Alberta is one of the most populated provinces of Canada. It consists of major cities which are involved in metropolitan activities. Since the population rate is high in the province of Canada, this directly explains the requirement and use of vehicles in the whole province. There are many ways through which one can buy a car in Alberta, however financing a car is not as easy as it seems. Many people face problems in car financing, thus car loans Alberta is known to be the best possible solution. There are many Alberta based companies that extend every possible help to get hold of a car you desire.
Auto loans Alberta refers to the idea of obtaining a car loan through different sources in the province of Canada. Auto loan is one of the most reasonable ways through which one can obtain a large amount of cash for vehicle purchase. However, to obtain an auto loan Alberta, one has to go through a systematic procedure. For inexperienced people, the first step would be to find a suitable financial loan consultant. These consultants provide advice or consultancy services for people who are considering an auto loan. With the help of these consultants, one can get help with managing credit history. Also, these financial loans consultants help people to find sources which offer loan schemes that are suitable according to their affordability or financial needs. The whole systematic process of obtaining a car loan in Alberta is easier to proceed with by getting the help of an experienced car loan agent or a consultant.
Firstly, the main advantage of getting car loan is mainly for people with low income and thus who cannot afford to buy a car. These people can get hold of a car through car loans. Also, the legal rights of ownership of the car are given to the user and not the car loan agency or institution. Since car loans schemes are very flexible, one does not require depositing a heavy amount to initially obtain access to the large amount of money. All the loan payments are made to the financial institution that provides the auto loan. These payments are made on monthly basis. Also, the payment rates are decided according to the affordability and budget of the person buying the car. Furthermore, if one faces problems with monthly pavements, the auto loan financial institution is willing to help a person renegotiate the payment deals or structure.
There are many companies or financial institutions in Alberta which assist people in the field of car financing. There are also many companies which specialize in providing assistance to people who have bad credit loan history. Special individual with unpreventable credit history can take full advantages of such companies. In all cities of Alberta, financial institutions which provide auto loans very easily, advertise about their services to attract their potential clients, thus they are not very difficult to find.
Getting an auto loan Alberta is not a difficult process. One should follow a clear channel to gain maximum advantage of the available auto loan for car financing.
About the Author: Get Approved for a
auto loan Alberta
fast and get your
auto financing
. Providing Canadians with the lowest rates and best bad credit auto financing options .
Marion Schaffer is running for the Green Party of Ontario in the Ontario provincial election, in the Oakville riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.
Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.
A suicide bomber killed 43 people in Iraq Sunday, injuring an estimated 40 more.
The attack occurred southwest of Baghdad and targeted members of a government-backed militia, Sons of Iraq, also known as the Sahwa, who were waiting to collect their pay. Early reports say the attacks killed at least three soldiers and injured an additional thirteen, while three accountants died and four more were wounded. It’s not yet clear who the remaining casualties are.
A survivor of the bombing said that “[t]here were more than 85 people lined up in three lines at the main gate of the military base to receive salaries when a person approached us. When one of the soldiers tried to stop him, he blew himself up.”
An Iraqi military official said that “[t]he suicide bomber blew himself up in the biggest group of Sahwa members. We generally let them enter the base in groups of 10 for them to get their salaries.”
A second suicide bombing took place in Western Iraq, when an attacker fired upon Sahwa militants in Al-Qa’im before blowing himself up, killing three people, with six more injured.
Credit for the attacks has not yet been claimed, but al-Qaeda is considered the probable culprit.
The Sahwa movement is a Sunni militia group that split from al-Qaeda in 2006, and with US support have been one of the groups fighting al-Qaeda. In recent months, members of the militia have said that they have come under attack from other militant groups, and support from the Iraqi government has been reduced.
Israel‘s defence minister has ruled that the man who shot dead four Israeli Arabs is not a terrorist, because he is Jewish. The decision means that the families do not receive the compensation as family members of people classed as victims of terrorism. The laws governing compensation only recognise terrorism as being perpetrated by “organisations hostile to Israel”.
Ariel Sharon had previously described the act as “a despicable act by a bloodthirsty terrorist,” and The Jerusalem Post described the gunman as a “Jewish far-Right fanatic”.
The families will receive a lump sum instead of a lifelong payment. Arab Israeli leaders described the law as racist.
“The decision raises a strong scent of racism, which distinguishes between a Jewish terrorist and an Arab terrorist,” one member of parliament said.
