'Canadians were shocked...and disgusted': Justin Trudeau says we 'won't give in' to individuals who are violent, 'spew hatred' in Ottawa


Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a news conference on the Covid-19 situation, January 12, 2022, in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images) (DAVE CHAN via Getty Images)

Justin Trudeau
Elisabetta Bianchini
Mon, January 31, 2022

After confirming he and two of his children tested positive for COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the actions of the demonstrators in Ottawa.

"Over the past few days, Canadians were shocked and, frankly, disgusted by the behaviour displayed by some people protesting in our nation's capital. We are not intimidated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small business workers, and steal food from the homeless. 

We won’t give in to those who fly racist flags, we won’t cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonour the memory of our veterans... There is no place in our country for threats, violence or hatred." 

PM Justin Trudeau

 

He confirmed that he will not meet with this convoy of protestors.

"I have attended protests and rallies in the past when I agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues, Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that, but I have also chosen to not go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens and a disrespect, not just of science but of the frontline health workers, and quite frankly, the 90 per cent of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe, to put food on our tables," Trudeau said.

"There is always a right to protest peacefully that I and others will defend fully as part of this democracy. There is not a right to incite violence, to perform acts of violence or to spew hatred."

The prime minister said that all individuals who have engaged in this behaviour over the past days "need to stop."

"To anyone who joined the convoy but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbols of hatred and division on display, join with your fellow Canadians, be courageous and speak out," Trudeau said.

"To the nearly 90 per cent of truckers across the country who have gotten vaccinated, who continue working hard to keep us fed and keep our economy moving, thank you... We have relied on you and you can rely on us to continue to stand with you and allow you to do your jobs safely."

Conservatives 'exploiting people’s fears'

Canada's prime minister also called out politicians who are "exploiting people’s fears," particularly Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, who met with truckers on Friday.

"I think all politicians need to think very carefully about who they’re supporting, about what messages they’re putting out," Trudeau said.

"We have seen over the past many, many months, Conservative politicians sharing disinformation about vaccines, encouraging conspiracy theories online and I think Erin O’Toole is going to need to reflect very carefully on how he’s walking a path that supports these people who do not represent truckers, let alone the vast majority of Canadians."

When asked specifically about individuals in Canada who have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, the prime minister stressed that vaccines are safe and effective, and are "the way to get through this pandemic."

"Yes, the concerns expressed by a few people gathering in Ottawa right now are not new, not surprising, are heard, but are a continuation of what we’ve unfortunately seen in disinformation and misinformation online, conspiracy theorists about microchips, about god knows what else that goes with the tinfoil hats," Trudeau said.

"We have been clear every step fo the way that the work our frontline health workers, the work our scientists and researchers are doing, the people at Health Canada, the people working on these vaccines all around the world, is the work that will get us trough this, get us back to the things we love."

Police launch criminal investigations into 'illegal' acts at Ottawa anti-vaccine-mandate trucker protests

People gather to support truck drivers on their way to Ottawa in protest of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio (Carlos Osorio / reuters)

Jennifer Hassan
Mon, January 31, 2022

Police in Canada said "several criminal investigations are underway" into "threatening" and "illegal" behavior that occurred over the weekend during huge protests in the capital, Ottawa, where truckers and thousands of supporters gathered to denounce coronavirus vaccine mandates and other public health measures.

While many protested peacefully, Ottawa police said they would investigate after monuments were defaced and some demonstrators displayed "threatening/illegal/intimidating behaviour to police/city workers and other individuals."

"Illegal behaviour will not be tolerated and will be fully investigated," police said.

There were reports of urination on the National War Memorial and desecration of other monuments, including the statue of Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete and cancer research activist, who died in 1981 after dedicating his life to raising funds to cure the disease.

Brad West, mayor of Port Coquitlam, the city in British Columbia where Fox was raised, tweeted that "you don't touch his statue. Ever."



Some demonstrators held signs featuring swastikas. Others angrily called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to quit, chanting in unison on Parliament Hill.

Canada's minister of defense, Anita Anand, called some of the scenes from Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial "beyond reprehensible," as footage emerged of protesters dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and screaming "freedom."

Canada's chief of the defense staff, Wayne Eyre, said he was "sickened" by scenes of people disrespecting key monuments. "Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this," Eyre tweeted Saturday. "Those involved should hang their heads in shame."

