entertaining and I would love to see Kourtney and Scott get married on the show, if that is what they choose to do. I think all the girls are pretty and I love to see what they wear.
Esther Says:
June 5th, 2013 at 2:24 am
Kris Jenner should just stop using her daughters for fame or business, they too beautiful and grown up to know what is good for them, Kim recieved a lot of hatred for her break up with Kris Humphries, what else should we think about if Kris want the same to happen to Dissick and Kourtney without their consent. I believe the two really love each other and they will definately walk down the aisle when they are ready to. It should be televised, not because of their business but for fans to see. i love Kourtney and Scott.


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EconoMeter: Should U.S. dump debt ceiling? With poll
Denmark the only other major industrial nation with official cap on what it owes
The question: Should the United States join the ranks of most other industrialized nations and do away with a debt ceiling?
Marney Cox, San Diego Association of Governments
With Denmark the only other major industrial nation having a debt limit, should the U.S. do away with its debt limit
Yes 50% (239)
No 50% (240)
479 total votes.
Answer: No
Removing the debt limit reminds me of price control policies instituted during the 1970s. The appeal of price controls is understandable. Wage-price controls were thought to be a useful policy option to control or silence inflation. Even though they fail to protect many consumers and hurt others, controls hold out the promise of protecting groups that are particularly hard-pressed to meet price increases. The debt ceiling isn't the problem, nor were rising wages and prices, but they are signals that something is fundamentally wrong. Even Moody's recommends removing the debt ceiling and suggests putting another control in its place. We don't need another signaling mechanism to tell us we have an unsustainable spending problem.
Kelly Cunningham, National University System
Answer: Yes
Clearly the debt limit is not effective since it can be raised at anytime, albeit with much drama and fanfare. It appears to only be a speed bump along the federal government's road of ever increasing spending. The debt ceiling does not deter politicians or the president from stopping spending, especially as spending is first obligated and higher debt easily allowed by simply raising it with a vote. If we had a balanced budget amendment as a percentage of GDP, the debt limit would not be needed as revenues would equal expenses and no more borrowing needed.
Alan Gin, University of San Diego
Answer: Yes
Prior to the current impasse, raising the debt ceiling was a routine matter that was always done, no matter which party held the presidency or controlled Congress. There is really no point in having it since it simply finances the deficits that had already been approved by Congress. If Congress really wanted to limit the debt, it should do so at the budget stage. It shouldn't jeopardize the financial standing of the U.S. because it doesn't want to finance the deficit that it voted to incur.
James Hamilton, UCSD
Answer: Yes
Congress can and should debate how much to spend and how much to tax. But once it has passed those measures into law, and those measures imply a level of spending greater than the level of revenue, for Congress then to pretend that we don't have to borrow to make up the difference is a disgusting farce. A representative who votes to spend more than the government takes in as taxes and then not raise the debt ceiling is either treating the voters like fools, or perhaps a fool himself. Far better to eliminate the debt ceiling charade and open a clear and honest debate about which programs we're going to keep and who's going to be taxed to pay for them.
Gary London, The London Group
Answer: No
And we will want to revisit debt limits on or before the year 2025 when entitlements (Social Security and Medicare) and interest payments mostly consume all federal revenues! While I am uncomfortable – as most Americans are — with the way this debate/negotiation is playing out, it's good that we have these periodic moments of reflection. I just wish we wouldn't have to experience these moments of terror. On the plus side, the debate has obviously catalyzed the more global discussion about the budget and government debt. Since circumstances, philosophies and "who's in charge" changes, the issues embedded in this discussion need to be regularly revisited.


