GAO-05-377: Published: Jun 20, 2005. Publicly Released: Jul 25, 2005.
Since the General Mining Act of 1872, billions of dollars in hardrock minerals, such as gold, have been extracted from federal land now managed by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM). For years, some mining operators did not reclaim land, creating environmental, health, and safety risks. Beginning in 1981, federal regulations required all operators to reclaim BLM land disturbed by these operations. In 2001, federal regulations began requiring operators to provide financial assurances before they began exploration or mining operations. GAO was asked to determine the (1) types, amount, and coverage of financial assurances operators currently use; (2) extent to which financial assurance providers and others have paid to reclaim land not reclaimed by the operator since BLM began requiring financial assurances; and (3) reliability and sufficiency of BLM's automated information system (LR2000) for managing financial assurances for hardrock operations.
According to GAO's survey of BLM state offices, as of July 2004, hardrock operators were using 11 types of financial assurances, valued at about $837 million, to guarantee reclamation costs for existing hardrock operations on BLM land. Surety bonds, letters of credit, and corporate guarantees accounted for most of the assurances' value. However, these financial assurances may not fully cover all future reclamation costs for these existing hardrock operations if operators do not complete required reclamation. BLM reported that, as of July 2004, some existing hardrock operations do not have financial assurances and some have no or outdated reclamation plans and/or cost estimates, on which financial assurances should be based. BLM identified 48 hardrock operations on BLM land that had ceased and not been reclaimed by operators since it began requiring financial assurances. BLM reported that the most recent cost estimates for 43 of these operations totaled about $136 million, with no adjustment for inflation; it did not report reclamation cost estimates for the other 5 operations. However, as of July 2004, financial assurances had paid or guaranteed $69 million and federal agencies and others had provided $10.6 million to pay for reclamation, leaving $56.4 million in reclamation costs unfunded. Financial assurances were not adequate to pay all estimated costs for required reclamation for 25 of the 48 operations because (1) some operations did not have financial assurances, despite BLM efforts in some cases to make the operators provide them; (2) some operations' financial assurances were less than the most recent reclamation cost estimates; and (3) some financial assurance providers went bankrupt. Also, cost estimates may be understated for about half of the remaining 23 operations because the estimates may not have been updated to reflect inflation or other factors. BLM's LR2000 is not reliable and sufficient for managing financial assurances for hardrock operations because BLM staff do not always update information and LR2000 is not currently designed to track certain critical information. Specifically, staff have not entered information on each operation, and for those operations that are included, the information is not always current. Also, LR2000 does not track some critical information--operations' basic status, some types of allowable assurances, and state- and county-held financial assurances. Given these limitations, BLM's reliance on LR2000 to manage financial assurances is mixed: headquarters does not always rely on it and BLM state offices' reliance varies. To compensate for LR2000's limitations, some BLM offices use informal record-keeping systems to help manage hardrock operations and financial assurances. BLM has taken some steps and identified others to improve LR2000 for managing financial assurances for hardrock operations.
Comments: In June 2006 BLM transmitted an Instruction Memorandum (IM No. 2006-172) to all State Directors providing guidance to generate a Bond Review Report in LR2000. The IM states that the purpose of the Bond Review Report is to comply with GAO's recommendations addressing the BLM's hard rock mining bonding program. At the end of each FY (beginning in 2006), the state BLM Directors must review the Bond Review Report and certify that all reclamation cost estimates for Notices and Plans within their States requiring review were examined and are adequate. A corrective action plan must be developed by the State Directors to address any identified deficiencies in the cost estimates within 60 days of generating the Bond Review Report. By December 1, State Directors must send copies of the Bond Review Reports, Certifications, and Action Plans to the BLM Director. The Bond Review Report in LR2000 and the transmittal of this IM addresses the BLM's Action Plan for ensuring that operators have required financial assurances and that the financial assurances are based on sound reclamation plans and cost estimates.
Recommendation: To ensure that hardrock operations on BLM land have adequate financial assurances, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director of BLM to require the BLM state office directors to establish an action plan for ensuring that operators of hardrock operations have required financial assurances and that the financial assurances are based on sound reclamation plans and current cost estimates, so that they are adequate to pay all of the estimated costs of required reclamation if operators fail to complete the reclamation.
Comments: In June 2006 BLM transmitted an Instruction Memorandum (IM No. 2006-172) to all State Directors providing guidance to generate a Bond Review Report in LR2000. The IM states that the purpose of the Bond Review Report is to comply with GAO's recommendations addressing the BLM's hard rock mining bonding program. Data standards for Plans and Notices have been modified and a new action code created in LR2000 to generate the Bond Review Report. All hard rock operation case types must be updated with the new data standards by September 30, 2006. In addition, new action codes for reclamation cost determined, bond amount obligated, and operations authorized, as well as the associated sequence of data input will allow BLM to generate the Bond Review Report and manage the financial assurances associated with these operations.
Recommendation: To ensure that hardrock operations on BLM land have adequate financial assurances, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director of BLM to modify LR2000 to ensure that it tracks critical information on hardrock operations and associated financial assurances so that BLM headquarters and state offices can effectively manage financial assurances nationwide to ensure regulatory requirements are met.


text:
Occasionally Yours: Episode Seven
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... tears left me cold as a stone
But then I fooled around and fell in love ...
- Elvin Bishop, "Fooled Around"
And we go on ... and on! Many many thanks to everyone who is reading and commenting! And as always, do go read "Welcome to the Childhood" by RatRaceRob if you haven't yet--double your pleasure, double your fun!
And we go on ... and on! Many many thanks to everyone who is reading and commenting! And as always, do go read "Welcome to the Childhood" by RatRaceRob if you haven't yet--double your pleasure, double your fun! If anyone had told Holden Wozny that one day he would wake up with the most popular girl in town lying against his bare chest, he'd have assumed he was dreaming. If they had told him that he would wake up with the most popular girl in town lying against his bare chest AFTER he'd spent the previous night in the arms of the most popular girl at work ... well, he'd have assumed he was in Las Vegas and alcohol was heavily involved. But here he was in poky old Foxgrove, terribly sober, traces of River McIrish's lip gloss in his beard and Gwen Glover nestled in his arm. She was out like a light. She'd had a pretty bad couple of days. He felt sorry for her--another something he wouldn't have believed if he'd been told in advance. He tried to slide his arm from under her shoulders as gently as possible but she woke up right away. "Where ya goin'?"
"Work."
"Work," she repeated. "Is it that late?"
"It's almost noon, I need to at least check in for the day." He dressed quickly. He almost got coffee before he saw all of the mugs on the dish rack and remembered that just a few hours earlier they had gone through an entire pot in under an hour. No more coffee needed.
Gwen was on his heels. She followed him to his truck.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah."
"Um. I'm sorry, Holden. For everything."
"Don't worry about it."
She flushed a pretty shade of pink, and leaned over. Holden felt her arms around his neck first, and then her lips on his cheek. And then something ELSE happened that he never have imagined he'd do if Gwen Glover should happen to kiss him.
He tensed up.
Of course he knew in the back of his head that she hadn't meant a thing by that kiss and that she was just being emotional. But he gently pushed her away all the same. Judging by the sheepish expression on her face, the awkward feeling was mutual.
"... I'd better go," he said quickly, and went.
He came in and got to work on system maintenance immediately. More than one person gave him an odd look, but he didn't pay attention. He had to keep working. It was the only way NOT to think about Gwen ... and what she'd told him ... and this Jesse ... and ...
... why the hell'd she have to wait so long!?
The alarm bell went off in his ear, and Marilyn ran by, panting. "Wozny! Come on, need you to drive!" He came. His brain stayed behind. Far, far behind.
So when they actually got to the fire and Holden got out with the rest of the firefighters and didn't entirely put the parking brake on, well ... Suffice to say, not even the kindly Chief could protect him from the fallout. Gwen and Rosalind both started at the distant BOOM. "What the hell was that?"
"I dunno."
