There May Be Trouble Ahead

He’s back! Our friend  Niño is coming to visit us once again this winter. Niño is the Spanish word for 'boy or child', and in this case, a mischievous youngster. El Niño is a pool of warm ocean water that's driven from a change of winds, normally blowing from east to west, but now blowing from the west to the east.

As snowcover disappears in the Arctic North , the Arctic permafrost emerges from historic slumber yielding relics of past inhabitants and debris  that has laid hidden for decades, even millennia. We  have very limited knowledge of our deep waters and even less experience of knowing what is in our northern permafrost areas.  While this warmer winter weather may be welcome, it also causes problems."The warm water is driven across the Pacific Ocean", according to Environment Canada Senior Climatologist Dave Phillips, "and triggers changes to the circulation of the atmosphere that can have repercussions thousands of miles away.”  

“It's got an impact all over the world, including Antarctica”  states Ted Scambos, a senior scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado.  The end result is the melting of Arctic ice and glaciers around the world have shrunk markedly in recent decades.

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       This brings a combination of good news and bad news..

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"The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet" says James Astill. The retreating ice offers access to precious land area as frozen tundra retreats northwards, and large areas of the Arctic will become suitable for agriculture. An increasingly early Arctic spring could increase plant growth by up to 25%. That would

allow Greenlanders to grow more than the paltry 100 tons of potatoes they manage to harvest now, and much more valuable materials will become increasingly accessible. The Arctic is already a big source of minerals including zinc in Alaska, gold in Canada, iron in Sweden and nickel in Russia, and  plenty more to mine, but the costs will also be huge. Unique ecosystems, and perhaps many species, will be lost in a tide of environmental change. The cause is likely global pollution, and the risks it carries are likewise global.

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Our prehistoric theories and facts note extreme earthquakes and earthly turmoil. This combined with a giant

asteroid that struck earth at the Yucatan Peninsula in Southeastern Mexico wiped out the existing dinosaurs and created  extreme changes. This ‘new earth’ might have introduced some new elements now buried deeply in permafrost for decades.

 “If you start mining for something, you will excavate layers of frozen soil by millions of tons,” says Jean-Michel Claverie, head of France’s Structural and Genomic Information Laboratory .“If there is something nasty there, it will be released in the atmosphere and affect the people who are working there. If we are not careful, and we industrialize these areas without putting safeguards in place, we run the risk of one day waking up viruses such as smallpox that we thought were eradicated.”

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A team of French scientists is closely studying viruses uncovered in Siberia to ensure they won't wipe out humanity in a few decades. Their problem is that one can't  study frozen samples to see what will happen - the samples must be thawed and activated, and in microscopic studies of sample specimen, researchers have isolated  suspected viruses.

To identify a virus, the laboratory has to use a sample of an amoeba such as plankton. If the amoeba dies in contact with this sample, scientists can conclude that they were exposed to a virus. Amoeba, if you remember your high school science classwork, is a single cell animal which can divide and quickly multiply.

An amoebe

 Infected,  this could prove devastating. Researchers then proceed to test it on mice and human cells to see if it is, or is not hazardous. Claverie and his team previously had discovered an ancient virus, and these  discoveries raise the possibility that, as the climate warms and exploration expands in long-untouched regions of Siberia, humans could release ancient or eradicated viruses.So,while warmer winter weather may be welcome, it also causes problems.The warm flow is driven across the Pacific Ocean and triggers changes to the circulation of the atmosphere that can have repercussions thousands of miles away.” 

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There have been four types of prehistoric viruses found since 2003, however all have been proven to be

harmless.Common vaccines have controlled the influenza and chicken pox viruses, measles and mumps and many other well-known diseases. Careful attention finally controlled the polio and, currently, carefully monitoring the ebola viruses.

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An Arctic deep-mine.

“In the event of mining operations, millions of tons of these layers will be dug up and exposed to air. All the conditions will be in place for the reactivation of those viruses, some of which could be pathogens.” said Claverie. These ancient viruses found frozen in Siberian ice are proof that a variety of virus types can survive long periods of time at extremely cold temperatures.One recent research study by a team of French scientists found a virus  named the “Mollivirus Sibericum” that qualified as

 a "giant virus." This virus was discovered in 2015 in a 30,000-year-old sample of Siberian permafrost. French scientists plan to reanimate it in order to explore how it developed. It was unearthed from one hundred feet of Siberian permafrost. Molllivirus Sibericum which means “soft virus from Siberia” is in the process of being analyzed. As Arctic environments warm up, ancient viruses that lay dormant for thousands of years might thaw and reinfect humans once again.

