The Week That Was: 2013-04-06 (April 6, 2013) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
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Quote of the Week: For example, if you’re doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid — not only what you think is right about it; other causes that could possibly explain your results; and things you thought of that you’ve eliminated by some other experiment, and how they worked — to make sure the other fellow can tell they have been eliminated. Richard Feynman, Cargo Cult Science, 1974
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Number of the Week: 2014
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April Fools: April is upon us, and it is time to hold the SEPP April Fools contest. Using the following criteria, readers are requested to submit their nomination of a government official or political leader along with a sentence or two why that person should be considered:
· The nominee has advanced, or proposes to advance, significant expansion of governmental power, regulation, or control over the public or significant sections of the general economy.
· The nominee does so by declaring such measures are necessary to protect public health, welfare, or the environment.
· The nominee declares that physical science supports such measures.
· The physical science supporting the measures is flimsy at best, and possibly non-existent.
The final selection will be determined by a special SEPP panel. The name of the winner will be emblazoned with names of other winners of the great SEPP trophy – The Jackson – a lump of coal. The first winner was (former) EPA administrator Lisa Jackson. Please submit your nomination to Ken@SEPP.org.
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
The New Hockey-Stick: The new hockey-stick produced by Shaun Marcott, et al, is quickly going the way of the old hockey-stick – leaving a lasting impression on the gullible, providing a warning about the use of mathematical techniques to adjust data, and demonstrating that the peer review process of its publisher is faulty. On Easter Sunday, on the alarmist web site, Real Climate, Marcott et al, posted a response to criticisms in the form of a summary and a list of frequently asked questions. The following quote is in the response.
“…20th century portion of our paleotemperature stack is not statistically robust, cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes, and therefore is not the basis of any of our conclusions.”
The response is not particularly satisfactory because it does not acknowledge the work of Steve McIntyre of Climate Audit, who did much of the heavy lifting in analyzing the treatment of the data, and the response does not address many of the questions he posed.
McIntyre’s post, The Marcott Filibuster, is telling. Roger Pielke Jr provides an excellent summary of this sorry episode, and how to begin to repair the damage that it brings into question including the scientific integrity of the Climate Establishment. On Climate Etc, Judith Curry offers prudent advice for all concerned.
Perhaps the new editor of Science will address the issue of sloppy peer review. As noted by former Czech President Vaclav Klaus, there are many excellent bloggers, some with highly advanced mathematical skills, who are willing to devote their time to insist on scientific integrity. Times have change, so should the editors of scientific journals. Please see links under The New Hockey-Stick and Other News that May Be of Interest.
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Data Smoothing: On Number Watch, John Brignell, who devoted his career to measurement in science and engineering, discusses some of the problems associated with attempts to use various mathematical techniques to remove noise from messy data. (Such as that done by both Michael Mann and Marcott, et al.)
“Here are some simple rules for those who are not sure of their understanding of signal theory (both continuous and discrete):
1. Use only simple procedures whose effects are well understood.
2. Do not try to invent new smoothing procedures (unless it is your intention to mislead). All the trustworthy ones have been tried (to say nothing of even more of the other sort).
3. Never trust anyone who purports to have invented a new smoothing process.
4. Never trust anyone who purports to predict the future by means of a smoothing process (or, indeed. any other sort).”
Some may consider his rules a bit extreme, but they serve as a guide. Underlying all this is the need to keep original data in case faulty techniques are applied. Brignell further states: “It requires hubris of Mannian proportions for an amateur mathematician to propose a method of smoothing and extrapolation of noisy evolutive processes.” Please see link under Measurement Issues.
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Hypothesis Testing or Cherry Picking?: In his presentation to a science group on Monday, Fred Singer announced he would do a bit of testing of the climate models and the hypothesis that human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are causing unprecedented and dangerous global warming (Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW)). He presented that there has been no atmospheric warming trend for a decade and no surface warming trend for at least 15 years. In addition, he presented the entire satellite record that shows warming in predominant in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere with little or no warming elsewhere, and even cooling over the Antarctic.
A popular TV meteorologist accused Singer of Cherry Picking. Apparently, this meteorologist does not understand the distinction between hypothesis advocacy and hypothesis testing. When a hypothesis is advanced, the proponent uses data supporting it. He should consider all the data. If the proponent excludes well known data that contradicts the hypothesis, he is engaged in hypothesis advocacy and cherry picking.
To be accepted, a hypothesis must explain all the relevant data. In hypothesis testing, one seeks significant data that contradicts the hypothesis. If it does, the hypothesis must be rejected or modified. Unfortunately, the accusation of cherry pricking is all too frequently used by proponents of AGW against skeptics. Please see Quote of the Week.
