After 6000 mile trip crane arrives in New York to rebuild Tappan Zee Bridge

 

image credit details, top image Chad Rachman, bottom AP, Jersey Journal

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Tappan Zee Bridge map in relation to the Bronx

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1/30/14, "‘I Lift New York’ crane ends 6,000-mile trip to rebuild Tappan Zee Bridge," NY Post, Rebecca Harshbarger

"A massive crane that will build the new Tappan Zee Bridge arrived in New York Harbor and passed the Statue of Liberty Thursday morning after a 6,000-mile odyssey from California to the Panama Canal.

Originally called the Left Coast Lifter, it has now been christened the I Lift New York.

The floating crane can lift up to 1,750 tons, and replaced part of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the largest public infrastructure project in California’s history.

It left Oakland Harbor for New York on Dec. 21, and was pulled by two tug boats along California, Mexico, and Central America. It passed through the Panama Canal on Jan. 15
.
The crane is now on its way to a Port Authority facility in Jersey City, according to a Thruway Authority spokesman.

The crane will tear down the existing Tappan Zee Bridge, and then help build the new bridge’s structure and foundation.

It is expected to shorten construction time, and cut costs in building because it is so powerful.

“The Lift New York super crane can lift the equivalent of twelve Statues of Liberty at once,” said Governor Cuomo in a statement today. “And its ability to lift huge modular components of the new bridge into place and to help dismantle the old bridge will reduce construction time by months and reduce project costs by millions of dollars.”" image Chad Rachman
 
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1/30/14, "Monster Crane Building Tappan Zee Finally Arrives in NY," AP, Tarrytown, NY, via hamodia.com

"Two months after leaving San Francisco, a huge floating crane longer than a football field arrived Thursday along the Hudson River where it will be used to build the new $3.9 billion Tappan Zee Bridge.

The 400-foot-long Left Coast Lifter departed from the West Coast in December on a 6,000-mile voyage to New York. The crane traveled down through the Panama Canal, across the Gulf of Mexico, up the East Coast and through New York Harbor.

The “Left Coast Lifter,” nicknamed “I Lift NY,” one of the world’s largest, can lift 1,750 metric tons, or 12 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. It will also be used to demolish the existing bridge." image caption, "The 400-foot long monster crane makes its way along the Hudson River on its way to port Thursday in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/The Jersey Journal, Reena Rose Sibayan)"

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6/26/12, "Faulting a Plan to Replace the Scorned Tappan Zee," NY Times, Peter Applebome

"It was unloved from the start, built on the cheap, located improbably at the broadest stretch of the Hudson River, its improvised design derided by its own engineers as “one of the ugliest bridges in the East.” 

Almost everything about the Tappan Zee Bridge has been criticized since it opened in 1955 — its congestion, its safety, its narrow lanes, substandard design and unfortunate history of suicides — though Gov. Thomas E. Dewey did defend its location on the grounds that it was outside the range of an atomic bomb falling on New York City and thus the only bridge likely to survive an attack. 

Now, after more than a decade of delay and inaction, the state seems on the verge of building a new and significantly upgraded Tappan Zee, a project that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and other proponents said would produce tens of thousands of construction jobs, improve commutes for frustrated drivers and replace the George Costanza of New York bridges with a successor twice its size in one of the largest construction projects in state history. 

Alas, the bridge may end up better, but there has been no more love for this project."...

Tappan Zee Bridge photo above from NY Times, 6/26/12

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'Radio is Awesome,' says WSB radio man after 12 hours on the air while thousands in Georgia were stranded on roads

Erick Erickson is a WSB Atlanta radio host and was on the air for 12 hours during the storm in Georgia this week when thousands were stranded on roads:

1/29/14, "Radio is Awesome," Erick Erickson, RedState.com

"I just got off the radio, having gotten behind the microphone at 4pm yesterday afternoon. Weather and traffic in Atlanta are horrible. As I was signing off at 4 am, there were still thousands of people stranded on the road unable to get home. Many of them had begun their journey home at noon on Tuesday.

I was really delighted to be able to be company and a friend for these people stuck in traffic. I just took calls most of the night so they could vent, ask for help, or just chat. My call screener was worn out after about eight hours so I sent him to bed. He’ll sleep on the floor somewhere at the studio. He couldn’t get home.

After he left, I took all the remaining calls and then just chatted. I walked folks through my Sunday School lesson from last Sunday even. After I was done, I’ve hung out on twitter to answer questions of Atlanta area commuters stuck on roads who just want to get home. I am utterly exhausted and probably should not have had that glass of bourbon at 3am. But it was a wonderful time.

And I really and honestly and truly would not have been put in that position to be able to do that, but for the prayers and encouragement of so many of you. So as you are waking up, I’ll say thank you and goodnight."...

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Among comments to Erick's post at Red State:

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"qwck10th• 20 hours ago

Thank you Eric. First, I was one of those listening - for a while, anyway. After 5 hours and 7 miles in the car, I hoofed it the last 6 miles... in only 3 hours. :)

Second, to all the moronic Wednesday morning quarterbacking jerks (Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel), screw you! Gov. Deal, and Mayor Reed are doing the best they can with what they have (and I'm not a fan of either - less so, Reed.)

Third, To the guy handing out hot coffee on Windy Hill Rd, thank you. To the many, many people that were helping others push/pull their cars up the hills and out of ditches, thank you. Atlanta is different that way - even with all those Yankee move-in's. :)

Thoughts and prayers to those still stranded."

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"bgmacaw• a day ago

Your WSB colleague, Kirk Mellish, was also helpful by having one of the more accurate forecasts on any of the Atlanta radio and TV stations.

Many others were still repeating the old forecast, saying there was only going to be a "dusting" of snow. This went on up until about 2 PM, causing some businesses, and perhaps schools, to delay closing. This resulted in a large number of people getting on the road at 2:30 or later, after road conditions had deteriorated rapidly and significantly."

=======================

"imperfectamerica a day ago

You'll probably never have any idea how many people kept their spirits buoyed for those many hours of dark, bitter cold by listening to you. Nice job."