A self-described "Freedom Convoy" of trucks and their supporters began arriving in Ottawa last week to protest a federal vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, after Canada and the United States announced that truck drivers entering their respective countries must be fully vaccinated.

Footage shared to social media alongside the hashtags #TruckerConvoy2022 and #TruckersForFreedom2022 showed semis honking long into the night and crowds dancing in the street below signs that read "segregation is not Canadian" and "mandate freedom."

Ottawa's mayor, Jim Watson, said Sunday that convoy members had acted unacceptably and called on protest organizers to denounce their "outrageous actions," which he said included the harassment of city workers.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance said in a statement over the weekend that it condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the desecration of what it called "sacred sites." The organization said it had made a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation and the Soldier On program, which is run by the Canadian Armed Forces to support the recovery of members and veterans dealing with physical or mental injuries from their service.

On Sunday, Ottawa police urged people to work from home Monday and "avoid travel" downtown while officials work to "facilitate the safe departure of individuals and vehicles" from the demonstration site.

Police said they had towed vehicles blocking key roadways - while the soup kitchen Shepherds of Good Hope said staff members had been "harassed for meals" and others had been verbally assaulted during what they called an "incredibly difficult weekend."

The organization said that trucks had parked in ambulance drop-off areas for about 12 hours and that the commotion and noise caused by the protest had caused "significant anxiety and stress" among staff members and service users.

At least 33,722 people have died of covid-19 in Canada since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

RCMP say border blockade in southern Alberta no longer lawful, preparing for arrests

COUTTS, Alta. — Obscured by a veil of blowing snow, about 100 commercial trucks, vehicles and camper vans continued to block a busy U.S. border crossing Monday in protest of COVID-19 health measures.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

RCMP said the blockade, which started Saturday, was no longer lawful and resources were in place to make arrests and tow away vehicles if they were unable to resolve the conflict in Coutts, Alta.

"These folks have a right to lawful protest," said Cpl. Curtis Peters. "I've encouraged them to return to that and, if that takes place, there will be no need for those enforcement actions."

Some demonstrators told The Canadian Press they have no plans to leave.

Peters said about half the number of vehicles that were at the barricade on Sunday, many which were not part of the protest, had left.

Late Monday, RCMP issued a statement saying negotiations for a peaceful resolution had not been successful.

"While we thought we had a path to resolve this, the protesters chose not to comply," it said. "We will continue to actively resolve the situation."

The mayor of Coutts, a small village with roughly 250 people, said the "Freedom Convoy" was isolating residents and blocking a crucial commerce chain on Highway 4.

"I want them gone," said Jim Willett. He added that he was initially told by members of the convoy that their protest would briefly slow down traffic.

Mail delivery was halted to the village and some kids were forced to stay home from school because their bus could not get into the village. The nearest grocery store, gas station and hospital are only accessible by county roads.

Holding back tears, the mayor said his biggest worry is for older residents who may feel intimidated driving near the blockade or its supporters, who he called "strangers in the community."

RCMP asked truck drivers and travellers to turn around about 15 kilometres from the border. People trying to enter on the U.S. side were also asked to find alternate routes.

Meanwhile, loads of Canadian beef were stuck at the crossing, said the Canadian Meat Council.

"The longer this takes, it will cause more supply chain issues and this will affect everyone from producer to consumer," said the council in a statement.

A mega-convoy of trucks and other vehicles converged in Ottawa this weekend and smaller demonstrations, like the one in Coutts, have been held in towns and cities across the country to protest COVID-19 restrictions.

Big rigs in Coutts displayed Canadian flags with an upside down Maple Leaf, United States flags and at least one Gadsden flag — a yellow banner with a snake reading "don't tread on me," which is sometimes used in support of far-right ideology.

"Freedom or death to our nation," read one sign.

"We are as strong as we are united," said another.

Chelle Landry, who travelled from Lethbridge to support the convoy in Coutts, said participants are fighting for the rights of everyone.

"(Vaccine mandates) are affecting our livelihoods, our families and that of all Canadians," said Landry. "It's just unacceptable for the government to be pushing this on us."

Landry said she was in it "for the long haul" and would stay until all mandates are lifted, especially as they pertain to mandatory vaccinations in certain workforces.