The Anti-Defamation League, a US based organisation set up to combat anti-semitism, has also condemned the killing and described it as terrorism.
“We strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack by a Jewish gunman in Shiloh. The perpetrator is in police custody and we are confident he will be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, in a statement released on the day of the attack.
Member of the Knesset Mohammad Barakeh, has demanded an amendment to the current law. He is asking that the law recognise as victims of terror anyone hurt by “hostile activities by a terror organization.” According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Prime Ministers Office has requested that the Attorney General review the issue.
The 19-year old Nathan Zaada shot the four Israeli Arabs in an industrial area of the town of Shfaram on August 4th. He was later killed by a mob.
After 25 years of working as an injury attorney on thousands of cases ranging in value from ten thousand dollars to millions of dollars there are three key principles that stand out for me when it comes to getting maximum dollar value from a case. They are:
1) IDENTIFY ALL INJURIES; 2. MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED; 3. MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS APPROPRIATELY TREATED.
STEP ONE: IDENTIFY ALL INJURIES
“What?”, you say, “Isn’t that the doctor’s job?”
Maybe.
But is it the doctor’s job to make sure you get maximum recovery on your case? In this day of specialization doctors are increasingly aware of their own area of specialization and less aware of injuries outside their area. It’s sort of like the “forest for the trees” metaphor. An orthopedic surgeon, for example, can certainly spot a bone break. But is it realistic for him to also know symptoms of TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder)?
TMJ is an abnormal condition with facial pain and poor function of the lower jaw. It is caused by a defective or dislocated TMJ joint (i.e. jaw joint).
One common sign of TMJ is clicking of the joint when the jaws move. A young Chinese immigrant was cruising the freeway in his Volkswagen bus one night when he was struck from behind by a semi-truck. His injuries were numerous and various.
One day, after he had seen many doctors, he was visiting with me, discussing his case. My attention was drawn to an audible “pop” sound which coincided with the opening of his mouth. TMJ? You better believe it. He brought it to the attention of one of his doctors so a referral could be made to a TMJ specialist.
HEAD INJURY
Another common malady in accident cases (especially auto accidents) is a “closed head injury”, which is injury to the brain without skull fracture. One type of closed head injury is a “concussion” which is a violent jarring or shaking injury to the brain. Closed head injuries are quite common in car accidents and can occur even though the injured person did not strike their head. There is a type of closed head injury known as “contre-coup concussion” that is described in the following paragraph:
“A rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head can force the brain to move back and forth across the inside of the skull. The stress from the rapid movements pulls apart nerve fibers and causes damage to brain tissue. This type of injury often occurs as a result of motor vehicle crashes and physical violence, such as Shaken Baby Syndrome.” Source: Brain Injury Association of America.
STEP TWO: MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED
How do you make sure each injury is properly diagnosed? Use a checklist.
There at least twelve (12) common symptoms of closed head injury. You can obtain a list of these from a neuropsychologist. (A “neuropsychologist” is the medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of closed head injuries.)
You can also obtain from a TMJ specialist, a list of common TMJ symptoms.
Another way to make sure all injuries are identified is to tell your doctor. At your first visit, certainly, but also on later visits. Be sure to tell your doctor about symptoms that are new or worse since the accident. Sometimes your pain might be most severe in your neck right after the accident. Later, when that pain subsides your knee could be troubling you most and your knee could turn out to be the most seriously injured part of your body.
If your doctor doesn’t listen, tell your attorney. You might feel something is minor or not important so you are reluctant to tell your doctor or attorney. The best practice is to tell your doctors and attorneys everything. Let them decide what is important.
If your attorney won’t listen get another attorney. Find someone who will listen. Attorney-client relationships are like all relationships: there is no substitute for good communication. And that requires listening…on both sides.
STEP THREE: MAKE SURE EACH INJURY IS APPROPRIATELY TREATED.
Make sure all of your injuries is appropriately treated by going to the doctor right after your accident. Stoicism was a philosophy practiced in ancient Greece. The essence was “suck it up, don’t complain, be a man.” This philosophy may have worked in Ancient Greece but it doesn’t work in a modern injury case. Not if you want to get top value for your injuries. If you are hurt, go to the doctor. Follow his treatment recommendations.
Insurance defense attorneys love to bring up in court that the injured person did not follow doctor’s recommendations. That’s because juries expect you to follow your doctor’s advice.
