The Week That Was: 2013-11-02 (November 2, 2013) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
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Quote of the Week: Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. – C.S. Lewis, [H/t Jim Johnson]
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Number of the Week: $22,195,000,000 US
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Executive Order: On Friday President Obama issued an executive order to prepare the US for the impacts of climate change. The order states that it will assist in preparedness and resilience. On the surface, resilience is important. One can compare the evacuation of some 800,000 citizens from the coast of India from last week’s cyclone with the poor handling by state and local officials of the evacuation of New Orleans from hurricane Katrina.
However, given the record of this administration, the order is a disturbing action intended to avoid Congress.
When Congress failed to pass the cap-and-trade, the administration used the EPA to control carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by declaring that greenhouse gases (basically CO2) endanger public health and welfare. The EPA scientific justification is crumbling. There is no distinct human fingerprint, late 20th century surface warming stopped sixteen years ago, and all the models overestimate global warming. Yet these failures in the scientific justification have not stopped the EPA from issuing new regulations that effectively prohibit the construction of new coal-fired power plants. Further, the administration, without Congressional approval, is implementing a carbon tax in the form of what it calls “The Social Costs of Carbon.”
The executive order states: “A foundation for coordinated action on climate change preparedness and resilience across the Federal Government was established by Executive Order 13514 of October 5, 2009 (Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance), and the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force led by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).” Thus, the foundation for the order is a previous executive order by the administration.
The order also cites the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which is little more than a rubber stamp for the highly questionable findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The new executive order states: “The impacts of climate change — including an increase in prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, more heavy downpours, an increase in wildfires, more severe droughts, permafrost thawing, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise — are already affecting communities, natural resources, ecosystems, economies, and public health across the Nation. These impacts are often most significant for communities that already face economic or health-related challenges, and for species and habitats that are already facing other pressures.”
Herein lies a great concern. For decades, the government-financed climate establishment, including the IPCC, has greatly exaggerated the certainty of its science, the influence of CO2 on temperatures, and the consequences of human-caused global warming. Now, we may be witnessing the dark side of Steven Schneider’s famous false dilemma. “So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have…Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest.” For whatever motive, those who have chosen to be effective by exaggeration rather than being scrupulously honest are paving the way for authoritarian expansion of executive power, bypassing the democratically elected Congress. See Article #1 for Fred Singer’s discussion of the problems in the latest IPCC summary, links under Using Climate Change to Expand Executive Power, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Schneider.
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EPA: When justifying the new power plant regulations, which would require a 40% reduction of CO2 emissions below that of the most efficient coal-fired plants, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy stated the technology is ready to achieve such a reduction. Leaders of organizations exploring advances in reducing CO2 emissions are refuting her claims. Further, they state that the new rules are so extreme that they would stop additional research. [The new rules state CO2 emissions from new coal-fired power plants to be no more than 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt hour of electricity produced. The most efficient plants produce about 1,800 pounds.] For issues regarding EPA rules see Article # 2 and links under EPA and other Regulators on the March
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Baffin Island: Last week, TWTW linked to a study of moss specimens collected along a 1000 km section of the east side of Baffin Island. The study was used to claim that summer temperatures in the Canadian Arctic are higher today than they have been for 44,000 years. This week, numerous deficiencies in the study were exposed, not the least of which was excessive generalization from one small section of the Arctic to the entire Canadian Arctic. The study may be more of a reflection on gradual thinning of ice than temperatures and it focused on 4 sites rather than the more geographically extensive 135 sites surveyed.
The lead author responded to criticism posted on Climate Etc. stating that they never claimed that the data demonstrates Arctic-wide unprecedented warming. Yet, blogger Jim Bouldin notes that the paper concludes with the statement: “These findings add additional evidence to the growing consensus that anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have now resulted in unprecedented recent summer warmth that is well outside the range of that attributable to natural climate variability” and the title the phrase Arctic Canada. Please see links under Seeking a Common Ground.
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Ocean Heat: A new paper claims to trace the Pacific Ocean heat content over the past 10,000 years. Using high-resolution proxy records from sediment cores, the paper stated “that water masses linked to North Pacific and Antarctic intermediate waters were warmer by 2.1 ± 0.4°C and 1.5 ± 0.4°C, respectively, during the middle Holocene Thermal Maximum than over the past century. Both water masses were ~0.9°C warmer during the Medieval Warm period than during the Little Ice Age and ~0.65° warmer than in recent decades.” This is more evidence that Mr. Mann’s hockey-stick was wrong; based on reports he is unhappy with the paper.
The paper was published in Science magazine, which has long had an editorial policy of not publishing papers that challenge the orthodoxy. Has the editorial policy of Science changed? Or is this an effort to buttress the claims that global warming projected in the climate models is hiding in the deep ocean. If it is the former, then it has been long needed. If it is the latter, then it has major problems.
As any diver knows, sunlight can penetrate deep into the ocean, up to 200 meters (656 feet) or more. So the cause of the past warming could be greater sunlight – such as a changing intensity or less cloudiness. However, the energy from atmospheric greenhouse gases is in the infrared region that does not penetrate much beyond 10 microns (less than 0.001 of an inch). So a significant increase in the greenhouse effect would cause a warming of the sea surface, which is not being observed. See links under Changing Climate and http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/light_travel.html
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Model Falsification: Both statistician William Briggs and Judith Curry have posts discussing that the failure of the models to predict the current temperature trend of no warming does not falsify the models. Briggs asserts that if predictions derived from a theory are probabilistic, then the theory cannot be falsified using such predictions. There is always some probability, no matter how tiny, that the theory is correct. According to Briggs, by the IPCC is changing its theories (assumptions), even ever so slightly, it impossible to falsify the theories.
Curry asks what good are the climate models. They may be useful as research tools, have a heuristic value to explore the climate processes. But they are very expensive and are not readily understood. She concludes with remarks much the same as Richard Lindzen. The entire effort is not to reach scientifically satisfactory results to basic questions, but to support the effort. She further asks: what will happen if the discrepancy between models and observations continues to grow, will the entire effort come crashing down?
With governments continuing to fund the climate establishment and instituting severe regulations based on exaggerated claims, an eventual collapse may be very ugly for science in general and especially for climate science. See links under Models v. Observations.
