A1A South

Robert Knox, 18, who acted alongside Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, became the 28th teenager killed in Britain this year, and the 10th in London to die from stab wounds.

……Mr Knox, a grammar school boy, is understood to have been fatally stabbed after trying to save his 16-year-old brother, Jamie, from a man armed with two knives.

The man began attacking drinkers outside the Metro bar, next to Sidcup railway station, south-east London. Witnesses said that the attacker had earlier been thrown out by bouncers, but returned in the early hours with several friends.

Source:

Most crime prevention measures fail when there aren’t any real penalties attached.

From Xinhua.net

…..Many feared the aftershock and subsequent landslides might hamper some 1,800 rescuers as they trekked toward a large quake lake at Tangjiashan, where they hoped to blast the lake barrier on Sunday night, before it bursts and causes a flood. Earlier attempts to carry out the mission by helicopter were hampered by bad weather.

The Tangjiashan quake lake, which is in danger of bursting as water builds up in it, is one of the more than 30 such lakes in rivers blocked by landslides from the earthquake and thousands of aftershocks.

The lake is 3.2 km upstream from the Beichuan County seat, from which thousands of survivors have been evacuated since Wednesday.

Its barrier is in danger of bursting as the water level rose by nearly 2 meters on Saturday to 723 meters, only 29 meters below the lowest part of the barrier, which measured 752 meters high.

Source: Xinhuanet.com

My heart goes out to the Chinese people struggling to cope with so many disasters at once.

I was reading this in the paper, and had to chuckle to myself:

”Consumers are starting to get restless, and Washington is starting to listen,” said Morningstar analyst Ann Gilpin, who follows Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland, the country’s second-largest ethanol producer.

The ethanol market would be severely limited if Congress rolled back the federal mandate that calls for annual increases in the amount of biofuels added to the fuel supply — 9 billion gallons by the end of this year, increasing to 36 billion gallons by 2022.

That would most hurt companies that rely exclusively or primarily on ethanol, which include a mix of small, often locally-owned distillers — already under pressure since ethanol prices fell and corn prices rose sharply — as well as larger publicly traded firms like VeraSun Energy, the country’s top ethanol producer.

”If you sell one product and the only reason there’s a market for it is because the government makes a law requiring consumption — if that law goes away, obviously you’re in trouble,” Gilpin said.

Source:

Yep. If the only reason for consumption is because the government requires it, I would say that there is a problem. A really, really big one.

In its bid to halt climate change, Florida has pumped $50-million into ethanol projects in the past two years.

Is it worth it?

Florida has bet millions on unproven technology. If it works, in a decade Florida will produce enough ethanol to offset less than 2 percent of its thirst for gasoline. The state’s gamble on ethanol continues, even as new research indicates that ethanol could be far worse for the planet than gasoline.

Source:

If turning sugar into alcohol to run a vehicle is that cost effective, seems to me that there should be a still in every back yard. Why enrich some middleman paying for something that you can do yourself?

In the meantime, I’m still pissed off because the government is forcing me to buy a blend of gas and ethanol that will reduce my fuel efficiency and doesn’t save squat at the pumps.

The scarce rainfall registered first in agricultural areas, where vegetable and fruit growers watched their irrigation ponds dry up and their customers at farmers’ markets grumbled about undersized apples and pears.

Vázquez initiated the first phase of the conservation measures on April 14, banning outdoor entertainment at night and instructing public agencies to cut energy consumption by five percent.

In all, Uruguay received 3.3 inches of rain from March 1 through May 10, 4.4 inches below average, according to the National Institute of Agricultural Research. It rained less than an inch last month, and there has been no significant rainfall in May.

That has so slowed the Río Uruguay, on the western border, and the Río Negro, in the center of the country, that Uruguay’s four hydroelectric plants are almost completely disabled. In the Río Negro, the government is preserving what little water remains at the dam for the winter months. On the Río Uruguay, the largest dam, by the city of Salto, is operating at 20 percent of capacity and the energy it produces is shared with Argentina.

Normally, the dams are the pride of Uruguay, producing 80 percent of the country’s energy needs, according to government statistics. Last winter, they satisfied all domestic demand, idling the costly oil-fired plants in Montevideo.

Now, those plants are burning imported oil day and night to feed the grid, draining the government treasury. The state energy company, UTE, already has spent more than $300 million in 2008, after budgeting $340 million for the entire year.

