Oh, I found some comedy gold posted on the NASA website What on Earth is That?
It features a talk by NASA GISS warmist Gavin Schmidt, who apparently took a trip to understand that all important metric of the Arctic climate; polar bears. A video of his talk follows. Apparently, Martha Stewart came along for the ride and made a festive thermometer cozy for Gavin.
Gosh, how did he tear himself away from his taxpayer funded blogging duties at Real Climate while he’s still got hundreds of climate reporting stations in Australia that haven’t been updated since 1992 in the GISTEMP database? Good thing he has his priorities straight.
Somebody at NASA writes on that blog:
You just can’t go wrong with a title to a talk like that. The clip below is from an hour-long talk that Gavin Schmidt gave to colleagues at GISS about his visit to Churchill, a tiny town in Canada that’s known as the polar bear capitol of the world. Yes, Martha Stewart came along as well. The talk doesn’t start until about 1:48, and Schmidt’s interview with Stewart starts at 48:18
And here’s the video:
This note is on the video, presumably from Gavin. This video says it has had 35 views so far, so I expect WUWT readers will make up the bulk of the viewership.
Title: Polar bears, Martha Stewart and me
Abstract:
Polar bears are frequently poster children for climate change issues, but until recently I had very little idea of the details of threat posed by continuing Arctic change on their life-cycle. In this presentation I’ll share what I learned on a recent trip along with some other, perhaps more recognisable, New Yorkers, to Churchill, Manitoba
“Polar Bear Capital of the World”!
And, here’s Gavin’s slide show in PDF form:
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/meetings/lunch/2011a/20110209-Gavin_Schmidt.pdf
UPDATE: For those of you that would like some peer reviewed science to help de-gavinify your friends that fear “global warming” will bring on the demise of the polar bear, here’s this from commenter “Jimbo” who writes:
It seems to me that Polar Bears are more robust than previously thought.
and…
This is the perfect thread to show how vulnerable Polar Bears are.
Estimating the Energetic Contribution of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Summer Diets to the Total Energy Budget
The analysis indicated that it is possible for polar bears to maintain their body mass while on shore by feeding on arctic charr and seal blubber. Polar bears of body masses up to 280 kg could gain sufficient energy from blueberries to match the daily energy loss.
http://www.asmjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1644/08-MAMM-A-103R2.1
We describe an observation of a polar bear cub on its mother’s back while the mother was swimming among ice floes in Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/8051204vu73l320w/
Also:
and…
Polar Bears Thrive While Arctic Warms Up!
A survey of the animals’ numbers in Canada’s eastern Arctic has revealed that they are thriving, not declining, because of mankind’s interference in the environment.
In the Davis Strait area, a 140,000-square kilometre region, the polar bear population has grown from 850 in the mid-1980s to 2,100 today.
Polar bears are distributed throughout the Arctic in 19 populations, comprising an estimated total of 20 000–25 000 bears (Marine Mammal Commission, 2006).
Was this trip on our nickel or his??
Darn shame he didn’t go hug one during his visit.
I don’t get it. Am I supposed to hate on Schmidt?
You could add one more caption: Martha Stewart ” Hmmm—-Dinner”
Jim: “Was this trip on our nickel or his??”
Does it matter? He gets all his nickels from the taxpayers anyway.
Only watched the beginning to see how Gav looks like. Why does he mention Martha Stewart? Did he ask her how it was in the locker?
What do you think? The “enlightened” are above the rules that apply to peons like you and me. So naturally it was on our nickel.
It seems to me that Polar Bears are more robust than previously thought.
Polar Bear numbers increasing since the 1950s – blame global warming.
I blame the increase on an increased ban on hunting.
Martha was rug shopping.
Thank you!
So that is Gavin Schmidt? Amazing what you can get about a person who is giving a talk.
I will now watch the rest, later, the Gavin Schmidt, you say? The all knowing, convincing, I know how to save the world Gavin Schmidt, you say? Well isn’t that interesting!
I will watch the rest later…
Old but good study on the Bears of Churchill here;
http://www.john-daly.com/p-bears/index.htm
Population is stable.
Maybe they were there for the hunt?
http://www.heniklakeadventures.com/Polar-Bear-Hunts.page
This is the perfect thread to show how vulnerable Polar Bears are.
Polar Bears are doomed I tells ya.
I’m suprised skeptic bloggers did not report ICCC6. Ron Bailey at Reason did. [Tips&Notes takes forever to load].
http://reason.com/archives/2011/07/05/luckewarmers-denialists-and-ot
I was in Churchill August 2009. The polar bears were hanging around, waiting for the ice to form over the Churchill River; when the ice is thick enough, the snows are deep enough for the bears to walk to where they want to go. It is a wonderful example of how nature uses a natural process to time another (the bears could swim the distance any time they wanted.) In the meantime it can be spooky wandering along the side streets, and people who can drive with rifles in their trucks.
