Congressional action in the?week after returning from the Thanksgiving recess was characterized by its level of rhetoric and frustration, rather than production.
Efforts to reach agreement to avoid the ?fiscal cliff? (Bush tax cuts ending on Dec. 31, 2012 and $109 billion automatic spending cuts (sequestration) set to go into effect on Jan. 2, 2103) entered the second phase this week.?
The first phase was the post election period during which the president and congressional Democrat and Republican leaders built up expectations for some sort of resolution by expressing cautious optimism that a deal could be reached.? Both sides made conciliatory statements, the president met with congressional and business leaders and staff began work to set the framework for at least a short-term fix.
This week, however, partisan intransigence reappeared as both sides returned to their hard positions on taxes and spending as they sought to gain public support through wide-spread public relations campaigns. ?
During this second phase, the president is pressing hard to gain support for his proposal to increase tax rates on incomes over $250,000. ?Republicans, while appearing open to some form of revenue increases, are pushing hard for ?tax reform? (e.g., limiting deductions, and expanding the tax base) in lieu of increases to tax rates.? On the spending side, Democrats are pushing back against the idea of changes to social security and Medicare to reduce expenditures, while Republicans are demanding that any deal must contain social security and Medicare spending reductions.? It appears to be a high stakes poke game with both sides demanding that the other side ?show its cards? before they play their hand.? The result, at least for the time being is stalemate.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (negotiating on behalf of the president) did meet with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to offer a plan reported to increase tax revenues by $1.6 trillion with minimal spending cuts plus another $50 billion stimulus spending for infrastructure.? But, Boehner quickly dismissed the proposal saying the proposal was not a serious one.
Both sides acknowledge that there is a stalemate in negotiations.? But, they insist an agreement is still possible in the four weeks left before taxes are set to increase and sequestration will go into effect.? Meanwhile, a jittery public and Wall Street are finding it difficult to share this optimism.
Even as the negotiations on the fiscal cliff stuttered, Congress moved to make some headway on the large backlog of administrative and legislative actions.
House Democrats held their leadership elections and as expected elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to be Minority Leader.??? Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will remain House Minority Whip and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) stays on as Assistant Democratic Leader.??
The House passed a bill to grant permanent residency annually to 55,000 foreigners after they earn advanced degrees in science, technology, and math at U.S. universities.? However, this bill likely will be held over until next year when the 113th Congress addresses immigration reform.
Legislation to open more land to hunting and fishing, seemingly headed for bipartisan approval in the Senate, was stalled as Republicans thwarted efforts to move the bill to a final vote.? The dispute appears to revolve around budget treatment of a $10 increase in duck stamps prices to fund wetlands conservation.? However, both sides still hope to reach resolution and send the bill to the House before the session ends.
The Senate began debate on the FY2013 Defense Authorization bill.? Senate leaders hoped to complete the bill this week, but the large number of remaining potential amendments pushed final action into next week.? If the Senate completes action next week, House and Senate committee leaders hope to resolve the differences between the two bills quickly and send a final bill to the president before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the drumbeat continued this week for federal aid to state and local governments to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.? Senators and Representatives from affected states testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to press their case for federal aid that could reach $100 billion.? The question is whether members from areas not affected will press for offsets to pay for assistance.
6,463 BTO flats launched in 7 HDB projects, with at least another 20,000 next year
The 6,463 new BTO flats launched brought the total number of BTO flats launched in 2012 to a record-breaking 27,084 units. Including the 7,153 balance flats launched earlier in the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) Exercises, a total of 34,237 new flats had been launched in 2012. This large number of units is likely a result of the high demand. HDB also announced its intention to launch a minimum of 20,000 BTO flats in 2013, with 3,320 BTO flats in Ang Mo Kio, Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Kallang Whampoa, Tampines, and Yishun in January.
The seven BTO projects launched includes Fengshan GreenVille in Bedok (featuring 1,058 units), Ghim Moh Edge (1,179 flats), Toa Payoh Crest (1,007 flats), and Joo Seng Green (248 units), Compassvale Mast (928 units) and Rivervale Delta (884 units) in Sengkang, and Keat Hong Mirage in Choa Chu Kang opposite Keat Hong LRT station (1,159 flats). The first four are in the mature towns of Bedok, Queenstown, and Toa Payoh while the latter three are located in the non-mature towns of Choa Chu Kang and Sengkang. The Compassvale Mast site is expected to be the most popular with a subscription rate of 2.5 since it is the only located next to an MRT station. Inclusive of the Additional CPF Housing Grant and the Special CPF Housing Grant, the price for a five-room flat at the two Sengkang projects starts from $294,000. Pricing for a studio apartment at Toa Payoh Crest starts from $116,000 while a four-room flat at Joo Seng Green and Toa Payoh Crest and a five-room flat at Fengshan GreenVille start from $346,000 and $461,000 respectively including grants.
An overall subscription rate of between 1 and 2 is expected.
(Source: Business Times)
99-year leasehold Pasir Ris EC site attracts $207m top bid
The EC site at the intersection of Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Pasir Ris Rise attracted a total of 10 bids, with the top bid of $207 million, or $331.10 psf ppr from Hao Yuan Investment. The unexpected number of bidders and unexpected top bid was likely due to its proximity to the beach, Pasir Ris Park and Downtown East. The expected breakeven price is $600-650 psf.
(Source: Business Times)
Khaw reminds developers of the spirit of ECs
Possibly in light of the recent headlines on the record-breaking price of EC units, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan reminded EC developers that even when flexibility is given in the design and the pricing of ECs, they should keep the ECs affordable, since they are targeted at Singaporean families earning within $12,000 a month hoping to purchase condominium-style homes below the market rate. He also said that EC plots have a lower land price to allow developers to keep the prices relatively low. Some felt that these comments meant that there might be new measures introduced to control the prices of ECs. Nevertheless, 91% of ECs are still affordable at below $1 million.
(Source: Business Times)
Commercial
Office rents likely to fall
With an estimated 7.2 million sq ft NLA of upcoming office space in the CBD over the next five years, coupled with the uncertain economy, office rents are expected to fall. These include Duo and Marina One which would contribute almost 2.5 million sq ft of prime commercial space when completed in 2017. In the meantime, there are other prime Grade A buildings contributing 3.2 million sq ft in the CBD area which will be completed soon or in the next few years, such as the Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) Tower 3 and One Raffles Place Tower 2. In addition, there are another 2.1 million sq ft of NLA from new commercial buildings outside of the CBD.
