The Arctic is Melting!

Did you know that the Arctic is the fastest warming region on the planet? And it's going to get worse. Scientists have recently discovered around one hundred fifty thousand sites where methane gas has been trapped in the ice. This gas that has been trapped for millenniums along with some younger gas is presumably from natural gas or coal deposits beneath the lakes. Methane gas is not easy to identify but a team from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks was able to take many samples in the air and in the ice. Now that the Arctic is melting, the gas is being released into the atmosphere. If this continues it will have a big impact on our planet’s health. In the last hundred years there has been a large increase in greenhouse gas release, which warms our atmosphere, which melts the ice, containing even more gasses! Methane doesn’t last as long and other greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide, but it is much more potent.

We need a fix eventually. We don’t know how serious this issue is right now but I’m hoping we find a fix. We don’t want to accelerate global warming or increase the chances of a planetary emergency.

Melting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18120093

tech to fix it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17400804
Sourcefed's Take:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFrjt260ZPI&list=UU_gE-kg7JvuwCNlbZ1-shlA&index=6&feature=plcp

Sleepwalk Update

Previously, there had been no good ways to study how many people sleepwalked. A study done by Dr.Maurice Ohayon of Stanford University shows that in some point of our lives, 30 percent have slept walked at least once. Keep in mind these results are not entirely accurate because some people live alone or have no knowledge that they do sleepwalk. Sleepwalking is more likely to happen when you are a child than an adult, it decreases with around adolescence.  Sleepwalking can be genetic. It was also found that some medications can trigger this behavior. Sleepwalking is difficult to study so no one really knows what causes it. It may be stress, location, or irregular sleeping patterns. Sleepwalking can also be dangerous. If someone in your household sleepwalks be sure to lock your windows and doors just in case.


http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/14/nearly-1-in-3-have-sleepwalked-study-finds/?hpt=hp_t2

Avatar Sequel Suspicion Confirmed

James Cameron has announced that he desires to create an " 'Avatar 2,' 'Avatar 3,' maybe 'Avatar 4,'"! This is exciting but unfortunately, ''Avatar 2" wouldn't even be released until 2016. James will only be working on these movies and no one else's. He is happy with his decision and hopes they will make an impact on the world. Cameron told Times, "Part of my focus in the second film is in creating a different environment - a different setting within Pandora. And I'm going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won't be a rain forest. I'm not saying we won't see what we've already seen; we'll see more of that as well." Although 2016 is far off I am still very excited to see the next chapter of this magical story.




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/07/james-cameron-avatar-4_n_1495054.html
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/468647/james_cameron_reveals_more_about_avatar_2_and_3.html

Phil Humber Pitches a Perfect Game

Phil Humber pitched the Sox game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, April 21,2012. He not only won the game 4-0 but was also threw the twenty-first perfect game in major league history. The last one was in 2009 accomplished by Roy Halladay. "What just took place was just awesome," Said Phillip. After the game he fell to his knees in awe and his team congratulated him. Phil called his pregnant wife to tell her the good news. Lots of people did not suspect this coming from such a young, inexperienced player an many are impressed by his surprise success.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/21/white-sox-rhp-phil-humber-perfect-game-mlb_n_1443220.html

All White Killer Whale!

Scientists from the universities of Moscow and St. Petersburg discovered a completely white killer whale off the Kamchatka Peninsula. They named him "Iceberg" and he was swimming along with twelve other regular killer whales. Iceberg is about sixteen years old and has a six and a half foot high dorsal fin. Erich Hoyt has recorded sightings of two other white killer whales but Iceberg is the first full grown specimen seen in the marine reserve. Some scientists hope that Iceberg will make people want to expand marine reserves in the area.
As of now we're not sure why he is all white, but scientist hope he will appear again so they can find out.


http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/23/all-white-killer-whale-spotted-off-russia/?hpt=wo_mid


Hoyt said "In many ways, Iceberg is a symbol of all that is pure, wild and extraordinarily exciting about what is out there in the ocea waiting to  be discovered."

