NYT 12/11/09 Quake Threat Leads Swiss to Close Geothermal Project

There was a $60 million dollar project to extract renewable energy from the hot bedrock beneath Basel, Switzerland however, it had to be shut down because it was generating destructive earthquakes. The project was led by Markus Haring and he is going to trial on criminal charges from the project. The hope for the project was to use geothermal energy to cut down on fossil fuel use. The Obama administration is also planning a test of advanced geothermal energy with the AltaRock project and is hoping for more positive findings. Geothermal energy might be better in a less populated area. I think it is great that researchers are trying to find alternative means of energy and hopefully they will have success without causing millions of dollars in damage.

NYT 12/10/09 3 Convicted in Plot to Blow Up Trans-Atlantic Passenger Jets

Three men were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder with a plan to blow up trans-Atlantic passenger jets using liquid explosives. Several others were convicted of assisting in the plot possibly without knowing the full plan but knowing that it involved murder. This terrorist ring was broken up by authorities in August 2006. It is nice to know that justice is served and that the authorities are able to prevent terrorist attacks from happening...makes me feel a little safer.

NYT 12/1/09 Pirates Seize Oil Tanker, U.S.-Bound, Off Somalia

In Nairobi, Kenya, Somalia pirates have seized an oil tanker that contained $20 million in crude oil. It was only 9 pirates that hijacked the tanker and its crew of 30 people. In the past 2 months, 38 ships have been attacked and 10 have been hijacked. I just find it surprising that it takes so few people to hijack such a large ship with a much larger crew. I would think that the ships would be more prepared to handle this kind of situation if it happens so frequently or invest in some kind of technology that would alert them of approaching ships. It's sad that people resort to this kind of theft but I guess crude oil has become a very valuable product.

NYT 11/30/09 A Priest's Son Who Told All Dies at 22

Nathan Habach told all about how it felt growing up with an absent Roman Catholic priest as a father. It isn't the first time that a priest has fathered a child and abandoned the child but it is a taboo to discuss. Rev. Henry Willenborg was suspended from his position after it was discovered that he had opted for an abortion and had relations with several women. He had been sent to a center that treated priests for sexual and alcohol addictions. The decision to speak out came after the Franciscans, who paid child support if they kept silent, refused to pay for the expense of a trip for cancer treatment. I just think priesthood and the whole culture around it is interesting and it's sad that they don't have relationships with their children if they father children.