Blissfully, BBC Earth: Arctic Sea Ice [Infographic] agrees. They've taken decades of stats and put them into two, count 'em 2, easily understood images that show - graphically - the dramatic changes in age and expanse.

Age of Arctic Ice (1984-2011)

This is a statistic I had never considered - how old is the ice in the Arctic? In mid-1985, for example, more than 30% of the ice was more than 5 years old; by 2011, that number was more like 10%. Meaning, to my mind, that less and less ice is surviving from year to year.

The chart bears this out. More than 85% of the ice was more than 2 years old in 1985; compared to less than 50% today. Although there has been a steady decline since 1985, the absolute worst periods seem to be mid-1995 through late-1996, and late-2007 through 2008 Frightening, isn't it?

Average of Arctic Sea Ice Extent (1979-2011)

Now, this is the more common measurement, in my experience: how far does the Arctic ice extend? The answer is a little surprising. Not because there's less now than 25 years ago, but because of the variance within any given decade.

From 1978 to 1981, there wasn't much change - over 7 million square kilometers. Then, 1984 saw a bit of a reduction and 1987 a huge increase in area. In 1990 and 2002, the extent dropped more than a million square kilometers.

The worst year, so far, was 2008 at barely over 4 million square kilometers. But the year that saw the greatest spread of Arctic sea ice was 1996 with over 8 million square kilometers measured.

Good News?

While it would appear that the ice is not lasting several years anymore and the older ice is not-so-slowly disappearing, there might be some good news: this newer ice seems to be covering a bit larger area. Between 2008 and 2011, the extent of the sea ice has increased moderately, as has the age of the remaining ice.

I hope this means that there are changes happening in the world having a bit of a positive impact on the Arctic. Although, having lost about half of the sea ice in a short 12 years does not bode well for the flora and fauna of the area - as well as the rest of the planet.

What do you think? Is the message getting through? Or are these tiny improvements a fluke of nature?

With brutal honesty, Ling shares her upbringing and what life in China was like for women in the '80s; how limited the freedom and how strict the expectations. Permits were required to marry and have children; a woman was to defer to her father and her husband.

It was, in many ways, that societal pressure that led to her involvement in the protest. She felt she should support her husband, who was an active leader.

Following the military action in Tiananmen Square, Ling was on the run for ten months, altering her features to escape detection and execution by the government. Eventually, she and her husband escaped to Paris and, from there, to the United States.

Freedoms that Americans take for granted were difficult for Ling and many of her friends who also made it to the US. Luckily, her story has a happy ending. Unlike so many who were in that square on June 4, 1989.

*****

This was a difficult book for me to read. Mostly because I simply couldn't comprehend living in a world of limited to no rights or personal freedoms. Of living in fear that saying or doing the wrong thing could end your life or destroy your family. Of poverty so extreme that surely death would be preferable.

I recommend this book to everyone. Life for the average person has not improved greatly in China since 1989; for women, the story is far worse.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network <http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Since 1992, fifty-two journalists have been murdered in the former Soviet Union; eighteen of those deaths are still unsolved. And that doesn't begin to approach the number of journalists who are routinely beaten, jailed, harassed, and threatened for exposing crimes and corruption in the political and military leadership of the pseudo-democratic country.

Politkovskaya was arrested by Russian military forces in Chechnya, subjected to a mock trial and torture, and later poisoned on her way to Belan. She survived and continued to report on the wars. One can only assume that it was desperation to silence her voice that led to the brutal shooting, in the elevator of her apartment building, five years ago.

Please, on this sad day, share her story and don't let the world forget what happened to her and continues to happen to journalists who speak out against Russia.

Wildlife Protection

Hunting is illegal in Kenya. Period. Intending to stop big game hunters, the government's blanket law has been applied at all levels - including traditional tribes. In addition, Ol Kinyei (where the tribe and three lion prides coexist) has recently been set aside by a Maasai community as a wildlife sanctuary.

