vis

National Academies Presidents Comment on Proposal for New Questions for Visa Applicants

In a letter to the U.S. Department of State, the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine expressed concern that a proposal to add supplemental questions for visa applicants.




vis

New Report Calls for Greater Oversight of Precursor Chemicals Sold At the Retail Level to Reduce Threats from Improvised Explosive Devices

Policymakers’ efforts to reduce threats from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) should include greater oversight of precursor chemicals sold at the retail level – especially over the Internet – that terrorists, violent extremists, or criminals use to make homemade explosives, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




vis

National Academies Announce Initiative on Climate Communication - Appoints Advisory Committee

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are launching a major initiative to more effectively enable their extensive body of work on climate science, impacts, and response options to inform the public and decision makers.




vis

National Academies Announce Initiative on Environmental Health - Appoint Advisory Committee

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are launching an Academies-wide initiative to transform how the nation addresses the complex issues associated with environmental health—a field that examines how the environment affects human health.




vis

U.S. Department of Transportation Should Revisit Federal Safety Regulations for Liquid Petroleum Gas Distribution Systems, Says New Report

Current federal safety regulations for small distribution systems used for propane and other liquefied petroleum gases (LPGs) should be improved for clarity, efficiency, enforceability, and applicability to risk, says a new reportfrom the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




vis

Envisioning the Future of Science

Feb. 26 Symposium Will Explore How Scientific Research Should Evolve in Coming Decades




vis

Food and Nutrition Board Marks 80 Years of Advising the Nation

Symposium participants examine what climate change, obesity, and personalized medicine mean for nutrition in the future




vis

LA County supervisors criticize 'piecemeal' cleanup around Exide, seek money for lead testing

Exide begins to remove lead-polluted soil on Monday morning at a house on the 1200 block of La Puerta Street in Boyle Heights.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Molly Peterson

All five members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have signed a letter imploring California Gov. Jerry Brown to intervene in the state’s handling of contamination around the Exide Technologies plant in Vernon.

The letter criticizing the state’s “piecemeal approach to an urgent environmental hazard” comes as workers paid for by Exide are removing lead-contaminated topsoil from two homes near the intersection of Olympic and Indiana avenues in L.A. 

Signed Tuesday, the letter asks for “guaranteed state funding to immediately begin testing” at 37 more homes also sampled, but to less specific degrees, during November 2013. In the words of the board, “further testing and remediation of the other 37 homes has not been confirmed and may not begin until at least October 2014 because Exide has not yet agreed to comply with DTSC directives issued last March.”

The supervisors also say the state has “reneged” on its commitments to test for lead inside the homes as well as outside.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control says that the two homes workers are at this week will be cleaned inside and out — even without indoor testing.  The DTSC’s Rizgar Ghazi said Monday that crews will use HEPA filters, vacuums and shampooing equipment on “basically any flat surface” inside the two residences.

Read the L.A. Board of Supervisors’ letter to Gov. Brown here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/236655733/LA-County-Supervisors-Letter-to-Gov-Brown-8-12-14

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

SUMMER FAMILY VISIT

The Loh Life


So—  We just had our big summer family reunion at a lake in Wisconsin.

You know what they say about family gatherings—  That you should never discuss religion or politics— And we don't plan to—  But because my older daughter Maddy has already started school back in LA and she doesn't want to fall behind in her homework—?  While everyone else is fishing or swimming or prepping the barbeque— Maddy needs to works on her collage. . . for U.S. History.

The theme? What does her generation think is the biggest problem facing the U.S. Right away, we're in crisis mode. We have to find an art store to procure poster paper, a glue stick, highlighters, scissors and three current periodicals.

I remind this L.A. teen that we are deep in the woods of Wisconsin -- Yelp says the nearest "craft supply" store is a "Ben Franklin on Wachookooheesha Lake" an hour away.

So instead we drive 20 minutes to "Trig's" grocery store—  "Oh, and can you pick up tortillas and cilantro?" my partner Charlie calls out.  "Sure!" I say.  "Cilantro!  That's what we came to Wisconsin for!"

Trig's has tortillas, but no cilantro. More importantly, there are no scissors, no highlighters. There are glue sticks, and envelopes we can glue together to make poster paper. There are of course plenty of periodicals. There's Musky Hunter Magazine, Catfish Insider, Log Cabin, Gun Dog Magazine and a glossy publication called Concealed Carry.  Which aside from guns, has a surprising amount of fashion—jeans and cargo shorts with many pockets for—  You know!

For a Blue State metropolitan girl like my 16 year old, this glimpse of the magazine tastes of rural Wisconsin is a fascinating sociological journey.  She reads eagerly from her trove to her boyfriend, safely back in land-locked Northridge—  Until I tell her to get off the phone because my GPS lady is now lost and taking us in circles.  "Harris Creek, Harris Lane, Harris Creek Lane, Harris Bog?" 
"Oh, we'll find it," she says breezily, continuing to chat about Musky Hunters.

