The Week That Was: 2014-08-02 (August 2, 2014) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
Quote of the Week: “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” — Charles Darwin
Number of the Week: 63% v. 31%
SEPP’S APRIL FOOLS AWARD
THE JACKSON
On July 27, SEPP announced the winner of this year’s April Fools award at the annual meeting of the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness (DDP). Each year SEPP conducts its annual vote for the recipient of the coveted trophy, The Jackson, a piece of coal on a pedestal. Readers of The Week That Was are asked to nominate and vote for who they thinks is most deserving following these criteria:
· 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.
There were 20 nominations representing 4 countries and the States of California and Vermont. The votes have been tabulated.
The clear winner was John Kerry!
On February 16, Mr. Kerry gave a speech to students and government officials in Jakarta, Indonesia. He called global warming/climate change perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass destruction.
The DDP meeting was a particularly fitting place to announce the April Fool’s award because many attending are knowledgeable about real man-made weapons of mass destruction, such as thermonuclear devices. These are significantly different from the largely imaginary one of man-made global warming Mr. Kerry decried.
In the 1960s and 70s the term Ugly American was used to describe arrogant behavior by Americans and American officials abroad.
Mr Kerry is very wealthy, with several luxury homes, luxury yacht, and private jet.
Yet, in that speech, he urged developing nations to cut greenhouse-gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide. For Indonesia, and many other developing countries, coal-fired power plants are critical for generating the electricity necessary to help bring these countries out of dire poverty. Coal-fired power plants emit carbon dioxide, which Mr. Kerry is demanding developing countries stop. Does the term Ugly American fit?
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
DDP Meeting: There were several scientific presentations at the Annual Meeting of the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness that may be of interest to TWTW readers. SEPP President and Chairman Fred Singer gave two presentations: one on sea level rise and one of the difference between the findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).
In his first presentation, Singer asserted that there is no evidence that sea level rise is accelerating. Earlier satellite indications that it was accelerating were the result of calibration errors. The best tidal gage data indicates a rise of about 15 cm (6 inches) by 2100. This is consistent with historic rise over the past few millennia. Singer attributes the rise to the slow melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet (which is different than the glaciers on the Antarctic continent, which are accumulating snow and ice). Singer asserts sea level rise appears to be independent of global temperatures and carbon dioxide (CO2). There is nothing humans can do except build dikes in vulnerable areas and wait for the next ice age.
In discussing the difference between the IPCC and NIPCC reports, Singer brought up the findings of the InterAcademy Council that IPCC reports need independent review, which NIPCC provides. NIPCC examines studies and data that the IPCC overlooks.
Singer asserted that the projections from the IPCC models greatly overestimate warming, even though world-wide emissions of carbon dioxide continue to rise. He also asserted there are issues with the surface temperature data, particularly between 1979 and 1997, which may be a result of human error.
Singer concluded that the NIPCC data show no significant anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming (AGW) in the 20th century. There has been no significant AGW in the 21st century. The sensitivity of the Earth’s temperatures to CO2 is near zero. Government controls on CO2 emissions are pointless, costly and hazardous to general human welfare.
Astrophysicist Willie Soon, a lead author of the NIPCC Climate Change Reconsidered II – Physical Science, emphasized errors and omissions in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR-5, 2013) in describing the solar influences on the earth’s climate. Among the issues Soon discussed is that the IPCC report ignored the non-linear dynamics of the Earth’s orbit; which produce changes in the seasonal distribution of incoming sunlight. Also, it omits discussion of the uncertainty in measuring total solar irradiation, which is so great that there can be no confidence in the climate signals from increasing CO2. The report ignores datasets that differ from the one chosen. The IPCC report ignores that accurate knowledge of the influence of solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance is needed to establish total solar influence and that influence of the solar magnetic fields may be incorrectly dismissed as well as studies of Sun-like stars.
Charles Battig, the president of the Piedmont Chapter of Virginia Scientists and Engineers for Energy and Environment presented his detailed research on the expanding influence of the UN policymakers on local governments and local land-use decisions. These influences generally are promoted as needed for the false notion of sustainability, which Charles considers to be a path to hunger. The research can be found at Battig’s web site: http://climateis.com/2014/07/29/my-doctors-for-disaster-preparedness-presentation-sustainability-a-path-to-the-hunger-games-knoxville-tn-july-26-2014/
James Peacock, an Apollo engineer, presented the findings of the Right Climate Stuff Team. The team of retired Apollo scientists and engineers applied the technology and decision making process they used on the Apollo missions to the global warming/climate change research currently being conducted and found the current research wanting. The findings can be found at web site managed by Peacock: http://www.therightclimatestuff.com/SummaryPrelimReport.html.
Ken Haapala, of SEPP, discussed the decaying empirical support of the EPA’s finding that greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, endanger human welfare. The EPA’s three lines of evidence cannot be substantiated. The falsely declared human fingerprint is an illusion. The hot spot centered over the tropics at about 33,000 feet (10 km) cannot be found with satellite and weather balloon measurements, would occur whatever the cause of the surface warming. The claimed unprecedented and dangerous late 20th century warming is likely erroneous. The warming can be easily refuted by an examination of the Earth’s temperatures from 10,000 years ago to 300 years ago, using the best records available (Don Easterbrook). And the forecasting ability of the climate models is growing worse as the Earth refuses to warm as claimed. The models are speculative.
Haapala discussed how production of oil and natural gas are declining in federally-controlled areas. He presented the heavy government funding of alternative energy programs and that the funding is a lobby promoting global warming, which has little to do with the actual science. In his view, the major threat to America’s energy security lies in Washington.
On Saturday night, Dr. Ming Wang gave a moving talk and musical performance. He discussed his flight from China, and why it gave him a great appreciation for freedom. His 3D laser eye surgery and pioneering amniotic membrane contact lenses have given sight to many who had little hope. It was a particularly touching moment in a fine educational conference.
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Council of Economic Advisers: The President’s Council of Economic Advisers released a report finding that great harm will come to the national economy from global warming/climate change if the President’s climate plan is not adopted. The report is based on the DICE model developed by William Nordhaus, who became a co-author with Paul Samuelson in Samuelson’s famed textbook, Economics.