There’s a legal principle called “mitigation of damages”. It says you must take steps to reduce the harm you suffer when someone causes you injury. If you fail to follow your doctor’s advice, you have failed to “mitigate your damages.” There is a specific “jury instruction” for this that the judge will give the jury if you haven’t been faithful to treatment recommendations. As a result you may get less money than you deserve.
Even something as small as missing an appointment can make a difference. Doctors don’t like it when patients miss appointments. They sometimes write in large letters: “PATIENT FAILED TO SHOW.” Juries get to see all the medical records. Imagine their reaction to just one of those comments. So make your appointments. Do your part to get better.
If the TMJ specialist tells you to wear your brace daily for six weeks, wear the brace. If your doctor prescribes daily exercises, do the exercises. If surgery is recommended and the second opinion doctor agrees. Get the surgery. Your case will be worth much more after you complete the surgery.
CONCLUSION
By following the advice in this article you avoid mistakes that will cost you thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on your injury case.
Rex Bush is founder of Bush Law Firm near Salt Lake City, Utah where he handles personal injury cases in Utah and throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on personal injury issues visit his website:
The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has warned that the state of the housing market in the United Kingdom is the current biggest domestic threat to the country’s economy, due to lack of house building, and regulatory issues.
In an interview to be aired on Sky News today, he said the housing market is the “biggest risk” to the economy and has “deep, deep structural problems”. Of house building he said: “There are not sufficient houses built in the UK. To go back to Canada, there are half as many people in Canada as in the UK, twice as many houses are built every year in Canada as in the UK and we can’t influence that.”
“We’re not going to build a single house at the Bank of England. We can’t influence that. What we can influence […] is whether the banks are strong enough. Do they have enough capital against risk in the housing market?”
Carney also said the Bank of England would look into the procedures used to issue loans and mortgages to see if they were being granted appropriately: “We’d be concerned if there was a rapid increase in high loan-to-value mortgages across the banks. We’ve seen that creeping up and it’s something we’re watching closely.”
Kris Hopkins responded to Carney on behalf of the government, saying the government “inherited a broken housing market, but our efforts to fix it are working”. “We’ve scrapped the failed top-down planning system, built over 170,000 affordable homes and released more surplus brownfield sites for new housing. We’ve also helped homebuyers get on the housing ladder, because if people can buy homes builders will build them. Housebuilding is now at its highest level since 2007 and climbing. Last year councils gave permission for almost 200,000 new homes under the locally-led planning system and more than 1,000 communities have swiftly taken up neighbourhood planning. It’s clear evidence the government’s long-term economic plan is working.”
Earlier this month, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development called on the UK government to “tighten” access to the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme introduced by George Osborne and the coalition government in 2013. ‘Help to Buy’ has also recently been criticised by three former Chancellors of the Exchequer — the Conservatives Norman Lamont and Nigel Lawson, and former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling. Darling said: “Unless supply can be increased substantially, we will exacerbate that situation with schemes like Help to Buy.”
The Phoenix Bar on Broughton Street in Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
Live music venues in Edinburgh, Scotland are awaiting a review later this year on the 2005 licensing policy, which places limitations on the volume of amplified music in the city. Investigating into how the policy is affecting the Edinburgh music scene, a group of Wikinews writers interviewed venue owners, academics, the City of Edinburgh Council, and local band The Mean Reds to get different perspectives on the issue.
Since the clause was introduced by the government of the city of Edinburgh, licensed venues have been prohibited from allowing music to be amplified to the extent it is audible to nearby residential properties. This has affected the live music scene, with several venues discontinuing regular events such as open mic nights, and hosting bands and artists.
Currently, the licensing policy allows licensing standards officers to order a venue to cease live music on any particular night, based on a single noise complaint from the public. The volume is not electronically measured to determine if it breaches a decibel volume level. Over roughly the past year there have been 56 separate noise complaints made against 18 venues throughout the city.
A petition to amend the clause has garnered over 3,000 signatures, including the support of bar owners, musicians, and members of the general public.
On November 17, 2014, the government’s Culture and Sport Committee hosted an open forum meeting at Usher Hall. Musicians, venue owners and industry professionals were encouraged to provide their thoughts on how the council could improve live music in the city. Ways to promote live music as a key cultural aspect of Edinburgh were discussed and it was suggested that it could be beneficial to try and replicate the management system of live music of other global cities renowned for their live music scenes. However, the suggestion which prevailed above all others was simply to review the existing licensing policy.