(Source: Business Times)
99-year leasehold The Index strata offices to be released
The Index, a 31-storey mixed-use development located at Robinson Road/Cecil Street near Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, is said to be releasing its strata offices starting from $2,400 psf. Offices will be located at levels 10 to 31, with the top eight levels offering large whole-floor office units of 10,548 sq ft per floor and levels 10 to 23 offering 136 smaller units of 592 sq ft to 1,442 sq ft. In addition to the strata office units, The Index will offer 50 medical suites on the third to fifth levels with sizes ranging from 613 sq ft to 1,345 sq ft. These are expected to be priced from $3,500 psf. The office units will have floor-to-floor height of 5 m while the medical suites will have a height of 4.5 m. The tower will also include space for civic and community institutional use, two lobbies for the offices and medical suites, two food-and-beverage outlets with outdoor dining areas and a shop unit, a fully sheltered landscaped plaza, carpark lots on three basement levels, and a roof garden and pool on the ninth floor.
(Source: Business Times)
Jurong Town Hall Road hotel site attracts $238.2m top bid
Tamerton Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Resorts World Singapore (RWS), set a record for hotel land price with its $238.2 million or $1,167.35 psf ppr bid for the Jurong site, beating out 10 other bidders. While the record bid was unexpected, many felt that there will be demand for the hotel rooms since it can cater to visitors to RWS who cannot afford for the $300-$400 rooms in Sentosa and it is located near Jurong East MRT station and other upcoming developments like Jem, Westgate.
(Source: Business Times)
JTC launches three ?Business 2? sites for sale by public tender
The first site is a 30-year leasehold 2.74 ha site located in Buroh Street, in an established industrial estate the Boon Lay region. Its 2.5 maximum permissible GPR means it can potentially yield a GFA of over 737,000 square feet. While not subject to restrictions on strata subdivision, each unit have a minimum unit size of at least 150 sq m. It is expected to draw five to nine bids, with a top bid of $40-$105 psf ppr.
The other two sites are the 22.5-year leasehold plots 30 and 32 located at Tuas South Street 6. The two 0.86-ha plots with a 1.0 maximum permissible GPR are expected to see more demand from end-users. Plot 30 is expected to be the more popular of the two, with an expected number of bidders and top bid to be eight to 13 and $60-90 psf ppr respectively. Plot 32, on the other hand, is expected to attract five to 10 bids with a top bid of $55-80 psf ppr.
The tender will close at 11am on Jan 2.
(Source: Business Times)
Tropical Industrial Building at Upper Paya Lebar sold for $31.8m
The eight-storey freehold building along Little Road, in Upper Paya Lebar near Tai Seng MRT Station had been sold to Keris Investments, a Cathay Group unit, for $31.8 million, $632 psf based on its 50,300 sq ft total strata area or $510 psf based in its 62,375 sq ft existing GFA. There are eight strata titles, one on each floor. Of these, seven are leased, with four expiring in Q1 2023 and the last in June 2014.The building sits on a site zoned for Business 1 use with a 2.5 plot ratio also offers 20 parking lots in the basement.
Separately, 700 Beach, a boutique office block located between Golden Mile Complex and Golden Mile Tower and near Nicoll Highway MRT Station, is put up on the market again with an indicative pricing of $115 million or $1,759 psf based on its 65,374 sq ft NLA. Located on a site with a 99-year-leasehold tenure that started in April 2004, the earlier offer was not successful since some leases have yet to expire. However, with the expected departure of current tenants GroupM and the offer of Hirsch Bedner to move out if the new owner prefers so, 70% of the building?s NLA could be vacant. The site could potentially be converted for hotel use.
The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu is an institution of the Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network.?
The hospital is part of a network of health facilities in East Africa which include: Clinics, Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa, Aga Khan Hospital Dar es salaam and Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi.?
It provides medical care to the population of western Kenya region and works with leading clinicians in the country in the management of complex cases.
The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu has attained acknowledgment of its quality by achieving ISO 9001:2008 accreditation, ISO 15189:2007 accreditation for laboratory services and is moving towards Joint Commission International Accreditation.?
The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu has also expanded its services to Kisii, Kakamega and Busia Counties.?
The Hospital is seeking qualified candidates for the following positions:
Theatre Nurse ?
Overall Responsibility ?
The successful candidate will be responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of professional nursing care by providing quality services with special focus on operations and surgeries to meet the needs of patients and their families.
Key Responsibilities
Work as a scrub nurse
Work as a circulating nurse
Assist the Theatre Manager with preparation on staffing, equipment and procedures
Implement Infection control procedures
Requirements
Diploma in KRCHN or above
Diploma in Theatre Nursing
BLS / ACLS certificate and other unit specific certification requirements
At least one year working experience in a busy theatre facility
Valid Kenyan nursing practice licence
Working knowledge of a Hospital Management Information System will be an added advantage
Excellent PR and Communication skills
Critical Care Nurse ?
Overall Responsibility ?
The successful candidate will be responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of professional nursing care by providing quality nursing services to meet the needs of critically ill patients and their families.
Key Responsibilities
Nursing critically ill patients
Providing a safe environment for patients by practicing best nursing practices and infection control practices.
Requirements
Diploma in KRCHN or above
Diploma in Critical care Nursing
BLS / ACLS certificate and other unit specific certification requirements
At least one year working experience in an Acute care facility
Valid Kenyan nursing practice licence
Working knowledge of a Hospital Management Information System will be an added advantage
Excellent PR and Communication skills
These are challenging positions with an attractive remuneration package.
Applications including detailed curriculum vitae, names and contact of three referees should be forwarded by 10th December, 2012 to:
The Human Resources Department Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu P.O. Box 530-40100 Kisumu ?
Regent University's College of Arts & Sciences is seeking to fill a full
time, tenure track, assistant professor of Business position. The position is at the Virginia Beach, VA campus.
Qualified applicants
must possess a Ph.D. or DBA in business with 18 or more earned graduate semester hours in Accounting. Ideal candidates will also have earned
18 graduate semester hours in an associated discipline such as finance or statistics.
Applicants should demonstrate a strong
teaching and research record, with evidence of instructional effectiveness. Business experience and professional certification are
desirable. The focus of the instruction will be the breath of Accounting undergraduate coursework, including financial accounting, auditing,
taxation, governmental and non-profit accounting.
