Fiends of the Earth

This is that worst case scenario that worries environmental planners

By Peter Dykstra for Environmental Health News

There's a case to be made that the Trump Administration's rollback of environmental regulation won't be devastating; that market forces will prevail in the coming energy revolution; that the environment and public health will continue to be protected under the EPA and other agencies, and that state governments will do their part as well; and that a newly-elected President, self-branded as an astute businessman and dealmaker, will be open to the wisdom of ensuring a safe and healthy America.

But there are two fatal flaws with this argument: 1) You weren't born yesterday; and 2) You don't come to this page to be lied to.

The Trump Administration’s cabinet nominees and transition staff are a wall-to-wall collection of zealots, ideologues and latter-day Robber Barons. Their collective message, both stated and implied, is that the American government’s ability to protect the environment, already besieged and underfunded, is on the brink of oblivion.

Trump thanks his supporters

Thank a Democrat

Preventing future problems as green energy grows

New insights into fluctuations of wind energy, with implications for engineering and policy

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University - OIST

The amount of energy generated by renewables fluctuates depending on the natural variability of resources at any given time. The sun isn't always shining, nor is the wind always blowing, so traditional power plants must be kept running, ready to fill the energy gap at a moment's notice. 

Because the grid has no storage, and unlike coal or nuclear, there is no control over the fluctuating production of renewable energy, the energy they produce has to be consumed straight away, or risk collapsing the electrical grid. 

On particularly windy days, for example, surges in power generated by wind turbines have been known to overwhelm the electrical grid, causing power outages. 

To avoid this, operators of large power plants sometimes resort to paying consumers to use electricity on particularly sunny and windy days when there is too much excess power in the system, in order to balance the supply and demand of energy at the grid.

Dealing with the peaks and troughs of intermittent renewable energy will become increasingly challenging as governments try to phase out of more stable coal-powered energy sources in the coming decades. 

After the last shot is fired

Rethinking The Cost of War
By Mike Hixenbaugh for The Virginian-Pilot, and Charles Ornstein, ProPublica

There are many ways to measure the cost of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War: In bombs (7 million tons), in dollars ($760 billion in today's dollars) and in bodies (58,220).

Then there's the price of caring for those who survived: Each year, the Department of Veterans Affairs spends more than $23 billion compensating Vietnam-era veterans for disabilities linked to their military service — a repayment of a debt that's supported by most Americans.

But what if the casualties don't end there?

UPDATED: Trump explains Russian election hack

So according to this statement, we should "find out" what happened no later than today. Can't wait!

UPDATE: Oops. Didn't happen. Big Surprise

“Our future prosperity and strength demands that the forces of reason win out”

I Love My Country

By Dan Rather on Facebook

I love my country.

I love it with a clear eye to its failures as well as its triumphs, the hypocrisies it embodies as well as its loftiest ideals.

My love for the United States was forged through a child’s eye, shaped by the lessons of my parents and teachers. It was baptized in memorized incantations – like the Pledge of Allegiance and Star Spangled Banner, as well as the hagiographic biographies of men like Washington and Lincoln that one reads in grade school.

Over the years, as my experiences grew and my readings deepened in complexity, I sought out a much more nuanced definition of patriotism.

It was one that demanded opposition to, and the exposure of, the wrongs inherent to so much of our society.

It was a sense of American exceptionalism to be worshiped at the altar of a free and independent press.

It was a shining light illuminated by the accomplishments of men and women of reason who had the courage to challenge the conventional wisdoms they saw as outdated, naive, or cynical.

As I grew, I began to see a deep undertow that was also part of our country. It was one fueled by my fellow citizens who were suspicious of growth, skeptical of knowledge, and closed minded to new ideas.

Seven deadly sins

Astronomy Picture of the Day

NGC 6357: Stellar Wonderland 

From NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day

For reasons unknown, NGC 6357 is forming some of the most massive stars ever discovered. 

This complex wonderland of star formation consists of numerous filaments of dust and gas surrounding huge cavities of massive star clusters.

The intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds, radiation pressures, magnetic fields, and gravity.

The featured image includes not only visible light taken by the UKIRT Telescope in Hawaii (blue) as part of the SuperCosmos Sky Surveys, but infrared light from NASA's orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope (orange) and X-ray light from NASA's orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory (pink). 

NGC 6357 spans about 100 light years and lies about 5,500 light years away toward the constellation of the Scorpion.

Within 10 million years, the most massive stars currently seen in NGC 6357 will have exploded. 

Coming up at the Mystic Aquarium

Check out the great events Mystic Aquarium has planned for you!

Explore your favorite exhibits and compete against family and friends with supersized games.

Bring your most riveting marine animal questions and learn from our animal care experts.

Meet one of our African penguins before you enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet.

Join in the fun and take the plunge to raise money for the Aquarium's Animal Rescue Program!

Mystic Aquarium | 55 Coogan Boulevard | 860.572.5955 TAIL US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Zika likely to be confined to communities without clean water and air-conditioning

Why odds are against a large Zika outbreak in the US

Entomological Society of America

Flint, Michigan is a pretty good match for the authors' profile of a
community vulnerable to a Zika outbreak

Is the United States at risk for a large-scale outbreak of Zika or other mosquito-borne disease?

While climate conditions in the U.S. are increasingly favorable to mosquitos, socioeconomic factors such as access to clean water and air conditioning make large-scale outbreaks unlikely, according to new analysis of existing research -- but small-scale, localized outbreaks are an ongoing concern.

In their forthcoming paper in the Journal of Medical Entomology, "Factors of Concern Regarding Zika and Other Aedes aegypti-Transmitted Viruses in the United States," Max J. Moreno-Madriñán of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and independent research entomologist Michael Turell argue that a leading factor in outbreaks of Zika, yellow fever, dengue, and chikungunya -- all transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito -- is low socioeconomic conditions in developing countries.

He can't handle it

New Gallup poll shows most Americans don't think Trump can do the job
By Jon Queally, staff writer for Common Dreams

With his inauguration now less than three weeks away, a new survey shows a majority of the American people are far from confident that Donald Trump, a former reality television star who won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, is up to the major tasks entrusted to the President of the United States.

According to results released by Gallup on January 2, "less than half of Americans are confident in [Trump's] ability to handle an international crisis (46%), to use military force wisely (47%) or to prevent major scandals in his administration (44%)."

Those numbers are far lower than measures taken on Trump's most recent predecessors—Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton—all of whom had percentages close to 70% in each of those categories prior to their taking office.

Seven things Obama should do before he leaves

My Wishes for Obama’s Parting Shots

By Robert Reich

President-elect Donald Trump is accusing President Obama of putting up “roadblocks” to a smooth transition. 

In reality, I think President Obama has been too cooperative with Trump. 

In the waning days of his administration, I’d recommend Obama take the following last stands:

1. Name Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. 

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution gives the President power to fill any vacancy during the recess of the Senate. The Supreme Court is no exception: Justice William Brennan began his Court tenure with a recess appointment in 1956. 

Any appointments made this way expire at the end of the next Senate session. So if Obama appointed Garland on January 3, the appointment would last until December 2017, the end of the first session of the 115th Congress.

2. Use his pardoning authority to forgive “Dreamers.” 

With a flick of his pen, Obama could forgive the past and future civil immigration offenses of the nearly 750,000 young people granted legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Without an immigration offense on their records, they could more easily apply for legal status.

Lingering Questions

For more cartoons from Tom Tomorrow, CLICK HERE

The truth about Social Security