Councillor (Cllr) Norma Austin-Hart, Vice Convenor of the Culture and Sport Committee, is responsible for the working group Music is Audible. The group is comprised of local music professionals, and councillors and officials from Edinburgh Council. A document circulated to the Music is Audible group stated the council aims “to achieve a balance between protecting residents and supporting venues”.
Interior of the main auditorium of the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
Following standard procedure, when a complaint is made, a Licensing Standards Officer (LSO) is dispatched to investigate the venue and evaluate the level of noise. If deemed to be too loud, the LSO asks the venue to lower the noise level. According to a document provided by the City of Edinburgh Council, “not one single business has lost its license or been closed down because of a breach to the noise condition in Edinburgh.”
In the Scotland Licensing Policy (2005), Clause 6.2 states, “where the operating plan indicates that music is to be played in a premises, the board will consider the imposition of a condition requiring amplified music from those premises to be inaudible in residential property.” According to Cllr Austin-Hart, the high volume of tenement housing in the city centre makes it difficult for music to be inaudible.
During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe during the summer, venues are given temporary licences that allow them to operate for the duration of the festival and under the condition that “all amplified music and vocals are controlled to the satisfaction of the Director of Services for Communities”, as stated in a document from the council. During the festival, there is an 11 p.m. noise restriction on amplified music, and noise may be measured by Environmental Health staff using sophisticated equipment. Noise is restricted to 65dB(A) from the facades of residential properties; however, complaints from residents still occur. In the document from the council, they note these conditions and limitations for temporary venues would not necessarily be appropriate for permanent licensed premises.
Busker sitting in sealed window of St Cecilia’s Hall on Niddry Street, Edinburgh during 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Image: Brian McNeil.
In a phone interview, Cllr Austin-Hart expressed her concern about the unsettlement in Edinburgh regarding live music. She referenced the closure of the well-known Picture House, a venue that has provided entertainment for over half a century, and the community’s opposition to commercial public bar chain Wetherspoon buying the venue. “[It] is a well-known pub that does not play any form of music”, Cllr Austin-Hart said. “[T]hey feel as if it is another blow to Edinburgh’s live music”. “[We] cannot stop Wetherspoon’s from buying this venue; we have no control over this.”
The venue has operated under different names, including the Caley Palais which hosted bands such as Queen and AC/DC. The Picture House opened in 2008.
One of the venues which has been significantly affected by the licensing laws is the Phoenix Bar, on Broughton Street. The bar’s owner, Sam Roberts, was induced to cease live music gigs in March, following a number of noise complaints against the venue. As a result, Ms Roberts was inspired to start the aforementioned petition to have Clause 6.2 of the licensing policy reviewed, in an effort to remove the ‘inaudibility’ statement that is affecting venues and the music scene.
“I think we not only encourage it, but actively support the Edinburgh music scene,” Ms Roberts says of the Phoenix Bar and other venues, “the problem is that it is a dying scene.”
When Ms Roberts purchased the venue in 2013, she continued the existing 30-year legacy established by the previous owners of hosting live acts. Representative of Edinburgh’s colourful music scene, a diverse range of genres have been hosted at the venue. Ms Roberts described the atmosphere when live music acts perform at her venue as “electric”. “The whole community comes together singing, dancing and having a party. Letting their hair down and forgetting their troubles. People go home happy after a brilliant night out. All the staff usually join in; the pub comes alive”. However licensing restrictions have seen a majority of the acts shut down due to noise complaints. “We have put on jazz, blues, rock, rockabilly, folk, celtic and pop live acts and have had to close everything down.” “Residents in Edinburgh unfortunately know that the Council policy gives them all the rights in the world, and the pubs and clubs none”, Ms Roberts clarified.
Discussing how inaudibility has affected venues and musicians alike, Ms Roberts stated many pubs have lost profit through the absence of gigs, and trying to soundproof their venue. “It has put many musicians out of work and it has had an enormous effect on earnings in the pub. […] Many clubs and bars have been forced to invest in thousands of pounds worth of soundproofing equipment which has nearly bankrupted them, only to find that even the tiniest bit of noise can still force a closure. It is a ridiculously one-sided situation.” Ms Roberts feels inaudibility is an unfair clause for venues. “I think it very clearly favours residents in Edinburgh and not business. […] Nothing is being done to support local business, and closing down all the live music venues in Edinburgh has hurt financially in so many ways. Not only do you lose money, you lose new faces, you lose the respect of the local musicians, and you begin to lose all hope in a ‘fair go’.”
