Helium balloons might become a thing of the past but not because something new and better has come along, simply because we’re running out of helium. Despite the fact that it’s sold cheaply, which experts say is “ridiculous,” it’s a non-renewable resource and cannot be manufactured artificially.

It has more uses than just making parties more festive and making you sound like one of the chipmunks; it’s needed for MRI scanners, airships, rockets, deep-sea diving, and document preservation.

In 1925, the US government started building up an enormous reserve of the gas in Texas - the largest in the world. Then, in 1996, the reserve was $1.4 billion in debt and, to recover some of the money, Congress passed an act saying that it should be sold by 2015, regardless of how cheaply.

Physics professor and Nobel laureate, Robert Richardson, says that helium is worth 20-50 times what it’s sold for, making a helium-filled balloon worth around $100.

"As a result of that Act, helium is far too cheap and is not treated as a precious resource. It's being squandered."

It’s possible to recycle helium in some cases but, because it’s so inexpensive, recycling it is not cost effective and not even NASA does it.

Would you still buy balloons if they cost $100 each? What about $10?

Via The Independent

Jail time for plastic bag use, a 9-day, 62-mile traffic jam, and cannabis cars. Here are a few tiny slices of what’s happening around the world.

Mexico City Says Peace Out to Plastic Bags

Mexico City is the latest place to ban the use of plastic bags. Stores will be required to charge customers who want them, but they can only sell biodegradable varieties.

While major cities around the world are implementing laws like this, some take it further than others. In Mexico City, failure to comply will get you fined up to $90,000 and tossed in the slammer for 36 hours. Believe it or not, that’s mild compared to the consequences in Delhi, where you can be jailed for up to 5 years for the offence!
(Via BBC)

China’s 62-Mile, Month-Long Traffic Jam

Think rush hour traffic is bad in your city? A traffic jam spanning more than 60 miles has had drivers in gridlock since construction began on August 13. Drivers say they’d rather wait it out than try alternate routes because the cost of tolls and gas would be too high. Instead, they’re getting out of their cars to play cards and buy overpriced instant noodles from street vendors who’ve decided to make a profit off of the situation. The tolls might start looking pretty appealing very soon; the traffic is not expected to clear until construction is completed…. halfway through September. Beat that, New York.

Extremists Take Advantage of Flooding in Pakistan

Millions in Pakistan are still without basic necessities. The flooding that began nearly one month ago has left millions living in unsanitary conditions, while their homes and livelihoods remain underwater. Aside from concerns about the outbreak of diseases like cholera, Pakistan's president cautions that Islamic militants are using the situation gain support from those affected. International aid has been slow to reach victims and some Islamist charities with ties to terrorism have been using the opportunity to provide aid to victims while promoting their agendas.

(Via NPR)

You can earn donations to help provide basic necessities to flood victims by supporting Music for Relief on SocialVibe.

Cannabis Cars for Canada

A Canadian car company has announced that it will begin testing biocomposite electric cars made from cannabis. Pothead jokes aside, if they succeed this could be a great way for auto companies to become more environmentally friendly. Hemp is not only very strong, it’s also a renewable resource.

The idea isn’t new; Henry Ford created one in the 1930s (above). Maybe it’ll catch on this time. Would you buy one?

(Via Fast Company)

California judge, Vaughn Walker has declared California’s Prop 8 unconstitutional, saying that it “does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution, the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples.”

Governor Schwarzenegger released a statement in support of the decision, saying:

"Today's decision is by no means California's first milestone, nor our last, on America's road to equality and freedom for all people."

The Proposition, which banned same-sex marriage was passed in November of 2008 but did not invalidate any marriage performed before it’s passage.

Judge Vaughn has not decided whether or not same-sex marriages can be performed yet since the case is likely to be appealed immediately by opponents.

While many argue that same-sex marriage damages the sanctity of marriage, opponents of Prop 8 point to divorce rates and argue that even convicted rapists and murders have the right to marry from jail if they so choose, and (even if you think it’s gross) a 19-year-old can legally marry a 99-year-old. Why should law-abiding, productive members of society be singled out because of their sexual preferences?

What’s your stance?

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The FBI is demanding that Wikipedia remove their seal from the Bureau’s entry. Wikipedia seems amused. They say that the FBI is twisting the law, and although they find that “entertaining,” they will not be complying.

'Problematic'

The FBI says that having the seal displayed is “problematic” since anyone could use it to impersonate an agent and break the law. They pointed to a statute that they say makes Wikipedia legally obligated to remove the pic. Unfortunately, they left out a few key words when sending it over to Wikipedia's general counsel.

Also unfortunate for the FBI is the fact that Wiki is far from the only place to find a picture of that seal - seriously, google it. Actually, we did that for you.

A quick Google search returns about 84,000 images of the seal

Wikipedia (The Wikimedia Foundation) says that even if someone did find a way to break the law with an image copied from them, they’re not the ones breaking the law and any way you slice it, “problematic” is not illegal.

“Entertainingly, in support for your argument, you included a version of 701 in which you removed the very phrases that subject the statute to ejusdem generis analysis. While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version of Section 701 that you forwarded to us… In short, then, we are compelled as a matter of law and principle to deny your demand.”