The Ol Kinyei Conservancy, part of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, "covers an area of 8,500 acres in the Koyaki Lemek area of the greater Mara ecosystem." A 4-hour trip from Nairobi, it is a pristine wilderness that is home to plains, forests, streams and rivers, and a wide variety of animal species. It deserves to be protected.

Allowing man to slaughter its animals, in this time of ever-decreasing animal populations in the wild, should be aggressively discouraged. And yet ...

Source: BBC Earth

Lifestyle Protection

"In a time when stories about endangered wildlife regularly hit the headlines, few people seem to notice that incredible human cultures are being lost; ‘like swatting a mosquito – no-one seems to notice’." This is the threat to the Dorobo.

This Kenyan tribe has hunted, gathered, and scavenged on these plains for generations. When they were unable to make a kill to feed their families, they bravely (or foolishly) took from the lions. If the hunt was good, they left the excess for the lions.

Living in harmony with the lions, almost symbiotically, they know the Ol Kinyei and they share it, peacefully. But because other humans cannot share, cannot live in peace and harmony with nature, the Dorobo way of life is as threatened as that of the lions.

Choices

Hopefully, there are choices.

Jackson Looseyia, who runs a safari lodge in the Masaai [sic] Mara, has started employing Dorobo men to be spotters and trackers for his tourists. Jackson says, 'If the Dorobo way of life disappears, so too does their knowledge. The Dorobo can spot and name any distant bird or animal, identify any nearby track or noise, and tell the story of hunt through reading the tracks in the sand.'

Only time will tell if an entire culture must be sacrificed to save the animals of the Masai Mara.

* Actually, from what I've been able to determine, there is no specific 'Dorobo' tribe. The term Dorobo "referred to the original forest-dwelling hunters in the Rift Valley of what is now Kenya and Tanzania." Various unrelated groups are called by that name, possibly originating from the Maasai word Torobo which sounds very much like Dorobo and means 'poor people (who do not have cattle)'.

But, at the risk of sounding like a PR agent, ARKive is more than a bunch of pretty pictures.

ARKive is an incredible resource, and an awareness program dedicated to "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery." Over the years, they have worked with leading wildlife filmmakers and photographers, as well as conservation groups to find, save, and share images of the world's species.

But then, Ed went, for me, a step too far. His idea of helping was to provide arms to the Libyan 'freedom fighters' - an idea that I cannot ever  see as a wise one.

The problem, as I see it, in arming one side of a conflict lies not in the conflict - but in the outcome. If the 'right' side wins, what will they become, with the power of their new control? Will they be better - or much, much worse - than the regime that they have risen to replace?

And - always a possibility - what if this 'right' side loses their war for freedom? How swift and vicious will the winning side's retaliation be - and against whom?

As I sit here, thinking these thoughts, I wonder if I am simply a coward. Or if I am right.

Seven years earlier, undoubtedly in an attempt to drum up support for the *&()$@! that was Vietnam, Hollywood made a movie. How much John Wayne had to do with the success of the movie is anyone's guess. Me? I'm betting a lot of it lay at his feet.

It was an odd mix of propaganda for America and the reality of life for the Vietnamese - if memory serves. (Tried to find and watch it; no luck, yet.)

What haunts me, to this day, are the emotions that this film evokes in me. Including one of the most moving ballads of the era:

Ballad of The Green Berets ^[1]

Photo: Wikimedia/Michael Haferkamp

The existence of these natural cycles might lead one to believe that the Earth is going through a normal warming period. That man is not contributing, negatively, to the climate changes that we're currently experiencing. Undoubtedly, there are those who use that rationale to attack environmental beliefs.

A logical thought process that might even work, except for one minor detail: The Earth shouldn't be getting warmer.

Scientists have taken samples from a dry lake bed, the Valles Caldera in New Mexico. They developed a technique, analyzing sediment and soil bacteria, to determine temperature changes throughout the ages. Those studies tell them that, without man's intervention, we would be heading into a cooling period right now.

