Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Thank God You're a Man!

These beer ads are so on the money! Click for larger images.

Posted by Heavy Futz at 1:09 PM 0 comments
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Doomsday is coming? Never fear! Our friends in Norway have us covered.

The Norwegians have built what is affectionately known as "The Doomsday Vault" in order to cover our behinds in case of a global catastrophe. Thanks Norway!

Here's more info on the vault from this source.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Rendered visualisation of the Seed Vault

Rendered visualisation of the Seed Vault

Design of the Seed Vault as of early 2007

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seedbank located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen near the town of Longyearbyen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago.[1] The facility was established to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds from locations worldwide in an underground cavern. The Seed Vault holds duplicate samples, or "spare" copies, of seeds held in genebanks worldwide. The Seed Vault will provide insurance against the loss of seeds in genebanks, as well as a refuge for seeds in the case of large scale regional or global crises. The island of Spitsbergen is about 1,120 kilometres (700 mi) from the North Pole.

The Seed Vault is managed under terms spelled out in a tripartite agreement between the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (previously named the Nordic Gene Bank, a cooperative effort of the Nordic countries under the Nordic Council of Ministers).

The GCDT has played a key role in the planning of the Seed Vault and is coordinating shipments of seed samples to the Vault in conjunction with the Nordic Genetic Resource Center. The Trust will provide most of the annual operating costs for the facility, and has set aside endowment funds to do so, while the Norwegian government will finance upkeep of the structure itself. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other donors, the GCDT is assisting selected genebanks in developing countries as well as the international agricultural research centers in packaging and shipping seeds to the Seed Vault. An International Advisory Council is being established to provide guidance and advice. It will include representatives from the FAO, the CGIAR, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources and other institutions.

Construction of the Seed Vault, which cost approximately 45 million Norwegian Kroner[2] was funded entirely by the Government of Norway.[2] Storage of seeds in the Seed Vault is free of charge. Operational costs will be paid by Norway and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.[2]. The primary funders of the Trust are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Switzerland and Sweden, though funding has been received from a wide variety of sources including four developing countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, and India.[3] ($9 million),

History

The Nordic Gene Bank has stored a backup of Nordic plant germplasm as frozen seeds in an abandoned coal mine at Svalbard since 1984. The Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) has deposited more than 10,000 seed samples of more than 2,000 cultivars of 300 different species over the years. In addition, seed samples from southern Africa (SADC) have been safely duplicated with the Nordic collection for some years. Both the Nordic and African collections are expected be transferred to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the future. Since January 1, 2008 the Nordic Gene Bank is an integrated part of the newly formed Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NORDGEN).


The entrance to the Vault.

Construction

The prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland participated in a ceremonial "laying of the first stone" on 19 June 2006.

The seedbank is constructed 120 metres (390 ft) inside a sandstone mountain at Svalbard on Spitsbergen Island.[4] The bank employs a number of robust security systems. Seeds are packaged in special four-ply packets and heat sealed to exclude moisture. The facility is managed by the Nordic Genetic Resource Center, though there are no permanent staff on-site.

Spitsbergen was considered ideal due to its lack of tectonic activity and its permafrost, which will aid preservation. The location 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level will ensure that the site remains dry even if the icecaps melt.[4] Locally mined coal provides power for refrigeration units that further cool the seeds to the internationally-recommended standard −18 °C (−0 °F).[5][1] Even if the equipment fails, at least several weeks will elapse before the temperature rises to the −3 °C (30 °F) of the surrounding sandstone bedrock.

