Environment
Posted on May 13, 2012 by skeptik@l
Recent global recessions have led to a race between competing economies. The competition gets more challenging as a bottleneck phenomenon occurs, ousting the weaker economies to make way for the stronger ones. This economic frenzy occurs as economies worldwide struggle to attain stronghold in dire attempts to revive their economies. Sadly, like everything else, economic growth comes with a price.
The price we have to pay this time; is a pretty big one. It affects our present and future. It could even affect the existence of our species. It is perhaps the biggest reality we try to avoid – global warming. A thought provoking article was released by Science Daily. It informs us that new research ascertains that one of the most obvious ways to slow down global warming is in fact to decrease the rate at which the global economy is growing – either that or possibly revamp the… Continue reading →
Posted in Economics, Environment, Modern Living, Society |
Tagged climate change, Economics, Global Warming
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Posted on April 23, 2012 by skeptik@l
I guess its time for you to take out your party hats and start celebrating if you’re a male because guess what? You can! Good news for you if you’re male because current research tells us that if you keep up similar standards of daily life, you get to live just as long as your female counterparts!
For some time now, it has been said that during the 1970s the difference between the life expectancy of a female as compared to a male exists as long as six years! If you’re a female, imagine having to go through life for another six years without your life partner by your side. That wouldn’t be a very nice last six years to look forward to now would it?
However so, the adviser for the Office for National Statistics now indicate that the difference between female and male life expectancy is getting smaller… Continue reading →
Posted in Environment, History, Modern Living, Science, Society |
Tagged Life Expectancy, Male
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Posted on April 22, 2012 by skeptik@l
Of all the petitions that have been signed in the United States recently, the one about the legalizing marijuana appears to be the most fascinating. With America’s balance of payment deficit on the rise, it is no wonder more than three hundred economists (this includes three Nobel laureates) have agreed to propose to remove the enforcement of the drug. Apparently, an economist from Harvard, Jeffrey Miron did credible research to ascertain that if the United States government were to legalize Marijuana, they would save about $7.7billion yearly. Apart from that, another $6billion could be saved if the United States government decides to tax the drug according to the same rates as cigarettes and alcohol.
In total, that would amount to a total of $13.7billion yearly. Imagine what that amount of money would do to an economy, any economy! In this instance, the economists here don’t necessarily promote the immediate need… Continue reading →
Posted in Activism, Economics, Environment, Modern Living, Society |
Tagged Marijuana
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Posted on April 11, 2012 by skeptik@l
Two major earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.6 and 8.3 hit the Indonesian coast of Aceh a few hours ago. With that regard, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for the region in the Indian Ocean. However so, the tsunami watch was cancelled a few hours later.
The earthquakes earlier today contribute to the already existing list of natural disasters which have already taken place in 2012. According to the BBC,
“A tsunami watch declared after two major earthquakes off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province has now been partly lifted, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PWTC) says.
A quake with a magnitude of 8.6 triggered the initial warning, which was renewed after another quake a few hours later measuring 8.3.
Alerts remain in place for Indonesia, India and the islands.
There have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The region is regularly hit by earthquakes.… Continue reading →
Posted in Environment, Modern Living, Nations, Society |
Tagged Aceh, Earthquake, Tsunami
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Posted on March 9, 2012 by skeptik@l
The depletion of natural resources is something all of us worry about. It affects the environment, the planet we live in and the future of our species. Apart from that, the oil on the planet has been a cause for dispute for a long time now. A significant number of lives have been lost because of the war on oil. With that in mind, alternatives to natural resources such as oil are currently a topic significantly researched all over the world.
The idea of utilising human fats as a form of fuel was something I first heard about when I was watching a particular episode on Boston Legal. Little did I know that actual studies were actually being done on human fat and I thought the whole concept is absolutely genius. In fact, some people have already successfully used human fat to generate a car. Since obesity is regarded as… Continue reading →
Posted in Economics, Environment, Modern Living, Science, Technology & Innovation |
Tagged Human Fats
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Posted on February 17, 2012 by skeptik@l
Tired of asking yourself why you’re horizontally challenged? Getting sick of monitoring your diet and abiding by the “You are what you eat” mantra? Don’t waste any more of your time and energy because you’re looking at the wrong place.