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Supreme Court: There are mixed commentaries on the meaning of the Supreme Court agreeing to review the EPA’s finding that greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) endanger public health and welfare. The court was specific that it would confine the arguments to the EPA broadening rules intended for vehicles to stationary sources such as power plants. But it may go beyond that. In its enthusiasm to regulate, the EPA may have put itself into a logical and legal trap. See links under Litigation Issues.
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Number of the Week: $22,195,000,000 US. As required by law, the White House delivered to Congress a report stating in Fiscal Year 2013, which ended on September 30, the US government spent $22,195,000,000 on climate change matters. The main categories are: US Global Change Research Program $2.463 Billion; Clean Energy Technologies $5.783 Billion, International Assistance $797 Million; Natural Resources Adaption $95 Million; Energy Tax Provisions That May Reduce Greenhouse Gases $4.999 Billion; Energy Payments in Lieu of Tax Provisions $8.080 Billion. The $8.080 Billion buys a lot of lobbying power for the wind and solar industries.
These expenditures further support SEPP’s earlier estimates that since 1993, the US has spent over $150 Billion on climate change. The updated figure is over $165 Billion. The climate establishment is well funded, but it still cannot provide an accurate answer to the critical question of how sensitive is the planet to a doubling of atmospheric CO2. See links under Funding Issues
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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. Non-governmental climate scientists slam the UN’s IPCC
By S. Fred Singer, American Thinker, Nov 3, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/11/nongovernmental_climate_scientists_slam_the_uns_ipcc.html
2 New EPA Rules Will Kill Clean Coal
Technology for carbon capture could be a boon if regulators give it time.
By Robert Duncan, WSJ, Oct 29, 2013
3. Natural Decarbonation
U.S. carbon emissions fell in 2012, thanks to the oil and gas industry.
Editorial, WSJ, Oct 29, 2013
4. The Coming Carbon Asset Bubble
Fossil-fuel investments are destined to lose their economic value. Investors need to adjust now.
By Al Gore and David Blood, WSJ, Oct 29, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Contrary to the claims of Mr. Gore and others, fossil fuel assets will become stranded assets only if Washington, with its subprime science, has its way.]
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Science: Is the Sun Rising?
New paper suggests the sun’s magnetic fields defines climate over the long term
By Cornelis de Jager, WUWT, Oct 31, 2013
Commentary: Is the Sun Rising?
Real risk of a Maunder minimum ‘Little Ice Age’ says leading scientist
By Paul Hudson, BBC, Oct 28, 2013 [H/t WUWT]
[SEPP Comment: Lockwood has apparently changed his mind.]
Cold Winters, Hot News
By David Whithouse, The Observatory, Oct 30, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/cold-winters-hot-news/
[SEPP Comment: Further on the link immediately above.]
A Sea Change for Climate Science?
As CO2 climate models falter and even the IPCC backs off its estimates, it just may be that a radical shift in thinking is looming. Wouldn’t it be funny if it was the sun all along?
By David Stockwell, Quadrant, Oct 31, 2013
http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2013/10/sea-change-climate-science/
Growing Risk Of A Maunder Minimum ‘Little Ice Age’?
By Staff Writers, ICECAP, Oct 31, 2013
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/political-climate/growing_risk_of_a_maunder_minimum_little_ice_age1/
Dispute over relevance of falling solar activity
By Graham Lloyd, The Australian, Nov 1, 2013 [H/t GWPF]]
A global cooling consensus
By Lawrence Solomon, Financial Post, Oct 10, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/10/31/lawrence-solomon-a-global-cooling-consensus/
[SEPP Comment: The headline is a bit much.]
Climategate Continued
The IPCC Southern Hemisphere Reconstructions
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Oct 28, 2013
http://climateaudit.org/2013/10/28/the-ipcc-southern-hemisphere-reconstructions/#more-18498
[SEPP Comment: The deceit continues in the latest IPCC report.]
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Climate Scare is an abuse of science
By John [no last name given], NCTSP, Oct 29, 2013
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/climate-scare-is-abuse-of-science.html
[SEPP Comment: Links to an interview of NIPCC authors Fred Singer and Bob Carter by John Coleman of KUSI News San Diego, CA]
IPCC sea level exaggeration
NZCLIMATE TRUTH NEWSLETTER NO 319
By Vincent Gray, WUWT, Oct 30, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/30/ipcc-sea-level-exaggeration/
Climate change certainties?
By William Briggs, Tribune-Review, Oct 28, 2013
http://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/4934150-74/climate-ipcc-weather#axzz2jDWXvrFH
In olden days, when a theory made consistently poor predictions, people concluded it was wrong.
But we’re postmodernists now. It’s not the truth of the theory or the accuracy of predictions based on it that count. It’s what in your heart that matters. Love and caring trump reality.
Desperately Searching For Climate Warming In China, Alaska And Canada
By Sebastian Lüning and Fritz Vahrenholt, Trans. P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Oct 28, 2013
The eyes of Texas are upon us
By Joseph D’Aleo, ICECAP, Oct 28, 2013
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-blog/the_eyes_of_texas_are_upon_us/
[SEPP Comment: Describing cyclical weather patterns related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). The research suggest The AMO drives the drought frequency in the southern plains and Corn Belt with location determined by the PDO The research further suggests that the AMO is strongly related to solar activity since 1900.]
Defending the Orthodoxy
Working Group II government draft
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Nov 1, 2103
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/11/1/working-group-ii-government-draft.html
[SEPP Comment: The draft of the impacts of climate change.]
Claim: El Nino events get more extreme as globe warms
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Oct 30, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/30/claim-el-nino-events-get-more-extreme-as-globe-warms/
Link to paper: Inferred changes in El Niño–Southern Oscillation variance over the past six centuries
By McGregor, et al. Climate of the Past, Oct 10, 2013
http://www.clim-past.net/9/2269/2013/cp-9-2269-2013.html
[SEPP Comment: Causation may be backwards. – Earlier work showed more El Ninos may cause more warming.]
Countries at climate risk to hold more GDP: report
By Staff Writers, Paris (AFP), Oct 30, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Countries_at_climate_risk_to_hold_more_GDP_report_999.html
[SEPP Comment: They can adapt more easily?]
Kerry ‘Amazed’ That Some Americans Still Don’t Grasp Urgency of Global Warming
By Patrick Goodenough, CNS News, Oct 30, 2013 [H/t Adrain Gibby]
[SEPP Comment: The threat of no warming.]
