And now we know why the government didn't do anything when the undercover camera exposed PP for selling baby parts. They were in on the game themselves
London and Paris have a different idea to reduce plastic and everything old is new again - well, duh... New water fountains in London aim to cut plastic bottle use 8/6/2018 Paris is installing public fountains for FIZZY water around the city 11/8/2017 The Summer of Plastic-Straw Bans: How We Got There Once ubiquitous, plastic straws have become utensil non grata, with cities banning them and companies phasing them out Starbucks is among the companies planning to phase out single-use plastic straws. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images By Corinne Ramey and Bob Tita | Aug. 7, 2018 | https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-su...rview&cx_refModule=nwsrl&ns=prod/accounts-wsj When reality-TV star Kim Kardashian West told her 115 million Instagram followers that her household had stopped using plastic straws, the head of an environmental nonprofit responded in disbelief. “I thought, ‘Did we culture-hack this?’ ” said Dune Ives, executive director of Lonely Whale, whose #StopSucking social-media campaign advocates banning single-use plastic straws. “Did we change the conversation around straws?” This is the summer of the plastic-straw ban. Bans on straws have swept through U.S. cities, businesses, restaurants and even sports venues at a surprising speed. In recent months, officials in cities including New York, San Francisco, Miami Beach, Fla., Santa Barbara, Calif., and Portland, Ore., have either proposed or passed bans on single-use plastic straws. Last month, Seattle became the first major U.S. city to put a ban into effect. Starbucks Corp. , Hyatt Hotels Corp. , Disney Co. and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, among others, said they would phase out single-use plastic straws last month. The story of how plastic straws went from ubiquitous to utensil non grata is one of psychology, a well-timed turtle and the power of social media. There has also been minimal industry pushback. Susan Clayton, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio, compared the movement to the Ice Bucket Challenge, a 2014 social-media sensation in which people posted videos of cold water being dumped on their heads and donated to charity. Those who have opposed the bans include owners of bubble tea shops, who say the drinks’ tapioca balls require wide straws. Photo: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Activities like avoiding straws can lead to something psychologists call moral licensing, Dr. Clayton said, in which some people feel good about themselves for changing certain behaviors, so don’t feel the need to take further action. “Do you do this little thing and say, ‘Now I’ve done my part, so I can drive to Starbucks instead of walking’?” she said. “Or do you think, ‘This saving the environment stuff isn’t so hard after all’?” While calls for straw bans have accelerated in recent months, advocates consider the movement’s major boosters a social-media campaign and a 2015 YouTube video of a bloodied straw being pulled out of a sea turtle’s nostril. The video has 32.6 million views. The video “opened up a broader question: What are we doing with single-use plastics?” said John Calvelli, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Give a Sip campaign, which seeks to educate New Yorkers about the impact of plastic pollution. Some also credit the influence of an oft-cited statistic that Americans use 500 million straws each day. The figure, which has been cited by the National Park Service and others, including The Wall Street Journal, comes from the 2011 research of a then nine-year-old Vermont boy and his mother. Starbucks to Eliminate Plastic Straws by 2020 (July 9) Essay: Could It Be the Last Straw for Plastic Straws? (April 13) The War on Straws Is Coming to a Bar Near You (March 19) Straws aren’t the only single-use item to have been the subject of environmentalists’ ire. But campaigns to bring recyclable bags to the grocery store or tote around reusable mugs haven’t caught on with the same verve. “The kind of sacrifice that someone has to make to not get a plastic bag is a bigger sacrifice than not having a straw,” said Melissa Checker, an environmental-psychology professor at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Adding to the movement’s success is its lack of organized opposition. Some advocates for disabled people who need drinking straws have spoken out against the bans, leading to exceptions to some cities’ proposed rules. Others who have opposed bans include owners of bubble tea shops, who say the drinks’ tapioca balls require wide straws. Some consumers note the convenience of plastic straws; they allow for slurping an iced coffee while driving or walking, without major spills. But such mundane complaints haven’t coalesced into a coalition. To the extent that a straw-ban backlash has cropped up, much of it has come from people who oppose the craze that has surrounded the bans. Some oppose government working its way into their soft-drink cups. Others question whether the bans aren’t just a self-congratulatory, ecological fad with little environmental impact. “It’s so trivial,” said Larry Grossman, 53, from Short Hills, N.J., as he left a Starbucks in Manhattan. “I’ve got a plastic lid,” he said, pointing to his coffee cup. “If they get rid of the lid next, I’d have to find another way not to spill my coffee.” Some of the Companies Dropping Plastic Straws Alaska Airlines: Will use white-birch stir sticks and bamboo citrus picks. Nonplastic straws available upon request. American Airlines: Will use stir sticks made of bamboo. Lounges will use “a biodegradable, eco-friendly straw.” Barclays Center: Will use strawless lids. Compostable straws available upon request. Bon Appétit Management: Paper straws available “to guests with physical challenges or who strongly feel they need a straw.” Hyatt Hotels: Straws and picks available on request. Will use “eco-friendly alternatives…where available.” Marriott International: Will offer alternative straws upon request. Royal Caribbean Cruises: Will offer paper straws upon request. Will also use wood coffee stirrers and bamboo garnish picks. SeaWorld Entertainment: Will use paper or reusable plastic straws. Starbucks: Will use strawless lids. Also plans to use paper or compostable straws with some beverages or upon request. Walt Disney: Paper and other kinds of straws will be available upon request. *** I'm not sure if this has been posted yet,