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The SL-865-GR's North Bridge duties are handled by Intel's 865 chip. This chipset supports all current Socket 478 Pentium 4 CPUs including the Northwood, Prescott and Extreme Edition CPUs. The FSB's (Front Side Bus) supported by this motherboard include the 400 MHz/533 MHz/800 MHz FSB CPUs. Quite honestly with CPU prices being the way they are, there's almost no reason to buy a 400 MHz FSB P4 today, if you can find it.
South Bridge duties are handled by Intel's ICH5 chipset. This chip handles the LPC I/O, upstream Hub Interface, PCI interface, IDE interface, USB 2.0 interface, AC'97 2.2 (6-channel) Audio interface and the interrupt control. It's interesting that Soltek decided not to use the ICH5R chip which would have given native SATA RAID support.
Memory for this board comes in the form of 4 DIMM slots (Dual In-line Memory Modules) for a grand total of 4 GB of unbuffered non-ECC DDR memory, the maximum supported by the 865 chipset. Memory types supported include the DDR266, 333 and 400 MHz varieties. The 865 chipset supports dual channel memory giving a maximum memory bandwidth of 6.4 GB/second. Expansion options are plentiful with this motherboard, thanks in large part to the inclusion of six PCI 2.2 compliant slots. With the onboard components like audio, and Gigabit LAN, this alleviates the need for all that expansion. However, should you need the room, it's there. Soltek included an AGP 3.0 compliant AGP 8x slot which accepts all modern video cards. Frankly, if you still have an AGP 2x video card, you probably won't need this motherboard.
The Soltek SL-865-GR comes with plentiful connectors for HDDs and other PATA devices. Soltek includes 2 IDE connectors allowing for the connection of 4 IDE devices. Further, they included 2 SATA ports controlled natively by the Intel ICH5 South Bridge. Most manufacturers stop there. Soltek, however, includes a Promise PDC20378 SATA RAID controller integrated on the board. This controller controls the other 2 included SATA ports on the board and the additional PATA RAID connector for 2 PATA HDDs in RAID 0, 1, 0+1 modes.
The back panel is well appointed for most every user. The back panel input/output block includes a PS/2 Mouse port, a PS/2 Keyboard port, 3 USB2.0 ports, 1 Firewire port, COM1 and COM2 ports, a parallel port, Gigabit RJ45 jack, Line-In/Rear Speaker Out, Microphone/Center Subwoofer Out and Line-Out/Front Speaker Out ports. The 865 chipset supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports, but there are only 3 ports on the board with no included cable for more.
The Gigabit LAN is handled by Realtek's RTL8110S Gigabit Ethernet Controller. This interface supports 10/100/1000Megabit data transfers as needed and the chip also supports Wake On LAN through the onboard RJ45 Connector. Gigabit LAN isn't of much use to most people, as Internet connections are still in the 5megabit area for all but the most hardcore user. As a reviewer, however, Gigabit LAN is a godsend when transferring large files over the network.
Onboard sound is provided by a AC'97 6-channel CODEC. This is sufficient for the casual user. However, if you want high quality, high fidelity sound I would suggest a SB Audigy 2 ZS add-in card to use with this motherboard. Basic AC'97 6-channel sound is fine, but I much prefer ADI's SoundMax solution with Sonic Focus's audio refinement technology, or almost any of the other available audio CODECs.