In itself, the Dynamic Integrated Climate-Economy (DICE) model can be interesting. But, all this is based on climate models, and their assumptions, which are failing. If, as stated above, the impact of CO2 emissions on the Earth’s temperatures are minimal, the adverse economic impact of the emissions on the nation is minimal. As the disparity between climate model forecasts and temperature observations grows, the speculative nature of these models become more apparent. Could building a speculative economic model on top of a speculative climate model be called speculation squared?
Also disturbing: the report uses pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide as a baseline. The pre-industrial period corresponded to the Little Ice Age. As shown by H.H. Lamb in Climate, History, and the Modern World, the Little Ice Age was a devastating period for humanity. Some argue that the cold period only occurred in Europe. But studies collected by CO2 Science show the argument to be false. The age brought periods of disease, famine, and death to temperate regions of the world. If CO2 brought the world out of the Little Ice Age, doubtful, then it is an enormous benefit to humanity. These economists apparently do not know economic history.
Also, the current benefits of CO2 are not included in the calculations. These benefits are presented in NIPCC’s Climate Change Reconsidered – Biological Impacts. It is as if official Washington, including the Department of Agriculture, has forgotten the concept of photosynthesis.
Official Washington seems to be bound by a mind-set that CO2 is the control knob of Earth’s temperatures and that the mind-set must be defended at all costs. The damage to the credibility of once venerated institutions is one of the costs. See links under Lowering Standards.
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WWI Mind-Set: With regard to CO2 it seems official Washington has a mind-set similar to that of World War I generals. August 4 marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. After initial German success in the West, the war became one of trench warfare. For years, in spite of all evidence, European generals on all sides ordered millions of men to their deaths by demanding frontal assaults on heavily defended positions. The soldiers were slaughtered by concentrated artillery and machinegun fire.
For example, on July 1, 1916, the British opened the battle of the Somme. Using tanks for the first time, the offensive was initially successful. But it quickly bogged down. The British lost about 60,000 men the first day – killed, wounded, or missing. When asked why the assault failed to take the objectives, General Haig reportedly said they did not commit enough men.
By the time nature mercifully ended the battle with the onset of winter, the British had lost over 600,000 men, the French about 200,000 and the Germans over 400,000.
No strategic objectives were taken, but the British military historians termed the battle a victory.
When Churchill criticized the strategy, his critics demanded what he would have done. We do not know Churchill’s response, but an appropriate response would have been: DO NOTHING!
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Sub-Prime Investments: In a Senate hearing, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy promoted the closing of coal-fired power plants as investment opportunity in renewable energy. In the 1990s and early 2000s we had some government officials and politicians promoting sub-prime mortgages as investments opportunities, all based on sub-prime economics. Now we have government officials and politicians promoting sub-prime electrical generation as investment opportunities, all based on sub-prime science.
EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe complains that he is having difficulty building a bridge to Republican members of Congress. Perhaps some are not the fools the EPA thinks they are. See links under EPA and Other Regulators on the March
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Green Machine: A Minority Staff report by the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works details the interlocking relationships among some private foundations on funneling money to the environmental industry, many of whose former employees are now members of this administration. The response to this report should be interesting, particularly the response by the EPA.
On a different matter, IBD reported that the IRS reached an out-of-court settlement with a group of atheists, whereby IRS will start to monitor church sermons. The purpose is to see if the sermons have a political context that could be ascribed to violating the tax-exempt status of the churches.
It would be interesting to see the reaction of environmentally orientated foundations if their tax-status is questioned on the basis of their donations to organizations in the environmental industry. See links under Funding Issues and Other News that May Be of Interest.
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GAO: A 2005 law prevents the EPA from directly regulating the hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells, a process that is decades old. A report from the General Accountability Office recommends that EPA begin regulating these important activities under the guise of the Clean Water Act. As with many current government reports, this one is long on concerns and short on facts. It presents no evidence that state regulators are failing in their duties, and largely ignores that most of the fracturing is occurring thousands of feet below aquifers, with impervious rock separating the layers. The report may become a questionable justification for the EPA to expand its regulatory powers. See link under EPA and other Regulators on the March
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Number of the Week: 63% v. 31% A study of national death certificates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covering the five year period of 2006 to 2010 attributed 10,649 deaths to weather events.
Of the deaths attributed to the weather, about 63% were tied to exposure to the cold or hypothermia; about 31% of the deaths were caused by heat, heat stroke or sun stroke and the remaining 6% were blamed on storms, floods or lightning.
So much for the alarmism being spread by many in Washington that CO2 emissions will cause massive numbers of deaths.
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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 Why the Buzz About a Bee-pocalypse Is a Honey Trap
Populations of the pollinators are not declining and a ban on neonic pesticides would devastate U.S. agriculture.
By Henry Miller, WSJ, Jul 22, 2014
2. Japan to Step Up Support for Overseas Use of Coal
By Mari Iwata, WSJ, Jul 23, 2014
http://online.wsj.com/articles/japan-to-step-up-support-for-overseas-use-of-coal-1406114037
3. Miners Struggle With a Federal Cave-In
It takes the average American mine seven to 10 years to move from permitting to production.
By Daniel McGroarty, WSJ, Jul 24, 2014
http://online.wsj.com/articles/daniel-mcgroarty-miners-struggle-with-a-federal-cave-in-1406243847
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Climategate Continued
Cook’s Fake Ethics Approval
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Jul 26, 2014
http://climateaudit.org/2014/07/26/cooks-fake-ethics-approval/
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry
Greens try to get scientists removed from select committee
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 31, 2014
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Is West Antarctic ice ‘endangered’?
By William Balgord, Detroit News, Jul 17, 2014
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201407170100/OPINION01/307170006
Climate Science; Winning The Science Battle, But Losing the Policy
By Tim Ball, A Different Prospective, Jul 28, 2014
http://drtimball.com/2014/climate-science-winning-the-science-battle-but-losing-the-policy-war/
Paper justifying AR4’s use of a uniform prior for estimating climate sensitivity shown to be faulty
By Nic Lewis, Climate Audit, Jul 30, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Technical issue on proper application of statistical techniques.]
Defending the Orthodoxy
Obama to attend UN climate summit in NY
By Laura Barron-Lopez, The Hill, Jul 24, 2014
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/213207-report-obama-to-attend-un-climate-summit-in-ny
Biofuels benefit energy security, Secretary Moniz says
By Daniel J. Graeber, Washington (UPI), Jul 18, 2013
http://www.biofueldaily.com/reports/Biofuels_benefit_energy_security_Secretary_Moniz_says_999.html
[SEPP Comment: Is the Secretary of Energy oblivious of the shale oil and gas revolution?]