The bear trap is used to grab bears that become too interested in people. During the wait the bears basically do not eat. Small dogs and slim people are safe as the bears get enough protein but need fat; to the southeast of Churchill husky sled dogs are staked out in polar-bear-land without problems. It is rare that people get et, but it does happen, which then causes the demise of Sir Bear. The bear being slung beneath a helicopter is probably a problem bear that was put in the “bear jail”. The bear jail is a concrete structure with tiny windows and nothing in it. For a couple of months the bear is there and only gets ice. No food. No people. Nothing. The problem bear learns that this is a very bad place to be. When the other bears have left, the problem bear is sedated, slung and dropped off up the trail with its brothers and sisters. Suitably impressed with human involvement, problem bears remain being bears but stop being problems. As for the PETA people, they don’t know about the starvation thing, mostly because they wouldn’t understand what real wild animals are like and how they have to be treated.
The locals know that there are far more polar bears than there used to be. Locally the primary reason is that in the 1940s through the 1960s Churchill was an important Defence Early Warming station for the American Air Force. Before the Commie nukes could fall on Washington, they had to fly over Churchill where they would be targeted and, it was hoped, detonated early, perhaps over Ottawa, Canada, but certainly before the US capital. During that time there were a many troops there, all armed with M1s, whose job it was to keep the tarmac, base and visiting VIPs safe from enemy infiltration and the jaws of white bears. Generals, colonels and the upper staff officers on tours or junkets used to go out on polar bear shoots (not really a hunt) and come back on the C140s with their trophies. Of course this was all off-the-record, but when you are dealing with polar bears vs armed warriors, only one has the tale to tell. And one reason they had the polar bear population around was the large, open garbage dump between the base and the town. The dump doesn’t exist any more, but even after the base was decommissioned it did. So you could always find the polar bears, if you wanted. They still sleep inside the fuselage of a downed cargo plane on the outskirts of Churchill, but they are just hanging around, stomachs growling these days (and waiting for tourists to check out the wreck. That one and the ship rusting to pieces further south, in the Bay shallows.)
Churchill is a poster child of various things. In the museum you can see how the temperatures have risen drastically … up to 1982. Then the record stops. It didn’t get much warmer after that. The eco-ist warmer comes and gets in the big-wheeled trucks when the ice is thick enough and is amazed at the numbers of polar bears. They are everywhere!, especially on the 100m wide trail that they use and have used for millenia that the tour operators know about. While I was there some of these overpaid, underthinkers and his male-impressed bride told me that they had seen 6! 6! bears that day. The town was flooded with polar bears! If they saw 6! 6! there must be HUNDREDS out there.
Fact is, polar bears are bored and a little annoyed at being followed. So they wander. During my time there I got to know the conservation officer and a truck rental guy who helps him load bears when needed into the backs of trucks to go to the Polar Bear Jail. There was only one bear in town. It wandered a bit. Just after the eco-6! 6! couple left, I heard the polar bear alert horn go off and then, a few minutes later, the sound of a tranq-firing gun going off. Sir Bear was now prisoner August-01, and was denied bail. You could suntan (except for the mosquitos) in Churchill once more.
The Inuit and the Dene who live in Churchill have been saying for years that there are more ‘bears now than in their childhood, and with good reason. And them’s good huntin’, at least from a permit point of view (think $50,000/bear, with 75% restricted to American hunters). You won’t find one of God’s Natural Men (or Women) saying the polar bear is endangered. Skinnier, yes, as the ice goes away early. The Hudson Bay polar bears get south of Churchill when the ice they ride drifts south as it melts, so they come onshore. Hard to hunt seals when you are onshore, but guess where seals go when the ice is out? Close to shore, don’t ya know. Seems to work out. The worst thing for polar bears in Hudson Bay would be ice that didn’t break off and drift south. They don’t plan to go south; melting ice does that thinking for them.
Churchill and the ecoist warmist is such a good mix that every business in Churchill will tell you how difficult it is for the polar bears now and how you MUST come and stay and go on tours because, you know, your children won’t have any polar bears to see. Reservations are recommended during high season, bring your BankCard for unexpected purchases or expenses, please. Check out the abandoned base but never do so without a guide (actually, this part is true: there are so many nooks and crannies for a bear to hide in you might as well wish to visit the Haunted House where they actually carve up the occassional visitor).
