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2006 Hummer H3 - Finally, A Hummer You Can Afford - RPM
Don't Miss Four Wheeler's Real Truck Club Challenge!
Four Wheeler's Real Truck Club Challenge is coming back to the Badlands. The annual club event, held each August, returns for 2005 to Badlands ORV Park in Attica, Indiana, the weekend of August 6-7. As we did last year, we'll have 20 top teams representing clubs from all over North America, and we'll run them through some of the Badlands' toughest traps: the Rock Pit, the Mud Hole, and the infamous Buzzard's Roost. And unlike our signature Top Truck Challenge, Real Truck Club Challenge is open to the public.
To find out more about RTCC for 2005, and to see highlights of last year's event, log onto www.fourwheeler.com. For information about the Badlands, and to get directions to the park, check out www.badlandsoffroad.com. Four Wheeler's Real Truck Club Challenge is presented by Nissan in association with Toyo, Skyjacker, Detroit Locker, Precision Gear, and Reider Racing.
Hummer has announced that the new-for-'06 H3 will start at a remarkably reasonable $29,500 and will be at dealerships by the time you read this. Standard on the Shreveport, Louisiana-built H3 is full-time four-wheel drive, OnStar, and a five-speed manual transmission. Several option packages focusing on luxury or off-pavement capability will be offered, in addition to the typical fare of upgrades, including leather, XM radio and a CD changer, 33s, and (what we're really waiting for) a 4.0:1 transfer-case option with a 69:1 crawl ratio. In other H3 news, GM has decided that it will build an additional H3 plant in South Africa to feed the export market, where H3s will be sold in right- and left-hand-drive models. Look for our First Drive of the H3 in next month's issue.
LR3 Prices Six
The newest member of the Land Rover LR3 family, the 216hp 4.0L V-6 version, will start at $38,950. For your money, you still get Terrain Response, air suspension, 18-inch wheels, and a six-speed automatic transmission. The V-6-powered SE version goes on sale in July.
Land Use Notes
Indiana 'Wheelers Unite to Open Abandoned Mining Area
After 10 years of planning, land purchases, management agreements, construction, and networking with state and local governments, a new facility in an abandoned mining district five miles northeast of Dugger, Indiana has opened. The property was given the name "Redbird State Riding Area" and is managed under the state Division of Outdoor Recreation with support from volunteers known as the Redbird Management Group.
The Redbird State Riding area currently consists of 640 acres, including parking, restroom facilities, and a shelter house for picnics. Signs are posted at trailheads with difficulty ratings, types of vehicles allowed, and map location points. These amenities are just phase one of a multiphase project. Future improvements include additional land acquisition; an interpretive trail for education and history; a training range for vehicle safety classes; and an office and storage building.
Federal Government Issues Plans For California Deserts
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released two 30-year desert management plans that are intended to balance the needs of recreation, development, and wildlife in the Mojave Desert and Imperial Sand Dunes in southeast California. Both are popular destinations for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. The BLM plan for the western Mojave Desert encompasses 9.3 million acres and distinguishes between land targeted for development or conservation and protection of more than 100 endangered plant and animal species. The plan adds more than 800 miles of Mojave Desert roads to the off-highway inventory, increasing the total to 5,098 miles. The plan for the Imperial Sand Dunes, also called the Algodones Dunes, covers 160,000 acres. It would open more than 85 percent of the dunes to OHVs, reversing a five-year-old temporary court order. Under both plans, builders, miners, utilities, and others could develop at one location if they set aside or pay to preserve wildlife habitat elsewhere.
Quick Hits
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that tire-pressure-monitoring systems will be required by the '08 model year on all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds.
Congratulations go out to Jeep, whose Grand Cherokee has surpassed the 3-million units mark.

subset: commoncrawl


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I recently read a novel by Eric Lotke, Research Director at the Campaign for America's Future. The novel is called 2044. The title is based on the idea of picking up where Orwell's 1984 left off. 2044 depicts a world and culture that is completely corporatized. The big corporations control everything and don't play fair. Your life is work – for the corporation.
In the novel a researcher discovers that there is a way to turn salt water into fresh water, which is in short supply and badly needed by people. But this doesn't suit the interests of the corporations that sell fresh water.
From the novel's website:
"2044 is an adventure story with a political edge. Set in a world that follows our current social and economic trajectory to the extreme, 2044 is a world of consolidated multi-national corporations, mass produced culture and too much stuff. Private businesses manipulate greed and fear to keep people busy, afraid, and dependent on expensive new products or services just to survive."


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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Talking of Sibelius ...
'The fact that I'm a Sibelian would ... certainly explain why I was quite bowled over by the (Rubbra) Fifth' said Philip on Desert island diversion. Philip, do you know the Sibelius influenced (listen to the closing bars) Symphony in G minor by the Norfolk bred E. J. Moeran? The sleeve above is my 1975 Lyrita LP. It is now transferred to CD, alas without the stunning Turner painting 'Storm Clouds: Sunset' The Boult Lyrita account is superior to Tod Handley on Chandos. In fact Sir Adrian's account is one of his many great underrated recordings, and, of course, the Lyrita sound is sensational. I would also recommend the Moeran Violin and Cello Concertos and, indeed, the Rubbra Violin and Viola Concertos. I have the long-deleted Tod Handley Conifer CD of the Rubbra Concertos with Tasmin Little and Rivka Golani as soloists. The two concertos are available separately with different couplings on other labels. And talking of Norfolk and sunsets, there is a A Norfolk Rhapsody here.
Any copyrighted material on these pages is included as "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s). Report errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk
8 comments:
- Philip Amos said...
Well, here is some synchronicity indeed! I took particular note of Rubbra the other day because last week I decided I must get a handle on British composers I simply haven't paid enough attention to. Some, but not enough. And I began with Moeran, listening to all the works in the NML, starting very happily with the violin concerto played by Mordkovitch, which I thought wonderful, and on from there. (This project was interrupted, I might say, by a weekend of sitting incensed at the computer trying to counter the horde of Beijing 'trolls' attaching comments to media articles on Tibet. Paid, blackmailed or volunteering, they are always out in force at these times, especially here in Canada - I'm an ex-pat.) Here and there as I proceeded I heard Vaughan Williams, Delius, Elgar, Bax, Sibelius, but, yes indeed, in the symphony the influence of Sibelius is patent, hitting me at first most forcibly at the start of the slow movement. The final bars of the work I have to take as a frank tribute to Sibelius -- I can't believe what amounts to a paraphrase of the end of Sibelius' Fifth (!) was unconscious. It's a fine work, I think, the better understood, perhaps, if you know Sibelius' method, growing one oak out of a handful of acorns. I listened to Handley's recording -- there is also David Lloyd-Jones in there and I shall listen to that -- but given the nature of the work I can see well that the sure hand and understanding of Boult would make of this something special indeed. I shall get the cd. Your comment about Sir Adrian's underrated recordings is well taken by me -- his Brahms symphonies, for a start, ought to be mentioned in any discussion of great recordings thereof. Many thanks for this post, Pliable, the path meanders splendidly. Or in the Buddhist vein, it is wonderful to go somewhere the way a river goes.
- 12:56 pm
- John said...
Moeran was born in Heston, wasn't he?
- 1:15 pm
- John said...
If you like music influenced by Sibelius, try that of New Zealander Douglas Lilburn, particularly the first two symphonies and the early tone poem Forest (sic). And Stenhammar's second symphony, also in G minor, is eerily similar to Moeran's.
- 1:20 pm
- Pliable said...
John, you are quite right. Moeran was born in Heston. But as nobody would wish to be associated with a service station on the M4 I transported him to Norfolk.
Seriously though, my error. He was raised in Norfolk. Where his father was Rector at Bacton, now famous as the terminus for the North Sea gas pipeline - nearly as bad as Heston.
I've amended the post.
I have an LP of Douglas Lilburn's Second Symphony coupled with two of his other works. The symphony is played by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ashley Heenan, the label is Jerusalem Records.
- 1:45 pm
- Philip Amos said...
Moeran was indeed born in Heston, John. That couldn't fail to strike me, for I was born in Isleworth and used to go swimming in Heston. I shall surely investigate Lilburn.
- 1:52 pm
- Pliable said...
Philip, I agree that Boult's Brahms Symphonies are gems.
Did you know his Brahms symphony cycle was started by making an unscheduled recording of the Third Symphony to use two spare sessions caused by the early completion of his recordings of VW's Job and Elgar's Enigma Variations in August 1970?
Other Boult gems worth seeking out on LP or CD are his Brahms Serenades and Schubert Great C Major, his 'bleeding chunks' of Wagner, and a Beethoven 6 with all the repeats.
- 1:59 pm
- Pliable said...
For Wilhelm Stenhammar see this post -
- 2:25 pm
- Philip Amos said...
I just listened to Lilburn's Forest, and there we have another tribute to Sibelius' Fifth as frank as the ending of Moeran's Symphony: the motif played pizzicato on strings from approx. 1:00 to 2:50. I liked the work very much -- the symphonies (also from the NZSO and Judd) and much else are just a click away and I am going to enjoy discovering Lilburn. Thanks for this, John.
Pliable, I had heard that about Boult's Brahms cycle. I must say that I am glad I have also his recordings of the symphonies from 1953-4. The playing of LPO is not up to snuff, the recordings obviously dated, but I do think the conducting is truly exceptional, Boult at his peak. The Brahms serenades and the Schubert C Major I have -- performances to treasure. I also have a BBC Legends issue (BBCL 4039-2) of concert performances that illustrates wonderfully the point that a truly great conductor ( and this goes for instrumentalists as well, in fact) can work magic in just about any repertoire, for there we have marvellous performances of Ravel's Daphnis, Bizet's Jeux d'Enfants, Schubert's 'Unfinished' and, a real stunner, Sibelius' Seventh.
- 3:06 pm