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Reflections on the State of Climate Science
By Anthony Sadar, American Thinker, Jul 24, 2014
http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/07/reflections_on_the_state_of_climate_science.html
2014: A Record Year
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Jul 29, 2014
http://www.thegwpf.org/2014-a-record-year/
Bamboozled Billionaires
By Norman Rogers, American Thinker, Jul 21, 2014
http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/07/bamboozled_billionaires.html
A Modest Sceptic Boasts…and Frets
By Alan Moran, Quadrant, Aug 1, 2014
http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2014/08/modest-sceptic-boasts-frets/
Now that climate careerists and hysterics are in retreat, their costly legacy remains a huge burden
Leading German Alarmist Scientist Mojib Latif Turns Cool: “Climate Sensitivity Is Too High”!
Geomar scientist dares to go public, criticizes publication censorship: criticism of IPCC models unwanted!
By Sebastian Lüning and Fritz Vahrenholt, Trans. P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 28, 2014
German Meteorologist Dominik Jung: Climate Experts’ Forecasts Changing As Fast As The Weather!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 30, 2014
Half the world is immune to “expert consensus” they don’t think scientists know what they are talking about
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jul 26, 2014
Paul Ryan Says ‘Climate Change Occurs No Matter What’
By Igor Bobic, The Huff Post, Jul 31, 2014 [H/t Conrad Potemra]
Premature Climate Alarmism in Austin
By Sierra Rayne, American Thinker, Jul 27, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/07/premature_climate_alarmism_in_austin.html
[SEPP Comment: Climate War Profiteers?]
Who’s really waging the ‘war on science’?
By Paul Driessen, WUWT, Jul 28, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/28/whos-really-waging-the-war-on-science/
Up to 20% of collared polar bears located on ice that officially does not exist, says the PBSG
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Jul 31, 2014
Social Benefits of Carbon
Effects of Elevated C02 on the Stomatal Conductance of Agricultural Crops
By Staff Writers, CO2Science & SPPI, Jul 30, 2014
Another benefit of global warming – increased forage plants
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 24, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/24/another-bemefit-of-global-warming-increased-forage-plants/
[SEPP Comment: Also increased CO2]
Problems in the Orthodoxy
Climate’s parliamentary cheerleaders
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 29, 2014
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/7/29/climates-parliamentary-cheerleaders.html
[SEPP Comment: The dissent is a good summary of the problems.]
MPs bicker over IPCC report on causes of climate change
By Matt McGrath, BBC, Jul 29, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28531091
[SEPP Comment: Non-science from the Energy and Climate Change Committee: glossing over so-called small errors in the 2007 report! The Himalayan Glaciers will melt by 2035 is a small error?]
Politicizing the IPCC report
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 29, 2014
http://judithcurry.com/2014/07/29/politicizing-the-ipcc-report/
Energy and Climate Change Committee report on IPCC AR5
By Paul Matthews, The IPCC Report, Jul 29, 2014
https://ipccreport.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/energy-and-climate-change-committee-report-on-ipcc-ar5/
[SEPP Comment: One of the supporters has a Master’s degree in creative writing – appropriate for the IPCC Summary for Policymakers.]
India pitches for early ratification of second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol
By Vishwa Mohan, The Times of India, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: Legally binding on rich countries and voluntary on developing countries?]
UK slashes climate change diplomacy budget
Foreign office cut climate diplomacy budget by 39%, ahead of crucial summit for climate deal in Paris, RTCC reports
By Megan Darby Guardian, UK, Aug 1, 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/uk-slashes-climate-change-diplomacy-budget
Seeking a Common Ground
Lomborg’s Senate testimony
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 30, 2014
http://judithcurry.com/2014/07/30/lomborgs-senate-testimony/#more-16427
Link to Hearing: Examining the Threats Posed by Climate Change.
Because there is no good, cheap green energy, the almost universal political choices have been expensive policies that do little.
Montgomery’s Senate testimony: economics of climate adaptation
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Aug 1, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Counters to the demand for immediate action.]
Pentagon’s war against climate change
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 20, 2014
http://judithcurry.com/2014/07/20/pentagons-war-against-climate-change/
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
A Global Fire History of the Past Century
Reference: Yang, J., Tian, H., Tao, B., Ren, W., Kush, J., Liu, Y. and Wang, Y. 2014. Spatial and temporal patterns of global burned area in response to anthropogenic and environmental factors: Reconstructing global fire history for the 20th and early 21st centuries. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 119: 249-263.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2014/jul/22jul2014a1.html
High Temperature Stress vs. High CO2 Relief in Kentucky Bluegrass
Reference: Song, Y., Yu, J. and Huang, B. 2014. Elevated CO2-mitigation of high temperature stress associated with maintenance of positive carbon balance and carbohydrate accumulation in Kentucky bluegrass. PLOS ONE 9: e89725.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2014/jul/22jul2014a2.html
The Medieval Warm Period in the Alpine Regions of Europe
Reference: Kress, A., Hangartner, S., Bugmann, H., Buntgen, U., Frank, D.C., Leuenberger, M., Siegwolf, R.T.W. and Saurer, M. 2014. Swiss tree rings reveal warm and wet summers during medieval times. Geophysical Research Letters 41: 1732-1737.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2014/jul/22jul2014a3.html
Climate-Change-Induced Flooding
Reference: Kundzewicz, Z.W., Kanae, S., Seneviratne, S.I., Handmer, J., Nicholls, N., Peduzzi, P., Mechler, R., Bouwer, L.M., Arnell, N., Mach, K., Muir-Wood, R., Brakenridge, G.R., Kron, W., Benito, G., Honda, Y., Takahashi, K. and Sherstyukov, B. 2013. Flood risk and climate change: global and regional perspectives. Hydrological Sciences Journal: 10.1080/02626667.2013.857411.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2014/jul/29jul2014a2.html
In closing, Kundzewicz et al. write that “the climate change issue is very important to flooding, but we have low confidence about the science,”
Models v. Observations
New Paper by McKitrick and Vogelsang comparing models and observations in the tropical troposphere
By Ross McKitrick, Climate Audit, Jul 24, 2014 [H/t WUWT]
[SEPP Comment: They found a climate shift.]
Claim: natural variation ‘masked’ global warming, creating ‘the pause’
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 21, 2014
Divergence Between Model Temperature And Reality Reaches Record High…And Is Now Accelerating!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Aug 1, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Amusing new type of alarmist headline.]