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 There are skeptics claiming climate change is just routine weather variations.

 

Currently, the Middle Eastern countries, accustomed to high summer temperatures are suffering  an extreme heat wave as thermometers reaches 164 degrees in Iran, and 159 degrees in Iraq. Prolonged days of broiling heat would not be conducive to human outdoor activity. While some world areas are experiencing an elevated heat index, other areas are finding the warming conditions  melting ice and food sources are no longer available. Animals migrate for suitable hunting areas and humans are known to do likewise. If 'climate change' continues to be factual and, in some part caused by humans,

 we will be forced to take action. 

Hunting for food.

Perhaps the possibility of ‘climate change’ and it’s effects as possible health hazards should be taken much more seriously.

Who Has The Keys To The Vault?

 Refugees have been leaving their homeland in Syria in a continuous stream as chaos, death and destruction has replaced all vestiges of civility. Whole villages have been decimated and the battles appear to be unending.

Wreckage, and destruction has covered the landscape and remaining villagers  have little food for their families and farmers have little hope of planting for the upcoming season . They have nothing to plant, resulting in nothing expected to be produced. Farmers need seeds to plant. There is one chance  for Syrian farmers to find seeds to plant for  season crops and that all-important seed storage area is at Aleppo, the  Syrian capitol

Aleppo, Syria

 has unfortunately been the scene of armed conflict dangerous to everyone. Farmers are discovering a very short supply to plant due to this damaged seed supply. Although some seeds stored in the Aleppo seed vaults are available, many have been damaged by the loss of electricity that controls thermostats for the containers, destroying the quality of much of  the seed bank.

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Aleppo is one of several banks of seeds that are withdrawn when needed. This vault of seeds is one of several maintained by “the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas”, or ICARDA” in areas across North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia .
This organization maintains seed vaults of more than 100,000 different samples of crops that farmers have planted in these regions for thousands of years. As worries of armed conflict increased, officials decided to take action and  workers began transferring stored seeds from Aleppo to other storage areas.

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 Before the situation in Syria deteriorated in early 2012, ICARDA staff members have duplicated 26,000 samples and transferred them to Turkey and Lebanon.When civil war erupted in Syria, 141,000 packets of   

the valuable seeds were sitting in cold storage nineteen miles south of Aleppo.  They included ancient varieties of wheat and durum dating back nearly to the dawn of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent, and one of the world’s largest collections of lentil, barley, and  bean varieties, crops that feed millions of people worldwide every day. As  destruction increased, a safe haven for storage was needed quickly.
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A cold storage facility was needed and there was one that would fulfill their needs.

On a remote Arctic island off  Norway’s coast, there's a underground vault filled with seeds, sometimes called the Doomsday Vault. Scientists have been filling that vault with seeds which could be used to grow vital crops for decades. It was decided to store Syrian seeds in this Norwegian seed-vault.

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Since 2012, ICARDA has continued to add duplicate samples at Norway's Global Seed Vault carved into the side and interior of a frozen mountain.

The Svalbard Vault burrows deep into the mountain located in the Norwegian-controlled archipelago  called Svalbard, which is Norwegian for "cold coast." This seed vault has been designed to be colder than the permafrost. In the event that the earth warms and the power goes out, the vault will stay frozen for another 25 years.Permafrost and thick rock ensure that the seed samples will remain frozen even

without power and is known as the "world's largest, secure seed storage vault."

 Opened by the Norwegian Government in February 2008, crates of seeds from around the globe are sent here for safe and secure long-term storage .This Seed Bank was established and is fully funded by the Norwegian government, with the responsibility of The Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 
Since it’s establishment in 2008, countries have been utilizing this storage facility with confidence and no one has needed to remove their contribution, insuring continuation of food for the future.

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However, the chaos and destruction in Syria  and surrounding areas has alarmed officials, and thoughts of  upcoming meager crop yields are causing concerns for area residents. It may be time for action, once again and scientists decide to make the first ever withdrawal from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The purpose of  'The Vault'  is to store duplicates (backups) of seed samples from the world's crop collections. But now, less than 10 years after the opening, officials  withdraw seeds for the first time.

Transporting seeds from Aleppo

"We did not expect a retrieval this early," Crop Trust spokesman Brian Lainoff told NPR. "But we knew in 2008 that Syria was in for an interesting couple of years."  ICARDA has requested 130 boxes out of 325 it had deposited in the vault, containing a total of 116,000 samples. They knew they would need more seeds to re-establish crops lost during the war, and in order to plant these “Warm Climate”seeds,  they must be planted in a warm country.