 And I'm going, "Hey City Girl, this isn't the Galeria. We are seriously lost. In the back country. And all we've got to defend ourselves is a package of tortillas and Concealed Carry Magazine."  (hum the Deliverance theme)

Next week: Dog Fight.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

Three More Orange County Beaches Get Approval To Reopen As Supervisors Vote To Send Countywide Rules To Sacramento

Police and lifeguards patrol as people walk on the beach south of Newport Pier on May 3, 2020 in Newport Beach, California. ; Credit: Michael Heiman/Getty Images

AirTalk®

After the cities of San Clemente and Laguna Beach were given the OK by state officials on Monday to reopen beaches with limited conditions, the California Natural Resources Agency gave Dana Point, Seal Beach and Huntington Beach the green light on Tuesday after approving the plans they submitted for safe reopening.

The plans vary as far as when the beach can be used, but the common thread through each is that leisure activities like sunbathing or large gatherings of people would not be allowed, and that beachgoers will be required to remain active while on the sand. 

The news comes as Orange County Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to submit a plan to submit to Sacramento that would create a set of uniform rules for reopening beaches countywide. Supervisor Lisa Bartlett spearheaded the proposal, which received pushback from Supervisors Don Wagner and Michelle Steel who argue that after being singled out by Governor Gavin Newsom last week when he ordered a “hard close” on all state and local beaches in Orange County, taking issue with the idea of the county bowing to pressure from the state.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll check back in with Supervisor Bartlett, who joined us Monday on AirTalk, to find out more about the specifics of the county’s plan to reopen its beaches.

Guest:

Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Supervisor representing the Fifth County District, which encompasses South County cities like Aliso Viejo, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and more; she tweets @OCSupBartlett

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

Our Mission: Why We Are Activists For Truth

Megan Garvey


A moment in Larry Mantle’s recent conversation with Steve Inskeep has stuck with me.

The NPR Morning Edition co-host was in our Pasadena studios to talk about his latest book, Imperfect Union. Asked how he approaches his day job, Inskeep told a story about the time he dispassionately called a heartbreaking loss for his high school football team. That “straight call” earned praise from a veteran broadcaster he admired. It’s a lesson, he said, that stayed with him.

“I may have a personal opinion; it doesn’t matter,” Inskeep told Mantle. “My job as a journalist is to get the facts right, that are in front of me, and you can do that even if you have a personal opinion.”

Mantle, who has hosted KPCC’s AirTalk for decades, responded: 

“You can’t do this work if you’re wired like an activist. I sort of see my wiring as more how a teacher would be, wired where you’re amassing information. You’re leading people through a story, and the joy is in people coming to their own conclusions.”

“If you’re an activist at all, you’re an activist for the truth,” Inskeep replied. 

Activists for truth. Finding joy in people reaching their own conclusions.

What a compelling description of what our newsroom strives to deliver every day to Southern Californians.

These were my thoughts even before my colleague at NPR came under attack for doing her job.

If you haven't been following the story, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angrily objected to being questioned about Ukraine during an interview with All Things Considered co-host Mary Louise Kelly. Pompeo didn't care for Kelly's questions on air and the conversation grew even more contentious behind closed doors.

The next day he accused Kelly of lying about the topic of the interview and then reporting a conversation he claimed was off the record. [Including his odd demand she locate Ukraine on unmarked world map.]  Kelly has denied both claims and media outlets have reported on emails between her and Pompeo's staff that back up her assertion she told them the interview would go beyond questions about Iran.

Then, this week, the State Department denied credentials to NPR's Michele Kelemen, who'd been scheduled to cover Pompeo's trip to Europe.

NPR President and CEO John Lansing and Nancy Barnes, who heads news, are rightfully demanding answers.

Why does it matter? Because as Lansing notes having access to people in power is fundamental to "the role of journalism in America.


Get KPCC in your inbox

Breaking news alerts sent to your inbox

Subscribe Or, check out all our newsletters >

I want to take a few minutes to tell you more about how our newsroom works and why you’ll be hearing more from us about our mission and ambition.

Listeners may have noticed a new phrase on our air: “Democracy needs to be heard.” It’s a statement you’ll also start seeing on billboards and bus benches around Los Angeles.

It’s part of the first marketing campaign for our station in many years. The goal is to make more people aware of what we do and why we do it. We also want to grow our audience and our supporters, so we can do even more original journalism.

Southern California Public Radio — home to 89.3 KPCC, LAist Studios, and LAist.com — turns 20 this year. SCPR was born out of a belief that the region would embrace and support a news-focused NPR station serving Southern California with original programming and reporting.

