text:
Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup #264
Anthony Watts / April 3, 2017
Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org)
The Science and Environmental Policy Project
THIS WEEK: By Ken Haapala, President
Science or Dogma: In the 30 years between the 1979 Charney report to the National Academy of Sciences on an investigation of the possible effects of increased carbon dioxide on the earth's temperatures to the 2009 EPA's finding that carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, endanger human health and welfare; government-funded Climate Studies have largely turned from empirical science to dogma – a belief system unsubstantiated by physical evidence.
The Charney report included some of the nation's best meteorologists and climate researchers and the report recognized that laboratory tests demonstrated that the direct influence on global temperatures from doubling carbon dioxide would be minor – possibly unmeasurable.
The report also identified educated guesses – estimates – that the CO2 influence might be greatly enhanced by increases in water vapor – the dominant greenhouse gas. If correct, this positive feedback would greatly multiply any increase from CO2. The report recognized that the warming would occur in the atmosphere, and that we did not have comprehensive measurements of atmospheric temperatures. Thus, the hypothesis of significant atmospheric warming from increased water vapor could not be tested.
In March 1990, Science Magazine published a paper by Roy Spencer and John Christy describing a method of using data collected from NOAA polar orbiting weather satellites to comprehensively calculate atmospheric temperatures for virtually the entire globe, except for the extreme poles.
These data cover about 97 to 98 percent of the globe, including oceans, deserts, mountain ranges, jungles, etc. where there are few surface instruments. Initially, certain small errors in calculation were discovered, including orbital decay. These were acknowledged and corrected. This is how science advances.
These data, published monthly, are independently calculated by two other entities and are independently verified by four sets of weather balloon data using different instruments. The government-sponsored United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), and the EPA largely ignore the atmospheric data, which is far more comprehensive and better tested than surface data.
Unfortunately, subsequent government-funded research went from properly testing the educated guesses (hypotheses) in the Charney Report to using them to create fear of global warming, now called climate change. Economically drastic programs and government policies have been justified based on these untested guesses.
From 1993 to 2016, the US government spent over $40 Billion on what government entities classify Climate Science – and has produced no refinement to the 1979 Charney Report.
Independent scientists and climate researchers have produced far better estimates of the influence of CO2, based on empirical (scientific) observations. But, that research is not included in official government publications.
Public policies on energy and the environment should be based on the best available empirical science, not on incomplete studies, which have become dogma.
On March 29, the U.S. House Committee on Science Space & and Technology held a hearing titled "Climate Science: Assumptions, Policy Implications, and the Scientific Method" featuring climate scientists John Christy, Judith Curry, Michael Mann, and Roger Pielke Jr., who recently left the field, in part because of abusive tactics by certain members of Congress. Comparing the written testimony of John Christy with that of Michael Mann provides a stark illustration of the difference between empirical science and scientific dogma. The testimony of Judith Curry and Roger Pielke Jr. will be discussed in a subsequent TWTW. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy, Defending the Orthodoxy, and Seeking a Common Ground.
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Quote of the Week. "There's nothing wrong with ideas, with working hypotheses, but unsubstantiated glittering generalities are a waste of time." — American geologist (John) David Love [H/t Lowell Ray Anderson]
Number of the Week: Over 20% per year
John Christy's Written Testimony: The Professor of Atmospheric Science at University of Alabama, Huntsville, began his written statement with a summary of what constitutes empirical science and how it applies to "official" science of the IPCC and its followers:
"'Science' is not a set of facts but a process or method that sets out a way for us to discover information and which attempts to determine the level of confidence we might have in that
information. In the method, a "claim" or "hypothesis" is stated such that rigorous tests might be employed to test the claim to determine its credibility. If the claim fails a test, the claim is rejected or modified then tested again. When the "scientific method" is applied to the output from climate models of the IPCC AR5, specifically the bulk atmospheric temperature trends since 1979 (a key variable with a strong and obvious theoretical response to increasing GHGs in this period), I demonstrate that the consensus of the models fails the test to match the real-world observations by a significant margin. As such, the average of the models is considered to be untruthful in representing the recent decades of climate variation and change, and thus would be inappropriate for use in predicting future changes in the climate or for related policy decisions.
"The IPCC inadvertently provided information that supports this conclusion by (a) showing that the tropical trends of climate models with extra greenhouse gases failed to match actual trends and (b) showing that climate models without extra greenhouse gases agreed with actual trends. A report of which I was a co-author demonstrates that a statistical model that uses only natural
influences on the climate also explains the variations and trends since 1979 without the need of extra greenhouse gases. While such a model (or any climate model) cannot "prove" the causes of variations, the fact that its result is not rejected by the scientific method indicates it should be considered when trying to understand why the climate does what it does. Deliberate consideration of the major influences by natural variability on the climate has been conspicuously absent in the current explanations of climate change by the well-funded climate science industry."
Christy proceeded to substantiate his assertions with physical evidence – no polls, beliefs, models, assumptions, etc. His testimony is a follow-up on prior testimony, such as the one on February 2, 2016, which has been cited numerous times in TWTW.
Using the Canadian Climate Model, Christy gives a pictorial representation of the so-called "hot- spot" where the modelers suggest the atmospheric warming should occur, centered over the tropics at about 10km (33,000), 250 to 200 mb of pressure. Christy outlines the area from the surface to 50,000 feet (15km), making it clear where the pronounced atmospheric warming should occur, according to the modelers and the prevalent theory. By keeping his analysis below 50,000 feet, Christy avoids any confusion of the principle issue with stratospheric cooling, for which there is no generally accepted explanation.