Of course, not everyone feels the need to rewrite music that has inspired generation after generation of Americans. And - hey - quite a few of those Americans can even remember all of the words. For example:

This video, from a Super Bowl several years ago, combines choirs from all branches of the military. It made me tear up.

I have to admit, of all the renditions I've heard, Carrie Underwood consistently just sings the song.

And, just because I love precocious kids:

Attempted Adoptions

Some sources tell of attempts to adopt out the sled dogs. No report I've found has any documentation that any adoptions took place. And many of those articles are highly critical of later claims that the animals were too old to adopt out.

A Rifle, A Knife, and A Mass Grave

Either way, on two days near the end of April 2010, the drafted employee - by fair means and foul - killed upwards of 70 dogs. Not all of the dogs died quickly or easily; some ran off and had to be shot again, long distance. Rumors tell of some dogs having their throats slit or being dumped into mass graves while still alive.

The BC SPCA is investigating.

Chemistry

Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV)

Despite headlines calling MDPV 'synthetic cocaine,' it is an analog^[2] of pyrovalerone - a drug developed in the late 1960s to treat chronic fatigue and as an appetite suppressant. According to the DEA Office of Diversion Control, "MDPV is structurally related to cathinone, an active alkaloid found in the khat plant."

With a chemical structure more like MDMA (Ecstasy) than cocaine, it reportedly acts in a manner similar to Ritalin or Concerta (methylphenidate), and Wellbutrin (buproprion) - only much, much stronger. The high is more like that from cocaine - more 'selfish,' less 'social' - which may account for the comparison.

Mephedrone

From what I've read, mephedrone is also derived from (or chemically similar to)^[3] cathinone compounds found in Catha edulis (khat), a flowering plant of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. First synthesized in the late 1920s, mephedrone was virtually unknown until its rediscovery in 2003. By 2007, it was available on the Internet; in 2008, Israel was the first country to make it illegal. (The EU ruled it illegal across Europe in December, 2010.)

Belonging to the amphetamine and cathinone drug classes, mephedrone is reported to have a high more like MDMA (Ecstasy) (I love everyone!) than cocaine (Everyone should love me!). However, users also report a strong desire to take more before they completely come down, which seems more like the reports on cocaine.

Side Effects

Neither drug has been extensively studied, so the accounts of side effects are mostly from users.

Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV)

Once again, from the DEA Office of Diversion Control:

The acute side effects of MDPV include tachycardia, hypertension, vasoconstriction, and sweating.  The duration of the subjective effects is about 3 to 4 hours and the side effects continuing a total of 6 to 8 hours after administration.  Higher doses of MDPV have caused intense, prolonged panic attacks in stimulant-intolerant users.  Users have reported bouts of psychosis induced by sleep deprivation and becoming addicted after using higher doses or using at more frequent dosing intervals.

Mephedrone

Medical News Today reports:

According to a survey by Mixmag, a dancing and clubbing magazine:

• 67% of users experienced hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
• 51% of users experienced headaches
• 43% of users experienced heart palpitations
• 27% of users experienced nausea
• 15% of users had blue or cold fingers

Non-survey (anecdotal) reports indicate mephedrone may have the following effects on some users:

• Severe panic attacks
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia

The comments section of this article adds more rather frightening, first-hand stories of mephedrone side effects and withdrawal.

Given the similarities between these two drugs, one can only imagine the potential dangers of combining them.

United States

Neither MDPV nor mephedrone are approved for medical use in the United States. Official information on users of either drug in the United States is virtually non-existent.

Sources

Officials know, based on Internet company locations, that some of these 'bath salts' are entering the United States from Europe. In an article about mephedrone last year, Guardian News and Media, quoting Druglink magazine, noted that "[d]ealers in Britain are spending £2,500 to ship one kilogram from China, then sell it at £10 a gram for a profit of £7,500." (This was before EU laws changed.)

A quick search shows that mephedrone 'research chemicals' can be purchased online from sources in Latvia, Cameroon, the US, the UK, and Malaysia. MDPV can be ordered from the same companies, as well as ones in China, Hungary, Germany, and Spain.