What do you think of the response? If the case goes to court, which side do you think will win?

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Last week, school board members in Wake County, North Carolina voted 5 to 4 to eliminate busing, a move that many say is the beginning of resegregation.

Since 2000, Wake County students have been assigned to schools based on making sure that each school had students from a variety of economic backgrounds.

Parents have complained about their children having to travel long distances, spending extended periods of time each day on bus rides to help create diversity. They argue that their children should be able to attend school in their own neighborhoods and that all that time spent traveling each day would be better spent learning.

Opponents of the move say that convenience is no reason to end busing and that the current system creates the most equitable situation for all children.

Image by Rex Babin

In places where neighborhoods are often (unofficially) racially segregated, attending school with students from all backgrounds prepares children for life in a multicultural world and allows them to form relationships with children they might never come across in their own communities.

There are people of both races on each side. While some argue that all children benefit from diverse environments, others point to studies showing that segregation still exists within racially “diverse” schools, with black students being more that 50% more likely to be sent to “special needs” classes and advanced classes being dominated by white students.

They contend that those students would be better served at schools where black students would dominate all classes, including the advanced ones, even if it means segregation.

Still, it’s difficult to attract high quality teachers to poor schools and busing ensures that no school in the county is dominated by students from poor families.

According to Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA,

” The South had the most racially integrated schools in the nation after the civil rights efforts of the late 1960s, but it’s going backwards fast now.”

The Supreme Court decided in 2007 that public school districts could not use race as a deciding factor in assigning students to schools but economic diversity has been used as a means of creating racial diversity.

The primary goal here is to provide a quality education for all children, regardless of which school they attend or which race is most prevalent in the classrooms.

The next 15 months will be spent creating a plan that the board believes will best serve students in all neighborhoods. Melanie Smollin at TakePart makes a great point:

“After all, for America to achieve its fullest potential, every child needs a fair shot at reaching his own.”

Do you think they’ll be able to devise a plan that will benefit children from all neighborhoods?

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A graduate student in Georgia is suing her university for attempting to require her to undergo sensitivity seminars and diversity workshops in an attempt to change her views on homosexuality.

Jennifer Keeton

Augusta State University told 24-year-old Jennifer Keeton that she would be removed from their psychology program if she refused to attend, and argues that her current views on homosexuality could affect her ability to properly treat gay men and women once she graduates.

Throughout her time at the university, Jennifer has made her religious convictions very clear in class discussions and assignments. Though she believes that homosexual behavior is immoral and that homosexuality is a chosen lifestyle, she argues that her views will not interfere with her ability to treat gay and transgendered men and women, and says that the school has violated her constitutional rights.

The issue here isn’t necessarily whether you agree with Jennifer or not, but whether it’s legal and ethical for a school to attempt to change a person’s religious convictions under the threat of expulsion.

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There are an estimated 23,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Those that are launch-ready right now can kill 100 million people in about 30 minutes. Here’s the kicker: we don’t know where they all are. The new film, Countdown to Zero, lays out the facts about our global situation and presents a convincing argument to get that 23,000 down to zero.

Got chills? Good. It’s a terrifying thought, but there are things that all of us can do to change it, and sometimes that chill gives us the push we need to take action.

One of the most important things you can do is educate yourself. Grab a friend and head over to a free (yes, FREE!) showing near you. Go here or visit takepart.com/zero to find a showing in your area and reserve tickets. Better snag ‘em while you can – the film has already made the rounds at festivals like Sundance and Cannes and the first showing near our SocialVibe offices sold out!

Once you’ve reserved your tix, make sure you sign the petition to demand a world without nuclear weapons at takepart.com/zero. The US and Russia recently signed a treaty to lessen the number of nukes we’re both storing, but it can’t be enforced until the Senate passes it. It's up to all of us to sign it, share it and post it everywhere we can. Join the movement to create a safer world for all of us. Demand zero!

A town in Illinois is considering establishing a "disturbance and disorderly conduct" violation. The drama started when a woman rolled her eyes and sighed during a committee meeting last month.

Disorderly?

She was expelled from the meeting and now the City Attorney has been ordered by the finance and council affairs committee to come up with a legal definition of “disorderly conduct.”

For the record, a legal definition of “disorderly conduct” already exists – in the state of Illinois. Their official definition:

"an act in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another, or to provoke a breach of the peace."

The woman who was removed from the meeting welcomes having an official definition on the record – for the city officials:

“I’d like for them (city officials) to have a better understanding of the open meetings act and its meaning and to understand what disorderly conduct is... and to better understand what the public is entitled to.”

The first amendment to the US constitution prohibits any law that infringes upon a person’s right to free speech, peaceful assembly, petition the government, etc. It’s pretty much what makes it okay for Americans to disapprove of our government.

Things must be going pretty smoothly in Elmhurst if they’re taking the time to make an issue out of this… right?

What do you think? Is this an acceptable use of city officials’ time? Do you think this is a legitimate effort to ensure orderly gatherings or an infringement on residents' First Amendment rights?

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