Saturday
6 volcanoes that could shut down the world
Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull wreaked havoc on European air travel, but it could have been worse. Much, much, much worse
posted on April 23, 2010, at 4:03 PM
The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull caused billions of dollars in economic damages, and left millions of travellers stranded. But on the Volcanic Explosivity Index — volcanologists' tool for rating the severity of an eruption — the event rated only a two out of a possible eight. More severe eruptions cause "death and destruction" on a planetary basis, points out Simon Winchester at The Guardian. "They can darken skies and cause devastating changes in the weather. They can and do bring about the abrupt end to the existence of entire populations of animals and people" — not to mention economic damages that could run into the trillions. Here are six volcanoes worth fearing:
1. KATLA (Iceland)
Last erupted: 1918
Effects of a major eruption: If Katla goes off, it's eruption will be 10 times stronger than Eyjafjallajokull's. Katla's larger ash plume would shoot higher in the air and spread over larger areas of Europe for a longer period, with much more devastating effects on air travel and economic trade. An eruption could tip Europe's economy — perhaps even the world's — back into severe recession or a depression.
Likelihood: Fairly high. The two volcanoes, only 12 miles apart, tend to erupt in tandem, and Katla is slightly overdue in its 80-year cycle.
2. CUMBRE VIEJA (La Palma, Canary Islands)
Last erupted: 1971
Effects of a major eruption: In 2001, U.S. and British scientists warned that a major eruption of Cumbre Vieja could cause the enire western flank of the volcano to fall into the sea, creating a "mega-tsunami" in the Atlantic. Travelling at 500 miles per hour, it would wipe out Florida, coastal Brazil, and parts of Europe with waves up to 160-feet high.
Likelihood: The scientists say the "year to year probability" of a major eruption is low, but preparations should be taken anyway given the potentially cataclysmic damages.
3. MT. VESUVIUS (Italy)
Last erupted: 1944
Effects of major eruption: Famous for wiping out Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D., Vesuvius would do much greater damage today. About 3 million people live near the volcano, 600,000 of them in the "red zone." An eruption would kill at least 8,000 people and cause more than $24 billion worth of damage, according to Willis Research Network, which just named Vesuvius the most dangerous volcano in Europe. The ash would change weather patterns in Europe and leave the Naples area a "lifeless desert."
Likelihood: Scientists say Vesuvius is overdue for an explosion.
4. POPOCATÉPETL (Mexico)
Last erupted: 2000
Effects of a major eruption: The third-tallest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere, Popocatépetl is only 40 miles west of Mexico City and its 18 million inhabitants, and 30 miles east of Puebla, a city of two million. A large eruption could send deadly mudslides into the populous valleys below, creating "catastrophic" loss of life.
Likelihood: After an 80-year dormant period, Popo is showing signs of activity
5. MT. TAMBORA (Sumbawa, Indonesia)
Last erupted: 1967
Effects of a major eruption: Tambora erupted in spectacular fashion in 1815 and changed weather patterns around the globe, causing "frosts in Italy in June and snows in Virginia in July, and the failure of crops in immense swathes across Europe and the America." The blow-up killed more than 71,000 people directly, and many more through famine and sickness.
Likelihood: Tambora is still active and, given its history and Indonesia's 222 million inhabitants, closely monitored.
6. YELLOWSTONE "SUPERVOLCANO" (U.S.)
Last erupted: 640,000 years ago
Effects of a major eruption: When the Yellowstone Caldera, or "supervolcano," in Yellowstone National erupts again, it will render a huge swath of North America, from Vancouver to Oklahoma City, uninhabitable. It would have incalculable human and economic consequences. The last eruption of similar magnitude — 73,000 years ago in Sumatra — plunged the entire planet into a decade-long volcanic winter and nearly wiped out the human race.
