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Many of the ice structures like glaciers, ice in mountain areas, and the Arctic icecap are melting. Most of these structures will no longer be in existence by 2025. Much of the Arctic ice has disappeared and many of the glaciers are shrinking. But with all these ice structures so visibly melting why are people not becoming more concerned about a future with almost no ice masses left on land? In fact, most people have not given the consequences of these melting icecaps much thought at all.

The truth is that most people believe the present rate of melting ice mass is a natural occurrence, however, this is not the case. This rapid meltdown is not necessarily the result of man-made processes any longer. This meltdown is speeded up because most of the planet’s ecological structures are no longer functioning in optimum ways. As a result these ice masses can no longer remain in existence while the rest of the ecology is already so damaged.

Many people are beginning to notice the consequences of pollution. The resulting ecological damage is causing much hardship for most people on all continents. With so many severely polluted waterways, atmospheric pollution everywhere, and in some parts of the world the food quality being affected, it is important to become aware and also more proactive about reducing pollution.

It is often overlooked that pollution is the main contributor to the current meltdown. Our severely ecologically damaged environment – with its own environmental processes – can from a higher perspective no longer support these processes in the best possible ways.

It is of utmost importance to look at what can be done to preserve our precious planet, our natural heritage, for our own benefit. This includes all ice structures such as icebergs, glaciers, Arctic ice and ice in mountainous regions, as these are all facets of a whole complex ecological structure.

Most people have not given much thought as to what will happen once these ice masses have disappeared and the molecular structures of all the ice, in particular that on land has changed from a frozen to a more fluid state. What would eventually happen with the climate when there is hardly any ice left?

With humans already polluting most parts of the world, will there be more man-made pollution once the newly gained land is occupied, worsening the never-ending cycle of ecological destruction? Humanity is running out of time and it needs to stop this increasing cycle of polluting the planet.

While this melting of icecaps and glaciers is of concern because of the ecological damage to the environment, this meltdown is also happening as a result of the overall process of global warming. The present meltdown is an intricate part of a whole long chain of events affecting the climate; with this melting of ice structures placed somewhere in the middle. Once all these climate change events have completed, which is expected to be around 2025, the environment will be severely damaged. There will be almost no remaining land ice and in all likelihood constant cataclysmic events happening, resulting in more and more environmental problems.

While most of humanity is not too concerned yet about the melting of these large ice structures, there is a real concern from the Spirit world about the outcome because ultimately, humanity’s own survival is at stake.

While there is still enough time to make adequate change to reverse the never-ending cycle of pollution, few people are looking in that direction, they are often looking in the other direction.

Mia receives information about the planet

She might have been absent from national politics for the past eight years, but now a one-time leading light of the Socialist party, Martine Aubry, appears to be back in favour.

Aubry is being touted – not least by herself – as a figure behind which activists could unite in the tussle for the leadership of the party due in November.

Many within the party are keen to avoid a high profile media brawl between what are considered to be the two main contenders for the post - S

After a high profile trial lasting two months, a court in northeastern France on Wednesday found Michel Fourniret, the country’s most notorious serial killer in decades, guilty on seven counts of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

His wife, Monique Olivier, was also sentenced to 28 years behind bars for complicity.

Between 1987 and 2001 Fourniret carried out a series of kidnappings in northern France and Belgium.

His prey were girls and young women aged from 12 to 21 whom he stalked to feed what prosecutors during the trial called his “obsession for virgins”. Fourniret lured them into his car with the help of his wife before raping and then stabbing, shooting or strangling them to death.

Belgian police eventually detained the couple in June 2003 after a failed attempt to kidnap a 13-year-old girl. She was able to escape from their vehicle and later identify the car licence number. In 2005 both Fourniret and Olivier were handed over to French authorities for trial.

Fourniret admitted to the murders and offered no real defence as such at his trial, leaving his lawyers floundering somewhat as they tried to defend what even they agreed was the indefensible.

After confessing his guilt Fourniret basically refused to co-operate with the courts apart from offering some incoherent written statements from time to time and insisting that his crimes had been unpardonable. He even went as far as to describe himself as “an extremely dangerous individual.”

The relative silence from the defendant throughout the trial didn’t stop the media though. There were almost daily reports on both television and in the press over the two months the trial lasted detailing some of the most macabre aspects of the crime and the distress of those who had lost family members.