Christy then shows that, in general, global climate models (CMIP5), from 32 institutions, greatly overestimate the atmospheric warming, where carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) caused warming should occur. The number of simulations each institution contributes varies from one to eighteen. For the empirical data, Christy uses 3 different satellite datasets, 4 balloon datasets, and the average of 3 reanalysis datasets. The different types of datasets closely correspond, contrasting the average of the models which greatly overestimate the observations.
In addition, Christy sought the advice of an econometrician, Ross McKitrick, who applied statistical tests to determine if the trends in the model time series and the observation time series are statistically different. They are, with a confidence greater than 99%. Very simply, the models fail to describe what is occurring.
Very interestingly, Christy reveals that buried in the Supplementary Material of Chapter 10 of the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report (AR5, 2013), without comment, are graphs that show the models overestimate atmospheric warming trends, particularly over the tropics. Christy was a reviewer of AR5 and insisted that the graphs be in the main text, but he was ignored. This is another example of how highly politicized the UN reports have become.
Christy simplifies the graphic and shows that the models better describe atmospheric temperature trends when the influences of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are eliminated than when they are included (Fig 5 of Christy's Testimony).
"Incredibly, what Fig. 5 shows is that the bulk tropical atmospheric temperature change is modeled best when no extra GHGs are included – a direct contradiction to the IPCC conclusion that observed changes could only be modeled if extra GHGs were included." [Boldface in original]
Christy describes the simple statistical model by Wallace, Christy, and D'Aleo, which outperforms the global climate models used by the IPCC. Then, he advocates the need for a government funded "Red Team" to advocate opposing views as it is done in some government entities and private industry when critical issues are under consideration. [As a side note, the reports of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) functioned as "red team" reports, but have been largely ignored or dismissed by "official" entities such as the EPA. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy – NIPCC, Challenging the Orthodoxy, and Seeking a Common Ground
Michael Mann's Written Testimony: The Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State University states:
"at least 97% of scientists publishing in the field have all concluded, based on the evidence, that climate change is real, is human-caused, and is already having adverse impacts on us, our economy, and our planet." John Cook et al 2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 048002
The Cook paper is a classic on how to mislead the public with surveys, which included the authors of the survey determining the classifications for the scientists, without their consent.
Mann addresses the criticism of Tom Karl and the recent work at NOAA, Ashville:
"This fake news story was built entirely on an interview with a single disgruntled former NOAA employee, John Bates, who had been demoted from a supervisory position at NOAA for his
inability to work well with others."
Yet, many others have shown how NOAA, Ashville has distorted the historic temperature record in recent years.
"Bates' allegations were also published on the blog of climate science denier Judith Curry (I use the term carefully—reserving it for those who deny the most basic findings of the scientific community, which includes the fact that human activity is substantially or entirely responsible for the large-scale warming we have seen over the past century— something Judith Curry disputes)" [Boldface added.]
In the subsequent oral testimony, Mr. Mann denied he called anyone a denier.
The above illustrates the thrust of the testimony, which can be summed as accusations with little physical evidence.
Fittingly, Exhibit B of the testimony is the latest version of Mr. Mann's hockey-stick, PAGES 2k "published by a team of 78 scientists around the world using the most widespread paleoclimate database to date." The graph superimposes instrument data on proxy data, yet the proxy data stops about 1990, failing to show a divergence between the two datasets.
Statistician Steve McIntyre of Climate Audit has written a number of highly critical comments on PAGES 2k, which included reconstructions that were inverted to give the false impression of warming, where the actual proxy data showed cooling, and various statistical tricks. See links under seeking a common ground and https://climateaudit.org/?s=pages+2k
Remaining Issues: With the physical evidence presented by John Christy, it is past time to re- visit the Charney Report, the EPA Endangerment Finding, as well as organizational statements regarding the influence of human carbon dioxide emissions on temperatures. However, in the highly politically charged atmosphere of Washington, which includes many scientific organizations, it is doubtful major change will take place quickly.
A great deal of government money went to support research on global warming, climate change, and, in particular, to schemes to reduce the effects of global warming even if the causes were not known. Much of this money, and the vested interests of many organizations, are difficult to trace, and will take time. No doubt, those organizations that received much of this money will object to change.
Also, it is important to avoid dogma in the opposite direct, such as CO2 has no influence on temperatures. The IPCC ignored the influence of El Niños, their frequency, and intensity. An important question needs to be examined: are El Niños influenced by increased amounts of carbon dioxide? See links under Funding Issues and Article #1.
ICCC – 12: The Twelfth International Conference on Climate Change ended on March 24. There were many interesting presentations. The videos, etc. of the conference are due to be available next week. TWTW will reserved comment on the presentations until they are available. Andy May wrote a solid summation of the conference, which was posted on Watts Up With That. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy – ICCC-12
SEPP'S APRIL FOOLS AWARD THE JACKSON
SEPP is conducting its annual vote for the recipient of the coveted trophy, The Jackson, a lump of coal. Readers are asked to nominate and vote for who they think 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.
The five past recipients, Lisa Jackson, Barrack Obama, John Kerry, Ernest Moniz and John Holdren are not eligible. Generally, the committee that makes the selection prefers a candidate with a national or international presence. The voting will close on July 30. Please send your nominee and a brief reason why the person is qualified for the honor to Ken@SEPP.org. Thank you. The award will be presented at the annual meeting of the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness in August.
Number of the Week: Over 20% per year. Mark Mills, who correctly tracked the shale revolution in oil, writes that productivity in shale oil —output per shale drilling rig—has been rising by more than 20% a year. Advanced computer software and analyzing data are increasing productively. See Article # 2.
NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Science: Is the Sun Rising?