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Yankee radio producer and engineer Carlos Silva passes at age 50 from cancer

1/19/14, Yankees Radio Engineer Carlos Silva Dies After Cancer Fight," newyork.cbslocal.com

Bernie and Carlos

"Carlos Silva, a longtime producer and engineer for Yankees games on WCBS 880, died Sunday morning after fighting esophageal and stomach cancer, his daughter said.

Silva, 50, worked in the game-day radio booth behind Yankees announcers John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman since 2006.

He had been battling cancer since the end of the 2012 baseball season but was able to work in the booth all of last year. His cancer returned this fall, and he was undergoing treatment while preparing to work with the broadcast team this spring.

“I started feeling sick after the All-Star Game,” the native of Caracas, Venezuela, told the New York Daily News in a December 2012 article. “When I got back from the break, I had trouble swallowing food and even liquid. I figured it was an allergy or something, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. It got worse during the next three months until the end of the season.”

Silva died at his offseason home in Lutz, Fla. His condition had taken a turn for the worse over the past two weeks. He had spent the past few days surrounded by his family and friends.

Silva is survived by his wife, Teresa, and their three children — Leslie, Kimberly and Matthew. While battling cancer, Silva found great support on the job from Waldman, a breast cancer survivor.

“Carlos Silva came to this country with nothing but the clothes on his back and a dream,” Waldman told WCBS 880 in an email Sunday. “He raised a beautiful family, sent two daughters to college, became a citizen, and a beloved part of the Yankees Family. He put up an arduous fight against the worst enemy one can have. He will be missed terribly, but will never be forgotten.”

Silva also worked with the WCBS Spanish Yankees broadcasts on WADO 1280 in New York City. During his career, Silva also worked for ESPN Radio, Phillies Spanish radio, the NBA’s Orlando Magic and the New Jersey Nets.

In the Daily News article, Silva expressed concern for the financial toll his illness was taking on his family because he was “the only supporter in the home.” In response, the Yankees sponsored fundraisers for him. Those wishing to help the Silvas can send a check to the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund. Please mark the check “For the Carlos Silva Family” and mail it to:

SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund
℅ Bryant Bank, Attn: Heike Harris
1550 McFarland Boulevard N
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406." image above from WCBS Radio 880, via NY Radio Message Board, Radio Ink

========================

Comment: Suzyn and John often mentioned Carlos during the broadcasts and seemed to like him very much. Suzyn mentioned a couple of times that Carlos knew everyone in US baseball from Venezuela.

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Andy and Mo at NY BBWAA dinner, 1/25/14

1/26/14, "Mo, Pettitte celebrated during BBWAA dinner," MLB.com, Bryan Hoch



 

1/25/14, NY BBWAA awards dais, Joe Torre, Andy Pettitte, Mo, David Robertson, twitter pic Yankees PR



1/25/14, "Rivera, Pettitte and Robertson being honored by BBWAA," Chad Jennings, Lohud Yankee blog

"Tonight is the annual awards dinner for the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. It’s at the New York Hilton, and it’s a nice night to recognize some of the best in the game. MVP Awards are handed out, Cy Youngs are presented, and a handful of local awards are given.

This year, two of those local awards are going to familiar faces. Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are being recognized as the Toast of the Town, and Dave Robertson is being recognized with the Good Guy Award, given annually by the New York baseball press to recognize a player who’s gone above and beyond to work with the writers. Robertson was a great choice, and Rivera and Pettitte were easy selections as the Toast of the Town this year.

The dinner begins at 7 p.m. I’m not entirely sure, but there’s a chance some highlights will make their way online or to MLB Network. I believe that’s happened in the past."

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 1/15/14, Mariano Rivera at NY BBWAA dinner, David Waldstein twitterpic


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Among tweets via Lohud Yankee blog, "Yankees Coverage"

Peter Botte @PeterBotte

 

"Been attending these dinners long time, never had dais like this: Aaron, Koufax, Mariano, Torre, Cox, LaRussa & all 2013 MLB award winners.

Retweeted by Lohud Yankees Blog"
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===========================
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David Waldstein @DavidWaldstein

 

"when fan yells, "One more year," Mo points to David Robertson and says "We have our future closer right here and you have to respect that.""

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1/26/14, "Rivera: Robertson is the Yankees’ closer now," NY Post, Dan Martin

"Hal Steinbrenner named David Robertson the new Yankees closer last week. Robertson got an even better endorsement Saturday night from Mariano Rivera.

While Rivera was being honored at the New York Chapter BBWAA dinner, a fan yelled out “one more year.”

The retired closer made it clear he had “emptied the tank,” then pointed to Robertson and said “You have your new closer right here.”"...

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Yankee Stadium transformed to ice hockey rink for Sunday Rangers-Devils game

1/25/14, "How they transformed Yankee Stadium for hockey," Newsday, John Jeansonne

1/25/14, R. Stubblebine

"There is a 53-foot, 300-ton truck hidden beyond Yankee Stadium's centerfield tunnel that is providing the refrigeration system for Sunday's outdoor Rangers-Devils hockey game.

Not because the air hasn't been cold enough, but workers target an ideal ice temperature of 22 degrees.

Mostly out of sight, too, are hoses strewn in the snow around the pre-fab rink. And a series of pipes branching off the one feeder pipe from that cooling machine, constantly recirculating 3,000 gallons of coolant.

Wires and cables and fencing are everywhere around the regulation NHL rink. There is so much extra stuff atop the nation's most celebrated baseball terrain that it seems silly to recall how a single exposed drain pipe in the original Yankee Stadium's outfield in 1951 caused Mickey Mantle to tear up a knee.

But 21st-century technology and money -- just the system rink system, not counting the transportation costs and construction, runs into seven figures -- allow a magnitude and moxie to the NHL's movable outdoor feasts.

When the Rangers and Devils tested the portable rink Saturday for the first time, the maestro of these outdoor rinks -- NHL facilities director Dan Craig -- and his top deputies were in Los Angeles, rigging up their other man-made pond at Dodger Stadium for Saturday night's Ducks-Kings duel.