UK Dispatchers 45 Delegates to Climate Conference that Will Be Mostly Hot Air
By Ben Webster, The Times, Via GWPF, Nov 1, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/uk-dispatches-45-delegates-climate-conference-hot-air/
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Commonsense Climate Science and Forecasting after AR5
By Norman Page, WUWT, Oct 29, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/29/commonsense-climate-science-and-forecasting-after-ar5/
Climate Change Authority: Last Spasm
By Anthony Cox, NCTCS, Oct 31, 2013
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/climate-change-authority-last-spasm.html
Nebraska climate scientists’ heads stuck in the topsoil
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Oct 25, 2013
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2013/10/nebraska-climate-scientists-heads-stuck-in-the-topsoil/
Polar bear cannibalism and sea ice, the spring of 1976
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Oct 30, 2013
[SEPP Comment: So much for polar bear “experts” who claim cannibalism is new, therefore a result of global warming. It is well recognized that female grizzly bears aggressively protect their cubs from being killed by male grizzly bears.]
Using Climate Change to Expand Executive Power
Obama creates climate change task force
By David Jackson, USA Today, Nov 1, 2013 [H/t Bud Bromley]
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/11/01/obama-climate-change-task-force/3348083/
Link to Executive Order: Executive Order — Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change
By Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, Nov 1, 2013
The Council shall be co-chaired by the Chair of CEQ, the Director of OSTP, and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. [Boldface added]
[SEPP Comment: Will emitting CO2 into the atmosphere be defined as a terrorist act.]
Obama uses executive order in sweeping takeover of nation’s climate change policies
By Perry Chiaramonte, Fox News, Nov 1, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/01/obama-creates-climate-change-task-force/
Obama takes on climate-fueled storms
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Nov 1, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/188970-obama-order-seeks-to-bolster-climate-change-defenses
Social Benefits of Carbon
Obama’s ‘Social Cost Of Carbon’ Is At Odds With Science
By Chip Knappenberger, IBD, Oct 28, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Problems in the Orthodoxy
An ‘Uh Oh’ moment in Nature – IPCC Climate panel is ripe for examination
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Oct 31, 2013
Seeking a Common Ground
Warmest since….when?
By Jim Bouldin, Ecologically Orientated, Oct 25, 2013 [H/t Climate Audit]
http://ecologicallyoriented.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/bad-study-on/
Unprecedented (?) Arctic warming. Part II
By Marcia Wyatt, Climate Etc. Oct 29, 2013
http://judithcurry.com/2013/10/29/unprecedented-arctic-warming-part-ii/
More Moss from Miller
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Oct 26, 2013
http://climateaudit.org/2013/10/26/18501/
Ozone loss warmed southern Africa
Antarctic ozone hole’s effects may have spread much wider than thought.
By Hannah Hoag, Nature, Oct 13, 2013 [H/t Ron Sundelin]
http://www.nature.com/news/ozone-loss-warmed-southern-africa-1.13938
The Forecasting and Climate Lessons of Superstorm Sandy
By Cliff Mass, Weather Blog, Oct 30, 2013
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-forecasting-and-climate-lessons-of.html
[SEPP Comment: An analysis of what was learned, and not learned, from Sandy by a meteorologist concerned about global warming.]
Aboriginal Hunting Practice Increases Animal Populations
By Rob Jordan for Stanford News, Stanford CA (SPX), Oct 28, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Aboriginal_Hunting_Practice_Increases_Animal_Populations_999.html
[SEPP Comment: Now fires are labeled as destructive, extreme events.]
Lowering Standards
Halloween Thoughts from Obama’s Science Advisor
By Robert Bradley Jr., Master Resource, Oct 31, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/10/halloween-holdren/#more-28258
Expanding the Orthodoxy
Water Is Replacing Climate As The Next UN Environmental Resource Scare
By Tim Ball, WUWT, Nov 1, 2013
Treasury Dept. Advises Development Banks Not to Fund New Coal Plants Without CCS
By Sonal Patel, Power News, Oct 31, 2013
Scientists develop new method to help global coasts adapt to sea-level rise
By Staff Writers, Southampton, UK (SPX), Oct 30, 2013
[SEPP Comment: An early draft for the next IPCC report on adaptation.]
US citizens pay for ‘solar school’ foolishness
By Steve Goreham, Washington Times, Oct 31, 2013
Questioning European Green
Poland, Wedded to Coal, Spurns Europe on Clean Energy Targets
By Danny Hakim and Mateusz Zurawik, NYT, Oct 31, 2013 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
Long, cold winter for 3 million who can’t pay their energy bills
Fears that 200 people a day could die as temperatures fall and prices rise
By Charlie Cooper, Nigel Morris, Independent, Oct 28, 2013
Wind and solar power put German net stability at risk – cost of a 60 minute blackout: 600 million euro!
The New Nostradamus of the North, Oct 28, 2013
http://newnostradamusofthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/wind-and-solar-power-put-german-net.html
Reality Check: Germany’s Defective Green Energy Game Plan
By Alexander Neubacher, Trans. Paul Cohen, Der Spiegel, Oct 25, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Energy company bosses today defended controversial rises in customers’ bills, partly blaming green taxes for the recent increases of over 9 per cent.
By Philippe Naughton, The Times, Via GWPF, Oct 29, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/big-energy-bosses-blame-green-taxes-price-rises/
Europe risks ‘de-industrialisation’ if energy price imbalance with US continues
By Kelvin Ross, Power Engineering, Oct 30, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: That may be the goal of the greens.]
European Economic Stability Threatened By Renewable Energy Subsidies
By James Conca, Forbes, Oct 20, 2013 [H/t EEN]
FT: Britain’s Energy Market Needs Perestroika
Editorial, Financial Times, Via GWPF, Oct 28, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/ft-britains-energy-market-perestroika/
Green Jobs
The myth of green-job creation
Opinion: University of Calgary also warns misinformation can lead to measures that do little for the environment
By Jennifer Winter, Vancouver Sun, Oct 28, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/myth+green+creation/9094251/story.html
Link to paper: The “Green Jobs” Fantasy: Why the Economic and Environmental Reality Can Never Live Up to the Political Promise
By Michal Moore and Jennifer Winter, Univ of Calgary, Oct, 2013
Funding Issues
Global warming gets nearly twice as much taxpayer money as border security
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Oct 28, 2013 [H/t ICECAP]
Link to Report: Federal Climate Change Expenditures Report to Congress
By Staff Writers, The White House, August 2013
Cost climate: daily $ 1 billion disappears into a black hole
By Hans Labohm, Trans from Dutch, DDS, Oct 25, 2013 [H/t Anne Debeil]
New Australian PM dismisses as ‘hogwash’ claims of Climate Commission he stripped of state funding that bushfires were caused by global warming
By Ted Thornhill, Mail, UK, Oct 25, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Hampton Roads on the ‘front lines’ of climate change
By Tamara Dietrich, Daily Press, Oct 28, 2013 [H/t Ronal Sundelin]
[SEPP Comment: A search on Google produced front lines ranging from Virginia, to Somerset, UK, to India, to Pacific Islands, to New York, back to Virginia.]