The price of the oil UTE buys, though heavily subsidized to forestall electricity rate hikes, recently jumped by 5 percent. It has almost doubled in the past two years, although that increase has not been passed along to customers.

Even operating at capacity, Uruguay’s power generators are falling short. With no domestic oil or natural gas, the country is now at the mercy of Argentina and Brazil to provide electricity because the oil-fired plants in Uruguay are already operating at capacity.

”If it rains, we’re independent,” said Magdalena Marinoni, one of three members of a government commission implementing the president’s energy saving plan. “If it doesn’t, we’re not.”

Source: Miami Herald

Alternative energy sources are great, but…..hydroelectric can be knocked out by drought. Wind power…well, THAT’S no good if the wind isn’t blowing. Solar is still too expensive for the average bear and not so good in cloudy climates. Ethanol (sugar based) again depends on the climate and rainfall.

For those of us that enjoyed Robert Asprin’s hilarious sci fi books, the news of Robert Asprin’s demise comes as a shock. I started reading Robert Asprin in the late night hours after the birth of my son who even then preferred the late night hours. (Even today, while he has a daughter and a successful business, he will be playing music with his ol’ friends until 3 or 4 a.m. on the weekends.)

As time passed and Robert Asprin got in trouble with the IRS, I could sympathize: Been there, done that. I had hoped that his troubles with the IRS were over and the fans could look forward to a new, prolific writing future but alas, it was not to be.

Wherever you are, Robert Asprin, I bet you’re having a great time.

BEIJING, May 24 — Coal shortages have forced 39 power plants in China to halt generation with 6.37 gigawatts of capacity affected, as fuel inventories further decline, the industry watchdog said.

Among the most affected provinces, Hebei only has 5.1 days worth of consumption and Hunan 3.4 days, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission said. Anhui has slightly recovered with 3.7 days of supply. The government’s warning level for coal inventories is seven days.

The situation has worsened from earlier this week when the SERC reported 32 power plants had been closed, affecting 4.82GW of capacity. China’s total installed power generating capacity was 713GW at the end of 2007, of which around three quarters were coal fired.

In quake-hit Sichuan Province, coal stockpiles at power plants averaged nine days of supply as of Wednesday. But one plant is running out of fuel and another eight are below the seven-day consumption line, the SERC said.

The shortfall comes after coal prices have surged over recent months.

Although higher coal prices are enough to trigger a state-mandated mechanism to hike power tariffs, industry observers don’t expect this to come any time soon as the government has to fight inflation, especially after the Sichuan quake.

As utility firms are squeezed between rising costs and capped tariffs, they are reported to be unwilling to stock up on the fuel.

China’s safety campaign to crack down on small and inefficient mines might also be playing a part in limiting coal supplies.

“The sharp decline of stockpiles means power shortfalls may come and fuel prices may continue to rise,” said Wang Shuang, a United Securities analyst.

The SERC did not point out how to tackle the shortages but said it was working on ensuring supplies throughout the earthquake-affected areas.

It called for more hydro power in Sichuan and said electricity was being diverted from other regions to supply the southwestern province.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)

There are several coal mines with miners trapped in them, condition unknown, from the earthquake:

A government official said Saturday that a rescue operation was under way for 24 coal miners believed trapped in three mines in the quake zone. The government said at least 176 coal miners were killed and 254 were missing in the 316 coal mines affected by quake.

From Reuters:

SHANGHAI, May 22 (Reuters) - China’s coal prices rose to a record high on Thursday due to higher international prices and rising demand for coal after last week’s devastating earthquake in southwest China, traders and analysts said.

The benchmark price for top grade 5,800 kcal/kg coal at Qinhuangdao, China’s top coal shipping port, rose 25 yuan from Wednesday to 745-755 yuan ($107-$108.50), up 62 percent from a year earlier, according to www.cqcoal.com, a market information website operated by a domestic industry venture.

“With the fast rise in prices on the international market, people here expect that domestic prices will catch up,” said a Guangzhou-based trader, who asked not to be named.

Thermal coal prices at Australia’s Newcastle port, a benchmark for Asia, had risen to a three-month high near $135 a tonne by Monday, led by strong demand from Europeans looking for an alternative to expensive oil.

Traders and analysts noted that the high international prices provided a strong incentive for Chinese miners to export, which in turn put pressure on supplies on the domestic market.

In addition, the deadly earthquake that hit Sichuan province last week has shut several of the region’s hydropower stations and natural gas facilities, analysts said.

