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Thursday, October 5, 2006
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Warm water surging into Arctic
Science Blog: "Scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks International Arctic Research Center this fall documented that recent surges of warm water from the North Atlantic Ocean continue to pulse into the Arctic Ocean and are moving toward Alaska and the Canadian Basin.
"Scientists made the observations this fall during an oceanographic cruise aboard the Russian icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn as part of the Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational Systems program. Information gathered by the NABOS program, as well as from other international programs, has shown that, during the last decade, the movement of warm water into the Arctic Ocean has increased. And the readings from this fall's cruise show unprecedented warmth in some areas."
"2008 pres"
9:23:57 PM 
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YouTube and politics
ZDNet: "A new season has started for YouTube and it has nothing to do with the fall shows. It's all about the political season. And the latest victim is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was recently shot - by his opponent's camp - stumbling over an awkward explanation of how a $1500 check from a friend came to his reelection fund at just the time when the friend's wife landed a state job."
"denver 2006"
9:01:18 PM
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Big Bang wonks win Nobel for physics
Science Blog: "Dr. John C. Mather of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has won the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physics, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Mather shares the prize with George F. Smoot of the University of California for their collaborative work on understanding the Big Bang..
"Mather and Smoot analyzed data from NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), which studied the pattern of radiation from the first few instants after the universe was formed. In 1992, the COBE team announced that they had mapped the primordial hot and cold spots in the cosmic microwave background radiation. These spots are related to the gravitational field in the early universe, only instants after the Big Bang, and are the seeds for the giant clusters of galaxies that stretch hundreds of millions of light years across the universe."
8:59:16 PM
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Gulchie Awards
Coyote Gulch is in the process of selecting the Gulchie Award winners for the November 7th Election. Gulchies are awarded to the campaign in each election that best utilizes Internet technologies. Since the first Gulchies were awarded in May 2003 they're much tougher to win. Now everyone pretty much has a website and email list. Many also have weblogs and are using YouTube. Here's the link to this year's primary Gulchies.
Please send your nominations for Gulchie Awards to coyotegulch [AT] mac [DOT] com. You can also click here.
6:25:54 PM
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Foley
Time: "The Foley sex scandal has hurt G.O.P. election prospects. Two-thirds of those aware of the scandal believe Republican leaders attempted a cover-up, according to a new survey."
Thanks to Oliver Willis for the link.
"2008 pres"
5:49:40 PM
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Update on Rueter-Hess Reservoir
Rueter-Hess reservoir (morphing into Super Rueter) may be online by 2010, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "An expanded Rueter-Hess Reservoir, seen as a long- term solution to Douglas County's growing water problems, could be completed by 2010. An update on the reservoir's progress was delivered Wednesday at the first annual Douglas County Water Summit, where dozens of officials came together to discuss plans for future water use. The original 16,200 acre-feet reservoir was approved to serve the needs of Parker, said Parker Water and Sanitation District board chair Mark Lewis. The expansion, which would add $80 million to the cost, would quadruple the reservoir's capacity to approximately 72,000 acre-feet and allow three additional communities - Castle Rock, Castle Pines North and Stonegate - to benefit. Parker Water hopes to have the reservoir, including the expansion, completed by 2009 and filled by 2010, Lewis said. Lewis told the crowd that construction of the original reservoir is on schedule, noting that the dam was completed last month...
"Parker Water began construction on the original reservoir three miles southwest of Parker in 2004, but within a year applied for a permit to expand it. The approval of the permit, which is still under review by the Army Corps of Engineers, would come as good news to residents of Douglas County, where underground water sources are being depleted."
"colorado water"
6:31:29 AM
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Amendment 40
Here's a short article about Amendment 40, from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "If voters put term limits on appellate court judges by adding Amendment 40 to the state constitution, crime victims and families in crisis would suffer as cases begin to backlog, a coalition of advocacy groups said Wednesday. The umbrella group Vote No 40 said the courts would have to scramble to replace 70 percent of state Supreme Court justices and nearly 40 percent of Colorado Court of Appeals judges if voters approve the measure next month."
"denver 2006"
6:25:14 AM
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South Metro water summit
Mayor Hickenlooper spoke yesterday about the water problems facing the South Metro area, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "If south metro's water supply continues to fall, the area's growth engine will stall and take the statewide economy down with it, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and other leaders said at a water summit in Douglas County on Wednesday. The group said south metro is a symbol of Colorado's prosperity, and solving the area's long- term water needs is critical to its future...