They were scheduled to take the red-eye flight into New York Sunday morning to oversee the Yankee Stadium project. Meanwhile, a crew of scores of assistants, along with help from the regular Yankee Stadium grounds crew, handled preparations in pinstripe territory.

Operations began two weeks ago when the huge refrigeration truck, which essentially contains all the equipment of a stationary indoor arena, arrived. Along with that truck came a convoy of vehicles ferrying all the panels, lumber, pipes and other equipment needed. Construction began with wood blocks laid over the Yankees' field. The rink's footprint extends from the third-base line to the first-base side, and from just inside second base into the outfield.

Then came decking risers, plywood, 80 aluminum trays to be filled with coolant and pipes to circulate the coolant from the refrigerator truck. Then the rink's sideboards went up and 20,000 gallons of water were sprayed for two days in a fine mist to ensure an even, smooth surface.

White paint was sprayed, then another layer of mist to freeze. Face-off circles and lines were painted and logos -- laid in something like decals -- went down before the final layer of frozen water.

Last Tuesday's big snowfall necessitated a full day of shoveling by crew members, stalling the whole operation. And the weight of the rink, on the platform roughly two feet above field level, led to the use of smaller Zamboni machines, similar to the units on the Rockefeller Center skating rink.

But nothing stops progress. Little about the 2014 outdoor undertakings resemble the first of the NHL "Winter Classics" in Buffalo in 2008, and this year, for the first time, the NHL has two portable rinks."

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Fox now owns 80% of the YES Network-Neil Best, Newsday

1/24/14, "Fox ups ownership of YES to 80 percent," Newsday, Best

"Fox announced Friday that it has reached an agreement to raise its ownership position in the YES Network from 49 to 80 percent, exercising a right that was part of a deal announced in late 2012.

That agreement allowed the Yankees to cash out some of their stake in YES, but the team never owned a majority of the 12-year-old network and will continue to own the remaining 20 percent after the Fox deal is completed.

Tracy Dolgin, YES' longtime president and CEO, will remain in that role.

Fox raised its stake by buying out other partners, notably Goldman Sachs. The 2012 agreement valued the network at well over $3 billion, more than the Yankees themselves are worth.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a news release: "Clearly, 21st Century Fox is a great partner for us as the YES Network fulfills and expands its potential as one of the nation's premier regional sports networks. We are gratified that 21st Century Fox has increased their stake and investment in the network."

Fox, which owns 22 regional sports networks, could try to place Yankees games on its national cable outlet, Fox Sports 1.

A Fox source who requested anonymity said the company is not expected to rebrand the channel.

In addition to the money the Yankees made in selling part of the network in 2012, they will receive a windfall from Fox in the form of payments that will extend the channel's rights to carry Yankees games to 2042."

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John Sterling to emcee inaugural Kitten Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2 on Hallmark Channel

About Kitten Bowl, Hallmark Channel, Feb. 2 at 12N/11C: "This inaugural three-hour special event, in Association with North Shore Animal League America, will be hosted by TV personality and activist Beth Stern, and emceed by John Sterling, the legendary radio voice of the New York Yankees.

All of the kittens participating in the competition are guaranteed forever homes through Hallmark Channel’s partnership with North Shore Animal League America whose innovations in animal welfare have saved more than 1,000,000 pets – and counting! “Kitten Bowl” guarantees the 60-70 kitten participants will join the list of pets adopted into loving homes and will significantly raise the awareness of the plight of shelter animals across the country."...

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10/21/13, "John Sterling will call Kitten Bowl," Newsday, Neil Best

"As far as I can tell, this is an actual thing: Hallmark Channel announced Monday that it will carry the first ever "Kitten Bowl" on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2, with John Sterling on play-by-play and Beth Stern, wife of Howard, as host.

No, really. I think.

Kitten Bowl will be conducted in association with North Shore Animal League America, with all of the participating kittens guaranteed homes when the big event is over.

The news release for the event said it is part of the channel's "Pet Project" initiative, which is "devoted to celebrating pets and the incredible joy and enrichment they bring to our lives."

Ms. Stern is a long-time advocate of shelter pets. Sterling is . . . well, Sterling.

Said the news release: One can already expect that regardless which team of felines prevails in “Kitten Bowl,” no doubt, “The kit-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-ens win!”

Kitten Bowl, which Hallmark is calling "the greatest feline showdown in cable television history," will include an obstacle course WITH hurdles, tunnels, hoops, jumps, weave poles, lasers, lures and toys on strings.

Animal Planet has carried the popular Puppy Bowl on Super Bowl Sunday for the past nine years."

===========================

10/23/13, "At Super Bowl XLVIII halftime, ‘Kitten Bowl’ called by John Sterling, will kick off on Hallmark Channel," NY Daily News, D. O'Leary

 

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It's 1 degree in the Bronx, 7 in Manhattan

1/22/14, 8:30AM, NY 1 Weather

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It's 9 degrees in the Bronx, 12 in Manhattan

1/21/14, "11pm real feel," NY1 weather twitterpic




1/21/14, 11pm temperatures in NY City, NY1 Weather

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Red Sox scout Fagnant watches Mariano Rivera Jr. throw at recent indoor event in NY-MassLive

1/19/14, "Red Sox scout Ray Fagnant gets a look at the son of an immortal," Mass Live, Ron Chimelis, Chicopee

"Ray Fagnant has a scoop: There is no cutter in the pitching arsenal of Mariano Rivera Jr.

"His dad said he could never throw a slider, but his son does,'' said Fagnant, the Boston Red Sox scout who watched the son of famed Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera at a recent indoor workout in New York.

Fagnant spoke Sunday at a breakfast of the League of Sacred Heart, a club associated with St. Rose de Lima Church. A Chicopee native and 22-year scouting veteran, the Red Sox talent evaluator said he covered 60,000 miles and watched 500 games each year.

"There is no offseason. The Saturday after we had won the World Series, we held a workout at Fenway Park for (draft) prospects from all over the country.