Expectations include a dedication to Christ-centered teaching and learning, a
record of or potential for scholarship, the ability to teach undergraduate level classes, and experience with online instructional
technology.
Appointment will begin August 2013. Applications will be accepted until December 19, 2013.
Qualified prospective
employees will receive consideration without discrimination because of race, color, gender, age, national origin, or disability.
Applicants must subscribe to a statement of Christian faith. Candidates should visit: http://www.regent.edu/admin/hr/job_opportunities.cfm to
complete the online application. Please forward a cover letter and current curriculum vitae to Donna Curtis at dcurtis@regent.edu. Upon receipt of these application materials, you may be asked to submit transcripts
and letters of recommendation.
Qualified prospective employees will receive consideration without discrimination because of race, color, gender, age, national origin, or disability.
Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard P. Feynman The Folio Society ?34.95
Richard Feynman had a knack for putting things in a novel way, as when he compared the study of physics to sex: "It may give some practical results," he reportedly said, "but that's not why we do it." This gorgeous edition of his popular work will add to any collection.
2
30-Second Maths: The 50 most mind-expanding theories in mathematics, each explained in half a minute by Richard Brown Icon Books ?12.99
This plain-looking book unveils the wonder of mathematics, touching on ideas from the M?bius strip to infinity with clear, entertaining and delightfully concise explanations.
3
The Ultimate Book of Saturday Science The very best backyard science experiments you can do yourself by Neil A. Downie Princeton University Press ?19.95/$29.95
What happens when a high-velocity carrot hits an armoured sandcastle? Discover for yourself with Neil Downie's experiments. This book is guaranteed fun, though parents of science-mad teenagers be warned: the section on oxygen fireworks may make you sweat.
4
The Medical Book: From witch doctors to robot surgeons, 250 milestones in the history of medicine by Clifford A. Pickover Sterling Milestones ?19.99/$29.95
The history of medicine is filled with monumental and bizarre discoveries. In this well-illustrated work, Clifford Pickover describes his favourite 250 milestones - which include the first test-tube baby and oldest artificial eye (it dates from 2800 BC).
5
The Science Magpie: A hoard of fascinating facts, stories, poems, diagrams and jokes, plucked from science and its history by Simon Flynn Icon Books ?12.99
"This is a remarkable book, sure to make a mighty stir among the philosophers - perhaps even among the theologians." So began a review of On the Origin of Species when it was published in 1859. Simon Flynn's cornucopia of curious facts, anecdotes and quotations such as this one may not make such a stir, but it is sure to entertain and surprise.
6
The Annotated and Illustrated Double Helix by James D. Watson Simon & Schuster ?19.99/$30
James Watson's 1968 account of the discovery of DNA's structure offered an insider's take on the process of science. Fifty years after he won the Nobel prize, this edition adds new life with images, letters and hand-drawn diagrams.
7
The Rough Guide to Surviving the End of the World by Paul Parsons Rough Guides ?11.99/$18.99
Whatever finally destroys humankind, be it a zombie plague or death rays from supernovas, it is best to be prepared. Paul Parsons's survival guide is a cheery lowdown on what may await us at the apocalypse.
8
A Bee in a Cathedral: And 99 other scientific analogies by Joel Levy A&C Black/Firefly ?12.99/$29.95
Joel Levy offers up plenty of scientific facts to impress your friends, like this one: the most potent known poison is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium - just 470 grams of the stuff could kill more than 6 billion people.
9
International Space Station 1998-2011 Owners' Workshop Manual by David Baker Haynes Publishing ?21.99/$32.95
With this manual you'll be fine should you find yourself on the International Space Station with the airlock jammed or the robotic arm tangled in the, er, P5 integrated truss segment. Let's hope NASA also has a copy, just in case.
10
Science: The definitive visual guide by Adam Hart-Davis Dorling Kindersley ?19.99/$50
This sweeping survey ranges from the discovery of fire to renewable energy, with handy diagrams and historical links that explain how ideas evolve. When it comes to science in a single volume, few books can match it.
11
The Cosmic Tourist: The 100 most awe-inspiring destinations in the universe by Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott Carlton Books ?25
The latest book by popular astronomy's oldest boy band is a travel guide to the universe's spectacular destinations. It includes old favourites and new finds - such as Hanny's Voorwerp, a green gas cloud 650 million light years away spotted by a Dutch schoolteacher during a crowdsourced science project.
12
Natural Histories: Extraordinary rare book selections from the American Museum of Natural History Library by Tom Baione Sterling Signature ?35.65/$50
The library at the American Museum of Natural History is famous for its scientific illustrations. These essays celebrate 40 of the best, including works from Robert Hooke and Emile-Alain S?guy. Best of all, this boxed set includes prints ready to frame.
In this Nov. 13 file photo, Micah Moore, 23, is escorted into the Jackson County Courthouse Annex in Independence, Mo., for his murder charge in the death of 27-year-old Bethany Ann Deaton.
By Bill Draper, The Associated Press
Updated at 4:06 p.m. ET: An attorney for a Kansas City man charged with killing the wife of his prayer group leader said Wednesday that he made up his confession after other group members dropped him off at a police station.
Attorney Melanie Morgan said 23-year-old Micah Moore was distraught over the death of 27-year-old Bethany Deaton when he confessed to killing her and made a series of stunning allegations detailed by police in a criminal complaint.
Moore, who lived with Deaton and her husband, Tyler, in a communal home shared by male members of their prayer group, told police that several members had sexually assaulted Bethany Deaton and were worried she would tell someone. Moore said that's when Tyler Deaton ordered him to kill Bethany Deaton, according to the complaint.
Moore, who has been charged with murder, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday, but that was delayed when the prosecutor's office asked for more time to take the case before a grand jury.
Afterward, Morgan read a statement recanting Moore's confession, which she described as "bizarre and nonsensical."
She did not address his allegations that Bethany Deaton had been sexually assaulted or that Tyler Deaton had ordered his wife's death. Morgan also declined to take any questions.
Tyler Deaton has not been charged in his wife's death. Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker has said Deaton is under investigation but declined to elaborate. Deaton does not have a listed phone number and did not respond to requests for comment The Associated Press made through Facebook and phone and email messages to his father.