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As loneliness becomes a more recognized health risk in the United States, the need for human contact and community has led to the creation of "cuddle parties."
But law enforcement suspect that cuddling can be used as a front for illegal sexual activity. And others object to the trend on grounds that physical affection should be saved for those you already have an emotional bond with and that cuddling strangers makes physical touch less meaningful.
Recent studies have reported on the danger of being isolated, including a study by the Department of Public Health at University College London, which found that people over age 52 who experienced social isolation were 48 percent more likely to die over the course of the study, all other factors being equal, The Telegraph reported.
Thirty-five percent of Americans over the age of 45 are lonely, according to a report by the AARP. An article in Forbes discussed the growing problem of loneliness among millennials, who are working more independently and prioritizing personal success over relationships.
Just as loneliness and isolation have a negative effect on human health, physical contact has a healing effect. "Stimulating touch receptors under the skin can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, effectively reducing stress," Matthew Hertenstein, director of the Touch and Emotion Lab at DePauw University, told Huffington Post.
One phenomenon that has arisen to combat loneliness is the cuddle party, promoted by a "federally recognized nonprofit educational organization" that is designed to create a fun social experience and teach people how to get the most out of cuddling, according to the Cuddle Party website. Trained facilitators host events around the United States and Canada. Other, similar organizations have opened in the United Kingdom and Sweden.
The cuddle party organization has trained facilitators who host parties in various cities around the United States and Canada. Participants must be at least 18, wear modest pajamas, and arrive on time. Before the cuddling begins, the facilitators teach the participants how to ask for permission and how to say no if they need to. During the actual cuddle session, participants ask each other for hugs or back rubs, but no one is forced to cuddle with anyone they don't want to.
Not everyone is convinced of the efficacy of a group cuddle. Glenn Wilson, a clinical psychologist, told the Daily Mail that while cuddling and hugging are beneficial, it seems wrong to only use physical touch as a way to evoke a specific, health-related reaction.
Jon Fortenbury, a freelance writer, participated in a cuddle party and wrote about his experience in The Atlantic. The point of the exercise was both to engage in some friendly human contact and to learn how to connect in a positive, non-sexual environment.
"In a country that seems to be becoming increasingly isolated, cuddling may be a healthy way to deal with the disconnection," Fortenbury said.
Others view the group cuddle sessions in a less positive light.
"I can't get over the fact that everyone present was essentially paying for their cuddles, which made the experience a bit depressing," wrote Daily Mail reporter Sophie Morris of her own experience at a cuddle party.
Individuals who are touch deprived have other options as well, including visiting one of several "snuggle houses" around the country. At The Snuggery in Rochester, New York, a person can pay $60 for an hour of one-on-one cuddling. Clients can also choose an "overnight cuddle" option, which costs $425.
While cuddle facilitators and snuggle house owners emphasize the strictly non-sexual nature of the encounters, others are less convinced.
"There's no way that (sexual assault) will not happen," Jennifer Zilavy, an assistant city attorney in Madison, Wisconsin, told The Associated Press after Madison officials became suspicious of a proposed snuggle house opening last year. "No offense to men, but I don't know any man who wants to just snuggle."
Others are hesitant of cuddle parties because of how little research is available about the actual benefits of touching strangers. Wendy Walsh told Yahoo! Shine that engaging in platonic cuddling can devalue emotionally driven cuddling. "Cuddling should be an integral component of an evolving relationship, not something you can grab on the run," she said.
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I am paying $8.95 a month to keep this blog up and running. I've thought about canceling my account, I'm really not even sure there is anyone reading these posts. I've not been in the cornfields of Ohio for a very long time. This blog was a reflection of who I was once upon a time.
I've changed in more than a few ways. But deep inside, the parts that really count are still there. I have the same values I was raised with. I still love my charity work, I enjoy knitting, I've just added a few new hobbies to the list. Instead of charitable works at a distance, I have found things around the Dallas area that I enjoy like making sandwiches for the Dallas Soupmobile twice a month. I love venturing into downtown Dallas. Funny, once upon a time I was nervous about driving in downtown Dayton, and now look at me.
I think I will continue to pay the $8.95 a month. There's a lot of history here, blog posts dating back to 2006. This is the archives of at least a part of my life. I think I need to preserve those ramblings from my brain, and ramblings from my heart for a little while longer. Maybe one day I will go back and read the posts, just not yet. I have a feeling that there are some painful memories in there between the lines. I choose to look forward and look toward the path that is before me now. I can't go back and change the past, nor would I want to. All of those pieces are what makes up the puzzle of my life, and I wouldn't go back and change any part of it.
I'm alive and kickin' in Texas, happy and loving life.


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WASHINGTON - The White House and top Republicans struck a deal late Monday to avert huge New Year tax hikes and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff" that had threatened to send the US economy into recession.
The pact would raise taxes on the richest Americans - those earning over $450,000 a year - but exempt everyone else, and will put off $109 billion in budget cuts across the government for two months, top congressional aides said.
Vice President Joe Biden, who negotiated the deal with Republican Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, was on Capitol Hill to sell it to Democratic senators, a White House source added.
Tax hikes and spending cuts were due to come into force on January 1. But as global markets, sure to be rocked by a failure to head off the fiscal cliff, are closed for New Year's day, lawmakers have time to vote the deal into law.
A Senate vote was expected overnight on Monday while the House of Representatives was expected to follow suit on Tuesday after a display of dramatic New Year's Eve brinkmanship.
The deal would mean a return to Bill Clinton-era tax rates for top earners to 39.6 percent, starting at a threshold of annual household earnings of $450,000 and above.
Obama had originally campaigned for tax hikes to kick in for those making $250,000 and above and his acceptance of a higher threshold has already angered liberals, though still represents a political victory.
The president said it would extend tax credits for clean energy firms and also unemployment insurance for two million people due to expire later Monday.
It was also expected to include an end to a temporary two percent cut to payroll taxes for Social Security retirement savings and Medicare health care programs for seniors and changes to inheritance and investment taxes.
The president angered Republicans in remarks in which he warned - in what is certain to be a bitter fight over cutting the deficit - that he was not done with seeking higher taxes for the rich.
"Now, if Republicans think that I will finish the job of deficit reduction through spending cuts alone... then they've another thing coming," Obama said, and also poked fun at the glacial pace of Congressional deliberations.
Republicans immediately took to the floor of the Senate to complain.
Senator John McCain accused Obama of ridiculing Republicans and of needlessly antagonizing House of Representatives' members required to vote for the deal.
Republican Senator Bob Corker said his heart was pounding with disappointment at Obama's remarks.
"I know the president has fun heckling Congress. I think he lost probably numbers of votes with what he did," he said.
"It's unfortunate he doesn't spend as much time solving problems as he does with campaigns and pep rallies."
Signs that a deal could be close cheered investors Friday as US markets rose before closing for the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 166.03 points (1.28 percent) at 13,104.14.
Both sides were Monday already gearing up for the next legislative showdown over the need to lift the government's statutory borrowing limit of $16.4 trillion, which was reached Monday.
The Treasury will now take extraordinary measures to keep the government afloat for an undisclosed period of time until the ceiling is raised. Republicans are already demanding spending cuts in return.
"I think there is going to be a pretty big showdown next time when we go to the debt limit," McCain told CNN. - AFP
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Be in the trend, but do not betray traditions! Choose from a wide range of fashionable children's, men's, women's or even family paired embroidery or trendy casual clothes with ethnic motifs, which will add not only the charm of your image but also emphasize your love and respect for the national Ukrainian traditions and values.
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Pictures of Matt Czuchry, Archie Panjabi, Julianna Margulies at a Good Wife Q & A
Julianna Margulies Joins Her Good Wife Costars to Talk About Her Hot Husband
The stars of The Good Wife gathered in LA last night at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre for a Q & A session put together by the Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences. Julianna Margulies joined her fellow small screen actors Archie Panjabi and Matt Czuchry for the event, after the trio was together Sunday to support their show at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Julianna ended up taking home a statue due to her second consecutive win for best actress in a dramatic series, saying in the press room that the back-to-back honors were an embarrassment of riches. Archie was the one with the gold, however, last August when she won a supporting actress nod at the Emmys. Julianna, Archie, and Matt chatted about their series while up on the stage before things took a personal turn. Leading lady Julianna opened up about her three-year marriage to husband Keith Lieberthal and described how they met. She said, "Well, when he came over to me, I said, 'Look, I just think you are so handsome. Are you a model or an actor and are you 12?' . . . I said, 'Are you an actor? Because as much as I love you all, I can't. I'm done.' And he's like, No, I'm a lawyer.' And I'm like, 'What's your name?' 'And he said, 'Keith Lieberthal.' I was like, "'You're JEWISH?!'"


