A group of scientists has published a plan for the United States to have all of its energy come from renewable sources by 2050, an ambitious goal that carries a $15 trillion price tag.
Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, and his co-authors drew up the plan based on the capability of existing technology that draws energy from wind, water, and solar (WWS).
South Dakota, for example, would get 60 percent of its energy from inland wind energy, whereas Alabama would only get 5 percent from the same source.
Once completed, half of the nation’s energy supply would come from wind, 45 percent from solar, and the remaining from hydro and geothermal sources. It would call for a little under half a percent of the country’s land to be covered with solar panels and wind turbines.
The estimated cost only covers the construction of renewable energy infrastructure to supply the existing energy needs of the entire country, but assumes that energy-consuming technology, such as automobiles, will naturally convert to being fully powered by electricity—not an unreasonable assumption, given that Tesla plans to introduce a $35,000 electric model in 2017.
The upfront costs of such an endeavor sound daunting, but Jacobson states that making our energy resources renewable will save us money eventually, in the form of fewer visits to the doctor caused by pollution and the other associated costs of a polluted environment.
“WWS is much cheaper over all. [When you take into account] all the health and climate costs, it costs about 17 cents per kilowatt hour,” Jacobson said in a phone interview. “Fossil fuel costs 30 cents per kilowatt hour, when externality costs are included.”
The plan’s timeline has energy supplies switch to 80 percent renewable by 2030, which is not far off from the goals that some states are preparing to set for themselves: California Gov. Jerry Brown has called for the state to get 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, a goal that could soon be codified into law.
California, a leader in renewable energy, obtained 22 percent of its electricity from non-hydro renewable sources in 2014, of which 5 percent came from solar. In the same year, 13 percent of all electricity in the United States was generated from renewable sources.
In May, Hawaii set an even higher goal for itself, aiming for complete reliance on renewables by 2045.
As of 2015, the federal government has spent an average of $39 billion annually in the last five years on renewable energy, with solar generating 0.6 percent of the nation’s electricity.
Because the projection of costs is based on existing technology, the actual price of the plan would almost certainly be lower, as the cost of solar panels and other elements of a renewable infrastructure continue to plummet.
The plan isn’t especially beholden to the latest advancement in technology either. For instance, Elon Musk generated a great deal of buzz about solar energy earlier this year when he unveiled Tesla’s personal solar battery storage, declaring that his goal was to have the entire world run on solar energy.
For Jacobson, Tesla’s announcement was not a vital breakthrough, as the cheapest form of storage wouldn’t be in batteries but through thermal.
As audacious as the plan might sound, there are already other countries that have established similar goals for themselves. Late last year, Denmark pledged to commit to 100 percent reliance on renewable energy by 2050. Yet in comparison with the United States, it has a much bigger head start: It already gets 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources.


(Mo"ha) n. (Bot.) A kind of millet (Setaria Italica); German millet.
(Mo"hair`) n. [F. moire, perh. from Ar. mukhayyar a kind of coarse camelot or haircloth; but
prob. fr. L. marmoreus of marble, resembling marble. Cf. Moire, Marble.] The long silky hair or wool
of the Angora goat of Asia Minor; also, a fabric made from this material, or an imitation of such fabric.
(Mo*ham"med*an) a. [From Mohammed, fr. Ar. muhámmad praiseworthy, highly praised.]
Of or pertaining to Mohammed, or the religion and institutions founded by Mohammed. [Written also
Mahometan, Mahomedan, Muhammadan, etc.]
(Mo*ham"med*an), n. A follower of Mohammed, the founder of Islamism; one who professes
Mohammedanism or Islamism.
(Mo*ham"med*an*ism, Mo*ham"med*ism) n. The religion, or doctrines and precepts,
of Mohammed, contained in the Koran; Islamism.
(Mo*ham"med*an*ize, Mo*ham"med*ize) v. t. To make conformable to the principles,
or customs and rites, of Mohammedanism. [Written also Mahometanize.]
1. (Ethnol.) One of a tribe of Indians who formed part of the Five Nations. They formerly inhabited the
valley of the Mohawk River.