Such coverage of course led many to raise concerns about not so much the purpose of a trial whose outcome was perhaps inevitable from the outset, but the way in which it was reported by the media.

Although the trial undoubtedly gave the families of the victims the chance to face Fourniret directly and to an extent vent their anger and desire for justice, it also left many questions unanswered as he simply refused to allow himself to be defended or offer explanations of any sort.

Several of the families have declared themselves “satisfied” with the verdict, and perhaps after all the trial really was for their benefit, to help them achieve some sort closure.

But it remains questionable just how effective that will have been given Fourniret’s constant refusal to speak or give any clues as to his motives.

Neither the The 66-year-old Fourniret nor his 59-year old wife will appeal their sentences and as he’ll not be eligible for parole for another 30 years the life sentence should be just that – life.

Few – if any – would argue against that being the right decision, nor the fact that not only has justice been done but that it has also been seen to be done.

Johnny Summerton is a Paris-based broadcaster, writer and journalist specializing in politics, sport and travel. For more on what’s making the headlines here in France, log on to his site at http://www.persiflagefrance.com

The French capital is to get just what it needs to set it apart from the rest of the globe’s major cities - a new 300-metre skyscraper set to challenge the world-famous Eiffel tower’s domination of the city’s skyline.

France’s very own Jean Nouvel fought off competition from four other world class architects to be awarded the commission to construct the new Signal tower.

Strictly speaking it’ll actually be built in the largely business district of La Defense on the outskirts of Paris as there are height restrictions on new buildings within the city limits.

Completion of the concrete glass and steel tower is due by the end of 2013.

It won’t quite match the height of the Eiffel Tower – which stands at 324 metres - and is unlikely to become a major tourist attraction, but it’s early evidence that the president, Nicolas Sarkozy, wants to leave his architectural mark on the capital in much the same way as his predecessors.

In fact the thinking behind the tower’s construction is to spearhead an ambitious plan to breathe new life into the whole of La Defense – now more than 50 years old.

At 71 storeys the tower will almost be a town within a town with shops and restaurants on the ground floor, and above those the inevitable offices and a 300-room hotel, all topped off with a layer of luxury apartments.

Unlike many of the rest of the ageing skyscrapers in the district, it’ll combine those all-important energy saving features that simply weren’t around decades ago, including solar panels and wind turbines on the roof.

But when all is said and done it’ll still be a hulking 300 metres of concrete, glass and steel, probably with lights left on unnecessarily overnight (as is common practice in many office complexes).

And as critics have been quick to point out, without a corresponding update of La Defense’s infrastructure the new tower could signal added congestion for commuters in the future as more businesses and therefore more employees are tempted into the district.

It’s already used by 400,000 people daily and is home to 2,500 company headquarters as well as 20,000 residents.

The new tower won’t be the only mighty construction on the horizon when it’s completed.

There are already two other 300-metre projects under construction, both of which are due to be finished by 2012. And Nouvel’s building is just part of a larger renovation plan for the district under which 17 existing but ageing buildings are scheduled for demolition – and replacement.

Of course the choice of Nouvel has brought an awful lot of patriotic backslapping and congratulations here and there’s no doubting his credentials or international track record.

Earlier this year he won the profession’s top honour, the Pritzker prize, plus to gain the new commission he beat off competition from the likes of Britain’s Norman Foster and US architect Daniel Libeskind.

But there has to be a slight doubt lingering as to whether this latest venture will not simply turn into something of an eyesore – albeit it a very tall one.

Nouvel’s last project to be completed here in Paris, the Quai Branly museum of tribal arts, already looked pretty tatty from the outside when it opened in 2006 and looks set to age quickly.

Johnny Summerton is a Paris-based broadcaster, writer and journalist specializing in politics, sport and travel. For more on what’s making the headlines here in France, log on to his site at http://www.persiflagefrance.com

What a start to the day for the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. He was up and about before dawned cracked rubbing shoulders and pressing flesh with the hoi polloi at Rungis, France’s largest wholesale food and flower market just south of Paris.

And as soon as he was done with mixing with the masses it was off to the airwaves of a national radio station for his first broadcast away from the comfort of the presidential palace since taking office.

Along for the ride at Rungis, so to speak, was the inevitable pack of hacks recording his every move as he pounded from aisle to aisle meeting and greeting in a way only Sarkozy can manage. Ah yes they had been forewarned and must have been delighted by the early-morning press call.