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Shift in Intertropical Convergence Zone?: A new paper projects a shift in rainfall patterns from the increased difference temperatures between the hemispheres due to amplified warming at and near the Arctic (as stated above). It is generally accepted that CO2 is well mixed in the atmosphere, so there is no basis to assume the amplified warming is from CO2. The paper also asserts a further northward shift in the tropical rain belt (Intertropical Convergence Zone) if the warming difference continues.
The Northern Hemisphere was warmer than today during Holocene Climate Optimum – about 8 to 5 thousand years ago. It is not clear if there was a pronounced difference between the hemispheres. As H.H. Lamb discussed in his classic, Climate, History and the Modern World, during that period the Sahara was wet and supported animals such as crocodiles etc. As the Northern Hemisphere cooled, these areas dried. As discussed in prior TWTWs, Lamb’s work is supported by more recent archeological work in the Sahara and the Indus plateau. Are we witnessing nature causing a shift in rainfall patterns as she had done before? Please see links under Changing Climate.
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Declining Threat: Clifford Ollier, Professor at the School of Earth and Environmental Studies, The University of Western Australia, has authored an excellent review of the deficiencies of climate science and the decline in threat of any dangerous AGW. Among them, many of those who predict significant sea level rise have failed to grasp the shape of the land masses under Greenland and Antarctica, which are essentially bowls. The danger of rapid, massive ice slides are no greater than the danger of ice cubes melting in a bowl suddenly sliding over the rim onto the floor. It may be nitpicking, but Ollier’s comment on Arctic ice extent probably should apply to polar ice extent, both Arctic and Antarctic. Please see link under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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Freeman Dyson: In an interview, Freemen Dyson, the man who succeeded Einstein at Princeton, once again expressed his skepticism of the science advanced by the Climate Establishment and its focus on climate models. Please see link under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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Agnotology: According to a paper by Legates, Soon, and Briggs, “Agnotology has been defined in a variety of ways including ‘the study of ignorance and its cultural production’ and ‘the study of how and why ignorance or misunderstanding exists.’” The authors assert that it has been posited to deliberately apply agnotology to the teaching of climate science. Please see link under Expanding the Orthodoxy.
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James Hansen: On April Fools’ Day, James Hansen announced his retirement from NASA—GISS, stating this action will allow him to sue the government over global warming issues. Now that the most popular scientist advocating global warming alarmism is gone, perhaps the Goddard Institute of Space Studies will begin to focus on earth’s atmospheric temperatures as measured by space satellites rather than those measured on the earth’s surface. Please see links under James Hansen.
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Keystone XL: A pipeline carrying oil from Canadian oil sands ruptured and briefly spilled its contents in Arkansas. Immediately, the environmental industry started claiming this is an example of what will occur if the Keystone XL pipeline is built. According to reports, the pipeline was constructed in 1947. The environmental industry will have us believe that there have been no improvements in pipeline technology, safety, and construction standards over the last 66 years. The event will give Jim Hansen more opportunity to keep occupied by protesting progress. Please see Article # 4 and links under Washington’s Control of Energy and Oil Spills, and Gas Leaks & Consequences.
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Fossil Fuel Subsidies: Connie Hedegaard, the EU Commissioner for Climate Action, has an essay demanding that countries stop subsidizing fossil fuels. She states: “According to the IEA, fossil-fuel subsidies rose by almost 30%, to $523 billion, in 2011. Meanwhile, the UN Environment Program reports that global investment in renewable energy totaled only $257 billion in 2011.”
Ms Hedegaard fails to state that the IEA study she cites shows the vast bulk of fossil fuel subsidies occur in developing countries, not in developed Western nations. In descending order, the five countries with the greatest fossil fuel subsidies are: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India and China. The omission is all too typical among Western green bureaucrats and Ms. Hekegaard’s logic is far from daunting. Should a western country subsidize expensive, unreliable wind and solar because Iran subsidies gasoline? Please see Article # 3 and link under Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
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Wind Power Subsidies: The CEO of a Texas Wind Power company wrote an article protesting Federal subsidies, which he claims are derogating the efficiency of wind power. He points out that the 2009 stimulus bill gave wind farms the choice of a subsidy based on production or a subsidy based on cost of the project. Most are taking the subsidy based on cost. Thus, wind farms are being built in locations that really do not support them, and overall efficiency is declining. “If our communities can’t reasonably afford to purchase and rely on the wind power we sell, it is difficult to make the moral case for our businesses, let alone an economic one.” Please see Article #2
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Auto Loans: Over a Billion dollars in the 2009 stimulus bill were used to make loans to new electric automobile companies and their suppliers. One company, Tesla Motors, which received $465 million, has announced it will make a profit this quarter and may eventually pay off the loan. Hidden in the good news is that the least expensive model starts at $62,400 and quickly goes up from there. It was unclear if the price was calculated before or after the $7,500 Federal tax credit.
