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Articles by Jason Thomson
Solar panels in space show potential for liftoff, despite cost concerns
Putting solar panels in space means you can collect the sun’s rays regardless of the weather, and, proponents say, it can help power remote parts of the world where infrastructure may not exist. The technology is advancing: Why We Wrote This Solar panels in space have potential to bring power to remote locations or to areas hit by natural disaster. Private companies and others are working to refine the technology.
A Beaver Project In England Offers Lessons In Coexistence - The Christian Science Monitor
There’s a site in Cornwall, in southern England, called Woodland Valley Farm. Here, farmer Chris Jones allows beavers to roam in an enclosed five-acre plot. Their natural dams, he says, have helped control repeated flooding of the downstream village. Centuries after beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain, efforts are now underway by environmentalists to reintroduce the creature.
A beaver project in England offers lessons in coexistence - CSMonitor.com
There’s a site in Cornwall, in southern England, called Woodland Valley Farm. Here, farmer Chris Jones allows beavers to roam in an enclosed five-acre plot. Their natural dams, he says, have helped control repeated flooding of the downstream village. Centuries after beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain, efforts are now underway by environmentalists to reintroduce the creature.
"They Are All Not Working"
I contracted COVID just after returning home from the Yukon (damn airplanes), and continued to test positive for 10 days beginning on 24 October, though I felt rough for only the first 3. Soon after, however, both of my kids also caught the virus - neither was very sick, but my poor daughter was put into isolation for 10 days, as per the policy of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. She didn't need this additional complication, given how poorly things had already been going.
"Kind of in Survival Mode"
October 22, 2023 - "Kind of in Survival Mode" In August, a woman who I'd been messaging with sent me an update from Vancouver, where she had travelled on holiday, in part to watch her daughter compete in an ultimate frisbee tournament. Her stay in British Columbia had been extended, she reported, as her daughter had required surgery after breaking both of her hands during a game.
Why NASA’s Psyche mission targets a metal-rich asteroid
NASA is heading to a world unlike any yet explored by humankind – a large asteroid believed to be made almost entirely of metal. It will take six years, after the successful launch today, for a spacecraft to reach an asteroid called Psyche that could open new windows into everything from the formation of planets like Earth to the prospect of mining in space.
Why NASA’s latest mission targets a metal-rich asteroid Original
It is a world unlike any yet explored by humankind. No spacecraft, no probe of any kind, has ventured close to anything like this – a large asteroid believed to be made almost entirely of metal. Now NASA is on the way there. After a successful launch today, a space probe will begin a six-year journey to an asteroid called Psyche that could open new windows into everything from the formation of planets like Earth to the prospect of mining in space.
Why NASA’s Latest Mission Targets A Metal-rich Asteroid - The Christian Science Monitor
It is a world unlike any yet explored by humankind. No spacecraft, no probe of any kind, has ventured close to anything like this – a large asteroid believed to be made almost entirely of metal. Now NASA is on the way there. After a successful launch today, a space probe will begin a six-year journey to an asteroid called Psyche that could open new windows into everything from the formation of planets like Earth to the prospect of mining in space.
Home - Whisky Magazine
Known as The Accelerator and The Brake, Charles and Sandy Gordon played complementary – but vastly contrasting – roles in the history of their family-owned Scotch whisky business. Today, renowned whisky writer Dave Broom is telling their story through the medium of film and a very special House of Hazelwood collaboration. Whisky Magazine readers have an exclusive opportunity to preview to the film by clicking here. Visit House of Hazelwood to pre-order a bottle from 19 September.
Home - Whisky Magazine
Known as The Accelerator and The Brake, Charles and Sandy Gordon played complementary – but vastly contrasting – roles in the history of their family-owned Scotch whisky business. Today, renowned whisky writer Dave Broom is telling their story through the medium of film and a very special House of Hazelwood collaboration. Whisky Magazine readers have an exclusive opportunity to preview to the film by clicking here. Visit House of Hazelwood to pre-order a bottle from 19 September.
Save rainforests? People are thinking temperate, not just tropical.
Temperate rainforests, once a major presence in Britain, now cover a mere 1% of the landscape here – a fact rooted in centuries of logging, development, and conversion to other land uses. The importance of these woods stretches far beyond their beauty and nostalgic connections with myths and legends. Globally, temperate forests also represent a key pillar in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
Why People Rally Around A Rainforest – In England - The Christian Science Monitor | Scribd
Stepping across the threshold, it is as though you’re entering another world. Beneath the canopy of great oak trees, different from those you might normally find in an English woodland, ferns unfurl their fronds amid a smattering of wildflowers. A brook murmurs across well-worn rocks. Time seems to slow, and you could be forgiven for imagining you’ve awoken in a scene from The Lord of the Rings.