Should Hotels Charge for Wi-Fi?

Like any bussiness, hotels try to make as much money as they can but while some hotels provide free acess to Wi-Fi, many still charge. "Everyone wants to make money, but I think you should make it in a reasonable way and internet, it's not a good idea to charge. It's like the air you breathe, the water you turn on -- it should be for free." says Kurt Ritter, president & CEO of Rezidor Hotel Group. Internet access is no longer much of a luxury but more an expectation of hotel guests. Juliana Shallcross, the managing editor of HotelChatter.com says, "I think that hotels are starting to realize that they may lose valuable customers and valuable business by charging crazy amounts for Wi-Fi.

Joe Germanotta, the chief executive of GuestWi-Fi doesn't see a problem with Wi-Fi rates. Germanotta says it costs a hotel around $375 a month to have Wi-Fi. "When you have to pay for it as an amenity they guarantee you the reliability and speed and the security," he says. "And it's becoming a very expensive proposition for the hotel to maintain these services, so it makes sense that they have to charge for it."

Personally, I understand why guests are charged but I think it should be free. The world will continue to change its standards and this is simply another change. Hotels can find a way to make it work or they'll lose some customers.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/18/business/hotel-internet-wi-fi-cost/index.html?hpt=tr_c2

Cancer Vaccine!

There is finally a successful cure for cancer! The vaccine, ImMucin, is currently being tested on humans and has been successful in helping them become better immune to cancer. This vaccine has proven that it can heal and prevent 90 percent of some types of cancers cells. Dr. Kat Arney works at Cancer Research UK. She says "These are very early results that are yet to be fully published, so there's a lot more work to be done to prove that this particular vaccine is safe and effective in cancer patients." Lets hope that promising results continue through this next advancement into healing.


http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120409/9473/cancer-immucin-vaccine-clinical-trial-research.htm

People can be Stupid

A man from Texas left two children in a van in 80 degree weather. His intentions are still being questioned. He left them in the parking lot with the doors unlocked.. He left the window slightly cracked open and left the children in the van to shop for guns. After almost a half an hour someone walking by heard the babied crying and called 911. As paramedics came to get the 6-month and 18-month children out of the van, the man is still looking at guns and doesn't bother to speak up when the store owner asks to see who the van or children belonged to. The babies were sweating but not dehydrated but they are going to be alright. The childrens mother showed up on the scene about two hours later and they all went home.

A Texas law states that children under the age of seven can not be left in the car for more than five minutes. So the man was obviously arrested and being getting punished for his crime.

Just kidding about the last part.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/120324-children--hot-van

Arizona is Snowed in?

Until Monday, some parts of Arizona will be snowed in. Due to the snow, some schools are closed and travel is impossible in the affected areas. At the same time, we (and most of the states) are enjoying our spring breezes and sunshine. Flaggstaff, a city in Arizona, is digging its way  out of about 12 inches of snow. Bradnon Neuman from Flagstaff said, "The other day it was 65 degrees, next day it is snowing, so it's been crazy.”

For some reason, the mountains of central and eastern Arizona are snowed in and many of the states are at their average temperatures for this part of the year.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/19/us/weather/index.html?hpt=us_c1

The Planets Dance

Beginning on the 14^th of March, we will see Venus and Jupiter dance! In other words, our two brightest planets will be at the same angle from our point of view as the pass by each other. These events are called planetary conjunctions and Venus-Jupiter conjunctions happen about thirteen months apart. This one is special, however. The northern hemisphere will get a good view of the pair brightly shining for about four hours after the sun sets. The light from the sun shines on to Jupiter, which in turn reflects it over to Venus. The light then bends (from goining through the atmosphere) around Venus causing the it to flicker and Venus to twinkle.The show will be most impressive on  March 15^th. At the end of this week, the two planets will go on their way, continuing their orbit around the sun.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0312/Jupiter-and-Venus-to-dance-together-this-week