Heads Up Regarding EPA Region 1/New England Enforcement Priorities

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:

JD Supra provides users with access to its legal industry publishing services (the "Service") through its website (the "Website") as well as through other sources. Our policies with regard to data collection and use of personal information of users of the Service, regardless of the manner in which users access the Service, and visitors to the Website are set forth in this statement ("Policy"). By using the Service, you signify your acceptance of this Policy.

Information Collection and Use by JD Supra

JD Supra collects users' names, companies, titles, e-mail address and industry. JD Supra also tracks the pages that users visit, logs IP addresses and aggregates non-personally identifiable user data and browser type. This data is gathered using cookies and other technologies.

The information and data collected is used to authenticate users and to send notifications relating to the Service, including email alerts to which users have subscribed; to manage the Service and Website, to improve the Service and to customize the user's experience. This information is also provided to the authors of the content to give them insight into their readership and help them to improve their content, so that it is most useful for our users.

JD Supra does not sell, rent or otherwise provide your details to third parties, other than to the authors of the content on JD Supra.

If you prefer not to enable cookies, you may change your browser settings to disable cookies; however, please note that rejecting cookies while visiting the Website may result in certain parts of the Website not operating correctly or as efficiently as if cookies were allowed.

Email Choice/Opt-out

Users who opt in to receive emails may choose to no longer receive e-mail updates and newsletters by selecting the "opt-out of future email" option in the email they receive from JD Supra or in their JD Supra account management screen.

Security

JD Supra takes reasonable precautions to insure that user information is kept private. We restrict access to user information to those individuals who reasonably need access to perform their job functions, such as our third party email service, customer service personnel and technical staff. However, please note that no method of transmitting or storing data is completely secure and we cannot guarantee the security of user information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors may compromise the security of user information at any time.

If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, you must immediately notify us of the problem by contacting us at info@jdsupra.com. In the unlikely event that we believe that the security of your user information in our possession or control may have been compromised, we may seek to notify you of that development and, if so, will endeavor to do so as promptly as practicable under the circumstances.

Sharing and Disclosure of Information JD Supra Collects

Except as otherwise described in this privacy statement, JD Supra will not disclose personal information to any third party unless we believe that disclosure is necessary to: (1) comply with applicable laws; (2) respond to governmental inquiries or requests; (3) comply with valid legal process; (4) protect the rights, privacy, safety or property of JD Supra, users of the Service, Website visitors or the public; (5) permit us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain; and (6) enforce our Terms & Conditions of Use.

In the event there is a change in the corporate structure of JD Supra such as, but not limited to, merger, consolidation, sale, liquidation or transfer of substantial assets, JD Supra may, in its sole discretion, transfer, sell or assign information collected on and through the Service to one or more affiliated or unaffiliated third parties.

Links to Other Websites

This Website and the Service may contain links to other websites. The operator of such other websites may collect information about you, including through cookies or other technologies. If you are using the Service through the Website and link to another site, you will leave the Website and this Policy will not apply to your use of and activity on those other sites. We encourage you to read the legal notices posted on those sites, including their privacy policies. We shall have no responsibility or liability for your visitation to, and the data collection and use practices of, such other sites. This Policy applies solely to the information collected in connection with your use of this Website and does not apply to any practices conducted offline or in connection with any other websites.

Changes in Our Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change this Policy at any time. Please refer to the date at the top of this page to determine when this Policy was last revised. Any changes to our privacy policy will become effective upon posting of the revised policy on the Website. By continuing to use the Service or Website following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes. If you do not agree with the terms of this Policy, as it may be amended from time to time, in whole or part, please do not continue using the Service or the Website.

Contacting JD Supra

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, your dealings with this Web site, or if you would like to change any of the information you have provided to us, please contact us at: info@jdsupra.com.

- hide

Source: Heads Up Regarding EPA Region 1/New England Enforcement Priorities

Study: Porter Ranch Gas Leak Doubled L.A.’s Methane Emissions

It's been a week since Southern California Gas Co. permanently sealed off the leaking natural gas well in its Aliso Canyon storage facility near Porter Ranch, capping months of methane and other gases spilling into the air.

But just how much was lost?

Researchers from UC Irvine, UC Davis and elsewhere took dozens of air samples over the course of the nearly four-month spill, some from the ground and some from a plane flying above the area.

They estimate that, all told, the blowout spewed around 100,000 tons of methane into the air, which would make it the nation's single-largest release of that gas.

