December 11, 2013

Canadian researchers discover new greenhouse gas

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/10/canadian-researchers-discover-new-greenhouse-gas/



Canadian researchers discover new greenhouse gas
By Agence France-Presse
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 18:10 EST

Scientists in Canada on Tuesday announced the discovery of a greenhouse gas with unprecedented potential to warm the Earth, and said the chemical has been lurking in the atmosphere for decades.

The substance — perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) — “is the most radiatively efficient chemical found to date, breaking all other chemical records for its potential to impact climate,” scientists at the University of Toronto said in a statement.

The man-made chemical has been used in electrical equipment since the mid-20th century, and currently is used for electronic testing and as a heat transfer agent.

It has only now been determined to impact climate, and according to the University of Toronto chemists, there are no known processes for destroying or removing it from the lower atmosphere.

December 10, 2013

(German) Telecoms Boss: US 'Should Abide by European Privacy Rules'

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/deutsche-telekom-ceo-calls-for-eu-to-set-international-privacy-standard-a-938003.html



The head of German Internet giant Deutsche Telekom has criticized European reaction to the NSA spying scandal and demanded the EU set international privacy standards. US technology players also published an open letter calling for major changes to spying laws.

Telecoms Boss: US 'Should Abide by European Privacy Rules'
December 09, 2013 – 03:24 PM

The head of German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom has called for Europe to do more to protect privacy and combat international spying. Rene Obermann's words come as eight of the world's largest technology companies appealed to President Barack Obama and the US Congress to enact sweeping changes to spying laws and put a stop to mass collection of data.

Obermann, who became chairman of the Deutsche Telekom board in 2006, told German business daily Handelsblatt that politicians in the European Union are not doing enough in response to the spying scandal uncovered by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden earlier this year. The documents from his archive include allegations that the NSA and the British intelligence agency GCHQ hacked into internal connections between data centers belonging to Google and Yahoo, while millions of pieces of data were gathered. It was also revealed that the NSA was keeping track of mobile phones across the world -- and had even eavesdropped on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Obermann pulled no punches in criticizing the data gathering carried out by intelligence agencies in the US and beyond, and said: "I was angered most of all because confidence in two pillars of our society, free communication and privacy, has been shaken to such an extent. I think what is happening is in the long term even dangerous to democracy."

What is needed, Obermann said, is for the European Commission to fundamentally alter the relationship between Europe and the US, or at least its footing. For example, he called for a renegotiation of the Safe Harbor agreement allowing American companies doing business in the EU to transfer personal data like birthplace, telephone numbers and email addresses back to the US. "It's negligent that so little is happening here," he said.

December 10, 2013

Record Trade: German Exports Reach All-Time High

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-exports-reach-record-high-in-october-but-imports-also-increase-a-937961.html



German exports have hit a new record, reaching €99.1 billion in October. There is little reason for renewed criticism of German economic policy, however, because imports grew at an even greater pace.

Record Trade: German Exports Reach All-Time High
December 09, 2013 – 01:21 PM

Total German exports in October rose to €99.1 billion ($136 billion), a new all-time high. The previous record of €98.7 billion was set back in March 2012, according to the Federal Statistical Office on Monday. The latest figure also represents an increase on the same month last year of 0.6 percent.

A repeat of the recent international criticism over Germany's massive trade surplus, however, is unlikely, as imports rose at an even greater rate than exports -- at a surprising 2.9 percent. Thus the trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, shrunk to €17.9 billion from the record high of €20.4 billion reached in September.

Analysts have welcomed the figures. "The start of the fourth quarter was a success," said Christian Schulz from the Berenberg Bank. Imports rose because German companies invested more and German households consumed more, he added. "This is good news for the euro zone," Schulz said, adding that Germany is the driving force of the single-currency area economy.

HSBC economist Stefan Schilbe also focused on how the latest figures will affect other countries. "Trading partners will profit from the pickup in Germany," he said. The numbers support the theory that Germany's growth will be less dependent on exports in the future, he added.

December 10, 2013

Post-Lampedusa: Hopes Dashed for New EU Asylum Policy

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-agreement-with-turkey-dashes-hopes-for-new-asylum-policy-a-938091.html



Two months after the deadly shipwreck off Lampedusa, Europe has done nothing to change course on its asylum policy. A new agreement between the EU and Turkey only reinforces the practice of pushing the refugee problem to Europe's periphery.