Model Issues
Broken models predict extreme cold snaps. (CO2 causes every sort of weather.)
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Aug 1, 2014
http://joannenova.com.au/2014/08/broken-models-predict-extreme-cold-snaps-co2-does-everything/
Link to paper: Asymmetry of projected increases in extreme temperature distributions
By Evan Kodra & Auroop R. Ganguly, Nature, Jul 30, 2014
http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/140730/srep05884/full/srep05884.html
New paper finds climate models unable to simulate the Holocene Climate Optimum & subsequent cooling
By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Jul 23, 2014
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/new-paper-finds-climate-models-unable.html
Link to paper: Global climate simulations at 3000 year intervals for the last
21 000 years with the GENMOM coupled atmosphere–ocean model
By Alder & Hostetler, Climate of the Past, No date
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/10/2925/2014/cpd-10-2925-2014.html
[SEPP Comment: No surprise here. The IPCC does not even consider it.]
New paper shows why climate models don’t realistically simulate precipitation & convection
By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Aug 1, 2014
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-paper-shows-why-climate-models-dont.html
Link to paper: Benefit of convection permitting climate model simulations in the representation of convective precipitation
By G. Fosser, S. Khodayar, P. Berg, Climate Dynamics, Aug 2, 2014
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00382-014-2242-1
Measurement Issues
Should you trust NOAA claims about May and June records?
By Joseph D’Aleo, ICECAP, Jul 22, 2014
[SEPP Comment: NOAA appears to be in a program to undermine the public’s trust in its science.]
Analysis of Temperature Change using World Class Stations
By Ron Clutz, WUWT, Jul 28, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/28/analysis-of-temperature-change-using-world-class-stations/
Changing Weather
Weather Causes 2,000 Deaths a Year in U.S.
By Mike Stobbe, Sci-Tech Today, Jul 31, 2014
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=0010000RFY29
A New Paper on Disaster Losses and Climate Change
By Roger Pielke Jr, His Blog, Jul 22, 2014
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-new-paper-on-disaster-losses-and.html
Extremes Of Temperature Decreasing In The US
By Paul Homewood, WUWT, Jul 31, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/31/extremes-of-temperature-decreasing-in-the-us/
Record Canada Wildfires Blamed On…
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Jul 25, 2014
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/07/record-canada-wildfires-blamed-on/
Quiet Year Expected for Amazon Forest Fires in 2014
By Kathryn Hansen, Irvine CA (SPX), Jul 28, 2014
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Quiet_Year_Expected_for_Amazon_Forest_Fires_in_2014_999.html
K computer runs largest ever ensemble simulation of global weather
By Staff Writers, Tokyo, Japan (SPX), Jul 24, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Bigger, faster, stronger – but better?]
Famine In The Horn of Africa (1984) Was Caused By El Niño And Indian Ocean Currents
By Staff Writers, GWPF, Jul 30, 2014
Link to paper: Droughts related to quasi-global oscillations: a diagnostic teleconnection analysis in North Ethiopia
By Lanckriet, et al. International Journal of Climatology, Jun 19, 2014
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.4074/abstract
Changing Climate
Australian Tropical Cyclone activity said to be at the lowest level in modern history
Bu Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 31, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Since 500AD in Western Australia and 1400AD in Queensland, and the decline has been most pronounced since about 1960AD.]
Changing Seas
Are the Oceans Warming?
By Steven Hayward, Power Line, Jul 23, 2014
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/07/are-the-oceans-warming.php
Abstract of paper: Bidecadal Thermal Changes in the Abyssal Ocean
By Carl Wunsch and Patrick Heimbach, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2014
http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/JPO-D-13-096.1
Full manuscript of paper: ECCO – Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean
Deep Oceans Are Cooling Amidst A Sea of Modeling Uncertainty: New Research on Ocean Heat Content
By Jim Steele, WUWT, Jul 21, 2014
Are the deep oceans cooling?
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 22, 2014
http://judithcurry.com/2014/07/22/are-the-deep-oceans-cooling/
Response of Various Marine Animals to Ocean Warming
By Staff Writers, CO2Science and SPPI, Jul 24, 2014
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/response_of_various_marine_animals_to_ocean_warming.html
Atlantic salmon also show capacity to adapt to warmer waters
By Staff Writers, Vancouver, Canada (SPX)< Jul 21, 2014
Mixing it up: Study provides new insight into Southern Ocean behaviour
By Staff Writers, Southampton, UK (SPX), Jul 21, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Covered in the July 19 TWTW. This report does not mention that the horizontal mixing was found to be unexpectedly stronger and the vertical mixing weaker.]
Remember the threat of flooded atolls and climate refugees due to sea level rise? Never mind.
By Christopher Pala, WUWT, Jul 31, 2014
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Of mountains, molehills, and noisy bumps in the sea-ice record
Molehill of Antarctic Ice Becomes a Mountain
By Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. “Chip” Knappenberger, WUWT, Jul 22, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/22/of-mountains-molehills-and-noisy-bumps-in-the-sea-ice-record/
Changing Earth
Did Australian monster volcanoes cause the mass extinction 510m years ago?
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jul 30, 2014
Acidic Waters
Alaska fisheries and communities at risk from ocean acidification
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jul 31, 2014
[SEPP Comment: No discussion of measurements – unable to find link to study.]
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
Climate change and air pollution will combine to curb food supplies
Press Release, MIT, Jul 27, 2014 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140727165702.htm
Link to paper: Threat to future global food security from climate change and ozone air pollution
By Amos P. K. Tai, Maria Val Martin & Colette L. Heald, Nature Climate Chage
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2317.html
[SEPP Comment: As with most government-funded climate science, ignores the benefits of increased CO2.]
Climate experts estimate risk of rapid crop slowdown
By Staff Writers, Boulder CO (SPX), Jul 29, 2014
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Climate_experts_estimate_risk_of_rapid_crop_slowdown_999.html
[SEPP Comment: Another government-funded study ignoring the benefits of increased CO2.]
Un-Science or Non-Science?