There was no way to find out without going to see and neither of them was about to budge. It had taken Rosalind a full thirty minutes to show up, a sure sign that she was sound asleep when she got the original call. They had cups of coffee spiked with alcohol in hand, they were comfortably lounging on the deck, and neither had any intention of moving.
Until, of course, Gwen's phone went off again.
She looked at the caller ID tiredly. "... oh, it's Viv. I gotta take this. ... hello?" Rosalind wasn't paying attention at first, only noticing that Gwen's voice was becoming progressively louder and squeakier. She was paying attention at the end, though, as Gwen screamed, "No! No, Viv! No! NO!" and viciously flung her phone across the yard into the grass. For a long moment there was only shocked silence, and Gwen's hard breathing.
"... what just happened?" Rosalind asked, though she wasn't entirely sure she wanted an answer. "Help me find my phone," Gwen said.
They were searching for nearly twenty minutes before Rosalind spotted it under a tree, shattered and useless. She looked at the phone, sighed, and looked at her friend.
"Would you believe that Viv wants me to do another concert? In a WEEK?"
"That's her job, Gwen."
"Rosalind!" "That's her JOB, Gwen!"
Gwen looked at her, aghast. "I don't believe you're agreeing with her! You're supposed to be my friend!"
"You don't believe ME? Am I the one you should be arguing with? Gwen, for heaven's sake! This woman has worked HARD for you! She's made you a star, she's gotten you gigs that you didn't deserve, she's kept you in the spotlight so that people actually came to those gigs, she's protected you after you blew those gigs, and you're complaining?" Rosalind threw the dead phone on the ground, stormed to the front of the house, got on her bike and gunned the motor. "Stop wasting her time and your parents' money if you don't want her to work for you. Be an adult and quit."
Now Gwen looked stunned. "Quit?" she squeaked.
"Yes! Quit! It's okay to quit a job that you don't like or don't do well. People do it a LOT. It is completely legitimate to quit a job that you hate. Come on, I'll take you to the store so you can get a new phone."
"No," Gwen said. "Take me to Doo Peas. I'll ... I'll quit." They rode up to floor eighteen in silence and entered the gilded halls of Star Type Talent Agency without an appointment. Rosalind opened the main office door and watched Louanne's expression change from surprise to mild fear. "Ms. Glover? ..."
"I need to see Viv right now."
"I ..." Louanne stuttered and trailed off. She looked at the office door, back to Gwen, and sighed. "One moment."
Both Gwen and Rosalind could hear Viv's voice break off and go silent as Louanne gave her message in a low voice. The silence was dangerous. Finally Viv said, "Tell her to come in. But JUST her." Louanne returned, held the door as Gwen walked through. She looked at Rosalind and gestured to the shut door. "How long have you known her?" she asked in a whisper.
"Just about five years."
"Has she ever been like this before?"
"No," Rosalind said. "Never."
Viv sighed. "You have really been a piece of work in the past forty-eight hours, Gwen. You've screamed at me, hung up on me, interrupted a conference call that I needed to be on, and now you're just here in my office wasting my time. SAY SOMETHING." "I quit."
"I'm not surprised," Viv said quietly. "Have you told your parents?"
"... no." "Still not surprised. Sit down, honey. It strikes me that you've been doing a lot of running and hiding lately. Is there anything you've done with yourself in the past five years that you're actually proud of?" "Yes," Gwen said immediately. "I liked doing 'Candy Cane.' I worked hard on the music, I worked hard on the lyrics, I worked hard on the video. Have you ever tried to dance on a wet floor in four-inch heels and not slip AND look cute? It's hard! But at the end of the day I felt like I'd done something cool even if the only people who ever saw it were my friends. I didn't care that it went viral--I just remember that it was fun!" "Y'know, that's a big part of what's so frustrating about working with you, Gwen. You are entirely capable of working very hard, and you're immensely talented. And for whatever reason, you're just throwing it away. It's not going to be this way forever, sweetie. Talent and art fade with time. You're going to get older and you won't look the same at all. I know you won't believe this, but there was a time that I could wear a size 4 just like you." She stood, sighed again. "I'm just worried that you're going to wake up at age forty-four and realize that you squandered all of your opportunities ... and start foisting all your hopes and dreams onto your kid, the same way your mother's done with you. Are you SURE this is going to make you happy?"
Happy! ... Gwen could have laughed if it wasn't all so pitiful. Happiness hit the highway headed north driving a repo truck. And it wasn't coming back.
"It's not going make me happy," she said finally. "But I sure as hell can't get any sadder." When she came home, Holden was already there with a look on his face that she knew all too well. She didn't ask what happened, she just let him tell her that he'd been indirectly responsible for the destruction of a city fountain AND a city fire truck. When she sheepishly admitted that she, too, had quit HER job, they both laughed until the tears rolled and their stomachs hurt.
Gwen finally gasped out, "Help me pack some of my dresses. I have a few that that I can return to the store." While Gwen waited for the store clerk to finish processing the return slips, Holden hung out in electronics and watched a football game. He was so distracted that he almost didn't see his newly-former coworker Bronson approaching in work clothes.
Bronson gave him a look of sympathy and muttered, "Hey, I'm sorry, man."
Holden shrugged. "I dunno if you already knew this, but River ain't looking so good. She was throwing up all afternoon. They had to send her home."
"Really," Holden said. The food at the firehouse was pretty crappy even at the best of times. He'd always intended to clean the fridge out one day, but between trying to keep the old equipment working and responding to actual emergencies it had just never quite happened. "I'd better call her."
He took his phone out--he actually began to dial--and then a baby screamed and a mother scolded and Gwen came back to ask him about something, when he thought about it afterwards he never could remember what it was--and he forgot all about the news. He had to appear before a judge shortly, so the next four days were a period of suspense. He borrowed a few outfits from Connor, got an actual haircut for the first time in almost two years, and shaved. Sorta. He was in the courthouse right on time. Ms. Toford, his attorney, was waiting for him. She was the very definition of prim. Hair in a bun, glasses, barely-there makeup, drab suit. For all that, she was very pretty. Except for the 'I will eat you' expression.
"Are you Wozny?"
"Mm-hmm." "Do us both a big favor. When we get in there, don't say a word unless you're directly spoken to. You don't have much of a case and the city is ready to tear you to shreds. You're going to need all of the mercy that the court can spare, so don't make it hard on yourself. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am." True to his word, Holden did not say a word except to assure the judge that he was "incredibly remorseful" that he had been responsible for allowing a fire truck destroy a solid marble fountain. Ms. Toford haggled with Mr. Herrera, the city attorney assigned to the case, and he thought to himself in silence until she placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "Y'Honor, rather than force Mr. Wozny to serve jail time for what was clearly an accident, or burden him with a bill that no one in his position could reasonably make good on, perhaps we could have him do community service?" "Community service?" Mr. Herrera roared. "This moron's ruined a priceless fountain and totaled a city vehicle and you want to give him community service? Hell, why don't we just waive all charges and give him a medal while we're at it?"
Before anyone could say another word, Holden was on his feet glowering down at Mr. Herrera, who had suddenly stopped shouting.
"Let me explain something, sir," he said. Ms. Toford reached for his arm; he shook her right off. "I've maintained the fleet trucks for the past two years. Before I came along every single one of them needed to be decommissioned. Now they're operable and usable and they haven't needed major repair work for months. That means I've saved the city from having to replace five fire trucks over the past two years. If that isn't worth anything to you, have fun buying new ones." There was a moment of shocked silence before the judge finally collected himself and asked, "Ms. Toford? Is this the case?" "Why ..." Ms. Toford looked at Holden. The left side of her face was twitching with anger at his disobedience, but she recognized an opening when she saw one.
"Yes, y'honor. We have the city maintenance records available. Mr. Wozny has ... done every maintenance ... required ..." She kept flipping through the folder. "... for the past two years. They've all been verified by city engineers ... and passed all standard testing." The judge turned back to the city attorney and said coolly, "Seeing that the city itself acknowledges Mr. Wozny's value as a mechanic, it appears that community service should not be entirely off the table, Mr. Herrera."
