About farming from Norman Borlaug

At this time of critical need, the epicenter of our collective work should focus on driving continued investments from both the public and private sectors in efficient agriculture production technologies. Investments like those announced by the G-8 leaders will most likely help to place current tools—like fertilizer and hybrid seeds that have been used for decades in the developed world—into the hands of small-holder farmers in remote places like Africa with the potential for noted and measured impact.

That investment will not continue to motivate new and novel discoveries, like drought-tolerant, insect-resistant or higher-yielding seed varieties that advance even faster. To accomplish this, governments must make their decisions about access to new technologies, such as the development of genetically modified organisms—on the basis of science, and not to further political agendas. Open markets will stimulate continued investment, innovation and new developments from public research institutions, private companies and novel public/private partnerships.

Source:

1. Farmers Can Feed the World

Norman E. Borlaug

2. Biotechnology and the Green Revolution

Norman E. Borlaug

Jacob Bronowski

Jacob Bronowski (18 January 1908 – 22 August 1974) was a British mathematician and biologist of Polish-Jewish origin. He is best remembered as the presenter and writer of the 1973 BBC television documentary series, The Ascent of Man.

Excerpt from Wikipedia.

Wangari Maathai

I feel obliged to read something about this very famous environmentalist from Kenya.

Her story consist of biological studies, humanitarian effort, political activity including protests.

Wikipedia

Shounen anime

You seams to enjoy shounen anime. You may want to try:

* Dragon Ball Z (Kai) , which doesn't have any sense, but it is even more enjoyable, because of that, totally unpretentious, although level of animation isn't as high as You may expect. Story is nonexistent, characters are crude.

* Full Metal Panic - romantic comedy mixed with military thriller, but both genres are well delivered and have some nerve. Characters are simple, but very likeable and created with note of parody. Both romantic and thriller parts find much expansion in *Second Ride*. Animation is pretty crude at the beginning, but is developing with series (it's very visible, that they increased number of animators).

* Gin Tama - comedy series, which I isn't in my taste, but it is very popular. Animation is good, undoubtedly.

* Mobile Suit Gundam metaseries - Definition of Mecha. This is big question do You want to watch slow, old animation techniques or not. Because amongst many amazing series there, You may find the best space saga, period. Gundam Zeta. Epic story about characters, which You will like/dislike very much. Problem is there You must to understand something about Universal Century time-line. There are 3 paths to achieve this:

1. Watch Mobile Suit Gundam series, which is inconsistent and has lowest class of animation.

2. Watch trilogy of compilation films, where both aspects are better. Don't be mistaken, story and characters are great there.

3. Watch Mobile Suit Gundam 0083, where animation is very good, although story is "broken", because of change of director.

Then, if You don't want older animation You have to choose between more adult *Gundam 00* and more infantile *Gundam SEED* Both have excellent animation, good story and memorable characters.

* The Vision of Escaflowne - fanstasy and mecha. With better than average production value:voice actors and animation. Much more gentle, but interesting narration.

Beside shoenen, I must add:

* Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - "hot-blooded action" mecha. There is no more to say.

* Cowboy Bebop - music, action. Classical anime series.

BTW, You've probably know this. Ask someone, are You ready to watch particular series/film, because there is no chance You'll understand something from FLCL without preparation.

Peace

Probably greatest ecological disaster in history.

Great Oxygenation Event - The rising oxygen levels may have wiped out a huge portion of the Earth's anerobic inhabitants at the time.

Levothyroxine and colorectal cancer.

Thyroxine is one of major hormones controlling metabolism levels. According to population-based matched case–control study (2566 pairs) in northern Israel ^the use of levothyroxine was associated with a statistically significantly reduced relative risk of CRC (odds ratio = 0.59, 95% confidence interval = 0.43 to 0.82, P = .001). This association remained statistically significant after adjustment for age, sex, use of aspirin and statins, sports activity, family historyof CRC, ethnic group, and level of vegetable consumption (odds ratio = 0.60, 95% confidence interval = 0.44 to 0.81, P = .001).

A Case–Control Study of Levothyroxine and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Gad Rennert, Hedy S. Rennert, Mila Pinchev, Stephen B. Gruber

About nuclear explosion and Macondo

Nuclear explosion works differently. Conventional explosion is producing large quantities of gases. Their power is derived from gases resulting from decomposition of explosive material.

You can build nuclear device, which produces so much heat that conventional explosion would be cold place in comparison. Surroundings rocks becomes glass instantly. It was done successfully.

There are some reasons that should exclude usage of explosives in this place:

* I couldn't find a way to guaranty that well, used to deliver the bomb will be sefely sealed on this depth.

* There are many confirmed displacements on the bathymetric map of Mexican Gulf.

I can find more, so chill out. Nobody will nuke Macondo.

I'm no expert, but look for Yourself. Gulf of Mexico continental slope

This seafloor image displays clear structural

evidence of three types of relative displacements between the minibasins: extension, shortening or strike-slip.

Salt Tectonics, Sediments and Prospectivity

A Research Conference sponsored by the

Petroleum Group of The Geological Society of

London and SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology

EDIT: Why to drill well there?

33% of US crude oil production and 13% of natural gas production comes from Gulf of Mexico.

Source

It was predicted that production could be even significantly bigger.