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Trifling with the truth
Campaign 2008 | Mitt Romney's Mormonism may shed light on his sudden policy changes
If some political experts are right, the race for the Republican nomination for president is already down now to Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. I don't personally think it's quite that simple-but if it is, it's time for evangelical Christian political activists to face some tough realities.
I've got a few faithful friends, loyal WORLD subscribers among them, who for several months now have been investing in Giuliani's campaign and proclaiming the necessity of backing the former New York mayor. Yes, they say, they understand how wobbly he is on issues like life for the unborn and marriage. But they think that overall he's the tough-minded man the presidency requires-and they think he's a straight-shooter whose word can be trusted even if you don't like some of what he says. Such trust, they say, is especially critical with reference to Giuliani's promise that he would appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of Roberts and Alito.
I haven't been persuaded.
But a whole lot more of my friends and acquaintances have surprised me by swearing their early allegiance to Romney. Yes, they concede, they wish his eager pro-life and pro-traditional-marriage commitments had been part of his record for 15 years instead of just 15 months. But they like it (shouldn't we all rejoice?) when a person admits he's been wrong, and then embraces what's right. And no, they're not put off by the fact that Romney is a Mormon. If we don't want our opponents to hold our religious connections against us, how can we hold his against him?
On this front, too-maybe more than on the first-I haven't been persuaded.
I watched firsthand a few weeks ago in Salt Lake City while nearly 50 evangelical leaders said they'd go just about anywhere-maybe even to third-party mode-to avoid backing Giuliani. And of that group, a growing number (maybe even a majority) is signing up for the Romney cause. That concerns me.
When it comes to politics, I'll admit that God doesn't call His people to be theological nitpickers or perfectionists. I agree with those who regularly remind me: "We're not electing a pastor or a theologian; we're picking a president." But if in letting ourselves off that hook we also head for the first time in our nation's history toward electing someone who is a committed lifelong member (in Romney's own words, "true blue, through and through") of what we Christians have always called a "cult," we ought to know what kind of bargain we're striking.
By theologian Norman Geisler's count (he's written two books about Mormonism), Mormons reject more than half the 16 main tenets of historic Christianity-held jointly by Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and traditional Protestantism. So we're plowing brand new ground when we talk about electing a Mormon as president.
What's the problem, in practical terms? Just this.
It's not a trivial matter that Mormonism, as a cultic movement, has a bad reputation when it comes to getting its own story straight. Check out the public record, if you will, including fairly recent interviews with Mormon officials in venues like Larry King Live, 60 Minutes, and Newsweek. Do these officials hold to the fantastical 1827 golden tablets of Mormon founder Joseph Smith-or not? Well, they seem to say: We believe it when we want to, and we don't when it's less convenient. Where Mormonism isn't shrouded in deliberate secrecy, it is covered with confusion.
So when folks tell me they're satisfied that Mitt Romney won't try to drag his Mormonism into his politics, and that he would never ever impose his theology on the American people, I have to worry whether that's exactly what he's already done. When, in a relatively short space of time, he seems to be on both sides of the same issue-and when such a deviously confusing approach seems to be consistent with his faith rather than counter to it-that sets off alarm bells for me.
Only a few weeks ago, I sat a dozen feet from Romney as he compellingly spelled out his convictions and credentials. He was winsome and persuasive. On the surface, he said almost everything I want to hear my candidate say. On the issues that matter (except for choice in education), he was as convincing as any politician I've heard in recent years.
But still.
More than anything, I want a president who tells the truth. And I worry deeply when people are overly ready to believe a man whose religious upbringing, of all things, suggests that the truth is a negotiable commodity.


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What we're looking for
The best forestry stocks, as chosen by a StarMine award-winning analyst.
What we found
We consulted Daryl Swetlishoff, head of research and forest products analyst at Raymond James, ranked by StarMine this year as one of Canada's top stock pickers. The stocks he chose generated 22 per cent more in returns than the comparable benchmark last year.
"This sector should be attractive to investors because it doesn't get the same amount of attention as other resource plays such as oil and gas or mining," he said. "It's all about spotting inefficiencies in the market and pricing discrepancies and trusting your instincts and saying, 'The market is wrong, you have to buy this.'"
Mr. Swetlishoff, an economist by training, said that the first part of his analysis considers factors that affect commodities underlying the forestry sector - wood, pulp and paper. The next step is to consider company-specific aspects.
"For example, Fortress Paper made an unbelievable acquisition, paying next to nothing for an idled hardwood pulp mill," Mr. Swetlishoff said, adding that he expects the converted mill in Thurso, Que., to generate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $188-million next year.
Fortress Paper Ltd. gained 370 per cent in 2010. Mr. Swetlishoff rates it a "strong buy," highlighting the potential for "enormous near- to medium-term cash flow" from its Thurso pulp mill.
"In Domtar, we saw very high free cash flow yield, it was de-leveraging rapidly, and we saw the potential for cash to be returned to shareholders in the future - and the stock did very well," he said. Domtar Corp. gained 37 per cent in 2010.
Investors also have to consider a company's balance sheet to ensure that debt refinancing or covenant issues are not a serious concern.
"The key thing is looking at an undervalued situation and looking for tightness in the underlying commodity," Mr. Swetlishoff said, pointing out that supply often has a much more powerful impact than demand. For now, he believes pulp prices are robust and is more cautious about the outlook for lumber.
He points to Sino-Forest Corp. as a "strong buy," saying it is "an undervalued stock poised to capitalize on burgeoning Asian wood fibre demand and pricing."
For capital appreciation, he recommends Domtar and Mercer International, rating them both "strong buy." He also likes Canfor Pulp for yield and rates it "outperform."
Read more about the StarMine award winners and their picks: tgam.ca/starmineReport Typo/Error
- Fortress Paper Ltd$3.070.00(0.00%)
- Domtar$38.50+0.21(+0.55%)
- Mercer International Inc$8.94+0.01(+0.11%)
- Canfor Pulp Products Inc$10.40-0.05(-0.48%)
- Updated May 26 4:00 PM EDT. Delayed by at least 15 minutes.


