JANUARY 4, 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

I’M NOT INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS OF BREXIT, BUT I’M TRYING TO GET A GRIP ON THE SUBJECT. THIS QUORA ARTICLE GOES INTO LITTLE DETAIL, AND JUST FLESHES OUT THE DIFFERENCES. I CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT A “NO DEAL” BREAK, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT LEAVES MANY SEPARATE THINGS UP IN THE AIR THAT WILL NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED, AND WILL LIKELY MAKE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE MORE EXPENSIVE IN GENERAL.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-hard-Brexit-and-a-no-deal-Brexit
What is the difference between a hard Brexit and a no-deal Brexit?

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46748512
Brexit: Universities warn no deal is 'biggest-ever threat'
By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education and family correspondent
JANUARY 4, 2019 6 hours ago

PHOTOGRAPH -- GETTY IMAGES
Image caption -- Universities say that UK research in science and medicine will be harmed by a no-deal Brexit

University heads are warning a no-deal Brexit* is "one of the biggest threats" the institutions have ever faced.

Higher education leaders have written to MPs to say it is "no exaggeration" to warn that it would take universities "decades to recover".

They say it would undermine scientific research and threaten universities' £21bn contribution to the UK economy.

The government has said its immigration plans will keep universities "open to the talent we need from Europe".

A joint letter sent to all MPs on behalf of the heads of 150 UK universities says: "Vital research links will be compromised, from new cancer treatments to technologies combating climate change.

"The valuable exchange of students, staff and knowledge would be seriously damaged," adds the letter from university groups including Universities UK, the Russell Group, Guild HE, Million Plus and University Alliance.

Funding threat or fearmongering?

Dame Janet Beer, president of Universities UK, warned that "time is running out".

She says that without "cast-iron assurances" about the UK's access to European research networks, world-leading researchers will be lost to other countries where "funding is not at risk".

EU staff in UK universities decide whether to stay or leave
University's 'dual nationality' plan for Brexit
EU students get post-Brexit fees promise
University needs £1m bailout from watchdog

But the journalist and educationalist Toby Young, who says he backs a "clean Brexit", dismissed the warning as "the usual ultra-Remainer hysteria", accusing vice-chancellors of "fear-mongering".

"In the event of a no-deal Brexit, I'm sure the government will use some of that £49bn windfall to compensate British universities for any short-term losses," said Mr Young, associate editor of the Spectator magazine.

The Russell Group of leading research universities says there has already been a downturn in EU students wanting to study in the UK.

Data from its 24 universities shows a 3% fall in EU students in the current intake - which they believe is because of uncertainty over Brexit.

'Unrealistic and unsustainable'

The letter warns MPs of the dangers to the UK's universities if they lose their place in European research networks.

It gives two examples of funding at risk - the European Research Council and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions - which would be worth £1.2bn to UK institutions over the next two years.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption -- The UK has been among the biggest winners from EU research funding

University leaders say that in the event of a no-deal Brexit, UK institutions would "immediately become ineligible" for this funding.

After next year, there is a wider pot of European research funding at stake, worth more than £90bn.

Universities want assurances that any lost research funding will be replaced by the UK government.

But they are also worried by proposals for new restrictions on EU students after Brexit in the government's White Paper on migration, published before Christmas.

These 130,000 EU students will need to have visas and be sponsored by universities - and the Russell Group has warned that it is "unrealistic and unsustainable" to expect universities to take on the administrative burden.

'Light-touch' system
If there is a no-deal Brexit, the Russell Group says the uncertainty behind the fall in EU students coming to the UK "will only get worse".

This adds to fears about the financial sustainability of some universities in England - with warnings that those unable to attract enough students and their tuition fees could become unviable.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, says the negative impact of Brexit could add to the risk of some universities getting "close to the wire this year".

This could mean takeovers, mergers or bailouts, rather than closure, he says.

The government has promised to continue to welcome overseas students after Brexit, with a streamlined, "light-touch" visa system, with no limit on numbers.

There will be incentives for overseas students, such as making it easier for them to stay and work in the UK after graduation.

There is also a commitment to underwrite funding from existing EU research projects.

A government spokeswoman said: "Science recognises no borders and the UK has a proud record of welcoming the world's leading scientists and researchers to work and study here. This will not change when we leave the EU.