She spoke to The Canadian Press from inside the Smuggler's Saloon. Members of the convoy rented out the space, which was filled with dozens of unmasked protesters at various times on Monday.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said on the weekend that it is up to local authorities to enforce provincial legislation, which allows for additional penalties against protesters blockading highways and other infrastructure.

A law, passed by his United Conservative government last year, protects railways, highways and pipelines from anyone trespassing, interfering with operations and construction, or causing damage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2022.

— With files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton

Alanna Smith, The Canadian Press

Climber from Idaho slides into ‘Devils Kitchen’ pit on Oregon volcano, cops say


Hood River County Sheriff’s Office

Maddie Capron
Mon, January 31, 2022, 12:35 PM·2 min read

A climber trying to make it down Mount Hood slid several hundred feet into a volcanic pit in rock that vents toxic gases, Oregon officials said.

George Stevens, a 28-year-old from Idaho, fell into the Devils Kitchen fumarole on Jan. 26, the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said. He had serious injuries.

Stevens and two friends started their climb “late in the day,” deputies said.

“When they reached the steep Hogsback snow ridge on their descent, the surface was slick with frozen ice,” deputies said in a news release. “The climber attempted to snowboard down from this ridge, but lost his edge and slid out of control.”

Stevens fell into the fumarole hundreds of feet below and onto its rocky bottom. A fumarole is a pit in volcanic rock that vents toxic gases below.

“(It) melts large cavities deep underneath the snow that can open up into steep holes,” officials said. “Two of these fumaroles are located in the direct fall lines for the most popular climbing routes on Mt. Hood.”

More than 20 rescuers climbed up the mountain to help the climber who was trapped at the bottom of the fumarole cavity.

“A rescuer wearing a respirator and using gas monitors was lowered to … Stevens around midnight,” deputies said. “The team stabilized Stevens and hoisted him to the surface where he was loaded in a litter.”

Rescuers then lowered Stevens down the slopes and took him to an ambulance that was waiting in a lodge parking lot.

Officials did not disclose Stevens’ current condition.

“Having sustained serious injuries when he fell to the rocks at the bottom of the fumarole cavity, he spent a long night (more than 8 hours) breathing toxic gases before rescuers could haul him out,” Portland Mountain Rescue said on Facebook. “We know the skies have been fair over the mountain lately, but it’s still winter and climbers need to carry ... all the other technical gear that goes with advanced mountaineering.”

The rescue was the third in five days on Mount Hood, the sheriff’s office said. Many people were exploring the volcano in clear weather.

“Even on a clear day, however, Mt. Hood’s winter is a severe and unforgiving environment,” officials said. “Climbing in these conditions requires technical equipment and advanced mountaineering skills.”

Mount Hood is Oregon’s highest peak. The volcano has had two major eruptions in the past 1,500 years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The most recent eruption was in 1865.

Mount Hood is about 70 miles east of Portland.

Canada's CGX Energy reports oil and gas discovery off Guyana coast

Mon, January 31, 2022,

(Reuters) - Canada's CGX Energy on Monday reaffirmed it and parent Frontera Energy discovered an oil and gas reservoir off the coast of Guyana and said drilling on a second well could begin later this year.

Its Kawa-1 well found approximately 177 feet (54 meters) of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs based on an initial evaluation of logging data, the company said. It did not disclose the size of the potential find.

"We are very pleased to have successfully drilled the Kawa-1 well with our partner CGX, said Orlando Cabrales, Frontera's CEO. Frontera is the majority shareholder of CGX and its joint venture partner in the exploration of Corentyne block, offshore Guyana.

Last month, CGX said the Kawa-1 results suggested the presence of oil and gas, but warned it may be required to seek additional financing to continue drilling. Costs associated with the well had risen to between $115 million and $125 million, it said.

Final well cost estimates and additional results of the discovery will be disclosed in the future, the company said.

Guyana produces about 120,000 barrels per day of crude from an offshore project controlled by a consortium that includes Exxon Mobil, Hess Corp and China’s CNOOC Ltd.

(Reporting by Gary McWilliams; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

FLORIDA

Removing Rodman dam would be manna from heaven for manatees


Robert Knight
Tue, February 1, 2022


The Sun recently published an opinion piece by Kip Frohlich and David Hankla, two of Florida’s top manatee experts, on the science and protection of this iconic Florida marine mammal. They rightly decry the state government’s failure to protect water quality in the Indian River Lagoon and the state’s equally poor response to the growing crisis facing the future of these precious wild animals.