The city attorney went utterly scarlet and skimmed over his notes before murmuring, "But ... but he's done god-knows how much damage--"
"Fire trucks are made of steel for a reason. The vehicle sustained cosmetic damage to its main grille, its left windshield and headlights." Again Ms. Toford tried to restrain Holden and again he brushed her away. "The truck can be repaired and brought back to regulations for under �5000. The fountain can be replaced with a concrete equivalent for less than �15,000."
"Ms. Toford?" the judge asked again. Ms. Toford stuttered something that no one could hear, and Mr. Herrera visibly slumped. They were both utterly mortified. She clearly hadn't known any of this information ahead of time, and if the expression on his face was anything to go by, he realized his original request for jail time and a massive judgment would not be granted.
Ms. Toford finally mumbled, "We'll need to get some verifiable estimates and discuss all of this further." "Discuss it till the cow comes home, but the next time you come in my chambers, Ms. Toford, both you and Mr. Herrera better have your acts together so you don't get outmaneuvered by your clients. You're free to go, Mr. Wozny."
Holden left. His attorney came running after him. It took two flights of stairs for her to catch up, which didn't seem to improve her mood. "I can't believe you. I specifically asked you NOT to speak and you not only speak twice, you completely humiliate both me and my colleague in front of a judge!"
"You're humiliated," he snorted. "I'm the one who's gonna be on the hook for two hundred grand because Mr. Herrera didn't bother to research how much stuff costs nowadays! And you were caving in left and right!"
"I wasn't going to let that happen!"
"You could've fooled me." "I wasn't," Ms. Toford said firmly. Now that she had some blood in her cheeks, she looked even more pretty. He turned away and she sighed. "I do have to admit that your knowledge of mechanics swayed the judge. I had no idea the fire trucks were so old."
He refused to respond to the flattery. "What's this community service you were talking about?" he asked. She passed him to continue down the stairs. "There's a local congressman who has a son in film school. His son needs to direct a public-service announcement for his portfolio. Since it'd be for the city, they'd normally use city funds to film it, but I figured if you did it, they'd save money and time on the casting process. It's not a very big deal, but it'd knock off some of the judgment against you."
"Fine," he muttered.
He was getting aggressive. River would have been proud--
River!
He suddenly remembered that he hadn't called her for days. He dialed her number and got no answer save her voice mail.
He kept calling. No answer. He went by her house and knocked on the door. No answer. Puzzled, but helpless, he forgot about it. Again. The day of the community service project arrived. Holden found himself in the midst of a tv commercial about 'buckling up for safety.' He was on set, filming when he was needed, waiting with Ms. Toford when he wasn't. She'd been more chummy lately. He probably wasn't supposed to be noticing that she looked really good in regular clothes. He probably wasn't supposed to be aware that her eyes locked on him every time the director made him change outfits, either. The "dressing room" was a small corner of the green-screened set, and after the third change he didn't bother to conceal himself anymore. Her pale ears were a semi-permanent shade of pink. As he rehearsed the state's new catchphrase "Get Clicked," went through another take and changed clothes yet again, the sound of arguing in the background steadily grew louder until the big metal studio doors opened and a voice shouted, "Lady, you can't be in there!"
But the lady was clearly on the set and getting closer, and Holden looked up, as did Ms. Toford and the crew members, and ... ... it was River.
The security guard finally caught up to her. "Hey! There's a shoot going on in here! You can't just barge in!"
"Well, I'm here, little man," she said coldly. "And I'm not here for you."
She turned her gaze on Holden. She wasn't smiling. He blinked. "Uh. ... hey?"
"Hi," she said.
Everyone in the room was staring at him. He licked his lips. "What ... what's up?"
"Can I borrow you for a minute?"
"Right now?"
"Ma'am," the young director said, "we're in the middle of filming."
"A minute," River repeated in that voice that usually shut people down.
The director shut down. "Fine, a minute."
Holden followed her, all too aware that many eyes were watching him. He and River wandered out of easy earshot and she faced him with a defensive expression. Which was odd since HE'D been the one chasing HER around! "You haven't been answering your phone lately, River."
"No. I haven't really known what to say to you."
"Is this about me getting fired?"
"No. It's about me being pregnant." She turned away. "I'm sorry about chewing out your roommate. It's just ... I KNOW girls like her. They get or take whatever the hell they want with a wink, a wiggle, and a smile. I've never had the time to be a cute girl. Whatever I got in life, I bled and sweated and cried for. "I've been on my own since I was fifteen-and-a-half. My mom died in a car accident; my dad got too stressed out trying to keep peace between me and his girlfriend, so I made it easy on him and left. I've lived with one friend after another and I've worked two, three jobs at a time trying to make ends meet. "When I was twenty-one, I met Lydia's father, Rory. He was a construction worker. He said that I wasn't like most women, I could pull my own weight and didn't expect to be taken care of. I was dumb enough to believe that meant something. When you go for years and years without so much as a 'thank you' from anyone, sometimes you cave in pretty fast. "Anyway. I kept working through the pregnancy and he figured since I was still working, he was free to spend his money on booze and other women. Once Lydia was born, Rory vanished. I haven't seen him since. "About three months ago I got a call from his mother. She said she'd just found out about Lydia and she wanted to take care of her granddaughter. She wanted me n' Rory to get married, have a big church wedding, change Lydia's last name ... pretty much erase my entire life to fit in with what she thought it SHOULD be like. Never mentioned the fact that she was calling me, not her son, or that according to the rumor mill, he'd had another baby with another woman. I told her I was sorry for her trouble, but Lydia was my daughter, not a little dolly for her to play dress-up with, and I'd appreciate it if she didn't call again. She hasn't."
Holden noticed for the first time that River was drumming her nails nervously against her lean arms. "I swore once I got rid of those two that I'd never let anyone else dangle a carrot on a stick in front of me again. I was alone for six years before Rory came into my life and I was fine after he left. And then I met a guy at one of my jobs who was a complete freakin' klutz and I was right back in over my head before I knew it. I ..."
Her voice went bad and she stopped. Holden waited. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ms. Toford watching the two of them from a respectful distance. When River spoke again her voice was firm. "I already know you don't have a job now. I didn't come here because I expect anything from you. I just thought you'd like to know."
"River. That's NOT why you came. You could have told me this on the phone." Her silence confirmed his words. "And it's not like this place is anywhere near the firehouse. You came here intentionally. Why?" "I don't know, Holden. Maybe I didn't want you to hang up on me. Maybe I just needed to see for myself if I meant something beyond a few nights in bed. Maybe I hoped that you loved me as much as I love you."
She turned to go. He caught her by the wrist.
"Maybe I do." He went back to the main set.
Ms. Toford was looking away, pretending to be busy with her phone. She bit her lip as he passed. He wasn't supposed to see that, he was sure. He recited his lines perfectly, complied with all of the director's changes, additions, subtractions, re-writes and re-takes. In the end they went with the line that Holden inadvertently ad-libbed.
"You might think you're too cool for seatbelts, but there's nothing cool about a hospital visit. Get clicked."
"Cut! And print!" The kid looked a bit foolish. "Sorry, I know this is a lot of work for thirty seconds. But it's gotta be perfect. If I don't make an A on this project I'm gonna fail the class and Pop's gonna have my head. Thanks for being so easy to work with. Um ... you want me to get that woman off the set?"
Holden quickly shook his head. "If she's not making trouble for you, I'd like it if she stayed."
"No problem." The director returned to his crew and Holden watched him idly while returning to his thoughts. He was sure now that he could have something very good with River if he chose it. He knew her well enough to know that she would not force herself on him--no ultimatums, no threats. He also knew that if he walked away from his child now she would never let him return. She had pride; besides her children, it was probably all she had to hold on to.