In the two decades since, our members stepped up and helped us build what is now one of the biggest newsrooms in the region. We’ve gone from cramped quarters in the library of Pasadena City College, to a new headquarters in 2010, to today, when we have to scramble for desks for our growing operation.

If you’ve ever heard me on-air during a pledge drive, you’ve heard me talk about how remarkable it is that your support has fueled our ambition and growth. We’re the most listened to NPR station in Southern California. The public media model depends on people donating their hard-earned money because they believe in what we are doing. You don’t have to pay a dime to listen to us on your radio, or stream us on your smart speaker or our app. You’ll never hit a paywall when you visit our website.

Our relationship with you isn’t transactional — that’s one of the ways nonprofit member-supported newsrooms are different. Instead, we make a case that what we do matters, that it’s valuable to you — so valuable that you voluntarily support us (even though you can still listen and read if you don’t). 

That’s a powerful relationship.

It’s why we take community engagement so seriously. That means listening closely to your concerns, answering your questions, meeting you in person, thinking about how our coverage can be both for and about Southern Californians.

In September, we were awarded the first-ever Gather Award for engaged journalism from the Online News Association. In December, we won our second-in-a-row Champion of Curiosity Award for our breaking news coverage of the wildfires.

Our approach to engaged journalism has been transformational for coverage, and we’ve emerged as a clear leader in the industry — sharing what we’ve learned with other newsrooms.

***

We talk a lot about our public-service mission in this newsroom. It permeates how we approach stories. It’s why our reporters, producers, hosts and editors choose to work here. 

And we’ve made this promise to you:

“You deserve great local news — and we need your help to find those stories. We listen to what you’re curious about, what keeps you up at night, and who you want held accountable. We’re inviting you to be part of the conversation.”

We do this work because of you. We do it for you and with you. 

We’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about how we’re finding and telling stories, and how we can do an even better job of delivering reporting that you won’t find anywhere else. We want our reporters to spend their energy on original stories (and not get stuck echoing information that everyone else is reporting). 

To that end, each reporter has their own individual mission statement to reflect their goals in covering communities and crucial issues. 

The free press is a cornerstone of democracy. That’s why in 1786 Thomas Jefferson wrote:

"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." 

More than 200 years later, Nelson Mandela said: “A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy.”

Activists for truth. That means scrutinizing the information we receive from our sources or uncover through our reporting. It means giving you the context you need to consider what is fact and what is spin.

It’s truly an exciting time to work in our newsroom.

We have ambitious plans for coverage of the upcoming California primary and presidential election.

We have so much great work in progress — including three in-depth investigations scheduled to publish in the coming weeks.

Those stories took months to report, involving thousands of public documents, hundreds of miles of travel, and data analysis that no one else has done.

And it was only possible because of your support.  

Thank you.

Megan Garvey, Executive Editor

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

Anti-Vaccination Activists Join Stay-At-Home Order Protesters

Among those protesting stay-at-home orders this week at the California Capitol in Sacramento were activists who oppose governments requiring vaccinations for school children.; Credit: Katie Orr/KQED

Katie Orr | NPR

Protests over stay-at-home orders because of COVID-19 have become more common around the country. In California, a surprising group is behind some of them: those who oppose mandatory vaccinations.

On Thursday, a mash-up of people mingled on the sidewalk in front of California's state Capitol in Sacramento. There were Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats and waving American flags. There were Christians, singing along to religious rock songs and raising their hands in prayer. The event's MC. urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to tune into their event.

"Everybody up at the Capitol, tell Gavin Newsom [to tune in to] 107.9 FM, if he wants to hear what we have to say," the MC told the crowd over loudspeakers. "It could be kind of good for him!"

There were also mothers with their children at the rally. Many people were not wearing face masks or observing social distancing protocols.

They'd all come out to protest California's stay-at-home order, put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. This week's event was built around the National Day of Prayer, and featured pastors and sermons. But it was organized by a group called Freedom Angels, which was originally formed to fight mandatory vaccine laws in the state.

At the beginning of the rally, the group's founders took the stage, including Denise Aguilar.

"Hello everybody, my name is Denise, I'm one of the founders of Freedom Angels," Aguilar said to a cheering crowd. "Thank you guys for being out here to let Gov. Newsom know we're not going away! We've said this for years!"

The group has become a fixture at the Capitol ever since California passed a law requiring school students to be vaccinated and a second law tightening restrictions on medical exemptions for those vaccines. But another Freedom Angels founder, Stefanie Fetzer, said they're not a single-issue group. She said these events are about promoting personal freedom.

"I think what we're seeing now is the predictive modeling that they came out with in the beginning didn't hold true. We aren't seeing the numbers that they predicted," Fetzer said. "And instead of backing off of the shutdown and the restrictive measures that Gov. Newsom implemented, he seems to be doubling down."