The second automobile, Fisker, announced a major layoff of US employees. It appears to be going bankrupt. The loans it received from the US government and loans and grants from the state of Delaware, courtesy of Vice President Biden, appear to be in jeopardy. It is difficult to understand how subsidizing electric toys for the wealthy promotes general prosperity. Please see links under Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles.
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Number of the Week: 2014. That is the year OPEC projects that the imports of oil by China will exceed the imports of oil by the US. Oil consumption in China is growing significantly. Oil production in the US is replacing imported oil. When the shift occurs, no doubt the Administration and many in Washington will take credit. However, the Administration and many in Washington have stridently tried to suppress oil production. Hydraulic fracturing for oil came in under Washington’s radar. Please see link under Energy Issues – Non-US.
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ARTICLES:
For the numbered articles below please see this week’s TWTW at: www.sepp.org. The articles are at the end of the pdf.
1. Impoverishing Climate Alarmism at the New York Times
S. Fred Singer, American Thinker, Apr 2, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Submitted, but not published by the NYT.]
2. Wind-Power Subsidies? No Thanks.
I’m in the green-energy business. If Washington sent a little less ‘green’ our way, it would be good for the industry.
By Patrick Jenevein, WSJ, Apr 1, 2013
3. About Those Tax Breaks for Big Oil . . .
The attack line about ‘special’ deals for the industry doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
By Merrill Matthews, WSJ, Apr 2, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
4. A Tale of Two Oil Spills
Greens fret over pipeline leaks but are mute about train derailments.
Editorial, WSJ, Apr 2, 2013
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Climatologists are no Einsteins, says his successor
By Paul Mulshine, New Jersey Star Ledger, Apr 4, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2013/04/climatologists_are_no_einstein.html
Global Warming and Climate Change: Science and Politics
By Cliff Ollier, Quaestiones Geographicae 32(1), Feb 2, 2013 [H/t NCTCS]
http://geoinfo.amu.edu.pl/qg/current/quageo-2013-0008.pdf
Why Climate Feedbacks Cannot be Regional
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Mar 30, 2013
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2013/03/why-climate-feedbacks-cannot-be-regional/
Russian Scientists Warn Global Temperatures To Fall 1.5°C By 2050. Strong Doubts About Warming
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Apr 5, 2013
Ex-professor tells senators climate data manipulated
By Staff Writers, ICECAP, Apr 3, 2013
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-blog/ex_professor_tells_senators_climate_data_manipulated/
Dispelling myths about global warming
CO2 did not drive the rapid warming of the 20th century.
By Stan Robertson, WUWT, Mar 25, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/25/dispelling-myths-about-global-warming/
Defending the Orthodoxy
Lord Nicholas Stern says low-carbon economy will foster growth, reduce poverty
Transcript By Staff Writer, EETV, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.eenews.net/tv/transcript/1659
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Environment Canada’s Ignorance Guarantees Political Climate Science And Wrong Policy.
By Tim Ball, A Different Perspective, Apr 3, 2013
Climate Change Endgame In Sight?
By Steven Hayward, Power Line, Mar 29, 2013
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2013/03/climate-change-endgame-in-sight.php
Government’s climate watchdog launches astonishing attack on the Mail on Sunday… for revealing global warming science is wrong
By David Rose, Mail, UK, Mar 30, 2013
Rupert Wyndham ponders the wanton hypocrisy of Paul Nurse and The Royal Society
By Jo Nova, Her blog, Apr 6, 2013
http://joannenova.com.au/2013/04/rupert-wyndham-takes-on-paul-nurse-and-the-royal-society/
Warm and well fed, or hungry in the dark?
By Viv Forbes, American Thinker, Apr 2, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/04/warm_and_well_fed_or_hungry_in_the_dark.html
The very model of a modern climate scientist
By John McLean, Quadrant, Apr 3, 2013
http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2013/04/the-very-model-of-a-modern-climate-scientist
Meet the New Climate Deniers
By Rich Lowry, NY Post, Apr 2, 2013 [H/t Deke Forbes]
Global Warming? Oops! Never Mind!
By Jonathon Moseley, American Thinker, Apr 1, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/04/global_warming_oops_never_mind.html
Global Warming’s “Fatal Conceit”
By Richard Rahn, Real Clear Politics, Apr 3, 2013
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/04/03/global_warmings_fatal_conceit_117767.html
Questioning European Green
Dying of the cold: a very British disease
By Fraser Nelson, Spectator, Mar 30, 2013
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/03/dying-of-the-cold-a-very-british-disease/
Wind skeptic British minister replaced
By Staff Writers, London (UPI), Apr 3, 2013
http://www.winddaily.com/reports/Wind_skeptic_British_minister_replaced_999.html
[SEPP Comment: The current price of honesty.]
