134th Tibetan self immolates

134th Tibetan self immolates (1)
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Outside a police station in Amchok, Tibet today, a 33-year-old man self immolated in protest of Chinese rule.

The man, one Sangye Khar, self immolated during a time of celebration in Tibet which had been marked by self immolations in the past, and his body was carried away by Chinese military police. Tibetans nearby protested the removal of the body, and the situation was reported to be tense, according to the International Campaign for Tibet.

134th Tibetan self immolates (1)The action took place on an anniversary celebrated by Tibetans: a religious festival commemorating the death of the founder of a particular school of Tibetan Buddhism called Gelugpa (Yellow Hat), to which both the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama belong.

The festival celebration was attended by masses of pilgrims–as well as camouflaged military troop–at Lhasa’s Jokhang temple.

Since 2009, at least 134 Tibetans have self immolated in protest of Chinese authority in Tibet, counting Sangye. All told, 140 people have self immolated for the cause. China has ruled Tibet since conquering it in 1959. Speaking in favor of their exiled spiritual high leader the Dalai Lama, as well as sharing words and singing or listening to songs that voice a desire for independence or greater autonomy from Chinese rule, are among the crimes for which Tibetans are regularly sentenced to multi-year jail terms.

Many of these political prisoners have died of torture in prison.

Read more: Tibetan protester dies six years into 15-year prison sentence, two days after release

Three other Tibetans had self immolated on the same day of the year in 2012.

The most previous two self immolations in Tibet also took place outside police stations.

Read more: 138th Self Immolation in Protest of Chinese Rule in Tibet

Sangye hailed from Khyungri Thang villiage in Amchok, Sangchu, Kanlho, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He is survived by two daughters.

More details were unavailable due to the media restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibetans.

Photos: International Campaign for Tibet

 

Greenland’s ice sheets melting faster than we know

Greenland's ice sheets melting faster than we know
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If global warming is not a concern for many yet, the fast pace at which the icy landmass of Greenland is melting should be something to think about. New research has suggested that Greenland is melting at a pace quicker than the one earlier models predicted.

According to new research by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, it is estimated that if Greenland’s ice sheet melted, sea level would rise six meters (or 20 feet), causing grave threats such as floods and storms, and displace millions as it happened.

In the 20th century alone, the sea level rose by 6.7 inches and it is estimated that this number will only increase, roughly by two to five times–an alarming 11 to 37 inches–by the turn of the 22nd century, according to the latest report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

To prove their point, scientists have collected data from NASA’s ICESat spacecraft and Operation IceBridge, plotting the elevation of 100,000 sites on Greenland from 1993 to 2012. According to the research, Greenland has already lost an average of 243 gigatons of ice during the period between 2003 and 2009, adding 0.027 inches to the sea level per year.

Post-analysis, researchers were able to make estimations on the amount of ice that has melted over the years. A quite intricate melting pattern in itself, scientists believe that although they cannot conclusively predict the amount of ice that will melt in Greenland in the future, the data does underline the degree of dilemma we face with regards to glacial melting now.

Beata Csatho, a study author and professor of Geology at the University at Buffalo said of past findings, “My personal opinion is that most of the predictions of this as far as Greenland is concerned are too low.”

Csatho and her colleagues found the complex pattern hard to decipher and interpret in layman’s terms because a drop in the temperature thickens the ice, instead of melting it.

To understand the research better, scientists divided Greenland’s glaciers into seven groups based on characteristics of their melting pattern from 2003 to 2009. “Understanding the groupings will help us pick out examples of glaciers that are representative of the whole. We can then use data from these representative glaciers in models to provide a more complete picture of what is happening.” Csatho concluded.

The researcher pointed out that the currently-used model ignores the extensive ice loss in southeastern Greenland, which, after all, contributes to more than half of the ice loss in Greenland. Another issue the research noted was that current predictions are based on data is being from Kangerlussuaq, Petermann, Helheim, and Jakobshavn, a team that measured only four of Greenland’s 242 glaciers. The other 238 glaciers exhibit different behaviours throughout the year, according to the researchers–a fact that has been ignored and probably contributed to the recently discovery of a rate of melting that is quite different from what was thought before.

Analysis by Rathan Paul Harshavardan

Image: NASA

Canadian industry jobs on the rise–in green energy sector–as oil and gas prices slump

Canadian industry jobs on the rise--in green energy sector--as oil and gas prices slum
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As gas prices plummet and many O&G workers face unemployment in the upcoming year, a new report has charted the transition from oil and gas to green energy in Canada. Better prospects for jobs–sun, wind and water are more widely distributed across the nation than oil fields–and clean energy business opportunities exist in many areas that have so far not been exploited, according to Clean Energy Canada, which undertook the research. Communications Director James Glave explained some of the details about when and how the fast-approaching energy revolution will happen, as well as about the remaining questions–and challenges–of the new frontier.

“Canada-wide, working class citizens travel to oil and gas areas to work in industry. Looking at the two energy industries–oil and gas and clean energy–what is their future with regards to employment,” James Glave, communications director at Clean Energy Canada, told The Speaker.

Canadian industry jobs on the rise--in green energy sector--as oil and gas prices slum
James Glave

Glave commented specifically on the future of Canadian employment in the two markets–oil and gas and clean energy.