Attention-seeking strategy

Public health advocates point out that the reason those early predictions didn't come true is that aggressive social distancing measures — including stay-at-home orders — worked. Democratic state Senator Richard Pan, who authored California's vaccine laws, believes this anti-vaccine group is aligning with others protesting the stay-at-home order as a way to promote their cause. After all, Pan said, a vaccine would eventually allow the economy to reopen.

"They have staged these protests to basically find a way to get media attention for themselves. They fund raise off of their activities as well," Pan said. "So, frankly, many of the anti-vaxxers who are involved in this are really there for their own interests."

It's common for anti-vaccine groups to latch onto other controversial issues, according to epidemiologist and vaccine educator René Najera. For instance, he points to abortion.

"They try to say that there are aborted fetal cells in vaccines — which there are not — to try to get the anti-abortion people on their side," he said. "And then they flip it around and say, also, 'My body, my choice.'"

Najera said those tactics can have dangerous outcomes, including making people think twice about getting vaccines. In fact, he said, in 2019 the World Health Organization named vaccine hesitancy, or people's reluctance to consider vaccination, as one of the world's top 10 public health challenges.

"And we saw the effects of that," Najera said. "We saw a rise of measles in the United States to the point where the elimination status of the United States for measles was in jeopardy."

Najera is confident vaccine opponents aren't going away. He says, if anything, the rise of social media has made it easier for them to spread their message. What he finds most frustrating is that these anti-vaccines protesters aren't just making choices that affect their own families. Najera says choosing not to vaccinate their children and joining other large protests to spread their message puts the health of everyone at risk.

Copyright 2020 KQED. To see more, visit KQED.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

Ridgeline Visualization

Jiro's Pick this week is joyPlot by Santiago Benito.I must admit that I was simply drawn by the visualization, rather than the name of the function, as I was not familiar with the band or the music... read more >>




vis

Checklist devised to diagnose seafloor health

Scientists have produced a list of seafloor characteristics to determine the health status of the ecosystem it supports. These indicators could improve the quality and consistency of marine conservation efforts across Europe, particularly where the impact of human activities is high.




vis

Anti-Vaccination Activists Join Stay-At-Home Order Protesters

Among those protesting stay-at-home orders this week at the California Capitol in Sacramento were activists who oppose governments requiring vaccinations for school children.; Credit: Katie Orr/KQED

Katie Orr | NPR

Protests over stay-at-home orders because of COVID-19 have become more common around the country. In California, a surprising group is behind some of them: those who oppose mandatory vaccinations.

On Thursday, a mash-up of people mingled on the sidewalk in front of California's state Capitol in Sacramento. There were Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats and waving American flags. There were Christians, singing along to religious rock songs and raising their hands in prayer. The event's MC. urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to tune into their event.

"Everybody up at the Capitol, tell Gavin Newsom [to tune in to] 107.9 FM, if he wants to hear what we have to say," the MC told the crowd over loudspeakers. "It could be kind of good for him!"

There were also mothers with their children at the rally. Many people were not wearing face masks or observing social distancing protocols.

They'd all come out to protest California's stay-at-home order, put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. This week's event was built around the National Day of Prayer, and featured pastors and sermons. But it was organized by a group called Freedom Angels, which was originally formed to fight mandatory vaccine laws in the state.

At the beginning of the rally, the group's founders took the stage, including Denise Aguilar.

"Hello everybody, my name is Denise, I'm one of the founders of Freedom Angels," Aguilar said to a cheering crowd. "Thank you guys for being out here to let Gov. Newsom know we're not going away! We've said this for years!"

The group has become a fixture at the Capitol ever since California passed a law requiring school students to be vaccinated and a second law tightening restrictions on medical exemptions for those vaccines. But another Freedom Angels founder, Stefanie Fetzer, said they're not a single-issue group. She said these events are about promoting personal freedom.

"I think what we're seeing now is the predictive modeling that they came out with in the beginning didn't hold true. We aren't seeing the numbers that they predicted," Fetzer said. "And instead of backing off of the shutdown and the restrictive measures that Gov. Newsom implemented, he seems to be doubling down."

Attention-seeking strategy

Public health advocates point out that the reason those early predictions didn't come true is that aggressive social distancing measures — including stay-at-home orders — worked. Democratic state Senator Richard Pan, who authored California's vaccine laws, believes this anti-vaccine group is aligning with others protesting the stay-at-home order as a way to promote their cause. After all, Pan said, a vaccine would eventually allow the economy to reopen.

"They have staged these protests to basically find a way to get media attention for themselves. They fund raise off of their activities as well," Pan said. "So, frankly, many of the anti-vaxxers who are involved in this are really there for their own interests."

It's common for anti-vaccine groups to latch onto other controversial issues, according to epidemiologist and vaccine educator René Najera. For instance, he points to abortion.

"They try to say that there are aborted fetal cells in vaccines — which there are not — to try to get the anti-abortion people on their side," he said. "And then they flip it around and say, also, 'My body, my choice.'"