The shaky foundations of renewable energy policy
By Martin Livermore, Scientific Alliance, Apr 5, 2013
Germans Give Away Green Electricity Worth 3 Billion Euros
By Jan Schafer, Bild, Trans by Philipp Mueller, GWPF, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/germans-give-green-electricity-worth-3-billion-euros/
[SEPP Comment: Buy high, sell low – green power way.]
The tech fix
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 31, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/3/31/the-tech-fix.html
[SEPP Comment: If the goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, then spending money on research and development of reliable alternatives is far more sensible than spending huge sums on deployment of expensive and unreliable wind.]
The Cost of Green Energy Topples the Government in Bulgaria
By Tory Aardvark, His Blog, Mar 29, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://toryaardvark.com/2013/03/29/the-cost-of-green-energy-topples-the-government-in-bulgaria/
Questioning Green Elsewhere
The End of Energy as We Know It… In Three Graphs
By Blake Clayton, Council on Foreign Relations, Mar 29, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://blogs.cfr.org/levi/2013/03/29/the-end-of-energy-as-we-know-it-in-three-graphs/
Jobs and junkets are on the line. Abbott could axe Flannery and the climate commission
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Apr 4, 2013
It’s Not Easy Being Green
As climate change worsens, the internal strains in the environmentalist movement are starting to show.
By Jason Mark, American Prospect, Apr 2, 2013
http://prospect.org/article/its-not-easy-being-green-0
Climythology
By Peter Smith, Quadrant, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/qed/2013/04/climythology
Expanding the Orthodoxy
Learning and Teaching Climate Science: The Perils of Consensus Knowledge Using Agnotology
By David Legates, Willie Soon, William Briggs, Science and Education, March 2013 [H/t SPPI]
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11191-013-9588-3
Trouble in the Orthodoxy
Global warming: time to rein back on doom and gloom?
Climate change scientists acknowledge that the decline in rapid temperature increases is a positive sign
By Geoffrey Lean, Telegraph, UK, Apr 5, 2013 [H/t Bishop Hill]
Merkel Losing Allies in $700 Billion Shift to Renewables
By Stefan Nicola and Tino Andersen, Bloomberg, Apr, 5, 2013 [H/t Anne Debeil]
Full retreat?
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Apr 5, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/4/5/full-retreat.html
James Hansen
James Hansen: Responsible Scientist and Advocate
By Roger Pielke Jr, His Blog, Apr 2, 2013
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2013/04/james-hansen-responsible-scientist-and.html
In a new study, James Hansen pushes nuclear power as saving more lives than it has harmed
Posted by Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 2, 2013
Climate Maverick to Retire From NASA
By Justin Gillis, NYT, Apr 1, 2013 [H/t Bud Bromley]
[SEPP Comment: Typical NYT. Hansen has been a global warming promoter and a critical part of the Climate Establishment, not a maverick.]
James Hansen, climate activist, is retiring from NASA
By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, Apr 1, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Exit Jim Hansen: NASA’s Hot-Air Scientist Cashes In
Editorial, Washington Times, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/4/exit-jim-hansen/
Seeking a Common Ground
Planetary Boundaries as Power Grab
By Roger Pielke Jr, His Blog, Apr 4, 2013
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2013/04/planetary-boundries-as-power-grab.html
[SEPP Comment: Is the anthropocene a new geological epoch or an authoritarian power grab based on shoddy science?]
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Stop Paying the Polluters
By Connie Hedegaard, Project Syndicate, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/ending-fossil-fuel-subsidies-by-connie-hedegaard
Link to summary of the IEA study: http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2011/11/23/iea-review-shows-many-developing-countries-subsidize-fossil-fuel-consumption-creating-artificially-lower-prices/]
Federal study: Global warming means stronger ‘extreme’ rains
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 4, 2013
Link to paper: Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) and climate change
By Kunkel, Karl, et al, Geophysical Research Letters, No date
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50334/abstract
[SEPP Comment: But NCDC-NOAA’s own data on atmospheric humidity contradict these modeling studies]
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
What does it mean when a climate model gets it right?
By Roz Pidcock, Carbon Brief, Apr 3, 2013
http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2013/04/what-does-it-mean-when-a-climate-model-gets-it-exactly-right
Link to paper: Test of a decadal climate forecast
Myles R. Allen, John F. B. Mitchell & Peter A. Stott, Nature Geoscience, Mar 27, 2013
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v6/n4/full/ngeo1788.html
[SEPP Comment: Is decadal averaging the new rage?]