“Oil and gas jobs are inextricably tied to the physical locations of fossil-fuel deposits; resource sector families have long struggled with the separation of loved ones, who travel to and from work in often-remote camps,” said Glave.

“While renewable-energy project sites are similarly often also located in remote sites–as an example, I’d cite the Forest Kerr run-of-river project in remote northwestern British Columbia–clean-energy resources such as wind, sun, and water are distributed widely across the country. Opportunities exist for building and maintaining clean-energy generation from coast to coast to coast. Further, beyond putting iron in the ground, the opportunities to innovate clean energy products and services–for example, energy efficiency control software–exist anywhere, but to date have largely centred around clean tech ‘clusters’ in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.”

Clean Energy Canada’s report, “Tracking the Energy Revolution: Canada,” found that people working for green energy companies already outnumber those who work in the so-called tar sands. In the last five years, $25 billion has been invested in the sector, and green energy work has risen 37 percent.

Capacity and sales are up as well. Solar, wind, river and biomass plant power is up 93 percent since 2009, and electric vehicle sales doubled one year (2012-2013), to list just two notable examples from the organizations findings.

However, there is no real choice between the two sectors. The future of energy is clean, and it is really a matter of when and how, according to Glave.

“The transformation of Canadian and global energy systems is inevitable,” he said. “As to when, the answer is some combination of what is possible and what is necessary.”

He spoke of Canadian energy potentials.

“On the what’s possible side, we turn to the work of Stanford University’s Mark Jacobsen. His team’s work demonstrates that on a global basis, it is possible to produce all new energy with wind, water, and solar by 2030, and possible to replace all existing energy with these sources by 2050. ‘Barriers to the plan are primarily social and political, not technological or economic,’ he writes ‘The energy cost in a wind, water and sun world should be similar to that today.’ We don’t yet have the modelling in place to confirm what specifically this means for carbon-rich Canada, but we do know that we need a plan to manage this transition to minimize economic and employment disruption.”

“As for the necessary date, the United Nations Environment Programme recently pegged it at 2070. That is the year by which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirms that the world must cut net CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion to ZERO if humanity is to avoid ‘severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.’ By the end of this century, ALL greenhouse gas emissions–including methane, nitrous oxide and ozone, as well as CO2–must fall to net zero or even go negative, the UN says.”

Glave provided some analysis on what Canadians should be aware of with regard to the funding of the clean energy revolution.

“Canada’s fossil fuel sector has generated and continues to generate tremendous wealth,” noted Glave. “Other oil-rich nations, particularly Norway, have done an excellent job of setting aside proceeds from oil revenues; Norway now has a near-trillion-dollar nest egg that will likely help that nation with this inevitable economic transition. Canada has not done this, though our polling suggests that strong public support exists for such an idea. It’s going to be tough to catch up and embrace a Norway-style at this late date, so the funding will likely be some combination of financing from the growing private-sector investment and targeted public support–the same kind that got the oil sands off the ground many years ago.”

References:

Stanford

The Guardian

Shinzō Abe and Abenomics to return for a third term In Japan

Shinzō Abe and Abenomics to return for a third term In Japan
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For Japan’s Premier Shinzō Abe, Abenomics, a three point economic strategy to revive Japan, will be the first task he has to attend to after his landslide victory in the Lower House election was announced on Monday this week.

Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Kōmeitō Party, its junior ruling coalition member, swept the election by winning 326, a whopping two-thirds of the 475 seats, recording a low voter turnout nonetheless.

Despite winning the election by a landslide, only 52.66 percent of the population was recorded at the polling turnout. This is 6.66 points down from the previous election in 2012 which saw the LDP return to power ending rival Democratic Party of Japan’s first term in power. Political analysts noted that a lack of strong opposition parties, not support for Abe won him this election.

At the conference in the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, a triumphant Abe said, “We will keep prioritizing the economic agenda. We will spread (the benefits) of economic recovery to all across the country.” In order to boost Japan’s potential for growth in the future, Abenomics, the three “arrow” economic policy of more fiscal spending, structural reforms and aggressive monetary easing is what Abe promised to pursue as he announced his victory at the press conference on Monday afternoon.

The landslide victory for Abe, is an indication of the presence of few rivals internally that will challenge him at the LDP’s presidential election next year. For Abe, who has led the country as its prime minster since his second win in 2012, this win is an augury of his possible third term as the island nation’s returning leader.

The National Diet or Kokkai, Japan’s bicameral legislature is expected to hold a special session on Dec. 24 re-electing Abe for his third term, following which he will have to choose his new Cabinet. The public broadcasting network Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) reports that Abe intends to retain his Cabinet as is, although he made no comments on it, only deferring it to the future when pressed about the issue.

In his argument on Sunday, Abe believed that re-electing his coalition meant that voters endorsed his security policies for Japan, even though they are linked to a somewhat controversial reinterpretation of the pacifist Constitution. A long-held ambition, Abe is likely to call a national referendum on revising the Constitution, although it is in his best interest to tread softly on the issue. For his part, the premier pledged to enact the right of collective self-defence in the Diet session in January saying, “Of course voters gave support (to the planned security bills). We will carry out what we have promised.”

After an independent candidate joined the LDP late on Sunday, the total count came to 291 while the New Kōmeitō recorded 35 seats, and the others made up the rest. The next challenge for Shinzō Abe, will be the Upper House election in summer 2016, a move that will aid Abe in his quest to pursue amendments in the Constitution although, the charter has to be initiated by a two-thirds majority vote in both the Lower and Upper houses, before it is given the stamp of public approval in a national referendum.