CO2, destroyer of entire continents at the touch of a knob
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 30, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/30/co2-destroyer-of-entire-continents-at-the-touch-of-a-knob/
Link to paper: Antarctic glaciation caused ocean circulation changes at the Eocene–Oligocene transition
By Goldner, Herold, & Huber, Nature, Jul 30, 2014
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v511/n7511/full/nature13597.html
Scientists Reveal What Has Caused the Global Warming ‘Pause’ Since 1998
By Catherine Griffin, Science World Report, Jul 22, 2014 [H/t John McClaughry]
Link to paper: Return periods of global climate fluctuations and the pause
By S. Lovejoy, Geophysical Research Letter, Jul 14, 2014
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL060478/abstract
[SEPP Comment: More un-science. Natural variability can stop global warming but not cause it?]
Synchronization of North Atlantic, North Pacific preceded warming, end of ice age
Press Release by Staff Writers, Oregon State Univ, July 14, 2014 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140724141612.htm
Link to paper: Synchronization of North Pacific and Greenland climates preceded abrupt deglacial warming
By Summer K. Praetorius, Alan C. Mix, Science, Jul 25, 2014
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6195/444
Lowering Standards
White House starts push for carbon rules
By Laura Barron-Lopez, The Hill, Jul 28, 2014
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/213577-wh-starts-push-for-carbon-rules
Link to report: The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change
By Staff Writers, Council of Economic Advisers, The White House, July, 2014
Obama Administration Issues Predictable Climate Report
Editorial, IBD, Jul 29, 2014
Costing Climate: It is all Relative
By Roger Pielke, Jr. His Blog, Jul 29, 2014
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2014/07/costing-climate-it-is-all-relative.html
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
A brief history of climate panic and crisis… both warming and cooling
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 29, 2014
Climate: ‘An excuse for tax hikes’, scientists ‘don’t know what they’re talking about’
People of the world’s responses to new survey
By Lewis Page, The Register, Jul 23, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Will this survey be cited by certain US Senators – or the White House?}
Sea ice experts make astonishing admissions to polar bear specialists
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Jul 29, 2014
“We do, in fact, have data on the lowest extent of sea ice reached during the Eemian and that’s what really matters: ~115,000-130,000 years ago, the Arctic was virtually ice-free in summer and there was no ice in the Bering Sea in winter. And yet, polar bears survived without getting anywhere close to extinction.”
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Updated list of 29 excuses for the 18 year ‘pause’ in global warming
By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Jul 28, 2014
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2014/07/updated-list-of-29-excuses-for-18-year.html
Lewandowsky and Oreskes Are Co-Authors of a Paper about ENSO, Climate Models and Sea Surface Temperature Trends (Go Figure!)
By Bob Tisdale, WUWT, Jul 20, 2014
Link to paper: Well-estimated global surface warming in climate projections selected for ENSO phase
By Risbey, et al, Nature Climate Change, Jul 20, 2014
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2310.html
“Richard M says: ‘One could use exactly the same logic and pick the 4 worst models for each 15 year period and claim that climate [sic] models are never right…’”
“Well-Estimated Global Surface Warming”
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Jul 23, 2014
http://www.thegwpf.org/well-estimated-global-surface-warming/
Antarctica’s Point of No Return
By Anders Levermann, Project Syndicate, Jul 24, 2014
Anders Levermann is a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and Professor of the Dynamics of the Climate System at the Institute for Physics and Astrophysics, Potsdam University, Germany.
Climate change ravaging Antarctic fur seals: study
By Staff Writers, Paris (AFP), July 23, 2014
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Climate_change_ravaging_Antarctic_fur_seals_study_999.html
[SEPP Comment: A decline in Antarctic sea ice?]
How should global warming be taught?
By Craig Rucker and Duggan Flanakin, CFACT, Jul 22, 2014
NOAA Thinks No Trend In Global Temperatures for Two Decades is a Steady Increase?
By Sierra Rayne, American Thinker, Jul 19, 2014
Polar bears and melting ice: three facts that shouldn’t surprise you
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Jul 20, 2014
Quotable Warming Hiatus Quotes
By Geoff Brown, CSP, Jul 29, 2014
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/quotable-warming-hiatus-quotes.html
Communicating Better to the Public – Go Personal.
Burn the Witch! Roger Pielke Jr. Out at FiveThirtyEight
By Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, Jul 29, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
Expanding the Orthodoxy
Global governancers’ get-together
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 23, 2014
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/7/23/global-governancers-get-together.html
[SEPP Comment: Those who produce little wish to control all produced by others.]
Venezuela climate summit calls for end to “green economy”
UN-backed event ends with unusual call from civil society groups to end capitalism
By Sophie Yeo, RTCC, Jul 23, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.rtcc.org/2014/07/22/venezuela-climate-summit-calls-for-end-to-green-economy/
IMF Plan To Raise Taxes On Fossil Fuels Has It Backward
Editorial, IBD, Aug 1, 2014
Link to report: Getting Energy Prices Right : From Principle to Practice
By Ian Parry, Dirk Heine, Eliza Lis, Shanjun Li, IMF, July 2014
Sue And Settle Another Way For Greens To Halt Progress
By Stephen Moore, IBD, Jul 21, 2014
Questioning European Green
Renewable energy is not working
Too much cost, not enough output or too little emissions reduction
By Matt Ridley, Rational Optimist, Jul 31, 2014
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/renewable-energy-is-not-working.aspx
A hint of panic
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 29, 2014
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/7/29/a-hint-of-panic.html
[SEPP Comment: Is grid stability becoming an issue with heavy dependence on unreliable wind?]
Tol/Lomborg Becoming Powerful Voices Of Reason On Climate Policy In German Media: “1 Euro Costs…3 Cents Benefit”
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 25, 2014
Questioning Green Elsewhere
A Future without Electricity
That’s what radical Greens want — and President Obama’s policies are moving us toward.
By Stephen Moore, National Review, Jul 18, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/383055/future-without-electricity-stephen-moore
Let’s copy California and have less jobs, less money, less energy. Feel that Green Glory!
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jul 30, 2014
Green Jobs
Britain’s Bursting Green Jobs Bubble
By Walter Russell Mead & Staff, American Interest, Jul 20, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/07/20/britains-bursting-green-jobs-bubble/
“Promoting green jobs isn’t just an American phenomenon, it’s a global pastime.”
Germany’s SMA Solar cuts jobs after profit warning
By Christoph Steiz Reuters, Jul 30, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/uk-sma-solar-warning-idUKKBN0FZ1A720140730
[SEPP Comment: Once the subsidies stop, blame the competition.]