Crisfield, Md., beats back a rising Chesapeake Bay
By David Montgomery, Washington Post, Oct 24, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
[SEPP Comment: The region has been subsiding for centuries.]
Thawing Permafrost: The speed of coastal erosion in Eastern Siberia has nearly doubled
By Staff Writers, Bremerhaven, Germany (SPX), Oct 31, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Wave action erodes coastline – is this new?]
Increasing toxicity of algal blooms tied to nutrient enrichment and climate change
Toxic microcystin bacteria float, along with a dead fish, on the surface of this lake. Photo courtesy of Oregon State University.
By Staff Writers, Corvallis OR (SPX), Oct 28, 2013
Optimism About Meeting ‘Grand Challenge’ of Global Prosperity
By Staff Writer, Science Daily, Oct 24, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131024121806.htm
Weather pattern could provide early warning for catastrophic U.S. heat waves
By John Roach, NBC News, Oct 27, 2013 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
[SEPP Comment: The jet stream blocking pattern has long been known by meteorologists including Joe D’Aleo and Joe Bastardi.]
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Heat and fires from when CO2 was “ideal”: Black Thursday, 1851
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Oct 31, 2013
[SEPP Comment: So much for Australia’s fires being something new created by global warming.]
Germany’s Intelligence Agency Warns Of “International CO2 Conflicts”…But Geology Expert Calls Warnings “Pure Comedy”
By P Gosselin , No Tricks Zone, Nov 2, 2013
Environmentalist Group BUND Releases Baby-Gassing Video…Shows Agriculture Gassing Field Of Babies With Chemical Pesticides!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone Nov 1, 2013
Models v. Observations
Implications for climate models of their disagreement with observations
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Oct 30, 2013
The existence of disagreement between climate model predictions and observations doesn’t provide any insight in itself to why the disagreement exists, i.e. which aspect(s) of the model are inadequate, owing to the epistemic opacity of knowledge codified in complex models.
Why Falsifiability, Though Flawed, Is Alluring: Part I
By William Briggs, His Blog, Oct 29, 2013
http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=9705
Why Falsifiability, Though Flawed, Is Alluring: Part II Climate Model Example
By William Briggs, His Blog, Oct 31, 2013
http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=9761
Changing Weather
“Extreme weather” does not justify extreme political agenda
By Sen. Jeff Sessions, All Alabama, Oct 30, 2013 [H/t ICECAP]
http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/10/extreme_weather_does_not_justi.html
The UK Saint Jude’s Day Storm – just another fall storm in a long line of many
By Paul Homewood, WUWT, Oct 28, 2013
Atlantic hurricane season quietest in 45 years, experts say
By Tom Brown, Reuters, Oct 24, 2013
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/atlantic-hurricane-season-quietest-45-years-experts-170425159.html
[SEPP Comment: Not over yet.]
Storms are becoming ever more survivable
A big wind hitting Britain today does less harm than in past centuries
By Matt Ridley, His Blog, Oct 31, 2013
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/storms-are-becoming-ever-more-survivable.aspx
Changing Climate
New paper shows Medieval Warm Period was global in scope
By Anthony Watts: WUWT, Oct 31, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/31/new-paper-shows-medieval-warm-period-was-global-in-scope/
Link to paper: Pacific Ocean Heat Content During the Past 10,000 Years
By Rosenthal, Linsley, and Oppo, Science, Nov 1, 2013
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6158/617
Pacific Ocean Heat Content for the Past 10,000 years
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Nov 1, 2013
http://judithcurry.com/2013/11/01/pacific-ocean-heat-content-for-the-past-10000-years/
[SEPP Comment: Paper in link immediately above.]
What is Happening to the Oceans
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Nov 1, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/happening-oceans/
ScienceMag: Medieval Warm Period global, 0.65 °C warmer than present
By Luboš Motl, Reference Frame, Nov 1, 2013
http://motls.blogspot.com/2013/11/sciencemag-medieval-warm-period-global.html#more
10,000-Year Study Finds Oceans Warming Fast, But From a Cool Baseline
By Andrew Revkin, NYT Dot Earth,, Oct 31, 2013 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
Medieval Warm Period and the World’s Oceans
By Staff Writers, SPPI & CO2 Science, Oct 29, 2013
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/medieval_warm_period_and_the_worlds_oceans.html
Link to the report: http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/originals/mwp_oceans.pdf
Adapt to climate change, don’t fight it
By Tom Harris, Detroit News, Oct 31, 2013
Changing Seas
New study suggests coral reefs may be able to adapt to moderate climate change
By Staff Writers, NOAA, Oct 29, 2013 [H/t WUWT]
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20131029_coral.html
Link to paper: Incorporating adaptive responses into future projections of coral bleaching
By Logan, et al. Global Change Biology, Oct 28, 2013
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12390/full
Coral chemicals protect against warming oceans
By Staff Writers, Melbourne, Australia (SPX), Oct 28, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Coral_chemicals_protect_against_warming_oceans_999.html
Link to paper: DMSP biosynthesis by an animal and its role in coral thermal stress response
By Raina, et al, Nature, Oct 23, 2013
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature12677.html
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Historical Temperature Trends in Antarctica
By Staff Writers, SPPI & CO2 Science, Oct 30, 2013
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/historical_temperature_trends_in_antarctica.html
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
Science, Belief and Policy
By Martin Livermore, Scientific Alliance, Oct 31, 2013
http://scientific-alliance.org/scientific-alliance-newsletter/science-belief-and-policy
[SEPP Comment: Contrasting supporting the science establishment in GM crops and opposing the establishment in global warming.]