"Through our modern industrial strategy we are investing the highest ever level in research and development in UK history and we are committed to seeking an ambitious future relationship on science and innovation with our EU partners."



INTERESTING. NOT IMPORTANT, THOUGH, I DON’T THINK, EXCEPT TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. THE CANADIAN PEOPLE ARE TRULY FRIENDS, SO THE RESIDENTS COULD PROBABLY BE HAPPY UNDER A CROWN IF IT’S A BENEVOLENT CROWN. IT SHOULD BE THEIR CHOICE, OF COURSE, AND IF A SIMPLE MAP-MAKER’S ERROR CAUSED THE PROBLEM, WHY HAS IT BEEN IN FORCE THIS LONG? THIS IS ONE OF THE ODDER STORIES I’VE SEEN DURING MY BLOGGING.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46741175
Should the US hand over Minnesota's Northwest Angle to Canada?
JANUARY 4, 2019 8 hours ago

PHOTOGRAPH -- JACOB NORLUND/FLICKR
It's a geographic curiosity - a bit of US land at the top edge of Minnesota, disconnected from the rest of the state.

The Northwest Angle is known to local residents, people who love to fish - the region is famous for its walleye - and geography buffs.

It is accessible by land only through the Canadian province.

Now, someone has anonymously launched a petition urging the US to hand the land over to its northern neighbours.

"Make America great by correcting this critical survey error," states the petition posted on 30 December on the White House "We the People" site, which allows citizens to petition Congress on issues that matter to them.

The petition is titled "Give Canada back the Northwest Angle located in Manitoba".

The nub of Minnesota state is roughly 123 square miles (318 square km) and is farther north than any other part of the contiguous United States.

Much of the land is owned by the Native American Red Lake Nation of the Chippewa tribe.

Living above the 49th parallel, Angleites - as local residents are known - are the northernmost American citizens, barring Alaskans. It can be reached by driving through Canada or by boat across the Lake of the Woods.

Image copyrightBBC NEWS
Image caption -- The Northwest Angle borders Canada's province of Manitoba

The protrusion of land is due to a historic mapping mistake.

The US land lost in Canada
The island that switches countries every six months

When the American Revolutionary War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, Britain and the US agreed on the new border based on a map maker's error about the source of the Mississippi River, which was used to help draw the boundary.

The boundary line was redrawn in 1818 to address the snafu, shaping the Northwest Angle.

So far, the petition is just shy of 3,500 signatures, a far cry from the 100,000 signatures needed to get a response from the White House.

And at this point, the effort is being greeted with something of a shrug by Angleites.

Image copyrightTONY WEBSTER/FLICKR
Lisa Goulet, who owns Angle Outpost Resort with her family, told the BBC that while it's a fun story, when she came across the petition she "didn't really give it another thought".

She says the roughly 100 residents are on "absolutely nothing but friendly terms" with their Canadian neighbours - but she isn't about to add her signature to the petition.

"We understand it was a mistake, that it wasn't on purpose that the United States or that Minnesota was gifted this area, but we are blessed and so grateful for this area and we don't take it for granted," she said.

"So it's not like we're just willing to say 'Oh, right, you can have it back', because it's our home."

It's not the first time the threats of secession has been raised. Some residents brought up the idea in the late 1990s during some tension between Canada and the US over fishing regulations, though the two countries eventually came to an agreement.

Image copyrightDEAGOSTINI/GETTY IMAGES
Image caption
The Lake of Woods, pictured here in Ontario, occupies the boundary between Minnesota and Manitoba and Ontario

Ms Goulet is happy her remote corner of the world is getting some attention and says she's is proud to hail from the Northwest Angle.

She calls it "a conversation starter".

"Even if you're not a fantastically interesting person, you come from an interesting place, you have something interesting to say."


I HOPE THIS WHALE DIDN’T DROWN. THEY HAVE TO RISE TO THE TOP EVERY FEW MINUTES TO BREATHE. I WONDER WHETHER THE SEARCHERS LOOKED UNDER THE WATER SURFACE. POOR 30 FOOT LONG BABY. LOOK BELOW TO SEE THE ADULTS’ SIZE.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-46757690
No sign of 'distressed sperm whale' in loch
JANUARY 4, 2019 2 hours ago

VIDEO -- Sperm whale trapped in Loch Eriboll* in Highlands

A search of a Highlands loch has found no sign of a sperm whale believed to be in difficulty earlier this week.