What a place, what a time. Not that the polar bears care. They don’t like each other, anyway, it’s just that all polar paths lead to Churchill, so that’s where the gang end up. The bears and those awful guys in NorthFace jackets (wolf fur around the collar), their damn cameras and the Tundra buggy they park in the middle of the road.
Boy, does he ever wave his hands a lot…..force of habit?
Oh noes!
Polar Bears Thrive While Arctic Warms Up! [Polar Bear numbers
From Jo Nova: The alter egos of John Clarke and Bryan Dawe(1) “The Everything Tax — a tin pot raffle with no prize”
(1) John Clarke and Bryan Dawe a clever satirist duo that appear on the ABC (the ABC is the Australian public broadcaster, ideologically extreme left, similar to the BBC, no chance that such heresy would be aired there even as satire)
Jim says:
July 8, 2011 at 4:51 pm
I think we all know the answer to that question.
The look on people’s faces when I tell them that polar bears are not only NOT endagered, but they are so abundant that many remote northern villages have a serious problem with them, they look at me like I’m nuts. I’m not sure whether or not they are listening when I explain to them that polar bears have survived previous interglacials that were warmer than the current (that is, warmer according to the paleoclimatic proxy “data”). Similarly, they look at me in total disbelief when I state that it is quite common for polar bears to swim nonstop for many miles. I’m such a heretic…
I have dial up. Don’t ask. I have tired to send a number of tips but often give up. Why not have tips and notes made up of 10 pages? When each page has 100 comments it turnes to the next page. Just a suggestion. ;O)
Eric Gisin says:
July 8, 2011 at 5:29 pm
……[Tips&Notes takes forever to load].
Experienced the same problem Eric. My little steam driven PC seems to get lost somewhere along the way and give up.
Correction:
“I have tired to send…”
“I have tried to send…”
maybe not. ;>)
Anthony, how did you get his number? LMAO!!!
I have just been informed that Gavin Schmidt was part of one of our misdirected export campaigns. Please accept the apologies of this humble UK citizen.
Whilst we must accept a degree of responsibility, we also claim a degree of mitigation due to the failure of your indigenous North American carnivores.
This man could bore the legs off a billiard table. Nothing you couldn’t learn flicking through a 20yo copy of NatGeo at a dentists office.
So, all the fuss is because polar bears have a period of time when they eat, and a period of time when they live off their fat reserves. Last time I checked, other bears do that too, just with the seasons reversed. They’ve adapted to their environment. Jeez
Scroll to 19:50 and watch, hilarious!
Doug Proctor says
Gosh Doug- us rednecks here in Alabama drive around with our rifles in our trucks all the time. I would think it would be spooky not seeing one in someones truck.
If polar bears have such a difficult time surviving in warmer climates, then why do all the zoos in temperate places have happy healthy polar bears?
Keep that guy out of Canada.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….
Perhaps Martha was there to coach Gavin on what life is like in slam – a word to the wise visit. She at least knows first hand what they do to liars – oops, I mean mendacious people, after all.
Funny, what does Martha do after she serves her prison sentence? Does crooked stuff like manipulation of MSO (Martha Stewart Omni-media) stock so she could pump the price up and unload a plonkerload of what she owned. She hired Blackstone Group to make it look like there might be a buyer for her worthless company and would pay $10/share. Good for a $4 stock! So when it pumped up as far as it would go she dumped her stock.
Crooks always hang out together. Birds of a feather…
Hey cool, that’s one of those experimental CAGW survival vehicles! High enough to cross areas flooded due to anthropogenic carbon emissions, can easily traverse perpetually drought-stricken regions undergoing desertification due to anthropogenic carbon emissions, as well as plowing through those 15-foot snow drifts from the anthropogenic carbon emissions-caused blizzards. Also has the retractable ladders and locking doors and windows to fend off the food- and fuel-starved peasants who’ve come to think Mad Max was way too optimistic.
Note this is an extra-Green version. The roof is extra large for lots of solar PV panels, useful as of course the vehicle is a hybrid. See the stubby smokestack sticking up? It also has “recycling” toilets, dung and other organic wastes are burned for heat, but that’s done in conjunction with syngas production as the engine runs on either syngas, ethanol or biodiesel, or carbon-offsetted liquid fossil fuels (emergency-use only, verified offsets must be logged with the vehicle’s computer before engaging).
I’m also noticing the “ledge” at the back. This may be an Inconvenient variant, that’s actually the wall around the hot tub, comfortably sized and capable of holding Al Gore and a chakra-releasing massage therapist. Sadly, what’s “inconvenient” is the hot tub uses solar heating, there’s only so much solar energy to go around and the vehicle also uses a solar-powered water purifier… And the tub doubles as the on-vehicle water supply tank. But still, it’s fun to laugh at hungry polar bears and peons while lounging in a soothing pool of warm bubbling water while sipping a fine organic wine, which Al knows is certainly the Truth.