Police have said Bethany Deaton's death initially appeared to be a suicide. Officers found a note and empty bottle of over-the-counter pain medication along with her body in a minivan parked by a lake on Oct. 30.
It wasn't until Moore confessed on Nov. 9 that they announced a homicide investigation.
Tyler and Bethany Deaton moved to Kansas City in 2009 from Texas to attend a six-month internship at the non-accredited International House of Prayer University. The two had met as freshmen at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, in 2005, and two years later Tyler started a prayer group, a former longtime member of the group told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was afraid of retaliation from Tyler Deaton.
Tyler Deaton was listed at one point as a division coordinator for IHOPU's "friendship groups," but the school said that was a mistake. It issued a statement distancing itself from Tyler Deaton after Moore, a student at IHOPU, was arrested.
"Since Bethany's death it has come to light that over five years ago, both she and Mr. Moore joined an independent, close-knit, religious group in Georgetown, Texas," the school said in a statement. "This religious group of fewer than 20 people was led by Tyler Deaton. They relocated to Kansas City over the last few years and operated under a veil of secrecy."
IHOPU is the educational arm of International House of Prayer of Kansas City, an evangelical Christian group focused on missions and preparation for the end of time.
The Deatons' prayer group had at least two houses, with women living in one and men in another. Bethany Deaton, 27, moved into the men's house with Tyler Deaton after they married in August.
According to the criminal complaint, Moore told police that men in the house began drugging Bethany Deaton and sexually assaulting her soon after she moved in. He said she was seeing a therapist and group members became concerned she would tell the therapist about the assaults.
Moore and other men who lived in the house told police that several group members also were having sexual relations with Tyler Deaton, unbeknownst to his wife. One man, whose name was blacked out of the criminal complaint, told police that Tyler Deaton said after Bethany Deaton died that he had had a dream he killed his wife by suffocating her.
Moore told detectives Tyler Deaton instructed him to kill Bethany Deaton because he knew Moore had it in him to do it, and that Moore reported back to Tyler Deaton after she was dead. Moore told police that he had placed a bag over Bethany Deaton's head and held it there until her body shook.
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? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
(PR NewsChannel) / November 29, 2012 / TAMPA, Fla.?
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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? Twin suicide car bombs ripped through a Damascus suburb minutes apart on Wednesday, killing at least 34 people, state media said, and rebels claimed they shot down a Syrian air force fighter jet.
The state news agency, SANA, said suicide bombers detonated two cars packed with explosives early in the morning in the eastern suburb of Jaramana, a Christian and Druse area known as mostly loyal to President Bashar Assad.
Suicide bombings have struck regime targets in Damascus and elsewhere since last December. Such attacks are a trademark of radical Muslim groups fighting alongside other rebels units, raising concerns of growing influence of Islamic extremists among the forces seeking to topple the regime.
Wednesday's bombs were detonated in a parking lot near a cluster of commercial buildings as groups of laborers and employees were arriving for work, killing 34 and injuring 83 people, SANA said.
The blasts shattered windows, littering the street with glass and debris. Human remains were scattered on the pavement in pools of blood. Six commercial buildings were damaged in the attacks, and dozens of cars were destroyed, SANA said.
After the first explosion, people rushed to help the injured, and then the second bomb went off, said Ismail Zlaiaa, 54, who lives in the neighborhood.
"It is an area packed with rush-hour passengers," he said. "God will not forgive the criminal perpetrators."
Ibtissam Nseir, a 45-year-old teacher, said the bombs exploded minutes before she set off for work. She said there were no troops around the district and wondered why the attackers would target it. Nseir blamed rebels.
"Is this the freedom which they want? Syria is a secure country and it will remain so," she said.
There were conflicting reports about the death toll. Two hospital officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters, said at least 30 bodies were brought to two hospitals. The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on reports from the ground, said 29 people were killed.
The different tolls could not immediately be reconciled. The regime restricts independent media coverage.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday's bombings.
Opposition fighters are predominantly members of the Sunni Muslim majority. In their push to take Damascus, they have frequently targeted state institutions and troops. They have also often hit districts around the capital with the country's minority communities, perceived to be allied with Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.
Downtown Damascus ? the seat of Assad's power ? has been the scene of scores of car bombs and mortar attacks targeting state security institutions and troops, areas with homes of wealthy Syrians, army officers, security officials and other members of the regime.
In May, two suicide car bombers blew themselves up outside a military intelligence building in Damascus, killing at least 55 people. In July, a bomb hit a building in which Cabinet ministers and senior security officials were meeting, killing the defense minister and his deputy, who was Assad's brother-in-law. A former defense minister also died in the attack.
Fighting between rebels and government troops raged on in several parts of the country on Wednesday. Regime warplanes struck rebel-held areas in the northern Idlib province and Damascus suburbs.
In northern Syria, a rebel group claimed it brought down a Syrian MiG-23 fighter plane near the rebel-held town of Daret Azzeh, according to a report by Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency. The report quoted unnamed rebels in the area and said the jet was shot down Wednesday, most likely by a missile.
There was no immediate independent confirmation.
Opposition fighters claim they have shot down helicopters and warplanes in the past, although the rebels repeatedly complain their arsenal is no match for the regime's fighter jets and attack helicopters.
In recent weeks rebels have captured several air bases with anti-aircraft weapons, but it is not known if they have the ability to operate them.
Since the summer, the Syrian military has significantly increased its use of air power in efforts to roll back the rebels' territorial gains, particularly in the northeast, along the border with Turkey.
Syria's conflict started 20 months ago as an uprising against Assad, whose family has ruled the country for four decades. It quickly morphed into a civil war, with rebels taking up arms to fight back against a bloody crackdown by the government. According to activists, at least 40,000 people have been killed since March 2011.
Assad blames the revolt on a conspiracy to destroy Syria, saying the uprising is being driven by foreign "terrorists" ? a term the authorities use for the rebels ? and not Syrians seeking change.
Analysts say most of those fighting Assad's regime are ordinary Syrians and soldiers who have defected. But increasingly, fighters adhering to an extremist Islamist ideology are turning up on the front lines. The rebels try to play down the Islamists' influence for fear of alienating Western support.
___
Surk reported from Beirut. Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed to this report.
