This year’s unusually warm summer was the cause of many health issues for humans worldwide — poor air quality, heat stroke and fire danger were only a few examples. But humans and other land dwellers aren’t the only species that suffer from hot weather. One marine ecosystem in particular has scientists worried: coral reefs.

Reefs in Indonesia suffered a large bleaching event this summer, where temperatures of 93 degrees Fahrenheit were reported in surface waters of the Andaman sea, off the coasts of Thailand and Myanmar. This is about 7 degrees above long-term averages for that area. Fortunately, temperatures are beginning to drop again in the Pacific, but scientists now warn that Caribbean reefs may be at risk of experiencing a similar bleaching event.

Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates that bleaching is likely to occur in the southern and southeastern Caribbean. Above-average temperatures have been recorded in the Caribbean throughout this summer, and it is predicted that coral reefs will continue to be stressed until mid-October.

“Based on these temperatures, NOAA has issued a bleaching warning for the western Pacific and the Caribbean,” said Jon Corsiglia of NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Bleaching has also been reported in the western Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas.

Such environmental stresses can prompt reflection on the ecological importance of coral reefs. Closely related to jellyfish and anemones, coral reefs provide food and shelter for a myriad of fish, shellfish and crustacean species.

“A lot of fish species use coral as spawning grounds, so [bleaching] could seriously impact fish populations,” Reidenbach said.

Reefs are also important to the fishing and tourism industries of many coastal and island communities worldwide.

“Coral reefs are primary producers; without them, fish can’t feed and you lose the ecosystem … for tourism, fishing and preservation,” fourth-year College student Hunter Doughty said.

For example, some fish species that appear on restaurant menus can be affected.

“Groupers are heavily fished in the Caribbean and rely heavily on coral reefs,” fourth-year College student Alia Al-Haj said. “So fishing for them will be severely affected [by coral bleaching].”

Overall, a single hectare — about 2.47 acres — of coral reef provides $130,000-1.2 million in services to humans per year, according to estimates made by experts at the DIVERSITAS biodiversity conference held in Cape Town, South Africa last October. Other studies estimate the total worth of coral reefs globally to be about $375 billion a year.

This economic importance causes experts to be particularly interested in why coral reefs can respond so negatively to high temperatures — as well as in what can be done to mitigate these effects.

“You often don’t know the causes, but we know that coral bleach when they are stressed,” said Matthew Reidenbach, an assistant environmental sciences professor at U. Virginia.

Most reef-building corals play host to an alga called zooxanthellae, Corsiglia said. The corals feed on the organic material produced by the alga, he said, but when temperatures rise, this relationship is disrupted.

“The metabolism of the algae speeds out of control, and the corals eject the algae due, in part, to buildup of toxic waste products,” Corsiglia said. When this occurs, the coral pales and the white calcium carbonate skeleton of the coral can be seen.

“It doesn’t necessarily kill the coral right away, but it can if they’re bleached for too long a period, around two or three years,” Reidenbach said.

He added that some coral species tend to be less resilient than others and are less capable of withstanding wide swings in temperature.

Despite these challenges, there are several steps that reef managers — officials tasked with protecting and preserving coral reefs — can take to help reduce bleaching of coral reefs. Officials can, for example, restrict potentially harmful activities such as diving and fishing, or they can artificially shade parts of a reef or reduce coastal runoff and pollution in the surrounding area. “A healthy coral reef is more able to recover,” Corsiglia said.

Global warming mitigation may benefit the coral reefs, as well.

“In the long term, reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions is vital to addressing the resulting impacts of rising temperatures,” Corsiglia said. “If we fail at that, other coral ecosystem management efforts could be futile.”

Ultimately, however, Reidenbach said it is likely that there will be more bleaching events in the future, especially as warming trends continue. These trends can raise a host of new issues.

“It’s an interesting question. I think we’re seeing more and more occurrences of bleaching worldwide, and the last big one happened after El Niño when there was large-scale warming of the ocean,” Reidenbach said. “As atmospheric temperatures rise, so does water temperature. The question is whether coral can adapt.”

The distinctive blue and yellow ticket stub that serves as Blockbuster’s logo was once a symbol of the company’s brand power. Today, it reminds us just how quickly technology can render obsolete those that fail to keep with the times. Blockbuster, the world’s largest movie rental company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last Thursday. It was the resounding defeat of a company that finally admitted its inability to continue business without restructuring, amid increasing competition and large debts.