Non-Green Jobs
China Plans to Construct Huge Methanol Plant in Shale Gas-Rich Texas to Meet Rising Domestic Demand
By Jerin Mathew, International Business News, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
Funding Issues
GOP: Green movement backed by ‘Billionaire’s Club’
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 30, 2014
Link to report: The Chain of Environmental Command: How a Club of Billionaires and Their Foundations Control the Environmental Movement and Obama’s EPA
By the Minority Staff, US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 30, 2014
The ‘Billionaire’s Club’ Behind the Green Movement
Report: Groups involved in backing green candidates and legislation may have violated tax laws, Senate Republicans claim
By Lachian Markay, Washington Free Beacon, Jul 30, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://freebeacon.com/issues/the-billionaires-club-behind-the-green-movement/
BREAKING: Senate report exposes the climate-environmental movement as being a cash machine controlling the EPA
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 30, 2014
BREAKING: Senate Committee Report Details Environmentalists’ Inner Workings
By Chris Prandoni, Forbes, Jul 30, 2014
BRICS plans energy association in wake of new bank
By Staff Writers, WNN, Jul 21, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Who needs the World (Green) Bank?]
Government Paying $140,368 to Take 10 Students on a ‘Climate Change Journey’
National Park Service flying youth to Sydney, Australia for global conference
By Elizabeth Harrington, Washington Free beacon, Jul 28, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
Australian Carbon-Tax Cut Cripples Cap-And-Traders Across Planet
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Jul 21, 2014
Australia Repeals Carbon Tax In Smart Policy Change
Editorial, IBD, Jul 18, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/071814-709543-abbott-repeals-australia-carbon-tax.htm
Australia Nixes Carbon Tax
By Larry Bell, Newsmax, Jul 21, 2014
http://www.newsmax.com/LarryBell/Climate-Change/2014/07/21/id/583888/
Subsidies and Mandates Forever
Britain’s fossil fuel subsidies: Soon it won’t just be renewables we’re propping up
By Benny Peiser and Daniel Mahoney, City A.M. Aug 2, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: The bulk of the fossil fuel subsidies estimated by the IEA are government-controlled companies selling fossil fuels (gasoline, etc.) below world market price to citizens in the country, mostly wealthy or middle-class. The top five countries are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India and China. Western countries subsidizing fossil fuel plants to provide needed back-up for unreliable wind and solar underscores irresponsible governmental policies.]
Sun, wind and drain
Wind and solar power are even more expensive than is commonly thought
By Staff Writers, The Economist, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
The trouble, as Paul Joskow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has pointed out, is that levelised costs do not take account of the costs of intermittency.
[SEPP Comment: Avoided CO2 emissions is not a benefit.]
EPA and other Regulators on the March
EPA Admits to Senate that CO2 Regs Not About Pollution Control
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Jul 25, 2014
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/07/epa-admits-to-senate-that-co2-regs-not-about-pollution-control/
EPA Chief: ‘This Is Not About Pollution Control…It’s an Investment Strategy’
By Susan Jones, CNS News.com, Jul 24, 2014
Helping American Communities Hurt Most By Climate Change
By Gina McCarthy and Nikki Silvestri, IBD, Jul 30, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
McCarthy is administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Silvestri is executive director of Green for All.
[SEPP Comment: By preventing global warming the poor will save on heating bills that spike during a polar vortex?]
EPA to Republicans: You’re making it ‘very difficult’ to do our job
By Tim Devaney, The Hill, Jul 30, 2014
http://thehill.com/regulation/213839-epa-to-republicans-youre-making-it-very-difficult-to-do-our-job
Bill targets cost-benefit analysis of climate rule
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 30, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Addressing EPA’s imaginative accounting.]
A Great Plan to Replace the EPA
By Alan Caruba, Warning Signs, Jul 23, 2014
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-great-plan-to-replace-epa.html
A Plan to Replace the EPA
By Staff Writers, NCPA, July 22, 2014
EPA Regulations A Dark, Costly Chapter In Our History
By Paul Driessen, IBD, Jul 30, 2014
[SEPP Comment: Not certain if the causes of asthma are correctly identified.]
EPA climate rule economically feasible, study says
By Laura Barron-Lopez, The Hill, Jul 24, 2014
EPA Stops Requiring Greenhouse Gas PSD/Title V Permits
By Sonal Patel, Power Mag, Jul 29, 2014
[SEPP Comment: A few major emitters of CO2 are protected from EPA’s new regulations.]
EPA Rule Will Result in Closure of 750-MW Coal-Fired Unit
By Aaron Larson, Power Mag, Jul 29, 2014
GAO wants EPA to do more on fracking wastewater
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 29, 2014
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/213635-gao-wants-epa-to-do-more-on-fracking-wastewater
Link to report: EPA Program to Protect Underground Sources from Injection of Fluids Associated with Oil and Gas Production Needs Improvement
By Staff Writers, GAO, Jul 28, 2014
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-555
Energy Issues – Non-US
The Ups and Downs of German Green Energy
By Walter Russell Mead & Staff, American Interest, Jul 27, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/07/27/the-ups-and-downs-of-german-green-energy/
China’s energy plans ‘to add another 13% to current emissions’
By Staff Writer, Today, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
How China became a climate leader
The world’s current largest emitter of carbon dioxide is now leading the way towards a cleaner, greener global economy through heavy investments in renewable energy and strong legislation.
By Nicholas Stern, Eco-business, Jul 29, 2014
In what some might consider a surprising development, China – currently the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide – is emerging as a global leader in climate policy as it seeks to build a cleaner and more efficient economy…China is already the world’s largest oil importer, and energy demand continues to increase rapidly.
[SEPP Comment: Is Stern suggesting that the West should copy China?]
German Utilities Bail Out Electric Grid at Wind’s Mercy
By Julia Mengewein, Bloomberg, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t WUWT]
Energy Issues — US
Meaningless LCOEs
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Jul 22, 2014
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/meaningless-lcoes/
[SEPP Comment: These commonly used statistics to compare electricity sources do not consider unreliability of sources such as solar and wind and other major issues.]
Assessing the Risk of Disaster
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Jul 29, 2014
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/assessing-the-risk-of-disaster/
Coming to Grips With the Sun
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Aug 1, 2014
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/coming-to-grips-with-the-sun/
Average Price of Electricity Climbs to All-Time Record
By Terence Jeffery, CNSnews. July 28 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Foxx defends oil train regs from environmental, industry critics
By Keith Laing, The Hill, Jul 24, 2014
Get Ready for the New England Power Shortage
Governors are already meeting in emergency session.
