| 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.
WEIL: Chloramine makes way into water supply
Most water-supply companies nationwide are switching to chloramine from chlorine for water disinfection. What are the effects of it on humans and pets? Chloramine is a chemical compound made by reacting ammonia with the active ingredient in chlorine bleach. Although it's a weaker germicide than chlorine, it's more stable, which is why water systems are making more use of it. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, chloramine provides better protection against bacterial regrowth in water systems with large storage tanks and dead-end water mains. The EPA says that like chlorine, chloramine effectively controls biofilm, a slime formed by bacterial growth that coats and corrodes pipes and can harbor dangerous concentrations of coliform bacteria. Because chloramine tends not to react with organic compounds in water, consumers may have fewer complaints about the chemical taste and odor of treated water.
50,000 trees planted in Trinity River wildlife refuge
For a partnership looking for ways to improve the Houston area's environment, the math made sense. First, plant 50,000 seedling trees on 158 acres of logged pasture in the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge east of Houston. In return, the restored forest will remove carbon dioxide a potent greenhouse gas linked to global warming equivalent to what 3,000 average Americans use in fossil fuels in a year. The $250,000 project was completed this month by five corporate and nonprofit groups who partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which runs the 23,000-acre reserve on the Trinity River in Liberty County. The other participants include Dell Inc.; Travelocity; NBC Universal; Environmental Synergy Inc., a reforestation company based in Atlanta; and The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit environmental group, based near Washington, D.C.
Pledge to reclaim Scottish history for our children
Even many adults are in a similar position. They know all about the English/German kings, but lack any knowledge of their own kings, especially before that sad day in 1603 when one of our kings was foolish enough to accept the English throne.History is, and remains an important subject. We should know all about the origins of our society if for no other reason than to avoid repeating the same mistakes we have already made.Like other subjects on the Scottish curriculum, children should be taught Scottish history, geography, languages and literature, instead of being force fed foreign stuff in lieu. Why should our children continue to be taught about some numpty that burned some cakes, but no mention is made of Nechtan the Great? .
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