He passed on one of the world’s great traditions: kiss the Blarney stone, hoist a pint at Oktoberfest, hand-feed Churchill polar bears.
sandw15: Yeah it matters. If he paid for it, in reality we only paid once, for his salary. If we paid for it, then we paid twice, for his salary and for the trip.
There are a number of people who lost a lot of cabbage on the Martha Stewart Omni pump & dump that [snip]
I admit I made/lost nothing on it myself, luckily I caught her interview on MSNBC & figured out what she was up to in time.
But she got me a 90 day restriction for using funds from a sale that hadn’t cleared and sold after 1 day.
Is he going to release a picher book on this, too. No science, just pichers, ………… 8^D.
Jeff,
There are a couple of issues with your statements.
First Ursus Maritumus (Polar bears) are experiencing a decrease in the time they have to feed. This is not the case for most other species on North American bears (although there are population dependent differences). In this case body weight seems to be decreasing and fecundity seems to be suffering.
Most populations of Ursus Arctos (Grizzly bears) should be able to do better, but some populations, such as those at the southern edge of their range are beginning to have troubles. Specifically, in the Yellowstone area the Whitebark pine is experiencing declines due to Mountain Pine Beetle (the first species in Gavin’s PDF). This is causing a decline in one of, if not the, most important food sources for grizzlies in this area. It has not affected populations in this region yet, but is expected to.
Of course Ursus Americanus (Black bears) are a weedy species and quite adaptable. They are not in any danger.
Personally I would vote for the Mountain Pine Beetle as the poster child. Around here they have resulted in a new species of pine, the “Red Pine” with vast stretches of forest killed in the recent outbreak. Of course Spruce Budworm is right in there too…
Finally I would note that this is part of a program at GISS of lunchtime seminars. When I worked at SGI I had to give a couple of these It was expected if you were doing interesting work that others might benefit from.
Gosh, how did he tear himself away from his taxpayer funded blogging duties at Real Climate while he’s still got hundreds of climate reporting stations in Australia that haven’t been updated since 1992 in the GISTEMP database? Good thing he has his priorities straight.
i always wonder how many gov’t “workers” spend all day in their cubicles just surfing the internet all day and generally wasting time on the taxpayer’s dime…someone called in to a talk radio show a few days ago and said they were hired about a year ago by the State of CA(under stimulus $$$ iirc) and the department was so disorganized that they really couldn’t find any work for him to do yet…i think the department was planning to move their office location or they were planning expansion in the future(something like that) but the guy just had no work to do..just show up every day, twiddle thumbs and collect paycheck, pension, and healthcare…
Oh, I got snipped again… I want you to know that I harbor no disrespect for women.
A gentle woman has stolen my heart away. She is gorgeous, inside, outside and from every angle she is stunning. She loves me, she really REALLY loves me. NEVER have I been so smitten!!! She said I had it coming!
But Marthy is a bit differences from that.
old44 says: “This man could bore the legs off a billiard table. Nothing you couldn’t learn flicking through a 20 yo copy of NatGeo at a dentists office.”
That’s one of my hobbies. No, not lowering billiard tables; leaving old National Geographics in dentist’s offices.
I’m glad he was able to get out and take this trip, even if it was on “our” dime. Maybe this will jar him from his Matrix of models and he can discover what the rest of us are experiencing: reality.
I love that Martha flew up on her own private jet and Gavin thought that was cool… posers.
kadaka (KD Knoebel) says:
July 8, 2011 at 7:19 pm
They’ve been using them for years to drive tourons up onto the disappearing glaciers along the Icefields Parkway in BC. I was lucky enough to snap this picture of a receding glacier and my Harley before the entire icefield disappeared:
http://thevirtualbarandgrill.com/albums/rtts2000/aav.jpg
zoom in here to see them at work on yet another fast fading relic of the LIA.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=52.212551,-117.232876&spn=0.065003,0.184879&t=h&z=13
/sarc
@Doug Proctor
Fascinating post, thanks.
Jason Joice,
I would note that he was invited by Polar Bears International (and probably Martha Stewart, it is in the video) and so would assume that this is the entity (or entities) which paid for his trip. Not the taxpayer.
Also, the talk itself was quite good, well worth a look. I watched the whole thing and noted that the Q/A was quite good.
Now that the Space Shuttle has reached its end, 3000 +/- NASA employees in Florida will join the unemployment roles in 10 days. Why can’t Hansen and Gavin join them too?
Polar bears are among the safest of all the big carnivores. Tigers now, they’re in trouble.