California regulators recorded video of the moment the leak was sealed (the gas is invisible to the naked eye, but can be viewed on infrared camera):

"This was just a huge event," said study co-author Stephen Conley of Scientific Aviation and UC Davis in a statement.

At its peak, the leak doubled the methane emissions rate for the entire Los Angeles basin. Another way to think of it: On average, the well lost enough gas every day to fill a balloon the size of the Rose Bowl.

Read the full story via KPCC

Source: Study: Porter Ranch Gas Leak Doubled L.A.'s Methane Emissions

DIY Raspberry Pi Infrared Camera Project

Raspberry Pi enthusiasts that are looking for a weekend project to keep them busy may be interested in this infrared camera that has been built and is powered by the awesome Raspberry Pi mini PC.

Building an infrared camera using the Pi PC allows you to take some very unique and spectacular imagery without the need to apply any further effects.

The developer of this Raspberry Pi infrared camera 'willie42', explains more about the inspiration, design and technology used.

A year ago I read about a project, building an infradred-camera with a raspberry pi (Raspberry Pi Geek 01/2015). Although I hat different components – especially annother display, I got it to work at least. When I got an 3D-printer later, I became the chance to make a nice housing too. At that time the ir-cam was assembled in an old cigar-box 😉 I had a raspi B+ and the watterott touch display installed, so I needed to modify the lid of the portable case for my needs. Furthermore I had to change it in way, that I could attach (glue) the step-up-ring to the box in front of the cam and to hold/use the whole thing more than a normal camera.

But before we go into details, some information about IR-photography: A normal digital cam has an ir-filter installed with the sensor. This filter removes the light above the visual spectrum from the photos, to make the colors look natural. But you all know those night-cams, that work with some IR-LEDs and – to humans – invisible light. Those cameras – and the NoIR camera module for the raspberry – don´t have that filter installed. So the ir-light, also part of the natural light, reaches the sensor too. This results in slightly "false" colors.

To get the full effect, you now have to keep the most of the visual light out. Therefore you have to get a IR-filter which works the other way round, than the one described before. Now a lot of color is gone and – as most noticeable – the green of leaves and of grass appears white now, because the chlorophyl reflects most of the IR-light. With a cam like that, you can go for pictures with an unreal but fascinating look.

To build your very own Raspberry Pi powered infrared camera following the links below for more information full instructions as well as all the files you need to create the 3D printer case.

Source: willie42 : Adafruit : Thingiverse

Filed Under: Camera News, DIY Projects, Top News

Popular Geeky Gadgets Deals

Source: DIY Raspberry Pi Infrared Camera Project

Change in gas industry could be hopeful

I attended the Bureau of Land Management meeting in Farmington due to concern regarding the methane hotspot over the four corners. Although arguments from two seemingly opposed sides advanced little, useful thoughts from both were voiced. My takeaways are first, that energy workers (fossil fuel or solar and wind) cannot rest on expectations to perform the same jobs over and over. Our world is ever changing with fluctuating energy markets, evolving technology, and information on man's relation to our climate. Old job loss, migration to new jobs and retraining will occur. Farmington, far from turning into a ghost town, could be ripe for an economy boosted by the manpower needed for change.

Ecology proponents might also accept that cessation of all fossil fuels use and misuse may not happen in this conflicted world as fast as we or our planet's survival require or wish. It is true that some methane leakage is from livestock, coal mining and mother Earth. However, for the leakage due to gas and oil operations our local industry and communities and broader planet would only benefit from smart action.

One speaker who performs professional infrared photo analysis of gas and oil wells nationwide, gave witness that the well operations in the Four Corners area have a much higher leakage rate than in all other areas. Four neighboring states are putting safeguards similar to the BLM proposals into place. Happily, they are all significantly reducing leakage while turning even more community and industry profit than before.

Via radio and satellite transponders, the gas industry does have access to feed instant, real-time data on leakage beyond the periodic manual inspections modestly put forward by the BLM after 40 years of no regulation upgrade.

This could boost profits and avoid the vagaries of periodic manual inspectors from a BLM that is already understaffed in this area.

We could all come together to work smarter, not harder, for our collective future. Hope (whether for employment, local economy, human survival or personal health) is a terrible thing to waste.

Source: Change in gas industry could be hopeful

10 practical and incredible uses for thermal photography

Cat

A company called FLIR is behind what it says is the world's first thermal-imaging smartphone, called the Cat S60.

