Bluegill fish used as biosensors to help safeguard water supplies - 09/07/2006
The common bluegill, freshwater fish that is found in lakes and streams across the United States are being deployed in city water to detect toxic substances placed for sabotage by terrorists.
Bluegills are sensitive to traces of pesticides, cyanide, mercury, phosphates and other poisons and react in ways that can be monitored. The heart rates and movement of the fish are monitored by computer that is attached to sensors placed in the water.
When the bluegill
become stressed, they begin to swim erratically and have elevated heart rates.
The technology to monitor bluegills was developed by the Army, and is being used in at least three major cities to detect
tampering of their municipal waters.
Bluegills are ideal for the job, because they're hardy, prolific and eat almost anything. Though sensitive to chemicals, they can tolerate big swings in water temperature and oxygen levels, when most other fish breeds cannot.
Based on an article from...
John Ritter, USA TODAY, "Toxin-sensitive bluegills pull duty in war on terror" USA TODAY. 7 September 2006. Sec. 2A.
Former senators Hart and Simpson call for special forces - 10/13/2006
Two former U.S. Senators, Gary Hart a democrat from Colorado, and Alan Simpson, a republican from Wyoming, said the war on terror needs to be fought by special forces who are trained to enter at night, kick down doors and deal with guilty parties.
"You find out who did it, and then you kill them," said Gary Hart.
"I like that. That's a western way," responded Alan Simpson. "You string them up with piano wire."
Hart and Simpson were at the University of Idaho as featured speakers for the 2006 Bellwood
Lecture on "National Security and the Constitution". Their appearances together reflected a point-counter-point nature to bring listeners to the center of issues.
Hart suggest that a fifth branch of the U.S. military was needed, with a mission of finding people who don't wear uniforms, who do not swear allegiance to any country, and who are constantly plotting to wreck havoc on the free world." This special forces unit would be tasked with killing the guilty parties, and would not be tasked with invading nations.
Hart also thought the United Nations might need to gear their peacekeeping efforts toward peacemaking, which required greater powers to be given to them to succeed. "But when you start talking that way, people get scared to death because of sovereignty," Hart said.
Based on an article from...
David Johnson of the Tribune "Former senators call for special forces" Lewiston Tribune. 13 October 2006. Sec. 1A.
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