Perhaps the bankruptcy was inevitable. New entrants like Netflix came and revolutionized the video rental business model, introducing a mail- and Internet-based system. Omitting the need for a brick-and-mortar presence significantly reduced overhead costs. Furthermore, the convenience of selecting movies instantly and having them delivered within a business day immediately won subscribers. Blockbuster could only watch itself lose market share, as its own share price fell 95 percent from 2004 to 2009. During the same time period, Netflix’s stock increased ten-fold. The situation would only get worse, as more competitors — such as Coinstar and Apple’s iTunes — entered the fray.

It is not as if Blockbuster did not try. In order to compete with competitors such as Netflix and Coinstar, Blockbuster entered the mail- and Internet-based rental space. It began its kiosk business in a partnership with NCR in 2009. But these changes proved too late. During the second quarter of 2010, the company reported losses of more than $69 million, a number significantly worse than the low benchmark set in the same quarter in 2009 when the company lost more than $37 million.

During those same two quarters, Netflix reported profits of more than $43 million and $32 million, respectively. Blockbuster’s attempts to dig itself out of its hole only made the hole deeper; by the time it announced bankruptcy, its debt had ballooned to about $1 billion.

Change was expected with the start of a new decade. But how many people imagined that it would be the curtain call of the video rental chain business? Earlier this year, Hollywood Video, the second-largest video rental chain in the United States, saw its parent company Movie Gallery file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February. Three months later, the remnants of what was once Blockbuster’s biggest competitor announced liquidation in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Like Blockbuster, Hollywood Video found itself unable to compete in the new competitive landscape.

Blockbuster’s bankruptcy filing marks the end of an era. It is difficult to believe now that the video rental giant’s successes lied in a business model that jumped on the forefront of new technology.

Founded in 1985, the company took advantage of the growing popularity of VHS video tapes, setting up stores that provided neighborhoods with a one-stop shop for home entertainment needs.

The catalog soon expanded to include video games and new media technology such as DVDs.

At the time, the business model seemed to be enduring: The high prices of new media made rentals an attractive alternative. Blockbuster did not need to innovate; the media industry would innovate for them.

Now, its plight is all the more ironic. A company that depended on new technology for its success finds itself doomed by even newer technology. The Internet makes it possible to download movies and video games in minutes. Websites such as YouTube allow users to stream directly from the Web. Online-based businesses such as Netflix not only allows for entire movies to be streamed online but also delivers DVDs and video games directly to homes within one business day. The competitive landscape changed completely during a span of a few years, and Blockbuster’s business continually found itself lagging.

The decline of another familiar major U.S. business may alarm some. True, Blockbuster’s bankruptcy will only add in the short term to the millions of people unemployed in the United STates today. But bankruptcy is not inherently bad. In the most successful form of capitalism, creative destruction will be prevalent. Obsolete business models will either be reinvented or scrapped, freeing resources for those who continue to succeed. Few would argue that firms such as Netflix have made home entertainment worse. And if Blockbuster can emerge from its restructuring stronger, then the world will be better for it, as well.

Fox’s freshman comedy, “Running Wilde,” has a pedigree that most shows would kill for. Written by some of the minds behind the Emmy−winning cult classic “Arrested Development” (2003−06), it stars funnyman Will Arnett and Golden Globe−winning actress Keri Russell, and features a talented supporting cast. In theory, “Running Wilde” should be an instant hit, yet somehow it completely misses the mark.

“Running Wilde,” which was created by Arnett, Mitchell Hurwitz (creator of “Arrested Development”) and James Vallely, focuses on Steve Wilde (Arnett) and his attempt to win back Emmy (Russell), the one who got away. It does not help Steve’s cause that he is an immature, self−centered oil tycoon and Emmy is an obsessive do−gooder environmentalist – a plot which follows the typical rom−com formula all too closely.

Steve Wilde is the type of character that Arnett plays best: the egocentric, over−privileged man−child who is painfully unaware of just how horrible a person he is. Arnett has been hilarious in this type of role in smaller doses on “30 Rock” and “Arrested Development,” but it’s not the type of character that can carry an entire show. Even with a running time as short as 22 minutes an episode, his antics grow stale.

Further damaging not only Arnett’s performance, but the show as a whole, is the clunking narration by Emmy’s daughter, Puddle (Stefania Owen), which is heard over almost every scene. Rather than letting this talented cast show the audience what is going on, the narration insists on explaining exactly what is happening.