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Ringtown man pleads guilty to running home meth lab
POTTSVILLE - Duane H. Maurer admitted he operated a methamphetamine laboratory in his former residence and will go to state prison because of it.
Maurer, 51, of Ringtown, pleaded guilty April in Schuylkill County Court to four counts of possession of chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance and one count each of manufacture of a controlled substance, risking a catastrophe and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin accepted Maurer's plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to serve 27 to 54 months in a state correctional institution.
Dolbin also sentenced Maurer to pay costs, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $2,241 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
Butler Township (Schuylkill County) police alleged Maurer and Deborah A. Reedy, 59, of Pottsville, operated a meth lab on June 10, 2013, at their home at 406 Catherine St., Fountain Springs.
- Peter E. Bortner
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At Albany Medical Center, we know just how special every baby is and are dedicated to providing the best possible care to babies and their families. We are the regional expert when it comes to caring for babies born early or with health challenges.
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center is a New York State designated Level 4 regional center for critically ill newborns. We provide intensive medical, surgical and nursing care, life support systems, electronic monitoring and a complete range of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities and maintain an active infant transport service (air and ground).
A prenatal consultation service is provided by telephone and/or office visit to the Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Med. In collaboration with referring obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists and a wide variety of medical and surgical sub-specialists at our Children's Hospital, our specialists counsel families who expect newborns with congenital conditions that will require care in our NICU.
Our team of trained physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and other health professionals provide supportive, family-centered care in a technologically driven environment. The expertise of our physicians spans from the care of extremely premature infants to the care of term infants with a variety of medical and surgical illnesses.


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Canadian Startup Ideavibes Builds Dream Team, Sets Sights on Market Leadership
Ottawa-based startup Ideavibes has built what it describes as a "dream team" to relaunch its crowdsourcing platform.
Ideavibes has brought on board Rob Woodbridge as Interim General Manager, Ian Capstick for public relations, Brent Thomson for sales, Andrew Draper for product design, Scott Annan as a strategic advisor, and Guido Giordano for user growth. With this team, alongside a recent investment from Mercury Grove, Ideavibes hopes to become "the market leader in making crowdsourcing the go-to tool for drving innovation and change."
"I'm extremely happy and excited to have so many great people participating in the revision and relaunch of Ideavibes," said CEO Paul Dombowsky. "The new team has brought a lot of thought leadership and experience which is instrumental to the realization of a disruptive, fresh new vision for citizen engagement, open innovation and crowdsourcing."
According to Paul, the new team has been working to revise the popular Ideavibes platform to make it a leading catalyst for change and accessible to anyone who wants to participate in the change process.
"Crowdsourcing is not a new concept," observes mobile expert Rob Woodbridge. "And although there are many platforms for crowdsourcing jobs and funding, there is no clear leader in crowdsourcing ideas for positive change. We want to change that."
Paul points out that the Ottawa startup community has been building momentum with several new startups who "have become leaders in their markets," citing Shopify, TravelPod, FluidSurveys, and CanvasPop as examples. He explains that these Canadian startups have helped create a strong ecosystem for new startups, too.
"We have so much startup talent in Ottawa and we're starting to see the community build some real momentum," said local entrepreneur Scott Annan. "Seeing so many of our startup leaders come together to build something epic like the new Ideavibes is an indication of how hot the startup scene is getting in Ottawa."


text: Celebrate our country's independence in the heart of downtown Miami on July 4, 2015! Bayfront Park offers a FREE Kids' Zone, music, food & beverages and the largest FREE fireworks show in South Florida! Visit the Samuel Adams Beer Garden for a refreshing Sam Adams beer, music and more! FREE ADMISSION Bayfront Park is Open All Day Samuel Adams Beer Garden: Noon – Midnight Free Kids' Zone: 3:00pm-7:00pm Fireworks Show: 9:00pm #BayfrontParksJuly4th America's Birthday Bash is presented by Bayfront Park Management Trust, a limited agency of the City of Miami, with support from the City of Miami, the Mayor and the Miami City Commission.