Category: Science and Stuff,

Last stand: Nebraska farmers could derail Keystone XL pipeline 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Environment,Leave a comment

But Trump and the firm will have to get through Nebraska farmer Art Tanderup first, along with about 90 other landowners in the path of the pipeline.

They are mostly farmers and ranchers, making a last stand against the pipeline – the fate of which now rests with an obscure state regulatory board, the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

…Backed by conservation groups, the Nebraska opponents plan to cast the project as a threat to prime farming and grazing lands – vital to Nebraska’s economy – and a foreign company’s attempt to seize American private property.

They contend the pipeline will provide mainly temporary jobs that will vanish once construction ends, and limited tax revenues that will decline over time.

Last stand: Nebraska farmers could derail Keystone XL pipeline | Reuters

hmmmm

Secretary Zinke Announces $34.9 Billion Added to U.S. Economy in 2016 due to National Park Visitation |

On By peanutgallerynhIn Money, Class, and Poverty,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Today, during National Park Week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced that 2016’s record visitation of 331 million visitors at America’s 417 National Park Service sites contributed $34.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016 – a $2.9 billion increase from 2015. Zinke made his announcement while visiting the historic Presidio of San Francisco at Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Zinke marked Park Week by also visiting Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and Channel Islands national parks.

According to the annual peer-reviewed economics report, 2016 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, the strong economic output is attributed to record visitation and $18.4 billion that visitors spent in “gateway” communities near national park entrances. The report also found that visitor spending supported 318,000 jobs in 2016, with the vast majority of them defined as local jobs, including those in the hospitality, retail, transportation and recreation industries.

Secretary Zinke Announces $34.9 Billion Added to U.S. Economy in 2016 due to National Park Visitation | U.S. Department of the Interior

hmmm

Scientists discover massive sulfur-eating hell-clams in the Philippines 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Science and Stuff,, Southern Central Asia,Leave a comment

Known as the giant shipworm (Kuphus polythalamia), even though they aren’t worms, they’ve never before been described in the scientific literature. But scientists knew that they had to exist, because of the massive, elephant tusk-like shells that stick around even when their horrifying denizens are gone. The shells were first described in the 1700s, and continue to be sold to collectors, but scientists were previously unable to find ones that still contained living shipworms to study, “Popular Science” reports.

Scientists discover massive sulfur-eating hell-clams in the Philippines – The Verge

wild!

More evidence that the key to allergy-free kids is giving them plenty of dirt — and cows 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Modern Parenting,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

A new study may reveal one mechanism behind the strange allergy immunity of kids raised on farms.

…The research is related to something called the hygiene hypothesis, where a lack of exposure to microbes as a tyke leads to more allergy and asthma.

More evidence that the key to allergy-free kids is giving them plenty of dirt — and cows – The Washington Post

hmmm

Oil Spill Dumps 27,000 Gallons Toward The Gravesend Bay 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Local Interest,Leave a comment

A Brooklyn company quietly spilled thousands of gallons of heating oil into Gravesend Bay, BKLYNER has learned. The 27,000 gallon spill at Bayside Fuel Depot began before sunrise on Thursday, March 30, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYC DEC) official Rodney Rivera confirmed after we obtained photographs and video of the spill’s aftermath and […]

EXCLUSIVE: Oil Spill Dumps 27,000 Gallons Toward The Gravesend Bay – BKLYNER

Move along, nothing to see here.
Sigh…

A US-Africa Trade Conference With No Africans 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Africa,, Domestic Affairs,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Judging by his proposed budget, I don’t think Trump particularly cares about the United States’ intellectual, innovative and artistic contributions to the world. But do you know where conferences are held? Hotels. Now that’s an industry I know the Cheeto-in-Chief doesn’t want to see decline–so maybe he should quit it with the racist, erratic visa policies, hm?

A US-Africa Trade Conference With No Africans | The Mary Sue

Sigh…..

Stephen Hawking is going to space on a Virgin Galactic flight thanks to Sir Richard Branson

On By peanutgallerynhIn Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Professor Stephen Hawking knows a lot about space – and now he’s announced that he is actually going there. The physicist and cosmologist, 75, said he had not expected to have the opportunity to experience space but that Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson had offered him a seat on Virgin Galactic. 

Stephen Hawking is going to space on a Virgin Galactic flight thanks to Sir Richard Branson

cool!