2. One of certain ruffians who infested the streets of London in the time of Addison, and took the name
from the Mohawk Indians. [Slang] Spectator. Macaulay.
(Mo*hi"cans) n. pl.; sing. Mohican (Ethnol.) A tribe of Lenni-Lenape Indians who formerly
inhabited Western Connecticut and Eastern New York. [Written also Mohegans.]
(||Mo"ho) n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) A gallinule (Notornis Mantelli) formerly inhabiting New Zealand,
but now supposed to be extinct. It was incapable of flight. See Notornis.
(Mo"hock) n. See Mohawk.
(||Mo*ho"li) n. (Zoöl.) See Maholi.
(Mohr) n. (Zoöl.) A West African gazelle having horns on which are eleven or twelve very prominent
rings. It is one of the species which produce bezoar. [Written also mhorr.]
(Mo"hur) n. [Hind., fr. Per. muhur, muhr, a gold coin, a seal, seal ring.] A British Indian gold
coin, of the value of fifteen silver rupees, or $7.21. Malcom.


The blade of an ice skate is the origin of every force that a skater makes. Having a properly sharpened skating blade is essential to the performance of the skate and skater. If you skate, you should learn not only how to sharpen skates but to also check the sharpening job of a professional as well as know the theory behind skate sharpening and construction. Different skating disciplines have different blades, some have a greater curvature, some have toe picks, and some are shorter so as not to tangle with a partner's skates. Whatever the skating discipline, all skates have 2 edges and a hollow that need to be maintained during sharpening.
1Sharpen your skates. There are several different reasons behind sharpening your skates.
- If you have just purchased new skates, sharpen them.
- If you feel less secure while skating, sharpen the skates.
- If you experience an unexpected sideways slide movement in the skate, get the skates sharpened.
- If you need to adjust the blade of your skates to the condition of the ice, you should sharpen them. Many hockey players will sharpen their skates before every game or in between periods after learning more about the ice they will play on.
- If the skate blades appear dull and fail to reflect light, consider sharpening them.
2Understand the skate blade sharpening process. The bottom edge of the skate blade is ground out with a circular cross section. The radius of this circle is called the Radius of Hollow (ROH).
- Shorter ROHs have deeper hollows. Deeper hollows tend to hold the ice better and be slower.
- The ROH desired will depend on the individual and the sport they are involved in.
- Larger ROHs may allow you to go longer between sharpening. They allow the skater to skate faster, but are less maneuverable than a shorter hollow.
3Understand the rocker radius. Skates have a curve from front to back called the rocker. The amount of curve a rocker has is called the rocker radius.
- Rockers with a larger radius are faster and more stable and are often sought after by speed skaters.
- Dancers and figure skaters desire a shorter radius for more maneuverability.
4Do a quick sharpening of the skate edges. Use a hand-held whetstone to gently hone the edge of the skates. This will freshen the edge slightly and may be useful in removing small nicks.
5Purchase a sharpening machine with a grinding wheel. Buy one that has the same ROH and width of your blades.
6Clamp the skate into the specially designed holder for holding the skate perpendicular to the grinding wheel, and gently guide the skate across the wheel. Remove just enough metal from the bottom of the blade to renew the edges.
- This requires a steady hand to grind the blade evenly all the way across.
7Check the blade to see if the centerline of the hollow is halfway between the 2 sides of the blade.
8Use a small machinist's square to check that the edges are square with the side of the skate blade.Ad
We could really use your help!
Asking Permission to Go Out?
Time Filling Strategies?
- If a blade becomes deeply nicked or cracked, replace it immediately or an injury may occur.
- Newly sharpened skates will have a satin sheen.
Things You'll Need
- Skate-sharpening machine
- Small machinist's square


Valley of Fire State Park
The Valley of Fire is located just six short miles from Lake Mead, and a scant fifty miles from Las Vegas, Nevada via Interstate 15. The Valley of fire is the oldest and largest state park in Nevada and gets its name from the red coloration of the sandstone formations that lure in visitors to the stark beauty that is the Mojave.