Likelihood: Geologists see signs that it could be preparing for another major blowout soon, although "soon" could mean thousands of years.
posted on April 23, 2010, at 4:03 PM
The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull caused billions of dollars in economic damages, and left millions of travellers stranded. But on the Volcanic Explosivity Index — volcanologists' tool for rating the severity of an eruption — the event rated only a two out of a possible eight. More severe eruptions cause "death and destruction" on a planetary basis, points out Simon Winchester at The Guardian. "They can darken skies and cause devastating changes in the weather. They can and do bring about the abrupt end to the existence of entire populations of animals and people" — not to mention economic damages that could run into the trillions. Here are six volcanoes worth fearing:
1. KATLA (Iceland)
Last erupted: 1918
Effects of a major eruption: If Katla goes off, it's eruption will be 10 times stronger than Eyjafjallajokull's. Katla's larger ash plume would shoot higher in the air and spread over larger areas of Europe for a longer period, with much more devastating effects on air travel and economic trade. An eruption could tip Europe's economy — perhaps even the world's — back into severe recession or a depression.
Likelihood: Fairly high. The two volcanoes, only 12 miles apart, tend to erupt in tandem, and Katla is slightly overdue in its 80-year cycle.
2. CUMBRE VIEJA (La Palma, Canary Islands)
Last erupted: 1971
Effects of a major eruption: In 2001, U.S. and British scientists warned that a major eruption of Cumbre Vieja could cause the enire western flank of the volcano to fall into the sea, creating a "mega-tsunami" in the Atlantic. Travelling at 500 miles per hour, it would wipe out Florida, coastal Brazil, and parts of Europe with waves up to 160-feet high.
Likelihood: The scientists say the "year to year probability" of a major eruption is low, but preparations should be taken anyway given the potentially cataclysmic damages.
3. MT. VESUVIUS (Italy)
Last erupted: 1944
Effects of major eruption: Famous for wiping out Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D., Vesuvius would do much greater damage today. About 3 million people live near the volcano, 600,000 of them in the "red zone." An eruption would kill at least 8,000 people and cause more than $24 billion worth of damage, according to Willis Research Network, which just named Vesuvius the most dangerous volcano in Europe. The ash would change weather patterns in Europe and leave the Naples area a "lifeless desert."
Likelihood: Scientists say Vesuvius is overdue for an explosion.
4. POPOCATÉPETL (Mexico)
Last erupted: 2000
Effects of a major eruption: The third-tallest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere, Popocatépetl is only 40 miles west of Mexico City and its 18 million inhabitants, and 30 miles east of Puebla, a city of two million. A large eruption could send deadly mudslides into the populous valleys below, creating "catastrophic" loss of life.
Likelihood: After an 80-year dormant period, Popo is showing signs of activity
5. MT. TAMBORA (Sumbawa, Indonesia)
Last erupted: 1967
Effects of a major eruption: Tambora erupted in spectacular fashion in 1815 and changed weather patterns around the globe, causing "frosts in Italy in June and snows in Virginia in July, and the failure of crops in immense swathes across Europe and the America." The blow-up killed more than 71,000 people directly, and many more through famine and sickness.
Likelihood: Tambora is still active and, given its history and Indonesia's 222 million inhabitants, closely monitored.
6. YELLOWSTONE "SUPERVOLCANO" (U.S.)
Last erupted: 640,000 years ago
Effects of a major eruption: When the Yellowstone Caldera, or "supervolcano," in Yellowstone National erupts again, it will render a huge swath of North America, from Vancouver to Oklahoma City, uninhabitable. It would have incalculable human and economic consequences. The last eruption of similar magnitude — 73,000 years ago in Sumatra — plunged the entire planet into a decade-long volcanic winter and nearly wiped out the human race.
Likelihood: Geologists see signs that it could be preparing for another major blowout soon, although "soon" could mean thousands of years.
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The Mark of the Beast is Here!
Submitted by skylla2012
An informational blog on the subject. The hows and the whys of it is happening now.