Analysis by Rathan Paul Harshavardan

Sources:

The Japan Times – Breakdown of the Seats

Flickr Image Source

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Channel 4 report leads to arrest of twitter user @ShamiWitness

Channel 4 report leads to arrest of twitter user @ShamiWitness
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Pro-ISIS tweeter Mehdi Masroor Biswas aka @ShamiWitness is a 24-year-old man believed to be the person operating under the handle and followed by many jihadist fighters according to officials who arrested Biswas in Bengaluru city, India on Saturday.

Biswas’ Twitter account had a record 17,700 followers before it was shut down following a report by Britain’s Channel 4 News. A quick search reveals another account @ShamiWitness, who describes himself as having “Studied and became a qualified cyber-sheikh, Unemployed, Twitter 24/7, Dawla fanclub and it’s apostasy if you hate Dawla!” The handler is followed by 199 users, tweeted 18 times, the last time on Nov. 18 and contains extremist propaganda.

The offensive tweets on the previously deleted account linked to [email protected], included messages praising fallen jihadists as martyrs of the faith, information for would-be recruits and footage of executions.

L R Pachuau, the police director general for the Bengaluru police in a press conference credited “credible intelligence inputs” that led to the arrest of the junior executive who works for a food conglomerate. In the early hours of Dec. 13, a team raided Biswas’ one-room apartment and seized his laptop, phone and other documents for evidence.

Of Biswas at the conference, Pauchau revealed that the millenial worked at an office in the day and spread his social media propaganda via Twitter, at night. He “ferociously” tweeted late at night after gathering information from various TV and web 2.0 news sites discussing anything related to ISIS or activity by the terrorist outfit in the Iraq and Syria region.

Particularly close to English-speaking terrorists, Biswas became the source of “incitement and information” for the youth interested in joining ISIS. Pauchau says, “ Through his social media propaganda, he abetted [Isis] in its agenda to wage war against the Asiatic powers.”

For now, the Indian police have arrested Biswas on charges of assisting war against the state. Following his arrest Biswas, who denies any wrongdoing, was quoted saying, “I’ve not harmed anybody, I haven’t broken any laws of the country, haven’t waged any war against the Republic of India … I’ve not waged any war against any allies of India.”

Channel 4 also quoted Biswas saying that he would leave everything and join the ISIS if it were not for his family who financially depended on him.

Dr. Mekail Biswas, a retired assistant engineer of the West Bengal State Electricity Board and a homeopathy practitioner believes that this is a case of mistaken identity and labeling Muslims as terrorists. He says, “You know being Muslim, we are easily identified as terrorists,” said Dr Mekail Biswas. “The days are so hard now. But I can tell you that my son … has done nothing wrong. If he has landed in trouble it is because some enemy is after him.”

By Rathan Paul Harshavardan

The Israeli Druze: soldiers and citizens

The Israeli Druze: soldiers and citizens
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In this in-depth guest post, Israeli soldier Josh Green, who has lived and worked side by side with the Israel’s Druze population, paints a picture of his experience and and familiarity with a group that accounts for a significant portion of the IDF. 

The Druze have a total population of around 1-2 million. The largest community lives in Syria. Approximately 130,000 Druze live in Israel, and have served among the front lines of the Israeli army since 1956. It is estimated that over 83 percent of eligible Israeli Druze enlist in the army–above even the Jewish enlistment rate of 75 percent. Druze, who according to research by Tel Aviv University, predominently and increasingly self-identify as “Druze-Isrelis,” also increasingly are joining elite units of the IDP rather than the official Druze batallion, Herev.


The Druze population of Israel (and the world at large) is a confusing and mysterious one. This is partially intentional on their part and partly due to lack of media attention and widespread familiarity. To understand who the Israeli Druze are, first we must explore what it is to be Druze. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds. The Druze culture and religion is heavily steeped in esotericism, therefore there are few hard facts that we can confirm relating to their religion. What we do know (and what I know personally from Druze friends that I proudly serve with) is The Israeli Druze: soldiers and citizensthat their religion is monotheistic, loosely based on the tenets of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and comprised of levels. They have basically the same moral values as Christianity, Judaism and Islam, with minor changes. The Druze have a strong aversion to iconography and images of god and idols are forbidden; however, they do have certain symbols, such as the five colored star representing the limits of humanity and the difference between a human soul and an animal. The five-colored star also incorporates phi, the golden ratio, as a way to express the Druze ideal of a life of moderation and temperance. The Druze believe that some wisdom from their sages and holy books is too powerful for the uninitiated and those who are not learned enough, and so the elders hide it and reveal it only to those they deem worthy. Many young Druze have no idea why they perform certain rituals, and refuse to explain why they perform others. There is no conversion in the Druze religion whatsoever, meaning that someone born Druze stays that way regardless of whether they convert to another religion, as conversion is not recognized. There is also no way to become Druze for someone not born into it.