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For a guy who was one of the greatest movie idols of all time, Paul Newman sported surprisingly little ego.
Or so that's impression he made on fellow screen stud Bo Svenson.
Interviewed on Super '70s Flashback!, Bo, a veteran of such films as North Dallas Forty and Heartbreak Ridge, discusses being cast opposite Robert Redford in a role meant for Paul, who passed away last year at age 83.
"While we were making The Great Waldo Pepper, right outside Elgin, Texas, Paul Newman came by. I thought he'd arrived to replace me, because I know that I had replaced him in the movie," Bo tells host Carey Fisher of the 1975 flick.
"Originally, [director] George Roy Hill was going to make the movie with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. But [Universal Pictures President] Sid Scheinberg had made a joke to George asking him if Continue reading


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Impact of renewable energy deployment on climate change in Nigeria
Udochukwu B AkuruI; Ogbonnaya I OkoroII; Edward ChikuniIII
IDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
IIDepartment of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
IIIDepartment of Electrical Power Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
It is well known fact that the rate of industrial growth of any country is a function of the amount of energy available in that country and the extent to which this energy is utilized. The burning of fossil fuels to generate energy is a dirty process. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions result when fossil fuels are produced and consumed and these emissions contribute to climate change. Nigeria as a country is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because its economy is mainly dependent on income generated from the production, processing, export and/or consumption of fossil fuels and its associated energy-intensive products. Hence, it is on this premise that this paper is researched to review the energy sources being used in Nigeria and investigate its impact to climate change. Findings reveal Nigeria's over-dependence on fossil-generated energy with associated adverse environmental effects, among other things. Recommendations for the integration of renewable energy into Nigeria's energy mix, beyond other measures, have been offered, especially with reference to the salient environmental benefits that accrue to it.
Keywords: Climate change, fossil fuels, GHG emissions, renewable energy
1. Introduction and brief literature highlights
Energy is an essential ingredient or tool for socio-economic development and an index of prosperity in any nation (Akuru and Animalu, 2009). It is one of the basic requirements of human society and vital for human life and for technological advancement. In general, energy can contribute to widening opportunities and empower people to exercise choices. The place of energy and power in the sustenance of economic activities, and their contribution to the standard of living cannot be overemphasized for any nation. As a result, the demand for energy today is far greater than ever in our highly technological world.
In Nigeria, energy is the mainstay of growth and development because it serves as a tradable commodity for earning the national income, which is used to support government development programs (Sambo, 1997). Due to population growth, inevitable industrialization, more agricultural production and improving living standards, Nigeria needs more energy to meet the rising demand. It also serves as an input into the production of goods and services in the nation's industry, transport, agriculture, health and education sectors, as well as an instrument for politics, security and diplomacy. The energy chain to deliver these cited services begins with the collection or extraction of primary energy, which is then converted into energy carriers suitable for various end-uses.
In an earlier paper (Akuru and Okoro, 2010), the statistics of energy and its contribution to Nigeria's GDP has been set forth, though these values could increase if over 90% of energy used by rural dwellers is accounted for. Currently a high proportion of Nigeria's total energy output is generated from fossil fuels such as oil and coal. In general, the quest for an option to conventional power schemes for extension to remote and rural locations of developing countries like Nigeria arises from the high costs associated with the extensions, as well as the maintenance, of the power grid system to rural areas. This has led to a considerable interest in the development and application of renewable energy resources. Interest in renewable energy has traditionally grown from the need to expand energy resources to reach remote and rural locations. However, the use of conventional sources and fuel-wood to generate energy has continued to generate dire environmental consequences.]]> Renewable energy is that form of energy obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible, unlimited and rapidly replenished or naturally renewable such as wind, water, sun, wave, refuse, bio-fuels etc. Nigeria is endowed with sufficient renewable energy resources to meet its present and future development requirements as well as complement its current oil-dependent economy (Akuru and Okoro, 2010; Nigeria's First National Communication, 2003).
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are produced when fossil fuels are produced and consumed and these emissions contribute to climate change. Climate change is caused by two basic factors (Odjugo, 2010), which include natural processes (biogeographical) and human activities (anthropogenic) summarized in Figure 1. Nigeria as a country is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change because its economy is mainly dependent on income generated from the production, processing, export and/or consumption of fossil fuels and associated energy-intensive products Nigeria's First National Communication, 2003). It is well established that the activities of developed nations are mostly accountable for climate change, but developing nations are those suffering more due to inability to cope as a result of poverty and low technological development (Odjugo, 2010).
Several studies have focused on climatic impacts in Nigeria and the results are appalling (Odjugo, 2010; Odjugo, 2005; Chindo and Nyelong, 2005;
Adefolalu et al., 2007; Odjugo, 2010). Other independent studies have linked climate change with the economy (Yahaya et al., 2010) and global warming) of Nigeria (Odjugo, 2011). The spill over effects of climate changes are increasing temperature (global warming), sea level rise leading to population displacement as well as land disputes, draught and desertification, unpredictable rainfall with negative impacts on agriculture, human health problems, etc. On the other hand, the visible effects of climate change have resulted in setting up measures to address it. Such mitigation options include emission cuts, reduction in water pollution, afforestation and sustainable energy investments (Odjugo, 2010; Odjugo, 2011). Based on the comparative impacts of climate change at regional levels, this paper is an attempt to review the dire consequences of Nigeria's over-dependence on fossil-fuel-based energy resources and its impact on climate change and propose a viable alternative into its energy mix.
2. Methodology and research]]> The following questions have been developed to guide the process of this research:
a) To what extent are fossil fuels being used in energy production and associated activities in Nigeria?
b) What are the indices used to measure the impact of climate change and to what extent has/could it affect Nigeria?
c) What proactive measure(s) need to be taken to address the possibility of a negative impact assessment?
The impacts of climate change in Nigeria in the coming years are expected to result from global changes in climate. This change will in turn be based on increases in the concentrations of the greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhances the potential of the atmosphere to conserve heat and therefore bring about global warming. Thus, increases in the concentrations of the major greenhouse gas emissions within the country is a function of the emissions of these gases and will depend, in the main, on increases in the consumption of fossil fuels, among other factors. In other words, expected global climate change will depend basically on global population increases, global energy consumption, and global changes in land use pattern (Nigeria's First National Communication, 2003). Rich-income countries can be blamed elaborately for greenhouse gas emissions but not exclusively. This is because even if drastic efforts are made by the developed world to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, there is even a greater risk that greenhouse gas emissions in the developing world if unabated, would translate into worsening rates, caused by rapid industrial growth, in a not distant future (Odjugo, 2010).
Thus, the methodology adopted here, though qualitative, relies heavily on secondary data consisting mainly of existing records and documentation in various forms including data both from the energy sector in Nigeria and the National Population Commission and other sources relevant to the study. The general approach was to reuse mostly the results of the available data that have been previously published and model them to suit the objectives of this research. The various data sets were then analysed and the results interpreted and resolved into presentable formats using tables, charts and graphs.
a) Data
The rate of population growth in Nigeria is summarized in Figure 2. Energy Consumption by Source is the total amount of primary energy consumed from the usage of a specified fuel. Primary energy includes losses from transportation, friction, heat loss and other inefficiencies. Specifically, consumption equals indigenous production plus imports and stock changes, minus exports and international marine bunkers; the IEA calls this value Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) (Earth Trends Country Profile, 2003). Table 1 provides details for the distribution of energy source and the amount consumed in metric tons equivalent of oil in Nigeria. All energy consumption values presented here are calculated and reported by the International Energy Agency (IEA) based on an energy balance methodology using metric tons of oil equivalent (toe) (Earth Trends Country Profile, 2003).
Since greenhouse gas (GHG) emission lead to climate change, data on key indicators of GHG emissions in Nigeria are shown in Table 2 and a further breakdown of the components of the energy sector is provided in Table 3.
The total amount of GHG emissions for Nigeria is further broken into its three major gas types which include methane (CH4), Carbon dioxide (CO2) and Nitrous oxide (N2O), with the emission profile showing CO2having 33% from the total emission as at 2005, second to N2O with 50.8% (Nigeria and Climate Change Road to COP15; Ogunlowo, 2013). CO2 which contributes to the bulk of emissions from the energy sector, based on fuel combustion and other related processes, is expected to increase as Nigeria becomes more industrialised at the rate of over 3 Mton per year. The key drivers of CO2emissions have been linked to population, economic activity and the CO2intensity of the economy (Nigeria and Climate Change Road to COP15). Table 4 is therefore extracted to account for these dependencies.
b. Results
The link between population and energy has been reported in two phases (Darmstadter, 2004). The first link relates to levels and changes in economic development approximated by income or gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. In this case, as income per capita rises, so does per capita energy use. The second link on the other hand, stresses that even at comparable levels of per capita GDP, the volume of energy use will differ among countries and regions, depending on the structural characteristics of the economy, spatial features, climate, fuel prices, government policies, and others. Normally, a country's growth rate is a factor in determining how the infrastructural needs of its people are produced and consumed. To this end, the pattern on Figure. 1 shows that Nigeria's population has risen steadily from an estimated 2.1% in 1960s to about 3% in recent times. Though there was steady decline in the 1990s, the rate is still very high.
Quantifying the linkage between changes in population and energy consumption, three broad factors go into the determination of changes in total energy use. These items are expressed in Equation 1 as percentage changes (Darmstadter, 2004).
]]> Using the data presented in Table 5, the energy consumed in Nigeria for 2011 is approximately 17.56%. This result shows that there is an active relationship between growth in population and energy use. To extend the result in Table 5, the extent which energy is used can also tell on the environmental impact. An increase in energy use will mean that the threat from climate change and other environmental degradation, especially from a fossil-fuel based economy, will become aggravated.
Table 4 shows explicitly that CO2emissions in Nigeria have increased over the years based on the current trend. The information provided has been used in Figure 3 to forecast what the trend would be by the turn of this century. Nigeria has its economy to be largely crude-oil based and with a teeming population growing at an average of 2.7%, it is anticipated that in the coming years, CO2emissions will significantly increase. In considering CO2emissions from combustion only, 158.42 million Nigerians were responsible for emitting a total of 54.90 Mt of CO2 as at 2010 (2012 Key World Energy Statistics).
]]> CO2 emissions by sources and sector for Nigeria are summarised in Figures 4 and 5. This shows the country's huge reliance on conventional energy sources as a large part of the country's emissions emanate from gas flares, which results from burning of gases released in the process of petroleum extraction. Similarly, the sector with the greatest amount of emission is the transportation sector, largely operated on processed fossils fuels.
The content of renewable energy deployment in Nigeria is abysmal. Renewable energy is available in abundant potentials however; integration into the energy mix has been sluggish and disproportionate. From Table 1, it is evident that renewable forms of energy practically do not add to the country's energy mix despite the fact that Figure 4 reveals its zero emission characteristics.
c. Findings and discussions
The research undertaken in this paper has revealed that Nigeria relies heavily on fossil fuel. About 40% of its national GDP, over 80% of government's revenue and over 90% of Nigeria's foreign earnings come from crude oil related activities (Nigeria and Climate Change: Road to COP15). This submission is premised upon certain indices such as population and economic development which have been highlighted with high possibility to affect the way energy is consumed
In estimates, the gross emissions of GHGs have been documented as the internationally accepted common framework to report emission inventories of GHG emissions (IPCC/OCED, 1991). The source-emission relations for any GHG are given by the equation:
]]> E = is emission of pollutant I from the consumption/production of a product whose quantity is represented by an activity (A) index and F is the emission factor for the pollutant i (emissions per unit activity A). The total emission of pollutant i for each process is then added over the total number of similar and diverse process k (sectors and sub-sectors), as well as over spatial grids of interest. An emission inventory therefore aims to obtain accurate estimates of the unknowns A and F for each sector and generic sources. The values of A per sector in any country are obtained from available published national data.
For the energy sector, emissions may be provided through the top-down (TD) method which provides aggregate emissions based on certain factors such as production, imports, exports etc. of primary and secondary fuel without details of sectoral fuel use. The expressions for the primary and secondary fuels are given in (3) and (4) respectively.
Cais the apparent energy consumption by fuel type; P= production; I = imports; E = exports; 1MB = international marine bunkers; SC = stock change for both primary and secondary fuels.
It is also shown in (5) that the aggregate emission of carbon from all fuels is based on the fuel carbon content, heating values, oxidation fraction and production/consumption data.
Ec is the aggregate emission factor in Gg-C, is the apparent energy consumption in PJ and is the carbon emissions factor in tC/TJ.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides a more accurate method for national GHG inventory based on the bottom-up (BU) approach for the energy sector which provides techniques for emission factor estimates for all subsectors processes based on the downstream energy technologies and technology efficiencies. Emissions from BU are based on the application of (5) to each downstream energy technology.
The results obtained applying these methods confirms that gas flaring, transportation and electricity generation (Figures 4 and 5) are the most significant energy consumption processes in Nigeria leading to GHG emissions (Nigeria's First National Communication, 2003). Also energy and land use sectors (Table 3) were observed to be the main contributors of CO2to emissions. Again, these emissions are still low when compared with those of industrialised countries.
Having established an increasing population and that the content of Nigeria's energy mix is fossil fuel based with commensurate propensity to emit CO2- a by-product of GHG - there is a high risk of climate change happening already, and continuing if unabated (IPCC/OCED, 1991) Climate change impacts development the same way population and energy do.]]> Nigeria is highly vulnerable to negative impacts of climate change along its large coastal territories, such as, degradation of agricultural lands, desert encroachment, depleting water resources and low agricultural output among others. For instance, with the majority of Nigerians surviving on agricultural proceeds, the effect of climate change on rainfall makes it vulnerable. However, this research has primarily focused on how much the current energy mix in Nigeria has impacted climate change. The findings so far are that Nigeria is dominated by fossil fuel energy sources which have made it vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. In general, the exploration of petroleum resources in the last 40 years has resulted in massive injection of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere as well as considerable environmental problems (Winkler et al., 2007). In this regard, this has led to higher demand for electricity, changing patterns in hydroelectric power facilities, as well as, destruction of existing power facilities.
Nigeria's GHG emission is at variance with that of developed countries, where it is mainly from fossil fuels (Nigeria and Climate Change Road to COP15). There is equally large contribution of GHG emissions from the agricultural sector as shown in Table 3. Much of the emissions from the energy sector come from gas flaring (see Figure 4). Again, the results from Table 3 which accounts for estimates in emissions from land use and forestry, shows the greatest percentage for emissions from land use at 44%.
It can be argued though that the emissions of GHG in Nigeria is generally low based on available data, but as Nigeria becomes more industrialised with time and with a high population growth rate, the figure is expected to rise drastically based on the estimated values presented in Figure 3, if nothing is done to checkmate the trend.
Mitigation options and future actions
The need to tackle the negative impacts of climate change in Nigeria is apt because of its devastating long term effects on the environment and economy. Already, this paper has revealed that energy plays a dominant role in the Nigerian economy and its dominance is expected to increase as population increases and as the industrial sector expands, which are bound to happen, the corresponding effects lead to climate change.
It is identified that the key institutional factors that defines mitigation capacity include effectiveness of government regulation and carbon cuts, education and skills, public attitudes and level of awareness (Nigeria and Climate Change Road to COP15). To this end, mitigation options can come as economic capacity, extensively highlighted in reference awareness (Nigeria and Climate Change Road to COP15), and resource management, the former cited as being more critical to the reduction of GHG emissions (Winkler et al., 2007). The opportunities for Nigeria to tackle climate change by adapting to clean energy projects is notwithstanding very substantial to emission reduction and spiced with great potentials. For example, specific clean energy technologies have been identified in the power, industry, transportation and household sectors, though with minimum public awareness and weak institution. In Nigeria's energy policy, the integration of renewable energy is highly encouraged; however, there are no strict regulations, targets or projects to realize the general policy (Akuru and Okoro, 2010).
In the energy sector, there are two possible scenarios for GHG mitigation. These are the baseline and GHG abatement scenario (Nigeria's First National Communication, 2003)). The baseline scenario is what is obtainable in future energy patterns if inefficiencies occurring as omission in the current systems are not carried into the future, these omissions do not include all firm or proposed projects or policies. On the other hand, the abatement scenario is achieved by introducing a number mitigation efforts into the baseline scenario. These include:
The GHG emission scenario for the energy sector alone is projected as shown in Figure 6. In this case, only total CO2 emission is considered. The total emission in 1995 was 110 and is expected to rise to 230 Tg CO2 by 2030 in the base line scenario, at an annual average growth rate of 2.86%. From the abatement scenario, the cumulative reduction from baseline is 975 Tg CO2. The impact of abatement is further reflected in Figure 7 where projections for the total primary energy consumption for Nigeria have been captured. By 2030, abatement is projected to increase the overall contribution of hydro to energy supply from that of the baseline scenario. The total energy consumption which was 1270 PJ and 1718 PJ in 1995 and 2010 respectively is projected to 3140 PJ in 2030 in the baseline scenario.
The current structure of electricity in Nigeria is from gas and hydropower. Also, a considerable amount is also derived from diesel and fuel oil, while private generators are being run on gasoline and diesel. Hydroelectricity which is renewable has a lot of potentials in Nigeria's energy mix and Figure 7 shows this advantage in the abatement case of the projected hydroelectricity rise from 6% in 2010 to 7% in 2030. This increase is substantially based on its absolute contribution to the energy mix. This is an increment of 111% for the 2010 abatement case.
To quantify the projected emission reduction potential, a simple formula, equation (6), called the aggregate reduction potential has been developed to measure the technical potential of any mitigation measure (Nigeria and Climate Change: Road to COP15).
E0= annual emissions at year 0.
b = final year]]> a = initial rate of GHG emissions increase
p = annual rate of GHG emissions increase after mitigation efforts
t = time in years
Worth mentioning is the fact that whatever climate change projections that are available at the moment are subject to uncertainties between two extremes - some of the most recent findings are established facts or robust findings, while others are regarded as speculative (IPCC, 2000). Thus, whatever climate change projections that are available at the moment are subject to uncertainties.
In summary, Table 6 presents an assessment of some of the results of mitigation as discussed here. From the result, it is evident that some of the options can be implemented at a net negative cost. Moreover, based on incremental cost per CO2removed, it is observed that renewable energy options promise a significant impact in the Nigerian energy system; therefore, the suggestion is for an action plan to revisit Nigeria's energy system by deliberately and systematically integrating renewable energy into the country's energy mix beyond other measures discussed.
4. Conclusion and recommendations
It is true that it is impossible for man to stop the natural causes of climate change (Singer and Avery, 2007); however the human causes can be stopped or drastically reduced with the right approach. It is noteworthy to point out that a number of human activities have contributed and are still contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer, which causes global warming. This paper has been written to highlight a number of these human activities and how it is contributing to climate change in Nigeria. Currently, Nigeria's energy sector is fossil fuel dominated and its associated processes lead to GHG emissions and ultimately, climate change. If the current trend is unabated, then climatic variability currently being experienced is definitely going to increase and intensify and the resultant impact will be catastrophic for the future of the country. The case that Nigeria's contribution to global warming is insignificant when compared to that of developed countries is unsupported given the current trend that threatens to spare no one. Hence, this paper has attempted to correlate using certain indices, the disturbing extent to which climate change is affecting Nigeria. The results reached on the proliferation of climate change via Nigeria's fossil-based economy is very revealing and so requires urgent mitigation actions and proactive measures of which the deployment of renewable energy into the country's energy mix has been advanced amongst other things.
To this end, the Nigerian government should induce the deployment of renewable energy sources in stand-alone capacities as well as grid-based to boost energy security and its availability. To reduce the emission of GHGs, clean and environment-friendly technologies are required. Automobiles can be upgraded to operate on modern fuels such as ethanol, solar engines, electric or hybrid engines. Gas flaring being perpetrated by oil producing companies should immediately be halted, harnessed and defaulters made to pay penalties where necessary. Regulators of the energy sector should encourage operators and consumers to adapt to or adopt energy efficiency measures in both the supply and consumption of energy respectively. International frameworks are to be pursued so as to force developed countries to implement vis-à-vis strengthen vital global treaties such as the Climate Convention and Kyoto Protocol. Such actions to encourage policies like the clean development mechanism (CDM) is another avenue through which large-scale investments can be attracted into the country for financing clean projects and in return grant carbon credits to developed countries. In the main, the supplementary benefits of turning to renewable energy resources are improvement of current abysmal condition of employment of tertiary graduates by creating jobs, opportunities for new investors, economic improvement, sustainable energy development, environment-friendly technologies and health advantages.
]]> References
2012 Key World Energy Statistics, International Energy Agency, Paris, 2012. [ Links ]
Adefolalu D.O., Pam, J.L., and Habbi H.M. (2007). Climate change and safety of air transportation - A Nigerian perspective. Proceedings of the International Conference on the impacts of extreme weather and climate on socio-economic development in Africa held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, 11-15 Nov. 2007. pp. 1-15. [ Links ]
Akuru, U.B. and Okoro, O.I. (2000). Renewable energy investment in Nigeria: A review of the renewable energy master plan, Energy Conference and Exhibition (EnergyCon), 2010 IEEE International, vol., no., pp. 166-171, 18-22 Dec. 2010 doi: 10.1109/ENERGYCON.2010.5771668. [ Links ]
Akuru, U.B. and Animalu, A.O.E. (2009). Alternative means of energy sector investments in Nigeria, African Journal of Physics Vol. 2, pp. 173-183. [ Links ]
Chindo A., and Nyelong P. N. (2005). Lake Chad: From megalake to minilake, Arid Wetland Bull. No. 6: 24 -27. [ Links ]
Darmstadter, J. (2004). Energy and population. Washington D.C.: Resources for the Future. [ Links ]
EarthTrends Country Profile, 2003. [ Links ]
IPCC (2000). Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Inventories, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group I, National GHG Inventories Programme (IGES), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan. [ Links ]
IPCC/OECD (1991). Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, Final Report of the OECD Expert Meeting, 18 - 21 Feb., 1991, Paris, France, Prepared for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France. [ Links ]
Nigeria and Climate Change: Road to COP15 Achieving the best outcome for Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Government of Nigeria [ Links ]
Nigeria's First National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Nov. 2003 [ Links ]
Odjugo PA.O. (2005). An analysis of rainfall pattern in Nigeria, Global J. Environ. Sci., 4(2): 139-145. [ Links ]
Odjugo P.A.O. (2010). General overview of climate change impacts in Nigeria, J Hum Ecol, 29(1): 47-55. [ Links ]
Odjugo P.A.O. (2010). Regional evidence of climate change in Nigeria, Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, Vol. 3(6), pp. 142-150, June 2010. [ Links ]
Odjugo P.A.O. (2011). Climate change and global warming: The Nigerian experience, Journal of Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection, 1(1): June 2011. [ Links ]
Ogunlowo O.O. (2013). Exploration of CNG as transportation energy source in Nigeria, Midlands Energy Graduate School, RGS-IBG Postgraduate Mid-term Conference 2013: MEGS sponsored Energy Sessions Reports, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Service, University of Birmingham, 25-27 March, 2013. [ Links ]
Sambo, A.S. (1997). Renewable Energy for Rural development: The Nigerian perspective, Vol. 2. [ Links ]
Singer, S.F. and Avery, D.T. (2007). Unstoppable global warming: Every 1000 years. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Incm, P. 114. [ Links ]
Winkler, H., Baumert, K., Blanchardc, O., Burchd, S. and Robinsond, J., (2007). What factors influence mitigative capacity?, Energy Policy, 35, 692. [ Links ]
Yahaya K.A., Salam M.O., and Bamigbade D. (2011). Economic implications of climate change and the imperative of re-directing financial resources in Nigeria, British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2): November 2011. [ Links ]
Paper presented at AFRICON 2013, 9 - 12 September 2013, Pointe-Aux-Piments, Mauritius. . Reproduced with permission. Not peer-reviewed for JESA]]>