Manatees are starving to death by the thousands. I have looked into the innocent eyes of these massive but gentle giants. Yet I cannot possibly understand the pain and agony of the starvation they are enduring.

Perhaps it is just a coincidence that manatee and manna have the same root. The definition of “manna” is an unexpected aid, advantage or assistance, as in the biblical phrase “manna from heaven,” referring to the miraculous food The Lord provided to the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness. In Florida’s springs, there is indeed manna for manatees.


In the mid-1980s I censused the manatees living in the Lower St. Johns River from Jacksonville upstream to Palatka. From a light airplane, manatees were quite visible even in the tannic waters and it was possible to record their numbers and favored habitats by flying up and down the study area.

More from Robert Knight:

Restoration will only be achieved by significantly reducing groundwater pumping

Stop subsidizing those who harm springs through pumping, pollution

Making sense of conflicting environmental messages

I especially remember seeing manatees nibbling on boat anchor lines while the fishermen appeared to be unaware the large animals were so close. At that time, manatee populations in the St. Johns were expanding from their historic lows due to increased awareness of the need for manatee no-wake zones to reduce motor boat impacts to the slow-moving mammals.

The recovered St. Johns River manatee population is now one of the most productive and successful in the state. Just last month, the Volusia Blue Spring winter manatee population set a new record of 663 individuals in the spring run.


But seagrasses have disappeared over much of the St. Johns River. The same problems decimating eelgrass in the Indian River Lagoon are occurring in the Lower St. Johns — elevated nutrient pollution, blooms of floating algae and shading of the submerged aquatic plants that manatees favor.

Manatees may soon be starving in the St. Johns River due to similar issues observed in the Indian River Lagoon. One way to support and maintain the St. Johns River manatee population is to make sure the springs and their ample aquatic plant communities and warm water refugia are accessible to the manatees.

Silver Springs, the Silver River and the 20 “lost springs” of the Ocklawaha River must be opened to succor these manatees. The Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam must be breached to allow more manatees as well as other migratory aquatic species such as striped bass to reclaim this historic habitat area.


Like manna from heaven, the entire Silver River and much of the Ocklawaha River are full of rapidly growing submerged aquatic vegetation favored by manatees. The outdated and on-the-brink-of-structural-failure Rodman dam is the only obstacle to this manatee Garden of Eden.

Florida’s artesian springs are likely the principal reason the state has long had a year-round, breeding population of manatees. Thermal effluents from coastal power plants have offered refuge from winter cold stress but have not provided suitable food resources.

With increasing pollution of these waters by Florida’s growing human population and lax water quality enforcement, manatees are not able to thrive. Continued reliance on power plant thermal effluents and lettuce buffets is not a long-term assurance of a healthy manatee future.

Accessible springs are an important part of the solution to the plight of starving manatees. And breaching the Kirkpatrick dam to allow manatee access to extensive feeding areas is a critical next step for manatee viability.

Dr. Robert Knight is director of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute in High Springs. His newest book, “Saving Florida’s Springs – A Prescription for Springs Health,” is now available at www.floridaspringsinstitute.org.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Robert Knight: Removing Rodman dam would help manatees, other species

Geologists Have Redefined the Present Age, Calling the Last 4,200 Years the "Meghalayan Age"


Avery Thompson
Mon, January 31, 2022

What era are we in? Geologists have redefined the present age that human civilization is living in, deciding to call the last 4,200 years the "Meghalayan Age." This new classification will help scientists better understand the events of the last few thousand years.

Geologists break down our planet's history into eras, periods, epochs, and ages. Our current era is the Cenozoic, which is itself broken down into three periods. We live in the most recent period, the Quaternary, which is then broken down into two epochs: the current Holocene, and the previous Pleistocene, which ended 11,700 years ago.

🌎 Science is on our side. We'll help you make sense of it all.


The Holocene began at the end of the last Ice Age, when glaciers started retreating. In that time, humans learned how to farm, built cities, and started launching rockets into space. From a human perspective, the end of the Holocene looks very different from the beginning. But from a geological perspective, has much really changed?

The 2018 announcement, from the International Commission on Stratigraphy, is an admission that there have been, in fact, significant transformations in Earth's geography. While the broader trend of warmer temperatures and receding glaciers holds just as true today as 11,700 years ago, there are other changes in the geologic record.

