Former vice president Al Gore warned Congress today of a "true planetary emergency" if it fails to act on global warming. He advised lawmakers to ban any new coal-burning power plants that lack state-of-the-art polution controls (such as those proposed for western Kansas) as part of an effort to cut carbon dioxide and other warming gases 90 percent by 2050, Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, critics have stepped up efforts to undermine Gore’s claims and credibility. Columnist John Fund of the Wall Street Journal noted that some scientists have said that Gore is hyping some climate-change predictions (though experts overwhelmingly agree with his concern about global warming). And in addition to the recent criticism about how much energy Gore’s house uses, the Tennessean newspaper reported that Gore has earned royalties from zinc mining on his property, though it said that "there is no evidence the mine has caused serious damage to the environment in the area or threatened the health of his neighbors."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
A recent Bloomberg poll finds that those Americans who make the most money are most likely to approve of President Bush’s handling of Iraq, the economy and his job generally — though even that crowd is wavering. Meanwhile, a surprising 83 percent of high earners think most CEOs are overpaid (so do 86 percent of the general public).
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr. (in photo), president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, triggered a slew of discussion and outrage when he wrote on his blog about a possible genetic "cure" for homosexuality.
Mohler cited past studies and a recent article in Radar magazine that brought up the possibility of genetically treating fetuses for homosexuality. Mohler pondered a time in the future when a hypothetical hormonal patch could transform a mothers’ prenatal son or daughter from a homosexual into a heterosexual.
Human-rights and gay-rights groups have blasted Mohler, as have some Christian conservatives who are upset that he is open to the possibility that gayness may be biological and not a lifestyle choice.
Tyler Gray, the author of the article in Radar magazine, also is unhappy with Mohler’s use of his work. "You can’t just pick the parts that you like and say, ‘I’m going to use this to say that I would be OK with a treatment that would eradicate homosexuality,’ " he told the Washington Post.
Posted by Ross Stewart
As messages go in a post-Sept. 11 world, these are about as mixed as they can get:
That people suspected of terrorist ties have signed up as school bus drivers in the United States, according to a bulletin from counterterrorism officials to local law enforcement around the nation.
And that "parents and children have nothing to fear," according to FBI spokesman Rich Kolko.
Fortunately, the bulletin came just as Wichita schools went on spring break. But school bus drivers can expect to be eyed by some parents more closely at that first pickup next week.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
What was international newsfor most of the United States this week was also a local story for Wichita: the maiden transatlantic flight of the Airbus A380, whose 261-foot-long wing design involved the Airbus engineering facility in Old Town.
Of course, more Wichita workers are contributing to the rival Boeing 787 Dreamliner, whose forward section is being built at Spirit AeroSystems. Final assembly soon will begin in Washington state, toward the goal of a first flight in late August.
Wichita can and should take great pride in being part of this exciting next phase of passenger aircraft. Don’t let anybody say that Wichita’s best days as the Air Capital of the World are behind it.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
As if the first few months in office haven’t been eventful enough for Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, with a trip to Iraq and taking flak for some defense-related comments and votes, she recently tossed her cookies in a wastebasket during a meeting in her D.C. office with some Lawrence firefighters. Fortunately, two were also emergency medical technicians, who helped Boyda. She later went to a hospital and learned she has gallstones; she’ll have surgery during Congress’ Easter recess. "It was more embarrassing than anything else," said Shanan Guinn, Boyda’s chief of staff.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
