1. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays
2. Believing In Santa. Twas the night before Christmas, and all through all of the houses with children, mom and dad were wondering, do our children believe in Santa?
When belief in Santa goes, so does much of the season’s enchantment, not just for children, but their parents too. Year after year, they mastermind the magic, wrapping and hiding presents, writing letters to Santa and filling stocckings late at night.
Christmas often represents parents fondest childhood memories. They don’t want that sweet stage to end for their children either.
A child’s belief in Santa has deeper meaning for parents. It signifies the all-to short time in a childs life when everything is good and nothing impossible. Once a child stops believing, parents see their child the same world they live in, where not everything is possible.
There is no single age when kids stop believing in Santa. About 83% of 5 year olds claim Santa is real. The percentage drops to 63% for 7 year olds, according to a 2011 srudy.
3. Christmas Full Moon. Rudolph will have some help lighting St. Nick’s journey from the North Pole this year, and you can look out for the big guy right here. Christmas day at 6:11 a.m., earth will experience a full moon, the first since 1977.
Around 9 p.m. PT, you might also catch a glimpse of a “Christmas Comet,” so called because some believe the Star of Bethlehem that guided the wise men in the original Christmas story was actually a comet. The Christmas Comet is also known as Comet Catalina.
4. Make The Most Of Your 2015 Charitable Donation While Keeping Your Contribution In Arizona. Before the end of the year, make your charitable contribution to EnviroInsight. org. Send your contribution to EnviroInsight at 4849 W Las Palmaritas, Glendale, AZ 85302
5. The Best AA Batteries—And Best Bargains In Consumer Reports’ annual tests, these brands came out on top. AA batteries powers many toys, game controllers, and other popular gadgets we get as gifts. But not all batteries are created equal. So we tested the most popular brands, to make sure you’re getting the most energy for your buck.
The Best AA Batteries—And Best Bargains In Consumer Reports’ annual tests, these brands came out on top. AA batteries powers many toys, game controllers, and other popular gadgets we get as gifts. But not all batteries are created equal. So we tested the most popular brands, to make sure you’re getting the most energy for your buck.
What we found The two lithium models we tested (Energizer Ultimate Lithium and Energizer Advanced Lithium) outperformed all of the alkaline batteries. But alkalines are far less expensive, and several brands came close to the lithiums in performance.
Within the 13 alkaline brands, we saw a fairly wide range of performance, but seven were recommended by Consumer Reports. The top-scoring alkaline battery model—Duracell Quantum—was not significantly different from the high-scoring lithium models, and it costs less than half as much. It’s a cheaper option than lithiums for high-drain situations (such as often-used flashlights).
We prefer lithium batteries over alkalines for hard-to-access or infrequently used devices, because of lithium’s higher stability (lower “self-discharge” or power loss over time). Unlike alkalines, lithium batteries don’t contain a corrosive liquid.
Kirkland Signature batteries were designated a Consumer Reports Best Buy, at 90 cents a pair. The Panasonic Digital Power batteries were not only the most expensive of the alkaline batteries we tested ($2.84 for two), they scored lowest in our tests. 3
Batteries are a benign everyday item, but they do present some dangers if they’re used or disposed of incorrectly. Follow our tips to stay safe.
- Always use identical batteries of the same type, brand, and age in any device. Otherwise the batteries could leak or rupture.
- If a battery leaks, and its fluids get into your eye or make contact with your skin, rinse well with plenty of cold water and seek medical attention. Battery fluids can cause serious damage.
- Used batteries should be disposed of ASAP and kept out of the reach of children. Button batteries cause more injuries in kids, but cases involving cylindrical batteries have also been reported.
- Don’t carry or store loose batteries along with metal objects—like, say, in a change-filled pocket.
- If a battery feels hot, changes color or shape, gives off an odd smell, or seems abnormal in any way while in use or in storage—don’t use it! • Store your batteries in a cool, dry place (contrary to popular belief, a refrigerator isn’t necessary).
- Clean contact surfaces and battery compartments each time you put in new batteries by rubbing them with a clean pencil eraser or rough cloth.
- Remove batteries from a device when you don’t expect to use it for a few months.