No, it's not a phone designed to photograph cats (although you could do that). It's "Cat" as in the brand of rugged construction machines that dig giant holes in the ground.

Putting a heat-vision camera into a $599 smartphone might sound like a gimmick, but we think it's pretty cool — thermal photography has a deep history of great applications.

Here are just a few of the incredible and practical ways the world has used thermographic imaging.

View As: One Page Slides
Source: 10 practical and incredible uses for thermal photography

Happiness through Historical Hankies at the new look Hedon Museum

HEDON MUSEUM opens for the new 2016 season of exhibitions on Wednesday 2nd March. The world of infrared photography, stories in quilt and a look at the 'Secret Army' in East Yorkshire during World War II are just some of the fascinating exhibitions taking place upstairs in the Museum between March and November. 

Katy Miller the Museum Press Officer is also delighted to reveal that when it re-opens, the Museum will have a new look with newly installed modern lighting and hanging systems, and a bright new colour scheme.

The first exhibition "A Gance into History" by Kate Dennett is a traverse through time via the medium of the Handkerchief! Katy Miller explains more:

Collage of handkerchiefs

"The story of Kate Dennett's interesting and unusual collection began in the West Indies during the 1970s, when an elegant lace handkerchief laying on a town square pavement caught her eye!

"Encouraged by her degree in Graphic Design and interest in textiles, Kate gathered a mass of beautiful examples of handkerchiefs dating from the Victorian era to the present day. Her favourites, though, by far, are those dated 1930s. The printed fabrics have an experimental style with exuberant colours which really capture attention. However, one cannot help but appreciate the work which went into creating the handmade Victorian examples, with an appearance of quite an incredible delicacy, which took approximately 500 hours to craft.

"This is an exhibition for lovers of elegance, for those with an interest in the changing of styles through the progression of time, and for anyone interested in design. This is a 'must-see' for students of Textile Design!"

Exhibition runs from Wednesday 2nd March to Wednesday 30th March 2016. Hedon Museum opening times are every Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Refreshments available.

FREE ADMISSION.

Exhibitions 2016 Wed 2 March – Wed 30th March  Historical Handkerchief Collection Sat 2 April – Wed 4th May  The Secret Army in East Yorkshire Sat 7 May – Sat 4 June  Fireside Quilters: Stories in stitch-work Wed 8 June – Wed 6 July  200 Years of Childhood – Queens Victoria to Elizabeth  Sat 9 July – Sat 5 August  Alterworld Art – Infrared photography by Christopher Storey  Wed 6 August – Wed 7 September  Stan Pougher: "Every painting is a problem-solving adventure."  Sat 10 September – Sat 8 October  Larry Malkin & Homeworx: "Born with a brush in hand."  Wed 12 October – Sat 12 November

 Paintings by Julie Marshall: "Enthusiastic about landscapes."

Ceramics by Rachel Ehlert: Creative with clay.

53.740142 -0.198726

Source: Happiness through Historical Hankies at the new look Hedon Museum

10 practical and incredible uses for thermal photography

Cat

A company called FLIR is behind what it says is the world's first thermal-imaging smartphone, called the Cat S60.

No, it's not a phone designed to photograph cats (although you could do that). It's "Cat" as in the brand of rugged construction machines that dig giant holes in the ground.

Putting a heat-vision camera into a $599 smartphone might sound like a gimmick, but we think it's pretty cool — thermal photography has a deep history of great applications.

Here are just a few of the incredible and practical ways the world has used thermographic imaging.

View As: One Page Slides
Source: 10 practical and incredible uses for thermal photography

These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Washington DC is one of the most photographed places in the United States, with over 20 million tourists passing through in 2014.

With so many cameras being pointed everywhere in the capital, photographer Mark Andre wanted to offer a different take. So, he converted a standard DSLR into an infrared camera and has spent the past year shooting an otherworldly series of photos of DC."Through capturing light invisible to the human eye, common materials behave in an entirely different manner," Andre says. "Glass takes on an opaque darkness, plants become a ghostly white, and pedestrians take on a varied, other-worldly appearance."

"Even more dramatic are the key features of the city — its triangle parks, tree-lined avenues, and the national mall."

You can find more of Andre over on his website and blog.