Najera said those tactics can have dangerous outcomes, including making people think twice about getting vaccines. In fact, he said, in 2019 the World Health Organization named vaccine hesitancy, or people's reluctance to consider vaccination, as one of the world's top 10 public health challenges.

"And we saw the effects of that," Najera said. "We saw a rise of measles in the United States to the point where the elimination status of the United States for measles was in jeopardy."

Najera is confident vaccine opponents aren't going away. He says, if anything, the rise of social media has made it easier for them to spread their message. What he finds most frustrating is that these anti-vaccines protesters aren't just making choices that affect their own families. Najera says choosing not to vaccinate their children and joining other large protests to spread their message puts the health of everyone at risk.

Copyright 2020 KQED. To see more, visit KQED.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




vis

Owens Lake Scientific Advisory Panel: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Alternative Dust Control Methods




vis

Visa supports UAE's move to increase contactless payments limit

Visa has announced it will support the UAE Central...




vis

Conferma Pay launches Visa-powered virtual card payments globally via mobile app

Fintech company Conferma Pay has teamed up with


vis

Mapping helps visualise complex environmental risk assessment

Scientists involved in a pan-European project to develop better methods of risk assessment say maps that show such cumulative risks geographically are easy to interpret and should be considered as practical tools for conveying risk information to decision makers and the general public.




vis

A vision and roadmap for integrated environmental modelling

Integrated environmental modelling (IEM) is an organised approach to streamlining the movement of scientific information from its research sources to its application in problem solving, according to a study that envisions a global-scale IEM community. The researchers present a roadmap for the future of IEM, describing issues that could be addressed to develop its potential even further, such as how best to integrate diverse stakeholder perspectives and appropriate guidelines for ‘problem statements’.




vis

Creating a map of science: a visual representation of global research

A map of science could assist research planning strategies by helping to identify emerging topics. The map — which is based on links to almost 20 million scientific articles that have been published over the past 16 years — clusters and links scientific disciplines by citation-based relationships and serves as a highly detailed and scalable infographic. The authors hope it will be used by research planners to help distinguish — and potentially forecast — the research areas in science which have longevity, and also those which are innovative.




vis

Reasons behind neighbourhood activism over loss of open space

New Dutch research has investigated the composition and strategies of local activist groups who oppose changes to land use. The results indicated that activists tend to have a higher level of education and live in densely populated areas. They most frequently use awareness-raising strategies, especially when fighting new housing projects.




vis

Mapping helps visualise complex environmental risk assessment

Scientists involved in a pan-European project to develop better methods of risk assessment say maps that show such cumulative risks geographically are easy to interpret and should be considered as practical tools for conveying risk information to decision makers and the general public.




vis

Declining city populations could boost provision of urban ecosystem services

The decline of urban populations and abandonment of buildings and land could provide an opportunity to promote ecosystem services, a new study suggests. The researchers examined the relationships between the use of abandoned land and ecosystem services, providing insight into the pros and cons of different urban planning policies.




vis

Vista Equity Partners to invest Rs 11,367 crore in Jio Platforms for 2.32% stake

With the latest deal, Jio Platforms is set to net a combined Rs 60,596 crore for the unit of Reliance Industries which comprises mainly its telecom business under Reliance Jio Infocomm




vis

Visual soil evaluation — a key tool for better management of risks to soils

A new review of the potential uses of visual soil evaluation (VSE) shows how this tool can be used to indicate risks of erosion, compaction, greenhouse gas emission or storage and surface-water run-off. Assessing soils in this way is not only useful for agriculture, but has implications for the wider environment, due to the vital role that soil plays in the provision of ecosystem services, for example as a habitat for biodiversity and as a carbon sink.




vis

Robosoft Technologies to add advisory capabilities

Udupi-based Robosoft was started in 1996 with Apple as its first customer. It is now evolving beyond mobile app development to add advisory capabilities.




vis

Cloud of clouds: a global vision for cloud services integration

Our global customers are looking at the cloud to more effectively meet their toughest business challenges. Yet something is stopping them from making the most of what cloud can deliver




vis

from NTFS to RAW in a mere (ill-advised) click of the mouse




vis

Vista Equity Partners to invest Rs 11,367 crore in Jio Platforms for 2.32% stake

With the latest deal, Jio Platforms is set to net a combined Rs 60,596 crore for the unit of Reliance Industries which comprises mainly its telecom business under Reliance Jio Infocomm




vis

Data localisation: Visa says it will be compliant by December

Visa has outlined a detailed framework with its partner entities on how it plans to update its systems to comply with RBI laws




vis

How born in cloud Vistara manages existing flight sectors, adds new ones

Ravinder Pal Singh, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Vistara is leveraging the power of multiple technologies ranging from AI, Robotics, SATCOM, Bigdata (Science) and Blockchain to enhance the airline's critical business functions.