Around 4,200 years ago, a devastating drought lasted for at least 100 years and caused the collapse of civilizations around the world. It ended Egypt's pyramid-building Old Kingdom, the Akkadian Empire in modern-day Iran and Iraq, the Indus Valley Civilization in modern-day India, and the Liangzhu civilization in modern-day China.

Not only did this drought alter human civilization, it even left an imprint in the rock record. The drought can be seen in stalagmites in India, where the lower monsoon levels are represented by changes in oxygen isotopes. The global nature of the drought, the permanent record visible in rock layers, and the lasting effects to life on Earth mean that this moment in history is enough to qualify as the beginning of a new age.

The Meghalayan isn't the only new age that the International Commission on Stratigraphy identified. They also named the Greenlandian as the first age of the Holocene, ranging from 11,700 years ago to 8,200 years ago. This age ended when the planet abruptly cooled from melting glacial water flowing into the North Atlantic. There's also the new Northgrippan age, which sits between the Greenlandian and the Meghalayan.

These new divisions of geologic time will likely bring some order and clarity to an era defined by monumental change, but not all scientists agree that the new ages are the best way to reclassify recent history. In particular, some geologists are working on defining a brand-new era to succeed the Holocene, called the Anthropocene, or "human era."

"They've suddenly announced [the Meghalayan] and stuck it on the diagram," geography professor Mark Maslin told the BBC. "It's official, we're in a new age; who knew? We have lots of new definitions that perhaps now contradict the Anthropocene Working Group and go against what most scientists perceive to be the most important change on Earth in the last 10,000 years."

But it may be possible for both the Anthropocene and the Meghalayan to exist at the same time. And regardless, the Anthropocene is tough to define precisely—plenty of very smart people are struggling with the definition.

It's hard to say how this geologic debate will play out. Defining the past is clearly hard enough; what happens in the future is anyone's guess.

ECOCIDE
Thousands flee homes near N. Carolina fertilizer plant fire





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Fertilizer Plant FireAn angel statue faces in the direction of billowing smoke from a fire at the Weaver Fertilizer Plant on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

 (Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)


Mon, January 31, 2022

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — An uncontrolled fire raging at a North Carolina fertilizer plant forced the evacuations of thousands of people as firefighters warned early Tuesday that chemicals at the site could cause a large explosion.

Authorities drove through neighborhoods and knocked on doors asking residents to leave within a one-mile radius (1.6 km) of the Weaver Fertilizer Plant on the northside of Winston-Salem, where the fire started Monday night. No injuries were reported.

Most of the campus of Wake Forest University is just outside the evacuation zone. The university urged students living in dormitories to stay indoors and keep windows closed.


Bright orange flames could be seen shooting into the sky along with thick plumes of smoke as lights from firetrucks and other first responder vehicles surrounded the fully engulfed building. The evacuation area included about 6,500 people in 2,500 homes, the Winston-Salem Fire Department said.

“We want to make sure that right now we’re evacuating everybody in this one-mile radius," Winston-Salem Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs told reporters early Tuesday. "There is still a potential for explosion.”

Firefighters had pulled back from the scene due to the danger of the uncontrolled fire, leaving behind an unmanned truck to pump water on part of the site, Grubbs said. Authorities were also flying drones over periodically to assess the fire.

At least 90 firefighters, along with emergency personnel from other agencies, fought the fire for about two hours Monday night, but they had to retreat because of the large volume of ammonium nitrate on the site, Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said. The fire department said that firefighters could not flow enough water to be reasonably certain of keeping it cool enough to prevent a detonation.

Grubbs warned that there was going to be a lot of smoke and poor air quality. He said that it could take some time for the fire to come under control.

Michelle Shepherd, who lives blocks from the plant, told the Winston-Salem Journal that after hearing and feeling explosions and seeing the flames Monday night, she didn't wait for the evacuation order to leave her house and head to a shelter opened by local authorities.

“We felt big explosions. The entire house shook,” she told the newspaper. “And I looked out my front door and I could see the orange glow.”

Less than two miles (3 km) away, Wake Forest canceled classes for Tuesday and opened a campus building for students and staff who live off campus but had to relocate. The university said only one campus housing building was within the evacuation zone.

The Forsyth Correctional Center, a minimum security prison with the capacity for about 250 inmates, also is in the evacuation area.