Fagnant scouts the Northeast region. That takes in New England, New York, New Jersey and eastern Canada, which he described as "east of British Columbia.''

Since the 2013 season ended, he has scouted the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals minor leaguers in the offseason Instructional League. He also worked with former pitcher Eric Gagne as coaches of the French national team.

Scouting Rivera's son was a unique experience, he said.

"Here was the greatest relief pitcher in history, a guy with ice water in his veins, but watching his son pitch, Mariano was as nervous as could be,'' Fagnant said.

"He's a dad. He would give up all five of his World Series rings and his future Hall of Fame spot if it could get his son to the big leagues.''

Will that happen? Too soon to say for Mariano Rivera, Jr., a sophomore pitcher for Iona College, but Fagnant said he has seen the right-hander grow and improve over the past couple of years.

That is typical of scouting teenagers, notably in Fagnant's region. Players from the Northeast play fewer games than their warm-weather counterparts, a drawback in one sense but an advantage in another.

Because most of their baseball is still ahead of them, "they have what we call a higher projectibility because they have more room to develop,'' he said.

Warm-weather players, by comparison, are closer to being finished products at an earlier age. Fagnant said the prospect of untapped potential makes cold-weather players intriguing and often appealing.

Most of Fagnant's work is aimed at giving the Red Sox information for the June first-year player draft. He said his work on the 2014 draft began the day after the 2013 draft began."...

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Bernie Williams and Mariano Rivera attend hunger outreach benefit in Danbury, Ct. on Jan. 18

1/18/14, Former Yankees speak out against hunger," News Times, Susan Tuz, Danbury, Ct.

"Two of baseball's greats, Mariano Rivera and Bernie Williams, lent their names and fame to the Speak Out Against Hunger benefit at The Matrix on Saturday.

Rivera, a pitcher, retired from the New York Yankees in 2013 after 19 seasons. Williams retired from the Yankees in 2007 after 16 seasons playing center field.

Both men have deep religious beliefs, and it is that sense of religious community that drives their commitment to charitable outreach. Saturday found them at a benefit for the Hillside Food Outreach.

"I had 19 years in the big leagues, but was always moving toward my new career of spiritual outreach," said Rivera, whose church, Refugio de Esperanza, is in New Rochelle, N.Y.

"Every time you see a sports figure doing this kind of thing, it is wonderful," Rivera said. "It's an honor and a privilege to be touching life in another way."

Williams noted that "a lot of players have a hard time adjusting to life after baseball. You do have to change grooves. I was blessed to be able to shift gears into music and Mariano had a plan as well."

Both men said they were doing exactly what they wanted to be doing at this point in their lives.

Williams, a jazz guitarist, has recorded several albums and published a book in 2011, "Rhythm of The Game: The Link Between Music and Athletic Performance."

"I'm doing exactly what I want to do," Rivera said. "No second thoughts at all. I'm done with baseball."

"There was a chance I'd play Houston (in the last series of the 2013 season), but my knees are all beat up. I knew I wouldn't be able to run and catch a fly ball. I want to remember my last game was in Yankee Stadium. I love the game of baseball. I'd never play unless I could give it my all," Rivera added, speaking of the end of his Yankee career." image above by Tyler Sizemore, caption,

"Former New York Yankees Bernie Williams, left, and Mariano Rivera laugh during dinner at the Speak Out Against Hunger benefit for the Hillside Food Outreach at the Matrix Conference & Banquet Center in Danbury, Conn. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. The event was hosted by former Yankee player and Grammy-nominated jazz musician Bernie Williams with special guest Mariano Rivera."

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Yankees withdraw Ocala proposal for new stadium for Class A Tampa, was 'dividiing the community'-WUFT

1/7/14, "Marion County (Fla.) Strikes Tax Vote for Ocala Baseball Stadium," wuft.org, Kathryn Varn

"The Marion County Commission struck down two tax proposals Tuesday morning originally drafted to help pay for a minor league baseball stadium in Ocala.

The project, designed to fund a stadium that would eventually become home to the Tampa Yankees, was pulled at the request of the Ocala City Council after Yankees officials told the council they believed the tax idea was dividing the community.

If the stadium referendum had been approved, Marion County taxpayers would have had the opportunity to vote in a March special election on a five-year, half-cent tax to cover the $38 million price tag.

However, the project was met with opposition from citizens and city officials since it was introduced in October. Some thought money would be better spent on infrastructure and school improvements.

Other residents complained a wealthy sports enterprise shouldn’t receive tax breaks by playing in a stadium on government-owned land. “There’s no reason why this can’t be a taxable piece of land,” citizen Roger Knechtel said at the Tuesday meeting.

Henry Munoz, another resident, agreed with Knechtel because “if they get a tax break, I gotta pay for it. It comes down to that because you don’t get something for nothing.”

Commenters also requested commissioners reveal how they would’ve voted on the ordinances to help voters decide in the upcoming county commission election for Districts 2 and 4. “Voters want to know where people stand on this issue,” resident Dave Walker said.

Citizens who spoke during the meeting also praised commissioners for holding off on the vote and maintaining control of the county’s money.

“I’m here today to say that I really appreciate your excellent stewardship of our money,” resident Jack Stackman told the commission. “Had you rubber-stamped the city of Ocala’s process, we’d be scheduled to have an election in March that probably wouldn’t have passed.”"

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Frank Thomas and Jason Giambi were only active players to meet with Mitchell Report-Time, 2007

12/13/2007, "Mitchell Named Names. Now What?" Time.com, Sean Gregory

"Frank Thomas and Jason Giambi were the only active players who talked to Mitchell's team."...(2nd parag. under subhead, "How did Mitchell pull this off?")

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India leads world in suspensions for performance enhancing drug use, tens of thousands of poor young people in India see athletic success as a way to get a government job and avoid poverty

1/2/14, "Banned Substances Claim an Outsize Role in Athletics in India," NY Times, Rebecca Byerly

"Athletes around the world have had their careers marred by doping, but Indian athletes, with easy access to legal steroids and limited knowledge about their consequences, lead the world in suspensions for performance-enhancing drug use. 