Sun's impact on climate change quantified for first time
By Staff Writers, Swiss National Science Foundation, Mar 27, 2017 [H/t GWPF] http://www.snf.ch/en/researchinFocus/newsroom/Pages/news-170327-press-release-suns-impact- on-climate-change-quantified-for-first-time.aspx
NASA's SDO sees a stretch of spotless Sun
By Staff Writers, Greenbelt MD (SPX), Mar 23, 2017 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASAs_SDO_sees_a_stretch_of_spotless_Sun_999.html
Commentary: Is the Sun Rising?
Fascinating New Studies Confirm Solar Activity Plays Important Role On Driving Climate The sun drives climate: Spain and Portugal
By Dr. Sebastian Lüning and Prof. Fritz Vahrenholt (German text translated/edited by P Gosselin),
No Tricks Zone, Mar 25, 2017
http://notrickszone.com/2017/03/25/fascinating-new-studies-confirm-solar-activity-plays- important-role-on-driving-climate/#sthash.qC0wHzVU.dpbs
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry
If Taxpayers Can't Talk About Climate Change Policies, Neither Can Scientists
All taxpayers have an investment in climate change. We have the right to give an opinion on the subject—even if we don't adhere to the prevailing orthodoxy.
By Julie Kelly, The Federalist, Mar 30, 2017
http://thefederalist.com/2017/03/30/taxpayers-cant-talk-climate-change-policies-neither-can- scientists/
Challenging the Orthodoxy — NIPCC
Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate
S. Fred Singer, Editor, NIPCC, 2008 http://www.sepp.org/publications/nipcc_final.pdf
Overcoming Chaotic Behavior of Climate Models
By S. Fred Singer, SEPP, July 2010 http://www.sepp.org/science_papers/Chaotic_Behavior_July_2011_Final.doc
Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science
Idso, Carter, and Singer, Lead Authors/Editors, 2013 https://www.heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-II/CCR-II-Full.pdf
Summary: http://www.nipccreport.org/reports/ccr2a/pdf/Summary-for-Policymakers.pdf
Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts Idso, Idso, Carter, and Singer, Lead Authors/Editors, 2014 http://www.nipccreport.org/reports/ccr2b/pdf/Full-Report.pdf
Summary: https://www.heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-IIb/Summary-for-Policymakers.pdf
Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming
The NIPCC Report on the Scientific Consensus
By Craig D. Idso, Robert M. Carter, and S. Fred Singer, NIPCC, Nov 23, 2015 http://climatechangereconsidered.org/
Download with no charge
https://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/why-scientists-disagree-about-global-warming
Challenging the Orthodoxy
The World's First State Of The Climate Survey Based on Observations Only
Press release by Staff Writers, Presentation by Ole Humlum, GWPF, Mar 22, 2017 http://www.thegwpf.com/the-worlds-first-state-of-the-climate-survey-based-on-observations-only/ Link to report: The State of the Climate in 2016
By Ole Humlum, GWPF, 2017
http://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2017/03/State-of-the-climate-2016.pdf
The Fundamental Issue in Climate Science Resolved
By Alan Carlin, Carlin Economics and Science, Mar 24, 2017 http://www.carlineconomics.com/archives/3472
Link to paper: On the Existence of a "Tropical Hotspot" & The Validity of EPA's CO2 Endangerment Finding
By Wallace, Christy, and D'Aleo, Independent Researchers, August 2016 https://thsresearch.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/ef-cpp-sc-2016-data-ths-paper-ex-sum- 090516v2.pdf
The role of ENSO in global ocean temperature changes during 1955–2011 simulated with a 1D climate model
By Spencer and Braswell, Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, Feb 2014
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13143-014-0011-z
From the abstract: "The results suggest ENSO can influence multi-decadal temperature trends, and that internal radiative forcing of the climate system affects the diagnosis of feedbacks. Also, the relatively small differences in model ocean warming associated with the three cases suggests that the observed levels of ocean warming since the 1950s is not a very strong constraint on our estimates of climate sensitivity."
A True Fish Story: Adaptive Responses to Global Warming
By Patrick Michaels and Craig Idso, CATO, March 31, 2017 https://www.cato.org/blog/true-fish-story-adaptive-responses-global-warming
[SEPP Comment: Phenotypic Plasticity, or Biochemical Adaptation, has allowed fish to survive millions of years of climate change. There is no logical reason to assume it will suddenly disappear.]
Effect of Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations on Early Human Societies
Guest essay by Don Healy, WUWT, Mar 24, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/24/effect-of-atmospheric-co2-concentrations-on-early- human-societies/
Challenging the Orthodoxy – ICCC-12
Take-aways from the Washington, D.C. Heartland Climate Change Conference
By Andy May, WUWT, Mar 25, 2017
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/25/take-aways-from-the-washington-d-c-heartland-climate- change-conference/
Climate doubters gather, call for killing EPA's finding that carbon dioxide endangers public health
By Hannah Hess, E&E News, Mar. 24, 2017 http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/03/climate-skeptics-gather-call-killing-epas-finding- carbon-dioxide-endangers-public
[SEPP Comment: They doubt there is a climate?]
Defending the Orthodoxy
How climate skeptics are trying to influence 200,000 science teachers
The Heartland Institute has mailed tens of thousands of public school teachers a book titled 'Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming,' and has plans to mail copies to all 200,000 K-12 science teachers in the United States.
By Charlie Wood, Christian Science Monitor, Mar 30, 2017 http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2017/0330/How-climate-skeptics-are-trying-to-influence-200- 000-science-teachers?cmpid=TW
Carbon Dioxide and Climate: A Scientific Assessment
Ad Hoc Study Group on Carbon Dioxide and Climate
By Jule G. Charney, et al. Climate Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, July 23-27, 1979
https://www.nap.edu/read/12181/chapter/2#2
Earth's Annual Global Mean Energy Budget
By Kiehl, J. T. and Trenberth, K. E., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 1997 http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/abstracts/files/kevin1997_1.html
"Because the net surface heat budget must balance, the radiative fluxes constrain the sum of the sensible and latent heat fluxes which can also be estimated independently."