Scientists from Harvard University and the University of California have deduced that an individual’s weight can be influenced by his or her friends. This influence is said to be more significant than genes. According to Time, “According to their analysis, when a study participant’s friend became obese, that first participant had a 57% greater chance of becoming obese himself. In pairs of people in which each identified the other as a close friend, when one person became obese the other had a 171% greater chance of following suit. “You are what you eat isn’t the end of the story,” says study co-author James Fowler, a political scientist at UC San… Continue reading →
Posted in Environment, Food, Modern Living, Society |
Tagged Obesity
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Posted on January 9, 2012 by Austin Osoroh
The only ‘disappointment,’ if there be any, from Canada’s decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol is that such a move had not materialized earlier. The apparent futility of upholding a position of global responsibility against the dictates of national interest is, for the umpteenth time, a universal aberration. For all the
condemnations and regrets which trailed the move, there was almost no evidence that the Protocol was showing any of its desired effects. Behemoths like China and the US, two of the world’s foremost polluters, were conveniently hunkered out of the sight in the brushes of non- participation, and pains of global economic malaise had become an added malady to the struggle of maintaining the agreed quotas.
Canada’s Environment Minister may have shocked a few with his statement that, “Under Kyoto, Canada is facing radical and irresponsible choices if we’re to avoid punishing multibillion-dollar payments.” But it would… Continue reading →
Posted in Environment, Politics, Society |
Tagged climate change, kyoto, kyoto protocol, ozone layer
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Posted on November 16, 2011 by skeptik@l
During the dawn of the Ice Age, primitive man coexisted with various species of large animals also known as megafauna. These large mammals existed all over the world in different continents. In the Americas, we could find the Giant Ground Sloth, the Giant Beaver and Sabertooth cats. In Australia, we could find Giant Kangaroos and Marsupial lions. In Africa, we could find the Giant Long Horned Buffalo as well as the Dinotherium (ancestor of the elephant). And in Europe, there existed the Irish elk. These massive mammals would have been a great sight. They would have added to the spectacular world that is the animal kingdom we have on Earth today but what exactly happened to these large mammals?
One possible theory for the extinction of these animals is the climate change which was experienced by Earth 11 000 years ago. Proponents of this theory include Donald Grayson, an archaeologist… Continue reading →
Posted in Environment, History |
Tagged Extinction, Megafauna, Prehistory
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Posted on November 14, 2011 by skeptik@l
Weapons of mass destruction, the modern cause of fear and hysteria today. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear or CBRN as they would call it. They threaten the livelihood of a large number of living organisms. They damage manmade structures like buildings and statutes. They destroy natural structures like mountains and rivers. They are also a perfect excuse to invade a country to protect the safety of neighboring countries. I can imagine the whole scene clearly: a group of politicians harboring greed and ambition having a conversation among themselves.
Politician 1: Hey, let’s invade this country!
Politician 2: I don’t know man; we’d have to have a legit reason for doing that.
Politian 1: Well, we could claim that they possess weapons of mass destruction. That could work!
Politician 2: Yeah! That could possibly work. Okay I’ll handle the paperwork and the ‘evidence’ and you can present this… Continue reading →
Posted in Cover-up, Environment, History, Media, military affairs, Modern Living, Politics, Propaganda, Society, World Affairs |
Tagged Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Weapons of mass destruction
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Posted on November 1, 2011 by skeptik@l
The electric car is the perfect solution for our peak oil woes. This ingenious idea helps Earth and the environment by reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases. In fact, a switch from electric cars could possibly lead to a 40% decrease in air pollution according to a study made in UK in 2008. Also, electric cars are known to be less noisy and just as efficient as fuel based cars. Why then haven’t we noticed an increase in the usage of electric cars on the road today? As far as I’m concerned, it could perhaps eradicate the problem of the rising oil price. Instead, today we see a deterioration of electric car companies. Either people just don’t really care about the state of the Earth or maybe, bigger forces are at play.
The EV1 electric car was developed by General Motors during the early 90s. Soon enough, other car companies… Continue reading →
Posted in Conspiracy Theory, Cover-up, Economics, Environment, Government, Modern Living, Politics, Propaganda, Society |
Tagged Electric Cars, General Motors, Who killed the electric car?
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