Bob Johnston,
He thought the jet was cool, compared to the puddle jumper he flew in on. You should also note that he was rather dismissive of dear old Martha, didn’t seem to like her too much.
Considering that apparently the polar bear has descended from some Irish brown bear, this must be Gavin’s version of the Orange march…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jul/07/polar-bear-ancestors-ireland
Climate doesn’t kill polar bears, bullets do!
From 5,000 to 25,000 in 40 years. Not bad. Take out the human AWG (Automatic Wild Guns) and you have recovery. Go figure.
I wonder if “The Tundra Bus” is all electric or just a hybrid-electric.
It’s polar o’bear: Scientists reveal giant mammals’ ancestry can be traced to IRELAND
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2012363/Its-polar-obear-Scientists-reveal-giant-mammals-ancestry-traced-IRELAND.html
Ed Mertin says:
July 8, 2011 at 7:25 pm
But she got me a 90 day restriction for using funds from a sale that hadn’t cleared and sold after 1 day.
There was an alert you click past about daytrading, wash rules, tax treatments, and so on. You can’t blame Martha Stewart for your clicking past that. Don’t ask about MLP’s in IRAs. They come with warning days or months later.
Think positive. Mix a bit or Martha and Dave Barry: It’s a good thing and still the UN does nothing.
I’m sure Martha served steaming bowls of: http://i39.tinypic.com/wklr28.jpg
dp says:
July 8, 2011 at 8:58 pm
A couple of problems: The Icefields Parkway is in Alberta, and access to the photo of your Harley is forbidden.
Have you seen this one?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8622987/Polar-bears-traced-back-to-Britain.html
I can’t believe I watched the whole thing!
I’ve probably seen 30 of these “sack lunch talks” at work. I missed perhaps 10, given by people who I knew would spoil my lunch. Sometimes the company provides lunch and sometimes the employees bring their own. I’d rate Gavin’s talk as about as informative as those of our summer interns (but he’s not nearly as cute). Someone should tell him that “defecate” and “feces” are better word choices than “dump” and “turds” when giving a talk. Yes, the visiting undergrads will reward him with a snicker but it’s more respectful of his audience to use the appropriate words and would give him an air of knowing something about science.
Of course, that’s the purpose of these talks. It gives the scientist the opportunity to give presentations in front of “friendlies”, get tips to improve their speaking abilities and style, learn to handle Q&A sessions and justify the money spent on travel. Other employees like them because they get paid to watch and often get free lunch to boot!
My assessment of presentation: C Information: D He went on a tour and reported what he learned from those wishing to encourage more tours and promote “save the polar bear” organizations-contributions accepted, thank you.
One thing baffled me! How did they get the guy, who always sat behind me and coughed or cleared his throat every 10 seconds, to go to Gavin’s talk???
Note to Beth (should you happen to be lurking), your talks on the African Rift and Antarctica were outstanding! Gavin is probably 10-15 years your senior and doesn’t have enough time left in life to hone his skills to your level AND you take better pictures.
Thanks WWF
Thanks WWF
I’m still waiting for someone to explain how a WARM blooded mammal wouldn’t actually like a warmer Arctic. (And don’t tell me they’re too stupid to hunt on land).
Rattus,
I’ll say, with 95% certainty, that all Polar Bears International gave Gavin was a brochure and contrrbution envelope. What makes you think Martha even knew, when she booked, that Gavin would be there or would pay his way? I don’t remember hearing any comment about who paid. I do know about the ease of arranging such trips with taxpayers’ money, though. I say you made a bad guess because you have no idea. Not your fault. Who woulda thunk it?
Polar bears come from Ireland. Don’t know why anyone is fussed.
http://earthsky.org/biodiversity/ancestral-mother-of-polar-bears-traced-to-ireland
Joe,
You pondered, “i always wonder how many gov’t “workers” spend all day in their cubicles just surfing the internet all day and generally wasting time on the taxpayer’s dime…”
Here is your answer on the NSF alone:
http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=f6cd2052-b088-44c3-b146-5baa5c01552a
“Among the fraudulent and inappropriate expenditures highlighted in this report:
47 joint trips to the tune of $144,152 for a pair of romantically involved NSF employees (p.17);
Bowling and amusement park trips using research funds (p.19);
Pervasive porn-surfing by NSF employees (p.15);
Millions spent on alcohol and unrelated costs (p.18)”
Is that rabbi Schmidt screaming “DENIER!” ?
Sorry. I am 60 years old. Life is too short to view stuff like that.