The Meltdown Of Global Warmists Reveals Their True Priorities
By James Taylor, Forbes, Mar 28, 2013
Lewandowsky paper ‘provisionally removed’ due to complaints
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 3, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/04/03/lewandowsky-paper-provisionally-removed-due-to-complaints/
[SEPP Comment: Maybe some skeptics of dangerous AGW believe the lunar landing took place after all.]
Globalization, Climate Change, and Human Health
Anthony J. McMichael, M.B., B.S., Ph.D., New England Journal of Medicine, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1109341
[SEPP Comment: Total bunk!]
Comedy climate
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Apr 3, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/4/3/comedy-climate.html
The New Hockey-Stick
The Marcott Filibuster
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Mar 31, 2013
http://climateaudit.org/2013/03/31/the-marcott-filibuster/
We’re not screwed?
By Ross McKitrick, Financial Post, Apr 1, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/04/01/were-not-screwed/
Fixing the Marcott Mess in Climate Science
By Roger Pielke Jr, His Blog, Mar 31, 2013
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/fixing-marcott-mess-in-climate-science.html
Marcott issues a FAQ on their paper
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 31, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/31/marcott-issues-a-faq-on-thei-paper/
The Marcott gong show – before in the unquestioning press and after the blogosphere review as told by Ross McKitrick
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 1, 2013
Lies, damned lies and hockey sticks
The exposure of yet another dodgy piece of climate-change alarmism shows the need for serious scepticism.
By Rob Lyons, Spiked, Apr 3, 2013 [H/t Joe Bast]
http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/13498
April Fools’ Day for Marcott et al
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Apr 2, 2013
http://climateaudit.org/2013/04/02/april-fools-day-for-marcott-et-al/#more-17666
We’re not screwed (?)
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc, Apr 2, 2013
http://judithcurry.com/2013/04/02/were-not-screwed/#more-11430
Measurement Issues
Smoothing the path to nonsense
By John Brignell, Number Watch, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/2013%20April.htm
[See top of page]
Changing Weather
Second snowiest snow season for the Northern Hemisphere on record ( 3 of the top 5 in last 4 years)
By Joseph D’Aleo, ICECAP, Apr 3, 2013
East German March 2013 Coldest In 130 Years. “Dramatic Temperature Deviations” All The Way To Siberia!
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Apr 3, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Lockwood’s “Dubious” Solar Activity/Central-European Climate Correlation Now Confirmed By 5 Winters In A Row!
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Apr 1, 2013
Snowdon now and then
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 30, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/3/30/snowdon-now-and-then.html
[SEPP Comment: From snow vanishing to 30 ft (9.1m) snow drifts.]
Matt Ridley’s diary: My undiscovered island, and the Met Office’s computer problem
By Matt Ridley, Spectator, UK, Apr 6, 2013
http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-week/diary/8880591/diary-603/
Changing Climate
Temperature difference between hemispheres could shift rainfall patterns
By Robert Sanders for Berkeley News, Berkeley CA (SPX) Apr 04, 2013
Link to paper: Interhemispheric temperature asymmetry over the 20th century and in future projections
By Friedman, et al, Journal of Climate, No Date
http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00525.1
Changing Seas
Global Microwave Sea Surface Temperature Update for March, 2013: -0.01 deg. C
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Apr 2, 2013
Rising up to prepare for sea level rise
By Nancy Schneider, Kingston NY (SPX), Apr 03, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Rising_up_to_prepare_for_sea_level_rise_999.html
[SEPP Comment: A sea level rise of over 4 feet (1.3 m) by the end of the century?]
‘A better path’ toward projecting, planning for rising seas on a warmer Earth
By Morgan Kelly for Princeton News, Princeton NJ (SPX), Apr 04, 2013
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Weather, not climate, caused the brief surface melt in Greenland last summer
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 3, 2013
Thinning Arctic Ice; More Al Gore Aided and Abetted Misinformation?
By Tim Ball, A Different Perspective, Apr 2, 2013
http://drtimball.com/2013/thinning-arctic-ice-more-al-gore-aided-and-abetted-misinformation/
2013 Wintertime Arctic Sea Ice Maximum Fifth Lowest on Record
By Maria-Jose Vinas for Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD (SPX) Apr 05, 2013
Changing Earth
Ancient climate questions could improve today’s climate predictions
By Staff Writers, San Francisco CA (SPX), Apr 04, 2013
Link to paper: Patterns and mechanisms of early Pliocene warmth
By A. V. Fedorov, C. M. Brierley, K. T. Lawrence, Z. Liu, P. S. Dekens & A. C. Ravelo, Nature, Apr 3, 2013
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v496/n7443/full/nature12003.html
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
Increased Farm Productivity Returns Farmland to Nature
By Staff Writers, NCPA, Apr 3, 2013
Link to detailed report: “Peak Farmland?”
