Sunspots 951

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Education: A Conversation writer tells us about the Liberal Arts. The article considers the matter of West Virginia University planning to cut many of its courses, and the question of higher education and race.

Environment: Once again, there is a report that Exxon knew that fossil fuel use caused climate to change, but didn't really respond to this knowledge. (from NPR)

Ethics: Nature reports that research on octopi may be subject to ethical standards.

Finances: (and Politics) Yahoo! News reports that the Trump organization reported that an airplane was worth about $1,000 in April, 2023, and, more recently, reported that it was worth about $5 to $25 million.

Humor: (and Science) The Scientist and Gizmodo report on the igNobel prizes, for such work as studying licking fossils in the field and using spider-like appendages to enhance the grip.

Politics: A Conversation article on how the children of Presidents have been perceived, going back quite a while.

Science: Gizmodo reports that bumblebee populations in Europe are declining.

A Conversation writer reports that NASA has found no evidence for UFOs.

Another Conversation writer tells us why most of us adults don't urinate in our sleep.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 463

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:


Christianity: An article on Speculative Faith, by me, based on a post, some years ago, in this blog, on how Christianity shows up in a novel by Juliet Marillier, a self-acknowledged Druid.
Computing: Are your passwords safe enough? Check them with the Microsoft Password Checker.
Humor: Audra McDonald sings the "best answers" to some Yahoo! questions for Tonight's Jimmy Fallon, in a 3 minute 42 second YouTube video.
Science: Wired reports that insects have become resistant to defenses built into corn crops, mostly because seed companies and farmers ignored the recommendations of independent scientists, and even denied the scientists access to the particular type of corn. Corporate greed strikes again.
Wired also reports on tardigrades, microscopic animals also called water bears. They have amazing resistance to most everything, including temperatures near absolute zero, and above boiling. There are photos.
National Public Radio reports on the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Scientists have discovered that the oil spill caused more damage, over a longer time, than they had originally supposed.


Image source (public domain)

The US Presidential campaigns on Global Climate Change

I have examined the "Issues" pages of the Obama and Romney campaign web sites, to see what they say about global climate change.

I found no evidence that Governor Romney's campaign site so much as mentions global climate change. The Issues page of that site does include a link to an Energy page, which is here. However, lest I mis-characterize Mr. Romney on the subject, I quote my own blog, from July 1 of this year: ". . . Republican Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and John Huntsman believe that the climate is changing globally, and that humans are influencing that." At that time, when the Republican candidates for President were interested in support from my state, South Carolina (There was a debate between them in South Carolina) the state's most widely circulated newspaper had an article which was my source. That article is no longer available, as far as I can determine. I don't know if Romney still holds to that view. He has changed his views on several issues, apparently. The other Republican candidates for President, at that time, did not agree with Romney and Huntsman, but Romney is the candidate.

President Obama's campaign site also has an Energy page, under Issues, which is here. The only mention of climate change is a graphic, which says "climate change is not a hoax."

In case you didn't know it, there are some people who believe that "Global warming is the liberal hoax that the world is becoming dangerously warmer . . ." 

Both major party candidates said more about global climate change, leading up to the 2008 election, than either of the candidates are saying this time.

The Green Party, as would be expected, has a lot more to say about the subject than the two major parties.

Thanks for reading.

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Added on October 19, 2012: Shell, Chevron, and BP all state that there is such a thing as Global Climate Change, and that using fossil fuels contributes to this. So does Exxon Mobil.