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Thursday, June 23, 2011
News Watch out for that solar storm
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 8:07 AM
If your electronics go a little nutty today, it could be the sun's fault. Two days ago, the sun released a solar flare aimed directly at Earth, and scientists estimated it would take a couple days for it to get here.
In addition to causing the "Northern Lights" being visible as far south as southern Illinois, the flare can give electronics and communication systems (like your cell phone) a hard time.
In good news, this solar storm is rather mild. In bad news, the sun is considered to be in an "active cycle" right now (though some other scientists recently suggested this cycle wouldn't be all that active).
Here's more from Space.com:
The solstice solar storm occurred in the early hours of Tuesday and was spotted by the space-based Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) operated by NASA and the European Space Agency, according to the website Spaceweather.com, which monitors space weather and skywatching events.Spaceweather.com officials said a moderate C7-class solar flare kicked off the solar storm and triggered a massive eruption of plasma, known as a coronal mass ejection.
When coronal mass ejections are aimed at Earth, the charged particles they spew can interact with the planet's magnetic field to create dazzling auroras in polar regions. Extremely powerful solar storms can pose a danger to satellites and astronauts in space, as well as affect communications and power systems on the Earth's surface.
Read the entire article, by Tariq Malik, here.
Further reading from NASA: Getting Ready for the Next Big Solar Storm
And, here's even more from NASA on solar storms and "solar maximum" (think BIG solar storm):
Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Thursday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 8:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, June 23, 2011 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Same Time Next Year at Theatre Charlotte
• Rob Schneider at The Comedy Zone at N.C. Music Factory
• Alive After Five with The Root Doctors at EpiCentre
• Ladies Night feat. Remy Claire at Double Door Inn
• Shiprocked with Scott Weaver at Snug Harbor
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Film / Film News Buck trailer
Posted By Laura Camilo on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 9:39 PM
This documentary received recognition at both the SXSW and Sundance film festivals. Buck has been performing with horses all his life, and the film explores how his relationship with the horses mirrors his relationship with loved ones. Opens this Friday, June 24.
Arts Poetry reading at McColl Center
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 5:27 PM
See flyer below for information on an upcoming poetry reading, titled Poet on a Hot Tin Roof on June 28 at McColl Center For Visual Art. The event will feature writer/poet P. Scott Cunningham, founder of the University of Wynwood and director of poetry fest O, Miami.
Boomer with Attitude / News New warning labels for non-cigarette products
Posted By John Grooms on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 12:38 PM
The Food and Drug Administration has released images of new warning labels that must be on cigarette packs and advertisements by October 2012. The FDA, in full bureaucratic fantasy mode, says the new warnings will “have a significant public health impact by decreasing the number of smokers, resulting in lives saved, increased life expectancy, and lower medical costs.” I’ll wait till you’re finished laughing ... OK, ready to continue? Here are my two favorites FDA warnings so far:
The new warnings are mostly pretty gross, but then cigarettes can do pretty gross things to you. At the same time, how much farther can the FDA go in trying to scare people out of buying smokes? Wouldn’t it be more effective to just ban all advertising and corporate sponsorships by tobacco companies? The way Americans react to commercials like Pavlov’s dogs to a dinner bell, I bet smoking would decline by over 50 percent within a couple of years if they never saw smoking glorified. The French have had gross-out photos on cigarettes for awhile now, and here’s what happened: Someone came up with slipcases that people slip their cigarette packs into so they don’t have to look at the gross-out images. By the way, feel free to consider this a surefire tip for any would-be American entrepreneurs out there.
As long as the feds are creating images to plaster on cigarette packs, however, why not go all out, and require warning labels on other potentially harmful products that are used frequently as a matter of personal choice? Here are some ideas for really ramping up the government’s health-scare tactics:
Every automobile must have this warning placed prominently on a door or trunk lid:
All fast food bags must display the following warning, which must cover one whole side of the bag:
Every bottle or can containing an alcoholic beverage must feature the following:
All new cellphones must show the following warning:
Any new iPods or similar devices must be covered with the following warning:
And speaking of jogging, all new running shoes must feature this warning on the back of each shoe:
And finally, at least a fourth of the space on every envelope sold in the U.S. must contain this warning:
There, now, that should cover it. Feel safer now?
News Banks and nukes
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 10:36 AM
ProPublica.org has a couple stories that touch big business — banking and energy — in Charlotte, here are the snips:
Bank Lobby Says ‘Fight Continues’ on Debit Card Fees, Warns of ‘Dire Consequences’
The banking industry stands to lose billions in debit card transaction fees after losing one of its biggest lobbying battles this year—but for the banks, that was just Round One.
