Get cirrus in the fight against climate change

FEATHERY cirrus clouds are beautiful, but when it comes to climate change, they are the enemy. Found at high-altitude and made of small ice crystals, they trap heat - so more cirrus means a warmer world. Now it seems that, by destroying cirrus, we could reverse all the warming Earth has experienced so far.

In 2009, David Mitchell of the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada, proposed a radical way to stop climate change: get rid of some cirrus. Now Trude Storelvmo of Yale University and colleagues have used a climate model to test the idea.

Storelvmo added powdered bismuth triiodide into the model's troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere in which these clouds form. Ice crystals grew around these particles and expanded, eventually falling out of the sky, reducing cirrus coverage. Without the particles, the ice crystals remained small and stayed up high for longer.

The technique, done on a global scale, created a powerful cooling effect, enough to counteract the 0.8 °C of warming caused by all the greenhouse gases released by humans (Geophysical Research Letters, DOI: 10.1002/grl.50122).

But too much bismuth triiodide made the ice crystals shrink, so cirrus clouds lasted longer. "If you get the concentrations wrong, you could get the opposite of what you want," says Storelvmo. And, like other schemes for geoengineering, side effects are likely - changes in the jet stream, say.

Different model assumptions give different "safe" amounts of bismuth triiodide, says Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter, UK. "Do we really know the system well enough to be confident of being in the safe zone?" he asks. "You wouldn't want to touch this until you knew."

Mitchell says seeding would take 140 tonnes of bismuth triiodide every year, which by itself would cost $19 million.

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SDA's Lim concedes defeat

SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Alliance's Desmond Lim has conceded defeat.

He said he would like to thank his supporters, adding that he ran in the election to keep the SDA flame alive.

In a statement, Mr Lim said: "It has been a fast but hard race to the end. Entering this contest, I was well aware of the risks and challenges. But it was something the SDA had to do to keep its political flame alive.

"The results have not dampened me, nor the SDA. It only means we will have to fight harder and work harder when the next contest comes.

"I thank Punggol East residents for their support nonetheless."

- CNA/al

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Bask in the glow of Zelda: Wind Waker in HD

If you love everything Link, this image should excite your pants off.

(Credit:
Nintendo)

To enhance the appeal of the Wii U, Nintendo plans to re-release several cherished classics, including the epic The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for GameCube, with snazzy high-definition graphics. Below, we present a set of images that show off the HD remastering of the game next to the original version that debuted in 2003.

Prepare yourself for lots of dynamic lighting and bloom when Wind Waker HD hits later this year.

Like the changes or not, the difference 10 years can make may astound you -- nearly everything appears enhanced with the HD remake, including textures, shadows, and the environment overall.

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Cops Using More Private Cameras to Nab Suspects

Philadelphia detectives were able to quickly make an arrest in the murder and burning of a female pediatrician by viewing surveillance video of nearby stores and a hospital that captured the suspect entering the doctor's home and later getting into his truck.

In the hours after Dr. Melissa Ketunuti's body was found strangled and burning in her basement, city's Homicide Task Force collected surveillance footage from a coffee shop, drug store and hospital overlooking Ketunuti's block. It was footage taken from Ori Feibush's coffee shop that allowed cops to identify Smith.

The suspect, an exterminator named Jason Smith, soon confessed to detectives, police said.

Lately a range of crimes have been solved by the seemingly ubiquitous security videos maintained by private companies or citizens, and investigators have been able to quickly apprehend suspects by obtaining the video, deftly turning private cameras into effective police resources.

Philadelphia Police Arrest Suspect in Doctor's Killing Watch Video

Pa. Doctor Killing: Person of Interest in Custody Watch Video

Private surveillance cameras have become so pervasive that the face of a suspect who allegedly shot a Bronx, N.Y., cab driver in a botched robbery on Jan. 14 was splashed throughout the media within days because the cabbie had rigged his vehicle with a camera.

The New York Police Department arrested Salvatore Perrone after he was caught on surveillance video recorded near two of three shopkeeper slayings in Brooklyn, N.Y., in November. He has since been charged with murder.

And in Mesa, Ariz., surveillance footage taken in November by resident Mitch Drum showed a man rolling on the ground trying to extinguish flames that had engulfed his shirt, which had caught fire while he was allegedly siphoning gas from a car by Drum's house. The man was arrested.

Though surveillance cameras have been a staple of security since a network of government operated cameras dubbed the "ring of steel" was introduced in London in the early 1990s, police have recently launched programs to partner with more businesses.

In Philadelphia, police have launched a program for businesses to register private cameras with the department. According to the SafeCam website, businesses will only be contacted when there is a criminal incident in the vicinity of the security camera. At that point, police will request a copy of the footage for their investigation.