Russell, who is best known as the star of the hit show “Felicity,” (1998−2002) is serviceable as the love interest, especially because of the strong chemistry she has with Arnett. The two leads share a similar comedic timing and delivery, particularly when working with the more absurd humor, and are skilled at reacting to one another’s jokes.

The show’s biggest laughs come from Russell and Arnett’s first interaction at a party Arnett’s character has thrown in honor of himself. At the party, Steve is trying to sober up so that he can talk to Emmy, while Emmy is simultaneously trying to get drunk so she can talk to Steve. The amusing misunderstandings and puns that ensue make the show seem like it could have a certain charm, although the rest of the episode then fails to deliver.

While Russell and Arnett are funny together, they don’t convey their romance very convincingly. Emmy is supposed to be the love of Steve’s life and care about him in return, but on−screen their all−consuming love is unbelievable. This is most apparent when Steve shows Emmy that he has kept the tree house in which they spent much of their time together as children. In this scene, Arnett’s delivery makes it seem that Steve is more afraid to be alone than actually in love with Emmy, and the character comes off as pathetic rather than sympathetic.

The show manages to deliver a few strong laughs, though mostly from the absurdity of characters like David Cross’s self−proclaimed eco−terrorist Andy, whose constant bumbling leads to a number of easily garnered laughs. This type of absurdity, and Cross’s scenes in general, are way too short, and the show would greatly benefit from expanding on both of them.

Though its pilot is merely lackluster, “Running Wilde” definitely has enough talent to turn itself around with a little effort and some stronger scripts. If worse comes to worst, it’s always nice to see mini−”Arrested Development” reunions.

It’s not every day students get to have a conversation with an all-pro running back and college football broadcaster.

Craig James, half of the storied SMU “Pony Express” and now a college football commentator, kicked off his three-month speaking tour Monday at Texas A&M U.

“I want to engage young Americans to be as educated as they can about issues and to speak up and be heard,” James said. “I feel this real void in our country of young Americans being heard.”

James met students, parents and fans before the event at the entrance to Rudder Theater. He thanked people for coming out and ushered them into their seats. As the event began, James asked for the nearly 200 participants in attendance to move to the front so he could hold a discussion rather than a lecture. He began his remarks by teasing members of the A&’M football team in attendance, especially quarterback Jerrod Johnson, about their mistakes against Florida International University.

“I want young people to get off the sidelines and into the game,” James said. Students in attendance responded positively.

“I thought it was really interesting to hear what Craig James had to talk about,” said Kyle Bridges, freshman telecommunications major. “I thought it was going to be more about sports; that’s why I came. It was interesting to hear what he thought about politics, and how he got where he is now. It was a good atmosphere.”

During his remarks, James covered a wide range of topics. He discussed his years at SMU and in the NFL and how he started a car dealership while in college; he spoke about his time in the NFL. He joked that his, “favorite memory as a pro football player was the day we got our first check.” He explained his career as a successful businessman in real estate and broadcasting. However, James attempted to focus on politics.

He railed against bailouts, subsidies and government entitlement programs, sharing his beliefs on capitalism, the free market and conservatism. However, James insists he does not have any political aspirations. He just has a passion for students.

“It’s pretty awesome when you see that many people that have deadlines and tests to step out and come to something like this. I enjoyed it,” James said.

The Craig James tour continues Oct. 18 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

A preliminary hearing for the trial of George Huguely has been set for Jan. 21.

Huguely is charged with the homicide of fellow U. Virginia student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love, who was found dead in her apartment last May.

Charlottesville General District Court Judge Robert Downer, Jr. will hear arguments about whether there is enough evidence to certify the trial to be heard by the Circuit Court, Charlottesville General District Court Clerk Mary Alice Trimble said.

Cameras will be prevented from entering the courtroom, according to the Daily Progress. Downer denied a media request for such amid fears such media exposure could complicate the search for an untainted jury.

The trial has been set for 1 p.m.

Former President Jimmy Carter canceled his scheduled book signing at Regulator Bookshop Tuesday in Durham, N.C. after spending much of the day in the hospital with a stomach ache.

Carter, who was to appear to sign copies of his new book, “White House Diary,” reportedly fell ill during a flight to Cleveland Tuesday morning. Upon his arrival, the former president was taken to MetroHealth Hospital for observation, CNN reported.

As part of his national book tour, Carter was scheduled to do a signing in suburban Cleveland Tuesday afternoon before coming to the Regulator, where 1,000 people were expected to attend the 7 p.m. event, according to WRAL.