The Druze are very proud of their culture and heritage and take offense easily when criticized or questioned too much. Insults are taken very seriously in their culture, especially those relating to female members of the family. Probably the worst thing you can call a Druze person is Arab. The Israeli Druze soldiers and citizensThey are often mistaken for Arabs due to their appearance and language, but this is incredibly insulting to them. Insulting a Druze person is very dangerous and can be hazardous to your health and should therefore be avoided at all costs. Despite how protective many Druze are of the women in their families, the women have almost the same religious rights and and responsibilities, though they are less represented in the military than the men. The Druze are similar to the Sikhs in that they take pride in being warriors and defending their country, but it is more based on nationalism as opposed to glorification of battle. A very important part of Druze doctrine and culture relates to loyalty. They believe that loyalty to the nation comes before loyalty to other Druze (outside of the immediate family, as far as I understand it), and the Israeli Druze originally volunteered for the IDF shortly after the birth of the nation. Now they are drafted for compulsory military service just like Jews and other ethnic groups. Druze citizens of Israel are Israelis first and Druze second.

This was especially visible in the wars Israel fought with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, as they all have significant Druze minorities. In many of these wars there were prominent Druze on both sides, and both sides fought viciously to the end. The conflict is most pronounced in the somewhat disputed Golan Heights, where some 20,000 Druze live. Some of them are not sure whether they should be fighting as Syrians under occupation, or as Israelis. From what I am told, the dedication to country first is somehow religiously motivated, but the people I asked refused to elaborate. Regardless, those who live in the Golan and in Judea and Samaria, whose fate is uncertain, could go from being Israelis to being enemies of Israel because they live somewhere that got traded as part of some treaty or agreement. The Druze are unreservedly loyal, and many see the army as a path to advancement, which, of course, it is. In Israel, the first question any prospective employer will ask is about your army service. It serves as an indicator of a person’s talents, determination, physical ability, and leadership skills. For example, former officers are very desirable employees, as the IDF officers’ course is very competitive and many are rejected, and many of those accepted are dropped partway through. Being an officer shows leadership skills, intelligence, determination and talent. Other army positions like general combat soldiers, translators, medics, etc show prospective employers that the ex soldier can handle stressful situations, or has good command of multiple languages, or has medical knowledge and experience.

In the army, Druze are very valuable because of their language skills. Their first language is Arabic and they learn Hebrew in school, therefore they are theoretically bilingual. In practice of course, there are those who speak fluent Arabic, Hebrew and English, and those who speak mostly Arabic and can only get by in Hebrew. Despite the disparity, Druze are often elevated to high positions where their language skills will be of use The Israeli Druze soldiers and citizens (2)and are also often found in special forces units. This is partially due to their appearance (very close to Arabs) and language skills, allowing them to pass as Arab if needed, and partially due to their determination to succeed and to serve their country. I had a Druze officer in basic training and in my operational service, and he was an incredible officer, a perfect example of a good soldier and he took care of his men, as an officer should. Not only that, he is also around six and a half feet tall and 250 pounds, very little of it fat. Despite his height and bulk, he is unbelievably fast and silent, moving like moonlight on a waterfall, disarming a knife-wielding opponent with a quick burst of violence. He was intimidating in Krav Maga (IDF hand to hand combat) classes to say the least. One second we would square off, and then next I would be in pain, on my back, with no idea how I had arrived there. Even so, he was (and I assume he remains) a patient and effective teacher, and he was a tough commander, but was always there for his men when they needed him. When we were at checkpoints or dealing with terrorists we had arrested, he was always very rough with the Arabs, and it was almost as though he hated them. I asked him about it, and he said that not only are they hurting his country and his friends, but also have similar religious tenets and beliefs, and to see terrorists pervert Islam like that makes him angry. He said “there can be no good reason for hurting innocent people if it can be avoided at all, and targeting them on purpose is unforgiveable”. Many Druze share his point of view, and it is common knowledge in the army that Druze often hate the terrorists more than the other Israelis serving in the army do. Their unquestionable loyalty and dedication to Israel only amplifies their value and increases mainstream Israelis’ appreciation for them.

Despite all of these great qualities and the impact Druze soldiers have in the army, they are not so well known. Most Israelis know very little about the Druze outside of the basic common knowledge. Druze can often be seen in shuks (outdoor markets where haggling is the norm) and malls with stands selling their distinctive Druze laffa bread baked on an enormous inverted bowl, which is then liberally smeared with Labaneh (a type of cheese spread) and za’atar (a popular spice made with sesame seeds and other ingredients), or whatever the customer requests. The Druze at the kiosks are usually wearing traditional clothing and head coverings, as Druze custom and religion dictates modesty among men and women alike; however many younger Druze have more modern attitudes toward dress and dating. Druze can also often be seen guarding checkpoints as civilian contractors after the army, as well as guarding gates of Jewish villages and towns in the West Bank. The civilian contractors who facilitate high risk security jobs only take the best, and Druze are among the most desirable for these jobs due to their unflinching loyalty and natural suspicion (Druze have been persecuted by mainstream and radical Islam for centuries). The Druze are a perfect example of the diversity of Israel. Even though they are very different in language, appearance, religion, culture, and live in their own villages (by their own choice) somewhat separated from the rest of Israel, they are accepted and loved and considered an integral part of Israeli society. They serve as soldiers, guards, doctors, lawyers, interpreters, and scientists. It is a shame that they are not as well known or well represented, but maybe that is because there are only 130,000 or so in Israel. I am proud to serve next to the Druze soldiers of the IDF, and we as a whole are proud to have such dedicated and loyal citizens.