"Businesses are saying, 'I have a camera at this location, and it may or may not be of use to you. It's a registration to say, 'feel free to call me,'" Sgt. Joseph Green told ABCNews.com

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Uncharted territory: Where digital maps are leading us

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Three residential projects in Orchard Boulevard expected to be completed by 2015

SINGAPORE: Three new high-end residential projects in the prime Orchard Boulevard area are expected to be completed over the next two years.

They include luxury development 21 AngulliaPark - a Hong Kong-based China Sonangol's first Singapore property project.

TwentyOne AngulliaPark and Skyline@Orchard Boulevard are expected to receive their temporary occupancy permits at around end 2013 and Boulevard Vue at around 2015.

Still, China Sonangol is confident that its targeted clientele will not be deterred by Singapore's latest round of cooling measures.

Luxury property developer S.C. Global's high-end development The Marq on Paterson Hill has been completed for more than a year, but nearly half of its units are still unsold.

But the developer of neighbouring project TwentyOne AngulliaPark is undaunted by the rising inventory levels in the Orchard area... even with the recent cooling measures in Singapore.

Hong Kong-based China Sonangol Group set up its Singapore property arm in 2008 and is currently developing two residential projects in Singapore.

The company says it may also be adding commercial properties to its portfolio.

Mr Alain Fanaie, CEO of China Sonangol Group, said: "We believe that they are going to be limited to time and there are temporary ones. We don't believe it is going to affect substantially our types of clients we are targeting."

The Sino-Angolan developer bought the the District 9 plot from Overseas Union Enterprise at S$283 million in December 2009.

Real estate analysts are expecting this development along Orchard Boulevard to fetch around S$,4000 to S$5,000 per square foot.

Mr Colin Tan, CEO of District 65 Pte Ltd, said: "We must always have a situation where there are more homes than people so that we can ease the population growth.That is something I believe will happen over time. So, I think this China developer is also predicting the same thing that this oversupply will ease as more and more super rich around the world come over."

Experts say this niche group of buyers are not chasing investment yields, but are attracted by the opportunity to own a freehold property in Singapore's prime Orchard Road shopping belt... much like how some investors are buying into the exclusivity of Sentosa Cove.

Mr Alan Cheong, Director of Research and Consultancy at Savills, said: "That's the traditional playground for the Indonesians in Orchard Road - Districts 9, 10, 11. Sentosa Cove - because this is a leasehold - natural although the quantum of investment is large, but it appeals more to the first generation businessman where money is easily made and easily lost."

Still, some analysts feel smaller units in business districts like Shenton Way may offer better rental yield and capital gains.

- CNA/de

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Get a MacBook Air for $799.99

I've never been more tempted to buy a Mac than I am at this very moment. As you know from my recent rant, I'm none too pleased with Windows at the moment, and I've long considered the MacBook Air one of the most drool-worthy laptops on the planet.

Ah, but the "Apple tax" was always a little too steep for me. I just couldn't justify spending $1,000 for a laptop, even one so super-sexy. Today, however, I might just pull the trigger.

Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Apple MacBook Air model MD223LL/A for $799.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). It's new, not refurbished, and $200 less than what Apple charges. That kind of price break just doesn't come around very often.

This is the 11.6-inch
MacBook Air, stocked with a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, and all the other standard Air amenities. (Also available: the 13.3-inch Air for $999.99!)

Especially impressive, it weighs just 2.4 pounds and measures a scant 0.7 inches thick. Every time I'm around one, I can't help muttering, "The precioussss."

Now, practically speaking, I can still buy an equally powerful Windows laptop for half the price. (Here's an Asus with a touchscreen for $399 when you use this printable coupon.) It won't be as thin or light or lust-worthy, but it'll get the job done.

On the flipside, maybe it's finally time to see if all the "it just works" hype is justified. Quick! Somebody distract Mrs. Cheapskate while I go for the credit card!

Anyway, I suspect this may sell out, as it really is an unusually good deal. If you're in the market for a "preciousss," grab this while you can.

Bonus deal: The game deals just keep on coming! For a limited time, Amazon has the Crazy Action Pack (PC) and 2K Shooter Pack (PC) for $9.99 each. The first bundle comes with Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Darkness II, and Duke Nukem Forever. The second includes BioShock, BioShock II, and Duke Nukem Forever. (Looks like 2K Games will do anything to unload ol' Duke.) Also available: Max Payne 3 (PC) for $14.99. Good heavens, what do I play first?!

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.

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Deformed Dolphin Accepted Into New Family

In 2011, behavioral ecologists Alexander Wilson and Jens Krause of the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Germany were surprised to discover that a group of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)—animals not usually known for forging bonds with other species—had taken in an adult bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

The researchers observed the group in the ocean surrounding the Azores (map)—about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal—for eight days as the dolphin traveled, foraged, and played with both the adult whales and their calves. When the dolphin rubbed its body against the whales, they would sometimes return the gesture.