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A ballot initiative to increase taxes on corporations that sell products in California but have few employees in the state faced scant opposition and won voter support with little fanfare. The real fight lies ahead in the state legislature: dividing up $2.5 billion intended for energy efficiency projects in government buildings.
By Mark Golden
California's Proposition 39 did not get much attention in the months leading up to Tuesday's election, but voters handily approved the measure to increase taxes on some corporations, with $2.5 billion of the money going for projects to conserve electricity and natural gas consumed by schools and other government buildings.
The appeal to Californians was understandable. Basically, the additional taxes will be paid by companies that sell their products in the state but have relatively few employees and little property here. In turn, $500 million annually for five years will pay for public building retrofit projects, each of which must save taxpayers more on energy costs in the long term than the retrofits cost.
The money can be used for renewable energy installations like solar panels too, but the cost-effectiveness requirement currently favors energy efficiency projects like insulation or modernizing heating, air-conditioning, water or lighting systems, according to James Sweeney, professor of management science and engineering, and director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford University.
"Many efficiency improvements can pay for themselves in several years," said Sweeney.
According to a McKinsey & Co. report in 2009, state and local government buildings in the United States could reduce energy costs by $49 billion for $26 billion in efficiency investments, while also slashing their greenhouse gas emissions by a third. For decades California has been more aggressive than most states in promoting energy efficiency. State regulations result in utilities spending about $1 billion annually on financial incentives primarily for homeowners and businesses rather than large government buildings. Such programs are funded primarily by utility customers, not tax receipts.
Under Proposition 39, $500 million to $550 million a year will be spent in three areas: outright grants to cover the costs of projects, low-interest loans for such projects and workforce training to increase the skilled workers available to install the new technologies.
The state legislature is to write by June the rules that will determine how the money will be divided among these three groups.
That will require debate, said Sweeney. Cities and school districts in these tough budget times would much prefer grants to loans. Even 1 percent interest loans create more debt on already strained government balance sheets.
Federal stimulus funds that California allocated to energy conservation grants for small cities and counties were taken up quickly, while a related low-interest loan program is still taking applications.
"For public buildings, capital constraints have prevented cost-effective investments to conserve electricity and natural gas. Grants under Prop. 39 will clearly overcome these capital constraints," said Sweeney.
On the other hand, most policymakers in Sacramento have a strong preference for low-interest loans, which upon repayment can fund additional projects. A significant loan program could leverage the Prop. 39 program far beyond five years and $2.5 billion by conserving more energy and creating more jobs than one-time grants. Such a program might also be extended to private companies rather than just governments.
Under state mandates, half of the proceeds from the higher taxes must go to certain types of spending, primarily public education. After five years, the annual $500 million for energy efficiency will become available for general purposes.
Mark Golden works in communications at the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford University.
Mark Golden, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center: (650) 724-1629, [email protected]
Dan Stober, Stanford News Service: (650) 721-6965, [email protected]
© Stanford University. Stanford, California 94305. (650) 723-2300.