We first brought word of Prima's audacious plans to let movie buffs enjoy first-run titles from the comfort of their home theaters for $500 a flick back in 2010. But it looks like the company is finally rolling out the service, with a hardware price tag that's risen from $20,000 to $35,000. Really sweetens the deal, doesn't it? More »
International study provides more solid measure of melting in polar ice sheetsPublic release date: 29-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Hannah Hickey hickeyh@uw.edu 206-543-2580 University of Washington
The planet's two largest ice sheets have been losing ice faster during the past decade, causing widespread confusion and concern. A new international study provides a firmer read on the state of continental ice sheets and how much they are contributing to sea-level rise.
Dozens of climate scientists have reconciled their measurements of ice sheet changes in Antarctica and Greenland over the past two decades. The results, published Nov. 29 in the journal Science, roughly halve the uncertainty and discard some conflicting observations.
"We are just beginning an observational record for ice," said co-author Ian Joughin, a glaciologist in the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory who is lead author on an accompanying review article. "This creates a new long-term data set that will increase in importance as new measurements are made."
The paper examined three methods that had been used by separate groups and established common places and times, allowing researchers to discard some outlying observations and showing that the results agree to within the uncertainties of the methods.
"It provides a simpler picture," said co-author Benjamin Smith, a research scientist at the UW's Applied Physics Laboratory. "In the 1990s, not very much was happening. Sometime around 1999, the ice sheets started losing more mass, and probably have been losing mass more rapidly over time since then."
The effort, led by Andrew Shepherd at the University of Leeds in the UK, reconciles three existing ways to measure this loss. The first method takes an accounting approach, combining climate models and observations to tally up the ice gain or loss. Two other methods use special satellites to precisely measure the height and gravitational pull of the ice sheets to calculate how much ice is present.
Each method has strengths and weaknesses. Until now scientists using each method released estimates independent from the others. This is the first time they have all compared their methods for the same times and locations.
"It brought everyone together," Joughin said. "It's comparing apples to apples."
Since 1998, scientists have published at least 29 different estimates of how much ice sheets have contributed to sea-level rise, ranging from 1.9 mm (0.075 inches) a year to 0.2 mm (0.0079 inches) drop per year. The new, combined estimate is that ice sheets have since 1992 contributed on average 0.59 mm (0.023 inches) to sea-level rise per year, with an uncertainty of 0.2 mm per year. Overall sea levels have risen by about 3.3 mm per year during that time period, much of which is due to expansion of warmer ocean waters.
"Establishing more consistent estimates for the contribution from ice sheets should reduce confusion, both among the scientific community and among the public," Joughin said.
Understanding why the ice sheets have been shedding mass faster in the last decade is an area of intense research. The accelerated ice loss was not predicted by the models, leading the latest International Panel on Climate Change to place no upper limit on its estimate for future ice-sheet loss.
Joughin is lead author of an accompanying article that reviews factors that cause ice sheets to lose more mass. In particular, it looks at what happens when warmer ocean waters reach the underside of large floating Antarctic ice sheets or abut glaciers in Greenland's fjords.
Joughin and his co-authors, Richard Alley of Pennsylvania State University and David Holland of New York University, suggest ways to better monitor and understand those changes: Create finer-grained ocean models that could include narrow fjords, develop more models to study the interaction between ice sheets and ocean water, and improve ice sheet monitoring.
Taking measurements at ice edges is perilous, they write, because skyscraper-sized chunks of ice can topple on floating instruments with no notice, and outgoing glaciers can scour any instruments moored to the ocean floor.
Understanding ice sheets is central to modeling global climate and predicting sea-level rise. Even tiny changes to sea level, when added over an entire ocean, can have substantial effects on storm surges and flooding in coastal and island communities.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet could trigger abrupt changes globally if it were to become unstable, and although Greenland is thought to be more stable, the recent calving of glaciers has led to some alarm.
Joughin believes the recent activity is a reason to pay attention, but not to panic.
"We don't fully understand why it's accelerating," Joughin said. "But the longer-term observations we have, the more solid predictions we will be able to make."
###
The UW portions of the research were funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
For more information, contact Joughin at 206-221-3177 or ian@apl.washington.edu and Smith at 206-616-9176 or bsmith@apl.washington.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
International study provides more solid measure of melting in polar ice sheetsPublic release date: 29-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Hannah Hickey hickeyh@uw.edu 206-543-2580 University of Washington
The planet's two largest ice sheets have been losing ice faster during the past decade, causing widespread confusion and concern. A new international study provides a firmer read on the state of continental ice sheets and how much they are contributing to sea-level rise.
Dozens of climate scientists have reconciled their measurements of ice sheet changes in Antarctica and Greenland over the past two decades. The results, published Nov. 29 in the journal Science, roughly halve the uncertainty and discard some conflicting observations.
"We are just beginning an observational record for ice," said co-author Ian Joughin, a glaciologist in the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory who is lead author on an accompanying review article. "This creates a new long-term data set that will increase in importance as new measurements are made."
The paper examined three methods that had been used by separate groups and established common places and times, allowing researchers to discard some outlying observations and showing that the results agree to within the uncertainties of the methods.
"It provides a simpler picture," said co-author Benjamin Smith, a research scientist at the UW's Applied Physics Laboratory. "In the 1990s, not very much was happening. Sometime around 1999, the ice sheets started losing more mass, and probably have been losing mass more rapidly over time since then."
The effort, led by Andrew Shepherd at the University of Leeds in the UK, reconciles three existing ways to measure this loss. The first method takes an accounting approach, combining climate models and observations to tally up the ice gain or loss. Two other methods use special satellites to precisely measure the height and gravitational pull of the ice sheets to calculate how much ice is present.
Each method has strengths and weaknesses. Until now scientists using each method released estimates independent from the others. This is the first time they have all compared their methods for the same times and locations.
"It brought everyone together," Joughin said. "It's comparing apples to apples."
Since 1998, scientists have published at least 29 different estimates of how much ice sheets have contributed to sea-level rise, ranging from 1.9 mm (0.075 inches) a year to 0.2 mm (0.0079 inches) drop per year. The new, combined estimate is that ice sheets have since 1992 contributed on average 0.59 mm (0.023 inches) to sea-level rise per year, with an uncertainty of 0.2 mm per year. Overall sea levels have risen by about 3.3 mm per year during that time period, much of which is due to expansion of warmer ocean waters.
"Establishing more consistent estimates for the contribution from ice sheets should reduce confusion, both among the scientific community and among the public," Joughin said.