OFF TOPIC: NEW ERUPTION IN ICELAND. POSSIBLY KATLA:
A small eruption seems to have started a few hours ago in Mýrdalsjökull near Katla. This could even be Katla. The water level in the river Múlakvísl started to increase at midnight and now the river has cut off the main road in the south. Picture here: http://mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/07/09/hringvegurinn_i_sundur/
This is called “jökulhlaup”, see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6kulhlaup
Still no volcanic plume, so this may be a small eruption under the ice.
.
Map: http://www.ruv.is/frett/mogulega-litid-gos-undir-jokli
Earthquakes; http://www.vedur.is/skjalftar-og-eldgos/jardskjalftar/
News here in Icelendic: http://www.mbl.is
“he’s still got hundreds of climate reporting stations in Australia that haven’t been updated since 1992 in the GISTEMP database?”
Since climate is 30 years of weather, he doesn’t have to do that until the year 2022.
In the video, comments about Mitch Taylor(?) at around 0:52:40.
A few years ago, my youngest daughter (helicopter pilot) was working at the Alaskan North Slope. Her colleagues have traced a male bear which did swim over 500 km from the polar ice to mainland in only three days. No problem at all for bears to swim such a distance…
KATLA:
This webcam should be pointed to Katla. The glacier seems to be covered with clouds at the moment. http://www.vedur.is/skjalftar-og-eldgos/jardskjalftar/
The 128 meter long bridge over the river Múlakvísl has disappeared. There is a strong hydrogen sulphide (H2S) smell from the river. People in some places south of Katla have been asked to leave their homes. The road over Mýrdalssandur has been closed. Geologist say that this may or may not be a start of a big eruption.
This webcam is however showing another type of eruption every five minutes: http://live.mila.is/geysir/
Gosh, how did he tear himself away from his taxpayer funded blogging duties at Real Climate while he’s still got hundreds of climate reporting stations in Australia that haven’t been updated since 1992 in the GISTEMP database? Good thing he has his priorities straight.
He is probably not in any hurry as a few of those stations not updated from the 60’s and 70’s (as shown on the list) are from higher altitudes and rural areas – wouldn’t want to skew the figures with colder readings would we? Nice to see that the urban and airport readings are all much more up-to-date.
Perhaps he could check with this site that has much more accurate data on Australian temperature readings – complete with how they have been manipulated.
http://kenskingdom.wordpress.com/
Anthony. This is of course very much off-topic.. and does not belong here…
But…
We hope this will not be a large eruption in Katla as last time in 1918. It could even only be geothermal heat that has accumulated under the glacier and found way to the river. A pilot flying over the glacier a few minutes ago noted large cracks in the surface.
This news in English is on Icelandic State Radio website: http://www.ruv.is/frett/possible-eruption-in-katla
09.07.2011 09:13 GMT
Possible eruption in Katla
Main road closed
A glacial flood from volcano Katla, in Mýrdalsjökull, has disrupted highway no.1 (the ring road), by river Múlakvísl on Mýrdalssandur, in the South of Iceland. The road is closed between Höfðabrekka, east of Vík, and river Skálm, near Álftaver. The flood is thought be the result of a small eruption underneath the icecap of Mýrdalsjökull, probably in the Katla crater. The Civil Protection and Emergency Management has sent out a warning to people in the area, to beware of sulphurate smell near the river, as it might be poisonous sulphurate gas.
The mountain route Fjallabaksleið nyrðri is open for 4X4 vehicles only, and is the only open road in the area.
The Álftaver area is being evacuated and preparation for evacuating the camping area in Þakgil.
frettir@ruv.is
What is the purpose of this other than to pointlessly smear an intelligent scientist?
The following comes from the same NASA web-site and has me wondering why a hole in the ozone was a bad thing awhile back.
Where does ozone come from?
Sunlight reacts with certain pollutants – such as nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and other volatile pollutants – in a long chain of reactions to produce ozone. Combustion engines, power plants, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents are key sources of the precursor gases.
I follwed the What on Earth is that? link and found myself looking at the “What is that sound?” question so I listened closely. Without doubt the racket is the sound of Schmidt’s and Hansen’s reputations and credibility hitting rock bottom.
Splutter, gasp …who let him in?
Did I hear him really say .. “people can do really useful things like switch to energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.” …..
Did he really say that …. omg ……. these people have no idea.
Our Gav he’s so cuddly see but I don’t get to see him much these days so the video was a pleasant surprise. He’s so handsome.
Anyways it prompted me to go and visit him and his mates at UnReal Climate where fiction is the main course of the day.
Well I never thought our Gav could be so cruel:-
“In my opinion, this kind of ‘scientific’ sleight-of-hand is far more egregious than Soon’s ability to get funding from coal, oil, and fossil-fueled foundations.”