And of course he knew beyond doubt that Gwen really had cared for him, maybe even deeply. If he went home right now and told her about his day, he'd have a redheaded girlfriend before night had fallen. ... and as much as he might want a relationship with Gwen, if this was the only way to get it, it wasn't worth it. At all. He would always regret using River to get to Gwen, and Gwen would always see Jesse Simanski when they kissed. And in the end, they would learn to hate each other for it.
"Mr. Wozny?"
He flinched as if he'd been burnt. Ms. Toford's hand on his arm had never felt so out-of-place. "Yeah?"
"I'll need you back in court in two weeks. Please bring any independent estimates you've gathered for damages at that time. If you have any character witnesses who'd be willing to testify for you, bring them as well. And ... um." She nodded towards River, who continued to wait patiently. "Good luck." The shoot wrapped eventually, and Holden took River to a hole-in-the-wall diner for a late lunch. She refused to eat. She stirred the food with her fork and looked at him. He saw the anxiety in her eyes. If there had been an ounce of indecision left in him, it all drained away now. She wouldn't let him pay for her meal.
"I can't offer you much of anything."
"You're here, aren't you? You're already doing more than one other guy I know."
He put his arm around her, and she covered his hand with her own, held it, squeezed it tight. What he whispered in her ears was a secret, but considering that it made her laugh, cry, and crush him in a hug (all in the space of two seconds), it was probably something that she'd been waiting a long time to hear.
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Golden97Apr 9, 2012
Great start, can't wait to read the next chapter and find out more :3
SuziShazamAug 15, 2011
Holden has become quite a man. I am enjoying catching up on the stories on to part 8 yay!
fabrizioammolloAug 5, 2011
Extraordinary chapter! You keep us in suspence... but in the end I'm glad with Holden choice. He saw that between him and Gwen it wouldn't work, for many reasons. He made a conscious decision. I'm waiting to see what will Gwen ponder for herself!
staceface2009pJul 19, 2011
I agree with mogan44 (comment above me) . Wow, I was so caught up in the fact that River was being mean to Gwen that I would've never thought she had a scarred past of her own. Poor River, I feel bad that I trashed her. That saying is true, be nice to people because they could be going through something worse than you think you yourself are going through! her and Holden do make a cute couple though! Can't wait to read the next part! (BTW, i'm at work and sat here at my desk and read this, hehe)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Having wined and dined over the Christmas period, the tradition is to start the New Year with a list of well-intended resolutions. For most of us, we would have been better served had we started off the Christmas period on this basis. That might have resulted in us having a clearer head, a narrower waist line and a bigger bank balance! The making of resolutions at the beginning of the year dates back to Roman times when people made promises to the gods in return for good favours.
So for centuries, people have been using this time of the year to set out their aspirations for the year ahead.
So how did Mr Buffett expect his leadership team to know if they are doing the right thing when it comes to protecting the reputation of their businesses?
Once again, he has some salient words of wisdom for his trusted lieutenants. "Measure everything against not only what is legal but also what we would be happy to have written about us on the front page of a national newspaper in an article written by an unfriendly but intelligent reporter!" Sounds like good advice to us.
However, the problem with New Year's resolutions, as we all probably know to our cost, is that the success rate is pretty poor. The Washington Post recently referenced that 50% of those that make New Year's resolutions say they succeed – but only for about six months! The really surprising statistic, perhaps, is that over two thirds of people were unable to stick to their commitments for more than a week! Sound familiar? Bad as that might be in terms of staying away from chocolate or missing a gym session, it's not a tenable situation when it comes to a reputation resolution.
The secret to success in building and sustaining a robust reputation is consistency and sustainability. The same applies to keeping New Year's resolutions. What often undermines peoples efforts is that either their resolutions are too challenging or too vague. It has also been found that when people share their resolution with others, they have a better chance of succeeding. So keeping your resolutions to yourself makes them more difficult to realise.
And finally, don't leave it to January every year to hold yourself accountable – there are eleven other months in which to measure your success!


text:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
by Omar Rosales
Logo's "Trailblazers" to honor Ugandan advocate John Abdallah Wambere and feature a performance by Sia with the Gay Men's Chorus
by Megan Townsend, Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform "Same Love" on MTV VMA's with Mary Lambert, Jennifer Hudson; Lambert releases video for "She Keeps Me Warm"
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed "Same Love" with Mary Lambert and special guest Jennifer Hudson last night at the MTV Video Music Awards, introduced by out NBA player Jason Collins, which took home the award for Best Video with a Social Message. Out singer/songwriter Lambert last week released the video for "She Keeps Me Warm," the full track extension from her chorus on the platinum hit "Same Love."
The Fosters, Glee, Pretty Little Liars, Ellen DeGeneres and more take home Teen Choice Awards surfboards!
Last night, teens honored their favorites in pop culture at the annual Teen Choice Awards on Fox, this year hosted by Glee's Darren Criss and Pretty Little Liars' Lucy Hale, and winners included many LGBT performers and storylines in entertainment.
by Natalie Meier
The GLAAD Wrap: "Same Love" gets VMA nomination, "Dealin' With Idiots" opens, and new Billie Jean King doc on PBS
Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBT-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.


Ina Coolbrith's first poems were spoken.
When she walked to California at eleven years old on the Overland Trail, Ina didn't yet know how to write but she could read. She found the work of Shakespeare and Lord Byron in her stepfather's law library, and inspired, wrote poems of her own to recite to her dolls.
That wasn't the case later on. Even when she was a regular contributor to the Overland Monthly, Ina didn't recite or perform her own poetry. It was standard practice for an orator to read a poet's work on auspicious occasions.
"The university is now open to your sons and daughters alike, and soon the woman who writes the poem will herself read it, and then the wind from her rustling garments, as she comes on the stage, will brush away the insignificant insects who now people it."
Eventually Ina did read her own poetry during during public talks and lectures. In her eighties, she read a few of her poems on the radio, but the program was live and not recorded.
We don't have her voice, but we do have her words.
Listen to a selection of Ina's poetry at Voetica: Poetry Spoken.
Thanks to Jessica Bates for her sensitive coaching, Jim Helman for making me feel at ease in his recording studio, and most of all to David Juda, for your gift of Voetica.


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Might not be the worst of times but we into rough times!
We are in the midst of two serious crises, each with enormous problems for us. I speak of course about the current coronavirus pandemic and the impending threat of an explosive volcanic eruption. We start with a politically- divided country. Tackling any serious national problem demands a united approach, but we seem incapable of so doing. In such situations we should really utilise all skills and experiences that could be brought to bear on our problems regardless of their political colouration.
First, the volcano! Fortunately for us, we had an explosive eruption some 42 years ago the same year we became an independent nation, the volcano having erupted some 77 years before this. I say this to make the point that in all our planning for a more dangerous phase of the eruption, we must be reminded that at such a critical point people do not necessarily behave rationally and calmly. All the best laid out plans could easily fall flat, at least in the early stages. Let us say, and I am speaking without knowledge of the planning and the discussions with potential evacuees, that some people are to be evacuated by sea. Unless the boats are waiting in the harbour, it will be all man/woman to themselves, and any port for a storm! For certainly we cannot predict the time of day or night that such an eruption will take place. There will be a mad rush for the first available means of getting out of the area.
I am not aware that the population outside the areas likely to be affected, has been privy to the plans. An explosive eruption will disrupt the whole country, so it is important that the country be kept abreast of the plans and what is expected of them. I hear advice being given to people to store water, to use an example. Will the transportation being made available to those in need, be able to accommodate all their belongings? Then we have to build into this the fact that we are in the delicate stages of a pandemic. In 1979 private persons would have accommodated some in their homes. This is unlikely to happen given fears of Covid-19. In the relocation, will physical distancing be possible. If it is, how will this be arranged. Let us remember that schools will be used as evacuation centres. Schools resume operation next week and will be equipped to accommodate students and teachers, so most likely adjustments will have to be made. This can be done easily if the volcano alerted us before- hand that it will explode on a particular day and at a particular time. The situation is not obviously an easy one for which to plan. The more the nation is alerted to the plans, the easier might the adjustments be made. In such an eventuality regular schooling will be impossible, even on-line.