Indeed it was pretty much a case of d

The average family in the United States spends around $1,300 a year on bills to provide energy to the home, most of that energy is wasted by the home. Millions of $’s are wasted every year through appliances being unnecessarily left on and conditioned or heated air is just rushing out of buildings. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning units are not being maintained or modified to be the most efficient, windows leak conditioned air, and appliances devour energy.

A power provider, burning fossil fuels, provides all of the power provided to our houses. By wasting this power each and every one of us is burning more fossil fuel than required. Admittedly looking at the power the individual wastes does not mount to a great deal, but if you multiply that by all the homes in the USA (119,117,000), that is an awful lot of wasted energy. If each and every household changed only one thing think what might be saved!

There is an abundance of choices to make your energy savings with, but why not chose something that will provide you with a payback and potentially increase the value of the property. I would like to bring to your attention, Insulation. By insulating walls and roof space etc, saving up to 40% can be had off heating bills.

Spray Foam Insulation Kits are a cost effective way of insulating the home. This can be done by a professional or by using a DIY Insulation kit.

Benefits of Using Insulation Foam?

Not only will you be playing a part in reducing global warming as you will be using less power, but you will be saving up to 40% of your heating and cooling bills! The home will adopt the properties of a cool box or a thermos! It will keep the cool air in for longer (summer time) or the hot air in for longer (winter time)

Research from the U.S. Government’s energy labs has estimated that cracks and openings in the walls and roof waste up to 40% of every home heating and cooling expenditure. This is a simple thing to stop, just by sealing cracks and openings in the home with Spray Foam Insulation Kits.

On average a household winter heating bill is around $142 a month. By doing something as simple as insulating your walls, savings could be could be seen of up to;

$57.00 a Month.

$680.00 a Year.

$3408.00 over five years

As you can see from above, the time it takes for this home improvement to pay for itself is pretty quick. This type of improvement is likely to improve the homes R-Value (R-value is a measure of a material’s thermal resistance, or how well it holds back heat gain or loss. The higher the R-value the better.).

Spray Foam Insulation Kits are quick and easy jobs to do. A few hours can seal and insulate a home. It’s easy to seal and insulate an attic, basement, or crawlspace. Over time sealing and insulating your home properly will see savings of thousands.

home insulation methods are a great way to reduce utility bills and the burning of fossil fuels. There are many other sources of heat loss in homes that will effect the bills, so come and have a look at the available options.

For some it will be a date to note in their diaries and one on which they will undoubtedly rush out in anticipation to the record stores. For others it will quite possibly be time to clap their hands over their ears in an attempt to protect their hearing.

Either way for fans and detractors alike July 21 has been confirmed as the release date for Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s new album. It will be her first since she took up residence alongside her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the president’s official residence, the Elys

The big guns within the Socialist party here in France are warming up for battle ahead of an election to choose a new leader even though that’s still over six months away.

Segolene Royal officially announced her intention to stand last Friday. And now the man many consider will be her main opponent, Bertrand Delano

What is more inspiring than a dark night filled with sparkling stars? There’s just something magical about looking into the dark sky and seeing a sky packed with dazzeling stars, it is certainly breath taking. In all reality there is no real way to communicate how much stars effect us, and how much the inability to see them, really takes away from our ability to experience the night sky. The inabililty to see the stars at night is the result of light pollution, which can be described as the biggest enemy of the night sky.

Light pollution is harmful, just as other forms of pollution are harmful. Also, it is relatively unnecessary, the glow that light pollution causes in the night sky, known as sky glow is not needed. One could might argue that light pollution is a ‘necessary’ effect of progress, but this is not true. Light pollution comes from inefficient lighting sources, which shine light aimlessly into the night sky. These lights that shine into the sky do not increase nighttime safety or security. After all, lights that shine downward or where they are more appropriately needed are those which increase safety and security. In all reality these aimlessly shining lights, only increase glare and expenses, costing tens of billion of dollars each year in the United States alone.

Lessening light pollution is not impossible. On an individual level, one can choose to light ones home with efficient outdoor lighting systems, which do not shine up into the night sky. By lessening light pollution, one will save money while also reducing the glare and glow, seen in the night sky. It is important for us to keep our night sky dark, being able to see the stars is a privilege, one which we should not take so lightly.

