First, from the Los Angeles Times, a reopening:
Measles outbreak: Santa Monica child center reopens, is scrutinizing babies
A Santa Monica High School child-care center has reopened after a sudden closure earlier this week spurred by an infant’s measles diagnosis.
But parents returning to the Samohi Infant/Toddler Center have to show proof that their baby has taken a blood test confirming immunity to measles — or the child is still out for a 21-day waiting period.
Fourteen infants too young to be immunized, including the baby with the diagnosed case, were placed on home watch until Feb. 20.
From the California Department of Public Health, the latest measles case numbers by county:
From the Toronto Globe and Mail, measles to the North:
Toronto’s measles count rises to six as another adult is diagnosed
Public-health officials in Toronto say the city’s measles count has risen to six with the diagnosis of another adult patient.
In the past 10 days four adults and two children in Canada’s largest city have come down with the disease.
As well, a woman in the Niagara region southwest of Toronto has also contracted measles.
From BBC News, a flocking contagion vector:
‘Wild birds may spread flu virus’
Migratory birds may be spreading viruses that cause bird flu around the world, say scientists.
Outbreaks in poultry may become more common in the future, especially in ill-prepared countries, they warn.
A severe strain found at a duck farm in the UK last year may have been carried by wild birds out of Russia, according to Dutch researchers.
The virus is a low human health risk, but wild birds on long migratory routes should be monitored, they say.
From the New York Times, a genetic subway bonanza:
Among New York Subway’s Millions of Riders, a Study Finds Many Mystery Microbes
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College released a study on Thursday that mapped DNA found in New York’s subway system — a crowded, largely subterranean behemoth that carries 5.5 million riders on an average weekday, and is filled with hundreds of species of bacteria (mostly harmless), the occasional spot of bubonic plague, and a universe of enigmas. Almost half of the DNA found on the system’s surfaces did not match any known organism and just 0.2 percent matched the human genome.
“People don’t look at a subway pole and think, ‘It’s teeming with life,’ “ said Dr. Christopher E. Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medical College and the lead author of the study. “After this study, they may. But I want them to think of it the same way you’d look at a rain forest, and be almost in awe and wonder, effectively, that there are all these species present — and that you’ve been healthy all along.”
Dr. Mason said the inspiration for the study struck about four years ago when he was dropping off his daughter at day care. He watched her explore her new surroundings by happily popping objects into her mouth. As is the custom among tiny children, friendships were made on the floor, by passing back and forth toys that made their way from one mouth to the next.
Science covers another major lethal outbreak:
White-nose syndrome has almost completely wiped out some North American bat colonies
In just 7 years, a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed more than 5 million North American bats, nearly wiping out entire colonies, according to a new study. The disease, named for its initial discovery as a white fungus growing on bat noses, drains hibernating bats of their energy reserves. It was first discovered in North America in 2006 and spread rapidly, causing massive declines in bat populations across the northeast.
To quantify the localized impact of the disease at known hibernation sites, scientists used 4 decades of population counts collected between 1976 and 2013 from more than 1000 winter colonies inclusive of six North American bat species and 10 European bat species for comparison. Prior to the emergence of white-nose syndrome, bat colonies in eastern North America were 10 times larger than those in Europe, the team reported online ahead of print in Global Ecology and Biogeography.
Following the disease outbreak, however, populations fell to the low levels seen overseas, where the white-nose syndrome has been present for decades. Moreover, the researchers identified massive population declines, ranging from 60% to 98% for all six North American bats studied, and extensive local extinctions, the most severe being for the northern long-eared bat (pictured above), which has disappeared from 69% of its former hibernation sites.
From Investigate Midwest, the biggest GMO/chemical Big Agra launch:
Monsanto inches closer to biggest biotech launch in company’s history
St. Louis-based Monsanto’s biotechnology team has been working on two new soybean and cotton varieties designed to withstand dicamba – an infrequently used herbicide that weeds have not caught up with yet – for nearly a decade.
“These new technologies will help farmers achieve better harvests, which will help meet the demand to nourish the growing population,” said Miriam Paris, Monsanto’s Xtend system launch manager.
Propelled by recent U.S. Department of Agriculture deregulation, Monsanto anticipates the seeds will help fight the super weeds and lead what a January first-quarter earnings report labeled the largest biotechnology launch in company history.
The Associated Press covers a major Big Agra GMO lawsuit:
Farmers file more than 360 corn lawsuits against Syngenta
Farmers and farm businesses in 20 states have now filed more than 360 lawsuits against agricultural chemicals-maker Syngenta, and hundreds more may be coming as a federal judge organizes the complex case so they can move forward.
The dispute centers around Syngenta’s sale of a corn seed called Agrisure Viptera, which was genetically altered to contain a protein that kills corn-eating bugs such as earworms and cutworms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved it in 2010, and Syngenta first sold it to farmers in 2011.