Winston-Salem officials said a shelter has been set up at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. People who have evacuated should plan to be away from their homes for up to 48 hours.

The fertilizer plant was closed when the fire started and no employees were inside, local media outlets reported.

Grubbs said officials from the Weaver Fertilizer Plant have made no comment about the fire.

Motorcycle Monday: Paris Moves To Ban Motorcycles


Steven Symes
Mon, January 31, 2022,

And it’s not for the reason you’re thinking…

I’ve warned before about the strong possibility of motorcycles being banned on public roads in some areas. Such proposals have been floated in certain UK counties as well as parts of the European mainland and even some cities in the United States. However, nobody has moved on the idea of outright banning all internal combustion engine motorcycles in a specific geographical location. As a result, by pointing out movements towards that, I’ve been mocked by those who think they know better.

Get a refresher on the banning motorcycles from public roads movement here.

Well, news has come out of Paris, France where there’s a serious push to get all internal combustion engine motorcycles and scooters off the roads entirely. That’s right, not just stop selling them but to make driving them anywhere in the city limits illegal.


This fight isn’t about how much carbon spews out of the tailpipes of motorcycles, which is probably what you’re assuming. Instead, it’s all about noise pollution. That’s right, Parisians are sick of their city being loud. Instead of realizing that’s what you get by packing so many people into tight spaces, they’ve decided to blame motorcycles and scooters for their woes.

A noise plan for the City of Paris was presented last October, with 30 actions proposed by city administration. However, an initiative sought to collect ideas from regular citizens. One proposal which gained a lot of support was the banning of internal combustion engine motorcycles since all-electric models produce little to no noise.

The author of this proposal is quoted by the local news as saying, “Outright banning thermal PTWs is therefore a commonsense solution to solve the number 1 source (by far!) of noise pollution in Paris.” A total of 944 voted for this proposal and 307 voted against it.


Already, Paris authorities have been experimenting with sound radars as a way to fight excessive noise pollution in the city. Such devices allow police to pinpoint which motorcycle is emitting more decibels than is allowed, then fine the rider. The claim is that noise pollution is leading to serious health and economic consequences.

If you think the claim of health consequences is ridiculous, you’re not the only one. The European Environment Agency says 16,600 “premature deaths” in Europe are caused by noise pollution as well as 72,000 hospitalizations. Yes, everything is a health crisis these days.


Of course, there’s the saying that a loud motorcycle is a safe motorcycle. Anyone who’s ridden in traffic before knows many drivers just plain don’t see you, so it’s better if they can hear you. While all-electric motorcycles might make some noise, I have yet to hear one that duplicates the Screaming Eagle wail which does such an excellent job of making a bike noticeable. Apparently, riders being hit by cagers in 6,000-lb. vehicles doesn’t constitute a health crisis, at least in Europe.

Reinforcing the argument for banning motorcycles and scooters from Paris is the supposedly inevitability of all internal combustion engine cars also being banned. This is, of course, to fight the health crisis known as noise pollution and not global warming, global cooling, climate change, or whatever the term is this week.

Sources: Le Repaire, Plainsmen Post

Images via Wikimedia

UN envoy: Year of violence has hardened positions in Myanmar


United Nations Myanmar New Envoy

FILE - This March 8, 2001, file photo shows Noeleen Heyzer, then executive director of UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, before the U.N. Millennium Peace Prize for Women Awards 2001 ceremony at the United Nations headquarters. Heyzer, the new U.N. special envoy for Myanmar, said Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, that violence and brutality have intensified since the military took power, sparking a resistance movement in the country, and all sides have hardened their positions on “using violence as a solution.” (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin, File)

EDITH M. LEDERER
Mon, January 31, 2022

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The new U.N. special envoy for Myanmar said Monday that violence and brutality have intensified since the military took power, sparking a resistance movement in the country, and all sides have hardened their positions on “using violence as a solution.”

Noeleen Heyzer told a virtual news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York that Myanmar’s situation is increasingly unstable and military operations, including artillery attacks and airstrikes, have raised concerns about the protection of civilians.

She said around 1,500 civilians have been killed in the past year and the number of internally displaced people rose from more than 320,000 at the end of 2021 to over 400,000 now. “This is in addition to the 340,000 people already displaced before Feb. 1, 2021,” when the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Heyzer, who took up the post six weeks ago, said almost half of Myanmar’s population now live in poverty and more than 14.4 million people are estimated to need humanitarian assistance and protection.