By Josh Green.

Josh Green is currently serving as a combat soldier in the IDF, and was active during the most recent war in Gaza.

Even a single mine can damage fish habitats miles downstream – study

“Mines have a much stronger influence on fishes than has been assumed," Dr. Wesley Daniel, a research associate at MSU and lead author of the study, said. "It’s important, when considering the location of a new mine, to not just look local--but look way downstream.” Here Dr Daniel explains the research, which has relevance in every part of the world where mining occurs.
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A unique study of landscape factors–in particular, mines–as regional sources of stress has been conducted by Michigan State University researchers. The study involved waterways in 33 U.S. states and 22,000 fish community samples. The researchers were themselves surprised by the results: even a single mine can damage fish habitats in larger rivers downstream, and the effects can reach streams not even directly connected to a mine. 

“Mines have a much stronger influence on fishes than has been assumed,” Dr. Wesley Daniel, a research associate at MSU and lead author of the study, said. “It’s important, when considering the location of a new mine, to not just look local–but look way downstream.”

Here Dr Daniel explains the research, which has relevance in every part of the world where mining occurs.


 

Even a single mine can damage fish habitats miles downstream - study
Dr. Wesley Daniel

Our study was funded by the US Fish and Wildlife and US Geological Survey as part of efforts to characterize associations between landscape factors, including coal and mineral mines, on stream fish communities in a range of stream sizes in the eastern US.

We wanted to test whether mines operate as a regional source of stress to fish communities over large spatial extents, as has been shown in many previous works examining urban and agricultural land use.

One of the striking results was the clear and consistent negative associations between fish and mines across all three regions, and that these relationships held true for many different groupings of fishes. Examples of groupings include game species (fish species targeted by anglers like trout, bass, catfish), intolerant species that cannot endure much disturbance, fishes that use various habitats for spawning or their life cycle, and tolerant species that are often found to increase in disturbed areas. Even a single mine can damage fish habitats miles downstream - study (4)We found that tolerant species decreased in abundance with increased mine density in the watershed.

We found that a single mine in a small river’s watershed (1000 km2 watershed) has the potential to alter the fish community by decreasing the number or diversity of fishes. When considering the effect of mines (current or new), managers need to consider not only the local stream watershed but the downstream impact.

There is an opportunity for management and agencies to use the our results along with the advancements in GIS mapping data we have created to consider mine’s influence as a regional source of stress and improve fisheries through management actions. Mining will continue to be needed until an adequate substitution can be found. As a society, we should be thoughtful on where mines at placed, keeping them out of ecologically or culturally significant watersheds. Since, based on our results, a very low density of mines has the potential to alter the fish community in large areas.

We found strong associations between greater numbers of mines in watersheds and lower numbers and diversity of fishes. We tested both Even a single mine can damage fish habitats miles downstream - study (5)mineral and coal mines together and separately and saw associations with altered fish communities. We did not test specifically for mechanisms by which mines could affect stream fishes, but many other studies that have been conducted at smaller spatial scales have demonstrated specifically how mines can affect stream fishes (mines can be a source of sediments and chemicals into rivers, alter the flow of streams, and alter natural land covers all of which can change stream habitats). What makes our study unique is that it was conducted over a large spatial extent, and we repeated our analyses in each of three regions that cover all or portions of 33 states in the central and eastern US. Also, our associations were based on trends Even a single mine can damage fish habitats miles downstream - study (1)detected using 22,000 fish community samples.

Our results suggest that a single mine has potential to alter fish communities. We cannot provide a unique value for the distance the mines can influence fish communities. The distance downstream that mining can influence fish communities will vary based on stream size, number of mines, and regional variation in natural conditions. There is an opportunity for future studies to build upon our results and try to quantify and characterize distance downstream in various regions that mines influence aquatic communities.

The report, “Characterizing coal and mineral mines as a regional source of stress to stream fish assemblages,” was completed by Drs. Wesley Daniel, MSU associate professor of fisheries and wildlife Dana Infante, Robert Hughes at Amnis Opes Institute, Yin-Phan Tsang, Daniel Wieferich, Kyle Herreman, Arthur Cooper and William Taylor at MSU, Peter Esselman at the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Lizhu Wang of the International Joint Commission Great Lakes Regional Office in Detroit,” was published in the journal Ecological Indicators, and was funded the US Fish and Wildlife and US Geological Survey.

Russia criticizes US for aiding fight in Eastern Ukraine – “Ukraine Freedom Support Act”

Russia criticizes US for aiding fight in Eastern Ukraine - "Ukraine Freedom Support Act"
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The United States has almost completed the passing of the law that will provide Ukraine with $350 million in military support–including US military equipment–to continue its fight against Russia and pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Russian foreign ministry official representative Alexander Lukashevich commented on the “openly confrontational character” of the US’s assistance to Ukrainian fighters. The US actions were, he said, a source of “deep regret.”

The US Congress passed the legislation unanimously Thursday, and if US President Barack Obama signs the bill into law, America will assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian and pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine with $350 million in military aid. Additionally, 20 million dollars will be made available for the support of democratic institutions in Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

The US will supply anti-tank weapons, surveillance drones, ammunition, counter-artillery radar and communication equipment.

The Ukraine Freedom Support Act also authorizes new sanctions on Russia. Giants Rosobornexport and Gazprom–the state’s arms exporter and natural gas producer–will bear the brunt of the new sanctions.