Oceans heat up. So does concern for protecting fish.
It’s not just Earth’s air that’s been hot lately. The oceans are warming, too. Last year was their warmest to date, in records going back to the 1800s. Scientists say this carries risks for marine life including the fisheries on which humans depend. In Alaska, a sharp decline in Bering Sea snow crabs amid a marine heat wave caused the cancellation of this year’s harvest. In the North Sea, warming water temperatures have pushed mackerel northward and fishing boats have followed.
Oceans heat up. So does concern for protecting fish. Original
It’s not just Earth’s air that’s been hot lately. The oceans are warming, too. Last year was their warmest to date, in records going back to the 1800s. Further records have been smashed this year, with global sea surface temperatures reaching unprecedented levels every month so far since May. And in June, Antarctic sea ice levels reached their lowest since satellite observations began – with a drop of some 2.6 million square kilometers (1 million square miles).
So many satellites in orbit. Can we clean up space?
At the close of 2022, a European satellite unfurled a glimmering silver sail behind it. The purpose of this appendage was simple: to accelerate the satellite’s self-destruction by pushing it into the Earth’s atmosphere. Strange as it may sound at first, this was the latest in a growing wave of efforts to address the burgeoning problem of space junk. In recent years, the situation above our skies has shifted dramatically.
A new space race? Britain enters the orbital launch business.
The United Kingdom’s first-ever space launch, expected within days, will also be the first commercial launch from anywhere in Europe. It represents widening space ambitions in the U.K. and Europe, at a time when the commercial, scientific, and military importance of space is clearly rising. The coming launch, from Spaceport Cornwall, hints at Britain’s current limitations as well as the aspirations.
Red squirrels revive in UK, with help from humans
Red squirrels were once common throughout the United Kingdom, but the invasive gray squirrel has pushed them to the brink of extinction in all but a few strongholds. There is, however, hope of restoring them through a multipronged approach. Why We Wrote This Efforts in the United Kingdom to restore the red squirrel population range from secluded sanctuaries to the reintroduction of predators. Among the efforts is a sanctuary on Tresco – one of the Isles of Scilly off the southwest tip of England.
Europe weighs green label for biofuels even as carbon emissions rise
The phrase renewable energy may evoke images of solar or wind power, but in the European Union, fully 60% of energy classified as renewable is generated by burning organic matter – most of it wood from forests. The EU is in negotiations over what exactly should count as sustainable biofuel – with the added complication, now, of the war in Ukraine and efforts to pivot away from Russian fossil fuels as quickly as possible.
The Christian Science Monitor Daily for June 14, 2022
2022 June 14 Tuesday TODAY’S INTRO This biographer’s mantra: ‘Every life is a gift’ As a people watcher, I try to imagine the lives of those whose paths cross mine. I devour biographies with a similar desire to know the details of someone’s life. A biographer’s role is “helping readers bridge the gap between their experience and a life from the past,” says Megan Marshall, winner of this year's Biography International Organization Award.
Why this space race to the moon will be different
At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a behemoth is being built. The Space Launch System (SLS) is the most powerful rocket ever constructed, designed to propel humans far beyond Earth’s orbit. But its early missions revolve around a single goal: returning humans to the moon after an absence of nearly 50 years. Across the globe, there is a resurgence of interest in our nearest neighbor, with missions looking to launch later this year and in the coming decade.
MGM Resorts International Hits Sustainability Milestone
By Malik Anderson June 29, 2021 Record hot temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. Strange clouds in Warsaw, Poland. The Earth’s climate keeps surprising its inhabitants with anomalies—and the hotel industry isn’t happy.
Don't Be Boring: 5 Tools for Engaging Presentations
“Don’t be boring.” A couple of months ago, I coached a virtual classroom full of ten-year-olds on developing the speeches that every kid needs to create annually. I gave them just that one piece of advice in my 15-minute talk. Sure, I’ve got about 200 other ideas for them, but “don’t be boring” was the one that was going to have the greatest impact on their talks. Jason Thomson I’m giving you the same advice.
Can freight trucks pull their weight in lowering carbon emissions?
Freight trucks account for 7% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, double the role of airplanes. With that in view, governments are increasingly setting targets for shifting commercial trucking – from small delivery trucks up to 18-wheelers – away from fossil fuels. The big challenge ahead is that an electric revolution in freight hauling will require investing in high-powered charging stations – and even upgrades to power grids to make those possible.
Employee Drought Threatens Hospitality Reopening
It turns out hiring back thousands of hotel employees, from chefs and bartenders to housekeepers and salespeople, is even harder than doing mass layoffs. Popular tourist destinations like Las Vegas are finding workforces already stretched thin by the absence of overseas seasonal workers stranded in their home countries due to pandemic restrictions. Now, convention hotels are competing with newly launched properties, Amazon fulfillment centers, alternate careers and full-time parenting duties.
