Thinking of procrastinating?

From New Scientist, quoting a paper in Nature:

Soil may spoil UK’s climate efforts

'Unexpectedly vast quantities of carbon released from British soils since 1978 may be critically reducing their effectiveness as carbon sinks ( 'The scary thing is that the amount of time that we have to do something about climate change is now smaller.' )

Can anyone access the original paper, and see whether agricultural soil management techniques make any difference at all? Journal reference: Nature (DOI:10.1038/nature04038)

More unhelpful postive feedback in the climate

http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl0532.html

Vegetation Growth May Quickly Raise Arctic Temperatures

'WASHINGTON -- Warming in the Arctic is stimulating the growth of vegetation and could affect the delicate energy balance there, causing an additional climate warming of several degrees over the next few decades. A new study indicates that as the number of dark-colored shrubs in the otherwise stark Arctic tundra rises, the amount of solar energy absorbed could increase winter heating by up to 70 percent. ...

In addition, the increasing shrub cover would impact more than just the energy balance in the Arctic. With nearly 40 percent of the world's soil carbon is stored in Arctic soils, any change in vegetation and energy is likely to trigger a response in the Arctic carbon budget. ... '

We don't have 'a few degrees' (even Farenheit) to spare in terms of 'climate chaos'.

Small-minded government

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v437/n7056/full/437169a.html

Nature 437, 169 (8 September 2005) | doi: 10.1038/437169a

"Last week's debacle in New Orleans highlights failings not just in the Bush administration, but in how the United States chooses to govern itself.

The term 'natural disaster' doesn't really do justice to the scenes that unfolded in the southern United States last week. For a start, the main cause of death in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will have been drowning as a result of the flooding in New Orleans that sprang from a widely anticipated failure of the city's flood defences. There is an overwhelming sense that the human calamity that befell the city was avoidable and represents a failure of the US government to protect its most vulnerable citizens.

..."

A happier thought...

Keira captivates in Pride And Prejudice 2005

"This is, beyond any doubt, the romantic comedy-drama of 2005. ...

If there is any justice (which, of course, there isn't), Keira [Knightley] will win Best Actress at next year's Oscars. Equal to her, though in a less showy way, is Matthew MacFadyen. ...

In a British film of this magnitude, you would expect the older members of the cast to be outstanding, and they are.

Brenda Blethyn is the definitive Mrs Bennet, while the most audacious piece of casting is Donald Sutherland as Lizzie's reclusive father. Sutherland can be a terrible ham, but here he has everything under control, including an impeccable English accent.

As Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Judi Dench is magnificently malevolent. She has a Gorgon's stare reserved for her social inferiors that would turn even Princess Michael of Kent to stone at 20 paces. ..."