Sunday
KISS- Sonic Boom Album - Complete
Kiss (styled KISS in capitals) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972.[1] Easily identified by its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars, and pyrotechnics. Kiss has been awarded 24 gold albums to date.[2] The band has sold over 19 million records in the United States[3] and their worldwide sales exceeded 100 million albums.[4]
The lineup of Paul Stanley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals and bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, percussion and vocals) is the most successful and identifiable. With their makeup and costumes, they took on the personae of comic book-style characters: The Demon (Simmons), Starchild (Stanley), Spaceman (Frehley), and Catman (Criss). The band explains that the fans were the ones who ultimately chose their makeup designs. The "Demon" makeup reflected Simmons's cynicism and dark elements, as well as his love for comic books. Paul Stanley became the "Starchild" because of his tendency to be referred to as the "starry-eyed lover" and "hopeless romantic." Ace Frehley's "Spaceman" makeup was a reflection of him wanting to go for a ride in a space ship and supposedly being from another planet. Peter Criss's "Catman" makeup was in accordance with the belief that Criss had nine lives because of his rough childhood in Brooklyn. Because of creative differences, both Criss and Frehley were out of the group by 1982. The band's commercial fortunes had also waned considerably by that point.
In 1983, Kiss abandoned its makeup and enjoyed a commercial resurgence throughout the rest of the decade. Buoyed by a wave of Kiss nostalgia in the 1990s, the band announced a reunion of the original lineup (with makeup) in 1996. The resulting Kiss Alive/Worldwide/Lost Cities/Reunion Tour was the top-grossing act of 1996 and 1997. Criss and Frehley have since left Kiss again and have been replaced by Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively. The band continues to perform with makeup, while Stanley and Simmons have remained the only two constant members.
Kiss was named by VH1 as 10th on their list of the '100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock'.[5] On 23 September 2009, Kiss was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,[6] ten years after becoming eligible but on December 15th 2009 it was announced that KISS did not make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2]
Tuesday
Daddy activists facing prison promise ongoing protests
Jury selection continued today for the two daddy activists who hung banners on a 175' construction crane at Ohio State University last year to draw attention to civil rights violations within family court. One banner read "Stop the war on fatherhood" and the other "Fathers 4 Justice."
As Donald Tenn explained in 18 mos prison possible for CA dad his daughter Madison was illegally moved from California to Illinois by her mother. His wife filed a false restraining order claiming fear of him, he says, when she learned the law wouldn't support her unilateral decision.
When unmarried dad Paul Fisher was prohibited from being an equal parent to daughter Demetra he took his case to the Ohio Supreme Court, and won. But the local family court judge circumvented the win, claiming a change in circumstances to deny Fisher equal parenting of his daughter. He now sees Demetra just 27 hours a week.
Fisher says, "I made the decision to climb that crane with the knowledge that Homeland Security had declared they would shoot Fathers 4 Justice protesters in the United States. This statement was made to the UK and US leadership back in 2005 when they were scoping out New York City for a protest. I'm pleading not guilty. I was willing to take a bullet for this cause then, and I am willing to take a felony conviction now."
Osama bin Laden remains at large with a $50 million bounty on his head.
Osama bin Laden remains at large with a $50 million bounty on his head. Tora Bora was a missed opportunity for the U.S. to capture him, but it wasn't the last. Lara Logan reports.
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (with numerous variations; Arabic: أسامة بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن, Usāmah bin Muḥammad bin ʾAwaḍ bin Lādin) (born 10 March 1957) is a member of the prominent Saudi bin Laden family and one of the founders of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, best known for the September 11 attacks on the United States and its associations with numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian targets. Bin Laden is on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation's list of FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.[1]
Since 2001, Osama bin Laden and his organization have been major targets of the United States' War on Terrorism. Bin Laden and fellow Al-Qaeda leaders are believed to be hiding near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
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