Prior to construction, a feasibility study determined that the vault could preserve seeds from most major food crops for hundreds of years. Some seeds, including those of important grains, could survive far longer, possibly thousands of years.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened officially on February 26, 2008.[6] Approximately 1.5 million distinct seed samples of agricultural crops are thought to exist. The variety and volume of seeds stored will depend on the number of countries participating – the facility has a capacity to conserve 4.5 million. The first seeds arrived in January 2008.[7] Five percent of the seeds in the Vault, about 18,000 samples with 500 seeds each, come from the Centre for Genetic Resources of the Netherlands (CGN), part of Wageningen University, Netherlands.[8]

Mission

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault's mission is to provide a safety net against accidental loss of diversity in traditional genebanks. While the popular press has emphasized its possible utility in the event of a major regional or global catastrophe, it will certainly be more frequently accessed when genebanks lose samples due to mismanagement, accident, equipment failures, funding cuts and natural disasters. Such events occur with some regularity. In recent years, some national genebanks have also been destroyed by war and civil strife. There are some 1,400 crop diversity collections around the world, but many are in politically unstable or environmentally threatened nations.

Access to seeds

The seed samples stored in the Seed Vault are copies of samples stored in the depositing genebanks. Researchers, plant breeders and other groups wishing to access seed samples cannot do so through the Seed Vault; instead they must request samples from the depositing genebanks. The samples stored in the genebanks will, in most cases, be accessible in accordance with the terms and conditions of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture,[9] approved by 118 countries/Parties.[10][11]

The Seed Vault functions like a safety deposit box in a bank. The bank owns the building and the depositor owns the contents of his or her box. The Government of Norway owns the facility and the depositing genebanks own the seeds they send. The deposit of samples in Svalbard does not constitute a legal transfer of genetic resources. In genebank terminology this is called a "black box" arrangement. Each depositor signs a Deposit Agreement with NORDGEN, acting on behalf of Norway. The Agreement makes clear that Norway does not claim ownership over the deposited samples and that ownership remains with the depositor, who has the sole right of access to those materials in the Seed Vault. No one has access to anyone else’s seeds from the Seed Vault.[11][12]

Controversy

It has been alleged that there has been some controversy over private involvement in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. In fact, the Vault was unanimously welcomed at the United Nations when proposed by Norway. The Government of Norway funded the construction of the Vault in its entirety and will continue to fund its maintenance. The Global Crop Diversity Trust funds the operation and management of the facility, and has funded the transport of seeds from genebanks in developing countries and from international genebanks to the Arctic. For the first three years of the Vault’s existence, the transport of seeds from international collections and developing countries has been made possible through a partnership between the Trust and the United Nations Foundation funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

All seeds stored in the Seed Vault remain the property of the country or institution that sent them. There is no change of ownership. Neither the managers of the Seed Vault, Norway, the Trust, nor anyone else has any right even to open the boxes in which the seeds arrive and are stored. Seeds are available only to the depositors to restore samples they have lost themselves. Information about which countries have sent seeds, and the seeds which are already stored in the Vault, is all public. For a list of depositors to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, see the Seed Vault online database managed by NORDGEN.[13] For the complete list of donors to the Global Crop Diversity Trust, see [1].

References

  1. ^ a b Charles, Daniel (2006-06-23). "A 'Forever' Seed Bank Takes Root in the Arctic". Science 312: pp. 1730–1731. doi:10.1126/science.312.5781.1730b. PMID 16794050.
  2. ^ a b c "Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Frequently Asked Questions". Royal Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
  3. ^ "Donors". Global Crop Distribution Trust.
  4. ^ a b Modern Marvels: Deep Freeze. The History Channel.
  5. ^ "From safety in permafrost to optimal conditions". Regjeringen.no (2008-05-20). Retrieved on 2008-07-18.
  6. ^ "'Doomsday' seed vault opens in Arctic", boston.com/Associated Press (26 February2008).
  7. ^ "'Doomsday' seeds arrive in Norway", BBC News Online (31 January 2008).
  8. ^ Aarden, Marieke (2008-02-26). "Opslag met miljarden zaden, voor tijden van oorlog", de Volkskrant, p. 6.
  9. ^ http://www.planttreaty.org
  10. ^ International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources. List of Contracting Parties. http://www.planttreaty.org/members_en.htm
  11. ^ a b Fowler C. 2008. "The Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Securing the Future of Global Agriculture" Published online at http://www.croptrust.org/main/arctic.php?itemid=211
  12. ^ Royal Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Management and Operations. http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault/management-and-operations.html?id=462223
  13. ^ http://www.nordgen.org/sgsv/index.php?app=data_unit&unit=sgsv_by_depositor&PHPSESSID=3b1td0arodcnhufcvf6p5mv8h7

External links

Svalbard Global Seed Vault (home page)
Posted by Heavy Futz at 12:47 PM 0 comments
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Herbal "medicine" is a scam

OK, maybe not all herbal remedies are a scam, but there are some dangerous ones out there. Unfortunately, herbal remedies are not regulated by federal authorities because of their status as "supplements". It's a case of buyer beware.