Understanding why the ice sheets have been shedding mass faster in the last decade is an area of intense research. The accelerated ice loss was not predicted by the models, leading the latest International Panel on Climate Change to place no upper limit on its estimate for future ice-sheet loss.
Joughin is lead author of an accompanying article that reviews factors that cause ice sheets to lose more mass. In particular, it looks at what happens when warmer ocean waters reach the underside of large floating Antarctic ice sheets or abut glaciers in Greenland's fjords.
Joughin and his co-authors, Richard Alley of Pennsylvania State University and David Holland of New York University, suggest ways to better monitor and understand those changes: Create finer-grained ocean models that could include narrow fjords, develop more models to study the interaction between ice sheets and ocean water, and improve ice sheet monitoring.
Taking measurements at ice edges is perilous, they write, because skyscraper-sized chunks of ice can topple on floating instruments with no notice, and outgoing glaciers can scour any instruments moored to the ocean floor.
Understanding ice sheets is central to modeling global climate and predicting sea-level rise. Even tiny changes to sea level, when added over an entire ocean, can have substantial effects on storm surges and flooding in coastal and island communities.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet could trigger abrupt changes globally if it were to become unstable, and although Greenland is thought to be more stable, the recent calving of glaciers has led to some alarm.
Joughin believes the recent activity is a reason to pay attention, but not to panic.
"We don't fully understand why it's accelerating," Joughin said. "But the longer-term observations we have, the more solid predictions we will be able to make."
###
The UW portions of the research were funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
For more information, contact Joughin at 206-221-3177 or ian@apl.washington.edu and Smith at 206-616-9176 or bsmith@apl.washington.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
27 November 2012Last updated at 21:24 ETBy Matt McGrathEnvironment correspondent, BBC News
The global trade in python skins is often illegal and is threatening the survival of some species, says a new report.
Researchers say the growing demand for handbags and other fashion items in Europe is fuelling imports.
But the trade is so poorly regulated that it is extremely difficult to establish the true source of the skins.
The authors argue that in some locations, the methods used to kill the snakes are extremely cruel.
Continue reading the main story
Compared to the good looking cuddly animals, snakes are far down the ladder in terms of how people feel about them?
End QuoteOlivier CaillabetCo-author
The snake skin business is extremely lucrative according to this report, which estimates that half a million python skins are exported annually from South East Asia in a trade worth $1bn dollars (?625 million) a year.
International agreements such as CITES that are designed to protect wildlife do allow for some trade in these species.
But the authors say that when it comes to pythons the rules are being widely exploited. Snakes that are bred in captivity are allowed to be sold but the report finds that many so called captive pythons actually come from the wild.
The nature of the trade is such that there is a strong financial incentive all along the supply chain to use illegal snakes. A skin that a villager in Indonesia might sell for $30 (?19) will end up as a bag in fashion boutiques in France or Italy selling for $15,000 (?9,300). The highest demand is for skins between three and four metres long.
The problem is compounded by the poor enforcement of existing legislation. Illegal snake skins were hidden among legal cargoes and quotas were being ignored.
"It is up to the local authorities to enforce the laws," co-author Olivier Caillabet told BBC News. "A lot of the time they don't have the capacity in terms of money, people or expertise.
"And sometimes they just don't care."
The report argues that killing pythons on the current scale is unsustainable - many of the wild pythons are killed before their reach the reproductive stage.
Alexander Kasterine, from the International Trade Centre, which launched the study, said the threat was real.
"The report shows the problems of illegality persist in the trade of python skins and this can threaten species' survival," he said.
But the authors acknowledge it is a difficult case to make. Snakes don't evoke a great deal of sympathy.
"Compared to the good looking cuddly animals, snakes are far down the ladder in terms of how people feel about them," says Olivier Caillabet.
"To try and make the argument that the snake trade is unsustainable, for people here in Asia it's a difficult sell."
As well as the lack of sustainability the report highlights cruel practices in the killing of the pythons. The scientific method is to hit them hard on the back of the skull. In Indonesia and Malaysia this method is widely used as well as decapitation.
But in Vietnam, Olivier Caillabet says some people killed the snakes by inflating them with air compressors.
"It is functionally the equivalent of suffocating them, they inflate and suffocate and it kills them." he says. "It does seem cruel and there are more effective and more humane ways of killing snakes."
The explanation was that the people involved said that according to their religious beliefs, this method was more humane than hitting the snakes or beheading them.
Keeping track
Dealing with the problems, the authors say that trade bans are not the best solution. They argue that a number of approaches are required to both strengthen existing laws and to try and put in place systems that would permit better tracing of python skins.
While demand for goods made of python has never been higher, the authors of the report say the European leather and fashion industries are keen to put such a system in place.
"It is incredibly difficult," says Olivier Caillabet, "we absolutely need to have a traceability system for the trade. It is very difficult if not impossible for fashion houses to tell if what they are selling is really sourced from the wild."
The BBC contacted several luxury goods manufacturers to comment on the report, but none responded.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New sanctions aimed at reducing global trade with Iran in the energy, shipping and metals sectors may soon be considered by the U.S. Senate as part of an annual defense policy bill, senators and aides said on Tuesday.
The sanctions legislation, which has not yet been unveiled, comes during a crowded calendar as the Senate races to deal with deficit reduction, the defense bill and other pressing issues by the end of the year.
The package would build on current U.S. sanctions, passed almost a year ago, that have slashed Iran's oil revenues. The goal is to pressure Tehran to stop efforts to enrich uranium to levels that could be used in weapons.
Tehran has said its nuclear program is strictly for civilian purposes.
Democratic Senator Robert Menendez and Republican Mark Kirk have crafted new sanctions that would punish foreign banks that handle transactions for a broad sector of industries, including shipping, ports, ship building and more types of energy.
"Our significant effort right now is in pursuing areas of the economy that can lead to proliferation - energy, shipping, to mention a few," Menendez said in a brief hallway interview.
U.S. persons and companies have long been barred from doing business with Iranian entities. These new sanctions apply to foreign banks, threatening to ban them from the U.S. financial system unless they cut their dealings with Iran.
Senator Carl Levin, the Democratic chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he was reviewing a draft version of the sanctions and was amenable to the measures being added to the defense bill.
"It's fine with me," Levin said. "Going in, I favor strengthening any way we can the sanctions against Iran."