Gav I says why have you written this have you forgot about “Using Mann’s Trick to Hide the decline.” He looked a bit sheepish and agreed I could edit his intemperate rantings:
“In my opinion, this kind of ‘scientific’ sleight-of-hand is far more egregious than The Fiddlesticks Team’s ability to get funding from environmental lobbying groups, political interests and governments.”
See he’s not a bad boy after all?
Jimbo says:
July 8, 2011 at 5:44 pm
“I have dial up. Don’t ask.”
__________________________________
Hutterite hermit hillbilly hayseed…
(not phrased in the form of a question)
/
So, essentially, “The total polar bear population for the world is probably closer to 20,000 animals than to the lower figures often suggested.”
So it seems the polar bear population has been quite stable for the last 39 years, what with the essential quote being from 1972 from Larsen, T. “Air and ship census of polar bears in Svalbard” in the Journal of Wildlife management 562-570.
In 1967 the worldwide harvest was about 1200, which then was believed to be 5-10% of the total population, so between 12000 and 24000, according to Flyger, V. 1967. “Polar Bear – A Matter for International Concern”.
Maybe they should start to study a larger population rather ‘an 5% of 50% of 50% of the estimated population size that, appear not to have changed for quite some time. But then again models is way more fun in the sun. :p
More worrying than Katla, Etna is closing in on a huge flank eruption every day. Eruptions@bigthink
When Katla does eventually take it past a hiccup it will probably be VEI-4 4+ 5
Katla | Eruptive History
http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1702-03=&volpage=erupt
Brian said on July 9, 2011 at 3:43 am:
The headliner is Gavin Schmidt, Martha Stewart has a supporting role. Who could you possibly be referring to?
Brian said on July 9, 2011 at 3:43 am:
Martha Stewart, with the help of her assistants, does basic research including field work, documents her methods including equipment used, provides testable statements (“This will be a hit at your party.”), and insists on reproducible results with the strong promoting that others replicate her work using the documentation she’s provided.
Gee, I didn’t think the post was being all that hard on Martha. Oh well, YMMV.
Brian said on July 9, 2011 at 3:43 am:
What is the purpose of this other than to pointlessly smear an intelligent scientist?
Sooo…it seems that the whole reason Schmidt wrote his article on Dr. Soon on the 7th of July was not to pointlessly smear him? LOL…looks like little Gav was jealous of Dr. Soon’s work from where I sit. Dr. Soon was able to get a paper out on polar bears first. So…how about it Gav? Are you going to amaze us with your polar bear models or what? I can’t wait.
Quote:
“Green Sand says:
July 8, 2011 at 6:03 pm
…Whilst we must accept a degree of responsibility, we also claim a degree of mitigation due to the failure of your indigenous North American carnivores.” End Quote
What can we say when even the notoriously indiscriminate Polar Bear didn’t think he looked or smelled tasty. Perhaps when the big G does another junket, maybe he’ll do a penguin or seal watching trip and the Great White Sharks can have a go.
Public servant travel itineraries, receipts and vouchers are supposed to be made available for public scrutiny when requested. I wonder if the tour guide driving that amazing vehicle remembers Gavin’s and Martha’s activities… Like how much effort really went to trying to spot bears and any natives they might have interviewed? And whether any advocacy group representatives might’ve been helpful hosts and how G & M were helped?
Walter said:
The glacier in the photo is in BC, the road is in Alberta. Sorry for the confusion.
Hey all you haters-
Anyone watching the Arctic ice this summer? I know Bastardized made some predictions you all found very plausible. Did they turn out well last summer? Hmmm? How’s it looking now?
Nitpick Larry’s annoying comment of the day. Yes, Polar Bears are robust. Yes, we have Poley fossils that have been dated to the Eemian Interglacial, which was somewhat toastier than the present one. However the Eemian was closer to the branching point, where the Griz and Poley diverged from a common ancestor.
Isn’t it possible that the Eemian Poleys were somewhat less specialized than the modern ones, and that the Griz and Poley niches overlapped more than they do in modern times? If Dr Who were to transport some modern Poleys back in time to Churchill, Manitoba during the Eemian, would they survive as readily as the ‘old school’ Poleys?
dp, did you happen to notice the time frame that marks the beginning of the glacier recession?
Thanes, did you happen to notice the sidebar on the home page for this site? All that info is clearly available right there. You have also unwittingly revealed a complete lack of understanding of this subject. Keep commenting ’cause you’re really helping your cause. Regarding the term “haters”; pot, meet kettle, ……
“Churchill, Manitoba “Polar Bear Capital of the World”!”