By Ronald Bailey, Reason Magazine, Mar 22, 2013
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
Seasonal Flow Regimes of UK Rivers
Reference: Hannaford, J. and Buys, G. 2012. Trends in seasonal river flow regimes in the UK. Journal of Hydrology 475: 158-174.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/apr/2apr2013a1.html
Desert Plants in a Warming World of More Variable Precipitation
Reference: Salguero-Gomez, R., Siewert, W., Casper, B.B. and Tielborger, K. 2012. A demographic approach to study effects of climate change in desert plants. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 367: 3100-3114
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/apr/2apr2013a2.html
More Problems with Decadal Climate-Model Prediction Skills
Reference: Guemas, V., Doblas-Reyes, F.J., Lienert, F., Soufflet, Y. and Du, H. 2012. Identifying the causes of the poor decadal climate prediction skill over the North Pacific. Journal of Geophysical Research 117: 10.1029/2012JD018004.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/apr/3apr2013a1.html
On the Road to Predicting Changes in the Asian Summer Monsoon
Reference: Zhang, H., Liang, P., Moise, A. and Hanson, L. 2012. Diagnosing potential changes in Asian summer monsoon onset and duration in IPCC AR4 model simulations using moisture and wind indices. Climate Dynamics 39: 2465-2486.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/apr/3apr2013a3.html
The Political Games Continue
The Coming Global Warming Voter Backlash
By Jonathon Moseley, American Thinker, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/04/the_coming_global_warming_voter_backlash.html
Litigation Issues
Groups sue EPA for top officials’ instant-message records
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 2, 2013
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
Carbon taxes offer economic pain for little to no environmental gain
By Kenneth Green, Financial Post, Apr 5, 2013
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/04/04/carbon-taxes-pain-for-no-benefit/
UK businesses warn on emissions tax
By Pilita Clark, Financial Times, UK, Mar 31, 2013
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/852306da-9700-11e2-8950-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2PFOppus2
EPA and other Regulators on the March
EPA rules over all
The agency gets an assist from its groupies
Editorial, Washington Times, Apr 2, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/2/epa-rules-over-all/
Study: EPA rules will fuel shift away from coal
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 5, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/292047-study-epa-rules-will-fuel-shift-away-from-coal
Energy Issues – Non-US
European industry flocks to U.S. to take advantage of cheaper gas
By Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, Apr 1, 2013
China to Surpass U.S. as World’s Top Crude Importer, OPEC Says
By Asjylyn Loder, Bloomberg, Apr 2, 2013
Energy Issues — US
America Can Drill Its Way Out Of The Middle East
Editorial, IBD, Apr 1, 2013
US carbon emissions drop as gas displaces coal
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 5, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/292083-us-carbon-emissions-drop-as-gas-displaces-coal
[SEPP Comment: The decline in CO2 emissions started in 2007 when natural gas prices were high.]
Washington’s Control of Energy
Pipeline or Not, Lots of Canadian Crude Oil is Headed to the US
By Marita Noon, Energy Tribune, Apr 1, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/75401/pipeline-or-not-lots-of-canadian-crude-oil-is-headed-to-the-us
The Tar Sands Disaster
By Thomas Homer-Dixon, NYT, Mar 31, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/opinion/the-tar-sands-disaster.html
[SEPP Comment: Urging the administration to deny the Keystone pipeline designed to bring oil from Canada to US gulf refineries, claiming such a denial will benefit Canada.]
Pipelines and Pipe Dreams
By Debra Saunders, Real Clear Politics, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/04/04/pipelines_and_pipe_dreams_117787.html
Keystone pipeline
Obama should link approval to new climate change efforts
Editorial, Financial Times, UK, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4582b740-9d32-11e2-88e9-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2PWkXvlNz
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
Peak Oil Cult Is Proved Spectacularly Wrong
By Robert Bryce, IBD, Apr 1, 2013
Gas extracted by fracking in Britain could fuel British homes within three years
Energy chief believes controversial method will safeguard supply
By Jonathan Brown, Independent, UK, Apr 1, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
New Report Claims Shale Fracking Is Not a Factor in Earthquakes
By Steven Hugill, Northern Echo, from GWPF, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/report-claims-shale-fracking-factor-earthquakes/
Israel’s Rise to Energy Superpower Under Way
By Peter C Glover and Michael J. Economides, Energy Tribune, Apr 4, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/75537/israels-rise-to-energy-superpower-under-way
[SEPP Comment: Part 1 of a 3 part series. Perhaps overly optimistic about results.]
Return of King Coal?
Outside View: Coal exports save lives
By Tom Tanton, Lincoln, Calif. (UPI) Apr 4, 2013
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Outside_View_Coal_exports_save_lives_999.html
Oil Spills, Gas Leaks & Consequences
Three years after BP oil spill, USF research finds massive die-off
By Craig Pittman, Tampa Bay Times, Apr 4, 2013
[SEPP Comment: In deep trenches.]