Among terrestrial animals, cross-species interactions are not uncommon. These mostly temporary alliances are forged for foraging benefits and protection against predators, said Wilson.

They could also be satisfying a desire for the company of other animals, added marine biologist John Francis, vice president for research, conservation, and exploration at the National Geographic Society (the Society owns National Geographic News).

Photographs of dogs nursing tiger cubs, stories of a signing gorilla adopting a pet cat, and videos of a leopard caring for a baby baboon have long circulated the Web and caught national attention.

A Rare Alliance

And although dolphins are known for being sociable animals, Wilson called the alliance between sperm whale and bottlenose dolphin rare, as it has never, to his knowledge, been witnessed before.

This association may have started with something called bow riding, a common behavior among dolphins during which they ride the pressure waves generated by the bow of a ship or, in this case, whales, suggested Francis.

"Hanging around slower creatures to catch a ride might have been the first advantage [of such behavior]," he said, adding that this may have also started out as simply a playful encounter.

Wilson suggested that the dolphin's peculiar spinal shape made it more likely to initiate an interaction with the large and slow-moving whales. "Perhaps it could not keep up with or was picked on by other members of its dolphin group," he said in an email.

Default

But the "million-dollar question," as Wilson puts it, is why the whales accepted the lone dolphin. Among several theories presented in an upcoming paper in Aquatic Mammals describing the scientists' observations, they propose that the dolphin may have been regarded as nonthreatening and that it was accepted by default because of the way adult sperm whales "babysit" their calves.

Sperm whales alternate their dives between group members, always leaving one adult near the surface to watch the juveniles. "What is likely is that the presence of the calves—which cannot dive very deep or for very long—allowed the dolphin to maintain contact with the group," Wilson said.

Wilson doesn't believe the dolphin approached the sperm whales for help in protecting itself from predators, since there aren't many dolphin predators in the waters surrounding the Azores.

But Francis was not so quick to discount the idea. "I don't buy that there is no predator in the lifelong experience of the whales and dolphins frequenting the Azores," he said.

He suggested that it could be just as possible that the sperm whales accepted the dolphin for added protection against their own predators, like the killer whale (Orcinus orca), while traveling. "They see killer whales off the Azores, and while they may not be around regularly, it does not take a lot of encounters to make [other] whales defensive," he said.

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Alleged Doctor Killer Had Anger Issues, Friend Says

Jason Smith, the Philadelphia exterminator who police say showed up at the home of Dr. Melissa Ketunuti this week to solve her rodent problem before strangling her, was a problem child as an adolescent, a family friend told ABC News.

The family friend from many years ago, who asked for anonymity, said Smith, 36, had behavior and anger issues, and that he also liked to set things on fire.

After Smith and Ketunuti got into "some kind of argument" in Ketunuti's basement, he struck her, strangled her and set her on fire, according to police.

Smith reportedly admitted to the brutal slaying after hours of police questioning Wednesday night.
Smith told police that Ketunuti had "belittled" him, sources told ABC News affiliate WPVI-TV in Philadelphia

He snapped and apparently tried to hide any evidence by setting the 35-year-old doctor on fire with paper he lit in the kitchen, the station reported.

Philadelphia Police Department/AP Photo

Pa. Doctor Killing: Person of Interest in Custody Watch Video

Philadelphia Doctor's Murder Leaves Police Baffled Watch Video

"People like Mr. Smith basically walk around with a huge chip on their shoulder, and they feel so inadequate and so insecure that any perceived belittlement of them will set them off," ABC News consultant and former FBI agent Brad Garrett said.

Capt. James Clark of the Philadelphia Police Department said Smith's mood and clarity varied during his alleged confession.

"At some points, he was solemn. At other points, it was like he was in a fog," Clark said at a news conference.

Smith has been charged with murder, arson, abuse of a corpse and risking a catastrophe.

Ori Feibush, who owns a coffee shop near Ketunuti's street, said he and police pored over hours of surveillance video until they saw Ketunuti walking home from doing errands, with Smith steps behind her.

"Forty-five minutes later, we see this same guy walking past, but [he] looks a little more disheveled and he's got gloves on," Feibush told ABC News.

Police say that after the slaying, Smith circled Ketunuti's block twice, before heading off to another job.

Ketunuti was a doctor at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and had lived alone in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood of the city for about three years. Her family released a statement saying they are "devastated by this senseless act of violence."

"Melissa's friends from childhood, college, residency and elsewhere remember her many kindnesses, even during long hours, as well as her zest for life: traveling, running and spending time with friends and family," the statement said. "Melissa was a source of joy to everyone in her life. Her passing has left an enormous gap in our lives."

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Genes from nowhere: Orphans with a surprising story

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