This week has exposed some of the problems we have dealing with the pandemic. I am told that hundreds of Vincentians went to Bequia, to the beaches and most likely to party. By Monday when it was realised that things had gotten out of hand, the police apparently took control of the beaches. I was made to understand that there were places on the mainland with loud music and regular partying. Now what of the existing protocols! Why hasn't there been proper enforcement by the authorities?
As I write I am not aware of the outcome of a meeting between the government and three unions/bodies that had objected to having unvaccinated public servants subjected to covid tests every two weeks. It becomes more and more obvious that we have gone about the issue of vaccination in the wrong way. What is needed is education and proper communication, not efforts to force people to take vaccinations when there are so many questions still remaining about the efficacy of the vaccines. Honest and informed discussion is needed, leaving the ultimate decision to the individuals. That is the only way to go, certainly not bulldozing!
l Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian
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text:
Q: More general Frullani's $$\int_0^{\infty}\frac {(1+ax)^{-p} - (1+bx)^{-q}}{x}dx$$

*

*Attet:
I tried to solve this problem by applying Frullani's theorem but failed suggestions are welcome

I don't understand why downvote when questions like Proof of Frullani's theorem are so appreciated.

A: Let $f$ and $g$ be continuous functions on $[0,\infty)$. Assume that
$$f(x) - f(\infty) = \sum_{k\ge0}\frac {u(k)(-x)^k}{k!} \;\text{ and }\; g(x) - g(\infty) = \sum_{k\ge0}\frac {v(k)(-x)^k}{k!},$$
where $$f(\infty) = \lim_{x\to\infty}f(x) \;\text{ and }\; g(\infty) = \lim_{x\to\infty}g(x)$$ exist and are finite.
The following statement is called Master Theorem (I don't remember exactly the source exactly but it was given by Hardy.):
\begin{align*}
I_n &= \int_0^{\infty}x^{n-1}(f(ax) - f(\infty)) - (g(bx) - g(\infty))dx \\ &=\Gamma(n)[a^{-n}(-n) - b^{-n}v(-n)]\\
&= \Gamma(n+1)\left(\frac {a^{-n}u(-n) - b^{-n}v(-n)}{n}\right),
\end{align*}
for $0<n<1$. We take the limit as $n\to 0^+$, hence
\begin{align*}
\lim_{n\to0^+}\left(\frac{b^nv(n) - a^u(n)}{n}\right)
&= \lim_{n\to0^+}(n^nv(n)\ln b + b^nv'(n) - a^nu(n)\ln a - a^nu'(n)) \\
& = (f(0) - f(\infty))\left(\ln \frac ba + \frac d{ds}\left( \ln \left(\frac {v(s)}{u(s)}\right)_{s = 0}\right)\right).
\end{align*}
Here, $u(0) = v(0) = f(0) - f(\infty)$.
Thus,
$$I_0 = (f(0) - f(\infty))\left(\ln\left(\frac ba\right) + \frac d{ds}\left(\ln\left(\frac {v(s)}{u(s)}\right)\right)_{s = 0}\right).$$
In particular,
$$\begin{align*}
\int_0^{\infty}\frac {(1+ax)^{-p} - (1+bx)^{-q}}{x}dx
& = \ln\frac ba + \frac {d}{ds} \ln\left(\frac {\Gamma(q+s)\Gamma(p)}{\Gamma(p+s)\Gamma (q)}\right)_{s =0}\\
& = \ln \frac ba  + \psi(q) - \psi(p),
\end{align*}$$
with $a, b, p, q > 0$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Beans and rice are one of my favorite pantry weeknight meal. Yo know those day where you really need to go to the grocery store, but you really just want to get home and rest? This dinner is the perfect solution.
I like to make different variations of bean and rice. This version I call Spiced Black Beans and Coconut Rice. I top it with canned mango and peach salsa. The combination of coconut and fruit salsa will awaken your taste buds!
If you have never had coconut rice, you are seriously missing out. It's decadent and rich with only a slight hint of coconut flavor. It's very easy to make too.
The best part about this meal is these are all pantry ingredients! I stock up on beans, rice, and salsa in case of any lazy day emergencies!
Spiced Black Beans and Coconut Rice topped with mango peach salsa is surprisingly an easy summer pantry meal. Whip this easy dinner recipe up in no time.
In a medium pot with a lid, bring the coconut milk, water, and salt to a boil.
Pour in the rice, and stir until the coconut/water mixture comes back to a boil.
Cover the pot with the lid, and reduce the heat to low.
Cook the rice for about 20 minutes or until tender.
Pour the black beans, broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt into a medium pot.
Turn the temperature to medium high heat, and bring to mixture to a soft boil stirring occasionally.
Cook for 10 minutes, or until the broth has thickened slightly.
Try this Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread to serve along side all of these dishes!
« Grilled Vegetable Pizza on the Grill!


Who'd have thought that a throwaway comment while watching the Grand National in a pub in Hawkshead would lead to criss-crossing the country, sampling the ales and ambience of hundreds of pubs with the same name.
But then we all know that personal trainers are a determined bunch, and that's what Leyland-based Cathy Price decided to do back in April 2011.
Remarking to her partner Alan that The Red Lion must be the most popular pub name in the UK, Cathy then began to imagine them dotted around the country. And the plan began to take shape.
Each would be visited, landlords and ladies greeted, pics taken and – of course – drinks supped.
So far our intrepid quester has reached 125, with, she reckons, about 600 to go. "I will be travelling and sampling drinks for about three years at this rate," says Cathy.
Red Lion number 100 was celebrated with a bottle of Champers. When she reaches 200 – likely to be in May, Cathy thinks, DrinkBritain will be buying the round: English or Welsh sparkling wine or bottle-fermented British cider – of course.
Sometimes it's her and Alan, sometimes the kids come too. "I have a huge map in the kitchen full of pins and many interesting souvenirs," she says.
While Wales and Norfolk are next on the schedule, the 2012 summer's holidays are already planned – a campervan around Cornwall and Devon.
Having not really tried beer before she began her travels, she's now more than partial to the odd half-pint. In honour of her noble odyssey, Dea Latis, the cross-industry women's beer group, made Cathy its first Honorary Member at its December meeting.
In days of old before the general population could read, pub signs were a vital part of drawing in your regulars – and those from further afield. Indeed, according to Wikipedia, before painted signs were common, a public house would be shown with an object left outside. For example, a popular name, the Crooked Billet, would refer to a bent stick propped up by the door.
With over 50,000 pubs in the British Isles, a 2007 survey by the British Beer & Pub Association found that The Red Lion was the most popular name in the British Isles. Heraldic images related to symbols on Coats of Arms are particularly prominent in pub signs. The lion is one of the most common emblems, due to a number of factors, including its presence in the royal arms of Scotland and the coat of arms of the influential – some would say dastardly – 14th century prince, John of Gaunt.
We'll keep in touch with Cathy, but you can follow her progress via twitter @RedLion_quest – and listen out for mentions on your local radio.
She's keeping a diary with recollections and reflections – we'll keep you posted when her book is imminent, but in the meantime, enjoy her poem on the highs – and lows – of her travels.
Of this RED LION QUEST!


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In late October, nearly 200 Loa water frog tadpoles hatched at the National Zoo of Chile, a little more than a year after a team of conservationists in Chile evacuated the last-known 14 frogs from dry habitats and brought them to the zoo. This offers a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered frog.
In June 2019, herpetologist Andrés Charrier discovered that the only known stream home to the Loa water frog (Telmatobius dankoi) had dried up as a result of extraction of water for mining, agriculture and real estate development. In a small muddy pool, scientists discovered 14 malnourished and dehydrated individuals. With the help of the Chilean government, the 14 frogs were airlifted to the National Zoo of Chile in the capital, Santiago. The hope was to begin a conservation breeding programme, but first the scientists needed to stabilise the remaining individuals. "When we brought these animals to the zoo, I didn't even know if they were going to survive the transfer from Calama on the plane to Santiago," said Charrier. Zoo staff were able to save 12 of the 14 individuals.