With the petition holding a considerable number of signatures, Ms Roberts states she is still sceptical of any change occurring. “Over three thousand people have signed the petition and still the council is not moving. They have taken action on petitions with far fewer signatures.” Ms Roberts also added, “Right now I don’t think Edinburgh has much hope of positive change”.
Ms Roberts seems to have lost all hope for positive change in relation to Edinburgh’s music scene, and argues Glasgow is now the regional choice for live music and venues. “[E]veryone in the business knows they have to go to Glasgow for a decent scene. Glasgow City Council get behind their city.”
Ms Martina Cannon, member of local band The Mean Reds, said a regular ‘Open Mic Night’ she hosted at The Parlour on Duke Street has ceased after a number of complaints were made against the venue. “It was a shame because it had built up some momentum over the months it had been running”. She described financial loss to the venue from cancelling the event, as well as loss to her as organiser of the event.
The Mean Reds at the Blind Poet, Edinburgh during Saturday Wolf Sessions, November 8, 2014. Image: Brian McNeil.
Sneaky Pete’s music bar and club, owned by Nick Stewart, is described on its website as “open and busy every night”.”Many clubs could be defined as bars that host music, but we really are a music venue that serves drinks”, Mr Stewart says. He sees the live music scene as essential for maintaining nightlife in Edinburgh not only because of the economic benefit but more importantly because of the cultural significance. “Music is one of the important things in life. […] it’s emotionally and intellectually engaging, and it adds to the quality of life that people lead.”
Sneaky Pete’s has not been immune to the inaudibility clause. The business has spent about 20,000 pounds on multiple soundproofing fixes designed to quell complaints from neighboring residents. “The business suffered a great deal in between losing the option to do gigs for fear of complaints, and finishing the soundproofing. As I mentioned, we are a music business that serves drinks, not a bar that also has music, so when we lose shows, we lose a great deal of trade”, said Mr Stewart.
He believes there is a better way to go about handling complaints and fixing public nuisances. “The local mandatory condition requiring ‘amplified music and vocals’ to be ‘inaudible’ should be struck from all licenses. The requirement presupposes that nuisance is caused by music venues, when this may not reasonably be said to be the case. […] Nuisance is not defined in the Licensing Act nor is it defined in the Public Health Act (Scotland) 2008. However, The Consultation on Guidance to accompany the Statutory Nuisance Provisions of the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 states that ‘There are eight key issues to consider when evaluating whether a nuisance exists[…]'”.
The eight key factors are impact, locality, time, frequency, duration, convention, importance, and avoidability. Stewart believes it is these factors that should be taken into consideration by LSOs responding to complaints instead of the sole factor of “audibility”.He believes multiple steps should be taken before considering revocation of licenses. Firstly, LSOs should determine whether a venue is a nuisance based on the eight factors. Then, the venue should have the opportunity to comply by using methods such as changing the nature of their live performances (e.g. from hard rock to acoustic rock), changing their hours of operation, or soundproofing. If the venue still fails to comply, then a board can review their license with the goal of finding more ways to bring them into compliance as opposed to revoking their license.
Nick Stewart has discussed his proposal at length with Music is Audible and said he means to present his proposal to the City of Edinburgh Council.
Dr Adam Behr, a music academic and research associate at the University of Edinburgh who has conducted research on the cultural value of live music, says live music significantly contributes to the economic performance of cities. He said studies have shown revenue creation and the provision of employment are significant factors which come about as a result of live music. A 2014 report by UK Music showed the economic value generated by live music in the UK in 2013 was £789 million and provided the equivalent of 21,600 full time jobs.
As the music industry is international by nature, Behr says this complicates the way revenue is allocated, “For instance, if an American artist plays a venue owned by a British company at a gig which is promoted by a company that is part British owned but majority owned by, say, Live Nation (a major international entertainment company) — then the flow of revenues might not be as straightforward as it seems [at] first.”
Despite these complexities, Behr highlighted the broader advantages, “There are, of course, ancillary benefits, especially for big gigs […] Obviously other local businesses like bars, restaurants and carparks benefit from increased trade”, he added.
Behr criticised the idea of making music inaudible and called it “unrealistic”. He said it could limit what kind of music can be played at venues and could force vendors to spend a large amount of money on equipment that enables them to meet noise cancelling requirements. He also mentioned the consequences this has for grassroots music venues as more ‘established’ venues within the city would be the only ones able to afford these changes.