Historical wonders abound here with ancient trees, rocks and petrified wood as well as Indian Petroglyphs that are determined to be over three thousand years old. Some activities that can be pursued here include camping, hiking picnics and of course photography.
The park also offers you a full service visitors center that is open year round to give you access to group use areas as well as extensive displays that will help you to understand and interpret what you see here.
Those who used the park have done so over myriad times throughout history. Among the prehistoric users of the Valley of Fire you will find evidence of the Basket Maker peoples, as well as the Anasazi from the nearby Moapa Valley, a fertile farmland that gave them life from about 300 BC forward to 1000 Ad.
The visits of these people to the valley were most likely partly to find food, to hunt and also to gather as well as to avail themselves of the use of the area for religious ceremonies. The scarcity of water in the area would have meant that whatever was drunk there must in fact be carried in and so their time there would have been limited.
Some truly awe inspiring examples of rock art were left by these and other ancient peoples who populated the park over time and will be seen in many different sites over the park.
Geology of the Park — The Valley of fire as previously mentioned owes its name to the vast array of red sandstone, which was formed from shifting of the sand dunes during the dinosaur ages, about 100 million years in the past. Some very complex uplifting of the region, as well as faulting which was followed by extensive and broad spectrum erosion created the landscape that we see today. The rock formations also include shale, limestone and other conglomerated minerals.
Ecology — The Valley of Fire is dominated by wide ranging creosote, burro and brittle bushes which create very nearly their own ecosystem there. Many species of cacti including cholla, beaver tail and barrel cacti are also present and in fact very common. The area is also blessed in springtime with a wide array of desert blooms that make for magnificent photography with indigo bushes, desert marigold and mallow particularly spectacular in their coloration of the desert landscape.
Some of the more plentiful wildlife will include ravens, desert finches, sage sparrows and the ever popular roadrunner as well as lizard, jack rabbit, spotted skunk, fox, coyote and antelope. If you are very fortunate you will see a desert tortoise which the area is famous for. These are protected and may not be removed or harmed as they are rare species, protected by law. If you see one of these most peaceful animals please leave it as you found it, to its own environment.
Some of the more interesting places to visit in the Valley of Fire include:
Outstanding examples of ancient Indian rock art or petroglyphs, including a depiction of the atlatl (at'-lat-l), a notched stick used to throw primitive spears. The atlatl was a predecessor to the bow and arrow. The adjacent Atlatl Rock Campground provides a modern restroom and shower building.
Near Atlatl Rock Campground is the more primitive Arch Rock Campground with its more secluded campsites. A two mile scenic loop road provides views of some of the Valley's most interesting rock formations, such as Arch Rock and Piano Rock.
Unusual sandstone formations weathered by the eroding forces of wind and water. Nearby are three group camping areas, available by reservation only.
Now a picnic area, these historic stone cabins were built with native sandstone by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in the 1930's as a shelter for passing travelers.
Historic monument honors a pioneer traveler.
Fire Canyon/Silica Dome
From this vantage point there is an excellent view of the deep red sandstone of Fire Canyon and the unique geological features of Silica Dome.
Named for a renegade Indian who used the area as a hideout in the 1890's. Mouse's Tank is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after rainfalls, sometimes remaining for months. A half-mile round trip trail leads to Mouse's Tank from the trail head parking area, passing numerous examples of prehistoric Indian petroglyphs.
Logs and stumps washed into the area from an ancient forest about 225 million years ago are exposed in two locations.
A favorite photo point with a panoramic view of multicolored sandstone.
Fascinating red rock formations are easily accessible from the road. Picnic areas provide a relaxing stop during your Valley tour.
Sandstone formations with brilliant contrasting colors; picnic area and trail head. White Domes is an 11 mile round trip drive from the Visitor Center. Duck Rock is a short hike away.
The visitor center at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada provides exhibits on the geology, ecology, prehistory and history of the park and the nearby region. Open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Winters are mild with temperatures ranging from freezing to 75 degrees. Daily summer highs usually exceed 100 degrees and may reach 120 degrees Spring and fall are the preferred seasons for visiting the Valley of Fire for obvious reasons.