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Reporters In Somali City Risk Life To Cover Story
Reporters In Somali City Risk Life To Cover Story
Press conferences are usually pretty tame, but not in Somalia's bullet-riddled capital, Mogadishu.
When a local faction held a briefing a couple weeks ago, its enemies responded with mortars, wounding two journalists.
One of the city's best-known news organizations is Radio Mogadishu, where reporters brave death threats and more to get the story.
This afternoon, Sagel Siad is preparing for the 2:30 afternoon newscast. She sits down in front of a microphone in a glassed-in studio that seems like any other. The major difference: It's in a walled compound guarded by troops with machine guns. The director points his finger and Siad — wearing an orange hijab and lipstick — launches into the day's news.
Somalia Series
The big story: Militiamen shot up a cultural festival, the first the one the city has held in ages. The government has charged Mogadishu's former mayor and warlord with the crime.
Stories like this are standard fare at Radio Mogadishu. The station provides news, music and talk shows in a city where doing so can get you killed. Abdirahim Isse Addow, the station's director, says the morning traffic report includes things like shootouts.
"Always in the morning, the people listen to the radio. ... We start with road X and road Y — there is fighting going on and we don't say keep away, but the people know about it and don't go," Addow says.
Radio Mogadishu is run by Somalia's beleaguered transitional government. It receives most of its funding from the United States. Islamist insurgents called al-Shabab are trying to topple the regime and threaten anyone who helps the station.
Last year, al-Shabab mistakenly grabbed a woman who looked like Siad and prepared to cut her throat.
"They [caught] her and they closed her eyes, they want[ed] to kill her. They say, 'What's your name?' She say, 'My name is Khali'; she was working in HornAfrik Radio — she say, 'Please I'm not Sagel, don't kill me,' " Siad recalls.
Al-Shabab called the director at HornAfrik — another local radio station. He confirmed the woman's real identity and they let her go. Al-Shabab pushes an extreme version of Islam. The group favors public amputations, stoning of adulterers and bans movies, bras and soccer. Al-Shabab threats have turned Siad into a virtual shut-in. Like most employees at Radio Mogadishu, she must live inside the government compound.
"You can't go anywhere, we are a target," she says. "Al-Shabab calls us anytime, they send us messages — they say, 'We will kill you; we will forgive you if you come [with] us — no problem. We will marry you ... you stay with us,' blah, blah, blah," Siad says.
Radio Mogadishu has eight correspondents in the city. They travel with an armed guard when reporting. One, Sheik Nur Mohamed, was shot to death when he tried to visit his family last year.
Abdimahad Hussein Abtidon has been a producer and reporter at Radio Mogadishu for several years. His home for the past two years has been inside the walled government compound that houses Radio Mogadishu. There are no light bulbs; three mattresses crowd the floor; and clothes hang from nails.
Abtidon points to a hole in the wall just above his mattress.
"You see here? It's a bullet. It gets through here," he says. "I was sleeping at that time."
Abtidon covers everything from press conferences to the front lines. He makes $150 a month and says he enjoys the work and camaraderie.
In the evenings, he relaxes with other reporters watching Somali music videos on a TV. They sit around chewing khat, a leafy stimulant hugely popular here. Abtidon says dealing with al-Shabab, which means "the youth" in Arabic, is difficult. Even former schoolmates have joined the movement, thus turning on him.
"When they heard I'd become one of the Radio Mogadishu journalists, they burned my house," Abtidon says.
Fortunately, his family had already fled and was not home. Abtidon's old classmates — he says he recognizes their voices — continue to call with threats. However, he says he believes in the First Amendment and democracy — even if it doesn't exist in Mogadishu.
He refuses to quit.
"They are calling me, telling me what they are going to do. I say, 'Do what you are going to do. I'm here. Come here and kill me if you can,' " Abtidon says.
Not everyone is so bold. After five years, Siad has had enough. This spring, she hopes to move to a neighboring country, Djibouti. Siad still wants to work as a journalist; she just wants to do it in a safer place.


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A NURSE who threatened to "slit the throat" of the daughter of a quadriplegic patient could be struck off if she is found guilty of misconduct.
When the daughter, referred to only as Jennifer, insisted her father needed a doctor Greta Muvuti threatened to "slit her throat", the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard.
Muvati had repeatedly clashed with Jennifer when she came to the Merryfield House Nursing Home in Witney, home to help care for the advanced multiple sclerosis of her father, known as Resident A.
The father wrote a letter in 2010, saying: "You threatened my daughter with death."
The nurse denied making the threats during the incident but an NMC panel this week found two of the three parts of the allegation proved.
Muvuti was cleared of threatening to butcher Jennifer due to lack of evidence.
If she is found guilty of misconduct she could face a caution, suspension or a permanent ban from the profession.
Panel chairwoman Jane Kivlin said: "On the balance of probability the panel considered that it was more likely than not that the incident did occur as outlined."
Gemma Kingswell, for the NMC, said: "Ms Muvuti seemed to lose her temper when Jennifer asked her over the telephone if her father needed a doctor.
"She asked Jennifer if she 'wanted to run the show at the home'.
She also told Jennifer that she had been a nurse for 30 years and knew best.
The panel heard that Resident A, who was in his early 50s, died in 2011 four months after the incident.
The hearing will resume in April after running out of time.