Alongside the inaudibility dispute has been the number of sites that have been closing for the past number of years. According to Dr Behr, this has brought attention to the issue of retaining live music venues in the city and has caused the council to re-evaluate its music strategy and overall cultural policy.
The Parlour, Edinburgh. Image: Brian McNeil.
This month, Dr Behr said he is to work on a live music census for Edinburgh’s Council which aims to find out what types of music is played, where, and what exactly it brings to the city. This is in an effort to get the Edinburgh city council to see any opportunities it has with live music and the importance of grassroots venues. The census is similar to one conducted in Victoria, Australia in 2012 on the extent of live music in the state and its economic benefit.
As for the solution to the inaudibility clause, Behr says the initial step is dialogue, and this has already begun. “Having forum discussion, though, is a start — and an improvement”, he said. “There won’t be an overnight solution, but work is ongoing to try to find one that can stick in the long term.”
Beverley Whitrick, Strategic Director of Music Venue Trust, said she is unable to comment on her work with the City of Edinburgh Council or on potential changes to the inaudibility clause in the Licensing Policy. However, she says, “I have been asked to assess the situation and make recommendations in September”.
According to The Scotsman, the Council is working toward helping Edinburgh’s cultural and entertainment scene. Deputy Council Leader Sandy Howat said views of the entertainment industry needs to change and the Council will no longer consider the scene as a “sideline”.
Senior members of the Council, The Scotsman reported, aim to review the planning of the city to make culture more of a priority. Howat said, “If you’re trying to harness a living community and are creating facilities for people living, working and playing then culture should form part of that.”
The review of the inaudibility clause in the Licensing Policy is set to be reviewed near the end of 2016 but the concept of bringing it forward to this year is still under discussion.
Computer-generated plot of tracked objects as seen from outside geosynchronous orbitImage: NASA Orbital Debris Program Office.
A 182-page report issued September 1 by the United States National Research Council warns that the amount of debris in space is reaching “a tipping point”, and could cause damage to satellites or spacecraft. The report calls for regulations to reduce the amount of debris, and suggests that scientists increase research into methods to remove some of the debris from orbit, though it makes no recommendations about how to do so.
NASA sponsored the study.
A statement released along with the report warns that, according to some computer models, the debris “has reached a tipping point, with enough currently in orbit to continually collide and create even more debris, raising the risk of spacecraft failures”. According to the Satellite Industry Association, there are now about 1,000 working satellites in Earth orbit, and industry revenues last year were US$168 billion (£104.33 billion,€119.01 billion).
A simulation of the collision of debris and a spacecraft, conducted at NASA’s Ames Research CenterImage: NASA.
The debris consists of various objects, such as decommissioned satellites and exhausted boosters, but the vast majority of the particles are less than one centimetre across. 16,094 pieces of debris were being tracked as of July, although estimates put the current number at over 22,000. The total number of fragments is thought to be as high as tens of millions. While most of the debris is very small, some of it is travelling at speeds as high as 17,500 mi h-1 (28,164 km h-1; 7,823.3 m s-1).
The International Space Station sometimes has to dodge larger fragments, and in June its crew was forced to prepare to evacuate due to a close encounter with debris.
The UK Space Agency told Wikinews that space flight “is likely to be made more difficult” by the debris. However, communications will “[n]ot directly” be affected, “but if the GEO ring became unusable, there is no other altitude at which objects appear [‘]geo-stationary[‘] and so all antennas on the ground would then have to move in order to track the motion of the satellites”.
Donald J. Kessler, the lead researcher and former head of NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office, said that “[t]he current space environment is growing increasingly hazardous to spacecraft and astronauts,” and suggested that “NASA needs to determine the best path forward for tackling the multifaceted problems caused by meteoroids and orbital debris that put human and robotic space operations at risk.”
The current space environment is growing increasingly hazardous to spacecraft and astronauts
Two events are thought to be the largest individual sources of space debris. Kessler said that “[t]hose two single events doubled the amount of fragments in Earth orbit and completely wiped out what we had done in the last 25 years”.
The first of these was a controversial 2007 Chinese anti-satellite weapon test, which smashed the decommissioned weather satellite Fengyun-1C into approximately 150,000 fragments over a centimetre in size—making up roughly twenty percent of all tracked objects—537 miles above the Earth’s surface.