European Union Says “Yes” to Vaccinated U.S. Tourists
By Malik Anderson April 28, 2021 Expect to see fully vaccinated Americans rushing to European borders. In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, the European Union’s executive body said that fully vaccinated Americans will be able to visit the European Union this summer. “All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated.” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
New CDC Guidelines: No Masks Outdoor If Vaxed
By Malik Anderson April 27, 2021 Some restrictions have been lifted for those who have been vaccinated, according to new guidance announced today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Destinations International Rising Stars Share Covid Lessons
Smart Meetings loves recognizing talented hospitality professionals who will help the industry evolve as we get back to meeting, so when we heard that Destinations International had announced their 2021 30 Under 30 class from convention and visitors bureaus and tourism boards around the world, we wanted to get to know them better.
4 Shortcuts to Keep Your Audience from Zoning Out
Here’s a harsh truth. People aren’t paying attention to your presentation. I know, I know—we’ve been talking about engagement numbers dropping through the floor over the course of our pandemic-mandated virtual meetingverse. But the truth is, audiences were tuning out long before we ever started upgrading our work from home setups. I have witnessed this firsthand, creating presentations for the better part of 25 years.
Coal: Can Britain open a mine while going green? It’s complicated.
Of all the fossil fuels, coal is known as the dirtiest, and Britain was a founding member of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a body dedicated to eradicating its use in energy generation. Yet now England’s northwest coast is the proposed venue for something not seen in 30 years: a new British coal mine. This is stirring up controversy – and a pending public inquiry by the national government – as Britain prepares to host a global conference on climate change action this fall.
19 Ways Parents Canada Talk Radio Taught Us to be Better Moms and Dads
Something entirely unexpected happened in my role as co-host of Parents Canada Talk Radio: I became a much better dad. I’m more patient and collaborative, better at anticipating mental health issues and report card meltdowns. We’re in the late stages of the pandemic, yet my crew at home is happier and healthier than ever.
Five Things I Wish I’d Known Before Blending a Family
There’s no way to sugar-coat this: In the high wire act that is parenting, blending a family can be one of the trickiest manoeuvres you’ll face. I should know, I’ve attempted it twice. And trust me when I say it wasn’t always pretty. I burned through all the parenting blogs, books and podcasts I could, but when real moments happened, there were twists and conversations I simply didn’t expect. That’s why this article exists.
THE GENOMIC LANDSCAPE OF ACTINIC KERATOSIS
Abstract Actinic keratoses (AK) are lesions of epidermal keratinocyte dysplasia and are precursors for invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Identifying the specific genomic alterations driving progression from normal skin-AK-invasive CSCC is challenging due to the massive ultraviolet radiation-induced mutational burden characteristic at all stages of this progression.
A mural goes unfinished in downtown Asbury
There’s no doubt Asbury Park is a leader in the local public art game. Murals and other outdoor art offerings are seen in various spots around the downtown and oceanfront. This downtown mural, seen on Bond Street (on the side of the store Etc. and right next door to Bond Street Bar) first appeared well over a year ago and was done by Asbury artist Porkchop. The mural was never finished because it was never approved by the city.
Classic Cars invade Asbury Park
Ernesto Cullari, Asbury Park resident and triCityNews Justified Right columnist, captured the scene at the Classic Car Show last weekend on Lake Avenue in the city. The show featured a huge variety of vintage automobiles, including this 1940’s-era black Cadillac captured by Cullari in all its splendid glory. Send your Friday Foto to fridayfotoaps@gmail.com. Sep 28, 2012
Marvel’s cautionary tale for whisky makers
With the box office success of Avengers: Endgame this weekend it’s hard to imagine Marvel was near bankruptcy 23 years ago, when its pandering to the collectors market almost saw its demise. There’s a lot whisky can learn from comics, writes Jason Thomson. Collectors items?: Like whisky, some comic books are created for trading on the secondary market Comic books and whisky…. what could they have in common? At first glance it seems not much.
Marvel’s cautionary tale for whisky makers
With the box office success of Avengers: Endgame this weekend it’s hard to imagine Marvel was near bankruptcy 23 years ago, when its pandering to the collectors market almost saw its demise. There’s a lot whisky can learn from comics, writes Jason Thomson. Success story: Marvel has grown from a publisher to an entertainment heavyweight in recent years Comic books and whisky…. what could they have in common? At first glance it seems not much.
ISIS post caliphate: who's left, and where they are
The fall of the self-styled caliphate carved out by the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has been nearly as spectacular and swift as its rise. ISIS-held cities and towns on both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi border have fallen like dominoes since Iraq announced the liberation of the northern city of Mosul in July. Iraqi forces took nearby Tal Afar at the end of August, completing that battle in less than a fortnight.