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The phone call surprised me Saturday night. The disc golf Tri-O was completed and the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 had left my house for their overnight camping trip. I was sitting at home watching television, thinking about going out to the campsite for a little while. The phone call was from from the acting senior patrol leader for the weekend. He was wondering if I would be joining them for supper, and if I would bring the book with the ghost stories. The Scouts wanted to hear a story or two while sitting around the campfire.
I knew which book to which he was referring. It was a collection of true ghost stories, Haunted Heartland, by Beth Scott and Michael Norman. I had mentioned this book on an outing earlier this year. Since this weekend was the weekend before Halloween I guessed the Scouts were in the mood for a couple stories of the supernatural variety.
I decided to grab two books when I left the house. In addition to the Haunted Heartland I also grabbed The Grasshopper Trap by Patrick F. McManus which is a collection of humorous stories. I thought it might be best to add a comical story or two between the scary ones since there were a few young new Boy Scouts on the campout.
The two stories I read from The Grasshopper Trap were Mean Tents and First Knife. During Mean Tents we followed a history of tents used by McManus during his camping activities, including a tent he and a childhood friend made from old gunny sacks. The Boy Scouts got a good laugh from that one. They also chuckled through the story about his First Knife that he received from his parents on his eighth birthday.
The first story from the Haunted Heartland was The Phantom Miner, a story about a terrible mining accident that happened on the Minnesota Iron Range, and how one of the victim's ghost stopped the mine from reopening. The second story was Windego Of The North, a tale of a mythical humanoid creature occasionally seen in northern Minnesota. A sighting of the Windego foretold of a death that was soon to follow.
The Boy Scouts enjoyed the stories but I think I should have only read two, or maybe three at the most. The boys were getting a little antsy by the end of the last story.
Seven years ago I posted an article to this blog referring to campfire stories as "television of the mind". Saturday night's story time once again proved my theory. Even teenagers enjoy hearing a good tale told by fire light.
Both books referred to in this article can be found on Amazon or maybe even at your local book store. Check them out. Your Scouts will enjoy them.


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Marc Darcy boys paisley print bow tie.
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New England governors to convene meeting on opioid drug addiction response
BOSTON (AP) � New England's governors are scheduled to meet to map out a regional response to the growing problem around opioid drug addiction.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Tuesday that the June 17 meeting at Brandeis University will include discussions on how to stem the flow of illegal drugs across state lines, along with coordinated approaches to treatment.
The announcement came as a substance abuse task force set up by Patrick released a final report with a series of recommendations, including an expansion of community-based treatment and recovery programs, including some specifically tailored for teenagers and young adults.
The report also calls for removing barriers to insurance coverage for addiction.
The governor declared a public health emergency in March in response to a sharp rise in overdoses from heroin and other opioids.


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Информация о COVID-19Советы по безопасности путешествий
Santo Domingo de Silos
The most celebrated monument in Santo Domingo de Silos is the monastery, a universal Romanesque gem, which has become a centre of spiritual and artistic pilgrimage.
The monastery, of Visigothic origin, was razed to the ground by the Arabs, and rebuilt by Santo Domingo, whose remains lie in a sarcophagus that was carved on the rock. Its sensational Romanesque cloister, whose most important storey is the bottom one, dates from the 11th and 12th centuries, and has beautiful capitals, with varied sculptures depicting a variety of themes, resting on double columns. On its corners we can see eight remarkable relieves that depict scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, and on the ceiling, a Mudejar coffer from the 14th century, representing scenes from daily medieval life. The monastery, managed by Benedictine monks who celebrate Gregorian masses, has a rich library, and an 18th-century pharmacy, which holds a collection of Talavera jars, and a lab full of antique instruments.
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Выберите достопримечательности в списке или найдите их на карте.
Что посетить
Выберите достопримечательности в списке или найдите их на карте.


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NEA celebrates life, mourns death of education champion Mandela
WASHINGTON - December 05, 2013 -
Today, the 3 million members of the National Education Association stand with the people of South Africa and the world to mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela as a champion of human rights worldwide. Mandela began as a freedom fighter within a national movement and became an international icon for human rights and peace everywhere. He will be remembered as a leader who dared, built understanding, and transformed a nation. During the Apartheid years, NEA and the community of education unions from around the globe were honored to support the African Teachers' Association of South Africa in the struggle to end Apartheid.
"Mandela's life's work was about shaping the future, building unity within democracy, and nurturing the development of the nation's children," said National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel. "His legacy leaves for us great progress and a vision for growing social justice and quality public education."
"NEA and the global education unions that are part of Education International, recognize that this is an insurmountable loss for the South African people, yet we know it will not deter them from advancing equitable quality public education for all students," said Van Roekel, who also serves as a Vice President of Education International.
"Educators around the globe celebrate the life and mourn the death of Nelson Mandela, an international champion for education and equality," said Van Roekel. "Mr. Mandela's famous quote: 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,' is one that hangs on posters in classrooms throughout the world and that NEA members and students everywhere draw strength from every day. It is a goal that we all must get behind: improving the access and quality of education for all so we can all contribute to a better future."
Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/NEAMedia
# # #
The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
Contact: Sara Robertson
(202) 822-7823, email@example.com


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By DAVID GREEN
A sewer line from Riviera Mobile Court to Fayette's treatment center received final approval by village council members Thursday, but not by much.
Councilors voted 3-2 to approve a resolution to accept sewage from the mobile home court, with Craig Rower and Jerry Gonzales opposing the request. Paul Shaffer was absent from the meeting.
Rower and Gonzales stated their opposition in past discussions, charging that public funds will be used to pay for a private project.
The mobile home court is owned by Clemenson Investments, but the sewer line will be owned by the county because federal CDBG funds can only be used for public projects.
A pump house and 2,000-foot forced main will be built to comply with an Ohio EPA directive to either upgrade the system at the court or connect with the village system. The line will serve 15 units at the court and sewage output is not to exceed an average of 15,000 gallons a day. The project will cost about $100,000.
Fulton County Engineer Ziad Musallam expects the project to get underway this fall, pending final approval by the Ohio EPA.
The funds were earmarked for a low-income project and Riviera is one of two areas in the county where the money could be used.
In the past, council members have expressed concern about capacity issues with the village treatment system, especially with the elementary school joining the system at the new building. Mussallam has assured the village that sufficient capacity exists.
SIDEWALKS—Village administrator Amy Metz learned earlier this month the School Travel Plan was approved by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
State approval was the first step in seeking a Safe Routes to School grant that would provide funding for sidewalk repair and installation.
Council members approved a resolution Thursday, clearing the way for the application process.
If the village were to obtain the grant, an enhancement fee of $2.50 a quarter for all property owners would kick in to help pay the village's matching share for sidewalk work.
Metz said that hopes for a $75,000 sidewalk through the Healthy Ohio program have been diminished. She learned recently that funding for the program will be reduced.
LEAVES—Leaf pickup by village workers continues every Monday, but residents are reminded that leaves should not be raked into the street.
RECYCLING—A bin has been placed on the east side of the village barn to accept plastic, glass and tin cans when the recycling center is not open. Paper should not be placed in the bin.
Metz praised Dave Metcalf for the work he does at the center. Money raised from the center is given to the park fund.
FIRE TRUCK—Liability insurance for the old REO fire truck costs $353 annually. The finance committee will continue to investigate selling the vehicle.
PROJECT PRIDE—Metz spoke about misconceptions that some residents have about the "Project Pride" neighborhood meetings.
She described the meetings as opportunities to meet with neighbors to offer suggestions for community improvement and awareness. The meetings do not serve as a means for the village to collect information about residents not following regulations.
Misconceptions, she said, are keeping some people from attending.
GENTER—County commissioner Dean Genter spoke to council members about his bid for reëlection to a third term.
He said the commissioners continue to look for ways to trim expenses and improve efficiency in the county services. He noted that no tax increase has come from the county since 1987, but he said that an increase will inevitably come some time in the future to meet funding challenges.
Genter said that, if returned to office, he intends to travel to Washington, D.C., with other commissioners to visit elected officials to seek financial help.
Councilor Gonzales said that efforts should be made to lower taxes rather than give grants. He said he doesn't want federal funds for Fayette's sewer projects; instead, he urged Genter to get the Ohio EPA off the village's back.
Genter commented on the village's water resources and spoke of his desire to have Fayette water sold to Lyons and Metamora through a water line that the county could construct. Lyons currently obtains water from Wauseon.
Genter also spoke critically of electrical rates in the county, calling them a detriment to development.