The Chinese government has so far failed to respond to Wikinews’s queries regarding the incident.
The other is a 2009 collision between twelve-year-old active satellite Iridium 33 and the defunct Russian Strela-2M satellite Kosmos-2251—both weighing in excess of 1,000 lbs (454 kg)—that occurred 490 miles over Siberia, the first such collision. The Iridium satellite was replaced within 22 days, according to Iridium Communications, who operated it.
An Iridium Communications satellite similar to Iridium 33Image: Cliff.
We believe this is a substantial first step in better information sharing between the government and industry and support even more robust interaction which can provide better and more efficient constellation operation.
In a statement released to Wikinews, Iridium Communications said that they “received no warning of the impending collision. Although commercial projections of close encounters (commonly called conjunctions) were available, the accuracy of those projections was not sufficient to allow collision avoidance action to be taken.” They also made the assurance that the Air Force Space Command and United States Strategic Command now provide them with information through the Joint Space Operations Center, and that “when necessary, [they] maneuver [their] satellites based on this information to avoid potential collisions. [They] believe this is a substantial first step in better information sharing between the government and industry and support even more robust interaction which can provide better and more efficient constellation operation.”
Iridium expressed their support for “[l]ong-term investment to improve Space Situational Awareness” and “[i]mproved information sharing between industry and the U.S. government”, as well as more “[g]overnment support for policy and processes which would permit sharing of high-accuracy data as required to allow reliable assessment and warning” and “[i]ncreased cooperation between the government and U.S. and foreign commercial operators.”
They maintained that “the Iridium constellation is uniquely designed to withstand such an event. Because of the resilient and distributed nature of the Iridium constellation, the effects of the loss of a single satellite were relatively minor”, and that “any other system, commercial or military, which experienced the loss of a satellite, would have suffered significant operational degradation for a period of months if not years.” Nonetheless, the company is “concerned over the increasing level of risk to operations resulting from the debris in space.”
HAVE YOUR SAY
Do you think the debris should be cleared? If so, how, and who should bear the responsibility?
Add or view comments
The report makes more than thirty findings, and more than twenty recommendations to NASA. None of the recommendations regard how to clean up the debris. However, it does cite a report by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which suggested various possible techniques for catching and removing space debris, such as magnetic nets.
The Cold War is over, but the acute sensitivity regarding satellite technology remains
However, international law does not allow one country to collect another’s debris. George J. Gleghorn, vice chair of the committee, observed that “[t]he Cold War is over, but the acute sensitivity regarding satellite technology remains”.
The debris will, in time, be pulled into the earth’s atmosphere—where it will burn up—by gravity, but more debris is being created faster than this can happen.
The problem of space debris is similar to a host of other environmental problems and public concerns
The report recommends collaborating with the United States Department of State on “economic, technological, political, and legal considerations.” As already mentioned, international law does not allow one country to collect another’s debris.
It is best to treat the root cause, the presence of debris in orbit, and remove the large objects before they can break up into many thousands of uncontrolled fragments capable of destroying a satellite on impact.
According to the report, “[t]he problem of space debris is similar to a host of other environmental problems and public concerns characterized by possibly significant differences between the short- and long-run damage accruing to society … Each has small short-run effects but, if left unaddressed, will have much larger impacts on society in the future.”
A spokesperson for the UK Space Agency told Wikinews that the organisation “does not have any plans to get directly involved with [the clean-up] initiative but through its involvement with NASA in the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, it is conducting studies to identify which objects present the biggest hazard and how many objects may need to be removed and from where.” It says that the viability of such an operation is “a question of treating the symptom or the cause of the problem. Building more physical protection is costly and if the environment deteriorates too far, becomes unviable. It is best to treat the root cause, the presence of debris in orbit, and remove the large objects before they can break up into many thousands of uncontrolled fragments capable of destroying a satellite on impact.”
The spokesperson also pointed out that “[u]nder current licensing regimes (such as in the UK), countries are now obliging operators to remove satellites from crowded regions of space at the end of operational life”.
As much as everybody hates to admit it, common oral or dental problems make people less attractive more often than not. Bad breath, discolored teeth, teeth gaps, and tooth loss are factors that negatively contribute to one s charm. A professional assistance from a reliable dentist is the best solution to these unpleasant conditions though.
