Earthquake Cluster Spurs Questions of Another Quake Soon

By Brooks Baehr – “MANOA (HawaiiNewsNow) – All the huge earthquakes in recent years have sparked debate. Are they related? Are we seeing an unusual cluster of earthquakes and does it mean another is likely to happen soon in the Pacific Basin that could send a tsunami to Hawaii?

‘People have asked,’ said Greg Moore, Chairman of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii. ‘Now that we’ve had this magnitude 9 earthquake in Japan, is that earthquake itself going to cause other big earthquakes to occur say other places around the pacific?’

Moore and Rhett Butler, a geophysicist and seismologist, are earthquake specialists at the UH. They have answered a lot of questions recently about earthquake clusters.”  Read more.

 

Arab Revolts Improve Al-Qaeda’s Strategic Position

By Brian Fairchild – “… Given the fact that Muslims are ousting America’s allies throughout the region, there is little doubt that al-Qaeda is pleased with these developments, and there can be no doubt that it is strategically benefiting from the chaos. A new report reveals that Osama bin Laden has been crisscrossing the area bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan for high-level meetings with key jihadi leaders. Intelligence officials speculate that his purpose is to develop a plan to take advantage of the Arab revolts.

So what benefits can al-Qaeda possibly get from the chaos? Well, to begin with, just a scant few weeks ago a wide swath of the Middle East was a dangerous combat zone where its members were hunted and killed. Now, it no longer has to worry about drone strikes or other counterterrorism operations conducted by either the U.S. or the governments of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, or Yemen. Rather, these areas have been transformed into virtual safe havens.”  Read more.

NASA’s Website Accidentally Predicts Another Catastrophic Earthquake in 2011

“(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 01, 2011 ) Pasadena, CA — Amateur astronomers using NASA’s website have found that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Small Body Database Browser has predicted the three most recent 7.0+ magnitude earthquakes with striking accuracy.

This Browser is available to the public. Space buffs can play with it to observe the movements of planets, large asteroids, and other bodies in our Solar System.

It is unclear who was the first to noticed a startling relationship between the alignment of a comet known as Comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin), but the discovery has been cause for much speculation. After in-depth analysis of data from NASA’s website and other sources, one financial advisor has begun to ask the hard questions.

In his special report on the apparent correlation between the recent seismic calamities and the celestial alignments, Oliver Silverstein says: ‘Once would be a mighty large coincidence. Twice would be borderline far-fetched. Three times goes beyond the realm of coincidence in my mind, and leads me to rule out mere chance. I’m leaning towards… the possibility that Elenin is somehow involved with triggering devastating temblors here on Earth.'”  Read more.

 

Earthquake Near Greek Island Felt Throughout Israel, Tremors Felt In Cairo

By JPOST.COM STAFF AND REUTERS – “Residents report feeling buildings shake; no damage reported; tremors from 5.9 magnitude quake 800km away mainly felt in Nahariya, Safed.

Residents from all over Israel reported that they felt an earthquake on Friday afternoon.

It was still not clear if any damage has been caused or what the magnitude of the earthquake was.

Israel’s Geophysical Institute said the earthquake, which occurred over 800km from Israel, was mostly felt in the north of Israel, including the towns of Safed and Nahariya.”  Read more.

Raining Dead Birds in Forest Hill, Michigan

By LINDA GITTLEMAN – “The first time Kelly Brecht of Forest Hill found seven dead birds in her yard last year, she freaked.

‘I thought it was a sign from God that I was being bad,’ she said. ‘I like birds, I have bird feeders. I was really freaking.’

This year, within the last few weeks, she’s had ‘triple, quadruple the number of dead birds. And stray cats are opening them up and eating them.’

One neighbor cleaned up two garbage bags full of the dead birds, she said.

They are all starlings and they aren’t the most popular of the species.” Read more.

Stink Bug Epidemic Spreads as 33 U.S. States Now Report Infiltrations of the Smelly Pest

By DANIEL BATES – “Few of us ever come to terms with the idea of bed bugs infesting their house and home.