Illicit Distribution

While not yet illegal in the United States, state and local law enforcement in several states report encounters with MDPV. There were 75 reports from January to September, 2010; 2 in 2009. Information from the DEA on mephedrone simply mentions Internet sales and promotions.

Twenty-five states report interaction with individuals who have used 'bath salts.' Louisiana leads the nation, with almost 50% of all encounters. As a result, they have outlawed these products, rapidly reducing calls and sending shoppers across state lines. A northern Mississippi county responded to 30 calls in only two months, possibly due to an increase in cross-state traffic.

More than one state is considering following Louisiana's lead and enacting bans.

Control Status

Because they aren't marketed for human consumption, neither mephedrone nor MDPV appear on a U.S. drug schedule. However, as they are considered analog(ue)s of Schedule I drugs, a provision of the Controlled Substance Act (Title 21 United States Code 813) would allow prosecution of cases involving one or both of the substances.

Outlook

People are dying from shooting, sniffing, and smoking this stuff. Manufacturers and sellers get around laws in the United States by labeling their products "not for human consumption," though there's little doubt in anyone's mind the precise intent of these items. It can take years for the federal government to review, regulate, and get these substances off the market.

And, honestly, pulling 'bath salts' will probably do nothing more than make room for the next designer drugs.

1. AZCentral.com: Officials Fear Bath Salts are Growing Drug Problem
2. ChemiCool.com: "An analog is a drug whose structure is related to that of another drug but whose chemical and biological properties may be quite different." (Ed. note: Frequently, the term is used to describe, right or wrong, an artificial derivative of a specific drug or chemical.)
3. a.) Wikipedia: "Mephedrone ... is chemically similar to the cathinone compounds found in the khat plant of eastern Africa."
   b.) Medical News Today: "Mephedrone is a synthetic (artificial) substance based on the (cathinone) compounds that exist in the Khat plant of East Africa."

It's estimated that 150,000 tons - yes, tons - of contaminated feed may have been fed to animals. By consuming this dioxin-laced food, the contamination spread to eggs, poultry meat, and pork. (South Korea and China have already banned imports of German eggs, chicken, and pork products.)

Some of those eggs made it to the Netherlands, where they were processed and mixed with non-contaminated eggs. This liquid egg product was then shipped to the UK for use by bakeries and manufacturers in products for human consumption. Although officials said the level of dioxins in the mixed eggs didn't pose a health risk, it's still a frightening prospect - not knowing what might be in that cake, quiche, or jar of mayonnaise.

Today, Germany announced an anti-dioxin action plan that sets higher standards for the production of animal feed. This plan includes a licensing system for oil and fat producers, as well as mandatory separation of fats and oils intended for industrial use and those meant to be a component in animal feed.

In addition, animal feed producers will be required to personally test their ingredients and report the results to authorities. Private laboratories will also be required to report discovery of suspect items in food or animal feed.

"The government will investigate expanding the criminal law to food and feed safety regulations, possibly making infringements of food safety law a criminal rather than civil offence," according to the Reuters article. This comes amid suspicions that the Harles and Jentzsch plant in Schleswig-Holstein may have operated illegally. It, apparently, sought to avoid official regulations by not registering the company, according to an earlier statement by a spokesman for the German Agriculture Minister, and is now in bankruptcy (insolvency).

Today's article explains that "prosecutors in Germany are investigating the cause of the contamination and specifically whether industrial fats and feeds company Harles and Jentzsch distributed fatty acids meant for industrial paper production to animal feed processors." Dutch and EU authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of an intermediate trader.

Even if that were the case, if a third-party mixed up the shipments - delivering the industrial product to the feed manufacturer - wouldn't there be obvious labeling differences to eliminate improper application of the ingredients? I'd be willing to bet that the mandatory separation of industrial and feed ingredients is going to include some strict new labeling guidelines, as well. If not, they probably should.

