How to fight the culture war

For more cartoons by Tom Tomorrow, CLICK HERE

 

Woof to that

 

Science looks at how we get scared

New Research Reveals How Fear Get Stuck in Brains

By LINKÖPING UNIVERSITY 

A biological mechanism has been identified by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden that increases the strength with which fear memories are stored in the brain  

The research, conducted in rats, was published in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry. It provides new insights into the processes behind anxiety-related disorders and identified shared mechanisms of anxiety and alcohol dependence. 

The ability to feel fear is critical for escaping life-threatening circumstances and learning how to avoid them in the future. However, in certain conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other disorders linked to anxiety, the fear reactions become excessive and continue even when they are no longer necessary.

This causes intense anxiety even if no danger is present, resulting in disability for the individual afflicted. Researchers believe that some people are predisposed to developing pathological fears, which are caused by problems with how the brain processes fearful memories.

5 Alternatives to Styrofoam For Food Packaging

Can you do without Styrofoam?

Guest Post by Kat Sarmiento for Global Warming is Real

Over the past few years, we have seen many initiatives and innovations created and perfected to address the ever-growing challenge of climate change. From smart buoys that accurately predict the weather to carbon capture and storage technologies, we’ve come a long way from where we were before. 

We can even see this in the food industry with regenerative agriculture, vertical farming, and biogas. Many changes are being created in the ag industry because the climate crisis directly impacts food production. In fact, one of its worst effects is on our access to food. Higher temperatures mean crop failure, which, in due course, disrupts supply chains the world over. 

However, it doesn’t end there. Food still needs to be packaged; unfortunately, many businesses still use Styrofoam as their material of choice. 

If businesses want to promise sustainability to their customers and attain net-zero emissions, they have to start at what might initially seem insignificant. Read on to learn more about the problem of using Styrofoam and the viable alternatives businesses can use for food packaging. 

No sign of decrease in global carbon dioxide emissions

We must do better 

University of Exeter

Global carbon emissions in 2022 remain at record levels -- with no sign of the decrease that is urgently needed to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to the Global Carbon Project science team.

If current emissions levels persist, there is now a 50% chance that global warming of 1.5°C will be exceeded in nine years.

The new report projects total global CO₂ emissions of 40.6 billion tonnes (GtCO₂) in 2022. This is fueled by fossil CO2 emissions which are projected to rise 1.0% compared to 2021, reaching 36.6 GtCO₂ -- slightly above the 2019 pre-COVID-19 levels[1]. Emissions from land-use change (such as deforestation) are projected to be 3.9 GtCO₂ in 2022.

Projected emissions from coal and oil are above their 2021 levels, with oil being the largest contributor to total emissions growth. The growth in oil emissions can be largely explained by the delayed rebound of international aviation following COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The 2022 picture among major emitters is mixed: emissions are projected to fall in China (0.9%) and the EU (0.8%) and increase in the USA (1.5%) and India (6%), with a 1.7% rise in the rest of the world combined.

Lively trading in Trump NFT cards

 

Let it snow

 

Protect your children from RSV

 

Enjoy the day

 

RI Coalition to End Homelessness responds to McKee Administration letter

Calls McKee claim they are ‘trying to keep people homeless’ absurd

By Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness in UpRiseRI

Last week, the State House encampment was swept aside as cleanup crews removed tents and belongings from unhoused Rhode Islanders following a court ruling against unhoused Rhode Islanders setting up tents on State House grounds. 

Additionally, the State has continued to make inaccurate statements regarding data collected by the Homeless Information Management System (HMIS) and outreach providers.

The Coalition has responded to the Rhode Island Department of Housing’s letter that was issued to us last week. The Coalition believes now that the focus needs to be on the other 500+ Rhode Islanders who remain unhoused and is proposing some solutions to immediately offer shelter to Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness.

Over the past few weeks, the State has provided reporters and the public with inaccurate statements about the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness. The mission of the Coalition is to advance lasting solutions to prevent and eradicate homelessness for all Rhode Islanders. 

Any statement that we are “trying to keep people homeless” or withholding data is absurd and diminishes the complexity of supporting the fair and equitable distribution of shelter resources within Rhode Island.

Get into the spirit

By Mike Luckovich

 

Get your barking flu and COVID shots!

 

Don't freeze

 

Best Aquaculture Practices Launches Consumer Campaign

Does BAP certification help promote sustainable aquaculture?

By Gina-Marie Cheeseman for Global Warming is Real

Shellfishermen set up racks to grow oysters from seed in Ninigret Pond. Sea Grant RI

The Global Seafood Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices label released its first consumer-facing website. The website is part of the campaign, Healthy Fish, Healthy Planet, Healthy You. 

The purpose of the campaign is to increase awareness of the BAP label. The campaign consists of traditional media outreach, social media, influencer engagement, and a toolkit with print and digital assets. Launched in mid-April, the campaign culminated with U.S. National Seafood Month last October. 

Two economists forecast 2023

Inflation, unemployment, the housing crisis and a possible recession

D. Brian Blank, Mississippi State University and Rodney Ramcharan, University of Southern California

Although a recession is likely on the horizon, it’s uncertain
how deep it might go. Cimmerian/E+ via Getty Images

With the current U.S. inflation rate at 7.1%, interest rates rising and housing costs up, many Americans are wondering if a recession is looming.

Two economists discussed that and more in a recent wide-ranging and exclusive interview for The Conversation. Brian Blank is a finance professor at Mississippi State University who specializes in the study of corporations and how they respond to economic downturns. Rodney Ramcharan is an economist at the University of Southern California who previously held posts with the Federal Reserve and the International Monetary Fund.

Both were interviewed by Bryan Keogh, deputy managing editor and senior editor of economy and business for The Conversation.

Below are some highlights from the discussion. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.