It is the Polar Bear Capital of the AGW World because it is the southernmost population in the world. Not at all typical. On the margin of polar bear range. Thus a perfect poster population for the AGW Cherry Picking Team, which is why so much media coverage is about these bears.
dp says:
July 9, 2011 at 11:11 am
Walter said:
“The glacier in the photo is in BC, the road is in Alberta.”
——-
Nice bike, and fine place to being riding it on a nice day.
That glacier is the Stuttfield Glacier, and it is in Alberta too, in Jasper National Park. It is a tongue of the Columbia Icefields which sits on the Continental Divide in both Alberta and British Columbia.
——-
David Ball says:
July 9, 2011 at 6:42 pm
“dp, did you happen to notice the time frame that marks the beginning of the glacier recession?”
The best record of that is further south (up this valley) around the current Icefields Centre where there is photographs back to about 1900 or possibly earlier (Vaux family). The Athabasca Glacier, another tongue of the Columbia Icefields, then extended to and beyond where the Icefields Parkway is now. Early travelers used a trail that went above/east of the valley to go around it. Famous place so ample photo documentation as well as plenty of serious research there since. Should be tons via google. Just tried and found this one for starters, which has a really outstanding image of the whole current Icefield plus ca 1840 boundaries:
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/com/elements/issues/50/columbia-eng.php
Shrinking since 1840. Hmmm.
David Ball,
I do see the sidebar. I also see that it includes the site RealClimate. I presume, based on the comments made by yourself and others, that although that site is listed as a resource for you and your ilk of haters, you either have never read it or ever understood it. I read, with great enjoyment, Mr Watt’s ‘understanding’ of what Gavin was talking about when he was writing recently about Dr. Soon’s professional and intellectual bankruptcy. Mr Watt feels Gavin made a malicious personal and unjustified attack. It is obvious that Dr Soon is an unpublishable joke who has lost all credibility among scientists, and that Mr Watt is either incapable or unwilling to admit that. But you wouldn’t understand that, even if you read it all day long. Because, even if someone managed to cram some fact into your beleaguered mind based on science, you would still never understand what science was. And you would still never, never ever, be upset at all of those who lie to you.
But anyway, David. How about that ice?
Thanes,
Planet earth is calling you to come home for dinner before twilight and avoid the werewolves on the way home. The thread isn’t about your belief that Soon is a vampire.
Go on then, Thanes, fill me in on the science you are going on about. Tell us about the sea ice, being sure to include ALL known data, all the way back. Sea ice includes the southern hemisphere FYI. We are speaking globally, right? Also, elaborate on how Soon was wrong. Please do not tell me that it is his funding source that makes him wrong, for all that will tell me is your political affiliation. This thread is about the polar bears. Keep on topic, if you can. How come you can post here, but I get deleted every time I try to post something on the now void of traffic RealClimate? I prefer science free of fascism/censorship, thanks. It is why you are allowed to post vitriol here, void of any actual facts. Freedom of speech and all. Or don’t you believe in that?
Thanks Al Gored. I’m certain you knew that I knew the answer when I asked the question. One of the glaciers on the parkway is named after my son ( they name the glacier after any child who happens to be on the tundra bus on the way up the glacier, but I am not going to tell my son until he is older). It is a beautiful place to visit in summer. Desolate and forbidding in winter.
Mummified forest on Ellesmere island, hmmmm, …………….. Thanes?
The buzz I’m hearing from some friends of mine in publishing on the
East Coast is that within eighteen months, Gavin Schmidt will be releasing
the first in a series of children’s books: “Mike and the Polar bears”.
Supposedly, Mike Mann has become enamoured with being in the field
and making actual observations and readings, and is so very tired of the
hassels he’s run into in the academic/political arena. These books will be
based on his travels to various parts of the world, covering the life of the
subject animals, their natural environment, and how weather change might
effect their survival.
He’s scheduled to submit the next book, “Mike Talks to the Penguins”,
six months after that followed by, “Mike, the Koala, and the Eucalyptus
Trees”. His trip to India will be covered in “Mike rides an Elephant”.
There’s a faint chance that a reality show featuring Mike and his intrepid
team could surface either through the National Geographic Society or
as an occasional programming filler for PBS.
/sarc
Summary of Polar Bear population status per 2010
http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/status/status-table.html
Hans, thanks for posting that. 11 out of 19 ranges have no data or a stable population. No explanation given for the decline of the other populations. Populations of ALL species are either in ascension or decline at any given time and the numbers they give support this. This is how mother nature works. That reasonable explanation will not get you further funding, however,……..
Around 1,000 Polar Bears are killed via hunting each year.
Polar Bear numbers are up from the 1950s.
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/210/7/1116
Polar Bears have survived an ice-free Arctic ocean in the summer.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2010.08.016