 Norway is not that country, so it has been determined that the new planting will be in Morocco, where  scientists in Morocco and Lebanon will grow new plants  for the expected harvest of duplicate copies.

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Newly produced seeds will then be sent to Syria and a portion will go back to Svalbard to replace and store the valuable seeds — just in case there's another emergency. New plants and food for Syria.

             Thanks to The Doomsday Vault in Svalbard, Norway.

 

The bank that really DOES pay interest!

A Journey to........

"MaMa, Where we go?"

Thousands of refugees are fleeing their homelands as destruction, torture, and kidnappings  more brutal than atrocities of WW2  force inhabitants to escape the horrors as the Syrian Civil War continues into a fifth year. Their escape route is long and uncertain.

 They may  find countries that welcome them while other countries are not so friendly.

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Imagine  Christopher Columbus landing the Mayflower on our shore in 1492. As he rows to shore, he is met by the council of local Indians who ask for his papers and intentions. Hearing Chris’s request for a landing,

he is told that his papers are not recognized, he doesn’t speak “Indian”, dresses funny and doesn’t have any sponsors. Columbus is told “No!     You and your people are not welcome. Go away!”

Where would we be today?

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Ludicrous as that may sound, some countries are discouraging immigrants, herding them into camps and forcing the the travelers to find other routes- somewhere else.

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The exodus from Syria has caused hundreds of thousands of broken families to find safer homes. For doubters, one immigrant informed officials that ”In Syria, the soldiers had warned me that if my husband did not appear soon and pay his dues, the children would be kidnapped. I’m terrified abut what is happening."

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In an earlier chapter, I noted the migratory paths of our early ancestors as they moved throughout Europe. The current travel migrant routes are strangely similar today.

Migrants path from Syria

French and German leaders have reminded other European countries of their shared responsibility toward

Chancellor Merkel

refugees. "Europe as a whole must share the responsibility for refugees seeking asylum" said Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, whose country is expected to see 800,000 asylum applications this year.

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Prime Minister Orban

In Hungary, strains were beginning to show as plans were made for the construction of  border fences. Mr. Orban had asked that it be completed by the end
of August, but only a first stage, a line of razor wire along the ground had been completed by then with the bulk of the 13-foot barrier still being built. This year alone, more than 150,000 migrants have requested asylum in Hungary.

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The exodus from war-torn Syria has led to an influx of asylum seekers in distant Sweden. a country that has acquired a reputation among Syrian refugees as a welcoming haven, the biggest host country for Syrians

Swedish Foreign Minister

outside the Middle East. Sweden now routinely offers permanent residency to Syrian refugees.Up to 30,000 Syrians have come to Sweden since the unrest started.The arrivals receive bed sheets,  allocated a dorm room, meals are served at set hours and  arrivals  are given a time slot for their asylum interview. Sweden's foreign minister, Margot Wallström, recently told The Local: “What if WE lived in a war zone? We would also want to flee somewhere safe with our children, or try to secure a future elsewhere. It has to do with whether or not we are serious in the EU about our guiding principles – this will affect our credibility.”

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Minister of CESI Thorkildsen

Norway will take in 1,000 Syrian refugees for resettlement to Norway. The further quota of 1000 refugees from Syria will come in addition to Norway’s annual  resettlement quota of approximately 1200 refugees. 

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“Norway has a tradition of doing what it can in response to major international refugee crises and of providing a safe haven for refugees. This time is no exception As a country, we can be proud of this and we will do everything we can to support the municipalities in this process.” said Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion Inga Marte Thorkildsen.

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Denmark has exhibited a strong resistance to the horde of migrants seeking help and asylum.

In the words of Refugee Khaled al-Habash : "We are not come here to as tourism. We are coming from wars. And I think who don't like that, he must — they must go to Syria and see what happened in Syria. We are — our — my children now under the bombs. I am very — my — they don’t have water for one week, one week without water. In Sweden, you can get a residence permit for a long time and you can get citizenship after four years, unlike — not like Danish."