She acknowledged proposals brought by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' new leader, Cambodian President Hun Sen, after he visited Myanmar in December.

Heyzer called one proposal “interesting” but “not sufficient” — to hold a humanitarian meeting to help deliver assistance that was part of the five-point consensus to which ASEAN leaders agreed to help restore peace and security to Myanmar. She said she wasn’t satisfied with the mechanism to ensure aid was delivered without discrimination.

Heyzer said she agreed to help support facilitating a humanitarian meeting and has asked for “a humanitarian pause” and “a possible humanitarian corridor in the areas that are not under the control of the military” to ensure people there can receive aid.

She said ASEAN foreign ministers and some leaders are pressuring Myanmar to implement the entire five-point consensus reached at the bloc's meeting last April that included Min Aung Hlaing. Other points include an immediate halt to violence, starting a dialogue among all parties, and appointment of an ASEAN special envoy. But Heyzer said ASEAN members remain divided on the pressure tactics and on Myanmar’s representation in the 10-nation group.

Heyzer stressed that progress is possible if all parties work together.

“We have a window of opportunity to build upon a unique unity across religious, ethnic, and communal lines,” Heyzer said. “The road ahead will be long and difficult, but the time to act is now, and time is running out,” she said.

How Brad Pitt's green housing dream for Hurricane Katrina survivors turned into a nightmare

Judith Keller, International Research Scholar of Geography, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mon, January 31, 2022,

Brad Pitt walks past one of the first homes built in New Orleans by his Make It Right Foundation in this 2008 photo. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation built 109 eye-catching and affordable homes in New Orleans for a community where many people were displaced by damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now this housing development is in disarray. The vast majority of the recently constructed homes are riddled with construction-related problems that have led to mold, termites, rotting wood, flooding and other woes.

At least six are boarded up and abandoned. Many residents have filed lawsuits that are still pending. That is, a nonprofit that built houses with input from Frank Gehry and other prominent architects amid much fanfare for survivors of one disaster then ushered in another disaster.

Structural and other problems are making many residents fear for their health. Make It Right, despite what its name might suggest, has not resolved these issues and has stopped assisting residents. Instead, the movie star-led nonprofit has apparently become defunct.

As an urban geographer who researches on housing development, I’ve been following Make It Right’s travails since 2018, when residents tried to get the New Orleans City Council involved and have municipal authorities inspect the homes. The situation has only deteriorated since then, highlighting the perils that can accompany nonprofit housing development.

Supposedly sustainable housing

Located in New Orleans’ historically Black and low-income Lower Ninth Ward, this cluster of affordable homes built between 2008 and 2015 was unusual for several reasons. Notably, these residences were sold, rather than rented to their occupants.

The architects who created these homes also tried to make them green and sustainable following a “cradle-to-cradle” philosophy that centers around the use of safe and reusable materials, clean water and renewable energy. All the homes had solar panels and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

Make It Right reported spending $26.8 million on the housing. To make the homes, which fell short of the group’s original goal of 150 residences, affordable, they were sold for less than it cost to build them, mostly around $150,000.

The nonprofit housing developer says its mission is to “improve the design and performance of affordable housing” and to “share best practices associated with the construction of such homes.”

Make It Right also sought to revitalize the Lower Ninth Ward and bring people together. For example, it built a community garden and held regular meetings for the new homeowners.

Although some of these structures are not yet a decade old, my data shows that only six remain in reasonably good shape. Most either have had partial repairs or have been completely renovated because of structural problems. Two were demolished because of severe mold problems.


Many of the houses lacked ordinary, essential features such as rain gutters, overhangs, waterproof painting or covered beams – all of which are necessary to withstand New Orleans’ subtropical climate and heavy rainfall.

Brad Pitt, who took credit for launching this organization in 2007 and often served as its public face in subsequent years, was still listed as a board member as of 2018.

Pitt’s lawyers argued that he could not be sued over the housing development’s failings, but a judge ruled in 2019 that the movie star would remain a defendant because of his role as Make It Right’s founder and chief fundraiser.
‘Completely in shambles’

I interviewed 11 residents, as well as seven urban planning experts who worked on the case. Additionally, I gathered data on the development and the homes by reviewing New Orleans property assessments and building permits. While staying in the Lower Ninth Ward myself, I personally took a census of the development and mapped its current state.