Nearly 500 have tested positive for banned substances since 2009, when India’s National Anti-Doping Agency, known as NADA, became fully functional. In 2012 alone, 178 Indians were barred from competition. Russia has had the second-highest number of suspensions, with more than 260 athletes barred since 2009.

At the same time, Russia, with a population of 143 million, has had great international athletic success, and India, a nation of 1.2 billion, has underperformed. India has won only 26 medals in the 113 years it has competed in the Olympic Games. Russia has earned 482 Olympic medals since it began competing as the Russian Federation in the 1994 Winter Games. 

“India cannot provide proper nutrition, training or medical care for its national athletes,” said Dr. Mohan Chandran, president of the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine. “So, of course, we are decades behind in our knowledge on doping.” 

But John Fahey, the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said India had come a long way in its efforts to catch up with international standards. The increase in testing and the enforcement of WADA rules could be one reason so many athletes are caught.

They learn to cut corners early, said Rehan Khan, a steroid supplier in New Delhi for more than 20 years. 

“Some of my biggest clients are the coaches of junior athletes,” Khan said. “Most of my clients understand what they are buying. They know they will get fast results, so it is worth the risks. If they don’t buy from me, they can just as easily order the steroids online.”

The salaries of coaches who train junior and national athletes are often dependent on the performance of their charges. Some of these coaches are not familiar with increasingly stringent doping tests; others believe that the drugs’ effect is worth the gamble.

“Whether it is a junior meet or university meet, you see syringes all over the track,” said Ashwini Nachappa, a former track star who is the president of Clean Sports India, an organization that fights corruption in athletics. “Nobody has given it a thought. The onus lies in the training center to start education programs and start randomly testing the kids so that there is fear.”

She said the Indian government should also stop hiring coaches from former Soviet bloc countries that have a long history of using performance-enhancing drugs.

A Way Out of Poverty

Most Indian athletes do not expect million dollar contracts or lucrative sponsorships. Careers in medicine or engineering are more respected. Yet for the tens of thousands who come from impoverished backgrounds and vie for positions on national teams, successful performances can ensure government jobs that will provide financial security for them and their families."...

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Roto Hall of Fame names 2014 inductees Roy Halladay, Todd Helton, and Mariano Rivera-Gardner, USA Today Sports

1/7/14, "Halladay, Helton, Rivera earn place in Roto Hall of Fame," Steve Gardner, USA Today Sports

"Step back for a moment from what's become an annual battle of rancor and ill will surrounding the Baseball Hall of Fame election -- and picture a shrine where only the best players of their era are celebrated for their accomplishments on the field.

There's no discussion of whether or not steroid use disqualifies a player because of the character clause.

That's because numbers are the only things that matter in this alternative reality called the Rotisserie Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ron Shandler, the founder of BaseballHQ.com, has taken on the task of looking at each player's stats objectively and measuring them against the others in their era. That's what fantasy baseball owners have been doing anyway since the game was invented in 1984. (That also serves as the starting point for this Hall of Fame.)

The standards are simple: Players must have been in the majors for at least 10 seasons. Eligibility is based on their lifetime and peak Rotisserie dollar earnings, plus the number of times they were ranked among the top 15 batters or pitchers in a season over their career.

(The complete criteria are available at Shandler's website ShandlerPark.com)

One of the great features about this Hall of Fame is that there's no need for a five-year waiting period. A player is one of the elite or he's not, so he can gain admittance the season after he retires.

As a result, the overloaded ballot that has many baseball writers struggling to whittle down to a maximum of 10 candidates isn't a problem. In fact, 20 of the 36 players who are on the BBWAA ballot are already members of the Roto Hall of Fame.

BBWAA BALLOT: How the candidates fared in Roto Hall system

On Tuesday, Shandler revealed the three new members in the Rotisserie Hall's Class of 2014:

RHP Roy Halladay
(Toronto Blue Jays for 12 seasons, Philadelphia Phillies for four seasons)
During the 10-year period of 2002 to 2011, Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. He finished in the top 15 of all pitchers seven times during that span and posted an ERA of 3.25 or better in eight of those years. He posted five $30-plus seasons, including four straight from 2008-2011. Only four pitchers had more $30-plus seasons: Randy Johnson (9), Roger Clemens (8), Greg Maddux (8) and Pedro Martinez (6).

1B Todd Helton
(Colorado Rockies for 17 seasons)
It can be argued that had Helton played in a stadium closer to sea level and during a non-steroid inflated era, he might have been nothing more than Mark Grace. But the Roto Hall only considers a player's actual impact on his fantasy teams, and Helton was incredibly dominant during the first half of his career. He is one of only 17 batters in the Hall with multiple $40-plus seasons.

RHP Mariano Rivera
(New York Yankees for 19 seasons)
Rivera was the best relief pitcher in the history of the game. He becomes the 10th reliever during the Rotisserie era to be inducted in the Roto Hall. Rivera earned more Rotisserie dollars in his career, averaged more per year and finished among the top 15 pitchers more often than any other relief pitcher.

The addition of Halladay, Helton and Rivera brings the total Roto Hall membership to 86 players.

ROTISSERIE HALL OF FAME: Full roster of members

Incidentally, the player with the highest career Roto value won't be inducted anytime soon by the BBWAA. But fantasy owners sure enjoyed Barry Bonds' record $729 in fantasy value over his 22 seasons."