U.S. Nuclear Regulator Faces Fresh Scrutiny for Bending Safety Standards
In the wake of Fukushima, story after story has been published about the cozy relationship between Japan’s nuclear industry and its regulators: Japanese nuclear regulators extended the use of reactors despite concerns about equipment upkeep and left key safety measures to the initiative of plant operators, as many have reported in the months since.While nuclear regulators in the United States don’t have their Japanese counterparts’ explicit dual mission of both regulating the industry and promoting nuclear energy, an investigation by the Associated Press published today shows that in several critical ways, the two countries’ regulatory agencies may not be so different.
News Davidson and Catawba colleges check on our air quality
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Did you know that the U.S. Environmental Agency only keeps tabs on the local air quality in Mecklenburg and Rowan counties? Well, now you do. And, now, two area colleges — Davidson and Catawba — are joining forces this summer to find out how the air quality's doing in seven counties in North and South Carolina this summer ... including Mecklenburg and Rowan.
More from DavidsonNews.net:
Davidson College and the Center for the Environment at Catawba College are partnering on a summer air monitoring program to measure ozone and nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels in seven Piedmont counties.Dr. Cindy Hauser, associate professor of chemistry at Davidson, will analyze the data collected for cross comparison. Two of her students will be working with June McDowell, an air quality intern with the Center for the Environment, to deliver and collect the tubes with filters used for monitoring.
Rowan and Mecklenburg are the only counties in the program currently monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. The American Lung Association’s 2011 State of the Air Report ranked Rowan as the 17th worst county in the nation for ozone pollution of counties with monitor collecting data. Mecklenburg tied with two other counties for the 21st place ranking.
The Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury region ranked 10th in the nation for having the worst ozone levels and was the only region in the East to make the top 10.
Prof. Hauser said residents of surrounding counties may think their air quality is fine because they don’t know how they rank. “But the fact of the matter is they don’t know,” she said. “To assume they’re fine is probably not safe considering the numbers in the other areas.”
Read the entire article, by David Boraks, here.
Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Wednesday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 8:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, June 22, 2011 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Eastern Conference Champions at Snug Harbor
• [title of show] at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
• Charlotte Squawks: 7-YEAR BIT©# at Booth Playhouse
• Photoside Cafe at The Evening Muse
• The History of Sun-Drop exhibit at Gaston County Museum of Art & History
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Arts Hav Plenty at Late Movie Fridays
Posted By Contributing Intern on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 2:12 PM
If your ideal Friday night is a few drinks and a movie with friends, Red@28th is the place for you this weekend. Late Movie Fridays occur on the last Friday night of every month and showcase indie, cult classics and forgotten black film gems. Participants can come out early and enjoy board games and cocktails. This month’s movie is Hav Plenty, about a budding romance between a broke novelist and an affluent woman. RSVP at grownheadz@gmail.com, and go to GrownHeadz.com for more information. Free. Games and cocktails at 10 p.m., movie at 11 p.m. Red@28 Books (across from Amelie’s French Bakery), 2424 N. Davidson St., Charlotte. 704-377-8989.
— Kyra Gemberling
Boomer with Attitude / News Gastonia man robs bank to get health care in jail
Posted By John Grooms on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 1:50 PM
Until last Thursday, James Verone, 59, of Gastonia, had never been in trouble with the law. That’s the day he robbed an RBC bank of $1, then waited in the lobby for the police to arrive. He committed the piddling robbery, Verone says, because he’s in desperate need of health care and hopes he will be able to get the treatments he needs while he’s in jail. I’d say Verone’s story is near the top of the list to be named THE classic tale of the godawful injustice of America’s health care delivery system.
Verone’s no bum looking for a handout by any means. He worked for Coca-Cola for 17 years, then found work as a truck driver after he was laid off, but that job ended, too. Since, Verone exhausted his savings and has only been able to land part time jobs. Then his health started failing — a growth on his chest, two ruptured disks, arthritis, carpal tunnel, problems with his left foot that causes him to limp. He tried filing for disability or early Social Security, but didn’t qualify. The pain, he said, became worse and worse, and thus his rob-a-bank-for-health care plan developed.
Verone hoped to be charged with bank robbery, but was arrested for the lesser charge of larceny from a person. He has refused bail, and still hopes to be able to stay in jail long enough to have all his problems looked at.
We wish James Verone the best. We also wish our local daily paper had picked up on the original story in the Gaston Gazette and used it for more than a tiny blog item. Why? Because — Hello?! — it’s now a national story, picked up by various other papers and blogs, as well as Huffington Post.
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