ISIS post caliphate: who's left, and where they are
—The fall of the self-styled caliphate carved out by the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has been nearly as spectacular and swift as its rise. ISIS-held cities and towns on both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi border have fallen like dominoes since Iraq announced the liberation of the northern city of Mosul in July. Iraqi forces took nearby Tal Afar at the end of August, completing that battle in less than a fortnight.
US giving new consideration to selling arms to Ukraine. Is that wise?
Ukrainian army soldiers patrol a street in the town of Kalynivka, Ukraine, Sept. 27, 20 kilometers (13 miles) from the site of an ammunition depot blast. More than 30,000 residents were evacuated after the explosion. —Ever since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, subsequently backing a separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine that simmers to this day, the United States has responded with a mix of sanctions, diplomacy, and military assistance.
US giving new consideration to selling arms to Ukraine. Is that wise?
Ever since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, subsequently backing a separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine that simmers to this day, the United States has responded with a mix of sanctions, diplomacy, and military assistance. That final part – supporting the Ukrainian military – has included support of defense reforms, on both strategic and tactical levels; training; and $750 million-worth of non-lethal equipment.
Best Whisky Tasting Bars in Glasgow
Glasgow has a long and proud connection to the whisky industry and a friendly atmosphere that trumps most cities. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a few drams, but where should you go? Here’s our pick for the top 10 places to enjoy whisky in Glasgow. One of the top whisky bars in Scotland, never mind Glasgow! The shelves of the Pot Still are rammed with rare and old bottlings and you could lose many an hour sampling their wares whilst talking to the staff and regulars.
Best Whisky Tasting Bars in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has an amazing history which is soaked in the whisky industry. Andrew Usher, a whisky blending pioneer, gave the city a magnificent concert hall bearing his name and the Shore in Leith is populated by many a converted warehouse. There may not be a distillery creating whisky in the city centre but there are some outstanding places that you can go and enjoy a dram of the amber nectar. Here’s our list of the top 10 places to enjoy whisky in Edinburgh.
Do Russia's western war games deliver a threat, or just a message?
Russian troops engage in a military exercise at a training ground near Kaliningrad, Russia, Sept. 18. The 'Zapad [West] 2017' maneuvers have caused concern among NATO members bordering Russia, who have criticized a lack of transparency about the exercises. —President Vladimir Putin watched through a cool drizzle in Russia's far western reaches Monday, just 70 miles from his country’s border with the European Union, as Russian tanks and paratroopers battled fictional extremist groups.
Do Russia's western war games deliver a threat, or just a message?
President Vladimir Putin watched through a cool drizzle in Russia's far western reaches Monday, just 70 miles from his country’s border with the European Union, as Russian tanks and paratroopers battled fictional extremist groups. Fighter jets and missiles screamed overhead. The confrontation was just one part of “Zapad 2017,” a huge military exercise involving both Russia and Belarus that has caused some hand-wringing in parts of NATO, not least its eastern capitals.
Military space race? Why some say now's the time for an upgraded treaty.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle waits in the encapsulation cell of the Evolved Expendable Launch vehicle at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida in this April,2010 handout photo provided by the US Air Force. The X-37B is the U.S.'s newest and most advanced unmanned re-entry spacecraft.
Military space race? Why some say now's the time for an upgraded treaty
“I have to say,” said President Trump in an April video call with astronauts aboard the International Space Station that was broadcast to schoolchildren nationwide, “there’s tremendous military application in space.” The United States has long worked on that assumption, to the extent that much of its military prowess now depends upon a vast network of satellites orbiting the planet.
Trouble in the Seventh Fleet: what may be behind Navy collisions
Admiral Scott Swift, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, speaks at a news conference near the damaged USS John S. McCain and the USS America at Changi naval base in Singapore, Aug. 22, 2017. —A recent spate of collisions involving US Navy ships from the Seventh Fleet, two of them fatal, has led the Navy to relieve that fleet’s commander, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, reportedly after his superiors lost confidence in his leadership.
Trouble in the Seventh Fleet: what may be behind Navy collisions
A recent spate of collisions involving US Navy ships from the Seventh Fleet, two of them fatal, has led the Navy to relieve that fleet’s commander, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, reportedly after his superiors lost confidence in his leadership. The latest collision, Monday off the coast of Singapore, was between the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain and a Liberian-flagged tanker.
Will Charlottesville mark a tipping point for the United States?
Everyone from the governor of Virginia to his mom and dad were telling Fintan Horan to stay away from this weekend’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. He paid them no mind.
Will Charlottesville mark a tipping point for the United States?
White nationalist demonstrators use shields as they clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday. Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency after skirmishes broke out and a Dodge Challenger was driven into a crowd of people, killing one woman and injuring 19 people.
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