By William Tucker, American Spectator, Jul 18, 2014
http://spectator.org/articles/60007/get-ready-new-england-power-shortage
[SEPP Comment: Is importing electricity from hydro-power plants in Canada any more environmental sensitive than importing crude oil from the Canadian oil sands?]
Washington’s Control of Energy
Greens say new developments should sink Keystone
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 31, 2014
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/213943-greens-say-new-developments-should-sink-keystone
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
Oil boom shows no signs of slowing, economist says
By Jonathan Smith, Current-Argus, Jul 31, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.currentargus.com/carlsbad-news/ci_26250179/oil-boom-shows-no-signs-slowing-economist-says
Another day, another shale gas report
By James Verdon, Frack-Land, UK, Jul 22, 2014 [H/t Bishop Hill]
http://frackland.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/another-day-another-shale-gas-report.html
[SEPP Comment: Long, but the graph of air pollution levels for the county in Pennsylvania that has the most drilling activity is effective against drilling opponents.]
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Promises of easier nuclear construction fall short
By Ray Henry, AP, Jul 26, 2014 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/promises-easier-nuclear-construction-fall-short-24725848
[SEPP Comment: These set-backs do not preclude the concept that modular construction can be more efficient. Often, prototypes run into difficulties. The real efficiencies come through repetitive production.]
Entergy opposes Indian Point outage proposal
By Staff Writers, WNN, Jul 23, 2014
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/EE-Entergy-opposes-indian-point-outage-proposal-23071401.html
Report: Nuclear industry’s safety measures are ‘inadequate’
By Laura Barron-Lopez, The Hill, Jul 24, 2014
Link to the report: Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety of U.S. Nuclear Plants
By: Committee on Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants; Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board (NRSB); Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS); National Research Council, National Academies Press, 2014
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18294
[SEPP Comment: How many died when the cooling pumps failed?]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
Capture the Sun & Power America With Solar – Is There a Business Case?
By Philip Dowd, WUWT, Jul 31, 2014
Five Fatal Flaws of Solar Energy
By Viv Forbes, American Thinker, Jul 25, 2014
http://americanthinker.com/2014/07/five_fatal_flaws_of_solar_energy.html
[SEPP Comment: Slight error: contrary to the essay, according to its web site, Desertec was developed by a network of politicians, scientists, and economists from around the Mediterranean region, not the US.]
Future grows darker for solar energy growth in Japan
By James Topham and Aaron Sheldrick, Reuters, Jul 29, 2014 [H/t GWPF]
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/29/us-japan-solar-idUKKBN0FY2AZ20140729
Renewable Energy Mega-Flop! Germany’s Largest Offshore Wind Park Hasn’t Delivered Any Power Since March!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 31, 2014
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Energy — Other
Matt Ridley: Another Renewable Myth Goes Up In Smoke
By Matt Ridley, The Times, Via GWPF, Jul 28, 2014
http://www.thegwpf.org/matt-ridley-another-renewable-myth-goes-up-in-smoke/
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
The Struggle to Mainstream Electric Vehicles
By Allen Brooks, Master Resource, Jul 23, 2014
http://www.masterresource.org/2014/07/struggle-electric-vehicles/#more-31173
California Dreaming
California’s future energy pipe dream
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul, 24, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/24/californias-future-energy-pipe-dream/
Another Big Solar Project Gets Under Way in California
By Thomas Overton, Power Mag, Jul 31, 2014
[SEPP Comment: 135 MW of peak, unreliable power is hardly big!]
Environmental Industry
Radical Environmentalism Seeks Death Of Capitalism
Editorial, IBD, Jul 24, 2014
[SEPP Comment: It is not capitalism, it is individual enterprise that is the major issue.]
Sue And Settle: Another Way For Greens To Halt Progress
By Stephen Moore, IBD, Jul 21, 2014
Other Scientific News
Beyond GPS: 5 Next-Generation Technologies
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jul 25, 2014
Link to DARPA web site: http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2014/07/24.aspx
The Threat To The Scientific Method
By Patrick Michaels, Townhall, Jul 21, 2014
Lessons learned about the foolishness of rejecting mosquito eradication programs? Maybe — or not.
By Staff Writers, ACSH, Jul 22, 2014
http://acsh.org/2014/07/lessons-learned-foolishness-rejecting-mosquito-eradication-programs-maybe/
Other News that May Be of Interest
IRS Strikes Deal With Atheists To Monitor Churches
Editorial, IBD, Jul 31, 2014
Lois Lerner emails reveal gaping open-records loophole
IRS, other agencies aren’t storing instant messages, texts
By Stephen Dinan and S.A. Miller, The Washington Times, Jul 20, 2014
http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/20/lois-lerner-emails-reveal-gaping-open-records-loop/
Legal Newsline scores big win for asbestos transparency: Examiner Editorial
Editorial, Washington Examiner, Jul 28, 2014
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
Claim: we should all be vegetarians to stop global warming
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 21, 2014
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/07/21/claim-we-should-all-be-vegetarians-to-stop-global-warming/
Globetrotting Harvard Prof Takes Break From Jet-Setting To Gripe About Climate Change Deniers
By Eric Owens, Daily Caller, Jul 25, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Mitch McConnell’s mythmaking on coal jobs
By Allan J. Lichtman, The Hill, Jul 24, 2014
[SEPP Comment: “Lichtman is distinguished professor of history at American University in Washington.”??]
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Council of Economic Advisers: The President’s Council of Economic Advisers released a report finding that great harm will come to the national economy from global warming/climate change if the President’s climate plan is not adopted. The report is based on the DICE model developed by William Nordhaus, who became a co-author with Paul Samuelson in Samuelson’s famed textbook, Economics.
This sentence is very true, I have to agree with the Council of Economic Advisors!
Truer words couldn’t have been spoken…except I noticed one error,
‘if the President’s climate plan is not adopted’ should have read ‘if the President’s climate plan is adopted’.
According IPCC far greater harm will come to the national economy if the President’s climate plan is adopted than if it isn’t.
President’s climate plan and, well, all of his plans lately need to be a ‘shovel ready project’
Putting the Dollar in Jeopardy
By Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett
http://consortiumnews.com/2014/08/01/putting-the-dollar-in-jeopardy/
Washington’s repeated use of economic sanctions as a foreign policy weapon has encouraged China and other powers to consider financial alternatives…
With the rise of the “petroyuan,” movement towards a less dollar-centric currency regime in international energy markets — with potentially serious implications for the dollar’s broader standing — is already underway…
Re:The Telegraph article
In little over two weeks a luxury cruise liner is setting off on a month long voyage, taking 1000 people – paying between $20,000 and $44,000 each.