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Minnesotans for Global Warming can't wait for 'Polar Vortex, The Movie'

1/7/14, "I Can’t Wait For ‘Polar Vortex’ The Movie!" Minnesotans for Global Warming, via WUWT








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Poster for 2004 sci-fi movie, "The Day After Tomorrow," about the world freezing to death, via IMDB
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1/7/14, Poster from 2004 science fiction movie, "The Day After Tomorrow," about cold weather meaning the end of the world. People who believe in global warming now cite this movie about global cooling as proof of global warming and the urgent need for global government:

1/7/14, "Definitive proof that the polar vortex is "The Day After Tomorrow," (photos)," globalgrind.com, Christina Coleman

==========================
Trailer for 2004 sci-fi film, "The Day After Tomorrow" now being cited by some (as above) as proof of global warming:



From You Tube trailer site:

"Release Date: May 28, 2004"

"As Paleoclimatologist named Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) was in Antartica, he discovers that a huge ice sheet has been sheared off. But what he did not know is that this event would trigger a massive climate shift that would effect the world population. Meanwhile, his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) was with friends in New York to attend an event. There they discover that it has been raining non-stop for the past 3 weeks, and after a series of weather related disasters that occurred over the world. Everybody soon realizes that the world is going to enter a new ice age,
as the rest of the world population tries to evacuate to the warm climates of the south. Jack makes a daring attempt to rescue his son and his friends who are stuck in New York, who have to survive not only a massive wave, but freezing cold temperatures that could possibly kill them.

Cast: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum, Dash Mihok, Jay O. Sanders, Sela Ward, Ian Holm, Austin Nichols

Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriter: Roland Emmerich, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
----------------------------------------

"Polar vortex" invoked in 2006:

10/13/2006, "Life in a "polar vortex"," SunnySpells.wordpress.com

"It snowed heavily yesterday morning in Chicago– and it’s still just early October. The weather forecasters are calling the phenomenon a “polar vortex”: sounds like something out of that film “The Day after Tomorrow”"...
==========================

1/7/14, "Top climate scientist David Viner in 2000 said, "Children aren't going to know what snow is." In 2014 Viner is still employed in the 'climate' industry, was even described in 2012 by a university as a 2007 'Nobel Peace Prize winner' 
.
========================== 

NASA SCIENTIST SAYS ARCTIC COULD BE ICE FREE BY 2012:

12/12/2007, "Arctic Sea Ice Gone in Summer Within Five Years?" AP, Seth Borenstein

"This week, after reviewing his own new data, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said: "At this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions.""...

=============================

Scientists say Arctic could be ice-free by 2013:

"Former US Vice President Al Gore cited Professor Maslowski's analysis on Monday in his acceptance speech at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.":
.  .
12/12/2007, "Arctic summers ice-free 'by 2013'," BBC, Jonathan Amos
. 
"Scientists in the US have presented one of the most dramatic forecasts yet for the disappearance of Arctic sea ice. Their latest modelling studies indicate northern polar waters could be ice-free in summers within just 5-6 years. 

Professor Wieslaw Maslowski told an American Geophysical Union meeting that previous projections had underestimated the processes now driving ice loss...."Our projection of 2013 for the removal of ice in summer is not accounting for the last two minima, in 2005 and 2007," the researcher from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, explained to the BBC. 

"So given that fact, you can argue that may be our projection of 2013 is already too conservative."...

Professor Maslowski's group, which includes co-workers at Nasa and the Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), is well known for producing modelled dates that are in advance of other teams."...

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Complete list of things caused by global warming, alphabetized-Numberwatch

Jan. 6, 2014, "A complete list of things caused by global warming," numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist

"AIDS, Afghan poppies destroyed, African holocaust, aged deaths, poppies more potent, Africa devastated,  Africa in conflict, African aid threatened,  aggressive weeds, Air France crash, air pockets, air pressure changes,  airport farewells virtual, airport malaria, Agulhas current, Alaskan towns slowly destroyed, Al Qaeda and Taliban Being Helped, allergy increase, allergy season longer, alligators in the Thames, Alps melting, Amazon a desert, American dream end,  amphibians breeding earlier (or not),  anaphylactic reactions to bee stings,  ancient forests dramatically changed, animals head for the hills, animals shrink,  Antarctic grass flourishes, Antarctic ice grows, Antarctic ice shrinks, Antarctic sea life at risk,   anxiety treatment, algal blooms, archaeological sites threatened, Arctic bogs melt, Arctic in bloom, Arctic ice free, Arctic ice melt faster, Arctic lakes disappear,  Arctic tundra lost, Arctic warming (not), a rose by any other name smells of nothing, asteroid strike risk, asthma, Atlantic less salty, Atlantic more salty,   atmospheric circulation modified, attack of the killer jellyfish, avalanches reduced, avalanches increased,  Baghdad snow, Bahrain under water,  bananas grow, barbarisation, bats decline,  beer and bread prices to soar, beer better,  beer worse, beetle infestation, beef shortage,  bet for $10,000, big melt faster, billion dollar research projects, billion homeless, billions face risk, billions of deaths,  bird loss accelerating, bird populations dying, bird strikes, bird visitors drop, birds confused, birds decline (Wales), birds driven north, birds face longer migrations, birds on long migrations threatened,  birds return early, birds shrink(Aus), birds shrink (USA), bittern boom ends, blackbirds stop singing, blackbirds threatened, Black Hawk down,  blizzards, blood contaminated, blue mussels return, borders redrawn,  bluetongue, brains shrink, brewers droop, bridge collapse (Minneapolis), Britain one big city, Britain Siberian, Britain's bananas, British monsoon,  brothels struggle, brown Ireland, bubonic plague,  Buddhist temple threatened,  building collapse, building season extension, bushfires,  butterflies move north, butterflies reeling, butterfly saved, carbon crimes, caribou decline, Cambodian sex trade fuelled, camel deaths,  cancer, cancer deaths in England, cannibalism,  cataracts, cats more amorous, caterpillar biomass shift, cave paintings threatened,  chagas disease, childhood insomnia, children's mental health, chocolate shortage, Cholera, circumcision in decline, cirrus disappearance, civil unrest, cloud increase,  clownfish get lost, coast beauty spots lost, cockroach migration, cod go south,  coffee threatened, coffee berry borer, coffee berry disease, cold climate creatures survive,  cold spells, cold spells (Australia), colder waters  (Long Island), cold wave (India), cold weather (world), cold winters, computer models, conferences, conflict, conflict with Russia,  consumers foot the bill, coral bleaching, coral fish suffer, coral reefs dying, coral reefs grow, coral reefs shrink, coral reefs twilight,  cost of trillions, cougar attacks, crabgrass menace,  cradle of civilisation threatened, creatures move uphill, crime increase, crocodile sex, crocodiles driven from water, crops devastated, crop failures increase, cross-breeding, crumbling roads, buildings and sewage systems, cryptococcal disease, curriculum change,  cyclones (Australia), damselflies forced back to UK, danger to kid's health, Darfur, Dartford Warbler plague,  daylight increase, deadly virus outbreaks, death rate increase (US), death rate drop, deaths to reach 6 million, decades of progress at risk, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, depression, desert advance,  desert retreat,  destruction of the environment,  dig sites threatened,  disasters, diseases move north, diving reefs closed, dog disease,  dozen deadly diseases - or not, drought,  ducks and geese decline, dust bowl in the corn belt, dust doubles, earlier pollen season,  Earth axis tilt, Earth biodiversity crisis, Earth crumbling, Earth dying, Earth even hotter, Earth light dimming, Earth lopsided, Earth melting, Earth morbid fever, Earth on fast track, Earth past point of no return, Earth slowing down,  Earth spins faster, Earth to explode, earth upside down,  earthquakes, earthquakes redux, El Niño intensification, end of the world as we know it, erosion, emerging infections, encephalitis, English villages lost, equality threatened, Europe simultaneously baking and freezing,  eutrophication, everyplace hit hardest, expansion of university climate groups, extinctions (apes, human, civilisation, koalas, lizards,  logic, Inuit, smallest butterfly, cod,  penguins, pikas, polar bears,   possums,  walrus,  tigers,  toads, turtles, pandas,  penguins, plants, ladybirds, rhinoceros, salmon, trout,  wild flowers, woodlice,  a million species, half of all animal and plant species, mountain species,  not polar bears, barrier reef, leaches, salamanders, tropical insects, flowers) experts muzzled, extreme changes to California, fading fall foliage,  famine, farmers benefit, farmers go under, farm output boost, farming soil decline,  fashion disaster, fever, figurehead sacked, fir cone bonanza, fires fanned in Nepal, fish bigger, fish catches drop, fish downsize,   fish deaf,  fish feminised, fish get lost, fish head north, fish lopsided, fish shrinking,  fish stocks at risk, fish stocks decline, five million illnesses, flesh eating disease, flies on Everest,  flood patterns change, floods,  floods of beaches and cities, flood of migrants, flood preparation for crisis, flora dispersed, Florida economic decline, flowers in peril, flowers wilt, flying squirrels move up, fog increase in San Francisco, fog decrease in San Francisco, food poisoning, food prices rise, food prices soar, food production increased,  food safety affected, food security threat (SA), football team migration,   forest decline, forest expansion, foundations threatened, foundations increase grants, frog with extra heads, frosts, frostbite, frost damage increased,   fungi fruitful, fungi invasion, fungi rot the world, games change, Garden of Eden wilts, geese decline in Hampshire, genetic changes, genetic diversity decline, gene pools slashed, geysers imperiled, giant icebergs (Australia), giant icebergs (Arctic), giant oysters invade,  giant pythons invade, giant squid migrate, gingerbread houses collapse, glacial earthquakes, glacial retreat,   glacier grows (California), glaciers on Snowden, glacier wrapped, glass melts, global cooling,  glowing clouds,  golf course to drown, golf Masters wrecked, grain output drop (China), grain output stagnating (India), grandstanding, grasslands wetter, gravity shift,  Great Barrier Reef 95% dead,  great tits cope, greening of the North,  Grey whales lose weight, Gulf Stream failure, habitat loss, haggis threatened, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome,  harvest increase, harvest shrinkage, hay fever epidemic, health affected, health of children harmed, health risks, health risks (even more), heart deaths, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (Australia), heat waves, hedgehogs bald, hibernation affected,   hibernation ends too soon, hibernation ends too late,  homeless 50 million, home runs, hornets,  human development faces unprecedented reversal, human fertility reduced, human health risk, human race oblivion, human rights violations, hurricanes,  hurricane reduction, hurricanes fewer, hurricanes more intense, hurricanes not,  hydropower problems, hyperthermia deaths, hyphthermia deaths, ice age, ice hockey extinct, ice sheet growth, ice sheet shrinkage, icebergs, ice sheet tipping point,  illegal immigration, illness and death, inclement weather, India drowning, infrastructure failure (Canada),  indigestion, industry threatened, infectious diseases,  inflation in China, insect explosion, insect invasion, insurance premium rises, Inuit