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
No new reviews this week
Litigation Issues
The Supreme Court eyes the EPA
By Leighton Steward, The Hill, Oct 30, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/judicial/188555-the-supreme-court-eyes-the-epa
Will Supreme Court Review Of Greenhouse Rule Take Air Out Of EPA Regulatory Overreach?
By Larry Bell, Forbes, Oct 29, 2013
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
France caves in to Brittany ‘ecotax’ protesters
By Tony Todd, France 24/7, Oct 31, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.france24.com/en/20131029-france-ecotax-brittany-farmers-food-climate-taxes-protests
EPA and other Regulators on the March
Coal Miner’s Slaughter: Thousands Protest War On Coal
Editorial, IBD, Oct 30, 2013
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/103013-677276-thousands-protest-epa-war-on-coal.htm?p=full
[Former] Obama official testifies against EPA’s global warming agenda
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Oct 29, 2013
http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/29/obama-official-testifies-against-epas-global-warming-agenda/
Georgia Public Service Commissioner Echols discusses impacts of power plant regulations on state
Transcript by Staff Writers, EETV, Oct 15, 2013
http://www.eenews.net/tv/videos/1735/transcript
[SEPP Comment: Pleading for time and flexibility to adjust to regulations.]
Bureaucrats run free, misinterpreting Endangered Species Act
By Theodore Hadzi-Antich, Washington Times, Oct 31, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/31/hadzi-antich-fishy-friends-in-high-places/
The dollars and nonsense of energy conservation
By David Kreutzer, Washington Times, Oct 27, 2013
[SEPP Comment: The public savings on the new EPA/DOE regulations on microwave ovens will about to $1.20 per year?]
EU Plans To Regulate Homes And Society…But Backs Down (For Now) On Mandating Water Savings
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Oct 30, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Hanging the wash outside in the winter uses less energy that running an electric dryer.]
Energy Issues – Non-US
IEA: Global Power Generation from Non-Fossil Sources has Decreased Over 20 Years
By Staff Writers, GWPF, Oct 30, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/iea-global-power-generation-green-energy-decreased-20-years/
Link to the book: Resources to Reserves 2013
IEA, Jun 28, 2013
http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?K=5K9FMQX930HG
Link to Executive Summary:
http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/resources2013SUM.pdf
China’s Natural Gas Paradigm Shift
By Tim Daiss and Michael Economides, Energy Tribune, Oct 31, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/79648/chinas-natural-gas-paradigm-shift#sthash.abHvFhCz.dpbs
CO2 emissions increased at slower rate in 2012: report
By Staff Writers, Paris (AFP), Oct 31, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/CO2_emissions_increased_at_slower_rate_in_2012_report_999.html
German BND spy agency sees shale depressing oil prices for decades
By Andreas Rinke, Reuters, Oct 31, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/31/oil-germany-shale-idUSL5N0IL3F020131031
Energy Issues — US
DOE rooftop challenge winners offer energy, cost savings
By Staff Writers, Richland WA (SPX), Nov 01, 2013
http://www.solardaily.com/reports/DOE_rooftop_challenge_winners_offer_energy_cost_savings_999.html
[SEPP Comment: Designing more efficient commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.]
Washington’s Control of Energy
Keystone developer: We won’t quit
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Oct 30, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/188717-keystone-developer-we-wont-quit
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
The US shale revolution is a reminder of the deep pools of ingenuity, risk taking, and entrepreneurship in America
By Mark Perry, AEIdeas, Oct 29, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Shale gas fracking a low risk to public health – UK review
By Kate Kelland, Reuters, Oct 31, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/31/uk-britain-health-fracking-idUKBRE99U0KK20131031
New Data Shows Carbon Emissions Falling As Shale Gas Debate Is Rising
By Ken Silverstein, Forbes, Oct 23, 2013
Scientists wary of shale oil and gas as US energy salvation
By Staff Writers, Boulder CO (SPX), Nov 01, 2013
[SEPP Comment: What nonsense!]
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Mini-Nuclear Reactors & The New Power Game
By: Peter C. Glover, Energy Tribune, Oct 28, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/79604/mini-nuclear-reactors-the-new-power-game#sthash.Mpn5ERXu.dpbs
Why nuclear power costs so much
Regulation has driven up the price
By Matt Ridley, His Blog, Oct 27, 2013
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/why-nuclear-power-costs-so-much.aspx
[SEPP Comment: Excessive regulation and the past efforts to create unique plants.]
Swiss nuclear plant to close in 2019: firm
By Staff Writers, Geneva (AFP), Oct 30, 2013
http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/Swiss_nuclear_plant_to_close_in_2019_firm_999.html
[SEPP Comment: It was the tsunami that wiped out the cooling facilities at Fukushima, not the earthquake. Yet, the government of mountainous, landlocked Switzerland uses Fukushima to justify shutting off nuclear power? According to Wikipedia, the elevation of Mühleberg, where the plant is located, is 557 m (1,827 ft).]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
Storage Double Speak
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Nov 1, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/storage-double-speak/
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Energy — Other
Avoiding the Power Grid
A cheaper fuel cell could provide affordable power for microgrids.
By David Talbot, MIT Technology Review, Oct 22, 2013
Lockheed Martin and Reignwood Group Sign Contract To Develop Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Power Plant
by Staff Writers
Baltimore MD (SPX) Nov 01, 2013
[SEPP Comment: A fascinating source of power, but only suitable for places with a deep drop off of ocean depth [temperature], such as Hawaii.]
The proteins in major biodiesel plant have been mapped – and it does not look good
By Staff Writers, Odense, Denmark (SPX) Oct 28, 2013
Link to Paper; Isotope Labeling-Based Quantitative Proteomics of Developing Seeds of Castor Oil Seed (Ricinus communis L.)
By Fabio, et al, J. Proteome Res, Oct 3, 2013
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/pr400685z
[SEPP Comments: The waste products may be toxic.]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
Tesla as David vs Goliath
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Oct 29, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/tesla-as-david-vs-goliath/
Carbon Schemes
Coal Utilization Research Council’s Yamagata says wide-scale CCS deployment 20 years away
Transcript by Staff Writer, EETV, Oct 29, 2013
http://www.eenews.net/tv/videos/1741/transcript
[SEPP Comment: So much for EPA claims that it is commercially available and the new EPA rigs will squash CCS development.]
Kemper IGCC Costs Again Revised Upwards, In-Schedule Date Reset
By Sonal Patel, Power News, Oct 31, 2013
[SEPP Comment: The estimated cost of this plant that includes carbon capture and storage have gone from $2.2 billion in 2004 to $4.02 billon today.]