Image credits: Photographs by Mark Andre and used with permission

Source: These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

'I'm still going': Olympian Sarah Walker commits to Rio despite Zika fears

CIFP, which was founded by UNESCO and a group of worldwide sports governing bodies in 1963 with the goal of promoting of good sporting conduct around the world, has launched its Rio 2016 Fair Play Awards in partnership with the global Olympic Committee (IOC).

The WHO, which declared Thursday that the Zika virus was "spreading explosively", will hold an emergency meeting of independent experts Monday to decide if the outbreak should be declared an global health emergency. Chan said although there was no definitive proof that Zika was responsible for a spike in the number of babies being born with abnormally small heads in Brazil, "the level of alarm is extremely high".

For those who don't know, Zika is a mosquitos-borne virus that is said to cause flu-like symptoms and a rash in those infected.

An Aedes aegypti mosquito that can transmit the Zika virus.

"Following the recently updated DFAT guidelines, any team members who are pregnant at the time of the Games need to consider the risks very carefully before deciding whether to proceed with travel to Brazil".

The Olympics open on August 5 and close on August 21.

At this point, both Russian and Australian officials have already raised fears for those women preparing to compete in the Games, while numerous airlines around the world are now offering pregnant women the chance to swap or refund their tickets to avoid traveling to affected areas - of which Brazil is the worst.

He added that teams were reviewing Olympic venues daily to eliminate problems like stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed.

The torch for both summer and winter Olympics is traditionally lit using a parabolic mirror and the sun's rays at a ceremony in Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympics, with the first torchbearer starting out from the stadium. Sailors have complained angrily about competing in the city's sewage-infested bay. "This is only the latest bad news for the Games, which have already seen huge budget cuts because of the economic crisis in Brazil".

Vitaly Mutko, the Russian sports minister, said his country was "employing all protective measures" to assist their athletes.

Earlier Thursday, the head of the World Health Organization said anxiety over the spread of Zika was growing. "The Olympics is about families".

Prosecutor smells crime, charges utility for huge gas leakBoxer stood by a dramatic infrared photo that showed the otherwise invisible plume of methane-laced natural gas from the blowout. SoCalGas began drilling a relief well to stop the leak on December 4, and said the process should be complete by late February.

Source: 'I'm still going': Olympian Sarah Walker commits to Rio despite Zika fears

Prosecutor smells crime, charges utility for huge gas leak

AP News | Feb 03, 2016

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Top prosecutors in Los Angeles County and the state of California are the latest to make moves against a utility for a massive and still-flowing gas leak, joining a growing group that now includes several levels of government along with parts of the private sector.

LA County's District Attorney Jackie Lacey filed misdemeanor criminal charges Tuesday against Southern California Gas Co. for failing to immediately report the natural gas leak that has been gushing nonstop nearly 15 weeks.

Lacey said the charges aren't a solution to the problem, but the gas company needs to be held responsible for the leak that has uprooted more than 4,400 families.

The charges came the same day the state Attorney General Kamala Harris joined a long line of others in suing the gas company for the blowout that has spewed more than 2 million tons of climate-changing methane since October.

U.S. senators want the secretary of energy to investigate the leak, and federal regulators are crafting new safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities. Many nearby residents want the facility — the largest in the West — shut down, and the California Public Utilities Commission is studying what impact that would have on energy supplies.

The criminal complaint charges the company with three counts of failing to report the release of a hazardous material and one count of discharge of air contaminants.

The company said in a statement that it will vigorously defend itself in court. Arraignment is scheduled Feb. 17.

If convicted, the company could be fined up to $1,000 per day for air pollution violations and up to $25,000 for each of the three days it didn't notify the state Office of Emergency Services of the leak.

The company said it discovered the leak Oct. 23 and notified state regulators.

But it failed to let state emergency officials know until Oct. 26, Harris said in the latest of more than two dozen lawsuits filed against SoCalGas.

The public was also left in the dark. Those who complained to the company about the nauseating smell were initially told it was part of routine maintenance. Company officials have since apologized for not notifying them sooner.

The leak has created a public health and statewide environmental emergency, Harris said. The lawsuit, which doesn't specify damages, said the company created a nuisance and violated health and safety codes and the state's unfair competition law.

A spokeswoman said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation and was focused on stopping the leak, which it expects to plug by the end of the month.

SoCalGas said it paid $50 million through December to try to cap the leak and relocate people, but the number of families it has relocated since then has soared and work at the leaking well continues.

