Some climate change deniers like to point out that sea ice actually is growing in Antarctica, so isn’t that a sign that climate change fears are overblown?
Actually, as this Slate piece explains, although Antarctic ice is spreading at the continent’s edges, this is misleading; the entire ice mass of Antarctica has been decreasing markedly, according to scientists. In the Arctic, meanwhile, despite a cold winter that led to slight increases in seasonal ice, the North Pole’s oldest ice mass continues to disappear at a rapid clip, according to NASA scientists.
Now that the constitutionality of private gun ownership is settled, can we talk about the frequent use of guns for suicides? According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, suicides accounted for 55 percent of nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005. Not that 2005 stood out: Suicides by firearm have outnumbered gun homicides and accidents for 20 of the past 25 years. Suicide by gunshot, often involving depression and substance abuse, also is the most used method in Sedgwick County, far outnumbering hanging and drug intoxication among 2006’s 53 suicides.
John McCain isn’t too old to learn. When he visited Wichita in February, he flew in on an Airbus, to the dismay of Sen. Pat Roberts and others. More recently, he’s been flying an Embraer E190 chartered from the airline JetBlue. But his trip to Mexico and Colombia last week was on the campaign’s newly acquired 95-seat Boeing 737-400, with his slogan “Reform, Prosperity, Peace” and the words “Straight Talk Express” on the side, a blue-and-gold tail and a forward cabin modified to include a buslike seat and a captain’s chair for McCain. Here’s some video of the plane.
Speaking last week in Missouri, Barack Obama offered effusive praise for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and, some thought, a veepstakes hint:
“I love Kathleen Sebelius. I think she is as talented a public official as there is right now. Integrity. Competence. She can work with all people of all walks of life, but I promised that I am not going to say anything about my vice president until I actually introduce my vice president.”
Some climate change deniers like to point out that sea ice actually is growing in Antarctica, so isn’t that a sign that climate change fears are overblown?
