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Source: http://www.facebook.com/DazedandConfusedMagazine/posts/10151737289704089
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Thursday, August 1, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Owner of burning Gulf rig considers relief well
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? The owner of a drilling rig that's ablaze in the Gulf of Mexico says it may drill a relief well as part of a plan to control the natural gas well that blew wild.
A news release from Hercules Offshore Inc. says the relief well is among the options being considered.
It says it's also trying to find out why the well blew and then caught fire, but its first focus is cutting off the flow of natural gas.
Officials stressed that Tuesday's blowout won't be nearly as damaging as the 2010 BP oil spill. Hercules says all 44 workers on the jackup rig were rescued without injury.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/owner-burning-gulf-rig-considers-relief-well-151346610.html
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
Endangered Plants for Sale Online: Are They Legal?
A young Pritchardia remota plant.
Did you know that it is often legal to buy and sell endangered species of plants through the mail? It?s true. Take, for example, the rare Hawaiian palm tree Pritchardia remota, one of several species collectively known as lou?lu. The tree, like many in its genus, is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), but right now there are several for sale on eBay. If those sellers have the right permit, then their sales are both legal and within the goals and scopes of the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, new research finds that the commercial trade of endangered plant species rarely lives up to law.
Plant sales and private cultivation are actually encouraged under the ESA, which recognizes that commercial propagation is often essential to the survival of listed species. Individuals can collect endangered plants from the wild (as long as they don?t do it from federal land), raise them and sell either whole plants or seeds. The ESA does have one requirement: sellers must apply for a $100 permit (pdf) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) if plants are sold across state lines.
But the first in-depth study of online plant sales has found that many if not most sellers appear to lack this essential permit. The study?conducted by researchers at University of Notre Dame and published May 28 in Conservation Letters?found 49 federally listed plant species for sale on the Internet on eBay and other sites. The researchers, who conducted their searches between October 2009 and January 2011, then compared the listings with permit notices published in the Federal Register. They found that only four sellers, two of which were conservation organizations, had obtained the necessary interstate commerce permits. The remaining sellers all appeared to lack the permit.
Lead researcher Patrick Shirey, a Ph.D. candidate at Notre Dame?s Department of Biological Sciences, first observed this phenomenon while working on an earlier paper about human-assisted colonization of threatened plants under the ESA, which was published in Conservation Letters in December 2009. When researching that paper, he says, ?we noticed that the sellers of Tennessee coneflower and Virginia roundleaf birch didn?t advertise the required permit when offering plants for sale. We wanted to know if commercial trade was common for other listed plants.?
The researchers studied hundreds of plant species, including 753 on the ESA and dozens more that are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). While many of the plants offered for sale were obviously from cultivated populations, they did observe many species that have been threatened by over-collecting from wild populations. They did not track actual completed financial transactions, only plants offered for sale, nor did they look at sales that did not cross state borders, which would not have required the ESA permit. (Each state has its own laws regarding what plants can and can?t be sold within its borders.)
Shirey and his researchers wrote that collaboration between federal agencies, nurseries and individual plant collectors could help to preserve rare species, but it may require more regulation than exists today. ?I would like to see more collaboration between public and private interests for the benefit of these endangered species,? Shirey says. He points to Australia?s critically endangered Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) as a good example. The tree has fewer than 100 individuals left in the wild, but botanical gardens have propagated it worldwide, and some of the money raised from selling the plants goes into conserving the wild population. A similar program could work, he suggests, with the ESA-listed star cactus (Astrophytum asterias). ?Sales of cultivated star cactus are common? ? with and without FWS permits ? ?but profits do not support wild populations like the sales of Wollemi pine.? Meanwhile, the federal government spent more than $64,000 in fiscal year 2011 (pdf) to study and protect the star cactus in the wild.
Shirey and his fellow researchers indicate that private cultivation of endangered plants does more good than harm, and he points out that buyers who are aware of this issue should be able to tell if an online seller has the correct permit. ?The few sellers that have the permit advertise on their website or with the listing that they do so. For example, Sunlight Gardens sells the threatened Cumberland rosemary (Conradina verticillata), and they give their FWS permit number with the listing. They also send a photocopy of their FWS permit with their order.?
Gavin Shire, public affairs specialist with FWS, told me how important individuals are to plant conservation. ?Some 75 percent of endangered and threatened plant species occur to some extent on private lands, and so their conservation can be significantly affected by activities in those habitats. Private landowners and other citizens can have a positive impact on rare plant conservation, and we encourage them to contact their local Fish and Wildlife Service office, and their State Natural Heritage Program to learn more about what they can do to help.?
As for the sellers operating without permits, they might want to think about spending that $100 to get their affairs in order. Anyone convicted of selling endangered plants without the right permits could face a maximum of one year in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Oh, and by the way, I asked one of the eBay sellers currently selling Pritchardia remota plants if they had the FWS permit. I still await a reply.
Photo: A young Pritchardia remota plant photographed by Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license
Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/basic-science/~3/X2rM4Ygw0_8/post.cfm
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Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Marsden Park Golf Club, Lancashire
Nelson, Lancashire
Pay-and-play at this brilliant East Lancashire layout
Offering reasonable prices and stunning views over East Lancashire and Pendle Hill, Marsden Park is a must-visit club for players of all abilities.
18 midweek holes can be had for as little as ?13, while even a weekend round will never cost you more than ?15. Nine-hole packages are also available for less than ?10.