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Building and testing spacecraft
After a mission is adopted it moves into the implementation phase, during which detailed designs are prepared and engineering and qualification models (EM and QM) are built and tested before manufacturing the final flight model (FM) and its spares (FS).
|Phase 0
|Mission analysis and identification
|Phase A
|Phase B
|Preliminary Definition
|Phase C
|Detailed Definition
|Phase D
|Qualification and Production
|Phase E
|Phase F
Design phase (Phase B-C)
During the preliminary definition phase the system requirements and interfaces are prepared, subsystem and instrument design are defined and reviewed and a preliminary mission schedule and cost at completion is outlined. After this phase is complete typically the mission is formally 'adopted' and more detailed designs are laid out (Phase B2 or C), including details of the spacecraft, payload, launcher and ground segment. At the end of this phase the mission moves from the 'drawing board' into the construction phase, first of the Engineering Model (pase C) and later of the Flight Model (phase D). The industrial prime contractor that will lead the development, manufacturing, integration and test of the spacecraft and its instruments, is selected after the mission adoption.
Development (Phase C)
During Phase C, two versions of the spacecraft are built: the Structural and Thermal Model (STM) and the Engineering Model (EM). These units are subjected to tough test conditions to replicate the conditions expected during launch, to verify that the satellite's subsystems all work properly together and to ensure their compatibility with the launcher and its ground systems.
A Qualification Model may also be built in this phase to verify system performance with a good margin. It undergoes environmental testing, that includes thermal vacuum tests, where the satellite is placed inside a vacuum chamber with a sun simulator to reproduce the extreme variations in temperature experienced in space.
Vibration tests and acoustic tests replicate the conditions during launch. During vibration tests the spacecraft is progressively shaken at different strengths on a vibrating table, or 'the shaker'. The conditions created are up to 25% more severe than those expected at lift-off.
During acoustic tests, the spacecraft is placed in a reverberating chamber and subjected to very intense noise similar to that it would encounter during launch.
Qualification and production (Phase D)
Once the design is proved beyond doubt and it passes the Critical Design Review, the Flight Model (FM) of the satellite is built (phase D). This is the one that will actually go into space.
Industry from all over Europe contribute with various elements, that are received and integrated by the prime contractor.
Again, the electrical systems are tested to ensure that electrical signals generated by one part of the spacecraft are received and understood by another, as well as communicate with the ground systems. The final tests also check the software, ensuring that it covers all operating modes and flight procedures, and that it can process information correctly. Navigation and and pointing are also tested.
Qualification and acceptance phases can take more than two years. Following the successful conclusion of the Flight Acceptance Review, the spacecraft is ready to be transported to the launch site.


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« Top Curriculum Matters Posts of 2012 | Main | More Anti-Common-Core Rumblings Emerge in Indiana With GOP Bill »
Literature and Nonfiction: Common-Core Advocates Strike Back
As we've told you, a particular slice of the common standards in English/language arts has become pretty flammable lately: the rise of nonfiction reading. The standards' expectation that students read more informational text has sparked fear—some would say misinterpretation—that great works of literature will be displaced from classroom instruction.
Even though mainstream news media have by and large ignored the common standards, this issue got enough traction to break through that quietude, garnering a Page One story in The Washington Post, and even becoming the butt of jokes on National Public Radio's popular "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" show. And the literature-being-squeezed-out people have been just about the only voices in the general-interest media on the issue. The Los Angeles Times ran an editorial saying that regardless of the standards writers' intent to preserve a hefty place for literature, it is sure to take a major hit under the common core.
With all this stuff flying around, education historian and blogger Diane Ravitch opined, it's going to take something big—a major speech, or a partial retraction of the standards, to make the issue go away.
Until recently, the closest we'd come to a major speech on the nonfiction-versus-fiction question was a piece in the Huffington Post by the English/language arts standards' co-authors, David Coleman and Sue Pimentel, insisting that literature "is not being left by the wayside."
The message to rally the troops must have gone out, however. Because since the Coleman/Pimentel piece appeared, the common core's defenders have stepped up to counterbalance the literature-pushout crowd. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation's Kathleen Porter-Magee, for instance, posted a piece arguing that it's a misinterpretation of the standards to say that teachers will have to teach less literature.
In a recent email blast, the Foundation for Excellence in Education—led by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, one of the common core's biggest backers—declaimed the "misinformation flying around" about what will happen to literature under the common standards. "Contrary to reports," it said, "classic literature will not be lost with the implementation of the new standards." A glance at the standards' own suggested text lists, it noted, "reveals that the common core recognizes the importance of balancing great literature and historical nonfiction pieces."
The email directed readers to other recently written articles that "show how this latest attack on common core doesn't withstand fact-checking," including Porter-Magee's piece, an op-ed in The Boston Globe headlined "Required Reading, or Just Misread?,"and a piece by nationally recognized literacy scholar Tim Shanahan titled, "Willful Ignorance and the Informational Text Controversy."
Cultural-literacy guru E.D. Hirsch weighed in on the issue with an essay in The Wall Street Journal. Cari Miller, a policy adviser for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, wrote a post for the group's blog, Ed Fly, arguing that "Don Quixote and To Kill a Mockingbird aren't going anywhere."
The email blast also included an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by former longtime education reporter Alan J. Borsuk, an intriguing inclusion, since that story said that the nonfiction expectations of the standards "almost certainly will mean fewer classics. ..." It also explored, however, the ways that fiction and nonfiction study can weave together to bolster students' engagement in reading, and their skill with it.
Whether this issue lives or dies—and what form it takes if it survives—will be very much worth watching in the coming year.


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Aaron Dykes
March 20, 2013
The former representative from Florida and Tea Party darling, Allen West, has again expressed startling denial over the erosion of civil liberties he helped establish under the National Defense Authorization Act. His most recent comments, given while talking to crowds at last week's CPAC conference, are unsettling to say the least.
In the name of taking on jihadists, the rule of law and protection of individual civil liberties has been purposefully degraded, while the stage is set to declare political dissidents as 'enemy combatants' equivalent to terrorists, and subject to treatment outside of law, even in cases that fall short of actual conflict.
Allen West has supported strong action against terrorists, while denying the dangerous precedents set-up under the NDAA's indefinite detention provisions altogether.
After several previous attempts, activist Anthony Antonello confronted Allen West, who claimed the concern about detention was misplaced, denying that the provision existed to grant the military any such authorization:
"The military can't do that. Have you ever read Posse Comitatus? The military can't do that. You keep going back to something – I sat on the conference committee. I helped to craft that. The military does not have that ability, and you want to talk about the CIA and FBI. The National Defense Authorization Act has nothing to do with those other agencies. The military cannot do that, so I don't know why you keep talking about something that's not there. Every single year there's an NDAA. Every single year there's a document that authorizes the missions for the military so that they can get funding. Now obviously you don't want to see the military authorized, you don't want to see the military funded. No one in the military – how many people have been detained by the military? How many people have been detained by the military?"
Instead, West wrongfully tried to spin it as an effort to undermine military funding. The real issue is slipping attacks on the Bill of Rights into amendments for an appropriations bill that spans hundreds of pages.
The 2012 NDAA, which first added the indefinite detention clause, was amended for 2013, partly to quell widespread opposition to the bill. However, the 2013 version, which was first purported to correct the issue of stripping rights, instead stripped the protection for American citizens and lawful residents that would guarantee due process. Sen. Rand Paul, who initially supported the 2013 NDAA based upon the Feinstein-Lee amendment, withdrew support after revisions clearly posed a constitutional threat.
"The decision by the NDAA conference committee, led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to strip the National Defense Authorization Act of the amendment that protects American citizens against indefinite detention now renders the entire NDAA unconstitutional," said Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
"I voted against NDAA in 2011 because it did not contain the proper constitutional protections. When my Senate colleagues voted to include those protections in the 2012 NDAA through the Feinstein-Lee Amendment last month, I supported this act," Sen. Paul continued. "But removing those protections now takes us back to square one and does as much violence to the Constitution as last year's NDAA. When the government can arrest suspects without a warrant, hold them without trial, deny them access to counsel or admission of bail, we have shorn the Bill of Rights of its sanctity."
Kurt Nimmo quoted Bruce Afran, who is a lawyer involved in suing the government over the NDAA 2012. According to Afran, the provision in 2013 NDAA does specify military detainment.
"The new statute actually states that persons lawfully in the U.S. can be detained under the Authorization for the Use of Military Force [AUMF]. The original (the statute we are fighting in court) never went that far," Afran said. "Therefore, under the guise of supposedly adding protection to Americans, the new statute actually expands the AUMF to civilians in the U.S."
Allen West has spoken frequently in defense of the NDAA, and has vowed to 'put to rest' the rumors about the violations of rights it poses. The Tenth Amendment Center has analyzed West's position on the NDAA, calling his YES vote an act of "treachery."
NDAA: Allen West sets record straight (denying that indefinite detention applies to American citizens or soil)
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