The package seeks to ban financial transactions with any person or organization blacklisted for their association with the Iranian government, as well as sales of metallurgical coal and precious metals, a congressional aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The sanctions would end "Turkey's game of gold for natural gas," a senior Senate aide said, referring to reports that Turkey has been paying for natural gas with gold due to sanctions rules.
The legislation "would bring economic sanctions on Iran near de facto trade embargo levels with the hope of speeding up the date by which Iran's economy will collapse," the aide said.
The legislation will also impose new bans on insurance and re-insurance for shipments of a broader range of goods, aides said.
Hotel Chatter Questions / London Hotels / Budget Hotels / citizenM Hotels / DoubleTree Hotels / Indigo Hotels / ? All Tags
What Are 5 Affordable And Stylish London Hotels?
citizenM Bankside
London is an expensive place to stay the night, that?s nothing new. Moreover, despite the influx of new hotels we?ve seen this year, a post-Olympics slump seems to have been avoided with particularly strong occupancy levels (i.e. the percentage of rooms filled with guests) after the summer?s events. That means it won?t get any easier finding a pleasantly priced hotel room in the city anytime soon.
So what to do if you want something sweet but easy on the wallet?
To help here's five London hotels that offer a bit of style without requiring a second mortgage or limitless credit card to enjoy them.
(1) citizenM Bankside (starting from ?119 / $190)
We talked at length about the first UK venture of citizenM, walking you through the compact, but well-equipped, rooms and the cool public spaces chock-full of designer furniture. There?s a lot to love here, and it?s one of the first hotels we now recommend when we get asked about an affordable option in town. Its Southbank location puts you right behind the Tate Modern museum, with easy access to all public transport options at Waterloo. In a few years? time there?ll be even more choice with upcoming locations near St. Paul?s and Tower Hill.
A "Small" room at Dean Street Townhouse
(2) Dean Street Townhouse (starting from ?100 - ?150 / $160 - $240)
Less full-blown hotel in feel than a fab restaurant with rooms, Dean Street Townhouse (from the same group that?s behind Soho House) puts you right in the heart of Soho?s nightlife. You?ll find the restaurant and bar ? a personal favorite of ours ? are always buzzing, and a myriad of other options on your doorstep. Rooms come in four categories (Tiny, Small, Medium, Bigger), with the first two indeed being the size you?d expect when you hear the name. What you sacrifice in size, you get back in location, cozy ambiance, and design that hits just the right note of British country chic.
(3) DoubleTree Hotel Westminster / Tower Hill (starting from ?90 - ?110 / $145 - $176)
We first stayed at what is now the DoubleTree when it was still called CityInn, a name we never understood. A brief stint as The Mint later, these two hotels are now part of the Hilton group. Unlike a lot of DoubleTree properties in the US, you?ll find mostly regular, non-suite, rooms here. Room d?cor is modern, if slightly more corporate, with light woods and lots of white. The two locations give you a choice between staying east or west, with both being relatively quiet on the weekends.
(4) Hotel Indigo Tower Hill (starting from ?140 / $224)
A stone?s throw from the DoubleTree Tower Hill, we recently took you inside a King Room at the Hotel Indigo. While not quite as covet-worthy as its far-east sibling in Shanghai, we?d still say you?re getting a stylish room that?s a good bang for your buck. There?s also an Indigo near Paddington station, with a slightly less appealing immediate environment, as well as a new location near Earl?s Court.
(5) Hoxton Hotel (starting from ?1 ? if you can get it!)
No affordable and stylish hotel list for London can be really complete without mentioning the Hoxton Hotel, famous for its ?1 sales. If Dean Street Townhouse puts you right in the heart of Soho, the Hoxton gives you easy access to all of Shoreditch and east London. The Hoxton Bar & Grill restaurant and lounge are a major draw here, with plenty of locals around. A spot near the fireplace on a cold winter day is not a bad place to spend an afternoon people-watching.
Rates listed indicate a rough starting range we found in January (except for the Hoxton sale). Granted, that?s not peak season for London but we?ve seen similar rates from experience throughout the year. As always, book early for the best rates, and please read the fine print when it comes to changes, cancellation, and what?s included in the rate offered.
[Photos: citizenM, Dean Street Townhouse, DoubleTree Tower Hill, JasonD, Hoxton Hotel]
Spent 33 springs as Chico State's track coach By Luke Reid - Sports Information Director (lreid@csuchico.edu)
11/27/2012 4:46:00 PM One of the most beloved coaches in the history of Chico State athletics, Men?s Track & Field Coach Kirk Freitas, announced his retirement Tuesday. Freitas steps down after 33 spectacular seasons.
?It?s difficult to leave,? Freitas told the team on a cold, gray November afternoon in the bleachers of University Stadium. ?We?re not just a team out here. We?ve been a family for the last 33 years. I?m going to miss it more than you know.?
Freitas oversaw Chico State?s men?s and women?s track & field programs from 1979 to 1998. He put his focus solely on the men?s team when Oliver Hanf became women?s head coach in 1998. The results have been astounding. The men?s track and field team has won nine consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) titles and has been ranked in the top 30 nationally each of the last 11 seasons, including four consecutive top-10 finishes from 2007 to 2010.
He?s coached 64 individual CCAA champions, 47 All-Americans, and six NCAA champions during that time.
Freitas was inducted into the Chico State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Chico Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
?Coach Freitas is Chico State Track & Field,? said Director of Athletics Anita Barker. ?He built our track program into a conference powerhouse by creating a family environment for all who participate. At the heart of this success is a man who genuinely loves teaching and coaching and lets the results speak for themselves. Throughout his tenure he has taught, trained, mentored and, most importantly, genuinely cared for the student-athletes who chose Chico State. His network of alumni, friends and colleagues know he poured his heart and soul into this program for the past 33 years. His legacy reaches beyond the student-athletes he coached to colleagues within and outside the Acker hallways. His leadership and passion for Chico State will be difficult to replace. We wish him the best as he starts this new chapter in his life.?
A national search for Freitas? successor will take place in the spring of 2013.
He goes out on top having earned CCAA Coach of the Year honors for the ninth year in a row this spring. The capper came at the NCAA Championships where J Patrick Smith won the NCAA decathlon title and John Brunk came in fourth. Freitas won West Region Coach of the Year honors in 2007, 2010 and 2011.
?The honors and accolades are astounding,? said Hanf, who competed for Freitas before joining him as the women?s coach. ?But I think Kirk would be the first to say that stuff?s all been secondary compared to the relationships he?s had with the athletes and alumni.?