California Dreaming
Fixing California: The Green Gentry’s Class Warfare
By Joel Kotkin, U-T San Diego, Oct 26, 2013 {H/t GWPF]
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/oct/26/fixing-california-the-green-gentrys-class-warfare/
California’s Crude Attack On Oil Imports Makes Other States Green With Enmity
By Larry Bell, Forbes, Oct 27, 2013
[SEPP Comment: According to the bureaucrats, locally produced oil is cleaner than other oil because the shorter transportation creates less CO2 emissions. What about refining locally?]
California Energy Update: Part II
California’s Green Energy Swan Turning Into Ugly Duckling
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/10/california-energy-update-ii/#more-28217
[SEPP Comment: The critical months for assuring adequate power on the grid are becoming the once safe, shoulder months.]
Health, Energy, and Climate
Michael Pollan Promotes ‘Denialist’ Anti-GMO Junk Science, Says He Manipulates New York Times’ Editors
By Jon Entine, Forbes, Oct 24, 2013 [H/t ACSH]
[SEPP Comment: More on the campaigns against genetically modified organisms that increase crop yields and can improve health.]
Environmental Industry
Chevron Vindicated As Evidence Points To ‘Green Fraud’ By Environmentalists
Editorial, IBD, Nov 1, 2013
Defeating Faux Environmentalism: Making a Moral Case for Fossil Fuel Abundance
By Alex Epstein, Master Resource, Nov 1, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/11/defeating-faux-environmentalism/#more-28285
‘Fractivists’ caught in flood of Colorado lie
By Ron Arnold, Washington Examiner, Oct 27, 2013
Link to funding sources: CitizenAudit exposes the funding behind Big Green’s Colorado ‘netwar’
The New Renewables Narrative: Buyer Beware
By Marita Noon, Master Resource, Oct 29, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/10/new-renewables-narrative/#more-28232
[SEPP Comment: Economically destructive, environmental zealotry is not limited to any political party.]
The Fossil Fuel Industry Must Vigorously Defend Itself Against Attacks From Environmentalists
By Alex Epstein, Forbes, Oct 30, 2013
Other Scientific News
Dark matter experiment deep in U.S. gold mine returns first results
By Staff Writers, Lead, S.D. (UPI), Oct 30, 2013
Other News that May Be of Interest
Just 2 weeks in orbit causes changes in eyes
By Staff Writers, Houston TX (SPX), Oct 28, 2013
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Just_2_weeks_in_orbit_causes_changes_in_eyes_999.html
Watching Earth’s Winds, On a Shoestring
By Staff Writers, Pasadena CA (JPL), Nov 01, 2013
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Watching_Earths_Winds_On_a_Shoestring_999.html
Norwegian village uses giant mirrors to capture the sun
By Staff Writers, Rjukan, Norway (AFP), Oct 30, 2013
http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Norwegian_village_uses_giant_mirrors_to_capture_the_sun_999.html
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
The Battle of the Psychologists:
Enviro-Psychologists Confirm Climate Alarmists Are Making Themselves Mentally Sick…”Doomer Depression”
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Oct 31, 2013
Mann and Lewandowsky go psychotic on climate skeptics
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Nov 1, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/11/01/mann-and-lewandowsky-go-psychotic-on-skeptics/
[SEPP Comment: Anyone who dares to disagree with Mr. Mann must have a psychological disorder.]
Friday Funny – Svalbard Revisited
By David Archibald, WUWT, Nov 1, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/11/01/friday-funny-svalbard-revisited/
The big stink 93.9 million years ago – blame CO2
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Oct 28, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/28/the-big-stink-93-9-million-years-ago-blame-co2/
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These expenditures further support SEPP’s earlier estimates that since 1993, the US has spent over $150 Billion on climate change. The updated figure is over $165 Billion. The climate establishment is well funded, but it still cannot provide an accurate answer to the critical question of how sensitive is the planet to a doubling of atmospheric CO2.
The quickest way to eliminate the CAGW problem is to cut off funding to the climate establishment.
So the guy who is responsible for managing and directing agencies in the ‘executive branch’ is so clueless about his responsibilities that he feels he needs to abuse the use of a ‘Presidential Order’ to direct his own agencies to prepare for an climate alarmist fantasy. He could just issue direct orders to his own direct reports.
Perhaps that just puts too much honest work dirt on his hands.
I assume the ‘presidentially ordered’ agencies will have to enlarge their budgets now, significantly.
PaulH says:
November 3, 2013 at 7:18 pm
… “The quickest way to eliminate the CAGW problem is to cut off funding to the climate establishment.”
*
I wish that would happen. The problem would miraculously clear up overnight.
inre: Forbes. “On Monday, an organization known as the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER), issued a statement declaring, there is “No scientific consensus on GMO safety.” To those familiar with the science of GMOs and the safety testing record, the full statement reads like farce. It has 93 signators, not one considered a mainstream scientist—a ‘Who’s Who’ of anti-biotechnology campaigners.
A recent paper by independent Italian scientists noted there have been 1783 studies on safety and health issues related to GMOs over the last ten years alone, including many publicly funded studies, confirming the safety of GMOs. The literal avalanche of GMO safety studies, short term and long, have prompted more than 100 of the world’s independent science bodies to conclude that foods made from genetically modified crops are as safe or safer than conventional or organic varieties.”
This vindicates Norman Borlaug, who saw genetic modification as not much different than what has been practiced by farmers for the last 10,000 years in developing better crops. “[Borlaug] saw genetic modification as only a refinement of old plant breeding methods and became a strong advocate of its possibilities, both to enable more mouths to be fed and to help the environment. By producing more food from less land, Borlaug argued, high-yield farming would help preserve Africa’s wild habitats from further depletion by slash-and-burn subsistence agriculture. The battle over biotech products, he reflected bitterly, was being fought mainly in the rich West, where “governments collectively subsidise their very small farming populations to the tune of $350 billion a year….”