- Consider rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride AA batteries, for those devices that can use them.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/10/batteries-that-last-when-you-need-them/index.htm
6. NB|AZ Fiesta Bowl Parade On Saturday, January 2nd, 2016. Join tens of thousands of others in downtown Phoenix N Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85012.
Parade starts at 11:00 a.m. MST
If you love parades, there’s no better way to celebrate the Fiesta Bowl than attending the annual National Bank of Arizona Fiesta Bowl Parade, now in its 45th year.
Take in the pageantry of brilliantly colored floats, giant helium balloons, equestrian units, specialty and charitable groups, local celebrities and marching bands as they make their way along the two-mile parade route through central Phoenix. This year we’re honored to have The Ohio State University Marching Band performing!
7. ADEQ now accepting applications for approximately $1.7 million in Water Quality Improvement Grant funds
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is excited to announce the distribution of our Water Quality Improvement Grants (WQIG) Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for Cycle 18 as well as the Water Quality Improvement Grant Cycle Grant Manual. Applications are currently being accepted for approximately $1.7 million in Water Quality Improvement Grants (WQIG). ADEQ is requesting applications to fund projects that implement on-the-ground water quality improvements to reduce nonpoint source pollution. ADEQ is placing an emphasis on the implementation of activities identifi ed through planning efforts in priority sub-watersheds where water quality and watershed planning activities have taken place. The goal is to encourage successful community-based approaches and management techniques to protect and restore Arizona’s watersheds, ultimately bringing waters assessed as ‘Impaired’ back into attainment for water quality standards.
Mandatory pre-proposals for the grants will be due on Friday, January 15, 2016 by 3 p.m. and final applications on Friday, February 12, 2016 by 3 p.m.. The grant awards are expected to be announced in May 2016. Priority for funding is being given to areas where ADEQ has established watershed implementation plans including Granite Creek near Prescott, Oak Creek near Sedona, San Francisco River near Clifton and San Pedro River near St. David.
A webinar will be held January 5th, if you would like to signup, contact Jake Breedlove at (602) 771-4243 or [email protected] to register and for more information.
The full request for grant applications, grant manual and application forms can be downloaded from the ADEQ website at www.azdeq.gov/wqig
Information about the WQIG program, including the grants manual and application forms are available on ADEQ’s website at www.azdeq.gov/wqig or by calling ADEQ at (602)771-4243 or 1-800-234-5677, Ext. 771-4243.
8. New Interior Department Program Will Focus on Western Water Conservation. The U.S. Department of the Interior has launched a new federal water conservation program. The agency will work with private groups to encourage habitat health and water-use efficiency.
The Natural Resource Investment Center will allow businesses to accumulate credits for taking part in successful conservation programs. Those credits can then be used to offset a company’s environmental impacts from other projects, like mining on public land. Groups like the Nature Conservancy and the Willamette Partnership are expected to invest in the initiative.
In addition to forming public-private partnerships, the Natural Resource Investment Center funds water efficiency infrastructure projects across the country, including the construction of new pipelines and canals to combat prolonged western drought and unpredictable river levels. Department of the Interior press secretary Jessica Kershaw says the project won’t add to the agency’s current budget. The Center will start to outline specific conservation projects and partnerships early next year.
9. NAU Scientist: Dry Climates Diminish Microbial Diversity. Deserts like the American Southwest are expected to get drier as the climate warms. That’s bad news for soil microbes, according to a global study co-authored by researchers at Northern Arizona University
This study is the first to look at soil microbes in drylands all over the world. The researchers collected soil samples from 80 dryland ecosystems, on every continent except Antarctica. It found bacteria and fungi were less numerous and less diverse in drier climates.
NAU soil ecologist Matthew Bowker is one of the study’s authors. “Not only are plants and animals going to respond to climate change, but it seems that also microbes that live in the soil would too, ”Bowker said. “You would expect it, but here it is, loud and clear.”
Bowker says drylands cover 40 percent of the Earth’s landmass, and climate models predict they’ll expand. If microbial diversity diminishes in these regions, soil will become less fertile, and the effects will ripple up the food chain.
Bowker’s next project will be to study livestock grazing in drylands with the international team. Source: KNAU