Post-Lampedusa: Hopes Dashed for New EU Asylum Policy
By Juergen Dahlkamp and Maximilian Popp
December 10, 2013 – 11:58 AM

There can be hardly any consolation on a day when more than 300 people drown. Yet when that many refugees died in the sea off the Italian island of Lampedusa in early October, the accident at least sparked a hope that Europeans would re-evaluate their asylum policy.

Pope Francis called it a "disgrace," as did European Parliament President Martin Schulz. German President Joachim Gauck asked whether Germany has been too passive an observer in international politics, and whether "our engagement is consistent with the meaning of our country."

In light of the shock of the Lampedusa shipwreck, it seemed possible to bring radical change to a dogma of European asylum policy. Under the 2003 Dublin Regulation, refugees must apply for asylum in the first European Union member state on which they set foot. This benefits countries in the middle of Europe, especially Germany, while creating a burden on nations along the periphery, such as Italy and Bulgaria.

Two months later, it is now clear that any hopes for change in asylum policy have been dashed. The Dublin Regulation was not even mentioned in the coalition agreement between Germany's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its partner in the presumed new government, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). There is no will to change current policy. In fact, the EU recently made a deal that amplifies the "Dublin" method of pushing the asylum problem to Europe's periphery.

December 10, 2013

Cartel Power: Megabanks Gain Ground Despite Fines

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/megabanks-like-deutsche-bank-gaining-power-despite-cartel-fines-a-937880.html



Authorities around the world are taking action against large banks for questionable practices including collusion and rate manipulation, but the power of these financial institutions continues to grow. Germany's Deutsche Bank in particular finds itself under fire.

Cartel Power: Megabanks Gain Ground Despite Fines
By Sven Böll, Martin Hesse, Christoph Pauly and Anne Seith
December 10, 2013 – 12:20 PM

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble recently gave a German banker the most brutal lesson to date -- delivered in a series of apparently incidental comments. At a press conference last Thursday afternoon, Schäuble launched into one of his notorious lectures on sound fiscal policy in times of crisis.

But then, finally, he had an opportunity to air his frustration over the incorrigible banker caste. A journalist asked Schäuble about his response to recent comments by Deutsche Bank co-CEO Jürgen Fitschen. The previous day, Fitschen had accused Schäuble of irresponsibility and populism, because the finance minister had insinuated that the banks were still bypassing financial industry regulations.

"I don't know if Herr Fitschen has understood what I mean," Schäuble complacently replied. He also noted that he had only recently reminded the bank executive that the financial crisis had not been caused by politicians. Then, as if he hadn't already sufficiently lambasted one of the country's leading bankers, Schäuble added: "If Herr Fitschen carefully reviews his statement, he will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that he is incorrect in this matter." And Fitschen has undeniably adopted the wrong tone, he said.

The head of the venerable Deutsche Bank reprimanded like a schoolboy? Ouch.

December 10, 2013

Navy says training could kill dozens of sea mammals

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/12/navy-says-training-could-kill-dozens-sea-mammals



Navy says training could kill dozens of sea mammals
By Dianna Cahn
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 10, 2013

NORFOLK

Navy testing and training could kill dozens of dolphins, whales and other sea mammals and injure thousands more over the next five years, according to the service's own analysis.

But while environmental groups say those estimates only scratch the surface of the impact that sonar and explosives can have on sea life, the Navy believes that most of those injuries would be temporary, that the numbers will likely be lower and that the long-term effects on the species will be negligible.

The National Marine Fisheries Services, the lead government agency that safeguards the ocean environment, agreed last month, acceding to the Navy's request for up to three times as much sonar training over the next five years, as long as it takes certain precautions.

"What we are seeing out there supports the conclusion... that while we are having temporary effects on animals, we are not having long-term effects," said Jene Nissen, the Navy's project officer in charge of the environmental analysis of training and testing in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. "We can do what we need to do to prepare our sailors at the same time as not having any significant impact on the environment."

December 10, 2013

Top military leader presses Congress to act on defense bill

http://kdhnews.com/military/top-military-leader-presses-congress-to-act-on-defense-bill/article_47319342-6157-11e3-9160-001a4bcf6878.html

Top military leader presses Congress to act on defense bill
Posted: Tuesday, December 10, 2013 4:30 am
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top military leader pleaded with Congress on Monday to complete the defense bill before year’s end as Democrats and Republicans on the Armed Services committees reached agreement on compromise legislation to pay for warfighters, ships and aircraft.

Ramping up the pressure on House and Senate leaders, the panels’ top members unveiled a comprehensive, $632.8 billion bill that increases personnel pay by 1 percent, covers the cost of the war in Afghanistan and takes steps to address the epidemic of sexual assault in the military.

