0
POPSHint of conservation push brightens whaling stalemate "The best science is done by observing live whales in the marine environment, not figuring out how many you can sustainably kill," says Ramage. "We hope it will elicit other countries to participate," says Ramage. He added that encouragingly, the US and Norway had put forward a unanimously adopted resolution for countries to be more sensitive to the effects of climate change on whale and dolphin species. Ramage said that the IWC is undergoing a difficult transition, and hoped that Japan's proposal to be allowed to resume whaling in its own coastal waters would ultimately be rejected. "It would violate the ongoing moratorium, introduced in 1986," said Ramage. Discussions will continue over the coming year about the fate of the IWC, the subject of a review by the "small working group" – a panel of IWC representatives.
2
POPSChicago's "CeaseFire" program uses social interventions to lessen gun violence The program sends "reformed" shooters into the community to defuse violent situations and accustom potential shooters to other ways of resolving conflict, while simultaneously working with trusted, local opnion leaders (e.g., clergy) to spread the message that violent actions are unacceptable -- not just wrong, but also foolish ("uncool"). Described as employing an approach drawn from epidemiology, but I don't really see the connection.
4
POPSPoisonous plans for the Rio Grande in Texas A US government project indicates that the border patrol is going to test three methods to rid the riverbank of carrizo cane. Members of the Laredo city council, in Mexico, have raised concerns and called on president Felipe Calderon to intervene. Mexican officials are worried that the herbicide imazapyr could threaten the Nuevo Laredo water supply. US border patrol and Environmental Protection Agency officials say the herbicide planned for the test is safe for animals. The programme is intended to keep border patrol agents safe and make their jobs easier. Imazapyr was registered in the US in 1984. The EPA concluded after tests that "there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to the general population, and to infants and children from aggregate exposure to imazapyr residues". Jay Johnson-Castro Sr, executive director of the Rio Grande International Study, said he has no issue with removing the cane, just the method.
3
POPSTeen paints 60ft phallus on roof of family home When Mr McInnes phoned his son, who is currently in Brazil on a gap year, the teenager said: "Oh, you've found it then!" The boy's father appeared to take the prank in good humour. But he said: "When Rory gets home he will be given a scrubbing brush and white spirit and he can go and scrub it off."
5
POPSi met the walrus but not yet Sarkozy "He is like Jacques Chirac, only worse," said Daniel Gros, director of the Centre for European Policy Studies. President Sarkozy has put the EU's national rivalries centre stage, through his proposal to lend 3bn euros (£2.6bn; $3.8bn) each to PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Renault, but on the condition that they avoid closing French production plants, or laying off French workers. With demand for cars in Europe down 27% in January, something has to give - and that something might well be Czech workers. There is a clear concern at the drift of French policy. EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who must ultimately decide on the legality of the French programme, is making her position quite clear. "We have to protect people by creating for them real jobs with real futures, not jobs that only exist as long as the taxpayers' money exists. That takes leadership. Leadership is not bribing multinationals and stealing jobs from one's neighbours," she said.
4
POPSChristians: "Why We Should Be Concerned About Christian Zionism" “Ideological Christian Zionists sometimes claim that they speak on behalf of all American evangelicals. This is not so,” the brochure says. “Many evangelicals in the US do not want to be identified as theological Christian Zionists.” This ideology “rejects any peace process built on a negotiated settlement towards a two-state solution to the conflict” because it encouraged advocacy “committed to preserving control over all of historic Palestine for Jewish people alone”. It also promoted “fear and hatred of Muslims and non-western Christians”, the brochure says. One of the best-known Christian Zionists is John Hagee, a pastor who leads Christians United for Israel, a “mega-church” with an estimated 50,000 members. He has close ties with many US politicians and is a regular speaker at the annual conference of the hawkish AIPAC. He has also raised funds for settlements in the West Bank, which Israel calls Judea and Samaria.