The animal, which has been estimated to be up to 9m (30ft) long, was reported to have been tangled in rope in Loch Eriboll, near Durness, Sutherland.

Coastguard and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) volunteers and Scottish SPCA officers have been monitoring the whale.

The whale was reported to the coastguard on Wednesday.

BDMLR said it had been unable to confirm if the animal was caught in rope, adding that the it might have been ill or injured.

'Lost its course'

A team from the organisation had hoped to get to Loch Eriboll on Thursday with specialist equipment, but it was delayed.

A search of the loch for the whale began at first light on Friday and continued until late afternoon. The BDMLR team will remain on standby over the weekend.

Image copyrightHUGH MACLELLAN
Image caption -- A rescue of the whale is expected to begin later on Thursday

SSPCA inspector Maria Bain said sperm whales were not common in the North Sea.

She said: "After consulting with marine experts we believe it may be a juvenile that has lost its course.

"We hope it has found the way back out to sea and will continue to monitor the situation."

Image copyrightLAURA SHIRRA BDMLR
Image caption -- A humpback whale was rescued from the same loch in January 2016

Sperm whales are some of the world's deepest diving mammals.

Males can grow to more than 18m (59ft) in length and females to more than 12m (40ft).

In January 2016, a humpback whale was freed from fishing gear used to catch prawns in Loch Eriboll.

The 12m-long had become entangled in creels.

Members of BDMLR managed to free the mammal from the ropes and guided it to safety.

Related Topics
AnimalsDurness


"LOCK ’ORRIBLE"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Eriboll
Loch Eriboll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Loch Eriboll (Scottish Gaelic: "Loch Euraboil") is a 16 km (9.9 mi) long sea loch on the north coast of Scotland, which has been used for centuries as a deep water anchorage as it is safe from the often stormy seas of Cape Wrath and the Pentland Firth. It is named after the village of Eriboll on its eastern shore.

Bronze Age remains can be found in the area, including a souterrain and a very well preserved wheelhouse on the hillside above the west shore. A small scale lime industry developed here in the 19th century.

Farmhouse at Loch Eriboll

Around the shores of the loch are the crofting townships of Eriboll, Laid, Heilam, Portnancon and Rispond.

Eilean Hoan is located at the northern, seaward end of the loch and there are various small islets in the vicinity including A' Ghoil-sgeir, An Cruachan, An Dubh-sgeir, Eilean Clùimhrig, and Pocan Smoo.[2] Today it is a largely unspoilt wilderness, in a region of high rainfall and with the lowest population density in the UK.

Naval use

The Royal Navy have been frequent visitors to the loch, particularly during World War II. There are stones arranged by sailors into the names of their warships, including HMS Hood and Amethyst, on the hillside above the hamlet of Laid. It was nicknamed "Lock ’orrible" by the British servicemen stationed here during the war because of the often inclement weather. The largest island in the loch, Eilean Choraidh, was used as a representation of the German battleship Tirpitz for aerial bombing practice by the Fleet Air Arm prior to the successful Operation Tungsten in April 1944.[3] The surviving 33 German U-boats, for example U-532 and U-295, formally surrendered here in 1945, ending the Battle of the Atlantic.[4]

A leased area of the shore and loch is classified as a Minor training area by the Defence Training Estate,[5] generally being used for amphibious and specialist training for three fortnights per year.[6]

In 2011 the loch was used as part of Exercise Joint Warrior, the largest war games staged in the UK, involving the navy's new flagship, the assault ship HMS Bulwark.[7]



MANY OR MOST PEOPLE HAVE SOME FORM OF ALLERGY, BUT THE FOOD ALLERGIES SEEM TO KILL MOST OFTEN. MY COUSIN ENCOUNTERED A TYPE OF UNDERGROUND SMALL HORNET THAT WE CALL A YELLOW JACKET, AND WAS STUNG MULTIPLE TIMES. WITHIN MINUTES HE COULDN’T BREATH WELL. WHEN THEY GOT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, THEY WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS AN ALLERGY, AND IT CAUSED HIS THROAT TO SWELL. LUCKILY THE ANTI-ALLERGY MEDICATION EPINEPHRINE WAS GIVEN IN TIME.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46757704
Fish fumes blamed for allergy death of Brooklyn boy
January 4, 2019 7 hours ago

GETTY IMAGES
Image caption -- The boy's grandmother was cooking cod (stock image) when he became ill

Authorities investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy in Brooklyn are said to be looking into whether fish cooking nearby could have been to blame.