The rehabilitation of the rescued individuals was the first objective of the conservation effort. The second objective was the successful reproduction and the hatching of the tadpoles, which has now also been accomplished. Yet the final objective, reintroducing the species back into their natural habitat, may prove to be the most challenging.
The city of Calama is located in the middle of the Atacama desert. In the driest non-polar desert on Earth, water is a scarce and precious resource. Calama is considered the mining capital of Chile. Various industrial processes led to the contamination and shrinking of the only stream the Loa water frog is known to inhabit. It is against these threats that conservationists have to contend if they hope to accomplish their third objective. Sadly, these threats are not unique to the Loa water frog, and it is believed that many species of water frog are threatened by human activities.
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There are 63 species of water frog found in South America, with about 10 species in Chile. Many species of water frogs (including the Loa water frog) are micro-endemic, meaning they are only found in a small region. Water frogs are either semi-aquatic or entirely aquatic, making them incredibly sensitive to changes in their environment and particularly vulnerable to climate change. Habitat destruction, invasive trout species, disease and pollution are also threatening South America's water frogs.
The achievements of the team involved in the rescue, rehabilitation and reproduction of the frogs is no small feat, as no one is known to have attempted to care for the species before. It is almost certain that without intervention, the species would have become extinct. It is important to celebrate the success of this conservation effort, but it is also a stark reminder of the impact humanity is having on all areas of the natural world.
The Loa water frog is considered critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and was once found only in a single stream in Chile. Experts say there may be between five and eight individuals still living in the wild. Returning the species to the wild someday will require identifying a safe home for the frogs and protecting that habitat from the threat of illegal water extraction and habitat destruction.
Featured image by: Smithsonian Mag
Shark finning poses a significant threat to the ocean's ecosystem and levels of carbon dioxide production in marine environments. Endangered shark species are still under threat despite being protected by shark finning bans and conservation plans. A recent massive shark fin seizure in Hong Kong demonstrates the severity of the city's role in the global shark finning trade, despite a stern ban in place. What does the future of the trade look like, and what can be done to stop it?
Shark Finning Statistics
Humans kill more than 100 million sharks worldwide each year, including tens of millions of sharks killed for their fins. As apex predators (top predators), sharks help mediate healthy ocean ecosystems and assist in maintaining a balanced biodiversity through intimidating potential prey, preventing overpopulation of prey species, and preventing prey species from dominating a limited resource. Sharks' roles in managing the marine's environment is therefore essential; without them the infrastructure and balance of the ocean's ecosystem would be threatened.
Largest Shark Fin Seizure in Recorded Hong Kong History
Hong Kong customs officials recently seized 26 tons of dried shark fins extracted from an estimated 38 500 endangered sharks inside two containers shipped from Ecuador. The Customs and Excise Department's marine enforcement group in Hong Kong estimated the fins at US$1.1 million, which were removed largely from thresher and silk sharks- both protected and endangered species.
According to Ken Chan Hon-ki, endangered species protection officer of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the fins were removed from an estimated 31 000 thresher sharks and 7 500 silky sharks. It was further noted that the fins were to be delivered to restaurants and shops for local consumption, however the ongoing investigation has yet to confirm this definitively.
While selling and consuming shark fins is not illegal in Hong Kong, it is regulated and requires a license. Importing an endangered species without a license is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) fine.
In 2018, police officers seized a total of 641 kilograms of shark fins worth over US$65 780, making this year's seizure significantly larger in comparison. The rise in seizures demonstrates the severity of the role that Hong Kong has in the global shark finning trade, and highlights the ongoing participation in the harvesting and trading of shark fins despite the threat it poses to the species' and the ocean's ecosystem.
According to a superintendent officer reporting to South China Morning Post, the rise in seizures demonstrates an 'efficient system of inspecting and detecting illegal shark fin activity', potentially due to intelligence collaborations with mainland China and other countries. Moreover, the increase in seizures may not be a result of a rise in demand. Instead, Gloria Lai Pui-yin, senior conservation officer at The World Wildlife Fund in Hong Kong (WWF-HK) pointed out that it could be an attempt of exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic as government officials are preoccupied combating the virus.
Lai mentioned that with people dining out less due to social distancing customs, a local increase in shark fin demand is highly improbable. WWF-HK strongly encourages companies and restaurants in Hong Kong and beyond to pledge against shark finning and to stop selling shark fin dishes with the aim of decreasing the demand. However, she acknowledges that the demand may rise again after social distancing rules are relaxed.
You might also like: The Oceans Are Facing Dangers Beyond Sea Level Rise
The Trade's Link to the Climate Crisis
A 2016 study investigating the impact of shark finning on the climate crisis demonstrated that the removal of sharks from ecosystems may increase carbon dioxide production in the ocean. Removing the apex predator from its natural habitat can increase the biomass of prey species, like smaller fish and zooplankton, resulting in higher net carbon production by the system. The researchers noted that their results support previous findings established by similar studies. Additionally, predators affect the feeding habits of prey species such that their removal can result in a decrease in ocean carbon storage. Recent research has explained this may occur as predators are able to control populations or behaviours of other organisms, which might prevent potential carbon deposit build up.
Essentially, the researchers postulated that shark finning, in addition to fishing in general, contributes to the escalation of the climate crisis. Their study, along with others, further demonstrates the need to ban harmful activities such as shark finning, and highlights an area of research worth expanding and building on.
Shark Finning Bans – How to stop shark finning?
The UN developed the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks in an attempt to conserve and manage shark populations, as well as to encourage their sustainable use. Though shark legislation varies greatly between countries, many governments have implemented a partial or full ban on shark finning – providing a glimpse of hope for the global ban of shark finning.
Canada, the first country to ban the export and import of shark fins, sets an example for other countries to follow suit. In 1994, Canada enforced a ban on shark finning with the exception of importing fins, which was legal up until the summer of 2019. In 2018 alone, Canada imported more than 148 000 kilograms of shark fins for local consumption, making it the largest importer of shark fins outside of East Asia. Since the recent full ban, concern around the detrimental effects of shark finning has been raised among the Canadian public, prompting a decrease in shark fin-related activities.
In contrast, some countries' legislation regarding shark finning contain loopholes that subsequently enable illegal activity. Indonesia, among others, passed a ban on fishing of endangered shark species in 2012. According to Indonesian law, the fishing of authorised shark species is allowed given that the entire body is brought back to shore for full utilisation. The act of shark finning – harvesting the shark fin and dumping the body back into the ocean – is illegal. Despite such regulations in place, the demand for local shark fin consumption remains high as the market is still being entertained, enabling deceptive behaviour and illegal trading to satisfy monetary motivations.
What Next for the Shark Finning Trade?
It is evident that the extermination of shark species has a cascading effect throughout the ocean's ecosystems that leads to catastrophic ecological and environmental consequences. While recognising the importance of sharks paves the way to greater awareness of the matter, more decisive action must be taken by governments to curb the shark finning trade altogether and punishments must be effective in deterring would-be syndicates. There should also be global cooperation to better monitor and control illegal activities.
With the continued attempts of raising awareness, implementing legislation, and educating the public on its detrimental effects, the trajectory of shark finning will hopefully decrease in the near future. However, this action must come from the top.
All around the world, high mountain ranges have glacial water supplies known as water towers, which account for half the global population's freshwater supply. However, these ecosystems are highly vulnerable to subtle environmental changes and a recent report by Nature suggests that water towers may disappear in the next 30 years, threatening the water supply of nearly two billion people.
Rising global temperatures and reduced rainfall are the two main factors in the shrinking availability of water in water towers. While these areas usually act as natural reservoirs, providing populations with clean water even through droughts, less glacier ice and rapidly increasing water consumption are threatening this resource.