The following article is from this source.



Consumer reports finds dangerous herbal products sold over the counter

The current issue of Consumer Reports will stand your hair on end, especially if you are taking herbs to improve your health and/or to avoid the side effects that usually go with drugs. The FDA classifies these products as dietary supplements, a designation that amounts to a free pass for the manufacturers. Unlike drugs, there is no required testing for proof of safety or effectiveness.

Supplements can be purchased over the counter and over the Internet. The lack of government regulation allows them to be regarded as "innocent 'til proven guilty." Even when the FDA has clear proof of danger, as it did with the herbal weight-loss aid, ephedra, it can take years to get the product banned. Furthermore, manufacturers are allowed to market their products as "natural," which to most consumers implies harmless.

The Dirty Dozen

The May issue of Consumer Reports identified 12 herbal ingredients that are linked to serious adverse events, "or, in the case of glandular supplements, to strong theoretical risks." Labeled "the dirty dozen," the ingredients are available individually or in multi-ingredient combination products. Consumer Reports, which is published by the non-profit Consumers Union, divided the following ingredients into three categories: definitely hazardous, very likely hazardous, and likely hazardous:

--Aristolochic acid is judged to be "definitely hazardous" because of documented kidney failure (sometimes requiring transplant), deaths, and known potent cancer-causing properties. What makes things difficult even for consumers who carefully read the label is this: the offending ingredient can appear under many different names. (The multiple names for aristolochic acid are listed in the Consumer Reports article.)

--Comfrey, androstenedione, chaparral, germander, and kava are classified as "very likely hazardous" because they are banned in other countries; have generated an FDA warning; or are identified as causing adverse effects in studies. Each is known by more than one name. Abnormal liver function or damage, often irreversible, and deaths have been reported for chaparral, comfrey, germander, and kava.

--Bitter orange, organ/glandular extracts (brain/adrenal/ pituitary/placenta/other gland "substance" or "concentrate"), lobelia, pennyroyal oil, skullcap, and yohimbe are considered "likely hazardous." This category applies to ingredients for which there have been adverse-event reports or because of theoretical risks. Each is known by several different names. Referring to glandular products, Consumer Reports states that the FDA has banned high-risk bovine materials from older cows in foods and supplements, but has not banned high-risk parts from cows under 30 months. There is a theoretical risk of mad cow disease, particularly from brain extracts.

Not the FDA's Fault

Consumer Reports does not fault the FDA for this situation that puts so many at risk. Congress has created the regulatory barriers to appropriate testing of these products. Furthermore, there is no mandatory reporting system as there is for drug companies. Though this mandate is notoriously ineffective, as it is well known that fewer than 10% of adverse reactions to drugs are reported to the FDA, the system should be strengthened and expanded to include dietary supplements.

What you can do:

--For free access to the article about Dangerous Supplements, go to www.consumerreports.org, or buy the May 2004 issue of Consumer Reports.

--Go to www.bmj.com and locate the April 24 issue of the British medical journal, BMJ. Find the rapid responses to the news item entitled, US consumer group names "dirty dozen" dietary supplements. Read the objections to the Consumer Reports assessment from Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association. For example, he contests the listing of skullcap as presenting a danger of abnormal liver function or damage. "The only suggestion of such a danger was associated with an incident of misidentification of skullcap in a product that, in fact, contained germander and did not contain skullcap."