Could we be so lucky as to have a second “Ship of Fools””
Actually, the ugly American was the hero of the book–he was a hands-on, down-to-earth, small-steps guy. The villains were the pretty Americans, remote from the field, with head-in-the-clouds grand schemes and overarching doctrines.
He can do what he wants now, he can’t be reelected, and the GOP most probably don’t approve of his climate plan either. If he is trying to impress the foreign investors or other countries, well Australia doesn’t approve and other nations will follow. I can not see his logic here.
Well, one newsworthy event, this week, is the late-breaking (4 August 2014) appearance of yet another of HotWhopper’s frenzied, booger-flick tirades–this one aimed at Jo Nova, an internationally feted blog salonniere, whose influential soirees attract humanity’s best-and-brightest and whose every blog-post instantly shapes world opinion.
Jo Nova’s blog serving, of course, as a galling contrast with HotWhopper’s own seedy, little, blog-site “watering-hole”, that functions, when it functions, at all, as a crash-pad of convenience for the hive’s ubiquitous, itinerant freeloaders, goof-offs, creep-outs, leeches, lazy-bums, dumb-kid dorks, moochers, free-lunch fanciers, trough-suckers, and loud-mouth louts, like “bill”. A typical, lefty, flop-house blog-dump, in other words.
But good stuff, actually–on its own terms and if you’ve acquired a taste for trite, humorless, grotesquely self-important eco-rants.
OT
When our host comes to Bristol in September, he might be tempted to visit nearby his (possibly) distant relative another Mr.Watts, who has done great service to the local community and built 400 yards bypass “the pollution and frustration were incredible. It was 14 miles extra but up to an hour and 15 minutes more each way.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11008835/Entrepreneur-builds-private-toll-road-after-landslip.html
How can one prove most professionals who deal proof of the cause of climate change, the previous discussion, theory, various illogical evidence (there are millions of them), did not provide any tangible results by which one can confidently predict the future, examine the past and present follow climate change and to bind all in one unit.
Now I ask seriously: what the international community was willing to pay to those who can efficiently and accurately PROVE TRUE cause of climate change? . This question to different forums, panels, institutions and governments of the states and let me know the price of everything will be negotiated and resolved in a year, the longest.
It would not be fair, for humanity, that this issue is not taken into account.
This isn’t the place for a full-blown critique of your World War One analogy, other than to note that you’re fifty years behind the times. It’s a shame – the historiography of the war is every bit as fascinating as the war itself. Add in the mythology of the Second World War (‘our finest hour’) and you get a belief system that filled the sails of modern socialism and fertilised the ground in which CAGW blossomed.
Richard
“Fracking firm Tamboran worker’s home attacked with petrol bombs”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28637531
“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” Charles Darwin
Former Greens senator in Australian, Bob Brown, must have been reading. He seems to have parroted this on the morning television show of the ABC (public station).
Although old Chuck was a better scientist than I ever will be, I have to disagree with him here. Knowledge leads you to realise how ignorant you really are. I would have agreed when I first started my science course but gradually realised just how limited the method is and how much faith you need in people called scientists. What is worse is the blatant attempt to use the label “science” as a propaganda tool. This is why CAGW will never die.
If you haven’t done the experiments, the analysis and came up with the same conclusion then it is not science, it is faith. Even in the only real science (and my background is chemistry) Physics, it is mostly faith for practical reasons. I doubt anyone here can claim the claim that everything falls at 9.8 m/s2 in a vacuum regardless of mass is science. I’ve only done a limited number of experiments to verify that value for heavier objects in an atmosphere myself.
How about a world war where nobody will fight.
I think we need to refuse to do anything Washington says, until they are replaced with political party candidates who run on only the money we allow them to have out of our tax returns. Then do what ‘we the people’ want and NOT what the brainwashing billionaires want.
http://consortiumnews.com/2013/12/24/one-silent-night-in-the-trenches/
The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a spontaneous event that happened at a multitude of locations all along the 600 miles of trenches that stretched across Belgium and France, and it was an event that would never again be duplicated. (An attempt at a Christmas Truce in 1915 was quickly put down by the authorities.)
Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton have written an important book about the 1914 event entitled Christmas Truce: The Western Front, December 1914. The movie “Joyeux Noel” (French for Merry Christmas) received an Academy Award nomination in 2005 for best foreign film. It tells the moving tale that has been adapted from the many surviving stories revealed in letters from soldiers who had been there.
One of the stories that emerged from the event was that, in the quiet of Christmas Eve night, some young German started singing “Stille Nacht.” Soon the British, French and Scots on the other side of No Man’s Land (oftentimes measuring only a hundred yards wide) joined in the song in their own tongues. Before long, the spirit of peace and “goodwill towards men” prevailed over the demonic spirit of war, and the troops on both sides sensed their common humanity. The natural human aversion to killing broke through to consciousness and overcame the patriotic fervor and brainwashing to which they had been subjected.
Once the spirit of peace was felt, soldiers on both sides dropped their weapons and came out of their trenches to meet their former foes face-to-face. To get through to the other side, they had to step around shell holes and over frozen corpses (which were soon given respectful burials, soldiers from both sides helping one another with the gruesome task).
The spirit of retaliation had dissipated and the desire for peace on earth emerged. New friends shared chocolate bars, cigarettes, beer, wine, schnapps, soccer games and pictures from home. Addresses were exchanged, photos were taken and every soldier who genuinely experienced the emotional drama was forever changed – and the generals and the gung-ho politicians were appalled.
Peace on Earth as Treason
Fraternization with the enemy (as with refusing to obey orders in time of war) has historically been regarded by military commanders and politicians as an act of treason, severely punishable, even with death by summary execution.
In the case of the Christmas Truce of 1914, most officers tried hard not to draw public attention to the rather widespread and therefore potentially contagious incident. Some commanding officers even threatened courts martial if fraternization persisted (it was considered bad for the killing spirit) but relatively few executions took place.
There were still punishments however, including the re-assignment of many of the German “traitors” to the Eastern Front to kill and die on the Eastern Front in the equally suicidal battles against their Orthodox Christian co-religionists from Russia…