GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.75+/- 0.18 C (1.33+/- 0.32 F) during the 20th century. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by greenhouse gases, which result from human activity such as burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY....

Verizon Phone Records Secretly Collected by Feds: Report

From abc news. The Obama administration hasbeen quietly collecting millions of telephone records from U.S.Verizon customers under a top-secret court order first obtained in late April, according to British newspaper The Guardian. A copy of the classified order,posted Wednesday on the paper's website, reveals that Verizon has been required to provide to the National Security Agency on an"ongoing, daily basis" information on all phone calls made through its systems. The order was granted April 25 by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which oversees secret government requests for private information that might help identify suspected terrorists or foreign nationals in the United States. It expires July 19. READ MORE: Dodd Succeeds in Delaying Wiretapping Bill The order, which was obtained 10 days after the Boston Marathon bombings, did not identify intended targets or the rationale for casting such a wide net. The accuracy of the document could not be independently confirmed by ABC News. Neither the NSA nor Verizon responded to requests for comment, though neither immediately denied the report. A senior Obama administrationofficial also declined to verify the authenticity of the order posted by the Guardian, but defended such data collection as a "critical tool" to protect the country.

U.S.: Russian ships may have arms for Syria

From CNN.CNN has learned that U.S. intelligence agencies have identified three Russian amphibious warships in the eastern Mediterranean that are believed to be carrying weapons shipments that might be used to resupply the Syrian regime, accordingto a Pentagon official. The official declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the information. The United States has been tracking the ships since they left Russian ports several days ago. U.S. satellites were able to see some indications of containers being loaded onto the ships. Although it's not confirmed, it's believed the ships may be carrying some components of the controversial Russian S-300air defense missile system and other weapons for the regime. The United States has been pressing the Russians for weeks to not deliver that system to Syria because of the threat it would pose by upgrading Syria's already robust air defense system. The United States believes it would give the Syrian government a much greater ability to target U.S., Israeli, NATO or other aircraft that may try to strike targets on the ground in the future. The official said the United States did not see any military helicopters being loaded; it is believed the Syrians want to add the helicopters to their inventories. The Russians have kept a regular naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean so they can move in and outof the port of Tartous, where they have facilities. Several sensitive military assets are in the region thismonth as well. In the next two weeks, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower will also be in the region on a scheduled rotation as it returns to its home port on the East Coast. A U.S. Patriot missile battery and F-16s are heading to Jordan for a training exercise, though the Jordanians have asked for the Patriots to remain after the exercise concludesat the end of the month.

Syrian army retakes Golan Heights crossing

From CNN.What appeared to be a symbolic victory for the Syrian rebels turned out to be short-lived. The Syrian army recapturedSyria's only crossing to Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state-run TV reported Thursday. A journalist working for CNN in the area confirmed that account. Just a few hours earlier, an opposition group said Syrianrebels had seized the Quneitra crossing after battling Syrian forces in the city. Clashes continued after the army retook control, but at a lower intensity than before. Quneitra is symbolically important to the Syrian regime because it represents former PresidentHafez al-Assad's attempt to liberate Israeli-occupied territory. Quneitra had been captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, only to be recaptured by Syrian forcesin 1973. The struggle for Quneitra continued until a disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria leftthe city in Syria's hands. The fighting in Quneitra Thursday could be seen from the Israeli-occupied side of the Golan Heights. Rebels opened fire on the Syrian forces, who responded with tank fire to try to force the rebels back.Mortars and small arms fire caused the bushes and shrubs to catch on fire. Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said mortar shells fell on the Israeli sideof the border near the Quneitra passage. He said Israel is aware of the fighting and is taking necessary precautions to prevent spillover. Lerner said Israeli authorities have instructed farmers in the Golan Heightsnot to approach the border fence in the Quneitra area due to the ongoing fighting on the Syrian side. The Golan Heights, formerly Syrian territory, was seizedby Israel in 1967. The two sides signed an armistice in 1974, and United Nations forces have been stationed there since.