"Rivals for growth and water seemed eager Wednesday to set aside squabbles and hammer out affordable regional initiatives to find renewable water to fuel the region's continued growth. Hickenlooper told the summit of more than 150 elected leaders, water managers and private citizens that south metro water issues are important to Denver. 'If Douglas County runs out of water and has to suspend building permits, and that gets into Time or Newsweek, (then) that affects the value of every home and business in our region,' Hickenlooper said.
"Much of south metro pumps from ancient aquifers that are dwindling by 30 feet a year, making water increasingly expensive to pump as it runs out. Studies predict severe shortages in less than 20 years, if pumping trends continue unabated. South metro residents will see higher water bills as their utilities purchase, pump and store water. Meanwhile, the region's population is expected to double to more than 400,000 by 2040. The summit included a series of historical perspectives, motivational speeches and updates about water initiatives, all focused on building a team to tackle future water needs."
"colorado water"
6:20:45 AM
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Jeffco: Mountain groundwater overlay district?
Denver Post: "In the foothills, there's only so much water to go around. Jefferson County officials have been studying for more than three years how best to ensure not only the quantity of water in its mountainous areas but the quality of water. A proposed 'mountain groundwater overlay district' - which the county planning commission began considering Wednesday night - would require proof of sufficient well water or water storage before a building permit is issued or a rezoning is granted. The district would include land above 6,400 feet elevation and west of the Dakota Hogback, the fastest-growing area of the county and home to about 67,000 people. Mountain wells draw water from fractures in rock, a less- reliable source than aquifers on the plains...
"The rezoning process would require an aquifer pump test and a hydrogeologic report - which could add thousands of dollars to the cost of building. Robert Longenbaugh, a water engineer for 45 years including in the state engineer's office, advised county staff on the proposal. Until the draft is cleaned up and good criteria are set, he said, 'these regulations are not necessarily needed for the administration of water.' Mountain residents disagree about plans for the district...
"The district won't do anything to promote public health, Tonsing said, won't save or provide more water and won't promote safety or general welfare. Others argued the district is needed to help address critical water problems...
"About 40 percent of Bear Mountain's 190 homes have had serious water problems, he said, including some homeowners drilling their third wells up to 1,100 feet deep. Since May, Mary and Jordan Gibbs have been traveling every two days from Indian Hills to buy 200 gallons of water at 3 cents a gallon from the Evergreen Metro District's water station in Kittredge."
"colorado water"
6:14:39 AM
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Ritter or Beauprez for governor?
U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez is doing well in fundraising, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez raised $38,000 more than his Democratic rival, Bill Ritter, in the most recent fundraising period - reversing a slide that still has him trailing in total dollars raised. For the final two weeks of September, Beauprez collected $263,000, bringing his total to about $2.6 million. Of that, $150,000 came from the Colorado Republican Committee PAC. That is still behind Ritter's $3.2 million, although Beauprez's Wednesday $1,000-per- plate fundraiser with President Bush is expected to significantly boost his campaign. Beauprez's campaign estimated 500 people attended. It was unclear, however, how much of that money would go directly to Beauprez or to the state Republican Party. Some of those attending have already donated the maximum allowed to the candidate.
"Ritter, meanwhile, reported Wednesday that his campaign raised $225,000, including donations from some national Democrats. Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine each gave him $1,000. Heading into the final and most expensive stretch of the campaign, Ritter said he had $170,000 on hand. Beauprez had $250,000."
"denver 2006"
6:08:32 AM
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Arctic sea ice decline
EarthTimes.org: "Continually decreasing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean prompted a group of researchers yesterday to warn that this Polar region may have no sea ice by 2060. Measurements taken by satellite indicated that the sea surface area covered by ice floes was at its minimum in 29 years, a result of global melting. A team of scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) made the observation. Team leader and senior researcher at NSIDC, Mark Serreze believes the phenomenon is linked with the rapid rate of global warming. The researcher suggested it could also be the result of a self-perpetuating warming cycle.