Further, Moldova and Georgia will receive special status as partners outside NATO.

“Approved by both houses of the US Congress without discussion and appropriate voting, the law ‘Ukraine Freedom Support Act’ is a cause of deep regret due to its openly confrontational character,” said Lukashevich.

“Again, the US capital has leveled against Russia unfounded accusations and threatens us with new punishments. This mix of Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts, to foment which the United States had a hand–and even the INF Treaty–the observance of which in Washington, to put it mildly, raises questions.”

The ministry spokesperson criticized America for one the one hand promising Kiev authorities weapons to continue military operations in the Donbass, and on the other hand simultaneously openly denouncing their intent to use non-governmental organizations to influence the political process in our country.”

Image: CSPAN

Thinking of God leads to increased risk taking – study

Thinking of God leads to increased risk taking - study
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Leaps of faith? Gambling on Sundays may be more risky than churchgoers are aware, because, according to research by Radboud University, Netherlands scientists, activation of the concept of God in the minds of individuals increases their propensity to take risks.

Thinking of God leads to increased risk taking - study (3)
Dr Kai Qin Chan

“Risk taking is influenced by subtle environmental factors. It might not be a good idea to house a church service beside a casino, for example,” lead researcher Dr Kai Qin Chan of RU’s Department of Social and Cultural Psychology, told The Speaker.

Chan’s most recent research indicates that bringing the concept of God to the fore of people’s minds increases risk taking behavior, particularly when there is an incentive for gain.

The premise of the research was a hypothesis based on two fields of current research–recent psychological models that suggest religious belief provides a form of social control, and scientific findings that increased psychological control can lead to the formation fo riskier strategies. It made sense that these two fields of research could be brought together to show that religion could influence risk taking.

“We measured risk taking using a behavioral task,” Chan told us. “In this task, participants had to pump virtual balloons. With more ‘pumps’ they gave, the risk of explosion increases, but the chances of getting a larger reward increases as well, provided the balloon does not burst before they cashed in on their trial. We found that participants primed with God–for example, seeing the word ‘God’ briefly before doing the task–took more risk–they gave more pumps.”

All of the three studies conducted by the team showed that activating the God concept led to greater risk taking. The study participants were literally “taking a leap of faith,” according to the researchers.

However, this increased risk taking behavior was found to present only when participants felt they were in control of the situation.

“When we made one group of participants feel that they were not in control of things–i.e., we decreased their sense of psychological control–albeit momentarily–we found that these people look less risks, even when primed with God. This implies that priming with God (without any manipulation of psychological control) must have increased psychological control, because when we disrupted this process, risk taking returned to baseline levels.”

Chan’s research enabled him to make some educated guesses about the relationship between religion, morality and risk taking, but he was clear that questions of such relationships were difficult to answer, and that other great research was being done in those areas.

“I think much risk taking literature that examines how religion–e.g., religiosity–is related to lower risk taking may be an artifact of the measurement of risk taking,” said Chan.

“In these studies, sometimes investigators use measurements of risk taking that have an inherent moral component–for example, unprotected sex is risky, but it also has a tinge of one being morally loose. So, there are different domains of risk taking and we need to take them into account. Being risky in one domain does not necessarily translate into being risky in another, and because our notion of religion is so tightly linked with morality, risk-religion research needs to take into Thinking of God leads to increased risk taking - studyaccount the moral domains of risk taking as well.”

The research, the team found, contradicted certain other survey findings that religious people were less risk seeking than other people.

“Religion sometimes affects us in subtle ways,” observed Chan. “However, I do want to stress that I am not implying that religion is bad. Risk taking itself is not necessarily an evil, and I certainly do not want to say that religion makes people bad risk takers.”

The report, “Taking a Leap of Faith Reminders of God Lead to Greater Risk Taking,” was authored by Kai Qin Chan, Eddie Mun Wai Tong, and Yan Lin Tan of the National University of Singapore.

Small businesses aren’t hurt by giant competitors, sales are boosted if they can “stick it to the man”

Small businesses aren't hurt by giant competitors, sales are boosted if they can "stick it to the man"
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Small businesses that fear competing giant neighbors may need to think again. According to research by a joint team of university scientists, having a large competitor nearby may actually boost the sales of small businesses, but this depends on whether a small business can successfully “stick it to the man” in “framing the game.”

“When the owner of Los Angeles’s Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf could not stop Starbucks from moving in next door, he at first admitted defeat,” the team stated. “However, soon after, he was surprised to see his sales shoot up, so much so that he began to proactively locate new stores next to Starbucks.”

The research team, composed of Neeru Paharia of Georgetown University and Jill Avery and Anat Keinan of Harvard University, set out to test a theory that small businesses could benefit from big neighbors.

They examined shopping habits of two groups of participants. One group was told that a small bookstores only competitors were other small bookstores. Another group was told that the small bookstore was in competition with a nearby chain that threatened the future of the small bookstore.

The second group was more likely to buy at the small bookstore.

The team further explored the idea with a second study.

They gave participants a scenario: “Imagine you are in the mood for a cup of coffee. You can either go to Starbucks or an independent coffee shop called Joe’s Java.”

Again, there were two groups involved. The first was told that Joe’s Java and the chain were the same distance away, although in different directions. The second group learned that Joe’s and Starbucks were neighbors.

