Bob Morris @ Mar 29th 2008 20:16 - Category: Blogging ;
The long-awaited massive upgrade of WordPress (what this blog uses) has officially shipped, and it has a gaggle of useful new features. As always, I wait on new versions to make sure there are no bugs or issues as does Bluehost, where we are hosted. They have one-click upgrades for a number of products including WordPress, which certainly makes upgrading simple.
Bob Morris @ Mar 29th 2008 16:40 - Category: Climate change ;
It just snowed in Seattle, and this is very late for them to have snow. Ditto for Vancouver. New Hampshire had more snow this year than in 135 years. Here in Connecticut we’ve had enormous amounts of rain, three to four times more than normal this winter. Plus, the sun hasn’t been out much and Spring still isn’t quite here yet.
This is why the name got changed from “global warming” to “climate change.” The weather will not just get hotter, rather it will be more extreme, with bigger fluctuations. Some areas will get drier and hotter, others will be cooler with more water.
So, this unusual winter could just be part of the normal variations or it could signal more climate change.
Bob Morris @ Mar 29th 2008 11:40 - Category: Anti-war ;
From Juan Cole.
Al-Zaman says that the police force in Basra suffered numerous mutinies and instances of insubordination, with policemen refusing to fire on the Mahdi Army. The government response was to undertake a widespread purge of disloyal elements.
[Hmm. I wonder where fired policemen with combat training and guns could find another job . . . Maybe with the Mahdi Army?]
Another question: Where the Iraqi government will find replacement police with combat training who are willing to fight?
The tableau above is tragicomic. The Iraqi security forces haven’t even begun to take key Mahdi Army territory in Basra, and in fact have been rebuffed. The Mahdi Army claims to have captured heavy arms and even Iraqi soldiers from the government. The minister of defense admits that.
The Iraqi and US governments badly underestimated what it would take to defeat the Mahdi Army. If anything the Mahdi Army is holding its own, if not actually advancing. The current US airstrikes are deeply stupid and seem guaranteed to drive civilians to the other side.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of civilians who just want the madness to end are caught in the cross fire.
Bob Morris @ Mar 29th 2008 06:40 - Category: Unfiled ;
(Runner-up entry in the Face It “No Coal” Contest)
The Navajo Nation will install 300 wind turbines near Flagstaff AZ, enough to power 100,000 homes. This after years of considering building a coal plant.
The Navajo Nation is superbly located for solar, geothermal, and wind development, and developing these alternative energy sources could bring sorely needed funds into the Nation to support clean water, education, and environmental protection.
Bob Morris @ Mar 29th 2008 01:52 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: biofuel;
Earth2tech profiles fifteen companies working to convert algae into biofuel.
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