links for 2010-01-23

• Book Review: The Climate Crisis — A Fresh New Look | CleanTechies Blog – CleanTechies.com
  Book Review/Summary: "David Archer and Stefan Rahmstorf are notable climate scientists. They are also excellent communicators of the science to the general reader, as is apparent in their new book The Climate Crisis: An Introductory Guide to Climate Change. The authors seek to provide an accessible and readable account of the “treasure trove” of the IPCC reports.

  They distinguish their work sharply from the Summaries for Policy Makers officially provided by the IPCC, which are negotiated between government representatives and exclude much of what scientists think and write in the full report.

  But while they draw heavily on the latest IPCC report and feature many of its informative graphs and tables, they also refer to new findings since the 2006 cut-off date for the report, and draw attention to weaknesses they sometimes see in the report."

  (tags: climatechange science environment books)
• One crime solved for every 1,000 CCTV cameras, senior officer claims – Telegraph
  He said there are more than a million CCTV cameras in London and the Government has spent £500 million on the crime-fighting equipment.

  But he admitted just 1,000 crimes were solved in 2008 using CCTV images as officers fail to make the most of potentially vital evidence.

  Writing in an internal report, Mr Neville said people are filmed many times every day and have high expectations when they become victims of crime.

  But he suggested the reality is often disappointing as in some cases officers fail to bring criminals to justice even after they are caught on camera and identified.

  (tags: police BigBrother privacy crime security uk surveillance)
• When Trying to Preserve the Planet Strains the Relationship – NYTimes.com
  "- As awareness of environmental concerns has grown, therapists say they are seeing a rise in bickering between couples and family members over the extent to which they should change their lives to save the planet.
  – [..T]herapists agree that the green issue can quickly become poisonous because it is so morally charged. [Those] not devoted to the environmental cause can become irritated by life choices they view as ostentatiously self-denying or politically correct.

  Those with a heightened focus on environmental issues, on the other hand, can find it hard to refrain from commenting on things that they view as harmful to Earth

  – Linda Buzzell, a family and marriage therapist [..] co-editor of “Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind,” cautions that the repercussions of environmental differences can be especially severe for couples.

  “The danger arises when one partner undergoes an environmental ‘waking up’ process way before the other, leaving a new values gap between them,” "

  (tags: environment green marriage social psychology)