1. NY TIMES 4/5/13. In sign of Global Warming, 1600 years of ice in Peru’s Andes melted in 25 years. This is significant because, the retreat of the ice cap in Quelccaya, may pose a threat to water resources in the area. It is predicted that large cities like Lima and La Paz may suffer in the long term . Recently, PLANTS dating back 6000 years are blooming as the ice cap melts. Something is happening and the long term effects on water availability are in jeopardy.
2.NY TIMES 2/10/13 Ex regulators find home with a powerful firm: A well connected consultant group finds scrutiny. The Promontory Financial Group is drawing the attention of The Senate Banking Committee, under the leadership of Senator Sherrod Brown. IT has been stated, that this consulting group is filled with so many former bureaucrats and political insiders that it has become known as Wall Street’s shadow regulator. The Senate Banking Committee, meeting Thursday, intends to examine whether regulators inappropriately ” out source” oversight to consultants like Promontory, which are paid billions by the Banks.
3. NY TIMES 4/10/13 Nobel Laureates urge no cuts to budgets for Research. More then 50 Nobel Laureates are urging Congress to spare the scientific community from further looming budget cuts contained in the sequester. During 2009-2012 the federal budget financing research and development dropped 18% ( $172.5 billion to $140.6 billion), as noted By the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A further 6% decrease is anticipated with sequester, thereby potentially impacting the future of ” scientific innovation and our economic viability.” Without the ideas of the younger generation, how do we continue to ” fuel” the breakthroughs of tomorrow? We have a choice.
4. NY TIMES 4/10/13. The good news: For the first time , since 1996, new guidelines for teaching science in our schools has been proposed. These sweeping standards will have an impact on analytical thinking. Though the guidelines are not mandatory , 26 states are considering adapting them. The ” new” scientific guidelines would be implemented as early as middle school, offering a case study approach to science , using climate change as a teachable program model.( One of many. ) These guidelines were partly financed by Carnegie Corporation, Noyce Foundation , Cisco and DuPont.