The second group–believing the two shops were neighbors–was the one that was more likely to patronize Joe’s Java.

The team believes that the results indicate an interest people may have in “sticking it to the man.”

This interest, the researchers argue, has something to do with the “framing-the-game effect.” Consumers, the researchers believe, want to be felt and heard in the marketplace, and do so through their purchase choices. Thus, they may feel motivated to exert their influence upon stores they wish to allow to succeed or fail.

The report, “Positioning Brands against Large Competitors to Increase Sales,” was authored by Neeru Paharia, Jill Avery, and Anat Keinan, and will be published in the upcoming in Journal of Marketing Research.

By Cheryl Bretton

A Dominican writes: “On the move! Loma Mirada

A Dominican writes: "On the move! Loma Mirada
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In La Vega, Dominican Republic, a grassroots campaign has been demonstrating for a declaration that Loma Mirada hill become a National Park. Last week, Salesian priest Rogelio Cruz–who has led the months-long for a park to be created on the site of Glencore Falcondo’s planned nickel mine–led a march of hundreds of Dominicans from La Vega towards the site’s still-militarized main entrance.

In this testimony, a Dominican lets us understand the life and history of the people and the mine in the changing times.


 

With the Spanish colony, it was the gold and silver rush, until there was no more and half the Taínos had died or left the place.

Then nothing for a long time… half dead villages waiting for the next attack from corsairs and pirates. The mother country didn’t give a damn for a long time, not even importing slaves (like next door Haiti) to liven things up, work them dead and make money.A Dominican writes: "On the move! Loma MiradaA long slump into oblivion, until the big stick, Marine occupation, road building, political authority, taxes, law and order and the long Trujillo “get off your ass or else” period… the “or else” had a meaning.

Then sugar. The South Puerto Rico Sugar Company changed the landscape. The Eastern prairies were levelled overnight and money was made a plenty, the sugar “boom” had arrived.

The ladies in towns like San Pedro de Macorís went on shopping trips to Paris and the kids studied at the Sorbonne.

Cuba was the big competitor, but had its run in with Spain and ended up American. Wars are obstacles to good business.

After Trujillo the sugar fields were abandoned, the land was was divided up into properties destined for the new enterprises: cattle, great herds which gave major investment returns and political clout.

But Quisqueya (native name) had  a hidden treasure, like a good looking girl under her skirt: minerals!!!

In the Southern coast bauxite was discovered and the U.S. company Alcoa mined it through the ’80s.

After Alcoa left the operation, SIierra Bauxita Dominican has a running operation extracting not only bauxite but  clinker, limestone, bauxite and concrete.

By 1955 the mining wake up call, with Trujillo still around, a permit was extended for the exploration of mineral wealth to Minera y Beneficiadora Dominicana S. A. for 79,000 hectares.

Just a year later the contract as granted to the Canadian multinational FALCONBRIDGE, a mighty worldwide nickel operator in December of 1956 for the exploitation of the mineral around the hills surrounding the town of Monseñor Nouel (Bonao).

It was a prosperous time: half the town was somehow employed by the company, the rest had business with it.

The whole mining industry was getting red hot. During the 70’s and later, into current times  as is usual, mining got into peoples’ guts, realizing the damage that was being caused to the environment in water and river pollution, rising rates of diseases, periodic shutdowns due to crashed international prices, etc.

Around the town of Bonao, which had technically prospered during many years from the presence of Falconbridge which changed hands, sold to Xstrata toward the end of  2006, based in Switzerland.

But things were getting hot around Bonao and a rising tide of public demonstrations was overunning the country. Environmetal activists were organizing marches and sit-ins and putting pressure on Congress and President Medina.

The fact of the matter was that of all the “lomas” (hills), around Bonao which had been esploited in depth over many years, there was just one left, Loma Miranda, that had become the focus of the struggle.

Now democracy had changed its tone from a vote every few years and then lethargy and just watching the politicians go about their bussines, to pressure groups demanding public attention to hundres or thousands of inefficent and corrupt deficiencies.

In August of 2014 Loma Miranda was declared a National Park by law, but on September 2, the law was objected by President Medina and returned to Congress citing certain deficiencies, but under public attack due to the suspicion the it had been under the influence of Falconbridge who was seeing its last bit of exploitable land whisked away by a bunch of activists, campesinos, ganged up and riotous clergy.

We may say the the sun baked, “mañana land”, banana planting and rice eating Dominicanos had at last woken up, like much of the current world situation, and was on the move to demand right and issues that had been dormant for so long.

ON THE MOVE!

By Joaquin Salazar

An Israeli soldier writes: The Judean hills are burning

An Israeli soldier writes: The Judean hills are burning
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In this enthralling account of the streets of the Holy Land, written by the hand of an Israeli Defense Forces soldier who took part in the most recent war in Gaza, we are provided with a visceral and beautiful account of the land and conflict at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. 