"By covering much of the northernmost ocean, sea ice works like insulation preventing the sea water from warming up. The ice reflects much of the sunlight which would otherwise heat up the sea water. Seasonal temperature changes affect the extent of sea surface covered by these ice bodies. In summers, it is usually the lowest, with the ice floes melting down to their minimum around mid-September. The thermal expansion and runoff from melting icebergs and glaciers contribute to the rising sea levels. The decline in sea ice mass would be recovered during winters, under normal circumstances. However, the entire Arctic mass of sea ice has been on a long-term decline, reaching new lows every summer."
"2008 pres"
5:59:00 AM
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Rathburn for HD1?
Denver voters in State House District 1 have a choice between Aimee Rathburn and Jeanne Labuda. Here's a short article, written by Ms. Rathburn from YourHub.com. From the article, "The issues I hear about most in my district are illegal immigration, education, growth, health care and eminent domain abuse. I also hear about graffiti, lack of street lighting and badly maintained roads, but these last three are not issues the State Legislature deals with, so I pass those complaints on to our City Council office."
"denver 2006"
5:51:22 AM
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Summit County wet for a change
Here's a report on Summit County's hydrological year (October 2005 - September 2006) which has been one of the wettest on record, according to the Summit Daily News. From the article, "While most people celebrate the new year Jan. 1, water wonks begin their tabulations Oct. 1, based on the hydrological cycle. And for local weather watchers, the span from 2005 to 2006 ended up as one of the wettest years on record, certainly in recent memory. 'It's probably one of the all-time top ten,' said Rick Bly, who reports daily and monthly precipitation totals from his Breckenridge gauge to the National Weather Service. A skein of wet months continued in September with 2.32 inches of precipitation, 59 percent above the average 1.46 inches. Bly's stats go back more than 100 years. The 17 inches of snow that fell last month also made it the fifth-snowiest September on record, Bly said. For the year, Bly tallied 27.35 inches of precipitation (rain and melted snow), more than 25 percent above the average 20.6 inches...
"The new hydrological year starts out with what is historically the driest month of the year, although there can be wild variations in snowfall in October. Average precipitation for the month is 1.25 inches, with 11.8 inches of snow. The wettest October on record was 1892, with 4.1 inches; the driest-ever in 1952 with .05 inches. October can bring significant snowfall, too. The all-time record was in 1969, with 64.5 inches. 2005 also brought above-average snowfall, with 20.5 inches, setting the tone for a snowy winter."
"colorado water"
5:43:21 AM
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Ritter or Beauprez for governor?
U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez and Bill Ritter both attended a forum in Rifle yesterday, according to the Aspen Daily News. From the article, "Gubernatorial hopefuls squared off on energy issues in Rifle on Wednesday in a debate that highlighted western Colorado's emerging role as the center of the state's natural gas boom. Democrat Bill Ritter called for the state to do more to oversee the industry and mitigate environmental and social impacts that can come along with it. He criticized his opponent's environmental voting record as a congressman. Rep. Bob Beauprez, a Republican, accused Ritter of trying to shut down the energy industry and pledged to balance industry needs and environmental concerns. The debate focused primarily on energy issues, but Beauprez also pressed immigration issues, saving his last words to fire a salvo at Ritter, accusing him of plea-bargaining 152 felony cases of illegal immigrants to avoid deportation when he was Denver's district attorney...
"Ritter called for tougher state air and water quality standards and he criticized Beauprez for supporting measures to fast-track energy development on the federal level and lessen tax requirements on potential oil shale development. Beauprez said he supported careful oil shale development and the development of resources like clean-burning coal, and he pledged to see that local governments got a bigger share of dollars paid to the state to mitigate energy impacts."
Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. From the article, "When the candidates concentrated on energy issues key to the Western Slope residents, the exchanges were just as contentious. Ritter brought up Beauprez's inclusion last week on the League of Conservation Voters "Dirty Dozen" list, which highlights legislators the league views as having the worst environmental records. He challenged voters to check out Beauprez's record of votes on energy and other issues that affect western Colorado. He also referred to Beauprez's oil-patch wildlife mitigation plan that has drawn criticism from a number of wildlife officials and brought down the derisive nickname of "the Elk Whisperer" on Beauprez. 'You can't change migration patterns just because you tell elk to go to a different place,' Ritter said. Beauprez pointed out that Rifle native and director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources Russ George helped craft that plan. Beauprez promised to keep on George, who is popular in the area and graduated from high school here. 'He will have a job in my administration,' Beauprez said. Ritter said he also would consider keeping George, a Republican, on if he is elected."
"denver 2006"
5:35:32 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 8:37:55 PM.
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