Australia Under Water
A levee is in place around a power substation in an attempt to hold back water from the swollen Loddon River at Kerang, Australia. Up to 1,500 homes in Kerang, in the north of Victoria state, could be affected if the Lodden River rises any further.
I'd get a house boat if I was in Australia.
Emergency workers herd cattle along a flooded road at Kerang, Australia. Something like 1,500 homes in Kerang, in the north of Victoria state, could be affected if the Lodden River rises any further. it's bad!!!
A car wrecks outside the town of Grantham in South East Queensland, Australia. The small town was hit by flash flooding causing mass destruction. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of Brisbane, the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers.
An entire suburb is submerged outside Ipswich, west of Brisbane, Australia. Emergency sirens blared across Australia's third-largest city Wednesday as floodwaters that have torn a deadly path across the northeast poured into an empty downtown, swamping neighborhoods in what may be Brisbane's worst flooding in 100 years.
A farmland is flooded in South East Queensland. Deadly floodwaters flowed onto the streets in Australia's northeastern state of Queensland since drenching rains that began in November sent swollen rivers spilling over their banks, inundating an area larger than France and Germany combined.
that's terrible!
Police looked for servivors on a boat at the Brisbane River, Brisbane, Australia. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Report: Iran Says It Can Produce Own Nuclear Fuel
Iran says it is now capable of producing nuclear fuel plates and rods, according to AFP.
Tt's about time they learn something.
Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi declares in a report that Iran has completed the construction of a facility in Isfahan for the fuel plates.
"A grand transformation has taken place in the production of (nuclear) plates and rods. With the completion of the unit in Isfahan, we are one of the few countries which can produce fuel rods and fuel plates," Salehi told AFP.
Salehi claims it was the West's policies towards Iran that propelled its nuclear achievements, despite the West saying the Islamic republic does not possess this sort of nuclear technology.
It's about time they cought up with the rest of the world. Its a shame they couldn't do it before the war stated over there.
"What we say is based on reality and truth. There is no exaggeration or deception in our work. It is them who do not want to believe that Iran has no intention, but to obtain nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," Salehi told AFP.
Tt's about time they learn something.
Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi declares in a report that Iran has completed the construction of a facility in Isfahan for the fuel plates.
"A grand transformation has taken place in the production of (nuclear) plates and rods. With the completion of the unit in Isfahan, we are one of the few countries which can produce fuel rods and fuel plates," Salehi told AFP.
Salehi claims it was the West's policies towards Iran that propelled its nuclear achievements, despite the West saying the Islamic republic does not possess this sort of nuclear technology.
It's about time they cought up with the rest of the world. Its a shame they couldn't do it before the war stated over there.
"What we say is based on reality and truth. There is no exaggeration or deception in our work. It is them who do not want to believe that Iran has no intention, but to obtain nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," Salehi told AFP.
Monday, September 20, 2010
43 Days to Decide: Dems Pumping Up Tea Party Fear Factor as Movement Surges
The White House is pushing back on a report that President Obama's advisers are contemplating an all-out ad war to discredit Republicans by way of the Tea Party. But with the primaries now behind them, top Democratic officials have already made the Tea Party fear factor an integral part of their messaging.
Amid mounting predictions that Democrats could lose at least one chamber of Congress, a rhetorical campaign has been underway for weeks to cast the Republican Party as driven by the "extremist" faction of its conservative wing.
The New York Times reported Monday that Obama's advisers are considering whether to launch an ad campaign nationwide to portray the Tea Partiers as the new leaders of the Republican Party.
"I think they're misidentifying sort of who the culprits are here," he said, urging the groups to offer a more specific game plan. "It's not enough just to say get control of spending."
But conflating the grassroots conservative movement with establishment party politics is nothing new for the White House and top Democrats.
Amid mounting predictions that Democrats could lose at least one chamber of Congress, a rhetorical campaign has been underway for weeks to cast the Republican Party as driven by the "extremist" faction of its conservative wing.
The New York Times reported Monday that Obama's advisers are considering whether to launch an ad campaign nationwide to portray the Tea Partiers as the new leaders of the Republican Party.
"I think they're misidentifying sort of who the culprits are here," he said, urging the groups to offer a more specific game plan. "It's not enough just to say get control of spending."
But conflating the grassroots conservative movement with establishment party politics is nothing new for the White House and top Democrats.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
U.S. Changes Military Commanders in Iraq Amid Debate Over Afghan Withdrawal
Vice President Joe Biden presided over a change-of-command ceremony in Iraq Wednesday marking the final phase of U.S. military involvement -- the hand-off comes amid fresh criticism of President Barack Obama's pledge to replicate such a transition in Afghanistan a year from now.
With the passing of a flag, newly promoted Army Gen. Lloyd Austin took over for Gen. Ray Odierno in Iraq. The handover marks the start of the so-called "Operation New Dawn." Combat operations have ended, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that the United States is no longer at war in Iraq.