Ken – you need to take note of some facts that do not come from warmist pseudoscientists. First is Arctic warming. I quote blogger Jim Bouldin on the Baffin Island study: “These findings add additional evidence to the growing consensus that anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have now resulted in unprecedented recent summer warmth that is well outside the range of that attributable to natural climate variability” When such stupidity is claimed you should immediately jump in and point out that Arctic warming is not greenhouse warming but is caused by warm Gulf Stream water carried into the Arctic Ocean by North Atlantic currents. I proved that this is the only possibility because greenhouse warming is forbidden by the laws of physics. This follows from the fact that there is no increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide when the warming starts at the turn of the twentieth century. Prior to that there was nothing but slow cooling for two thousand years. The warming paused in mid-century for thirty years, then resumed, and until last year was still going strong. Direct measurement of water temperature reaching the Arctic in 2010 showed it to be higher than any time within the last 2000 years, confirming the hypothesis that warm water is the cause of it. This and more you will find in the paper I published in E&E in 2011. You can download it from Judith Curry’s blog but if you can’t let me know. I offered it to Anthony but he flatly disbelieved me. I would have expected that from a warmist but apparently he is a lukewarmist and will not allow total denial of greenhouse warming on his blog. That is sad because total absence of greenhouse warming is responsible for the current warming pause that has lasted for 15 years. There is another 18 year period like that in the eighties and nineties that has been covered up in official temperature curves by a fake warming called “late twentieth century warming.” I called attention to this in my book and last fall the big three of global temperature – GISTEMP, HadCRUT, and NCDC – stopped showing it and aligned their data with satellites. That was done secretly and no reason was given. It so happens that lack of greenhouse warming is exactly what Ferenc Miskolczi predicted in 2007. He was not accepted by warmists, apparently because they did not understand the math. But by 2010 he had experimental proof and we can consider the problem of the warming pause solved.,This also neatly explains why Arctic is the only part of the world that is still warming.
Quite frankly, money just ‘pissed away’ … and nothing as useful as Teflon was invented.
“Navel-gazing”* raised to the hundreds of billions of dollars level.
.
* “the activity of thinking too much or too deeply about yourself, your experiences, your feelings, etc” per m-w.
Congress did not “fail to pass cap and trade.” … Congress refused to pass cap and trade… The wording is clear evidence of the author’s bias.
As I recall, Reagan’s Star Wars Missile Defense System only turned out to be a trillion dollar money drain. Anyone notice how those Conservative Congressmen that brag about their Christianity cut the Food Stamps (SNAP benefits) just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Never mind that Jesus Christ could never do that. Holy Christians like them practice their faith every day, to keep as many people as possible poor and hungry, holidays or not.
Carbon taxation without co2’s vindication is tyranny!
Ed, just cap it already. Some of us are in no mood for your sophomoric, DKos, HuffPo, DU ‘brand’ of history re-writing …
.
“According to Briggs, by the IPCC is changing its theories (assumptions), even ever so slightly, it impossible to falsify the theories.”
Not entirely wrong. But by the same token, if they keep jiggering their fudge factors, they haven’t begun to verify the models either. It’s just numerology so thoroughly ad-hoc that it squarely places Astrologers and Dowsers in the ‘strongly empirical’ camp of science.
And Australia should be warming up eh?
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/chilly-november-nights-for-southern-nsw-and-act/25808
From Walter Boltz, executive director of Energie-Control Austria and vice-chairman of Europe’s Agency for the Co-operation of Energy Regulators (ACER) in the article ‘Europe risks ‘de-industrialisation’ if energy price imbalance with US continues’.
“
In other words, skewing the market to renewables (unreliables) will lead to an unreliable energy supply. And that will lead to less investment. And that will lead to greater poverty, greater suffering.
Now if we could just work out the negative externalities of CO2 output when any potential impact of CO2 output is barely observable over the lifetime of energy infrastructure…
They’re getting rattled-
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/03/world/nuclear-energy-climate-change-scientists/?hpt=hp_t3
This could split the real warmies off from the usual suspects.
I think the Friday XO makes more sense if you combine it as a driver of what is to be the official Industrial Policy to get to regional equity in the US coupled to the attendant education policy nicknamed the Common Core. If you then go back to the early 70s aspirations from Harvard sociologist Daniel Bell on how to successfully get the US to a planned society designed around equality of results, it all starts to really fall into place.
It’s still pernicious in an ultimately catastrophic way but it does fit with longstanding aspirations for transformative change that only see temp as an excuse for what was sought all along. http://www.invisibleserfscollar.com/assessing-deep-knowledge-to-monitor-whether-theory-is-guiding-what-will-be-noticed-and-observed/
It was properlypointed out earlier, but needs to emphasized:
The Congress did not “fail” to pass a cap and trade. The people’s direct representatives refused to.
The President simply ignored the will of the people.
And if you read his response, his main point in this Executive Order is that a website should be built.
A website. This President has a thing for websites. And he seems too distracted to notice that his websites don’t work so well.
The next successful President will be the one who promises to dismantle the Obama Administration websites and actually does so.
Ed M,
If you think a corrupted program that no longer serves to prevent hunger should not be cut, and if you think we spent a trillion on star wars defense, then we will just have to agree that you are operating on a fact-free, ethics free playing field, all by your self.
“Briggs asserts that if predictions derived from a theory are probabilistic, then the theory cannot be falsified using such predictions.”
If this is so, then the theory cannot be considered to live in the realm of science.
You guys can fact check and present, but you don’t. When you have nothing, personal attack.
So the conservative vipers give bankers a holiday gift.
Of course those same Christians that are fine with letting people go hungry in the land of plenty, are perfectly happy that Citigroup lobbyists drafted more than 70 of the 85 lines of their House bill to gut Dodd Frank financial regulations act. That bill driven by Citibank allows a wide range of financial derivatives to be done directly by the bank, which is to say, the insured entity, which is to say, the government would be on the hook if there were losses. Which is to say, our money is on the line again.
No reintroduction of Glass-Steagall law that had separated commerce and banking, nor simply repeal the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, which had created the massive regulatory black hole on financial derivatives.
As I recall, Reagan’s Star Wars Missile Defense System only turned out to be a trillion dollar money drain. Anyone notice how those Conservative Congressmen that brag about their Christianity cut the Food Stamps (SNAP benefits) just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Never mind that Jesus Christ could never do that. Holy Christians like them practice their faith every day, to keep as many people as possible poor and hungry, holidays or not.
******
I can find national defense in the US Constitution, but can’t find the authority for the Departments of Education, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, etc, nor EPA, NPR, ad nauseum. Where not specifically enumerated, such responsibilities lies with the states.
Period.