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The two Scandinavian neighbors, Sweden and Denmark, are handling the European migrant crisis in vastly different ways. While Sweden has taken in the largest number of  refugees in relation to its population of all EU nations, Denmark is implementing policies to discourage asylum seekers. Sweden, the nation which has taken in the most refugees in relation to its population size, is calling for every EU nation to take its fair share and to be more civilized. But its neighbor, Denmark, has just introduced new welfare benefit restrictions aimed at discouraging asylum-seekers from heading there

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The center-right minority government introduced a law to dissuade refugees and economic migrants from heading to Denmark.Denmark has sought to reduce the influx by issuing temporary residence permits, delaying family reunifications and slashing benefits for newly arrived immigrants. Martin Henrikson, of the Danish People’s Party has stated: "In the past, we have taken a lot of refugees in Denmark and we have come to a point where we have to say enough is enough. We can’t take any more. We can’t handle this type of immigration crisis. Simply, it’s too heavy a burden on a small country like Denmark. So let’s just step on the brakes."

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However, immigrants have been welcomed in other countries.President François Hollande of France announced  that his country would take in 24,000 asylum seekers over two years.In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron said his country would accept 20,000 refugees from Syria. 

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 Hundreds of Germans hold up “Welcome Refugees” signs as, Alalie, a 37-year-old from Damascus said “Germany is the only country that is welcoming us.” Alalie is one of the thousands of refugees who arrived at the main train station in Munich.The reasons for the German welcome are many, but the one that stands out: is that Germany has a  rapidly aging population, and the country is becoming  aware of the need to welcome foreigners. Other countries, where  population numbers  are increasing, have fewer

incentives to welcome newcomers. Germany will be accepting 800,000 immigrants this year.

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The Syrian civil war continues as homes and families are destroyed and survivors  migrate to safety. At the present time,an estimated half-million people  have applied for asylum in Europe.

          332,000 people have reached Europe this year.

There appears to be no end in sight.

House For Sale In Norway

It may be a bit late, but to plan ahead, check this out. Students going back to school are facing higher and higher tuition costs. Where can we find a lower cost but still excellent education?  Free tuition".  It may be time to move.   How about...Norway?

Norway’s housing market is slowing sharply, after almost four years of house price rises.. In the third quarter of 2013, the average price of dwellings sold was NOK3 million (US$490,320) while the average price of holiday homes on an owned site was NOK1.4 million (US$228,820), according to Statistics Norway. Believe it or not, There are few restrictions for foreigners looking to purchase property in Norway. Of course, there are minor restrictions to purchasing properties in select coastal and mountain regions and as

such it is a good idea to engage the services of a reputable real estate agent (in Norway the agent generally represents both the buyer and the seller with the fee usually being paid by the buyer). Norwegians are friendly and down to earth; English is spoken widely . Norway has large variations in seasonal daylight. .“Land of the Midnight Sun”. Buying a private island in Norway presents no real problems for foreigners.

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Benefits of living in Norway including compensation for sick leave in Norway is often described as the most generous in the world: Employees receive 100% of salary from day one for up to a year. People on disability benefits in Norway get extra help to pay for a  

carer, make adjustments to their homes (wider doors for wheelchairs etc), pay for taxis and so on..Child benefit is granted from the month following the birth of the child or from the month after you and the child arrive in Norway.
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 If the child is born in Norway after you have been registered in the population register, Child benefit will, as a general rule, be granted automatically ..The Scandinavian countries subsidize a lot of things  such as education, child care, elder care and transportation – thereby compensating for their high taxes. Scandinavians trust their fellow citizens. They think poor people have typically been unlucky instead of lazy. They vote actively and participate in civil society. They respect the rule of law, and they donate to charity.

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Taxes provide the main benefits for the public sector in Norway. The taxes that are paid are spent on public services such as healthcare (hospitals, nursing homes) education (schools, colleges, universities) transport and communications (roads, railroads, airports). In addition to covering joint expenses, taxes are designed to contribute to greater equality between individuals. Norway is one of the wealthiest in the world per capita, and they also have one of the highest standards of living of any country in the world. There are no tuition fees for attending public higher education in Norway, as all the costs are covered by the Ministry of Education and Research. This might be the place!

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 Tuition is free, however, accomodations, food, books and study, transportation to and from the Universities is not cheap. Living close to the University  at home would be a large benefit to the student..

That said..What’s available for “our new house in Norway?”..

How about buying some property and building your new house?Stabbursdalen Salmon Resort has land for

Stabbursdalen Resort

sale and you can build your own cabin. It's located on the shore of  the amazing Stabburselva Salmonriver, the best resort for salmonfishing in the world. You would have six good salmonrivers within an hours drive and 7000 square kms of. land for hunting!   Cost? 490,000 kroner, $590,000 USD..Tourists, a resort!    A steal!!