FYI- Biden told assembled dignitaries and troops that the transfer of authority symbolizes a "different chapter in the relationship with Iraq."
The ceremony comes after Obama delivered an Oval Office address in which he declared it was time to "turn the page" on America's involvement in Iraq. In doing so, he pivoted to Afghanistan, where his administration is banking on a troop surge to lay the groundwork for an orderly withdrawal starting in July 2011.
But as with Iraq, the pledge to withdraw has sparked debate in Washington over whether deadlines -- even soft deadlines -- undermine U.S. efforts by encouraging insurgents to wait out the fight until foreign forces leave.
So in other words the governments not sure if we should leave Iraq just yet.
With the passing of a flag, newly promoted Army Gen. Lloyd Austin took over for Gen. Ray Odierno in Iraq. The handover marks the start of the so-called "Operation New Dawn." Combat operations have ended, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that the United States is no longer at war in Iraq.
FYI- Biden told assembled dignitaries and troops that the transfer of authority symbolizes a "different chapter in the relationship with Iraq."
The ceremony comes after Obama delivered an Oval Office address in which he declared it was time to "turn the page" on America's involvement in Iraq. In doing so, he pivoted to Afghanistan, where his administration is banking on a troop surge to lay the groundwork for an orderly withdrawal starting in July 2011.
But as with Iraq, the pledge to withdraw has sparked debate in Washington over whether deadlines -- even soft deadlines -- undermine U.S. efforts by encouraging insurgents to wait out the fight until foreign forces leave.
So in other words the governments not sure if we should leave Iraq just yet.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Watchdog Agency: U.S. Wasted Billions in Rebuilding Iraq
KHAN BANI SAAD, Iraq -- A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children's hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets.
As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted -- more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.
That amount is likely an underestimate, based on an analysis of more than 300 reports by auditors with the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. And it does not take into account security costs, which have run almost 17 percent for some projects.
There are success stories. Hundreds of police stations, border forts and government buildings have been built, Iraqi security forces have improved after years of training, and a deep water port at the southern oil hub of Umm Qasr has been restored.
Even completed projects for the most part fell far short of original goals, according to an Associated Press review of hundreds of audits and investigations and visits to several sites. And the verdict is still out on whether the program reached its goal of generating Iraqi good will toward the United States instead of the insurgents.
As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted -- more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.
That amount is likely an underestimate, based on an analysis of more than 300 reports by auditors with the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. And it does not take into account security costs, which have run almost 17 percent for some projects.
There are success stories. Hundreds of police stations, border forts and government buildings have been built, Iraqi security forces have improved after years of training, and a deep water port at the southern oil hub of Umm Qasr has been restored.
Even completed projects for the most part fell far short of original goals, according to an Associated Press review of hundreds of audits and investigations and visits to several sites. And the verdict is still out on whether the program reached its goal of generating Iraqi good will toward the United States instead of the insurgents.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Military Strike Could Delay, Not Stop, Iran's Nuclear Program
As Iran, with Russia's help gets ready to flip the switch on its first nuclear reactor, Washington is engaged in a frenzied debate over whether Israel should consider launching an air attack designed to cripple Tehran's nuclear capabilities.
But key military officials and analysts say Iran has already passed the point where a strike would deal its entire nuclear program a fatal blow. The country might be persuaded to abandon any efforts to build a bomb, they say, but like it or not Iran is going nuclear. And no number of Israeli F-16s is going to change that.
The mechanics of shutting down Iran's nuclear program are mindboggling. The Bushehr facility a power plant along the Persian Gulf that uses non-weapons-grade fissile material will be Iran's first functioning nuclear reactor; its Russian-provided fuel is expected to be loaded up starting this weekend.
But Bushehr is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Iran has a uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz and another at Qom, which Western allies blew the whistle on last year. Several facilities critical to the nuclear program are known to be scattered throughout the country, and others are believed to exist in unknown locations. Iran has committed to building more reactors and more enrichment facilities, and as long as it has nuclear physicists, the regime can continue to pursue its goals.
Attacking Iran's nuclear program might be like Mickey Mouse chopping broomsticks in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The program could be taken down but for how long?
But key military officials and analysts say Iran has already passed the point where a strike would deal its entire nuclear program a fatal blow. The country might be persuaded to abandon any efforts to build a bomb, they say, but like it or not Iran is going nuclear. And no number of Israeli F-16s is going to change that.
The mechanics of shutting down Iran's nuclear program are mindboggling. The Bushehr facility a power plant along the Persian Gulf that uses non-weapons-grade fissile material will be Iran's first functioning nuclear reactor; its Russian-provided fuel is expected to be loaded up starting this weekend.
But Bushehr is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Iran has a uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz and another at Qom, which Western allies blew the whistle on last year. Several facilities critical to the nuclear program are known to be scattered throughout the country, and others are believed to exist in unknown locations. Iran has committed to building more reactors and more enrichment facilities, and as long as it has nuclear physicists, the regime can continue to pursue its goals.