But now a new threat is on the rise that is arguably worse – stink bugs.

Sightings of the brown marmorated stink bug have been reported in 33 states so far this year, a rise of eight since fall alone.

The pest appears to be spreading from its traditional home in the mid-Atlantic coast throughout America, experts said.

The only areas to escape the epidemic are the Rockies and the Plains but everywhere else homeowners have found thousands of the dime-sized creatures infesting their homes in beds and in sofas.”  Read more.

 

Radioactive Iodine-131 in Rainwater Sample Near San Francisco Was 18,100% Above Federal Drinking Water Standard

“UCB Rain Water Sampling Results, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Nuclear Engineering:

Iodine-131 level in rainwater sample taken on the roof of Etcheverry Hall on UC Berkeley campus, March 23, 2011 from 9:06-18:00 PDT

20.1 Becquerel per liter (Bq/L) = 543 Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) — Conversion calculator here.

The federal drinking water standard for Iodine-131 is 3 pCi/L.”  Source.

 

Gulf Coast Residents Dismayed as Effects of Oil Spill Continue

By SABRINA CANFIELD – “GRAND ISLE, La. (CN) – A billboard on Highway 1 says: Devastating Spill, Devastating Feelings. Inside the Gulf Coast Claims Facility building on the far end of Grand Isle, about 60 people have turned out for a National Resource Damage Assessment public scoping meeting. ‘You talk about 18 months or so before we get started,’ a resident tell trustees. ‘That’s a long time for us who live here, while our environment and animals are dying.’

‘We have a huge problem,’ Beverly Armand, continues. ‘We have to stop denying it. We can’t fix the problem if we deny it is there.’

The National Resource Damage Assessment, or NRDA, is being conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the Department of the Interior, and the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.”  Read more.

 

Fatal and Severe H1N1 Cases In Mexico Increase

“Of those confirmed, three were in stable clinical condition, one in serious condition and four people have died. Of those confirmed four are hospitalized and nine others convalescing at home.

Confirmed cases of influenza, by age group, under four a range of 15 to 24 years, eight to a group of 25 to 44 and five more to an age ranging between 45 and 64 years of age.

The above translation provides additional detail on the updated list of H1N1 confirmed cases in Mexico. Over half were hospitalized or died, raising concerns that the H1N1 involved in these cases represents a more virulent sub-clade and may have a significantly difference sequence than the sub-clades described previously. Similar frequencies were seen in the cases from the Juarez Traffic Department where most cases are not yet confirmed. The cluster has grown to five including two deaths and one critical case. Thus, that cluster also has more than half of the cases hospitalized with at least half of hospitalized patients dying.”  Read more.

 

Radioactive Material Found in Illinois Grass, Air

“SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) – Radiation believed to be from the nuclear plant disaster in Japan has been detected in Illinois.

The radioactive iodine similar to what was released in Japan was found in a grass clipping in the Joliet area by the Radiological Assessment Field Team, which regularly checks on vegetation, air, milk and eggs to determine if any radiation is leaking from Illinois’ nuclear reactors.

In this case, the grass clippings were taken as part of a drill for the emergency plan at the Dresden nuclear power plant.”  Read more.

 

Koran Burning Rage: Pakistani Islamists Behead Two UN Workers, Kill Up To 20

“(Reuters) – Afghan protesters angered by the burning of a Koran by an obscure U.S. pastor killed up to 20 U.N. staff, beheading two foreigners, when they over-ran a compound in a normally peaceful northern city on Friday in the worst ever attack on the U.N. in Afghanistan.

At least eight foreigners were among the dead after attackers took out security guards, burned parts of the compound and climbed up blast walls to topple a guard tower, said Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, a police spokesman for the northern region.

Five protesters were also killed and around 20 wounded.

The governor of Balkh province said insurgents had used the march as cover to attack the compound, in a battle that raged for several hours and raises serious questions about plans to make the city a pilot for security transfer to national forces.”  Read more.