Issue 2 2011: February
OIL SPILL, WHAT OIL SPILL?
Bacteria quickly consumed most of the 200,000 tons of methane gas released during the BP oil spill last year in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a new study by university scientists. Petroleum-eating microbes also consumed most of the millions of gallons of oil, and scientists have found little trace of the spill in Gulf waters. ..... Los Angeles Times
MORE ON BACTERIA
A previously unkown form of bacteria that eats iron is feasting on the wreck of the Titanic, and will consume the disintegrating remains in 20 years at most, a study Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has found. "Eventually there will be nothing left but a rust stain on the bottom of the Atlantic," said researcher Henrietta Mann. ..... London Daily Mail
THE BEVERLY HILLS GREETER IS DOWN AND OUT
The sour economy has even caught up with Beverly Hills. Gregg Donovan, who has spent much of the past 12 years as the ritzy L.A. suburb's "ambassador," giving directions, posing for photos and bellowing "Welcome to Beverly Hills! You have arrived," is leaving. Donovan said the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau told him it could no longer afford him. ..... AP
FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET
The world's fastest car is being built this week in London, and is set to reach the face-melting speed of 1,000 mph. Dubbed "the Bloodhound," the rocket on wheels is slated to break the land speed record in a dried-out lake bed in South Africa next year. The supercar is designed to inspire kids to study science and engineering. ..... Justin Rocket Silverman, as written in THE DAILY
ECONOMIC SEERS MAY BE LUCKY "GUESSERS"
Nouriel Roubini got the big one right, said Joe Keohane. In 2006, the economist correctly predicted that the housing bubble was about to burst "and a particularly nasty recession was on its way." Roubini's prognostication made him a celebrity and gave him a platform from which he offered all manner of scary predictions. But most of them proved wrong. Contrary to his assurances, hundreds of hedge funds did not go belly-up in 2008, and the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index did not fall below 600 in 2009. How could someone get the Great Recession right and be so wrong about so much else? Simple: "People who successfully predict extreme events" are less accurate in their forecasts, overall, than their more cautious peers. Which makes sense, actually. People with a penchant for predicting unlikely events will be wrong most of the time, precisely because unlikely events are, well, unlikely. In this uncertain world, "we're drawn to prophets," but all too often, what looks like a gift for telling the future is really just a case of dumb luck. ..... Joe Keohane, The Boston Globe
BOTOX IS EVERYWHERE
The bars are fine - just get rid of these wrinkles. Two officials at a Mexican women's jail have been fired after allowing a woman accused of being a cocaine cartel leader to receive Botox treatments. Sandra Avila Beltran, 50, was also rumored to have scheduled liposuction. The so-called "Queen of the Pacific" was arrested in 2007 and faces drug and money-laundering charges. ..... Alex Dickinson as written in THE DAILY
GUNS
Pima County Arizona, which includes Tucson, has 224 licensed gun shops. The local ABC affiliate's call letters are KGUN. ..... The Miami Herald
COOL SHADES
It's enough to make a comic book hero jealous. The Office of Naval Research has begun testing blast-proof eyewear that is smart enough to change color automatically in response to light conditions. ONR Master Chief Charles Ziervogel told FoxNews.com that the technology would keep fighters from having to remove their eyewear during combat. The sunglasses can go from dark to clear in barely a quarter of a second. ..... Anthony DeCeglie as written in THE DAILY
DANGER FOR OUR MILITARY
For the second year in a row, in 2010 the U.S. military lost more troops to suicide than in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least 468 soldiers killed themselves in 2010. ..... Congress.org
OF NURSING HOMES AND HOSPICES
Federal spending on hospice care tripled between 2000 and 2007, to more than $10 billion a year. Nursing homes and hospices are now among the top 10 employers in 20 different states. ..... Politico.com
POPEYE'S WISDOM: SPINACH WORKS!
Popeye picked his superfood brilliantly. A helping of spinach can supercharge your muscles, a study in the February issue of Cell Metabolism reports. The muscle oomph has nothing to do with iron, the nutrient long credited for Popeye's vigor. Rather, researchers found the surge in muscle performance enjoyed by spinach eaters is from nitrates, chemicals that abound in dark greens. A plateful of spinach will trigger the effect, with the benefits starting immediately. Nitrates could also lead to other benefits of vegetables, including the prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. ..... Katie Drummond as written in THE DAILY
JIM'S STETHASCOOP
"The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude. ..... Author Arnold Glasow, quoted in TheWallStreetJournal.com
MILT'S MORSEL OF THE MONTH
"Mistakes are the usual bridge between inexperience and wisdom." ..... Essayist Phyllis Theroux, quoted in the Montreal Gazette