Although it was originally reported that Carter—who will be 86 Friday—would be hospitalized overnight, his grandson, Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter, told WRAL that the former president was out of the hospital and “resting comfortably.”

Tom Campbell, who owns The Regulator, said Carter’s representatives canceled the appearance at about 3 p.m., the news organization reported.

“Things happen—a lot worse than this could happen, and hopefully it’s just a little stomach bug for him,” Campbell said. “It’s not the end of the world—a stomach bug and a postponed book signing.”

Campbell told WRAL that the book signing will be rescheduled, but he is not sure for when.

“White House Diary,” is an edited and annotated collection of Carter’s diary entries from his presidency.

For most 21-year-olds, if faced with the choice of making millions of dollars and achieving celebrity status or staying in school to finish their degree, the decision would be a no-brainer.

Yet, when Buckeye defensive end Cameron Heyward was presented with this conundrum last spring, he decided to postpone the potential fame and fortune in favor of returning to OSU.

The son of former NFL running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, he finished his junior season strong with 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, leading many to believe he would forgo his senior season and follow in his father’s footsteps.

Heyward had different plans.

Now four games into his senior season, the Buckeyes boast an unblemished record thanks in part to the clutch play of the OSU co-captain.

“Cam’s a great player,” said coach Jim Tressel. “He’s hard to block. He’s not a sometimes guy. You know, sometimes you turn the film on and you look at people and you say, ‘Oh, man, when that guy cranks it up, he’s good.’ Well, Cam cranks it up every play.”

Whether practice or games, Heyward goes all out, all the time.

Collecting two tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and an interception already this year, the 2009 second-team All-Big Ten selection has continued to establish himself as a defensive force in 2010.

No play exemplified the big man’s ball-hawking abilities more, however, than his Week 2 interception against Miami (Fla.). The Hurricanes faced a third-and-goal from the Buckeye 9-yard line on their first drive of the second half.

Trailing by nine, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris dropped back to pass. Dropping into coverage, the 6-foot, 5-inch, 288-pound Heyward picked off Harris’ pass and returned it 80 yards, setting up an eventual Terrelle Pryor touchdown run to put the game virtually out of reach.

“We expect big plays out of everybody, especially our seniors and especially a captain like Cameron,” said co-captain Brian Rolle. “Cam is always a guy who is running around. I feel like he could be a linebacker because he is as good as one. The first couple weeks he made a couple big plays so now you look every game and say ‘What is Cam going to do this game to excite everybody?'”

Even with his big play ability, Heyward remains humble and attributed his success to the play-calling ability of his coaches and his knack for being “in the right place at the right time.”

Not only has Heyward taken his play to the next level, but as a captain, he has taken his leadership responsibilities seriously as well.

“I just try to stay on guys. You can’t let them breathe,” Heyward said. “If you let them breathe, they might get complacent out there … I just try to stay on top of my guys.”

And with Heyward’s talent both on the field and in the locker room, Tressel said his star defensive lineman is one of the best out there.

“(Defensive coordinator) Jim Heacock has to take him out of practice at times so he doesn’t disrupt the entire practice,” Tressel said. “I mean, there can’t be too many others any better than him at that position in the country.”

Something happened during the 41 days between Ohio State’s 21-10 victory at Michigan last November and the Rose Bowl.

Coach Jim Tressel took the training wheels off Terrelle Pryor’s bike. The quarterback threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 72 yards in leading OSU to its first bowl win in four tries.

Tressel has demonstrated additional leniency in Pryor’s junior year.

Tressel often refers to Pryor as a perfectionist. The quarterback had plenty to keep himself busy with after laying an egg in a loss at Purdue last October.

In that game, Pryor committed four turnovers, constantly forcing the issue and paying the price.

Following the defeat, Tressel morphed the offense from Pryor-centric into run-focused. The Buckeyes relied on the legs of “Boom” and “Zoom,” taking the pressure off their work-in-progress signal caller.

As a result, OSU stormed through the toughest section of its schedule, disposing of Penn State, Iowa and Michigan in succession in November to capture a fifth consecutive conference title.

But Tressel knew that at some point, he would have to re-instill trust in his quarterback. Pryor didn’t let him down against Oregon.

And now, after a summer of further progression, Pryor seems up to the task at hand. Namely, playing the role of leader and offensive centerpiece for a championship contender. And Tressel isn’t shying away from maximizing his exploits.