1. ""Dioxins" refers to a group of chlorinated organic chemicals with similar chemical structures. Dioxins have no uses. They are formed unintentionally and released as byproducts of human activities such as waste incineration, fuels combustion, chlorine bleaching of pulp and paper, or pesticide manufacturing."
   "Scientific Facts on Dioxins." GreenFacts - Facts on Health and the Environment. 13 Dec. 2004. Web. 14 Jan. 2011. <http://www.greenfacts.org/en/dioxins/index.htm>

Why, when it was determined that the Fort Washington plant had quality control lapses, unsanitary conditions, and manufacturing 'insufficiencies' did they not immediately recall any and all products that had been made there? Seriously.

For months, J&J has been pulling products - a few here and a few there (sometimes a ton here and there) - from the market. Adult medications and children's medications; cold meds and antacids. The one constant - they all came from the same place.

Investigations continue and it is entirely possible (probable?) that new recalls will occur. "[I]t could discover lapses in its earlier processes that could warrant new product recalls, J&J cautioned." Wouldn't a complete if-it-came-from-Fort-Washington-yank-it have actually done less damage to their credibility?

Maybe. But now that we're getting contact lenses - not from Pennsylvania - that were improperly processed, I have to wonder if everything from Johnson & Johnson isn't a risk. (Especially if one lives in Asia or Europe.) After all, "[t]he company is already under criminal and congressional investigation in the United States..."

If that weren't bad enough, recent notices are not being posted publically. The justification being that consumers don't need to take action. It's sufficient that wholesalers and retailers stop shipping or pull products from their shelves.

Really? This fulfills your "claims to be striving for greater transparency?" For protecting consumers?

Origins of Haiti Cholera

Before the recent outbreak, the CDC indicated cholera was unlikely to occur in Haiti because there was no cholera bacteria there. That bears repeating - No Cholera Bacteria in Haiti. In addition, most relief workers were from places where cholera was not a threat.

Over 3 days (October 9, 12, and 16), new troops deployed to a U.N. peacekeepers base, rumored to have an incredible stench and waste leaking into the nearby waterway. On October 20, Haiti radio announced that 19 people - living at the mouth of the Artibonite River - had died. Within 24 hours, cholera was confirmed as the cause of death.

That U.N. base? It's manned by troops from Nepal, where cholera outbreaks (yup, more than one) happened over the summer. And where 75% of the population, though contagious, show no symptoms of cholera.

That smell? The septic system:

"... when the AP visited on Oct. 27, a tank was clearly overflowing. The back of the base smelled like a toilet had exploded. Reeking, dark liquid flowed out of a broken pipe, toward the river, from next to what the soldiers said were latrines. U.N. military police were taking samples in clear jars with sky-blue U.N. lids, clearly horrified.

"At the shovel-dug waste pits across the street sat yellow-brown pools of feces where ducks and pigs swam in the overflow. The path to the river ran straight downhill."

The investigation continues.

Lead and Cadmium in Novelty Glasses

Once again, novelty glasses have been found to contain unsafe levels of lead and/or cadmium. Imported from China and sold at the Warner Brothers Studio store, one set of glasses were found to have a lead content of 16 to 30.2 percent. Designated as collectibles for adults (by the importer), therein lies the controversy.

Lead is not regulated in products for adults. The health risk is for children whose developing nervous systems are endangered by exposure to lead. However, these glasses are sold next to kids' t-shirts by Warner Brothers and touted as "a perfect way to serve cold drinks to your children or guests" by another online retailer.

Over at Coca-Cola, a set of novelty glasses that were designed to look like the manufacturer's soft drink cans have come under fire. The all-red Coke glasses leached cadmium from external decorations during testing by the Associated Press. Unlike lead, which is only regulated in products for children, cadmium exposure harms adults and children equally and is strictly limited in products, as well as the workplace.

Both companies have agreed to recall these new glasses.

Kids' ER Visits Down

It's been three years since the voluntary recall of cough and cold medications marketed to kids two and younger. Two years since withdrawal of the same medications for children aged four and under. Since then, the incidence of emergency room treatment for overdose and adverse reactions, in children under 2, has been cut in half; 2,790 before withdrawal compared to 1,248 after.