[SEPP Comment: Significant questions remain about the independent estimates of sensible and latent heat fluxes.]
Questioning the Orthodoxy
The Global Warming Debate Spectrum
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Mar 24, 2017 http://www.drroyspencer.com/2017/03/the-global-warming-debate-spectrum/
Are the Climate Change People Right?
By Bruce Bialosky, Townhall, Mar 26, 2017 [H/t Timothy Wise] https://townhall.com/columnists/brucebialosky/2017/03/26/are-the-climate-change-people-right- n2303208
New Literature Strongly Suggests CO2 Residence Time In The Atmosphere Is Exaggerated!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Mar 26, 2017
http://notrickszone.com/2017/03/26/new-literature-strongly-suggests-co2-residence-time-in-the- atmosphere-is-exaggerated/#sthash.qQoFaTMv.dpbs
Using Data to Find the Middle Ground
By Bjørn Lomborg, Project Syndicate, Mar 23, 2017
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/cost-benefit-analysis-policy-choices-poor- countries-by-bjorn-lomborg-2017-03
[SEPP Comment: Emphasizing the need for rigorous cost-benefit analysis. Although it is not politically popular to term it as such, a business calculation of return on investment is a form of cost-benefit analysis.]
After Paris!
Trump to decide by late May whether to stay in Paris climate pact
By Tomothy Cama, Mar 30, 2017
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/326561-trump-to-decide-whether-to-stay-paris- climate-pact-by-late-may
Trumping the Paris climate deal
By Martin Livermore, The Scientific Alliance, Mar 31, 2017 http://scientific-alliance.org/node/1043
Shocker: little known 'Financial Stability Board' has huge climate deceit
By Anthony Watts, Paul Driessen, WUWT, Mar 16, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/16/shocker-little-known-financial-stability-board-has-huge- climate-deceit/
Trump cuts show Paris treaty is a paper tiger: Bjorn Lomborg
By Bjorn Lomborg, USA Today, Mar 29, 2017 http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/03/29/trump-order-paris-treaty-emissions-bjorn- lomborg-column/99737238/
"Calculations using the best peer-reviewed economic models show the global price tag of all the Paris promises — through slower gross domestic product growth from higher energy costs — would reach $1 trillion to $2 trillion every year from 2030."
Change in US Administrations
Trump's Energy Executive Order: A Good Beginning but Much More Is Needed By Alan Carlin, Carlin Economics and Science, Mar 30, 2017 http://www.carlineconomics.com/archives/3478
Trump's Rollback of EPA Overreach: What No One is Talking About
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Mar 29, 2017
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2017/03/trumps-rollback-of-epa-overreach-what-no-one-is-talking- about/
And, the wailing begins over Trump killing Obama's overreaching climate regs
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 28, 2017
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/28/and-the-wailing-begins-over-trump-killing-obamas- overreaching-climate-regs/
Budget 2018: America will eliminate funding for climate hysteria
By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Mar 17, 2017 http://motls.blogspot.com/2017/03/budget-2018-america-will-eliminate.html#more
Trump To Announce More Big Global Warming Science Cuts
By Andrew Follett, Daily Caller, Mar 30, 2017
http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/30/trump-to-announce-more-big-global-warming-science-cuts/
Seeking a Common Ground
U.S. House Committee on Science, Space & Technology
Testimony of John R. Christy, Mar 29, 2017 https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY- WState-JChristy-20170329.pdf
Statement to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Climate Science: Assumptions, Policy Implications and the Scientific Method
By Judith Curry, Mar 29, 2017 https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY- WState-JCurry-20170329.pdf
Testimony of Dr Michael E. Mann
Before the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Mar 29, 2017 https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY- WState-MMann-20170329.pdf
Statement of Dr. Roger Pielke, Jr
U, S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, March 29, 2016 https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY- WState-RPielke-20170329.pdf
'Deniers,' lies and politics
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Mar 31, 2017 https://judithcurry.com/2017/03/31/deniers-lies-and-politics/#more-22929
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by CO2 Science
Sea Hares Can Sustain Shell Calcification in Highly Acidified Water
Carey, N., Dupont, S. and Sigwart, J.D. 2016. Sea hare I (Mollusca: Gastropoda) can maintain shell calcification under extreme ocean acidification. The Biological Bulletin 231: 142-151. Mar 29, 2017
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V20/mar/a17.php
Effects of Elevated CO2 on an Insect Herbivore
Gherlenda, A.N., Esveld, J.L., Hall, A.A.G., Duursma, R.A. and Riegler, M. 2016. Boom and bust: rapid feedback responses between insect outbreak dynamics and canopy leaf area impacted by rainfall and CO2. Global Change Biology22: 3632-3641. Mar 28, 2017 http://www.co2science.org/articles/V20/mar/a16.php
CO2 Enrichment and Warming Boost Wheat Micronutrient Uptake
Wang, J., Zhang, X., Li, L., Cheng, K., Zheng, J., Zheng, J., Shen, M., Liu, X. and Pan, G. 2016. Changes in micronutrient availability and plant uptake under simulated climate change in winter wheat field. Journal of Soils and Sediments 16: 2666-2675. Mar 27, 2017 http://www.co2science.org/articles/V20/mar/a15.php
Measurement Issues — Surface
The Yakima Warm Anomaly: A Local Weather Mystery
By Cliff Mass, Weather Blog, Mar 28, 2017 http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-yakima-warm-anomaly-local-weather.html
There have been a number of reports (and publications) bringing into question the sensor used in the NWS ASOS stations: the H0-83 hydro-thermometer (see picture). These papers
(example here) suggest a number of possible problems, including insufficient ventilation of the enclosure (the white object below).