A useful pipeline spill in Arkansas
By Wesley Pruden, Pruden & Politics, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.prudenpolitics.com/node/2906?utm_source=P&P%20Auto%201&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=6812
Pipeline Spills Stir New Criticism of Keystone Plan
By Dan Frosch, NYT, Apr 2, 2013
Methane leaks are undermining the shale-gas boom. Here’s how to fix that
By Brad Plumer, Washington Post, Apr 4, 2013
[SEPP Comment: First place to start: is the methane concentration in the atmosphere increasing or decreasing?]
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Westinghouse announces successful setting of AP1000 containment vessel top head at China’s Haiyang Unit 1
By Staff Writers, Beijing, China (SPX), Apr 03, 2013
Small fast reactor simulator commissioned
By Staff Writer, WNN, Mar 27, 2013
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-SVBR100_simulator_commissioned-2703134.html
[SEPP Comment: In Russia.]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
Wind Power, Bats, and the Ecological Double Standard
By Paul Driessen and James Rust, Master Resource, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/04/wind-power-bats-double-standard/#more-25050
[SEPP Comment: Selected use of government power to benefit a few at the expense of others is a characteristic of an authoritarian government, not a democratic republic.]
Wind power as a cost-effective long-term hedge against natural gas prices
By Staff Writers, Berkeley CA (SPX), Mar 11, 2013
[Thanks to hydraulic fracturing, natural gas prices have fallen considerably, but are still subject to market fluctuation. Expensive, unreliable wind power is proposed as a hedge? I’ll take that bet by government bureaucrats and clean their clock.]
Gaming Solar Subsidies
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Apr 5, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/gaming-solar-subsidies/
BP wind sale highlights renewable energy struggles
By Jeannie Kever, Fuel Fix, Apr 3, 2013
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/04/03/bp-to-sell-wind-business/
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
Obama-backed green automaker Tesla Motors turns a profit
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 1, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/291133-obama-backed-automaker-tesla-motors-turns-a-profit
Fisker Automotive Firing as Much as 75% of Workforce
By Alan Ohnsman & Angela Greiling Keane, Bloomberg, Apr 5, 2013 [H/t Cooler Heads]
Hydrogen Conundrum
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Apr 2, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/hydrogen-conundrum/
Environmental Industry
Greens get billionaire ally, money
By Alexandra Jaffe, The Hill, Apr 3, 2013
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/291559-greens-get-billionaire-ally-money#ixzz2PP052wPW
“The goal here is not to win. The goal here is to destroy these people. We want a smashing victory,” Steyer said of candidates he judges to be on the wrong side of the climate change debate.
[SEPP Comment: Imagine the screams of the environmental industry if supporter of climate skeptics said that.]
‘Trust Us, Skeptics Are Crooks’
By Russell Cook, American Thinker, Apr 5, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/04/trust_us_skeptics_are_crooks.html
Red-faced Greenpeace
By Peter Foster, Financial Post, Mar 30, 2013
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/03/30/peter-foster-red-faced-greenpeace/
[SEPP Comment: Another false claim. The standard mode of shouting louder and longer did not work this time.]
Other Scientific News
Picking apart photosynthesis
By Staff Writers, Pasadena CA (SPX), Apr 03, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Picking_apart_photosynthesis_999.html
Link to paper: Redox-inactive metals modulate the reduction potential in heterometallic manganese–oxido clusters
By Tsui, et al, Nature, Mar 3, 2013
http://www.nature.com/nchem/journal/v5/n4/full/nchem.1578.html
“…one of the remaining mysteries of photosynthesis, the chemical process by which plants convert sunlight into usable energy and generate the oxygen that we breathe.”
[SEPP Comment: An article on photosynthesis that does not mention the dreaded word – carbon! The description of photosynthesis in incomplete at best.]
Collision Course? A Comet Heads for Mars
By Dr. Tony Phillips for NASA Science News, Huntsville AL (SPX), Apr 04, 2013
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Collision_Course_A_Comet_Heads_for_Mars_999.html
Other News that May Be of Interest
Toxic Algae Contaminates Lake Erie at a Record Rate
By Staff Writers, WMAL, Apr 1, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
[SEPP Comment: Fertilizer run-off is an issue. Algae are green plants – toxic?]
The triumph of the individual over the hive mind
By Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, Quadrant, Apr 3, 2013
This address delivered at Roy Morgan Research on the evening of March 26, 2013
Rare Earths Mining Potential in the United States
By Staff Writers, NCPA, Apr 3, 2013
Link to report: Rare Earths Mining Potential in the United States
By Tom Tanton, NCPA, Apr 3, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Rare earths are vital to many electronic and other industries, including wind power.]
