PUBLIC MARKS from multilinko

The ocean current that gives western Europe its relatively balmy climate is stuttering, raising fears that it might fail entirely and plunge the continent into a mini ice age. The dramatic finding comes from a study of ocean circulation in the North Atlantic, which found a 30% reduction in the warm currents that carry water north from the Gulf Stream. The slow-down, which has long been predicted as a possible consequence of global warming, will give renewed urgency to intergovernmental talks in Montreal, Canada, this week on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

1. Choose LED (light emitting diode) lights - They are the newest form of holiday lighting and they don't only look great; LED lights, · Save you money - The initial cost for a set of lights is higher than traditional lights but over a 30-day period, lighting 500 traditional holiday lights will cost you about $18.00 while the same number of LED lights costs only $0.19. · Use less energy - about 90% less energy which means less pollution that causes smog and climate change. · Last longer - up to 200,000 hours which is 100 times longer than traditional lights · Durable - The bulbs do not fade or flake and are not easily damaged because they do not have a filament. · Safe - LEDs do not emit any heat so they remain cool to the touch.

LG Steam Washing Machine (TROMM) improves washing performance by 21% while significantly reducing energy and water usage Seoul, June 16, 2005 - LG Electronics (LG), a pioneer and leader in Home Appliance convergence, has unveiled its newest invention, the LG Steam Washing Machine. The unit incorporates innovative steam technology in the washing process for the first time in the world and will be available on XXXXXX (insert local launch date). To be done by local LG.

PhotoVu™ Compatible with World’s First Built-in WiFi-Enabled Digital Camera, the Nikon® COOLPIX P1 For direct wireless viewing of photos from camera to PhotoVu Digital Wireless Picture Frames Boulder, CO—October 18, 2005—Today PhotoVu™ announced the compatibility of their PV1945 and PV1750 wireless digital LCD picture frames with the world’s first built-in WiFi-enabled digital cameras, the Nikon® COOLPIX™ P1 and P2. By easily accessing the WiFi features of these new cameras, a person can immediately view the photos they’re taking on their PhotoVu frame.

Tired of arguing the same old issues like Linux vs Windows? Choose up sides in the fight over flushing vs non-flushing urinals. The L.A. Times reports on efforts to place the waterless urinal into the Uniform Plumbing Code.

Opponents of evolution want to make a place for creationism by tearing down real science, but their arguments don't hold up

With heating bills expected to be high this winter, people are wondering what holiday gifts they can buy for family and friends that will help them stay warm and save energy.

Pulsar Advanced Technologies has announced that, starting next week, they will launch the MK4, a microwave-powered on-demand water heater. Why is this cool? Well, until now, you had two options: electric heaters that keep a large amount of water hot at all times, or natural gas heaters that heat up water on-demand. The first is very costly and wasteful, and the second is not available to everyone, especially those in rural areas. You can't heat water up quickly enough with conventional resistance-based electric elements, as it would require huge amount of electricity. Not so with microwaves. The Vulcanus MK4 can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more.

Torture's Terrible Toll Abusive interrogation tactics produce bad intel, and undermine the values we hold dear. Why we must, as a nation, do better. By Sen. John McCain

Ontario's government awarded C$2 billion ($1.7 billion) in contracts to build wind and hydro power projects on Monday in an effort to have 10 percent of electricity in Canada's biggest market generated by renewable sources. Ontario Energy Minister Donna Cansfield said she had granted awards for eight wind facilities and one hydroelectric development, which will supply a total of 975 megawatts, enough to power more than 250,000 homes. The awards come in response to a request for proposals for 1,000 MW, issued in April 2004.

The Bush administration's approach to torture beggars belief This week saw the sad spectacle of an American president lamely trying to explain to the citizens of Panama that, yes, he would veto any such bill but, no, “We do not torture.” Meanwhile, Mr Bush's increasingly error-prone vice-president, Dick Cheney, has been across on Capitol Hill trying to bully senators to exclude America's spies from any torture ban. To add a note of farce to the tragedy, the administration has had to explain that the CIA is not torturing prisoners at its secret prisons in Asia and Eastern Europe—though of course it cannot confirm that such prisons exist.

As news analyst Michael Gawenda, writing in the Australian daily the Age, noted incredulously, "When the president of the United States, under repeated questioning and under pressure, has to declare, as he did [during a stop in Panama], 'We do not torture,' you know that even his allies in Congress no longer believe him."

I don't know how else to put this: Is US vice-president Dick Cheney mad?

the Fantome was loaded with loot from the White House, which British troops burned in August 1814. The ship was heading home to Halifax with a convoy when it lost its way in a vicious storm. No survivors With untold treasures, Fantome smashed into shoals and sank off Prospect on Nov. 24, 1814. The wreck was left undisturbed for political reasons. The event coincided with the end of the war, and the two nations wanted to move on. “Obviously, this was a very touchy subject at the time, so no one really said any more about it,” Chisholm said. Jagged rocks kept excavators away for nearly 200 years. It’s only recently that the technology has allowed anyone to take a look.

The New York Times has an interesting piece on the slow but steady movement to reduce the power drain for appliances that are never truly turned off when they are powered down.

In an interview with Britain's ITV news Thursday, Turner said the U.S. vice president was damaging America's reputation by overseeing torture policies of possible terrorist suspects, the UK's Press Association reported. "I'm embarrassed the United States has a vice president for torture," Turner said, according to ITV's Web site. "He condones torture, what else is he?"

The federal government has introduced a bill to make it easier for police and CSIS to monitor private cellphone conversations and communication on the internet. The Modernization of Investigative Techniques Act, if passed, would require internet companies to give the police confidential information on their subscribers.

Reuters is reporting that several Australian firms are experimenting with taking geothermal energy mainstream. Geodynamics Ltd. will be making an investment decision on their first geothermal power station in early 2006. From the article: "Mother Nature has been kind to us. Australia could be the world leader within the next couple of years given the geological anomalies present in South Australia," says Peter Reid, chief executive of another explorer, Petratherm Ltd.

In the past few days there have been three major stories in the ongoing battle between proponents of Evolution and proponents of Intelligent Design, with each side taking what they considered important victories in the battle. Those of you who follow Nobel Intent are probably already familiar with two of these issues, but the matter is important enough that I wanted to cover it here on the NewsDesk.

Buying and using digital music is a far from easy decision today - there are various competing and incompatible formats, stores and players out there in the market, primarily Apple (AAC + iTunes + iPod), Windows (WMA + various stores + WMA-compatible players), and Sony (Atrac3 + Connect.com + Walkman). How do you then ensure that the music and player you buy today will not be incompatible with your player, online store or the OS?

Bill C-37 is that rarest of legislative entities: an act of Parliament that could actually improve the quality of your life. The law, if passed, would allow any Canadians who did not want to be called at home by telemarketers to place their names on what is known as a do-not-call list. It would be against the law for telemarketers to contact anyone on the list, with stiff penalties in place for those who transgressed.

The dinosaurs are the first things you see when you enter the Creation Museum, which is very much a work in progress and the dream child of an Australian named Ken Ham. Ham is the founder of Answers in Genesis, an organization of which the museum one day will be the headquarters. The people here today are on a special tour. They have paid $149 to become “charter members” of the museum.

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town Thursday that disaster may strike there because they "voted God out of your city" by ousting school board members who favored teaching intelligent design.