[SEPP Comment: A warming bias in the widely used ASOS instrumentation? The specifications have an accuracy of +/- 1 C.]
Changing Weather
The Russians Hacked our Winter Weather
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Mar 23, 2017 http://www.drroyspencer.com/2017/03/the-russians-hacked-our-winter-weather/
Changing Climate
Under the dead sea, warnings of dire drought
By Staff Writers, New York NY (SPX), Mar 23, 2017 http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Under_the_dead_sea_warnings_of_dire_drought_999.html
False Alarm: Debunked Climate Paper Triggers Apocalyptic Scare-Mongering
By Staff Writers, Global Warming Policy Forum & Université de Genève, Mar 25, 2017 http://www.thegwpf.com/false-alarm-debunked-climate-paper-triggers-apocalyptic-scare- mongering/
Link to paper: Timing of global regression and microbial bloom linked with the Permian-Triassic boundary mass extinction: implications for driving mechanisms
By Bjorn Baresel, et al., Scientific Reports, Mar 6, 2017 http://www.nature.com/articles/srep43630
Most of Greenland ice melted to bedrock in recent geologic past, says study
Finding suggests the ice sheet is more vulnerable than thought By Staff Writers, Science Daily, Dec 7, 2016
Link to paper: Greenland was nearly ice-free for extended periods during the Pleistocene By Joerg M. Schaefer, et al., Nature, Dec 7, 2016 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v540/n7632/full/nature20146.html
[SEPP Comment: "…more vulnerable than thought" vulnerable to what and thought by whom?]
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
20+ Scientists: 'No Continent-Scale Warming Of Antarctic Temperature Is Evident In The Last Century'
By Kenneth Richard, No Tricks Zone, Mar 27, 2017 http://notrickszone.com/2017/03/27/20-scientists-no-continent-scale-warming-of-antarctic- temperature-is-evident-in-the-last-century/#sthash.MobIfSx2.dpbs
Apocalypse Tourism? Cruising the Melting Arctic Ocean
Come aboard! Let's sail the once-impenetrable Northwest Passage.
By Katie Orlinsky and Eva Holland, Bloomberg, Sep 8, 2016 [H/t Stephen Shipman] https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-crystal-serenity-northwest-passage-cruise/ [SEPP Comment: No doubt the winter Arctic temperatures are up, leading to less ice in the
summer. But who would book passage on a sailing ship with no modern gear such as satellite photography locating areas free of ice?. Who will pay for freeing one of these cruises if it gets stuck? Last month a Russian ice breaker got stuck until May.]
Last remnant of North American ice sheet on track to vanish
By Staff Writers, Boulder CO (SPX), Mar 21, 2017 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Last_remnant_of_North_American_ice_sheet_on_track_to_va nish_999.html
The Barnes Ice Cap is like a canary in a coal mine, said Miller, who also is a professor in CU Boulder's Department of Geological Sciences. Even if humans stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, the ice cap would still disappear in the next few centuries. [Boldface added]
[SEPP Comment: Should we hope for the return of the ice sheet?]
Sea ice extent sinks to record lows at both poles
By Staff Writers, Greenbelt MD (SPX), Mar 23, 2017 [Since 1979] http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Sea_ice_extent_sinks_to_record_lows_at_both_poles_999.ht ml
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Greenpeace Claims Immunity from Lawsuits Because Its Claims Are 'Hyperbole'
By Katie Brown, Energy in Depth, Mar 3, 2017 [H/t WUWT] https://energyindepth.org/national/greenpeace-claims-immunity-from-lawsuits-because-its- claims-are-hyperbole/
The silver-tongued liars' playbook for coal
Coal ash scare stories are the latest tactic in their long war on coal-fueled electricity generation Guest essay by Paul Driessen, WUWT, Mar 23, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/22/the-silver-tongued-liars-playbook-for-coal/
Funding Issues
To Protect Climate Money, Obama Stashed It Where It's Hard to Find
By Christopher Flavelle, Bloomberg, Mar 15, 2017 https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-15/cutting-climate-spending-made-harder- by-obama-s-budget-tactics
"'Given the relationship that existed with Congress on the issue of climate change, you will not readily find many programs that are entitled 'climate change," Hill, who is now a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, said in an interview. At the Department of Defense, for example, anything with the word climate would have been 'a target in the budget process,' she said."
The Political Games Continue
House Approves HONEST Act
Press Release, US House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Mar 29, 2017 https://science.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-approves-honest-act
House votes to limit EPA to science based on "public data"
By James Osborne, Fuel Fix, Mar 29, 2017
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2017/03/29/house-votes-to-limit-epa-to-science-based-on-public-data/ "The days of 'trust me' science are over."
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Mar 28, 2017 https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/fools-rush-in/
EPA and other Regulators on the March
Nonprofits Angry About Trump's Budget Cuts Hid The $179 Million They Took From The EPA
By Ethan Barton, Daily Caller, Mar 21, 2017
http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/21/nonprofits-angry-about-trumps-budget-cuts-hid-the-179- million-they-took-from-the-epa/
[SEPP Comment: Including Senior Service America, Inc., National Rural Water Association and Affiliates, AAAS, American Lung Association, Environmental Council of the States, and The Nature Conservancy.]