But do not let the prices fool you. The course is crafted into nearly 6,000 yards of attractive semi-parkland and boasts a collection of holes that would grace a far dearer course.
Take the signature 17th, for instance. Also the toughest on the course, the 363-yard par-four features a drive over mature trees as well as a sloping fairway and out of bounds stretch. To make matters trickier, the elevated green is guarded by a bunker and a severe slope to the right of the putting surface.
The course is crafted into nearly 6,000 yards of attractive semi-parkland and boasts a collection of holes that would grace a far dearer course.
Other notable holes include the drivable par-four fourth and the 16th ? known as ?Cardiac Hill? due to the severe upwards slope you have to navigate ? which requires two of your very best hits to reach the green.
Away from the course, the club boasts spacious function facilities which can be hired free of charge. The room is big enough to seat 40 people or 70 if standing, while a range of catering options are available to suit any need or budget, from hot and cold buffets to a three-course meal.
The club also boasts a well-stocked pro shop that stock a range of top brands including Titleist, Ping, Cobra, Callaway, Galvin Green, Footjoy and Taylormade.
Visitor and society packages are available to help you make the most of your stay in the region. ?
Source: http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/courses/articles/lancashire-golf-courses-marsden-park.html
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Oil little changed as market eyes supply data
NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil was little changed Tuesday as the market awaits the latest data on U.S. crude oil and gasoline supplies.
By early afternoon in New York, benchmark crude for September delivery was down 5 cents at $106.89 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The government's weekly report on America's inventories of crude is expected to show another drop in supplies. Falling supplies helped propel the price of oil to a 16-month high before the price dropped by $1.14 a barrel Monday.
A survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., shows analysts expect a decline in crude oil inventories of 2.6 million barrels for the week ended July 19. That would bring the four-week drop to nearly 30 million barrels.
The American Petroleum Institute will release its report on oil stocks later Tuesday, while the report from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration ? the market benchmark ? will be out on Wednesday.
At the pump, the average price for a gallon of gasoline held steady at $3.67. That's up 10 cents from a month ago and 20 cents higher than at this time last year.
Brent crude, traded on the ICE Futures exchange in London, was up 24 cents at $108.39 a barrel.
In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:
? Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $3.07 a gallon.
? Heating oil was flat at $3.07 a gallon.
? Natural gas gained 6 cents to $3.74 per 1,000 cubic feet.
_____
AP Writer Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.
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Improve The Exterior Of Your Home With These Handy Landscaping ...
Does looking at your yard make want to run, or sit and enjoy a lemonade? A lot of people believe they don?t have time or money to make their yards look great. In reality it can be easy and cost effective when you know the right way to do it. Take a look at the helpful ideas below.
Think about making a drawing of your prospective landscaping project before you begin the work. Drawing it out may help you to get a better mental picture of the finished project and will let you know which materials may be most suitable. Besides, it is always easier to modify your sketch rather than the actual lawn or garden.
Native Plants
Use native plants when landscaping your yard. It?s easier to take care of native plants because they are adapted to the climate and soil type in your yard. This means they?ll be a low-maintenance plant in any yard. You could find more info on plants that are local to your area at any gardening store in your region.
Before beginning your project, be sure to learn the difference between plants?annuals and perennials, hardiness zones, bulbs and seeds. Keep the seasons in mind as you landscape. It is imperative that you think about these things before planting so that your landscape is successful.
TIP! Before you begin your landscaping project, be sure to make a complete listing of materials required. It is terrible to start a project, only to realize that you don?t have an essential tool required to do the job.
Before you begin your project, you should make sure that you have a list of the things you need to complete your project so that you are not running back and forth to home improvement stores. It is quite discouraging to have to postpone your project until you go back to the store for a single tool.
Granite is an excellent material to use for an outdoor kitchen. While it may cost less with marble or a similar material, granite is good because you place very hot things on it and does not require much maintenance.
You can produce an impressive multi-seasonal garden by putting a little extra thought into your plant selections. Consider using plants that have different seasons for blooming so that you have color year round in your geographic location. Keep your property beautiful throughout the year with trees that provide vibrant foliage or pines and evergreens that maintain their color in cold weather.
Quality Items
Whenever you can afford it, always purchase quality products. Most home improvement discount retailers only offer lower quality items. Go to a store that specializes in landscape design where you can get top-notch products and helpful advice from their workers. If you pay a premium for the higher quality items, it will pay off in the long run.
A lot of people never consider purchasing landscape supplies online. Not only is it simpler and more convenient to purchase supplies online, but you may have access to a wider variety of plants for your landscaping project that you could never find in a nearby retail store or nursery.
TIP! Consider existing structures before beginning any landscape project. Make sure to know where cables, gutter, sprinklers and other systems are placed so you do not disturb them when you are doing your landscaping.
You now understand what it takes to get the yard you desire. A lift in your mood can be achieved by stepping out the door, just from enhancing your yard. Coming home after work will be enjoyable, as you pull up to your newly renovated landscape. Your efforts will pay off.
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Monday, July 22, 2013
Win the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Smartphone!
The Samsung Galaxy S4?is an amazing phone, which is why it would be such a shame to accidentally destroy it during your summer travels. Fortunately, Samsung has come out with a special tougher and waterproof version of the S4, called the S4 Active. An exclusive with AT&T, this phone is ready to handle a trip to the beach and even a few drops along the way. You can check out our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active.
And to celebrate summer, and AT&T?s new Mobile Share plans, we?re giving away a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active! So go ahead and enter below to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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