BALTIMORE (August 17, 2012) – The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has identified the influenza virus strain influenza A (H3N2v), in six Queen Anne’s County residents (five children and one adult) who had direct contact with pigs. In addition, the Maryland Department of Agriculture identified influenza A with a similar testing pattern in pigs from four Queen Anne’s County farms with which the sick people had contact. The pig testing is preliminary and will be confirmed by additional testing. H3N2v is the same virus strain that has been found recently in a number of other states.
Human cases of this influenza strain have been identified in eight other states, including West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The virus was first detected in humans in 2011. Since July 2012, CDC has reported 224 cases of H3N2v. Nationally, there have been eight hospitalizations and no deaths. Most cases have occurred in children, and almost all cases have had contact with swine. In some rare cases, the virus seems to have spread from person-to-person. So far, spread has not continued beyond one or two people.
As a result of the positive tests, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health inspectors are on heightened surveillance, monitoring pigs at agricultural fairs around the state more closely for flu-like symptoms. Pigs with any suspicious symptoms or characteristics will be tested on site, with samples sent to the MDA Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory in Salisbury, which was recently approved by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory for the testing of swine flu. Fairs are currently underway in Montgomery and Worcester Counties. MDA has also sent outreach and education materials, as well as made personal contact, with fair sponsors, extension agents, veterinarians and fair liaisons, to educate them about swine flu and precautions that should be taken. Private veterinarians who encounter swine with suspected influenza like illness should contact the State Veterinarian at 410-841-5810 or (after hours at: 410-841-5971.)
Influenza is an infection caused by the influenza virus. It can affect people and other animals, including pigs and birds. There are vaccines against some strains. There is also medication that can be used to treat an influenza infection. Most people recover from illness without receiving medication; however certain people are at higher risk for complications of influenza. Those at higher risk are children under five, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic heart, lung, liver, kidney and neurologic conditions or immunosuppression.
The spread of influenza, including the possible spread of H3N2v, between humans can be prevented by:
· Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
· Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand rub may be used.
· Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
· Trying to avoid close contact with sick people.
· If you are sick, staying home from work or school.
· Getting the seasonal influenza vaccine when it becomes available. Although it is not effective against H3N2v, it is protective against other common strains of influenza.
The spread of influenza between pigs and humans can be prevented by:
· Washing your hands frequently with soap and running water before and after exposure to animals.
· Never eating, drinking or putting things in your mouth in animal areas.
· Considering avoiding exposure to pigs and swine barns this summer, especially if sick pigs have been identified and if you are high risk of complications from influenza.
· Watching your farm animals, including pigs, for signs of illness and calling a veterinarian if you suspect they might be sick.
· Avoiding close contact with animals that look or act ill, and
· Avoiding contact with pigs if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
DHMH recommends that people with influenza-like illness who have risk factors for complications or with serious illness contact their healthcare provider and inform them if they have had pig contact within the past seven days.
“Information on Swine Influenza/Variant Influenza Viruses” is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/


Researchers are combing through satellite data, applying deep learning algorithms and using other techniques as they attempt to better understand hurricanes. For example, Hussam Mahmoud of Colorado State University is involved with a project to more accurately predict the damage caused by hurricanes that make landfall.
How data can improve the response to natural disasters
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Scratching your brain to figure out the difference between thesis writing and a dissertation? If you are a final year student or working on scientific projects of a Ph.D., the degree will be required to write a thesis, research paper, or dissertation.
Let us discuss deeply the distinctions between a thesis, a dissertation, and a research paper.
Dissertation: It is a paper that is written for a university degree or diploma. Individual researchers can also start writing a Ph.D. dissertation.
Thesis Writing: A qualified scientific research document written by students in order to acquire an education degree or credentials during their university education.
Research papers: It is a type of academic paper that is usually written as part of a class necessity. You must conduct objective research when conducting research.
After you've completed it, you'll need to write a summary of your findings. Furthermore, you present your thoughts and arguments on the subject at hand.