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or....

The Vartdal House

This country home overlooking Norway's lower west coast. Nine rooms, close to the sea with a  mountain view and far enough away from the crowded urban areas. Very reasonable at 85,000 kroner. That's only $94,000 US dollars!

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Now, here's a fantastic deal for a fixer-upper!

With its own private beach and sublimely tranquil surroundings, this Norwegian house is hopefully up for sale -

The house is located on the island of Buoya on the fringes of the Arctic circle, and it has been uninhabited since the last tenant moved out in the 1970s.There is a condition for any prospective buyer - they must focus their efforts into restoring the  property to its former glory.
This is a private island with a stunning beach..great for holiday home .
The entire land has been on sale..with some houses.
Some renovations are necessary.
You won't BELIEVE the price!!

The Island of Buoya near the Arctic Circle
This Norwegian Home ..and Island..if still available can be purchased for...
10 cents

No typo..full American price of  10 cents for a very interesting reason.
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The Norwegian owner, Kent Karlsen, said:

"I had hoped to patch it up but it just never happened, and it seems a real shame that such a beautiful property is now falling apart and nobody is getting any benefit from it.
I didn’t want it to simply be sold to someone else who also neglected it, and as a result put it up for sale for a bargain price, provided the new owner convinces me they really intend to put it back in order".

House and Island for sale 10 cents

It will really need somebody with passion, and of course the resources, because pretty much everything needs doing.

Your island..See your house? (red circle)

But the "front yard" might be worth a great investment! You can't beat the price!

Bring hammer and saw.

 

 

 

Velkommen til Norge!

Norway Attacked

 

30,000 Russian troops invaded Scandinavian Soil March, 2015. A unit of Soviet troops landed on the Swedish Island of Gorland. 

Russian soldiers advance

Hovercraft bringing Russian troops ashore.

Other Russian invaders  came ashore on the Aland Island of Finland, others  at the Danish Island of Borholm while the main force attacked the northern area of Norway. The invasion was to prevent the Baltic area from becoming controlled by NATO forces whose aim is to re-enforce forces who depend on Allied aid in time of conflict. 

And it never even made the news!

Russia has been unhappy with the sanctions imposed upon the Soviet country due to their actions in The Ukraine.Russia always has had interest in the Baltic Sea area. It provides a link between St. Petersburg and Kalinigarad among other issues of interest. One of which this the fact that the Russian navy frequently uses the Baltic Sea for sea trials of new submarines and other military vessels.

The Baltic Sea is important to Russia.

Or it may have been to send a message to Scandinavian countries that Russia is a formidable foe in any conflict. Sweden has always maintained neutrality in times of war and Russian officials have warned Denmark that Danish ships will become Russian targets if Denmark joins the  NATO missile defense system.

Whatever..The reason the event never made the news was that: 

" THIS  IS A  REHEARSAL"

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Russian soldiers in Maneuvers.

While Russian troops DID  leave their invasion ships with combat gear, there was no "real Invasion"..Only a dress-rehearsal to be ready for "The Real Thing" and to send a soviet message to everyone.

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Or, the Russian military action may have been in response to:

Armed forces of  Seventeen NATO Force countries steaming into the Baltic Sea area.

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An Allied landing at Ustka, Poland was taking place as a part of a two-week NATO exercise called "BALTOPS", short for

NATO ships steam to The Baltic Sea.

"Baltic Operations". Forty-nine naval vessels from 17 countries and 5,900 personnel were involved in this major show of  strength.. Allied countries are aware that it would be difficult to quickly respond to a swift Soviet attack in the Baltic area. The response: BALTOPS , an annually  reoccurring exercise, currently in its 43rd year.

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Swedish aircraft patrol overhead.

Swedish Air Force  fighters flew over the amphibious assault  maneuver.

Marines  from Finland and Sweden  conducted landings in Sweden and Poland.

With personnel and equipment of 17 countries, this year's exercise  was one of several demonstrations of Allied Force strength that are available and ready to answer any opposing military action. Rehearsals and preparations  for war are not unusual.

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The Russian president has recently announced plans to buy 40 intercontinental ballistic missiles this year. The US, two years after pulling all its armour out of Europe, is preparing to send 250 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery to bases in Eastern European international waters. Norway and Russia are heatedly 'discussing' ownership of Northern Territory and tensions have not eased.

 But a rehearsal for war?

US amphibian vehicles readying to board ships for the return home.