vis

REDD improves forest provision of ecosystem services

Actions to reduce emissions caused by deforestation and degradation (REDD) also enhance ecosystem services, according to a new report. Using a case study from the Amazon it indicated that REDD support schemes can also help maintain water levels and quality and protect soil from erosion.




vis

Advising on which fish to eat is short term solution to protect against mercury exposure

A US study has concluded that issuing public health advice on fish consumption is the best short-term solution to reducing people’s exposure to mercury contamination. Reducing mercury emissions at source is considered a longer-term solution. Health advice should be targeted towards populations at greatest risk and consider the pollution levels of the water from which the fish came.




vis

How to Read and Visualize a DICOM Volume

Earlier this year, I learned something about DICOM datasets that surprised me. I had downloaded a Head-Neck CT+PET study, and I wanted to create a volume array in MATLAB. I tried to do this the hard way at first, and of course I got it wrong. (Spoiler: there's an easy... read more >>




vis

Fourteen days of poor air quality caused 4 000 extra healthcare visits in UK

Real time monitoring of public health during two periods of high air pollution in the UK showed that there were an estimated 3 500 extra healthcare visits for acute respiratory symptoms and approximately 500 for severe asthma during these spells in 2014. The results of this research are presented in a new study which demonstrates the value of such ‘syndromic surveillance’ systems for exploring air quality’s effects on human health.




vis

Cortex 21: The E-Myth Revisited

Grey wants to do less, Myke has a new toy, and they both read _The E-Myth Revisited_.




vis

Visit Wales. Later: People urged to avoid all non-essential travel ahead of the bank holiday

PEOPLE in Wales are being asked to act responsibly and to avoid unnecessary travel until coronavirus restrictions have been lifted by the Welsh Government.




vis

APPLE GROVE ROAD BRIDGE REHABILITATION BEGINS SEPT. 10 - Motorists advised to use alternate routes through Nov. 22

UPDATE 2: Crews need a few additional days to complete the bridge project on Route 657 (Apple Grove Road) in Louisa County due to the recent snow...




vis

RT. 29 ADVISORY PANEL MEETS THURSDAY IN WARRENTON - Second meeting will continue work toward improvements in New Baltimore area

CULPEPER — The Route 29 New Baltimore Advisory Group will hold its second meeting in Warrenton on Thursday to continue its discussions about improvements to improve safety and efficient movement of traffic on the Route 29 corridor between Warrenton and Prince William County.




vis

Pinner author's quest to visit every secondhand record shop in the world

An author from Pinner has published a book this week.




vis

Coronavirus: FA declares non-league and women's divisions null and void

The Football Association has declared all non-league divisions from steps three to six of the football pyramid null and void, as well as tiers three to seven of the women's league, after all divisions were postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.




vis

Atlantic Hurricane CENTER MIAMI FL AL092019 1107 PM EDT FRI SEP 13 2019 .Tropical Storm HUMBERTO CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF TROPICAL Cyclone WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST PUBLIC Advisory FR

 
 000
 WTNT84 KNHC 140307
 TCVAT4
 
 HUMBERTO WATCH/WARNING ADVISORY NUMBER 6
 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL     AL092019
 1107 PM EDT FRI SEP 13 2019
 
 .TROPICAL STORM HUMBERTO
 
 CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF
 TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE
 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
 THE PRECISE LATERAL EXTENT OF WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ALONG THE
 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
 AND WARNINGS. THE PRECISE EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
 CAN BE FOUND IN THE NWS NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE HAZARD
 GRIDS.
 
 FLZ047-054-059-064-141-147-140415-
 /O.CAN.KNHC.TR.A.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
 1107 PM EDT FRI SEP 13 2019
 
 $$
 
 ATTN...WFO...MLB...
 




vis

Eastern Pacific Remnants Of Priscilla Advisory Number 4


000
WTPZ34 KNHC 210234
TCPEP4

BULLETIN
Remnants Of Priscilla Advisory Number 4
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP192019
1000 PM CDT Sun Oct 20 2019

...PRISCILLA DISSIPATES OVER SOUTHWESTERN MEXICO...
...HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED TO CONTINUE...


SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...20.0N 104.7W
ABOUT 70 MI...115 KM ESE OF CABO CORRIENTES MEXICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...30 MPH...45 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 345 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1005 MB...29.68 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.


DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the remnants of Priscilla were located
near latitude 20.0 North, longitude 104.7 West. The remnants are
moving toward the north-northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h).

Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 km/h) with higher gusts.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
RAINFALL: The remnants of Priscilla are expected to produce
rainfall accumulations of 5 to 10 inches, with local amounts to 15
inches, across portions of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacan
in southwestern Mexico through Tuesday night. This rainfall could
produce flash flooding and mudslides within steep terrain.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane
Center on Priscilla.

$$
Forecaster Cangialosi




vis

Eastern Pacific Post-Tropical Cyclone One-E Advisory Number 6


000
WTPZ31 KNHC 262034
TCPEP1

BULLETIN
Post-Tropical Cyclone One-E Advisory Number 6
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP012020
200 PM PDT Sun Apr 26 2020

...DEPRESSION DEGENERATES INTO A REMNANT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...
...THIS IS THE LAST ADVISORY...


SUMMARY OF 200 PM PDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...16.2N 119.4W
ABOUT 770 MI...1240 KM SW OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA CALIFORNIA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...30 MPH...45 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB...29.74 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.


DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 200 PM PDT (2100 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone One-E
was located near latitude 16.2 North, longitude 119.4 West. The
post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph
(15 km/h). A motion toward the west-northwest is expected by late
afternoon, followed by a turn toward the west tonight.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased near 30 mph (45 km/h) with
higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48
hours, and the system is expected to dissipate by Monday tonight.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
None.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane
Center on this system. For additional information on the remnant
low, please see High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather
Service, under AWIPS header NFDHSFEPI, WMO header FZPN02 KWBC, and
on the web at ocean.weather.gov/shtml/NFDHSFEPI.php

$$
Forecaster Stewart




vis

Atlantic Hurricane CENTER MIAMI FL AL122019 547 AM EDT WED SEP 25 2019 .Tropical Storm KAREN CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF TROPICAL Cyclone WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST PUBLIC Advisory FROM T

 
 000
 WTNT82 KNHC 250947
 TCVAT2
 
 KAREN WATCH/WARNING ADVISORY NUMBER 13
 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL     AL122019
 547 AM EDT WED SEP 25 2019
 
 .TROPICAL STORM KAREN
 
 CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF
 TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE
 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
 THE PRECISE LATERAL EXTENT OF WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ALONG THE
 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
 AND WARNINGS. THE PRECISE EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
 CAN BE FOUND IN THE NWS NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE HAZARD
 GRIDS.
 
 PRZ001>013-VIZ001-002-251100-
 /O.CAN.KNHC.TR.W.1012.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
 547 AM AST WED SEP 25 2019
 
 $$
 
 ATTN...WFO...SJU...
 




vis

Eastern Pacific Potential Tropical Cyclone SEVENTEEN-E Special Forecast/Advisory Number 4 NWS NATIONAL Hurricane CENTER MIAMI FL EP172019 1800 UTC WED OCT 16 2019 CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS Advisory... THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS DISCONTIN


000
WTPZ22 KNHC 161752
TCMEP2

POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE SEVENTEEN-E
SPECIAL FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 4
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP172019
1800 UTC WED OCT 16 2019

CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS ADVISORY...

THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH
FOR THE COAST OF SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OF WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

POTENTIAL TROP CYCLONE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 16.6N 96.6W AT 16/1800Z
POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN 35 NM

PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR 310 DEGREES AT 12 KT

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 1007 MB
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT.
WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT. RADII IN NAUTICAL
MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT.

REPEAT...CENTER LOCATED NEAR 16.6N 96.6W AT 16/1800Z
AT 16/1200Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 15.8N 95.7W

FORECAST VALID 17/0000Z 17.3N 97.6W...INLAND
MAX WIND 20 KT...GUSTS 30 KT.

FORECAST VALID 17/1200Z...DISSIPATED

REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 16.6N 96.6W

THIS IS THE LAST FORECAST/ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER ON THIS SYSTEM.

$$
FORECASTER BEVEN





vis

Eastern Pacific Remnants of PRISCILLA ICAO Advisory Number 4 NWS NATIONAL Hurricane CENTER MIAMI FL EP192019 0300 UTC MON OCT 21 2019 TC ADVISORY DTG: 20191021/0300Z TCAC: KNHC TC: PRISCILLA NR: 004 PSN: N2000 W10442 MOV: NNW 09KT C: 1005HPA MAX WIND: 025

 
 000
 FKPZ24 KNHC 210234
 TCAPZ4
 
 REMNANTS OF PRISCILLA ICAO ADVISORY NUMBER   4
 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL       EP192019
 0300 UTC MON OCT 21 2019
 
 TC ADVISORY
 DTG:                      20191021/0300Z
 TCAC:                     KNHC
 TC:                       PRISCILLA
 NR:                       004
 PSN:                      N2000 W10442
 MOV:                      NNW 09KT
 C:                        1005HPA
 MAX WIND:                 025KT
 FCST PSN +6 HR:           21/0900Z N2036 W10450
 FCST MAX WIND +6 HR:      020KT
 FCST PSN +12 HR:          21/1500Z N//// W/////
 FCST MAX WIND +12 HR:     ///KT
 FCST PSN +18 HR:          21/2100Z N//// W/////
 FCST MAX WIND +18 HR:     ///KT
 FCST PSN +24 HR:          22/0300Z N//// W/////
 FCST MAX WIND +24 HR:     ///KT
 RMK:                      THE FORECAST POSITION INFORMATION IN
                           THIS PRODUCT IS INTERPOLATED FROM
                           OFFICIAL FORECAST DATA VALID AT 0000...
                           0600...1200...AND 1800Z.
 NXT MSG:                  NO MSG EXP
 
 ..
 
