| Erosion-control holdouts being sought for project
In the Lake Tahoe Basin, the letters "BMP" can bring about various reactions.
Short for "best management practices," BMPs are methods prescribed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to help developed properties function more like natural, undisturbed forest and meadowland. The TRPA believes that water conveyed to a lake by an undisturbed watershed usually is quite pure, because the watershed's soils and plants act as a natural water-purification system.
BMPs prescribed for residential properties usually fall into the following categories: vegetating and mulching bare, disturbed soils; infiltrating stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; paving dirt driveways and roads; and stabilizing or retaining steep slopes and loose soils.
But for some of the 38,000 property owners in the basin who have not retrofitted their land for BMPs, the requirements can be harsh and expensive.
Cheap, Clean Drinking Water Purified Through Nanotechnology
ScienceDaily (Feb. 26, 2008) Tiny particles of pure silica coated with an active material could be used to remove toxic chemicals, bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous materials from water much more effectively and at lower cost than conventional water purification methods, according to researchers writing in the current issue of the International Journal of Nanotechnology. .
Fixit: When the icemaker needs freshening up
Q I have an automatic icemaker in my fridge and the ice cubes have started to have a "freezer burn" taste. I've dumped out the tray and had new ones made, and they still taste bad. I've also tried cleaning out the freezer and putting in a box of baking soda, and nothing seems to help. A You've made some good moves, but because the taste lingers, you haven't reached the root of the problem. Here's what you should do: • Check the condition of all foods and remove any old or spoiled foods. • Clean surfaces in the refrigerator and freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. • Check that remaining foods in the freezer and refrigerator are well-covered and sealed. • Turn off the icemaker (if it has a switch) and remove the ice bin and wash it with a baking soda solution (4 tbsp.
Kosovo Independence Tipped for Feb 17
A US diplomat said independence was likely to come a Sunday, when the UN Security Council does not normally meet. That would fit with the Serbian government's reference to February 17.
Russia has said it will use its right of veto in the Security Council, where it is a permanent member, in support of Serbia, which regards Kosovo was the cradle of Serbian Orthodox history, culture and religion.
The European Union is preparing to send a 2,000-strong civilian mission to oversee Kosovo's birth as an independent state, in spite of opposition from several of its member states including Cyprus and Spain.
While EU officials consider February 17 as the probable date, talks between European capitals would "multiply next week" to find a declaration "acceptable by all" at the EU foreign ministers' meeting, diplomats in Brussels say.
Not on my TV
All I have seen of that show is some previews … but we don't need that kind of garbage on any of our stations," said Marian Elaine Thompson of Wichita Falls. She was among a number of television viewers who are angry that a show based on the premise of a sociopathic serial killer would be aired on network television. It is the first time a full season of a premium cable drama is making the transition to network television, a move made by CBS as a result of the recent Writers Guild of America strike that brought TV programming to a standstill. “You wonder why our kids are so violent, and they get that on the TV … You're giving them ideas that they wouldn't come up with on their own," said Thompson, whose children are already grown. “Dexter and similar programs are just … it's just inexcusable." Mike DeLier, general manager of KAUZ-TV, the local CBS affiliate, said that he, too, hadn't seen the Showtime series until he previewed it recently, soon after CBS made the decision to air it in an attempt to revitalize TV programming that had been relegated to re-runs because of the strike.
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