displacement, Inuit poisoned, Inuit suing, invasion of alien worms, invasion of Antarctic aliens,  invasion of Asian carp, invasion of cane toads, invasion of caterpillars,  invasion of cats,  invasion of crabgrass, invasion of herons, invasion of jellyfish, invasion of king crabs, invasion of lampreys, invasion of midges, invasion of pine beetles, invasion of rats (China), invasion of slugs,  island disappears, islands sinking, Italy robbed of pasta, itchier poison ivy, Japan's cherry blossom threatened,  jellyfish explosion, jets fall from sky,  Kew Gardens taxed, kidney stones, killer cornflakes, killing us, kitten boom, koalas leaves inedible, koalas under threat, krill decline,  lake empties, lake shrinking and growing, landslides, landslides of ice at 140 mph, large trees decline, lawsuits increase, lawsuit successful,  lawyers' income increased (surprise surprise!),  lawyers want more, legionnaires' surge,  lives lost, lizards super intelligent, lives saved, lobsters grow,  Loch Ness monster dead, locust plagues suppressed, low oxygen zones threaten sea life, lush growth in rain forests,  Lyme disease, Major vegetation shifts,  Malaria,  Malaria decline,  malnutrition, mammoth dung melt, mammoth ivory bonanza, manatees battle, mango harvest fails, Maple production advanced, Maple syrup shortage, marmots fatter, marine diseases, marine food chain decimated, Meaching (end of the world), Meat eating to stop, Mediterranean rises, megacryometeors, Melanoma, Melanoma decline, mental health decline, mental illness, methane emissions from plants, methane burps, methane runaway, melting permafrost, Mexican climate migrant flood, Middle Kingdom convulses, migration,  migratory birds huge losses, microbes to decompose soil carbon more rapidly, milk production lost, minorities hit, monkeys at risk,  monkeys on the move, Mont Blanc grows, monuments imperiled, moose dying, more bad air days,   more research needed, mortality increased, mosquitoes adapting, mountain (Everest) shrinking,  mountaineers fears,  mountains break up, mountains green and flowering,   mountains taller, mortality lower, Mubarak fall, murder rate increase,  musk ox decline, Myanmar cyclone, narwhals at risk, narwhals suffocate, National Parks damaged, National security implications, native wildlife overwhelmed, natural disasters  quadruple, neurological diseases,  new islands, next ice age, NFL threatened, Nile delta damaged, noctilucent clouds, no effect in India, Northwest Passage opened, nuclear plants bloom, oaks dying,  oaks move north,  obesity, oblivion, ocean acidification, ocean acidification faster, ocean dead spots, ocean dead zones unleashed, ocean deserts expand, ocean salt extremes, ocean oxygen crisis,  ocean waves speed up,  Olympic Games to end, opera house to be destroyed, outdoor hockey threatened,   owls turn brown, oxygen depletion zones, oyster herpes, ozone repair slowed, ozone rise, peat bogs problem, peat bogs no problem, penguin chicks frozen, penguin chicks smaller, penguins in the dark, penguin populations devastated, penguins replaced by jellyfish, penguins sex lives affected, personal carbon rationing, pest outbreaks, pests increase, pets in danger, phenology shifts,  pines decline, pirate population decrease, pirates run rampant, plankton blooms,   plankton plummeting, plankton wiped out, plants lose protein, plants march north, plants move uphill,  polar bears aggressive, polar bears cannibalistic, polar bears deaf,  polar bears drowning,  polar bears fewer cubs,  polar tours scrapped,  pollination halved, porpoise astray, profits collapse, psychiatric illness,  psychological effects,  puffin decline, pushes poor women into prostitution, rabid bats,  radars taken out, rail network threatened,  railroad tracks deformed, rainfall increase, rainforest destruction,  rape wave, refugees,  reindeer endangered, reindeer larger, release of ancient frozen viruses, resorts disappear, respiratory diseases worsen,  rice less fragrant, rice production fall, rice threatened, rice yields crash,  rift on Capitol Hill, rioting and nuclear war,   river flow impacted, river rerouted, rivers raised, road accidents, roads wear out, robins rampant,   rocky peaks crack apart, roof of the world a desert, rooftop bars, Ross river disease,    Russia under pressure, salinity reduction, salinity increase,  Salmonella,  salmon stronger, sardine run unpredictable, satellites accelerate, Schmallenberg virus,  school closures, sea level rise, sea level rise faster, sea snot, seals mating more, seismic activity, sewer bills rise, severe thunderstorms, sex change, sexual dysfunction,  sexual promiscuity, shark attacks, sharks booming, sharks hybridise, sharks moving north, sheep change colour, sheep shrink, shop closures, short-nosed dogs endangered,  shrimp sex problems, shrinking ponds, shrinking sheep,  shrinking shrine, Sidney Opera House wiped out, ski resorts threatened, slavery, skinks impacted, slow death,  smaller brains,  smog, snowfall decrease, snowfall increase, snowfall heavy,  snow thicker,  soaring food prices, societal collapse, soil change, soil subsidence, songbirds change eating habits, sour grapes, soybean crop to drop, space junk increase, space problem, spectacular orchids, spider danger in UK, spider bites to increase, spiders getting bigger, spiders invade Scotland,  squid aggressive giants, squid larger, squid population explosion, squid tamed, squirrels reproduce earlier, starfish sperm eaten by parasites, stingray invasion, storm damage costs rise, storms wetter,  stratospheric cooling, street crime to increase, subsidence, suicide, sunset displaced,  swordfish in the Baltic, Tabasco tragedy, taxes, tea flavour change, tectonic plate movement, teenage prostitution,   terrorists (India), thatched cottages at risk, threat to peace, ticks move northward (Sweden), tides rise, tigers eat people, tigers drown, tomatoes rot, tornado outbreak, tourism increase, toxic bacteria, toxic seaweed,  trade barriers, trade winds weakened, traffic jams,  transport snarl, transportation threatened, tree foliage increase (UK),   tree growth slowed, tree growth faster, trees grow too fast, trees in trouble, trees less colourful,  trees more colourful, trees lush, trees on Antarctica, treelines change, tropics expansion, tropopause raised, truffle shortage, truffles down,  truffles increase, turtles crash, turtle feminised, turtles lay earlier, UFO sightings, UK coastal impact, UK Katrina,  vampire bats,  Venice flooded,  volcanic eruptions, volcanoes awakened in Iceland,  walnuts threatened, walrus pups orphaned,  walrus stampede,  walruses come ashore, wars over water, wars sparked, wars threaten billions, wasps, water bills double,   water shortage to increase vegetarianism, wave of natural disasters, waves bigger, weather out of its mind, weather patterns awry, weather patterns last longer, Western aid cancelled out,  West Nile fever, whale beachings, whales lose weight, whales move north,  whales wiped out, wheat rust in Syria, wheat yields crushed in Australia,  wild boars thrive, wildfires, wind shift, wind reduced, winds stronger, winds weaker,  wine - Australian baked, , wine industry damage (California),  wine industry disaster (US),  wine - more English, wine - no more French , wine -  England too hot, wine -German boon,  wine passé (Napa), wine - Scotland best,  wine stronger, winters in Britain colder, winter in Britain dead, witchcraft executions, wolverine decline, wolverines vanish, wolves eat more moose, wolves eat less, women cheat on vacation, workers laid off, World at war, World War 4,  Yellow fever, zebra mussel threat, zoonotic diseases.

.

and all on 0.006 deg C per year! 

 

Advice of any omissions (with sources) or broken links is welcome at warmlist@numberwatch.co.uk

Note: All links were live at time of posting. Inevitably some will disappear, particularly from Yahoo News." (Many more listed with dead links).

 

 

 

 

 

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