The legislation — a fallback plan to a measure stalled in the Senate — does not include a contentious proposal from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to give victims of rape and sexual assault in the military an independent route outside the chain of command for prosecuting attackers.

That plan drew strong opposition from the Pentagon as well as several men and women in the Senate.



unhappycamper comment: The compromise those Ds and Rs negotiated include $81 billion dollars for 100 new bombers and mo money to keep building more Zumwalt-class destroyers to the tune of $5+ billion dollars (each). Our new $40 billion dollar USS Gerald R Ford is still a go.

The Army has been trying to get new scout helicopters forever. Their solution? Ground all Kiowas and use Apache and Blackhawk choppers instead. Blackhawks go for around $45~$50 million a pop (Wikipedia sez $21.3 million) . Wikipedia sez Apaches are "AH-64D: $18M".

If you believe that I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

December 10, 2013

New American Airlines emerges as deal closes

http://www.adn.com/2013/12/08/3221045/new-american-airlines-to-emerge.html

New American Airlines emerges as deal closes
By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer
December 8, 2013 Updated 30 minutes ago

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines emerged from bankruptcy protection and US Airways culminated its long pursuit of a merger partner as the two completed their deal Monday to create the world's biggest airline.

It's the latest in a series of mergers that will leave four airlines controlling more than 80 percent of the U.S. air-travel market. With less competition, the airlines have successfully limited the number of seats, boosting prices and returning to profitability.

American's old parent, AMR Corp., is gone, replaced by the new American Airlines Group Inc. CEO Doug Parker remotely rang the opening bell of the Nasdaq Stock Market, flanked on stage by executives and labor leaders of both airlines and in front of a crowd of cheering employees.

"Our goal here is to go and restore American Airlines to its position as the greatest airline in the world," Parker said. The largest airline as recently as 2008, American struggled through a decade of huge losses and fell behind United and Delta in size.New American Airlines emerges as deal closes

December 10, 2013

When Swine Rules the U.S., Russia and Ukraine

When Swine Rules the U.S., Russia and Ukraine
08 December 2013 | Issue 5272
By Alexei Bayer

A banker friend noted recently that even though several investment banks were wrecked by corruption, greed, rigging rates and currency markets and selling fraudulent financial products, their senior executives went home safe and rich. No one was stripped of their assets or thrown in jail.

~snip~

Indeed, there are striking similarities between top-heavy income distribution in Russia and the U.S. The two countries are increasingly run for the benefit of their super-wealthy. Their elites are also similar: They did not inherit wealth and privilege but made their fortunes over the past two decades. Although there were differences in the standards of living and quality of life, they came from middle-class families in their respective societies. Russians got free Soviet education, and their U.S. counterparts went to universities on scholarships or through government-subsided loans. In other words, they benefited from systems which had to be whittled down for them to become so wealthy — and which their untaxed wealth continues to undermine.

Not surprisingly, there is growing kinship between the super-wealthy in Russia and the U.S. They have more in common with each other than with their countrymen. They share pastimes, own adjacent real estate and attend each other's parties.

~snip~

Absolute wealth corrupts just as much as absolute power. As political commentator Andrei Piontkovsky recently observed, Roman matrons paraded naked in front of their slaves since they did not regard them as human. Americans and Russians could feel a kind of solidarity: They are both ruled by swine.

December 10, 2013

US Libraries Concerned About NSA Spying

http://watchingamerica.com/News/227768/us-libraries-concerned-about-nsa-spying/

The American Library Association is concerned about the fact that local libraries are obliged to keep silent about governmental spying.

US Libraries Concerned About NSA Spying
Argenpress, Argentina
By Editorial
Translated By Maria Tartaglia
4 December 2013
Edited by Gillian Palmer

The U.S. National Security Agency’s spying is currently worrying libraries, who are supporting a law that would defend the right to read and research far away from the prying eyes of the government. In that regard, those centers are endorsing a legislative measure to curb the NSA’s power, as highlighted this Wednesday by the digital newspaper The Hill, specializing in Congressional topics, describing the climate of the existing concerns.

“You need to have a little freedom to learn what is important without having to worry about whether it will end up in some FBI file,” said Alan Inouye, director of the Office for Information Technology Policy of the American Library Association.

Under the Patriot Act, for example, the FBI has the power to force libraries to hand over user data.

The media reported that the NSA’s activities seem to go much beyond traditional police work, reflecting an almost ravenous collection of information, according to Lynne Bradley, director of the Office of Government Relations of the ALA.