“Cuts in natural gas and hydropower production have led to surging demand for coal,” said Henry Liu, an analyst at Macquarie.

Coal prices are expected to continue to climb with the approach of summer, the peak electricity consumption season, but traders and analysts said the government might take steps to ensure coal supplies ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August. (Reporting by Rujun Shen; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

Even this ol’ rural Florida gal can see that energy sources are getting tighter, and the prices will continue to rise. Since it could take a decade or more for oil shale to be developed to be commercially feasible, I wonder what the hell the senate is thinking?

Oil Shale Hits Senate Roadblock

….The amendment failed on a 14-15 vote, but not before an emotion-packed debate that included Republican accusations that environmentalist concerns were preventing the country from reaching energy independence.

Tapping oil shale reserves has proven to be a tough proposition, both technologically and politically, for several decades now. Although Colorado’s reserves are estimated to be roughly twice the size of Saudi Arabia’s, it could take much of the next decade before significant supplies could be extracted out of the rock.

Still, “If we’re really serious about reducing pain at the pump, this is a vote that would make a difference in people’s lives,” Allard told the committee.

One of these days, somebody better explain to those public parasites that in energy, it is far better to be proactive than reactive.

Once more, it is click it or ticket time when our law enforcement professionals write expensive tickets to “encourage” us to use safety belts. I’m sure the extra revenue for the state is just an added benefit.

So why would I get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt while seated inside a truck weighing a ton and some yahoo on a crotch rocket without a helmet OR a seatbelt is ticket free? Where is the sense in THAT? If this is all about public safety, shouldn’t there be mandatory helmets and safety equipment worn by motorcyclists? It almost seems as if this is not about public safety at all.

Since motorcycle riders have the right to be dumbasses and not wear helmets, I believe I should have the same right to refrain from buckling up if I don’t happen to feel like it. I hate the nanny state.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Armed men driving an innocent-seeming vehicle have robbed several people in the Riverside area. Police said a trio of crooks has been catching its victims off guard by traveling in a vehicle labeled “Church Van.”

Two armed robberies recently took place at different locations just minutes apart, but police said what both crimes have in common is that the victims said the thieves were in the church van.

According to police, the first armed robbery happened outside Robert E. Lee High School on Wednesday shortly before midnight.

The victim told investigators he was walking when a large white van drove up that had church van printed on it in faded letters.

Police said two men with a gun jumped out of the van and started yelling at the victim to get on the ground before taking his wallet.

Another incident took place in similar fashion in the Riverside area, but this time it was two women who said the church van drove up and two men came running out, pointed a gun and forced them to the ground.

Neighbors in the area said the church-van description is alarming.

“There’s several community churches around here, and you’ll see lots of white vans that say church van be it faded or not,” said Jennifer Bradley. “It’s just one of the things you see all the time. You assume if you see church van on the side of a vehicle like that that it’s a church van and that it’s a safe vehicle.”

Jennifer and Erica Bradley said they never think twice when church vans drive by because to them the vehicles stand for safety and trust.

“You’re going to church, for heaven’s sakes. This should be a safe thing to do, and it should be respected. Obviously it’s not,” said Erica Bradley.

Police said none of the victims robbed were hurt. They also said there were three men involved in the robberies, including one driver and two men who jumped out with guns.

The church van involved is described as being white with dark tinted windows and faded red lettering, possibly with the letter V being the most prominent.

Anyone with information that could help police is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

Source: First Coast News

If you see a white church van cruising the streets, take cover! No doubt next week, a school bus will be stopping and robbing the kids at the bus stop.

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A mother has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for keeping her 17-year-old adopted son caged in her home.

Brenda Sullivan pleaded guilty in January to three counts of aggravated child abuse. Prosecutors agreed to drop lesser child-neglect charges.

The teen weighed 49 pounds when child welfare workers found him in 2005 in what appeared to be a cage.

Two other children, 13-year-old twins the Sullivans adopted as infants, both testified they were kept in similar cages.

Sullivan’s husband was also arrested, but died in January 2007 while awaiting trial.

Sullivan’s lawyer, Charles Fletcher, said he didn’t think prison was the right option because she does not pose a threat to society. He said they would appeal.

Source: First Coast News

Perhaps those stringent background investigations of prospective adoptive parents should be modified to include a question as to whether or not you keep your adopted children in cages.

In memory of the fallen warriors who knew that preemptive surrender is never an option.