Gingivitis doesn t only cause repulsion of other people, most especially the opposite sex, but it can also affect your health as a whole. Gingivitis got its name from the word gingiva, which also means gums. It may only seem a minor dental issue, but when left untreated, this might cause more severe gum diseases, such as periodontitis. In the city of Sarasota, Florida, people usually acquire gingivitis through improper oral healthcare.
Accumulation and bacteria generation of plaque being stored for a long time in the indentions of the teeth due to irregular brushing is what commonly causes gingivitis. Although many other factors can instigate gingivitis such as foreign body reactions, physical trauma, malnutrition, pregnancy, hormonal changes, medications, and environmental triggers, inappropriate health care is the most controllable contaminating factor.
According to
dentists Sarasota FL
, these bacteria activate the immune responses of the body which, in turn, destroy the tissues and bone that support the teeth. These bacteria also excrete harmful enzymes that cause decomposition of the gums and teeth. If not given adequate treatment, this gum disease can develop into periodontitis. Periodontitis is a more severe form of gingivitis which, can cause teeth loss.
A
Sarasota cosmetic dentist
can improve both aesthetic and functional purpose of the teeth. Extraction of teeth can happen as a result of periodontitis. Prevention is always the best medicine, which is why observing correct dental care is a must. In order to maintain a strong and healthy set of teeth, flossing after brushing teeth twice a day should be done.
Dentists Sarasota, FL
also encourage patients to use mouthwashes, unless of course, special cases occur such as people having sensitive teeth. Fluoride can also help protect the surface of teeth, but misuse and application with an excessive amount can cause more harm than good.
A United Airlines Airbus A319, similar to the one involved in the incident. Image: Bill Abbott.
United Airlines Flight 634 made an emergency landing yesterday morning when only two of the three landing wheels on the Airbus A319 deployed as the plane was making its final approach into Newark, New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport. After multiple attempts to fix the problem failed, the pilot decided that an emergency landing was the only remaining choice.
Only the plane’s nose gear and left landing gear had descended. The right landing gear would not release. The airliner made a go-around as the crew attempted to fix the problem. Passenger Jim Falk knew something was wrong saying, “Normally a big plane like that doesn’t do a bypass, so we knew something was wrong.”
However, the pilot decided that nothing could be done to bring the gear down, and an emergency landing was declared. “We are going to have an unusual landing,” the pilot calmly announced to the 53 passengers seated on the plane, according to passenger Moritz Loew. Another passenger, Paul Lasiuk said he was more shocked than scared, telling himself, “You have no choice. You’re going to go through this.”
“Brace! Brace! Brace!”, the pilot announced over the plane’s public address system, calling for passengers to enter the brace position as the plane made a touchdown on the runway at Newark. The plane touched down on the nose wheel and left rear wheel before lurching to the right causing sparks to fly as the right engine skidded along the runway. Eventually, the plane came to stop at 9:27 A.M. EDT.
Afterward, passengers and crew evacuated the plane by sliding down the evacuation slides and moving quickly away from the plane. They were then taken by bus to the airline’s lounge where they told their stories to investigators and waited for their luggage. Three passengers reported minor injuries but refused treatment.
The emergency landing caused the airport to shut down for 20 minutes, but service quickly resumed on two of the airports three runways. The plane remained on the runway throughout the afternoon as investigators determined the cause of the landing gear failure.
This is in contrast to last week, when the airport was shutdown for six hours after a young man named Haisong Jiang breached security by passing through an exit to kiss his girlfriend goodbye.
According to passengers, the crew remained calm during the ordeal. Jim Falk said, “They did a great job. There was no yelling, screaming, panicking or anything.” Falk said he wanted to buy a bottle of champagne for the currently unnamed pilot. Falk added, “The pilot did a beautiful job. He didn’t put it in the water like the other pilot did, but he should be commended.”
What’s a great landing? One that you walk away from.
Martin Trebino, a spokesperson for United Airlines said they would not release the pilot’s name on Sunday, but did not indicate when his name would be made available either.
Paul Lasiuk said, “I’ve had a lot of worse landings at Newark before. It was unbelievably smooth.”
Moritz Loew joked with himself afterward saying, “What’s a great landing? One that you walk away from.”
The flight, which left Chicago’sO’Hare International Airport early Sunday morning around 6 A.M. reported no other problems during the flight up until the incident. According to United Airlines spokesperson Robin Urbanski, it remains unclear why the landing gear failed to deploy. Urbanski added that passengers’ tickets would be refunded and that they would receive vouchers and credit towards any future flight.