--Visit www.ConsumerLab.com This Web-based organization describes itself as an independent testing service for consumer products, including herbal products, vitamins, minerals, sports and energy products, functional foods, food and beverages, as well as personal care products. ConsumerLab.com issues "concerns and cautions" about specific products. Its testing centers on factors related to quality, such as the critical issue of whether the ingredients and amounts listed on the label accurately reflect what is in the product. Testing criteria also include purity (Is the product free of contaminants?), bioavailability (Does the product break down properly so that it may be used by the body?), and consistency (Does each unit of the product have the same identity, potency and purity?)

Posted by Heavy Futz at 12:36 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, January 15, 2009

Best TV Commercial in a long time

This one is awesome.
Posted by Heavy Futz at 8:46 AM 1 comments
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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Terror Experts Warn Next 9/11 Could Fall On Different Date

Article from this source.
Michael Chertoff cautions citizens to accept the possibility of a 5/24.

WASHINGTON—In an alarming development with wide-reaching implications for America's safety, Department of Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff and CIA Director Michael Hayden issued a joint report Monday warning that the next 9/11 could in fact occur on a different date.

The report, based on intelligence gathered by field-agents, found that a future 9/11 might take place on an entirely new month and day, including 4/24, 6/13, or even 10/12. According to the report, the nation could realistically find itself in the midst of a 5/25 scenario, as well as a potential 3/14 situation in the months to come.

8/28, 6/19, and 11/7 were also cited as possible 9/11s.

Enlarge Image Terror Poster

A poster from the new DHS public-awareness campaign.

"While 9/11 has historically always fallen on 9/11, we as Americans need to be prepared for a wide range of dates," Chertoff said during a White House press conference. "There's a chance we could all find ourselves living in a post-6/10 world as early as next July. Unless, that is, we're already living in a pre-2/14 world."

"1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5," Chertoff continued for nearly 45 minutes, "12/28, 12/29, 12/30, 12/31—these are all plausible and serious threats."

An addendum to the report that includes leap years will be released by the end of March.

Though the DHS has identified more than 7,000 sensitive dates spanning the next 20 years, it did manage to rule out 4/15/04 and 10/38 as future 9/11s. The government report also confirmed that the next 9/11 would more than likely not involve an assault on the World Trade Center's North and South towers as it has in previous attacks.

Furthermore, the 350-page document rejected long-held beliefs that the next 9/11 would commence at 8:46 a.m. on a sunny Tuesday morning. In fact, it warns that a future attack could occur on a cloudy, snowy, or even brisk day, at 8:53 a.m., 10:42 p.m., or any one of the other 1,440 known times.

"We are dealing with agents of terror who are willing to carry out another 9/11 on—if you can imagine it—6/8," Hayden told reporters. "Indeed a day may come when we as a nation have to live in fear of another 6/8, recount where we were when 6/8 happened, and swear never to forget the events of 6/8."

"At some point we might even have to come to terms with the harsh lessons of 6/8," Hayden continued.

Hayden assured citizens, however, that no matter what date the imminent attacks fall on, he has every reason to believe that the next 9/11 will be carried out by militants, radicals, zealots, or extremists, who will stop at nothing, next to nothing, or very little to destroy America.

Hayden also said he was certain that at least one of the world's 6.7 billion human beings will plot the future 5/24 or 3/17 attacks, and that it will most likely target either the nation's subways, seaports, landmarks, stadiums, buildings, structures, or other indoor or outdoor areas where large groups of people tend to gather.

"Instead of calling major terrorist attacks on their soil 'our 9-11,' other nations may soon refer to their own national disasters as 'our 11/28,'" Chertoff said. "Which, incidentally, is also my birthday, though I admit that is neither here nor there."

At the conclusion of the press conference, Chertoff urged Americans not be alarmed by the recent news, and to continue living their lives as they have for the last seven years—with the crippling fear that at any moment they, or someone they love, could die in a fiery inferno.
Posted by Heavy Futz at 11:28 AM 0 comments
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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Something interesting to get your New Year Started with a bang!

I have been away for the holidays, but I return here with something to hopefully get your New Year started with some pinash.

Anyone need a professional kazoo player?

Posted by Heavy Futz at 11:11 AM 0 comments
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