What are water towers?
The term 'water tower' describes the importance of mountains meeting freshwater needs for adjacent areas downstream.
Mountainous regions generate higher runoff seasonally due to orographic precipitation- snow and rainfall caused by moist air rising over mountains. Due to low temperatures at high altitudes, water is stored in snow and glaciers in mountains, therefore delaying the release of water and enabling mountains to have a buffering capacity.
What are water towers for?
This means that downstream and upstream communities have a consistent supply of water for irrigation, energy and local ecosystems from water towers. Mountain systems are also home to around 50% of the global biodiversity hotspots, containing one third of terrestrial species diversity and rich plant diversity.
Apart from regulating the hydrosphere and biosphere, the world's mountains provide a host of other ecosystem services such as food supply and genetic resources for agriculture and medicine, with major crops such as wheat, rice, oats and grapes having originated or diversified into multiple varieties in mountain regions. Further, various indigenous communities who live in these regions have a wealth of traditional knowledge on climate adaptation, water and land management that needs to be preserved. However, rising temperatures are reducing glacier mass and increasing the rate of ice melt in warmer months and there isn't enough cold weather to make up for this during other parts of the year.
Importance of Water Towers
Until now, the world's mountain systems have never been quantified according to their importance or vulnerability. Researchers set out to fill this gap and studied 78 water towers globally. They ranked mountain systems in order of their supply of water, and demand for this water from adjacent lowland communities. The water tower's vulnerability to future shocks include factors like hydro-political tension, government effectiveness, climate change, population change, baseline water stress and projected change in GDP. The quality and quantity of these freshwater supplies are essential to large populations, especially considering that less than 1% of the earth's water is fit for human consumption.
Water towers most threatened with future scarcity primarily exist in Asia. The most relied-upon water tower is the Indus Basin, supplying water to India, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In fact, nearly all important water towers in Asia, such as Amu Darya and Ganges-Brahmaputra, were found to be more vulnerable than mountains in other countries. This is because these regions tend to be transboundary, densely populated and have competing land use needs. Unfortunately, these factors are met with weak governance and geopolitical tension, amplified by the worsening effects of the climate crisis, leaving Asia's water towers in a highly vulnerable state.
South America's water towers are just as vulnerable, more so than Europe and North America. However, even mountain towers in the developed world like the Colorado River Basin, the Rhone and the Po are vulnerable to pressures such as population growth and temperature rise.
Anthropogenic changes, such as the climate crisis, have been long identified by scientists as a leading driver of unprecedented and irreversible changes in mountain systems. Mountains are warming faster than the global average- temperatures high in the Himalayas have increased by nearly 2 degrees Celsius since the start of the century, 1 degree higher than the planetary average.
Population growth and increased consumption also deplete water resources in mountain regions. For example, the population in communities dependent on the Indus River is expected to increase by 50% in the next few decades. The human factor plays just as significant a role as reduced rainfall and higher temperatures, if not more, since human activity is proliferating these conditions.
The climate crisis will affect the shape and size of glaciers and the level, frequency and intensity of precipitation. Countries that are socioeconomically vulnerable facing issues such as conflict over water rights, such as India and Pakistan, will be hard hit by the climate crisis, even with minute changes in the hydrological cycle in mountains.
What Are the Solutions?
Mitigating the effects of the climate crisis will be the most pressing issue of the future. If global warming increases by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, scientists predict that 80% of water in tower storage units will evaporate by the end of this century.
Communities affected by the inevitable consequences of changing water towers such as reduced water shortage in mountains, are already adapting. In Ladakh, located in the Indian region of the Himalayas, an engineer Sonam Wangchuk has come up with a solution to bring glaciers to people. He builds glacier stupas, small piles of ice that provide irrigation for farmers to counter shrinking glaciers and unpredictable rainfall.
The research concludes with a call to protect Earth's water towers with a global, mountain-specific approach, focusing on local water conservation policy and transboundary cooperation in affected countries, along with global climate mitigation actions to prevent the degradation of the cryosphere.
Increased water usage by growing populations and heightened power generation are lowering water storage units faster than the environment can replenish itself. Better managing water resources will be significant in minimising the impact of upcoming scarcity and preserving precious water for future generations.
This piece was written jointly by Emily Folk and Lavanya Prakash.
A conservation working group in South America is attempting to stimulate the recovery of the giant South American river turtle and save it from extinction.
Large-scale commercialisation of freshwater turtles and their eggs threaten wild populations. These turtles, of the genus Podocnemis, are especially at risk with all species in the taxonomic group facing the threat of extinction. The giant South American river turtle Podocnemis expansa in particular has been subject to an extensive history of exploitation in the Amazon since the 18th century, when European settlers would harvest fat from adult turtles for cooking oil and fuel for street lamps. During 1848-59 alone, 48 million P. expansa eggs were harvested annually from the Amazon and Madeira, the majority of which were exported to Europe.
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The giant South American river turtle.
Why are giant South American river turtle under threat?
Today, the species faces threats from illegal poaching, whereby hatchlings and eggs are stolen from nesting sites and trafficked via networks in larger Amazonian cities to the rest of the world where they are sold as pets. Wild populations of P. expansa in Venezuela have plunged by as much as 98% from 1945-2010.
Freshwater turtles play an important role in marine ecosystems. They provide high secondary productivity, energy flow within and between ecosystems and a food source for human riverine communities. Secondary production refers to the measuring of biomass generation by an organism; biomass is an important measure in ecology, because it reflects the amount of available and stored energy in the animals or plants occupying an ecosystem. According to Lovich, Ennen, Agha & Gibbons (2018), turtles also regulate the energy flow of a given environment. They themselves and their eggs are a food source for predators, and beach vegetation derives benefits from the eggs that remain on beaches and break down, which regulates erosion.
Since the 1960s, government agencies and NGOs have attempted to reduce the trade of the species to support its recovery. However, hunting pressure in the region remains high. Although the species is currently listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List, conservation groups are actively pushing for its re-classification to "Critically Endangered".
In 2014, conservation groups from six countries across the Orinoco and Amazon basins—Brazil, Columbia, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador—gathered to share information to estimate the abundance patterns of P. expansa populations in the wild. Their findings were recently published in Oryx, a peer-reviewed journal of conservation.
Collectively, the researchers estimated that over 147,000 females inhabit the protected areas across the six Amazon countries. Brazil hosts the largest (>75%) number of nesting females, followed by Bolivia (20%). The top nesting sites—five in Brazil and one in Bolivia—account for over 100,000 (68%) of nesting females. Long-term protection of these sites alone would secure more than two-thirds of the protected population in the wild.
Moving forward, the working group will prioritise the protection of nesting beaches and the reduction of illegal poaching. It also discourages the practice of nest relocations and head starting, a strategy whereby young turtles are protected in captivity temporarily before their release into the wild at a larger size, as both could lead to adverse health effects for turtles, including morphological abnormalities.
Moreover, the group will actively collect demographic information such as population size and structure, and age-specific survivorship, which is essential for informing the conservation status of P. expansa as well as broad-scale conservation action.
The long-term survival of P. expansa will depend on a collective effort across the region, including engagements with local Amazonian communities.
"We are seeing positive results as work progresses and as communities are expressing greater interest in working with turtles. We have seen a decrease in the consumption of eggs, an important achievement that we must replicate throughout the continent," said Camila Ferrara, co-author of the journal paper in a statement.
Featured image courtesy of Wiki
Climate change could increase the risk of disruptions, damages, and failures across the global transport sector.
How does climate change impact transportation?
The global transport sector is well exposed and vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events; Climate change, which causes sea-level rise, extreme precipitation, coastal storms, landslides, extreme temperatures, and inland flooding, may exacerbate future risks.