Cameron Jean-Pierre, who had a fish allergy, fell unconscious on New Year's Day at his grandmother's house.

An official cause of death from a medical examiner is still pending.

But his family have told US media they believe he died after a severe asthma attack was prompted by fish protein he inhaled in the air.

The boy's mother, Jody Pottingr, said her son suddenly became ill while visiting his grandmother's house, where a traditional Caribbean cod dish had been cooking.

"They thought that he left... I guess they forgot something at the house and went back, and he went in the house and then he inhaled the fish," she told ABC News.

His mother says Cameron was first diagnosed with the allergy at school, after becoming sick after a lunch.

'A salad nearly killed my brother'
Why the world is becoming more allergic

Ms Pottingr said she wants his story to serve as a warning to other parents whose children have allergies.

Skip Twitter post by @KRDONC13

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@KRDONC13
"I just want whatever happened to my family not to happen to someone else," Jody Pottingr, the mother of Cameron Jean-Pierre, told ABC News on Thursday.https://www.krdo.com/news/11-year-old-dies-of-allergic-reaction-after-inhaling-smell-of-fish/963599991 …

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11-year-old dies of allergic reaction after inhaling smell of fish

An 11-year-old boy died in his grandmother's New York City home after having an allergic reaction to the smell of cooked fish on New Year’s Day.

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Cameron's father, Steven Jean-Pierre, told the Washington Post newspaper that he gave his son a nebuliser device when he began to wheeze and gasp, but it failed to restore his breathing.

"My son's last words were 'Daddy I love you, daddy I love you,'" he told ABC7 New York, while crying.

"He gave me two kisses, two kisses on my face. He said, 'I feel like I'm dying.' I said, 'Don't say that. What are you talking about. Don't say that.'"

When police arrived they found the 11-year-old unconscious and unresponsive. He was later declared dead at a nearby hospital.

Image copyrightGOOGLE STREET VIEW
Image caption
Cameron was rushed to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn

The US-based Food Allergy Research and Education group say about 15 million Americans, including six million children, are estimated to have food allergies.

Fish is one of the eight most-common allergens required by federal law on food labelling.

Tops tips for allergy parents
'How I cope with life-threatening allergies'
Should we ban nuts in public places?

Although direct consumption is the most obvious source of risk from foods, the American College of Asthma and Immunology recommends people with fish allergies should also avoid areas where it is cooking, because proteins may be released into the air.

US reality television star Bethenny Frankel, who also has a severe fish allergy, revealed on Thursday a flight she was on was forced to turn around because of bass being cooked on board.

She shared her experience in a series of posts and said she had warned the airline in advance.

Skip Twitter post by @Bethenny

Bethenny Frankel
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I don’t care about the meal. Being trapped in a cabin w no windows w cooking fish is a death trap.

ginger w🇺🇸✝️💙🏈🚛🚔🐢
@blueizgin
Replying to @Bethenny
Did they not have like a vegetarian option for cryin out loud??

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Bethenny Frankel
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@Bethenny
To clarify: some allergens are transmitted by touch & air. Fish is one & is fatal. The more exposure to them, the more susceptible. It’s not like an immunity thing where more exposure means less susceptible. It’s opposite. I’ve always kept it quiet but that’s over now.

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Ms Frankel described the environment on-board as a potential "death trap" for sufferers.

She shared the story of Cameron's death to her 1.6m followers as a warning on the dangers of airborne allergens.