China, a growing importer of U.S. corn that refuses to buy genetically modified crops it hasn’t tested, had not approved Viptera when Syngenta began selling it. In November 2013, China discovered the Viptera corn trait in several U.S. shipments.
It began rejecting U.S. corn imports in February 2014. The lawsuits say it rejected more than 131 million bushels.
Some good news for the drought-plagued West, via the Associated Press:
Federal government to boost drought funding by $50 million
The federal government is offering up to $50 million for drought relief in western states as California enters its fourth dry year, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Gov. Jerry Brown announced Friday.
The additional funding includes about $20 million for the Central Valley Water Project for efforts such as water transfers, drought monitoring for endangered species and diversifying water supplies.
“California is ground zero for the drought. There is no state that is worse off,” Jewell said.
Farmers and local water departments can also compete for another $14 million for projects to help reduce water use and develop response plans to continuing drought conditions.
From the Contributor, the contemptible does the deplorable:
Christie Signs Bill Privatizing New Jersey’s Water Supply
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law on Thursday legislation that critics say sells out the state’s water supply and democratic process for private profits.
The Water Infrastructure Protection Act, which purportedly aims to address aging infrastructure, allows for fast-tracking of sales of municipal water systems to private entities.
Among the sponsors of the measure, which passed the state legislature in December, was Senator Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who stated Thursday: “We recognize that there are times when private entities might be most capable of operating, maintaining and upgrading drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems,” and keeps “the public’s ability to be part of the process.”
After the jump, Liberia’s lumber-looting vampires, call it stools gold instead of fool’s gold, on to the fuel front, first with Big Oil influence buying in the Golden State, Gulf petro leases go up for auction, British fracking gets the green light, and an eight-year fracking ban bill goes before Maryland’s legislature, on to Fukushimapocalypse Now, with a robot inspector ready to roll, another Japanese reactor plant getting ready to rumble, and another reactor complex faces more seismic questions, plus some good seismic news for the Fukushima region. . .
From Heritage, lumber-looting Liberian vampires:
In Vahun district, Lofa County: “Vampires” On Feast as illegal sawing intensifies Featured
“Vampires are on feast in Vahun District, Lofa County. They are enriching themselves overnight through the illegal sales of huge quantity of timbers to neighboring Sierra Leone and pocketing the money at the detriment of the impoverished people of Vahun District, yea Lofa County.
This dubious business has been going on for several years and the vampires are going with impunity, despite calls for the government to bring the illegal act to a halt as well as bring the thieves to justice so as to serve as deterrence,” asserted one MomoKamara, an aggrieved resident of the district.
The illegal sawing of planks is said to be taking place at a controversial boundary between Vahun District, Lofa County and Gbarpolu County.
From CBC News, call it stools gold instead of fool’s gold:
Sewage sludge contains millions of dollars worth of gold
$13M in metals flushed away each year in a city of a million people, researchers say
Have you been adding Goldschlager liqueur to your hot chocolate again? People have been flushing millions of dollars worth of gold down the toilet, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Arizona State University measured levels of metals in sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, collected across the United States using a mass spectrometer and an electron microscope. They found that amounts of the 13 most valuable elements, including silver, copper, gold and platinum, were worth about $280 US ($350 Cdn) per tonne of sludge.
That means about $13 million worth of metals a year could theoretically be mined from the sewage produced by a city of one million people, said Paul Westerhoff, a professor at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University in an interview with CBC’s Quirks & Quarks.
On to the fuel front, first with Big Oil influence buying in the Golden State, via the East Bay Express:
Big Oil Group Spent $8.9 Million Last Year Lobbing Jerry Brown and California Officials
The oil industry continued its long reign as the top spender on lobbying in California in 2014, according to data just released by the California Secretary of State. The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) led the list with $8.9 million spent on lobbying in 2014, nearly double what it spent in the previous year. WSPA spent $4.67 million in 2013.
WSPA apparently spent much of its money on stopping a fracking moratorium bill in the Legislature and trying to undermine California’s law to lower greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President of WSPA and the former chair of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force to create questionable “marine protected areas” in Southern California, also successfully opposed legislation by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson to protect the Vandenberg State Marine Reserve and the Tranquillon Ridge from offshore oil drilling plans.
Gulf petro leases go up for auction, United Press International:
Oil, gas acreage in Gulf of Mexico up for auction
Region accounts for about 18 percent of total U.S. oil production
More than 40 million acres in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico will go on the auction block in March for exploration and development, the U.S. government said.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the March 18 sale in New Orleans will mark the seventh under a five-year lease program ending in 2017. BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper said more than 41.2 million acres are for sale in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
“As one of the most productive basins in the world, the Gulf of Mexico is an important part of [President Barack Obama’s] energy strategy,” she said in a statement.