'Super sponge' promises effective toxic clean-up of lakes and more
By Staff Writers, Minneapolis, MN (SPX), Mar 23, 2017 http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Super_sponge_promises_effective_toxic_clean_up_of_lakes_a nd_more_999.html
Link to paper: A Nanoselenium Sponge for Instantaneous Mercury Removal to Undetectable Levels
By Ahmed, Brockgreitens, Xu, and Abbas, Advanced Functional Materials, Mar 6, 2017 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201606572/abstract
"According to the US-EPA, cutting mercury emissions to the latest established effluent limit standards would result in 130,000 fewer asthma attacks, 4,700 fewer heart attacks, and 11,000 fewer premature deaths each year. That adds up to at least $37 billion to $90 billion in annual monetized benefits annually."
[SEPP Comment: Imaginary numbers from the EPA.]
Energy Issues – Non-US
Is the UK Government Concealing 'Very High' Renewables System Cost Estimates?
By John Constable, GWPF, Mar 27, 2017
http://www.thegwpf.com/is-the-uk-government-concealing-very-high-renewables-system-cost- estimates/
[SEPP Comment: New style economics, an analysis that eliminated the necessary numbers? This is similar to the IPCC's sea level rise, without evidence that CO2 increases the rate of rise.]
Exergy and Power Plants
By Andy May, His Blog, Mar 17, 2017 https://andymaypetrophysicist.com/2017/03/18/exergy-and-power-plants/
Energy Issues – Australia
AEMO Report blames renewables: SA Blackout due to lack of "synchronous inertia"
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Mar 29, 2017
http://joannenova.com.au/2017/03/aemo-report-blames-renewables-sa-blackout-due-to-lack-of- synchronous-inertia/
Hazelwood — the shutdown begins — lowest cost electricity forced out by government design
http://joannenova.com.au/2017/03/hazelwood-the-shutdown-begins-lowest-cost-electricity- forced-out-by-government-decree/
Australia Demands More Gas
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Mar 21, 2017 https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2017/03/21/australia-demands-more-gas/
Energy Issues — US
As Dakota Access Nears Completion, America Still Needs Pipeline Infrastructure
By Tony Clark, Real Clear Energy, Mar 28, 2017 http://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2017/03/28/as_dakota_access_nears_completion_america
_still_needs_pipeline_infrastructure_110207.html
Greed and Genius — Not Obama Plan — Led to Coal's Decline
By Patrick J. Michaels, CNN, Via CATO, Mar 30, 2017 https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/greed-genius-not-obama-plan-led-coals-decline
Washington's Control of Energy
Trump approves Keystone pipeline
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 24, 2017
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/325587-trump-approves-keystone-pipeline
[SEPP Comment: Correcting an abuse of executive power.]
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
North American Oil Independence?
By Editors, Real Clear Energy, Mar 2, 2017 http://www.realclearenergy.org/charticles/2017/03/02/httpwwwrealclearenergyorgcharticles20170 302north_american_oil_independence_110199.html
"The problem with the term 'energy independence' is that crude oil is a globally-priced and heavily-traded commodity. This means a country can produce more oil than it uses and still not be protected from volatile prices. Shortages somewhere in the world simply tighten supplies everywhere, making for higher prices."
[SEPP Comment: By these standards, the only way to be truly protected against price changes is to have a government controlled monopoly, but that has not worked well in Venezuela, Mexico, etc.]
Michael Lynch Interview (new book reviews, refutes 'Peak Oil' scare) By Robert Bradley Jr. Master Resource, Mar 28, 2017 https://www.masterresource.org/lynch-michael/michael-lynch-interview/
Which US States Produce the Most Shale Oil?
While fracking unlocked an unimaginable supply of shale gas and oil, the boom in oil wells is heavily concentrated in just four U.S. states.
By Matthew DiLallo, The Motley Fool, Mar 25, 2017 https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/25/which-us-states-produce-the-most-shale-oil.aspx
'Biggest Oil Discovery In UK Waters This Century'
By Andrew Ward and Nathalie Thomas, Financial Times, Via GWPF, Mar 26, 2017 http://www.thegwpf.com/biggest-oil-discovery-in-uk-waters-this-century/
Mike Lynch on Peak Oil–Part 2
By Michael Lynch, Master Resource, Mar 30, 2017 https://www.masterresource.org/peak-oil-fixitydepletion/mike-lynch-on-peak-oil-part-2/
New projects, shale boom could trigger oil oversupply by 2018-19: Goldman
By Vijaykumar Vedala, Reuters, Mar 22, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-crude-goldman-idUSKBN16S26L
Shell's New Permian Play Profitable At $20 A Barrel
By Rakesh Upadhyay, Oil Price.com, Mar 24, 2017
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Shells-New-Permian-Play-Profitable-At-20-A-Barrel.html
Oil Spills, Gas Leaks & Consequences
Seagrass response following exposure to Deepwater Horizon oil in the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana (USA)
By Kenworthy, Cosentino-Manning, Handley, Wild and Rouhani, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Feb 7, 2017 [H/t Dick Hoese]
http://www.int-res.com/articles/theme/AdvanceView/M11983_Kenworthy_OIL.pdf
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Fear of Nuclear – Part 3
By Roger Graves, WUWT, Mar 26, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/26/fear-of-nuclear-part-3/
In Support of Nuclear Power
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Mar 31, 2017 https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/
Alternative, Green ("Clean") Solar and Wind
By the numbers: Lifetime Performance of World's First Offshore Wind Farm
Guest essay by T. A. "Ike" Kiefer, CAPT, USN (ret.), WUWT, Mar 22, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/22/by-the-numbers-lifetime-performance-of-worlds-first- offshore-wind-farm/
"As it is uncontrollably variable and weather dependent, offshore wind generation remains uncompetitive with gas and coal which are half the cost (~ $70/MWh LCOE) while providing fully dispatchable and weather-independent power that is of much higher value to a power grid."