It is also facing potential class-action lawsuits from residents and businesses as well as suits from regional air regulators and city and county authorities.

Harris, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, is the first state official to sue, though her lawsuit incorporates some elements of lawsuits filed by the city and county of Los Angeles.

Several state agencies are investigating the blowout and have issued orders to the gas company to stop it and turn over records of the 60-year-old well and others from the field that is the largest natural gas storage facility in the West.

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration got involved for the first time Tuesday, saying it is working to propose new regulations for gas storage and directing operators to "inspect and take immediate actions to ensure the safety of underground natural gas storage facilities across the country."

U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat who lives in the Porter Ranch neighborhood that has been most affected by the gas leak, said the agency's advisory amounted to a note to industry saying, "not just please, but pretty please" follow the American Petroleum Institute's recommended practices for gas storage.

"At a very minimum, those practices should be mandatory immediately," said Sherman, who is working on legislation that would require PHMSA to set safety standards for natural gas storage facilities.

The agency's advisory said gas storage operators should check for leaks and identify potential failures from corrosion and other damage. The agency said the SoCalGas gas leak probably came from a well casing.

California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, both Democrats, introduced a legislative amendment passed Tuesday that would ask the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate and stop the Aliso Canyon leak and prevent similar disasters at the nation's more than 400 underground natural-gas storage sites.

Boxer stood by a dramatic infrared photo that showed the otherwise invisible plume of methane-laced natural gas from the blowout. She told fellow senators in a speech on the Senate floor that the leak was a "nightmare."

___

Associated Press writer Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this story from San Francisco.

Source: Prosecutor smells crime, charges utility for huge gas leak

These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Washington DC is one of the most photographed places in the United States, with over 20 million tourists passing through in 2014.

With so many cameras being pointed everywhere in the capital, photographer Mark Andre wanted to offer a different take. So, he converted a standard DSLR into an infrared camera and has spent the past year shooting an otherworldly series of photos of DC."Through capturing light invisible to the human eye, common materials behave in an entirely different manner," Andre says. "Glass takes on an opaque darkness, plants become a ghostly white, and pedestrians take on a varied, other-worldly appearance."

"Even more dramatic are the key features of the city — its triangle parks, tree-lined avenues, and the national mall."

You can find more of Andre over on his website and blog.

Image credits: Photographs by Mark Andre and used with permission

Source: These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Utility faces criminal charges after massive gas leak prompts state of emergency

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced Tuesday that SoCalGas will face four misdemeanor criminal charges in connection with the gas leak: three counts of failing to report the release of hazardous materials from October 23-26, 2015, and one count of discharging air contaminants, beginning on October 23, 2015, to the present.

The leak, which is ongoing, has released 80,000 tons of methane gas into the atmosphere in the area around Aliso Canyon.

The stench of odorized methane fumes has sickened scores of people and led to the temporary relocation of thousands of residents from the Porter Ranch community of northern Los Angeles at the edge of the crippled underground gas storage field. Attorney-General Kamala Harris said that the impact of this unprecedented natural gas leak was devastating not only to the state but also to the families and environment.

SoCalGas says it discovered the leak October 23 at its Aliso Canyon storage facility.

SoCalGas is facing more than two dozen lawsuits — including potential class-actions from residents and businesses over the leak as well as from regional air regulators and city and county authorities.

Zelda Rothman's family blames the Porter Ranch gas leak for her death and has filed a lawsuit. Civil penalties, injunctions, and restitution are all sought to hold the company accountable.

In their complaint, the children of Zelda Rothman said their mother was suffering from lung cancer when natural gas began to leak from the well in Aliso Canyon about 3 miles away from her home.

On Monday, SoCal Gas released an "incident update", citing its own success in drilling past 200 feet of caprock above the storage zone. The addition of the state attorney general allows the plaintiffs to press additional claims such as alleging statewide harm through greenhouse gas emissions, according to The Los Angeles Times. Sherman noted in a statement that the Department of Transportation Materials Safety Administration has established federal safety regulations for natural gas transportation. The company will respond to the lawsuit through the judicial process. The Attorney General is already serving a crucial coordinating role, facilitating the exchange of information among the numerous state, federal, and local agencies with jurisdiction over the gas leak. Los Angeles County joined the suit in January.

It's a key component in today's energy supply, Pincetl said, because solar and other renewable sources aren't yet abundant enough. The agency said the SoCalGas gas leak probably came from a well casing.