 

The Judean hills are burning. The hills spotted with lichen-encrusted boulders, the odd olive tree daring to grow on slopes so steep even the goats rarely climb them; the ancient stone terraces and the small farms and villages dotting the landscape are ablaze. A smoky haze lies over the earth there, carrying with it the stench of burning rubber and trash from the Arab villages. Even tourists can easily tell the Arab villages from the Jewish ones; the Arab ones are drab concrete, utilitarian, lacking glass in the windows for the most part, except for the mansions higher up on the hills, which wouldn’t look out of place in Greenwich CT, as opposed to the Jewish villages and towns which are full of date palms and flowers, beautiful homes with red roofs and strong walls. The other way to tell is the gates. The Arab villages have a sign in front in Hebrew, Arabic and English stating that the area is extremely dangerous and you are risking your life by entering, therefore entrance is illegal for Israeli citizens. The Jewish villages have strong gates, two layers of fences with barbed wire, and armed guards. In the Jewish villages, the air is clear and clean, as high as a thousand meters above sea level, the wind easily whistles through clothes, but there are playgrounds for the children, synagogues, community centers, sports centers, outdoor gyms free of charge, and many even have their own fire departments and ambulances. The Arab villages are choked with black and blue smoke, partially from the Arab custom of burning trash in order to dispose of it, and partially from the riots.

As part of their resistance to Jewish “occupation” Arab villages and towns regularly stage riots. These are not demonstrations or protests, but violent attacks. There are no slogans chanted, no demands, and no goals other than to cause damage and attract attention. Young men from the villages carry out the riots. The youths are usually free because there are not enough jobs in the Arab villages, and complications with entering Israel via proper checkpoints prevent many from gaining employment, leading to general unrest and discontent. Every Friday there is the standard riot, which varies by village; however in general youths anywhere from 12-25 flock to certain areas to congregate in groups of up to 300 in order to present more of a threat. In these situations the police force and the army both handle the riot and are quite used to them. They are standard, we know what to expect, and how long it will last, when the Arabs break for prayers and lunch. We even know who brings the lunch!

What is happening now is different. There are many smaller riots, which start randomly more or less. Often organized by text messages or whatsapp groups, these are almost like flashmobs in that they start so quickly. Generally, the first step for them is to pour some gasoline over a few old tires, light them on fire, and roll them towards the soldiers. Of course, they won’t reach the soldiers, but they make for good photographs, as the thick black smoke from the tires dramatizes the scene. Once the tires have been lit, the riot can begin. The youths (all male of course) begin shouting, but they are not shouting things like “Free Palestine” or “End the Occupation.” They are shouting obscene things about the soldiers’ mothers and sisters, mixed with threats to rape said mothers and sisters. The soldiers, knowing what is coming, get thick, strong riot shields. The rocks start flying. Rock throwing is apparently an honored Palestinian childhood pastime. They enjoy dropping boulders on passing cars from cliffs, causing crashes and not a few deaths, throwing rocks at passing cars, once again causing crashes and not a few deaths, throwing rocks from a moving car as it passes another car, exponentially increasing the speed and power, and most frequently, throwing rocks at soldiers. Normally, a thrown rock at a soldier isn’t that much of an issue. Most Palestinians are not professional baseball pitchers, and so with a shield and good reflexes it is fairly easy to avoid a rock thrown by hand. The Palestinians have of course realized this and begun using slings in order to increase the speed of a launched stone to the point where it is barely visible. Anyone who knows basic physics knows that speed is far more important than mass when it comes to calculating energy, and so an increase in speed means a massive increase in damage if the rocks hit (interesting anecdote, I actually had a fractured tailbone from being hit with a rock in a riot… very unpleasant I must say).

If the soldiers were to leave the area in order to escape the danger from the rocks, the Palestinians would move on and throw rocks at passing cars, endangering both Arab and Israeli civilians (note that this is not conjecture, but proven to happen nearly every time). Therefore, they must disperse this riot, this danger to themselves and to civilians. However, the IDF operates on a humane basis and has extremely strict rules on morality and the use of all force, especially deadly force. Therefore, soldiers in those areas use riot control weapons such as rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, and CS gas. These are less than lethal options in order to end the confrontation without anyone being seriously hurt. Unfortunately rioting is an old tradition among these communities, and so they have developed ways to escape the effects of tear gas and have learned to deal with rubber bullets. The conflict continues and continues and all throughout, the Palestinians scream threats and promises of pain while the soldiers remain mostly quiet. There is usually a prayer break every so often, during which the women of the village bring snacks and refreshments, and also extra rocks that they have collected in the days prior to the current riot. The army must respect these prayer breaks because not respecting them would be breaking the IDF code of conduct instructing soldiers to respect the religions and beliefs of others. When the rioters are finished praying, they begin the riot again with renewed energy and determination and then slowly trickle away, leaving the hard core of ten or so older boys, one of whom is usually arrested, held for 24-48 hours on charges of assaulting a soldier/police officer, and promptly released without charge. If a civilian or soldier is injured badly, the one arrested can face up to a week in jail. Upon the release of one of these criminals, there is usually a riot in that village to celebrate. They stage a riot to celebrate. That right there tells us a great deal about the mentality and about how much they truly understand. These riots are not protests; they are not attempts to change the allegedly dismal situation they perceive themselves to be in. These riots are excuses for boys to let off steam and try to make themselves feel better by hurting others. The situation is akin to a small peasant seeing a massive, mighty dragon sleeping peacefully and attacking it out of boredom, knowing that his efforts are completely futile and he will never win. The peasant is too narrow minded, frightened and ambitious to see that the dragon could be reasoned with, or even just left to slumber.

By Josh Green

Josh Green is currently serving as a combat soldier in the IDF, and was active during the most recent war in Gaza.