Whales, sequestering carbon the natural way
Did you know most whale poo is liquid?Had no idea myself. Turns out cetacean waste hangs out at the top layer of the ocean, the photic zone. That in turn has a useful side effect: Marine biologist...
View ArticleDel. Dwyer calls for "CONSTITUTIONAL DEFENSE FORCE" in Maryland
In response to Maryland on the cusp of passing gun legislation (off for Gov. O'Malley's signature), Delegate Don Dwyer (who blamed my gay marriage for his drunk boating) has called for a Constitutional...
View ArticleCould the Syrian Electronic Army's hacking lead to war?
I don't know a lot about cyber-security (I usually write environmental diaries). Living in Maryland, I should though. One of my local electeds is Rep. Ruppersberger, a big proponent of cyber-security....
View ArticleSen. Mikulski on filibuster reform - "We must do more"
After reading Filibuster fireworks likely for July earlier today, I did the usual and clicked on the link at the bottom to mail my Senators. I usually don't get a quick response, usually a week if any...
View ArticleGaia Hypothesis 101
I've been on a book bender this summer. One topic I've been devouring and relearning has been the Gaia Hypothesis, the idea that life controls (to some extent) the environment in which it occupies in...
View ArticlePope Francis may be working on an environmental encyclical
We've been hearing a likely change in stances on those issues from the new pope. From women in the church to formally responding, and blessing gay Catholics the pope has indicated a more progressive...
View ArticlePope Francis removes "culture warriors" from selection committee for new bishops
The Congregation for Bishops oversees the selection of new bishops and their picks usually are confirmed by the Pope. Whoever is named to this committee has a large say in who should be a new bishop,...
View ArticleScientists find corals that thrive in acidic ocean
One of the main, and overlooked, aspects of pumping over 30 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere is ocean acidification. As CO2 levels go up in the atmosphere, greater amounts of CO2 are absorbed...
View ArticlePope is working on an environmental encyclical
As an update to the post I had here in mid-November, it is now being confirmed that Pope Francis is prepping an encyclical, a letter to bishops and people worldwide, on the environment: The Vatican...
View ArticleMaryland spooks 21 states into suing for the right to pollute
Satellite picture of Chesapeake Bay (center) and Delaware Bay (upper right) - and Atlantic coast of the central-eastern United States. Maryland's main natural resource is The Chesapeake Bay. About 200...
View ArticleRep. Rush Holt blasting off from Congress
Rep. Rush Holt, five-time “Jeopardy!” champion who also beat IBM's supercomputer Watson, former assistant director of the Plasma Physics Lab, and a bonafide rocket scientist will be retiring from...
View ArticleA few US metros produce 50% of national GDP
Using data from the US Conference of Mayor's U.S. Metro Economies report, redditor atrubetskoy tallied up the economic activities of cites and metro areas and created the map below. While it is...
View ArticleVatican hosts sustainability conference
A while back, I mentioned that Pope Francis is working on an encyclical focusing on the environment. No word quite yet on when it is expected to come out. In the meantime however, The Vatican is...
View ArticleFrancis effect: Bishop Galantino calls for Italian Catholics to take liberal...
When Pope Francis made tentative steps towards accepting modern family issues, less damnation for the LGBT community and a deseclation of the culture wars in general, a lot of us were at least...
View ArticleSeafoods newest ingredient: Plastic!
Humans produce almost 300 million tons of plastic each year. There's ~40,000 tons of plastic currently bobbing along in the ocean, travelling the currents or spinning around in gyres. And that has...
View ArticleBuy DailyKos.GOP for only $20.16
ZOMG the sales! You heard that right folks! Buy your own .GOP site and no longer waste your time on that unregulated morass of an internet. What does "com" mean anyway, COMMUNIST?! The latest outreach...
View ArticleThe Vatican's Synod Update: Aussie Couple educates Bishops on sex and gay kids
Updated part below the fold. Break out the frankincense! Spit shine the Sistine Chapel! For the next two weeks, Cardinals, Bishops, Catholic Leaders and one nun (instead of a married lay person) will...
View ArticleBaltimore's NAACP to FOP - Stop w/ the sexism and racism
Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby On Friday, the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) sent a letter to State Attorney Mosby's office noting "very deep concerns about the many...
View ArticleGov. Hogan: Yes to DC's Purple Line, No to Baltimore's Red Line
During his successful campaign last year, Gov. Hogan claimed that funding two mass transit projects in the works for Maryland wouldn't be feasible. Despite years of engineering, planning and community...
View Article$2.7 billion blimp flying free from APG
Earlier today, about 11:54 a.m, the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System, or JLENS, tether broke free from its mooring at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG). Currently,...
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