On the Politicization of Electricity (intervention breeding intervention) By Jim Clarkson, Master Resource, Mar 23, 2017 https://www.masterresource.org/electricity-policy/politics-electricity/
Paying Attention To The Huge Costs Of Generating Electricity From Intermittent Sources By Frances Menton, Manhattan Contrarian, Mar 29, 2017 http://manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2017/3/29/paying-attention-to-the-huge-costs-of-generating- electricity-from-intermittent-sources
California Auto Emissions Showdown
Guest essay by Eric Worrall, WUWT, Mar 25, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/25/california-auto-emissions-showdown/
Environmental Industry
Bruised But Not Broken, Dakota Access Line Foes Turn to Keystone
By Jonathan Crawford, Bloomberg, Mar 30, 2017
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-30/bruised-but-not-broken-dakota-access- line-foes-turn-to-keystone?utm_content=energy&utm_campaign=socialflow- organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-energy [SEPP Comment: Could it be that many of those protesting the Dakota Access Line were not really protecting Indian burial grounds?]
The futility of "Earth Hour" @earthhour
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 25, 2017 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/25/the-futility-of-earth-hour-earthhour/
Other Scientific News
Why Some Scientists Are Bad at Their Jobs
By Alex Berezow, ACSH, Mar 27, 2017
http://acsh.org/news/2017/03/27/why-some-scientists-are-bad-their-jobs-11055
[SEPP Comment: Illustrations why polls of scientists can be meaningless. "While countless studies have shown GMOs to be safe, only 88% of AAAS scientists agree."]
More worrying than global warming – report on 'extreme space weather' shows risks to Earth
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/03/24/more-worrying-than-global-warming-report-on-extreme- space-weather-shows-risks-to-earth/
Link to report: Space Weather & Critical Infrastructures: Findings and Outlook By Krausmann, et al, EUR & Various National Agencies, Nov 29-30, 2016
http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC104231/space_weather_cover%2brep ort_final.pdf
BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
7 Enviro Predictions From Earth Day 1970 That Were Just Dead Wrong
By Staff Writers, ICECAP, Mar 26, 2017 http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-
blog/7_enviro_predictions_from_earth_day_1970_that_were_just_dead_wrong/
Dean Swift's foresight: energy in the 21st century
By William York, On Line Opinion (AU), Mar 21, 2017 [H/t Tom Quirk] http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=18917
[SEPP Comment: A bit of humor.]
Dry Australia
By Staff Writers, Climate Change Predictions.org, Mar 29, 2017 http://climatechangepredictions.org/uncategorized/7997
"Because it is so dry, Australia is the rich country most exposed to climate change. Its rivers could stop flowing, its farms become unviable, its export prices collapse unless the world brings climate change under control.economist Ross Garnaut, the government's chief advisor on cllimate change." The Age (Australia), 5 Jul 2008
1. Trump's Next Step on Climate Change
Reconsider the EPA's labeling of carbon dioxide as a pollutant, based on now-outdated science.
By Paul Tice, WSJ, Mar 28, 2017 https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-next-step-on-climate-change- 1490740870?cx_campaign=poptart&mod=cx_poptart#cxrecs_s
SUMMARY: The executive-in-residence at New York University's Stern School of Business and a former Wall Street energy research analyst writes:
"The executive orders on climate change President Trump signed this week represent a step in the right direction for U.S. energy policy and, importantly, deliver on Mr. Trump's campaign promise to roll back burdensome regulations affecting American companies. But it will take more than the stroke of a pen to make lasting progress and reverse the momentum of the climate-change movement."
After a brief discussion of executive orders issued, the writer states:
"Because they don't attack the climate-change regulatory problem at its root, Mr. Trump's orders will not provide enough clarity to U.S. energy companies—particularly electric utilities and coal- mining companies—for their long-term business forecasting or short-term capital investment and head-count planning.
"To accomplish that, the Trump administration, led by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, needs to
target the EPA's 2009 "endangerment finding," which labeled carbon dioxide as a pollutant. That foundational ruling provided the legal underpinnings for all of the EPA's follow-on carbon regulations, including the CPP.
"It also provided the rationale for the previous administration's anti-fossil-fuel agenda and its various climate-change initiatives and programs, which spanned more than a dozen federal agencies and cost the American taxpayer roughly $20 billion to $25 billion a year during Mr. Obama's presidency.
"The endangerment finding was the product of a rush to judgment. Much of the scientific data upon which it was predicated—chiefly, the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—was already dated by the time of its publication and arguably not properly peer-reviewed as federal law requires."
After a summary of IPCC changes the writer states:
"An updated EPA endangerment finding based on an objective review of the latest available scientific data is warranted, along with a more sober discussion of the threat posed by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the "public health and welfare of current and future generations," in the words of the original endangerment finding.
"As long as the 2009 finding remains on the books, it will provide legal ammunition for
environmentalists, academics and state government officials seeking to sue the administration for any actions related to climate change, including this week's executive orders.
"Issuing a new endangerment finding would be a bold move requiring thorough work, but the Trump EPA would be well within its legal rights to undertake such an updated review process. In
Massachusetts v. EPA (2007), the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the authority, but not the obligation, to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The EPA needs to "ground its reasons for action or inaction" with "reasoned judgment" and scientific analysis.
"Addressing the 2009 endangerment finding head-on would show that Mr. Trump is serious about challenging climate-change orthodoxy. Thus far he has sent a mixed message, as demonstrated by this week's ambivalence on CPP (reworking rather than repealing) and his administration's silence on U.S. participation in the U.N.'s 2015 Paris Agreement.