8 August 2018 Australia's most populous state '100 percent' in drought New South Wales is suffering the worst drought in more than 50 years, with farmers among the hardest hit. www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/australia-populous-state-100-percent-drought-180808063522307.html - 2018-08-08 04 August 2018 Netherlands facing the driest summer ever The drought across northern Europe has Dutch officials worried about something perhaps unexpected: flooding. www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/netherlands-facing-driest-summer-180804131510107.html - 2018-08-04 03 August 2018 Iraq's farmers hit hard by water shortages With one in five Iraqis working as farmers, crippling water shortages have pushed many to find alternative employment. www.aljazeera.com/.../news/middleeast/2018/08/iraq-farmers-hit-hard-water-shortages-180802193258236.html - 2018-08-03 01 August 2018 Iran: Drought epidemic fuels water crisis Various theories over cause for country's drought plague that has caused severe water supply shortages. www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/iran-drought-epidemic-fuels-water-crisis-180801141155407.html - 2018-08-01 01 August 2018 UK farmers call for summit over drought crisis As the heatwave in northern Europe continues, farmers in Britain have called an emergency 'drought summit' to address the effect the heat is having on food security. www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/uk-farmers-call-summit-drought-crisis-180801174647383.html - 2018-08-01 22 July 2018 Sweden wildfires: Worst drought in 74 years Sweden struggles to beat back the flames as drought spreads new fear across Northern Europe. www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/sweden-wildfires-worst-drought-74-years-180722085648697.html - 2018-07-22
From BBC. 'Stolen' plane closes Seattle international airport 7 minutes ago All flights have been grounded at Seattle-Tacoma international airport after reports that a passenger plane took off without permission. US fighter jets were reportedly scrambled when the plane, which is believed to be empty apart from the pilot, took off. Air traffic control is trying to contact the pilot, who has not been identified. Some reports say that the plane has crashed. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
The latest is that it was an airline employee who did it and that the plane has crashed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us...g&ns_linkname=news_central&ns_mchannel=social
https://twitter.com/jwsthomson?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Someone picked up on pilot chatter. I think was done by someone with mental health issues.
The F15's went over my house and I saw them from my back yard but I saw no sign of the turbo prop so either it had crashed or they hadn't caught up to it yet. What an odd day today. Earlier today I drove by one of the primary schools in our neighborhood and there was an active shooter drill happening. Imagine driving around a corner to see an armored vehicle, dozens of PD cars and fully armored men with AR 15's running around with a bunch of school children in the school yard. Not one mention of it in the local news before hand either.
China Tells U.S. Military 'Leave Immediately and Keep Out' During Spy Mission By Tom O'Connor On 8/10/18 https://www.newsweek.com/china-tell...mediately-keep-out-during-spy-mission-1068681 China attempted to ward off a U.S. spy plane conducting a reconnaissance mission Friday over the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft was flying 16,500 feet over a contested grouping of reefs and islets known as the Spratly Islands when it detected a sizable Chinese military presence below. A CNN crew onboard then captured what they said were up to six warnings from Chinese authorities, who claim the area as part of their country's sovereign territory. "Leave immediately and keep out to avoid any misunderstanding," a voice said, according to CNN. [from Chinese Military and emphasis added] In response, the Navy repeated the same line each time: "I am a sovereign immune United States naval aircraft conducting lawful military activities beyond the national airspace of any coastal state," and "in exercising these rights guaranteed by international law, I am operating with due regard for the rights and duties of all states." [from US Navy and emphasis added]
I'm not sure what is going on but would like to say that my prayers and thoughts will go out for you. I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner.
Reminds me of something I saw a couple of days ago: Children found at New Mexico compound being trained to commit school shootings, prosecutors say What we know about the Taos County compound investigation
I am glad that the authorities followed the leads to discover this hideous mess. I wonder how many more of these awful hideouts there are? I suspect there are plenty. Sad that a small child had to be lost.