THE CHINESE WANT TO PUT THEIR LANDER ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON, BECAUSE IT HASN’T BEEN EXPLORED AND ALSO BECAUSE THEY ARE RESEARCHING A POSSIBLE MOON LANDING LASTING A LONGER TIME. I HOPE THEY DO. THE HUMAN RACE NEEDS TO ESTABLISH A POSSIBLE PLACE TO GO IF THE CLIMATE CHANGE “HOAX” IS NOT A HOAX.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46748602
What does China want to do on the Moon's far side?
By Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website
4 January 2019

Photograph -- An image of the rover rolling off the lander

What will China's Chang'e-4 mission learn about the far side of the Moon? Here are a few things the mission is designed to do.

Learn about the Moon's history
No space mission has ever explored the far side from the surface. As such, it's the first chance to explore a mysterious region of Earth's natural satellite.

The "face" that's never seen from Earth has some key differences to the more familiar "near side". The far side has a thicker, older crust that is pocked with more craters. There are also very few of the "maria" (dark basaltic "seas" created by lava flows) that are evident on the near side.

Chang'e-4 has reportedly landed at a site known as Von Kármán crater, a 180km depression located in the far side's southern hemisphere. But Von Kármán lies within a much bigger hole punched in the Moon - the South Pole-Aitken basin.

It's the oldest, largest and deepest such basin on the Moon and formed when an asteroid - perhaps 500km across, or more - collided with it billions of years ago.

This event was so powerful that it is thought to have ploughed through the Moon's outer crust layer and through into the zone known as the mantle.

One of the mission's objectives is to study any exposed material from the mantle present at the landing site. This would provide insights into the internal structure and history of the Moon.

Image copyrightNASA
Image caption -- The South Pole-Aitken basin was formed by a giant impact billions of years ago

Indeed, data from orbiting spacecraft show that the composition of the basin is different from the surrounding lunar highlands. But exposed mantle material on the surface is just one possibility among several to explain this observation.

The rover will use its panoramic camera to identify interesting locations and its Visible and Near-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS) to study minerals in the floor of the crater (as well as of ejecta - rocks thrown out by nearby space impacts).

Additionally, the Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) instrument will be able to look into the shallow subsurface of the Moon, down to a depth of about 100m. It could probe the thickness of the lunar regolith - the broken up rocks and dust that make up the surface - and shed light on the structure of the upper lunar crust.

After the huge impact that created the South Pole-Aitken basin, a large amount of melted rock would have filled the depression. The science team wants to use Chang'e-4 to identify and study variations in its composition.

Filling an astronomy gap

The far side of the Moon has long been regarded as an ideal spot for conducting a particular kind of radio astronomy - in the low-frequency band - because it's shielded from the radio noise of Earth.

There's a frequency band (below about 10MHz) where radio astronomy observations can't be conducted from Earth, because of manmade radio interference and other, natural factors.

Chang'e-4's lander is carrying an instrument called the Low Frequency Spectrometer (LFS) which can make low frequency radio observations. It will be used in concert with a similar experiment on the Queqiao orbiting satellite.

Image copyrightESO
Image caption -- Radio telescopes on the Moon would be able to observe at frequencies not accessible to arrays on Earth

The objectives include making a map of the radio sky at low frequencies and studying the behaviour of the Sun.

Speaking in 2016, Liu Tongjie, from the Chinese space agency (CNSA), said: "Since the far side of the Moon is shielded from electromagnetic interference from the Earth, it's an ideal place to research the space environment and solar bursts, and the probe can 'listen' to the deeper reaches of the cosmos."

Thus, the mission will fill a gap in astronomical observation, allowing scientists to study cosmic phenomena in a way that has never been possible from our planet.

Radiation on the Moon

Image copyrightSCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Image caption -- Understanding the radiation environment will be vital for future human exploration

Several space agencies want to land humans on the Moon in the not-too-distant future, and might send astronauts there for longer than we've ever stayed before. So understanding the potential risks from radiation are vital.

Earth's thick atmosphere and strong magnetic field provide adequate shielding against galactic cosmic rays and energetic charged particles travelling from the Sun.

But astronauts on the Moon will be outside this protective bubble and exposed to particles travelling through open space at near the speed of light - with potentially damaging consequences for their health.

The Lunar Lander Neutrons and Dosimetry (LND) experiment, supplied by researchers in Germany, will aim to fill in some gaps in our understanding about the lunar radiation environment.

It will provide dosimetry (measure the ionising radiation dose that could be absorbed by the human body) with a view to future exploration, and contribute to understanding of particles originating from the Sun.