The inner core of such papers is something that all three of these have in widespread. In each of them, you'll find an initiation, review of literature, methodology of the study, results, conversation, and summary.
dissertation, on the other way, you must conduct your own research.
A thesis is shorter than a dissertation and gets less time to accomplish. A dissertation, on the other hand, is longer and takes more time to complete.
In order to uncover your decision in the dissertation, you must have a good understanding of new discoveries.
However, a hypothesis based on your research work must be included in a thesis.
Mostly in a particular instance of a thesis, you are eligible for a scholarship, whereas, in the case of a dissertation, you are not.
In order to write a thesis, you must first study a specific topic, analyze it, and ask a question on the findings. You must be sympathetic to the topic you are working on. When writing a thesis, you must think critically gather information in great detail. Individuals must choose a subject for their Thesis Writing that is most relevant to the expert specialized field they want to continue. A thesis should be at least pages long, if not more.
In a Thesis writing services , you must conduct all of your research on your own because your facilitator will only be able to provide limited guidance. Another option is to hire a published author to assist you with your thesis. In contrast to a thesis, a dissertation makes use of other people's research for inspiration. It's up to you to prove your own hypothesis, theory, or concept. When a thesis and a dissertation are compared, the latter is longer. A dissertation entails a significant amount of research data.
Step 1: Choose a methodological approach that interests you.
Step 2: Choose an endeavor that is special.
Step 3: Related to your project, ask well-defined questions.
Step 4: Take a glance at educational initiatives that integrate employable skills.
Step 5: Visualize your final publications
Finally, Academic papers are distinguished by a number of factors. The most essential thing, regardless of the technique or intention of these papers, is that students demonstrate their textual abilities. Furthermore, Thesis writing help to improves your knowledge of various aspects of the subject.


Over the past few years, the number of women whose doctors have suggested that they get an MRI after a breast cancer diagnosis has increased dramatically. But does this mean that these women are getting better, more effective medical care? Probably not, as a study presented at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology earlier this month revealed.
There is no evidence that having an MRI will improve your chances of surviving your cancer. What it will do, though, is make it more likely that you will have a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy. Why? Because the super sensitive MRI is finding spots that were not seen on the mammogram.
To most people, this sounds like a good thing. But thatâ€™s why when it comes to treating cancer, itâ€™s important to question our assumptions. Those of us who have been in this field for a long time have been reminded of this again and again. In fact, many of us have seen this same situation before.
In the “old” days when we were beginning to study whether lumpectomy followed by radiation would be as effective as mastectomy, several studies were done where a lumpectomy was performed prior to the mastectomy. This allowed researchers to study the tissue that would have been left behind if only a lumpectomy had been performed. These studies found that there were times when specks of cancer would have been left behind after the lumpectomy, and they were used to argue against lumpectomy. But the radiation given after a lumpectomy will take care of those specks. How do we know? Because studies have shown that women who have a lumpectomy followed by radiation have the same survival rates as do women who have a mastectomy. So, the fact that these specks are there isnâ€™t new. Itâ€™s just that the use of MRI after mammography has focused our attention on them again. But nothing has really changed. More is not better.
But wait, youâ€™re saying, itâ€™s been all over the news that Christina Applegateâ€™s breast cancer was found because she had an MRI. That may be true, but thatâ€™s confusing the issue. This study looked at MRI after a cancer had been found on a mammography. Christina Applegate has been encouraging women to have an MRI to screen for breast cancer. But the fact is, MRI is not a great screening tool for all women. The problem is that MRI all too often results in a false positive result, which leads to unnecessary worry and medical testing. Further, because MRI only spots lesions that have lots of blood vessels, it may miss the slow-growing cancers that have only a small number of blood vessels. For high-risk women like Christina Applegate, who had a BRCA mutation, there may be some advantages to MRI screening. Thatâ€™s why in March 2007, the American Cancer Society updated its cancer screening recommendations to suggest that all high-risk women receive annual MRI screening in addition to mammography. But for most women, mammography remains the best screening tool.