 




vis

Eastern Pacific Post-Tropical Cyclone ONE-E Forecast/Advisory Number 6 NWS NATIONAL Hurricane CENTER MIAMI FL EP012020 2100 UTC SUN APR 26 2020 THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT. POST-TROPICAL Cyclone CENTER LOCATED NEAR 16.2N 119.4W AT 2


000
WTPZ21 KNHC 262034
TCMEP1

POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE ONE-E FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 6
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP012020
2100 UTC SUN APR 26 2020

THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 16.2N 119.4W AT 26/2100Z
POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN 30 NM

PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR 305 DEGREES AT 8 KT

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 1007 MB
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT.
WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT. RADII IN NAUTICAL
MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT.

REPEAT...CENTER LOCATED NEAR 16.2N 119.4W AT 26/2100Z
AT 26/1800Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 16.1N 119.1W

FORECAST VALID 27/0600Z 16.7N 120.9W...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW
MAX WIND 20 KT...GUSTS 30 KT.

FORECAST VALID 27/1800Z 17.1N 122.9W...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW
MAX WIND 20 KT...GUSTS 30 KT.

FORECAST VALID 28/0600Z 17.3N 125.1W...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW
MAX WIND 20 KT...GUSTS 30 KT.

FORECAST VALID 28/1800Z...DISSIPATED

REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 16.2N 119.4W

THIS IS THE LAST FORECAST/ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER ON THIS SYSTEM. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE REMNANT
LOW...PLEASE SEE HIGH SEAS FORECASTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...UNDER AWIPS HEADER NFDHSFEPI AND WMO HEADER FZPN02 KWBC.

$$
FORECASTER STEWART





vis

Atlantic Post-Tropical Cyclone Olga Advisory Number 3


000
WTNT32 KNHC 260251
TCPAT2

BULLETIN
Post-Tropical Cyclone Olga Advisory Number 3
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL172019
1000 PM CDT Fri Oct 25 2019

...OLGA BECOMES POST-TROPICAL...
...EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER TO THE CENTRAL
GULF COAST AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON SATURDAY...


SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...27.8N 92.2W
ABOUT 170 MI...275 KM SSE OF LAKE CHARLES LOUISIANA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH...85 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NE OR 40 DEGREES AT 17 MPH...28 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...999 MB...29.50 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
There are no coastal tropical cyclone watches or warnings in
effect.

Please see High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather
Service and products from local National Weather Service forecast
offices for information on the non-tropical watches and warnings
associated with this system.


DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Olga
was located near latitude 27.8 North, longitude 92.2 West. The
post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 17 mph (28
km/h). Olga is forecast to move quickly northward to
north-northeastward on Saturday and then turn northeastward late
Saturday or Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of the
post-tropical cyclone will move up the Mississippi Valley tomorrow
and toward the Great Lakes later this weekend.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts.
Weakening is expected after the cyclone moves over land Saturday
morning.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)
from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on earlier data from
an Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft and surface
observations over the northern Gulf of Mexico is 999 mb (29.50
inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND: Gale-force winds associated with Olga and its remnants should
spread over portions of the northern Gulf coast tonight and Saturday
morning.

RAINFALL: The post-tropical cyclone, along with rainfall ahead of
the system along and north of the frontal boundary across the
Central Gulf coast, is expected to produce total rainfall
accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with maximum totals of 8 inches
across the Central Gulf coast into portions of the Lower Mississippi
Valley and western Tennessee Valley through Saturday morning. These
rains may produce flash flooding across the Central Gulf coast into
the Lower Mississippi Valley and western Tennessee Valley.

COASTAL FLOODING: Above-normal tides and associated coastal
flooding are possible across portions of the northern Gulf coast.
Please see products from local National Weather Service forecast
offices for additional information.

TORNADOES: Isolated tornadoes are possible tonight into Saturday
morning across parts of southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi,
and western Alabama.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane
Center on this system. Additional information on this system can be
found in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service,
under AWIPS header NFDHSFAT1, WMO header FZNT01 KWBC, and online at
ocean.weather.gov/shtml/NFDHSFAT1.php

Additional information about heavy rainfall and wind gusts can be
found in storm summary products issued by the Weather Prediction
Center at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc3.html

$$
Forecaster Zelinsky