Attacking Iran's nuclear program might be like Mickey Mouse chopping broomsticks in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The program could be taken down but for how long?
Friday, June 4, 2010
Solar Energy
From magnifying glasses to steam engines, scientists through the centuries have found innovative ways to harness the power of the sun. Converting more solar power into electricity is high on the political agenda in many countries, amid the push to find domestic energy sources that are less polluting than fossil fuels.
Despite rapid growth in recent years, solar power accounts for less than 1 percent of United States electricity use. Solar power is more entrenched in European countries such as Spain and Germany, which have promoted its development with strong incentives called feed-in tariffs,which require electric utilities to buy solar power at a high, fixed price. In the United States, California is by far the leading solar state.
How it Works
There are several ways to use the sun’s power to generate electricity. One of the most promising is called concentrating solar power. This involves using mirrors to reflect and focus the sun’s rays, providing heat, which in turn helps power a generator. Another is photovoltaic panels, such as the displays on the rooftops of homes and office buildings (some of these displays, especially in California, have recently experienced problems with theft).
Drawbacks and Incentives
The drawback to solar power is that it is expensive to produce: generating power from photovoltaic panels costs more than four times as much as coal, and more than twice what wind power costs. In the United States, the federal government and states have offered a variety of incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to put panels on their roofs, and for utilities to buy power from large displays. Solar panels produce no energy at night, but that is not a significant problem because the electricity is often most needed in the daytime, when consumers turn on lights and televisions and air-conditioning.
Solar energy is also used to heat water and pools — and of course a properly designed house will optimize the light and heat qualities of as it floods through the windows.
For now, electricity generation from the sun’s rays needs to be subsidized because it requires the purchase of new equipment and investment in evolving technologies. But costs are rapidly dropping. And regulators are still learning how to structure stimulus payments so that they yield a stable green industry that supports itself.
China Leading Solar Race
China has leapfrogged the West to emerge as the world’s largest manufacturer of solar panels. China’s efforts to dominate renewable energy technologies raise the prospect that the West may someday trade its dependence on oil from the Mideast for a reliance on solar panels, wind turbines and other gear manufactured in China.
The Chinese government charges a renewable energy fee to all electricity users. The fee revenue goes to companies that operate the electricity grid, to make up the cost difference between renewable energy and coal-fired power.
In the United States, power companies frequently face a choice between buying renewable energy equipment or continuing to operate fossil-fuel-fired power plants that have already been built and paid for. In China, power companies have to buy lots of new equipment anyway, and alternative energy is increasingly priced competitively.
But China’s commitment to renewable energy is expensive. Although costs are falling steeply through mass production, solar power is still at least twice as expensive as coal.
Despite rapid growth in recent years, solar power accounts for less than 1 percent of United States electricity use. Solar power is more entrenched in European countries such as Spain and Germany, which have promoted its development with strong incentives called feed-in tariffs,which require electric utilities to buy solar power at a high, fixed price. In the United States, California is by far the leading solar state.
How it Works
There are several ways to use the sun’s power to generate electricity. One of the most promising is called concentrating solar power. This involves using mirrors to reflect and focus the sun’s rays, providing heat, which in turn helps power a generator. Another is photovoltaic panels, such as the displays on the rooftops of homes and office buildings (some of these displays, especially in California, have recently experienced problems with theft).
Drawbacks and Incentives
The drawback to solar power is that it is expensive to produce: generating power from photovoltaic panels costs more than four times as much as coal, and more than twice what wind power costs. In the United States, the federal government and states have offered a variety of incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to put panels on their roofs, and for utilities to buy power from large displays. Solar panels produce no energy at night, but that is not a significant problem because the electricity is often most needed in the daytime, when consumers turn on lights and televisions and air-conditioning.
Solar energy is also used to heat water and pools — and of course a properly designed house will optimize the light and heat qualities of as it floods through the windows.
For now, electricity generation from the sun’s rays needs to be subsidized because it requires the purchase of new equipment and investment in evolving technologies. But costs are rapidly dropping. And regulators are still learning how to structure stimulus payments so that they yield a stable green industry that supports itself.
China Leading Solar Race
China has leapfrogged the West to emerge as the world’s largest manufacturer of solar panels. China’s efforts to dominate renewable energy technologies raise the prospect that the West may someday trade its dependence on oil from the Mideast for a reliance on solar panels, wind turbines and other gear manufactured in China.
The Chinese government charges a renewable energy fee to all electricity users. The fee revenue goes to companies that operate the electricity grid, to make up the cost difference between renewable energy and coal-fired power.
In the United States, power companies frequently face a choice between buying renewable energy equipment or continuing to operate fossil-fuel-fired power plants that have already been built and paid for. In China, power companies have to buy lots of new equipment anyway, and alternative energy is increasingly priced competitively.
But China’s commitment to renewable energy is expensive. Although costs are falling steeply through mass production, solar power is still at least twice as expensive as coal.
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