Pilot, 76, walks away from plane crash with just minor injuries after deploying emergency PARACHUTE whichallowed his light aircraft to float to safety in a quiet Cheltenhamback garden *. Emergency services called to house in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire at 10.45am *. Pilot managed to deploy parachute shortly before the crash *. The light aircraft is believed to be worth around £500,000

From dailymail. A pilot has miraculously walked away with just minor injuries after deploying an emergency parachute which allowed his plane to float to safety and land in the back garden of a house. The plane landed in Mike and Karen Dean's back garden in Langdale Road, Hatherley, in Cheltenham, at 10.45am this morning. Luckily the pilot, a 76-year-old man from London, managedto deploy the parachute shortly before the crash.The pilot escaped with only minor injuries and was treatedat the scene by paramedics. Mr Dean, 55, and wife, 50, were in their house where thecrash happened. Mrs Dean, a project manager for Boots said: 'All I heard wasa big bang. I was in the house at the time and I managed to get downstairs.'I feel very lucky that it didn't go through my house. I was in the house at the time but I didn't see anything, I just heard a whirring sound. 'I'm quite in a bit of shock at the moment, you never think these things are going to happen to you. 'They have to work out how to get the plane out. I'm working from home today so I'm hoping to get back into the house a little bit later.' David Shatford, 23, a construction worker, was working on the house at the time and pulled the pilot to safety.He said: 'I saw the plane come down spinning over and then it crashed into the trees and I jumped off the scaffolding andmanaged to get the pilot out. 'He didn't say anything because he was very shaken.I was very scared at the time but managed to get him to safety.' Danella Mercati, 37, of WardenHill Road said: 'I was hanging up my washing at the time andI could hear the plane in the distance and suddenly it sounded like the plane exhaust had gone and it was blowing really loudly. 'As I looked up, I could see theplane release its parachute. It was coming directly to my garden but then the parachutedragged it away and it crashed in the next road. 'I thought it was going to crash into my garden, I was petrified. My heart still hasn't stopped racing.' A Gloucestershire Police spokesman said: 'The emergency services were called to a report of a plane coming down in the back garden of a house in LangdaleRoad in Cheltenham at approximately 10.45am today. 'The pilot, a 76-year-old man from London, has suffered minor injuries and is currentlybeing treated at the scene by paramedics. Lucky escape: The pilot was forced to deploy the parachute of the light-aircraft which floated to safety 'The homeowner was uninjured. Nearby houses have been evacuated as a precaution while the fire service make the scene safe.' THE PARACHUTE: HOW ITWORKS When the unexpected happens and a pilot is in trouble mid-flight, a BRS (ballistic recovery system) parachute can save lives. The parachute is attached tothe airframe via a harness. Once deployed, the canopy of the parachute will decelerate and stabilise the aircraft within seconds. When first activated, the parachute system is designed to pitch up the aircraft. This allows the system to use the aircraft’s wings and fuselage to help it slow down. In a very short time, the aircraft stabilises under the now opened canopy. The aircraft will descend withthe nose slightly lower than the tail. On reaching the ground, the nose wheel generally will touch down first. The scene of the crash is just2.5 miles from Gloucestershire Airport, in Staverton, near Cheltenham. The plane is believed to be worth around £500,000. Nearby homes were initially going to be evacuated as a precaution by the fire service but the area was deemed safesoon after. Markus Von Plunkett watched the crash unfold. He said on Facebook: 'Saw it with my own eyes, was a little wierd lookedlike the plane itself had a canopy.' Eyewitnesses from a local website directory also saw theplane coming down. One employee said: 'We saw the plane veer through the clouds in a strange movement,then disappear back into the clouds. We said "Blimey! It looks like that plane is in trouble!" 'A moment later, there was a large bang as the plane pulledits parachute and it disappeared behind the houses, in the direction of Bourneside School playing field.' Steven Pockett posted online: 'Wonder if the pilot was tryingfor emergency landing on Bournside playing field, the corner of Langdale Road is only just short of that. 'Was quite surreal watching the parachute come down. Hope the reports of only light injuries are precise.'