Light pollution is excess or obtrusive light created by humans.

Light pollution is a broad term that refers to multiple problems, all of which are caused by inefficient, annoying or unnecessary use of artificial light.

Specific types of light pollution include light trespass, over-illumination, and sky glow.

Light trespass occurs when unwanted light spills over beyond the boundary of the property on which a light is located to adjacent properties. Light trespass is often caused by high or poorly positioned lights. The result is bright night lighting on an area that would otherwise be dark.

Over-illumination is the excessive use of light. Specifically within the United States, over-illumination is responsible for approximately two million barrels of oil per day in energy wasted.

Sky glow is the bright glow that can be seen over many cities and towns in the evening. It is caused by light traveling through and being scattered by particulates in the atmosphere. It is worse in heavily polluted areas and will always exist to some extent when the air quality is poor.

About two thirds of the population of the world and 99% of people in the continental USA and Western Europe never see a truly dark starry sky from where they live because of light pollution.

When a massive power outage struck southern California in the 1990s, Los Angeles residents reportedly called 911 to express alarm about strange clouds hovering overhead; they were seeing the Milky Way for the first time!

Light pollution must be addressed by changing the habits of society, so that lighting is used more efficiently, with less waste and less creation of unwanted or unneeded illumination.

If we all work together, future generations can regain some of the pleasures of seeing a star filled night sky. To this end, it is important to pick appropriate lighting systems, when lighting your home inside and out. Night sky friendly outdoor lighting fixtures can be found online at www.StarryNightLights.com. Our outdoor lights are chosen because they are both energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Anthony Arrigo is an avid astronomer and night sky activist. His company, Starry Night Lights specializes in night sky friendly outdoor lighting that reduces the impact of light pollution in our communities

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups recently accused Zimbabwe’s army and President Robert Mugabe of unleashing “terror and violence” on dissenters of his 28-year regime.

According to the Associated Press, Zimbabwe’s opposition party and its presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai have linked the recent surge in violence after last months presidential election to the security forces and “war veterans” that are loyal to Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe’s regime blames the opposition party for the violence, which includes arresting scores of people, including women and their nursing babies, who had taken shelter from the violence at opposition headquarters in the capital city Harare.

Mugabe has been accused of using violence and intimidation to sabotage the recent presidential election, which shows that Tsvangirai won the majority of the votes, but not the required 50 percent plus one needed to avoid a runoff. The ruling party has not released the election results, which has led to more suspicion that the election is rigged.

“The army and its allies—‘war veterans’ and supporters of the ruling party Zanu-PF—are intensifying their brutal grip on wide swathes of rural Zimbabwe to ensure that a possible second round of presidential elections goes their way,” Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch said. “The African Union and U.N. Security Council should take immediate steps to help prevent a further escalation in violence.”

To date, the United Nation has taken no action to curb the violence and election chaos in Zimbabwe.

In one act of violence in the eastern province of Manicaland, opposition members traveled to an “informal torture center” set up by “war veterans” and witnessed 12 of their colleagues bound and beaten. When they questioned the “war veterans,” they encountered gunfire, with three of them hit by gunfire and one killed, according to Human Rights Watch.

Recently, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia successfully blocked China’s shipment of mortar grenades and ammunition to Zimbabwe.

Mugabe, 84, rose to power in 1980. During his presidency he helped end White rule, which led to an independent Zimbabwe.

His popularity began to wane after the country fell into an economic downturn, which has left inflation rates at a whopping 100,000 percent, and the often-violent seizures of White-owned commercial farms in 2000.

The confusion in Zimbabwe is eerily similar to the genocide that erupted in Rwanda in 1994 after supporters of current Rwandan president Paul Kagame shot down President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane according to French police.

According to the BBC, “The presidential guard immediately initiated a campaign of retribution. Leaders of the political opposition were murdered …On the ground, the Rwandans were largely left alone by the international community. UN troops withdrew after the murders of 10 soldiers.”

Consequently, the United Nations has also refused to offer assistance to those victimized by the violence in Zimbabwe. It is as if the benefits that other nations enjoy from the U.N. do not apply to African countries when they are in dire need of help.

Would the United Nations delay help if those struggling were French, or even American?

It makes one wonder, if the United Nations is truly devoted to uniting nations.

Todd Smith is the web master for Regal Mag The preeminent Online Magazine for African American Men