6
POPSA Brief History Of Political Correctness established in 1923 by Felix Weil, Marxist son of a millionaire German trader, in association with Frankfurt University. The work of the Institute, which came to be called the Frankfurt School, was to translate Marxism from economic into cultural terms. Political Correctness as it is known today was created by that Institute. Essentially the task had been completed by the end of the 1930s. Other key members of the Frankfurt School were Theodore Adorno, Erich Fromm and Herbert Marcuse. Fromm and Marcuse introduced the central sexual element into Political Correctness. The call for sexual liberation, which will supposedly lead to human sensual happiness, figures prominently in the work of the Institute. In a 1936 essay, ‘Egoism and the Movement for Emancipation’, Frankfurt School director Max Horkeimer discussed the “hostility to personal gratification inherent in bourgeois culture.” He referred favourably to the Marquis de Sade for his “protest…
6
POPSCIA warns Obama that British terrorists are biggest threat.... Should we be hearing about this? I thought it was only the fear-mongering Cheney who was putting out warnings. But the Director General of MI5 admits that the "Security Service alone does not have the resources to maintain surveillance on all it's targets". Another calls Britain "a 'swamp' of jihadists." We even had VP Biden warning us that this President "will be tested". No wonder he doesn't want to spend much time in the White House...you hear a lot when you're there and buck stops with YOU!
1
POPSYikes! Snakes! Why did it have to be Snakes? These damn things sacred the hell out of me the first month I was there, after that I just learned to stay out of their way if possible, My dog saved my life! This is part of the result of spraying agent orange all over everything, we will pay for many years to come.
2
POPSMeet Satish Kumar (a diamond geezer)
In 1973, he settled in England, taking an Editorship of Resurgence magazine. He has been the editor ever since (30 + years!). He is the guiding spirit behind a number of ecological, spiritual and educational ventures in Britain. He founded the Small School in Hartland, a pioneering secondary school (aged 11-16), which brings into its curriculum ecological and spiritual values. In 1991, Schumacher College, a residential international center for the study of ecological and spiritual values, was founded, of which he is the Director of Programme. Following Indian tradition, in his fiftieth year, he undertook another pilgrimage: again carrying no money, he walked 2,000 miles to the holy places of Britain — Glastonbury, Canterbury, Lindisfarne and Iona. Meeting old friends and making new ones along the way, this pilgrimage was a celebration of his love of life and nature. In July 2000, Satish Kumar was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Plymouth. In July
7
POPSHow Tenet Betrayed the CIA on WMD in Iraq Habbush explained to the British official that Saddam tried to maintain the impression that he did have such weapons in order to impress Iran. Suskind writes that the head of MI6, Richard Dearlove, flew to Washington to present details of the Habbush report to Tenet, who then briefed National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. Soon after that, the CIA informed the British that the Bush administration was not interested in keeping the Habbush channel open, according to Suskind’s account.
0
POPSThe Billion Tree Campaign bas become a practical expression of private and public concern over globa
Tree planting remains one of the most cost-effective ways to address climate change. Trees and forests play a vital role in regulating the climate since they absorb carbon dioxide – containing an estimated 50% more carbon than the atmosphere. Deforestation, in turn accounts for over 20% of the carbon dioxide humans generate, rivaling the emissions from other sources. Trees also play a crucial role in providing a range of products and services to rural and urban population, including food, timber, fiber, medicines and energy as well as soil fertility, water and biodiversity conservation. "The Billion Tree Campaign has not only helped to mobilize millions of people to respond to the challenges of climate change, it has also opened the door, especially for the rural poor, to benefit from the valuable products and services the trees provide", said Dennis Garrity, Director-General of the Nairobi-based World Agroforestry Centre.
5
POPSWarning against invasive biofuel crops I suppose they want plants that grow quickly and, anywhere. With as few predators as possible. They don't sound like the kinds of things that can be contained. They'll be by design more hardy than anything growing around them, and the fittest will survive. Shame most of this stuff is inedible.
5
Pops
Newest Clips
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Print
Save
Turn on live update