Follow Paul on Twitter.

Related – China Moon Mission


MY HOME IN JACKSONVILLE, FL IS NEAR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I HAVEN’T TAKEN MANY COURSES, BUT THEY HAVE SOME VERY INTERESTING AND USEFUL SUBJECTS. I TOOK ONE ON PHOTOGRAPHY AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE RESULTS. IT WASN’T FREE, BUT IT COST VERY LITTLE. ALSO, NO WORRY ABOUT GRADES.

THIS UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COURSE ON HOW TO EVALUATE A NEWS STORY WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME FOR WHAT I DO IN THIS BLOG. OF COURSE, I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE A COURSE FOR IT, BUT I DO TRY TO RESEARCH ENOUGH TO ROUND OUT THE STORY.

https://tucson.com/news/local/navigating-world-news-topic-of-ua-community-classroom-session/article_b4872700-9874-506a-ad64-41196b7bfe42.html
Navigating world news topic of UA Community Classroom session
By Cathalena E. Burch Arizona Daily Star JANUARY 4, 2019 16 min ago

PHOTOGRAPH -- UA PROFESSOR MORT ROSENBLUM GIVING CLASSES ON BACKGROUND RESEARCH FOR NEWS.

There’s an unmistakable irony to the world we live in today: We have more speed-of-light access to information than ever before and yet, we’ve never been so badly misinformed.

It’s not even so-called “fake news” that’s driving this misinformation, says decorated foreign correspondent Mort Rosenblum; it’s the lack of reporting, the underreporting and the inability of you and I to find those stories that will have impact on our lives.

Over five weeks beginning Jan. 9, Rosenblum, the retired Associated Press foreign correspondent and bureau chief who grew up in Tucson and has reported on wars, politics and human suffering on seven continents in his 50-plus-year career, will give Tucsonans the tools to seek out the international stories that influence their lives.

“My idea is to try to equip people who care with a good, basic structure, an idea of how to follow foreign news that matters. With that structure, people can then go off in any direction on their own and learn an enormous amount,” Rosenblum, 75, said in describing his class, “Keeping Tabs On A Mad World: A Correspondent’s Guide to Global News That Matters,” presented by the University of Arizona’s Community Classroom series. Classes will be held on Wednesdays at the Loft Cinema.

“Rather than try to convert the masses to change the system, which isn’t going to go very far, my idea is to equip people who actually care with the tools and the enthusiasm to be able to learn things for themselves,” added Rosenblum, who teaches an international journalism class each spring at his alma mater, the UA School of Journalism.

Rosenblum’s course is one of four being presented this winter as part of the UA College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Community Classroom series. The college launched the program last fall with five courses including Noam Chomsky’s “Language, Mind and Brain,” a course that was open to UA students for credit and to the community at large.

The winter series includes classes on Islam, politics and the pursuit of happiness — all of which fit neatly under the umbrella of the session’s theme of critical thinking, said Maribel Alvarez, the college’s associate dean for community outreach. Several of the courses offer college credits.

“The more information we have the more we remain hungry for quality information and the ability to discern,” she said.

Rosenblum’s 90-minute classes will include lectures and video and audio interviews with international journalists including CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Although he likely will broach the topic, the class is not about fake news.

“Fake news has always been there,” said Rosenblum, who spends about three months a year in Tucson and the rest of the year living on a boat docked in Paris. “My first job was at the Star in the ’60s. People would call in with stuff — that was citizen journalism — and you would check it out. If it sounded stupid, it probably was. Now it’s just much more sophisticated. Fake news is usually easily detectable and ignored. The real problem is badly reported and unreported real news, and that’s what I am focusing on.”

High on that list of underreported stories and ignored stories: global warming and its trickle-down impact worldwide, he said. Climate change, or in Rosenblum’s words “global overboiling,” is “real. It’s not a question of denying it or not, it’s not an opinion; it’s dead real.”

And the impact of global warming can be felt worldwide, from the decline and downright decimation of agriculture brought on by drought in some areas, flooding and natural disasters in others, to immigration.

