reading…

I may be something of a worry wart, and global warming has my particular attention at the moment. New Scientist published an interesting article about the state of minerals use in the world by humans.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg19426051.200-earths-natural-wealth-an-audit.html

In the same issue they also have an article that suggests the growth of cities may be driven by innovation and ideas and governed by power laws.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg19426051.400-ideas-the-lifeblood-of-cities.html

(full access to New Scientist requires subscription)

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle has a story about an invasive moth and efforts to keep it contained.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/06/03/MNGDEQ6SHU1.DTL
It wasn’t part of the article, but my devious mind wonders how these procedures play out in an era of global warming when insects are on the move as new territories open up to them. It is paranoia perhaps but with globalization we need to ship everything everywhere at the risk of transporting disease and parasites and pests everywhere.