Former Interior official to lead major scientific journal
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Apr 2, 2013
[SEPP Comment: In the past, an official from the US Geological Survey (USGS) to be lead editor of Science mag may have been promising. We shall see.]
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
Introducing the anti-hockey stick – ‘The Scythe”
By Josh, on WUWT, Apr 1, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/04/01/introducing-the-anti-hockey-stick-the-scythe/
[SEPP Comment: A bit of humor.]
###################################################
So, these climate change mongers of facts.
Seems to me after review of the data above in the thread “plem look at Compo” it is possible we have a large group of kindergarden students who went awol years ago with a huge box of crayons and they have been “tagging” science magazines with charts by use of said crayons outside the lines now for way to long.
Reblogged this on UNCOVER777.
Speaking of making April Fools jokes, always consider the potential problem of too many people believing you!
Lest we forget: http://en.rian.ru/world/20070404/63077075.html
Who says you cannot build refineries where the Canadian oil sands are located? Instead of just upgraders. Calumet and MDU Resources are building a refinery in North Dakota. That’s not an April fools joke, it’s really under construction. Look it up.
How about a million gallon spill, would you be in favor of preventing those type ruptures if Canada could refine their own bitumen on the spot? Has building a refinery there ever even been proposed? Seem logical that the diesel and gasoline could be used locally and thus the transport risk reduced considerably?
See…
On the evening of Sunday, July 25 2010, at about 5:58 p.m. EDT, a 40-foot long pipe segment in Line 6B, located approximately 0.6 of a miles downstream of the Marshall, Michigan pump station, ruptured.[1] The rupture in the Enbridge Energy pipeline caused a 877,000 US gallons (3,320 m3) spill of heavy crude oil originating from Canada (Alberta and Saskatchewan) into Talmadge Creek in Calhoun County, Michigan, which flows into the Kalamazoo River. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) later estimated the spill to be in excess of 1 million US gallons (3,800 m3)[clarification needed].[2] On 29 July 2010, the Calhoun County Health Department asked 30 to 50 households to evacuate, and twice as many were advised not to drink their water.[3]
Though alarms sounded in Enbridge’s Edmonton headquarters at the time of the rupture, it was eighteen hours before a Michigan utilities employee reported oil spilling and the pipeline company learned of the spill. Meanwhile, pipeline operators had thought the alarms were maybe caused by a bubble in the pipeline and, while for some time it was shut down, they also increased pressure for periods of hours to try to clear the possible blockage, spilling more oil.[4] The oil was contained to a 25-mile (40 km) stretch of the Kalamazoo River as several hundred workers took part in the cleanup.[5] Regional EPA Director Susan Hedman estimated that it would take weeks to remove the bulk of the oil from the river, several months to clear oil from the flood plains, and several more months to clean the oil out of the marsh where the spill originated. However, a year later, a 35 mile stretch of the river remained closed.[6] Originally estimated at $5 million,[7] by September 2011, cleanup costs passed $585 million and were expected to rise by 20 percent more.[6] The cleanup expense by summer 2012 had totalled $765 million.[4]
In June, 2012, authorities reopened most of the 35 miles of the river that had been closed to recreation after the spill. Part of the river at the Morrow Lake delta remained closed and other sections of the river remain restricted because of the ongoing cleanup of the diluted bitumen (dilbit) oil the pipeline had been transporting.[8]
The United States Department of Transportation summer 2012 “fined Enbridge $3.7 million dollars and as part of that fine they listed 22 probable violations that happened relating to the spill. And several of those [violations] are about what happened in the [Edmonton] control room”.[4]
One of the reasons for the vast escalation in time and expense of cleanup was that the EPA had never handled a dilbit spill. In addition, it is reported that Enbridge never informed the EPA of the product distinction. Unlike conventional crude, dilbit floats briefly in water but then sinks, causing a much more difficult cleanup particularly if dredging is considered too ecologically damaging.[4]
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enbridge_oil_spill
Did someone mention April Fools? Yes, there certainly are fools who expose themselves in early April.
Note: The two DJ’s back at work …
The real story is how stupid some people are, talking about felonies and stuff. Especially the idiot Diane Holm, public information officer for the Florida Department of Health …
Dumbass skirt. No wonder the AGW cult has so many members.
Orson Welles must be ROIHGLHFAO ( rolling over in his grave laughing his friggin ass off )
I do wish that Christopher Monckton would stop calling himself “Viscount Monckton of Brenchley.” It’s snobbish. It’s sadly out of date. It’s out of place in the modern democratic world. It makes him look like a privileged git lording it over the peasants. It adds nothing to his credibility. Let his opinions stand or fall on the validity of his opinions, not on the supposed status of his title.