?This is a tough day for me personally,? he continued. ?Freitas has always been there for me first as my coach and then after we formed this partnership. We fed off each other?s strengths. I?m going to miss him daily.?
As an athlete at Chico State, the fleet-footed Freitas earned eight All-Far West Conference honors and was a member of relay teams that competed in the 1968 National Championships. His relay squads also won the Western Regional Championship in 1969, qualified for the National Championships in 1970 with a school record-setting performance in the 400-meter relay (one that still ranks fifth all-time in Wildcat history), and placed seventh at the National Championships in 1971.
Freitas earned his bachelor?s degree in physical education from Chico State in 1971 and his master?s degree from Chico State in 1974. The Newark High School product coached at Yuba City High School before returning to coach at Chico State in 1979.
Immediately following Freitas? announcement Tuesday, long-time assistant coach and friend, Steve Irving, spoke.
?Freit, we appreciate you and all that you?ve done,? he said. ?You?re the heart and soul of this team for more than 33 years. That won?t ever be forgotten. Thank you.?
The clapping and cheering that followed confirmed that the athletes in the bleachers, those who occupied them over the past 33 years share the sentiment.
Moments later Freitas closed the meeting by saying simply: ?I think we ought to go to work.?
But it wasn?t time quite yet. First numerous coaches and student-athletes stood in line to hug him and offer words of thankfulness and encouragement. Then they did as he said. They got to work.
The Krechba gas treatment plant in Algeria, described by its managers as the world's first and largest onshore carbon capture and sequestration scheme
Photo by STR/AFP/Getty Images.
In the annals of corporate?greenwashing, the effort to rehabilitate coal?s sooty image is one of the most audacious. This cheap, plentiful fossil fuel is responsible for fouling our air and overheating the planet. And yet it?s the subject of a long-running campaign promising ?clean coal.?
Everybody snickers at that term. Chris Rock recently?joked?on Twitter that "clean coal is kinda like clean porn." Several years ago, a?Washington Post op-ed?scoffed: "Never was there an oxymoron more insidious, or more dangerous to our public health."
So before we go any further, let's be clear: The notion of clean coal gets no respect. You know it, I know it, we all know it.
Now here's the really crazy part: There might one day (in the not-too-distant future) be such a thing as clean coal. For real.
And make no mistake, that would be a good thing, for "coal isn't disappearing anytime soon," as Lisa Palmer?pointed out?earlier this month in?Slate. A?new study?just released by the World Resources Institute reveals that nearly 1,200 new coal plants have been proposed worldwide, most of them in developing countries such as China and India. The implications of this are dire,?Time?magazine's Bryan Walsh?writes: "Since coal is already the single biggest contributor to man-made?global warming, an unchecked global coal-building spree really would be?game over?for the climate."
So?the race to a clean-coal?future is on, with the Holy Grail being a technology known as?carbon capture and storage?(CCS).?The basic idea of CCS is?to?bottle carbon dioxide from power plants before it is released into the atmosphere and then bury it somewhere safely underground. The good news is that the technology to do this actually exists. It is the focus of ongoing?government-sponsored research. Since 2005, $10 billion from federal coffers has poured into dozens of pilot projects around the country, the majority of them at universities and national labs. In Texas, one state-of-the-art commercial plant that would capture 90 percent of its CO2 emissions is well into the planning stages. Its progress is being watched closely by industry and greens (who support it). While the idea of clean coal may be derided, proof of concept has been demonstrated.
The bad news: Carbon sequestration (another wonky term commonly used to describe CCS) is prohibitively expensive. Capturing and compressing coal exhaust perversely requires a lot more energy, which is costly. This, plus lingering technical concerns, make scaling up the technology difficult. The World Resources Institute, which favors implementation of CCS,?notes?the quandary: "In technology development there is a period referred to as the 'valley of death,' where a technology has been proven in the laboratory and on a small scale, but has yet to become commercially viable."?
The promise of clean coal thus tantalizes us. We look for it it on the horizon, but for now it remains trapped in the "valley of death." What would free it?
Well, let's first acknowledge that the forecast for clean coal is looking grim at the moment. Over the summer, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a?report?that cast doubt on CCS becoming economically viable in the absence of any federal measures that give utilities an incentive to implement the technology. To encourage CCS, the two big policy levers are restricting emissions outright and setting a price on carbon that makes it more expensive to emit than to trap. The?Congressional cap-and-trade bill that died?in 2010 would have helped accomplish this goal. So would a carbon tax, an idea that?floated around?Washington in the days after President Obama's re-election. But the White House itself?punctured?that trial balloon.
Where does that leave the future of clean coal? Most likely dependent on technological breakthroughs that reduce its cost. Some think?that is more?likely to happen in China than in the United States. Ironically, the big?innovation?that led to the?shale gas boom?which is now?fueling an industrial rebirth?in the United States?also?reduced the incentive?to decarbonize coal. The flood of cheap natural gas in recent years has knocked king coal off its U.S. throne. Why invest in a pricey new technology to improve your product if utilities don?t want you anymore?
But the huge role that coal plays (and will continue to play) in developing countries like China cannot be wished away. So the dream of carbonless coal must live. As?David Hawkins, director of climate programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) told?Yale Environment 360?earlier this year: ?If no other country in the world existed other than China, it would warrant the development of CCS.?
In a perfect world, coal would go the way of whale oil. Like coal, whale oil was a leading energy source for hundreds of years. Whaling caused a massive environmental catastrophe?the world?s whale populations still haven?t recovered?and went through a boom-and-bust phase as whales, like rich and accessible coal seams, became harder to find. Like mining, whaling was often a deadly business.
In a perfect world, the fossil-fuel lobby wouldn?t reduce the idea of ?clean coal? into an empty PR slogan and use it for political purposes. Yes, it?s easy to be suspicious about efforts to sanitize the image of a dirty energy. But the actual world we live in requires us to look past the cynical marketing campaign that everyone mocks and accept the fact that the planet?s climate needs clean coal?and the sooner, the better.
After months of client input,?the press release newswire PR NewsChannel today announced the launch of?its new?PReferred? program,?an optional VIP savings program designed to save small business clients money.?
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Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
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The Krechba gas treatment plant in Algeria, described by its managers as the world's first and largest onshore carbon capture and sequestration scheme