Globally, average sea levels have swelled over 50 cm since 1880, with about seven of those centimetres gained in the last 25 years. Every year, the sea rises another .33cm. Transportation infrastructures in many coastal cities across the United States are extremely susceptible to sea-level rise. Boston, Virginia Beach, Charleston, Atlantic City, Miami, New Orleans and New York City are already facing frequent inundation with thousands of kilometers of roads submerged. A report from the U.S. Department of Transportation states that transport infrastructure in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia would be the most vulnerable to sea-level rise in the coming decades.
Roads and railway lines around the coast of England are predicted to be swamped due to rising tides. Committee on Climate Change — the UK's public advisory body — estimates that 1,600km of major roads, 650km of railway lines and 92 stations will be underwater by 2080. Another study reveals that the most vulnerable rail line in the UK may be the stretch between Dawlish to Teignmouth in London, which would face frequent disruptions because of floods.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) states that more than 7,000km of roads in South America and the Caribbean Islands would be destroyed if sea levels rise by 50cm. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) predicts that the Caribbean region would lose almost 600km of roads and every fourth airport in their territory.
Climate change is expected to cause local changes in average and extreme temperatures, as well as changes in rainfall patterns, duration, and intensity. These changes can destroy roads, rail tracks, and airports across the world.
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Sea-level rise is occurring much faster than scientists expected – exposing roads to the destructive floods. A scene from Florida, USA.
Intense rainfall already brings Mumbai, India's largest city, to a halt. More than 20,000 cars and 200 buses were submerged while hundreds of kilometers of roads were flooded following extreme precipitation in 2005. Mumbai, which receives around 250cm rainfall annually, has its main airport and hundreds of kilometers of roads and rail lines located in low lying areas. Even a slight increase in rainfall can bring substantial damage to the infrastructures in the city.
The combination of intense hurricanes and tropical storms brings significant devastation to the transport sector worldwide. When Hurricane Mitch ripped through Central America, roads and rail lines were ruined across many countries. Nicaragua witnessed heavy and long-lasting rainfall for weeks, which caused landslides and floods, causing serious damage to the country's infrastructures; more than 3,000 km of roads and 100 bridges were destroyed.
Rising temperatures also have adverse effects on the transport sector as extreme heat causes the roads to soften and expand creating ruts and potholes, particularly in high-traffic areas. More frequent and severe heat waves may cause rail tracks to expand and buckle resulting in quick detrition of the infrastructure.
Governments worldwide should play an elementary role in increasing the absorptive and restorative capacities of their transport sector in the wake of climate change. Building resilient systems in the light of natural disasters and extreme weather events should be the basis of their economic decision-making process. Upgrading construction standards for roads, bridges, rail lines, and culverts can reduce the impacts of the climate crisis.


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Charbonneau Arts Benefactors
Become a Festival Volunteer
Student Artists
Our Student Artists
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Give to Support Student Art
REMINDER: Our "2020 Donation Challenge!" Support Art Education with Your End-of-the-Year Donation
REMINDER: ONLY 4 DAYS LEFT
Recently we sent a news alert that a generous donor to the Charbonneau Arts was offering a challenge to match up to $1000 in donations made to the Charbonneau Arts. So far we are pleased to announce that donations so far to this challenge total $730. Our sincere thanks to these donors.
We need $270 more to take full benefit of this match challenge. That means 6 more donors at $50 each will take us over the top and to realize twice that to help our local high schools. Your donation along with the match will be added to what we were able to raise during our Virtual Exhibition this past October and which extends through the end of December.
Because we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your direct contributions are tax deductible on both your Federal and Oregon income taxes. In 2020, Congress has sweetened the deal on the deductibility of charitable contributions. In the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, the IRS will allow an additional $300 deduction for charitable contributions for filers who take the standard deduction. This is a universal "above-the-line" deduction that is listed as an adjustment to income with no requirement to provide documentation. Donating to charity could not be simpler or more completely tax free.
Want More Than A Tax Deduction?
Looking for more than a tax deduction? Charbonneau Arts Association is a member of the Oregon Cultural Trust. This means your donation results in a tax credit and a deduction on your Oregon Income Tax! A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction on the bottom-line better than a deduction — you may realize 100% tax credit on donations of up to $500 for individuals and $2,500 for corporations! For most this means when you claim your cultural tax credit, your donation dollar-for-dollar can be deducted from what you owe. You can't lose and only give benefit to student art programs in our local community. Get the full details at http://www.culturaltrust.org.Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law and makes you eligible to participate in the tax credit program of the Oregon Cultural Trust, as explained here: https://charbonneauarts.org/donate/#otc.
Go here to find out more about our donation programs and to donate online: https://charbonneauarts.org/donate
See original press release here. Click here
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The mission of the Charbonneau Arts Association (CAA) is to provide a venue for the appreciation and promotion of visual arts and other fine arts, create opportunity for local public high school students to exhibit and demonstrate their art and provide ongoing support for the public school art programs in the Wilsonville and Canby areas of Clackamas County. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all proceeds from our annual Charbonneau Arts Festival are donated to the art programs at Wilsonville and Canby High Schools.
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It is little surprise that mulled wine is one of the most popular Christmas traditions, and Bloom & Wild – the UK's fastest growing online florist – has given mulled wine a new, contemporary makeover with the launch of the Winter Warmer Hamper in collaboration with Garçon Wines.
The Hamper contains letterbox wine in an eco-friendly, multi award-winning 750ml slimline wine bottle, mulled wine spices supplied by Spice Kitchen and a recipe booklet, beautifully packaged inside the signature letterbox-friendly parcel. Garçon Wines' bottles are made in the UK from 100% post-consumer recycled PET and are fully recyclable after, making them the most environmentally friendly wine bottles available.
Garçon Wines first launched for sale on Bloom & Wild in April 2018 and since then has not stopped developing a varied business customer base including retailers, wine merchants, and gifting companies. 2019 will continue to see the expansion of existing industries and growth of exciting new products and partnerships across the beverage, grocery, travel and events industries, both in the UK and internationally.
The Winter Warmer Hamper (containing wine, mulled wine spices and a recipe booklet) is available now from Bloom & Wild priced £33.


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Posted May 21, 2019 by David Ertischek	News & Stories
Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Norman Lear
On Wednesday night ABC is putting on live episodes of Norman Lear's All In The Family and The Jeffersons with all-star casts, including Woody Harrelson as Archie Bunker, and Jamie Foxx as George Jefferson. To celebrate Lear, one of Emerson's most beloved alums, we're giving you 10 Things You Didn't Know About Norman Lear.
Lear won an American Legion oratory scholarship to go to college. As a Jew, he spoke about the U.S. Constitution's importance to minorities — foreshadowing his future interest in inclusion and defense of the U.S. Constitution.
Lear was a member of Emerson College's Class of 1944, which he left to serve in World War II.
He served in the Army Air Force in World War II between 1942-45 and flew 52 combat missions.
All in the Family was inspired by the British series Till Death Us Do Part (1965–75).
All in the Family inspired the following spin-offs: Maude (1972), about Edith Bunker's cousin, an outspoken liberal feminist; Good Times (1974), about Maude's black maid and her family in an urban housing development, and The Jeffersons (1975), about the Bunkers' black next-door neighbors who leave Queens to enjoy the upper-middle-class life in a high-rise apartment complex in Manhattan.
In 1980, he founded a public interest group People For The American Way.
He is godfather to actress Katey Sagal.
"I'm just another version of you. The sooner we realize that we're just versions of one another, the sooner we will come to understand that we are one." Norman Lear quote on his statue at Emerson College in Boylston Place.
He was the voice of Benjamin Franklin, "I'm a Little Bit Country," South Park (animated), Comedy Central, 2003.
At one point in his career, he had nine series running on television simultaneously.
(Bonus fact!) In the year 2000, he bought a signed copy of the Declaration of Independence, and in the following years traveled to all 50 states on a self-declared Declaration of Independence Road Trip.
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All In The Family and The Jeffersons is airing on ABC 9 pm (EST) on Wednesday, May 22. Hear how Jimmy Kimmel came up with the idea to remake the classic TV shows:
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Emerson Today Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Norman Lear