British fracking gets the green light, via United Press International:
Light for British shale gas work turning green
Cuadrilla Resources issues environment pledge for fledgling frack campaigns
With federal permits in hand, British shale gas pioneer Cuadrilla Resources said Friday it was committed to a light environmental permit despite public uproar.
The British Environment Agency gave the company permits to carry out shale gas exploration at its Roseacre Wood site in Lanchashire.
“Following such a rigorous review and public consultation of all of our permit applications by the regulator, this unequivocally demonstrates that, as we have committed, our proposed exploratory operations will be carried out responsibly ensuring the local environment is protected,” Cuadrilla Chief Executive Officer Francis Egan said in a statement.
And an eight-year fracking ban bill goes before Maryland’s legislature, via EcoWatch:
8-Year Fracking Moratorium Bill Introduced in Maryland as Californians Demand Real Climate Action
On his way out of office last November, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley opened the door to allowing fracking in that state, albeit under heavy regulation. That raised concerns that incoming pro-fracking Republican Governor Larry Hogan would dispense with many of the regulations, allowing extraction companies free reign.
Yesterday a group of Maryland legislators introduced a bill to head off that possibility. Forty-eight legislators introduced the Protect Our Health and Communities Act to enact a long-term moratorium on fracking.
“Today we announce a new effort to place a moratorium on fracking in our state,” said Senate bill sponsor Karen Montgomery. “This bill will allow us to maintain the public’s confidence as we continue to gather data on the long-term effects of the hydraulic fracturing process. Without more scientific data on the public health consequences, we cannot engage in possibly risky energy projects.”
On to Fukushimapocalypse Now, with a robot inspection ready to roll, via the Wall Street Journal:
Robot to Provide First Glimpse of Reactor Fuel, Debris
For the first time since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011, engineers working for Tokyo Electric Power 9501.TO +0.21% could soon get their first view of nuclear fuel and debris around the melted-down reactors.
It is widely believed that during the meltdowns of reactors No. 1-3, which came after a massive tsunami cut the power to their cooling systems, the overheated nuclear fuel also flowed out into the reactor vessels–essentially cases meant to protect the reactors.
Extracting the nuclear fuel and debris is the most important task involved in decommissioning the plant, which is operated by Tokyo Electric Power, or Tepco. But nobody knows what state these deadly materials are in–even the radiation around the buildings storing the reactors is far too high for people to withstand. Tepco has been examining and clearing the areas with various types of remote-controlled robots.
Now it is ready to examine the fuel and debris, perhaps as soon as April, with the help of a new robot developed by Hitachi Ltd. The robot will enter through a steel pipe about 10 centimeters in diameter, take digital images and measure radiation levels and temperatures. Engineers will use the collected data to help determine how best to safely extract the debris and design the robots to do the next phase of the work.
Another reactor complex gets ready to rumble, via the Japan Times:
Sendai reactor faces June restart if inspection, election hurdles cleared
The Abe government is aiming to restart a nuclear reactor by around June, following a lengthy and politically sensitive approval process made difficult by the Fukushima disaster, sources familiar with the plans said.
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been pushing to bring some of the country’s reactors back online after all 48 closed following the triple meltdown at Tepco’s Fukushima No. 1 plant in March 2011, arguing they are key to economic growth.
A reboot would boost the nation’s utilities, which have been hit by huge losses as they switch back to fossil fuels and race to upgrade nuclear plants, with two turning to the government for bailouts.
And another reactor complex faces more seismic questions, via NHK WORLD:
Regulator: Probe of seismic fault not sufficient
Japan’s nuclear watchdog says another survey may be needed on an active seismic fault near a nuclear power plant in Shimane Prefecture, western Japan.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority, or NRA, on Thursday began studying the active fault at the Shimane nuclear plant which is operated by Chugoku Electric Power Company.
The survey focuses on whether an assessment by the plant operator is adequate. The assessment is a prerequisite for restarting the plant’s No. 2 reactor.
On Friday, NRA commissioner Akira Ishiwatari said the utility’s assessment of the fault lying 2 kilometers south of the plant is not sufficient and he asked the company to conduct additional probe.
Plus some good seismic news for the Fukushima region, via the Asahi Shimbun:
Tectonic stress levels off northeastern Japan back to pre-disaster state
Pressure exerted by tectonic plate movement off Tohoku that triggered the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has returned to pre-disaster levels, seismologists say.
“Large earthquakes might occur more randomly distributed in time than conventionally expected,” said Bogdan Enescu, an associate professor at the University of Tsukuba.
Researchers from the university and Switzerland-based Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule analyzed seismic data collected by the Japan Meteorological Agency since 1998.