More than one resident told me they were initially very excited to be part of something bigger.

A Make It Right resident I’m calling Harry – I promised anonymity to all the residents I interviewed – had to move out of his home during major renovations that didn’t resolve all the issues he faces.

“They kind of got a second chance to make it wrong, not make it right again,” Harry told me. “They made it wrong twice.”

As of early 2022, six homes are vacant because of mold, rot, flooding and assorted structural issues. Hanna, a young first-time homeowner, walked away from her Make It Right residence, which was later demolished.

Only eight months after she moved in, Hanna recounted to me, her home “was completely in shambles.” Its flat roof could not hold up in the heavy rains of New Orleans, causing massive water intrusion and subsequent termite infestation and mold.

Hanna struggles with health problems caused by toxic mold. “I would like to say that there is always a silver lining, but with this situation, I really don’t see a silver lining because it really changed a lot of my plans that I had for myself in life,” she said.

Most of the residents I interviewed were dealing with a similar state of constant uncertainty.

They don’t know how much longer their home is going to hold up, whether the mold they were exposed to is affecting their health, and, worst, what would happen to their finances if they were to lose their home.

“There is just no turning this off,” Harry lamented. “Sometimes I think I’m sitting on a time bomb in this house.”

Others described always being “on edge,” the situation being “very stressful,” and a feeling of having been “taken advantage of on the biggest scale.”

They wonder who they can turn to for help at this point.

“Something that’s been an incredible disappointment is the lack, the retreat, of Make It Right from any form of responsibility,” William told me.
A web of legal turmoil

When Make It Right failed to provide the assistance residents requested, several homeowners filed lawsuits. This litigation is reportedly still pending.

Some residents also blame local authorities.

“We also have an issue with the city, because those who inspect (the home) and are supposed to keep it safe, did not,” said Claire, who tried to get New Orleans’ safety and permits department involved.

The Make It Right Foundation moved out of its offices on Magazine Street in New Orleans in December 2021. Judith Keller, CC BY-SA

My many efforts to reach out to Make It Right by mail, email and visits in person remain unsuccessful. When I went to its New Orleans office in December 2021, I encountered no staff. Instead, I witnessed a moving crew that had been hired by the organization to move its furniture and other property into storage.

The organization has apparently failed to file a 990 form, annual paperwork the Internal Revenue Service requires of all nonprofits, covering any year since 2018. Local media have reported that a bank is suing it. Its website has become defunct and the phone number it included in its 2018 IRS paperwork no longer works. Even the person who mows the vacant Make It Right properties has told reporters that the nonprofit owes him money. Make It Right, in turn, is suing several former executives and its chief architect for alleged mismanagement.

The Conversation U.S. also attempted to reach out to the Make It Right Foundation by phone and email and was unsuccessful.

Make It Right has discontinued a similar affordable housing development that was in the works in Kansas City, leaving empty lots there in limbo. The nonprofit had also engaged in projects in Montana, where other legal issues arose, and New Jersey.
Who pays in the end?

Because one of the abandoned properties is turning into a safety hazard, the city is taking action to seize it. Make It Right’s 2018 IRS filings indicate that it was spending more by then on legal services than on construction and maintenance.

This mirrors the residents’ experiences, who have not seen evidence of the organization’s engagement with their community for years. Many are starting to pay for repairs out of their own pockets rather than wait for the nonprofit builder to resolve issues caused by its shoddy construction.

“I did most of the work myself,” Mario told me. “The ceiling tiles on the porch were falling off, and the wood was rotting, so I just replaced it, slowly, you know, so we could afford it.”

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Despite their experiences, some residents said they still believe Make It Right’s founder had good intentions. “I don’t blame Brad Pitt,” said David, another resident. “He had a vision to build low-income houses and get people back in the Lower Ninth Ward.”

While nonprofit housing developers can play a vital role in creating affordable housing, many questions remain regarding their accountability in this case and others, in places like Chicago and Washington, D.C..

Mismanaged housing developments, even when constructed with lofty goals, only compound the hardships of the low-income people they purport to serve.



This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Judith Keller, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Read more:

What’s a 990 form? A charity accounting expert explains

Why building more homes won’t solve the affordable housing problem for the millions of people who need it most

Judith Keller receives funding from the German Research Association (DFG).