With respect to WWJD? Would Jesus say that it is OK for the all powerful state to steal for those who earned their incomes, in order to pay for those unwilling to do it for themselves? No. Jesus taught we that we, personally, should be charitable to those who are in need. Many of us give freely to charity – we don’t need Big Brother to tell us how much and to whom we should be charitable.
I am not American, but I think executive orders can be rescinded when there is a change in administration. Correct me if I am wrong. This might be easier than changing laws if congress approves. Hope you Americans get a change soon.
Ed Mertin says:
November 4, 2013 at 8:32 am
Dodd-Frank was designed by the financial industry & foisted upon us by their eponymous tools in Congress. The banks know they can always get around new regulations, but it headed off what they really didn’t want, ie breaking the too big to fail banks back up into the smaller, pre-Clinton Administration constituent parts. Just to make the corruption complete, Franks’ then live-in boyfriend ran Fannie Mae before & during the crisis.
The financial melt down was indeed caused in part by the 1999 repeal of Glass-Steagall, which kept mortgage lending & investment banking separate. The other parts were further mergers in the financial industry (which had been on-going) & most importantly the subprime slime, which encouraged banks to lend to borrowers without reference to time-tested credit-worthiness standards. All this occurred under Clinton & Rubin, the latter of whom promptly left the administration to cash out at Citi based upon the law changes he had just instituted. Members of both parties in Congress also obviously had to sign off on the deal, since the GOP controlled the House.
Ed Mertin says:
November 3, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Star Wars wasn’t built, so cost very little, especially compared with the savings from winning the Cold War that it helped achieve.
Ed Mertin says
You guys can fact check and present, but you don’t. When you have nothing, personal attack.
So the conservative vipers give bankers a holiday gift. ….No reintroduction of Glass-Steagall law that had separated commerce and banking, nor simply repeal the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, which had created the massive regulatory black hole on financial derivatives.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You made the challenge NOW READ!
First off Obama had a majority in the house and the Senate his first term WHY didn’t THEY repeal the new banking laws?? Hint: Top Senate Democrat: Sen. Dick Durbin, on a local Chicago radio station this week, blurted out an obvious truth about Congress that, despite being blindingly obvious, is rarely spoken: “And the banks — hard to believe in a time when we’re facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created — are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place.”
It has been 100 years and despite the fact the FED has bled the USA dry, there have only been about a half dozen Congress critters who have gone after the Fed.
It was CLINTON who set up the present economic mess ON PURPOSE.
CLINTON AND TRADE TREATIES:
Clinton pushed the ratification of WTO, NAFTA, the entry of China into the WTO.
And China’s WTO Violations Threaten [an additional] 1.6 Million … American jobs in the auto industry, according to the Alliance for American Manufacturing…. (Jan 31, 2012)
[b]Clinton KNEW US jobs would be exported and made sure the blame would not fall on him.[/b]
Also of interest, no sooner than Bush entered the White House the Banker Owned News Media started screaming RECESSION!
Ed Mertin…. Cont.
CLINTON AND FARMING
The WTO Agreement on Ag and the “Freedom to Fail” 1996 Farm bill that bankrupted American farmers and farmers overseas allowing the Ag Cartels to move in and grab power over the world food supply were both written under Clinton by Cargil VP Dan Amstutz (I am hoping he is roasting in Hades.)
As an example NAFTA:
Rothschild cashes in by Investing in Farmland
Credit Suisse: The Hunt for Land Has Already Started
Ed Mertin,
CLINTON AND BANKS
Clinton’s signed the laws that repealed the McFadden Act of 1927, the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 and the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 lead to the Formation of Mega Banks. He is also responsible for the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 that was responsible for marginal mortgage loans doomed to fail and the unregulated CDSs used to insure the banks against foreclosure.
The Federal Reserve Act was signed into law by a Democrat on 1913.
The US public was against the resulting Bank Bailouts but we got them anyway and then got the additional shaft from the Obama’s Mortgage Modification Program. Families on the edge were lured into the modification program, their mortgage payments lowered and then a year or so later the banks tell them the do not “Qualify” and hand them a HUGE bill due in 30 days consisting of all the money shaved off the year’s morgage payments, penalties AND LAWYERS FEES. If you manage to scrape the money together you hit Act II. The bank refuses to hand you a bill. It took us hiring a lawyer and a six months of dancing to get the !&%$ bank to actually name the amount needed to pay to keep us out of foreclosure!!!
The US public was against the resulting Bank Bailouts but we got them anyway. The Fed refused to allow Congress (Ron Paul) to see where the money went When the Fed finally answered the question several year later, it turns out it went to the EU to bailout THEIR BANKS! Wall Street Journal: The Federal Reserve’s Covert Bailout of Europe
Americans then got the additional shaft from the Obama’s Mortgage Modification Program. Families on the edge were lured into the modification program, their mortgage payments lowered and then a year or so later the banks tell them the do not “Qualify” and hand them a HUGE bill due in 30 days consisting of all the money shaved off the year’s morgage payments, penalties AND LAWYERS FEES. If you manage to scrape the money together you hit Act II. The bank refuses to hand you a bill. It took us hiring a lawyer and a six months dance to get the *&^$! bank to actually name the amount needed to pay to keep us out of foreclosure!!!
..
There was no law to back-up Obama’s loan modification plans so the banks could determine whether or not to foreclose and collect not only the house but the taxpayer funded credit default swap insurance and you can bet your boots the more credit default swaps on you mortgage the more the bank WANTED to foreclose. It PAID to make risky loans. Obama’s mortgage modification program was a colossal failure, with hardly any principal modifications occurring. But the banks won big as marginal loans were forced into foreclosures that would otherwise not have occurred.
Obama’s Mortgage Modification Program A Colossal Flop
If you want to bash Republicans than bash Bush for the Patriot Act (that Obama and his Democratic Congress left intact) or Reagan and his Corporate Raiders and Leveraged Buyouts that took the accumulated assets of companies with NO DEBT and transferred it to raiders and banks while wiping out the corporation or leaving it so heavily in debt that salaries had to be cut.
Der Fuehrer’s order to his satraps to double down on his lies concerning climate change is an act of fraud committed against the American people. It is anti-reason, anti-science and anti-liberty. There is no more truth to der Fuehrer’s claims regarding climate change than there is in his statements that “you can keep your insurance plan, PERIOD,” “you can keep your doctor, PERIOD”. This man is a habitual liar, and hopefully his mendacity concerning health care will help to expose his mendacity regarding climate change.