However, 75% of those treated were not given medication by parents. They 'got into it' while unsupervised; the same percentage of 'self-medication' seen pre-recall. Researchers say it is also possible that adverse events remained high because parents were giving their youngsters adult medications, as the versions for children are no longer available.

Please remember, mom and dad - 1.) Kids under 4 do not benefit from cough and cold medications; they do, however, suffer serious reactions. 2.) Don't give more than an age-appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever relief; and only for a high fever. 3.) Use a bulb syringe to remove mucus, saline nose drops to keep breathing passages open, and a vaporizer for congestion. 4.) Don't spare the fluids.

Never give adult medications - in any amount - to a child. Children do not process medications in the same way that adults process them; a sedative can make them 'hyper' and a stimulant, lethargic. Do not give aspirin or products containing aspirin to anyone under the age of 19, due to the risk of developing Reyes Syndrome.

Children of Divorce and Stroke Risk

These results were presented, today, at the 63rd Annual GSA Scientific Meeting.

Researchers reviewed information compiled in a 2005 survey performed by Statistics Canada. Data collected from 13,134 respondents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, looked at how many were children of divorce and how many had experienced a stroke. Just over 10% had divorced parents and almost 2.0% had experienced a stroke, at some point in their lives. This, according to reports, indicates a 2.2 times greater risk of stroke for children of divorce.

My concerns: 1.) Stroke statistics were not included (in any story I could find) for participants whose parents were not divorced. 2.) These 'children' experienced their parents' divorce more than 50 years ago, when divorces were more rare, the shame was much greater, and trauma (perhaps) more severe. 3.) The findings have not been peer-reviewed or published.

No, children do not want their parents to get divorced - ever. It is a stressful situation for everyone. But it is not the same. Society does not shun the divorced; children are not tormented because they come from a 'broken' home.

There is no reason to believe that children of divorce in 2010 will be forever scarred and permanently stressed by the change in their family dynamic. At least, for those children, I certainly hope they aren't.

If I were to pick one dream vacation spot, given the time of year, I would have to head to Frankenmuth, Michigan. With a year-round Christmas wonderland, amazing crafts shops, fudge and cheese to die for, and the best family-style fried chicken dinner I have ever eaten, this is my perfect pre-holiday destination. A touch of Bavaria - no passport required.

Of course, riding a gondola through the streets of Venice, dining my way through New Orleans, exploring the pyramids of Giza, eating everything and anything in Paris and Rome, connecting with my genetic roots in Sweden and Norway, avoiding haggis in Scotland, and experiencing paella done perfectly in Spain are also on my not-so-short list of dream trips.

Hmmm?! I sense a pattern here.

Apparently, rather than by air or sea or land, I travel by food. Transportation from flavor to flavor to incredible flavor. Scents of amazing herbs, spices, meats, and ... sauces. Oh, my stars! The sauces!

{deep breath}

A new social network, Twitter Travellers, let's me indulge in culinary wanderings - without leaving my recliner - and helps me plan for actual trips. With information from people who've been there, I can learn about places I know (Sydney), as well as those I don't (Ugljan). There are forums, photos, videos, and blogs about travelling - the good and the bad.

Industry experts and seasoned travelers point out the pitfalls of visiting certain areas or certain travel options. Apparently, taking a train in the UK on Sunday is an extremely bad idea; extremely bad. (Although the tweets are amusing, the trips don't seem to be quite as entertaining.)

What caught my interest was the information, what kept it was the flexibility of my personal page. I can choose from dozens and dozens of apps, add my travel photos (naturally), join groups and discussions, and read daily travel news. In fact, there's so much to do, it's going to take a while to explore it all. Just like a great holiday.

I know that there are tons of travel sites, all over the Internet. There are tons of every kind of site, all over the Internet. But, I can't say that I've seen a network dedicated to travelling that was quite this much fun.

* While this post is related to the SheBlogs.org contest, my opinions are my own. No payment was offered or received.