“People on the move is an important story. We think that if we put up a wall ... on the border … we’re going to solve the problem. But there are tens of millions of people on the move” attempting to improve their lives and escape everything from the environmental impact of climate change to fleeing war-torn countries, Rosenblum said. “But they are moving, creating problems around the world. If you shut off your borders and refuse to let any of them in, it’s not like they are going to disappear. They are going to sit and fester in camps and become terrorists. The policies that we are following are creating terrorists at a geometric rate. They are creating people who hate us, people who, with obvious reasons, do not wish us well.”

This is the second time that the College of Social & Behavioral Health, which includes the UA School of Journalism, has offered the community courses. It launched the series last fall with courses on photography, social media, Tucson’s film history and a course by famed linguist Noam Chomsky.

Alvarez said they will announce more classes for the spring, likely to begin sometime in March.

What: "Keeping Tabs on a Mad World: A Correspondent’s Guide to Global News That Matters"
Presented by: University of Arizona College of Social & Behavioral Health's Community Classroom
Taught by: Award-winning foreign correspondent and UA School of Journalism instructor Mort Rosenblum

When: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 9 and running through Feb. 6.
Where: The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway.
Cost: $120 through communityclassroom.arizona.edu. Registration is limited.
Reporting on the world
Veteran foreign correspondent Mort Rosenblum retired from the Associated Press, but he is far from retired.

From his perch in Paris, where he lives on a boat moored on the banks of the Seine, Rosenblum compiles the Mort Report with contributions from seasoned reporters "with lifetimes on the road" and young reporters approaching the world "with fresh eyes."

"Our philosophy is simple: we report at first hand with analysis based on non-alternative fact, not opinion. If we get something wrong, we fix it," according to mortreport.org, which posts new content nearly weekly.

In addition to his reporting, Rosenblum also writes books including "Coups and Earthquakes," a book on reporting that he released in 1981; 1993's "Who Stole the News?" recounting the challenges of international news gathering; and a pair of foodie books — "A Goose in Toulouse," that dives into French cuisine; and "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" that takes a look at "the history and mystery" of chocolate.

He also continues to freelance for publications including the New York Times, Newsweek and Harper's Magazine, which in September published Rosenblum's deep-dive story on Southern Arizona's Rosemont Mine and copper mining's place in Arizona's economy.

MORE INFORMATION
Ray Turner, ecological pioneer of the Sonoran Desert, dies at 91

Turner used photos to document population shifts of saguaros and other desert natives.

$1 million donation will help University of Arizona open micro-campuses in Peru and Mauritius

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Mort Rosenblum Tucson International News Paris Journalism Media University Of Arizona
Cathalena E. Burch
I cover music for the Arizona Daily Star.



MADDOW BLOG MSNBC


https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-curiously-well-versed-in-specific-russian-talking-points-1419581507654
Trump curiously well versed in specific Russian talking points
Rachel Maddow reviews instances when Donald Trump parroted Russian narratives on international affairs in a way that seems oddly out of character from Trump's typical presentation of how he understands the world.
Jan. 3, 2019


Democratic leaders stress indictment over impeachment for Trump
Rachel Maddow points out that both Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have emphasized the potential for indicting Donald Trump before considerations of impeachment.
Jan. 3, 2019


Democratic diversity on display as new class sworn-in
Rachel Maddow reports on the celebratory swearing in of new members of Congress and the new Democratic majority, including the election of Nancy Pelosi to reprise her role as House Speaker, and notes the changing role of activists who helped influence the outcome of many 2018 races and now look to maintain accountability of their representatives.
Jan. 3, 2019


Trump curiously well versed in specific Russian talking points
Rachel Maddow reviews instances when Donald Trump parroted Russian narratives on international affairs in a way that seems oddly out of character from Trump's typical presentation of how he understands the world.
Jan. 3, 2019


Trump parrots Russian revisionism on Soviet Afghanistan invasion
Rachel Maddow points out that the only other place where the views expressed by Donald Trump about the justifications for the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan can be found are in Russian propaganda. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, joins to discuss Trump's peculiar fluency in Russian revisionism.
Jan. 3, 2019



MORE ON BRITISH SHIPPING HISTORY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hDz8ofQgA
Time Team Special 47 (2011) - Brunel's Last Launch


MUSIC AND MOORS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l2_9rUkE_0
Culloden Moor Scotland • Scene of the Battle of Culloden in 1746 | European Waterways