Forecasting 2013

Will 2013 be any different from 2012? Yes, definitely. I predict that Apple will release at least twenty newer models of the iPhone (forcing you to trade in your "obsolete" model after only a few months of use), men's pants will soon be worn around their ankles, and 'swaggy,' as used frequently in Justin Bieber's hit "Boyfriend," will officially be added as, like, a def totes legitly correct word. Dogs will be the new chauffeurs, all of the socks belonging to young girls in Japan will be stolen, Old John Smokey will strike a record deal, more popes will be opening Twitter accounts, indoor playgrounds (complete with pigeons and sheets) will become popular, giraffes performing good deeds for random strangers will become a common sight, and even more people will be killed as a result of pushy crowds during Black Friday sales. So while we may not see the end of the world, we will probably see the end of the human race as we know it.  

The Fin Whales' Plight

On December 3rd, a young male fin whale washed up on the Malibu coast between Paradise Cove and Point Dume, near the homes of Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand. The whale is 40 feet long and 40,000 pounds and officials are finding it difficult to remove the rotting, smelly carcass. Some say that it would take a tug boat to drag it out to sea but others claim that it would be impossible to tow even at high tide. The whale, with a large gash on its back and a damaged spine, seems to have been hit by a ship. Accidents like this are common because blue, fin, and humpback whales migrate to California's coast to eat krill. Fin whales are endangered and only 2,300 live along the West Coast. They the second largest species of whale and can live to be 90 years old. The fin whales' plight is heartbreaking, this whale's in particular.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/rotting-whale-casts-foul-stench-malibu-17894358#.UMI_DeRfArU

Evacuations after Train Derailment

In Paulsboro, New Jersey, officials have stopped working at the site of last week's train derailment after unsafe chemical levels were found in the air. Residents of Paulsboro were ordered to stay inside and schools were closed after monitors detected high levels of vinyl chloride on Monday. Nearly a hundred residents within a twelve block radius have been evacuated as workers try to remove the chemicals from the tanker car. Since Friday people have reported breathing issues and a dozen have gone to the hospital. The precautionary evacuations and shelter-in-place orders will likely remain in effect through early this week.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Air-quality-raises-concern-at-train-wreck-site-4086337.php