Boxer stood by a dramatic infrared photo that showed the otherwise invisible plume of methane-laced natural gas from the blowout.

"This lawsuit absolutely strengthens the fight against SoCal Gas", said Kathryn Phillips, Director of Sierra Club California.

Source: Utility faces criminal charges after massive gas leak prompts state of emergency

These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Washington DC is one of the most photographed places in the United States, with over 20 million tourists passing through in 2014.

With so many cameras being pointed everywhere in the capital, photographer Mark Andre wanted to offer a different take. So, he converted a standard DSLR into an infrared camera and has spent the past year shooting an otherworldly series of photos of DC."Through capturing light invisible to the human eye, common materials behave in an entirely different manner," Andre says. "Glass takes on an opaque darkness, plants become a ghostly white, and pedestrians take on a varied, other-worldly appearance."

"Even more dramatic are the key features of the city — its triangle parks, tree-lined avenues, and the national mall."

You can find more of Andre over on his website and blog.

Image credits: Photographs by Mark Andre and used with permission

Source: These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Bill Cosby sexual assault case can proceed, judge rules

Cosby's attorneys had asked the judge to toss out the charges, contending that a deal reached with former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor spared their client from prosecution in exchange for a 2005 civil deposition.

A Pennsylvania judge says he'll decide Wednesday whether to dismiss a sexual assault case against Bill Cosby over an unwritten promise of immunity a former prosecutor says he gave the comedian's now-deceased lawyer a decade ago.

Castor found the case too weak to prosecute in 2005, but Steele's office reopened the investigation last summer, after the comedian's damaging, decade-old testimony from Constand's civil case was unsealed and dozens of other women came forward to accuse Cosby of assaulting them.

Court documents allege Cosby then fondled Constand.

Prosecutors argued the deal was neither valid nor binding and called into question Castor's credibility, while Cosby's lawyers insisted prosecutors often make no-prosecution deals with defendants.

The former DA said he believed Cosby acted inappropriately, but raised doubt about whether the jury would convict him.

There was no written agreement from Castor concerning the agreement, and Constand said she was unaware that such a discussion took place.

Kristina Ruehli, 72, of New Hampshire, filed a defamation lawsuit against Cosby last November in federal court in MA, according to the New York Times. During one of the recorded depositions, Cosby admitted to giving Constand three pills.

With the claims against him going back as far as the 1960s, in many cases Cosby can not be prosecuted because the statute of limitations has run out.

Cosby's lawyers claim Cosby never would have testified in Constand's civil case - a deposition that has introduced the closest thing there is to a smoking gun in the multitude of sexual assault allegations against Cosby - had they known criminal charges were still a possibility.

Castor was the defense's key witness on Tuesday. The judge on Wednesday ruled "there was no basis to grant the relief requested" by Cosby.

Twelve years after the 2004 encounter between Cosby and ex-Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his home outside Philadelphia, what evidence can prosecutors offer to prove Cosby committed a crime other than Constand's word against his? A spokesman said his lawyers planned to appeal the judge's decision.

Cosby has been accused of rape, drugging and performing inappropriate sex acts by over 50 women in the past 18 months.

The case against 78-year-old Cosby largely hinges on the judge's view of Castor's statements about whether Cosby would face charges.

US regulators to propose rules after gas leakBoxer stood by a dramatic infrared photo that showed the otherwise invisible plume of methane-laced natural gas from the blowout. The leak, which revealed the weak oversight of underground natural gas storage facilities, has yet to be contained.

Source: Bill Cosby sexual assault case can proceed, judge rules

These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light

Washington DC is one of the most photographed places in the United States, with over 20 million tourists passing through in 2014.

With so many cameras being pointed everywhere in the capital, photographer Mark Andre wanted to offer a different take. So, he converted a standard DSLR into an infrared camera and has spent the past year shooting an otherworldly series of photos of DC."Through capturing light invisible to the human eye, common materials behave in an entirely different manner," Andre says. "Glass takes on an opaque darkness, plants become a ghostly white, and pedestrians take on a varied, other-worldly appearance."

"Even more dramatic are the key features of the city — its triangle parks, tree-lined avenues, and the national mall."

You can find more of Andre over on his website and blog.

Image credits: Photographs by Mark Andre and used with permission

Source: These Infrared Photos of Washington, D.C. Show the Capital in a New Light