"Simply standing down on regulatory enforcement, cutting government funding for climate- change research and stopping data collection for the next four years will not suffice. Ignoring the EPA's 2009 endangerment finding would mean that it is only a matter of time before another
liberal-minded occupant of the White House reasserts this regulatory power, bringing the country and the domestic energy sector back where Mr. Obama left them.
2. Saudi Arabia Puts U.S. Energy Producers to a Test—and They Ace It
It's entirely feasible for America to become a far bigger oil exporter, even one of the biggest.
By Mark P. Mills, WSJ, Mar 27, 2017
https://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabia-puts-u-s-energy-producers-to-a-testand-they-ace-it- 1490655500
SUMMARY: The senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute writes:
"Only a few years ago America's policy makers were wringing their hands about 'peak oil ' and dependence on imported fuels. Now headlines feature the return of oil gluts. What happened?
Saudi Arabia undertook a 'stress test ' of America's oil-and-gas industry that produced unintended consequences.
"We're witnessing the first signs of a new normal in oil markets. Call it Shale 2.0, characterized by a potent combination: eager and liquid capital markets funding hundreds of experienced (now- lean) small to midsize companies that can respond to modest upticks in price with a velocity unseen in oil markets in eons—all using shale technology that is shockingly better than before and poised to keep improving.
"This year sees the U.S. not only filling storage tanks to the brim but also exporting more than a million barrels of crude oil a day. Exports are at the highest level in American history, twice the previous crude export peak in 1958. The U.S. is exporting more oil than five of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' 13 members.
"The stress test that brought this about began two years ago, when Saudi Arabia decided it would try to tame American shale oil and gas production. The technology of hydraulic fracturing, which began to emerge barely over a decade ago, led to the fastest and largest increase in hydrocarbon production in history.
"Oil prices started to collapse in 2014 because American shale businesses oversupplied markets. The Saudis responded by increasing production, which drove prices even lower. Their theory was that this would wreak havoc on small and midsize petroleum upstarts in states from Texas and Oklahoma to Pennsylvania and North Dakota.
"The fall from the $120-a-barrel stratosphere to under $30 did take a toll on producers everywhere. Businesses reduced investments and staffing, and many went bankrupt. It also deprived OPEC member states—and Russia, it bears noting—of hundreds of billions of dollars in revenues, forcing them to tap sovereign-wealth funds and cut domestic budgets.
"Something else happened. Little noticed outside the petroleum cognoscenti, shale technologies kept getting better. The productivity—output per shale drilling rig—has been rising by more than 20% a year. That means every 3½ years the average rig produces twice as much oil or gas. No other energy technology of any kind is improving at that rate. Put another way, the cost to produce shale oil keeps falling.
"As a result, with an assist from the recent modest increase in oil prices, shale investors and drillers are returning. Bad as that is for OPEC, the really frightening prospect is that software tools and techniques will now start to invade the shale domain, one of the least-computerized
industrial sectors. 'The cloud ' will be just as much of an economic accelerant for shale as it has been for other complex and distributed industries.
"Established tech companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Teradata and Splunk see the opportunity. The digital oilfield is also the animating logic of the huge merger of oil services giant Baker Hughes with General Electric's 'industrial internet ' and oil-and-gas business. Even more portentous, a new ecosystem of tech startups is chasing the prize of unlocking value in petabytes of untapped shale data.
"Venture capitalists like to talk about 'unmet needs ' in 'big markets. ' Oil is the world's biggest market in a traded commodity, and America's shale market went from near zero to $150 billion in a decade, largely without help from software.
"For the Saudis and other oil oligarchs, the worrisome feature of Shale 2.0 is that software enhances the most remarkable feature of shale production: velocity. The thousands of small to midsize shale operators and investors make rapid individual decisions, each involving a tiny
fraction of capital per decision compared with the supermajors. This fluid, chaotic, very
American entrepreneurial environment operates in private markets, largely on private land, and can expand or pull back with a volume and velocity unseen in oil markets in a century.
"Of course the U.S. still imports oil (for now), but net imports have declined by half. America is now the world's biggest natural-gas producer and has become a net exporter. Other places can gush hydrocarbons into markets. But they're all slow-moving, in some cases monopolistic,
leviathans. As Ed Morse, Citi's head of global commodities, recently observed, OPEC 'has lost its clout. '"
April 3, 2017 in Climate News Roundup.
← Why John Christy's Missing Hotspot Matters
Claim: Early climate 'payback' with higher emission reductions →
23 thoughts on "Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup #264"
Mr. Haapala: Thank you for this fine compiling (with great annotations) you do here, week after week. You deserve more recognition and appreciation than you get.
Suggestion: Publish this at midnight SATURDAY, instead of midnight Sunday. Far more people would be likely to read it if it was, essentially the Sunday morning (or evening, in Australia) paper. The U.S. people are mostly seeing it Monday morning when they get up…. kinda busy, many of them…. 🙂
TonyL says:
That is actually a very good idea.
I always like the Weekly Roundup, myself.
TA says:
I think it is a good idea, too.
I shall be nominating Jerry Brown Governor of California and suggest the lump of coal award be presented in a wooden shoe representing the economic sabotage he policies have wrought.
For an added touch, have someone wear that shoe and step in a puddle of organic fertilizer, first.
Would a lining of raptor feathers from windmill "takings" be over the top?
Roger Knights says:
TYPO: Change to "principal" in:
"Christy avoids any confusion of the principle issue . . ."
troe says:
Watching the Congressional hearing with Mann, Pielke, Christy this morning. Good Lord. Mann relentlessly playing the victim while calling those sitting next to him Anti-science and deniers. Haven't seen it all yet but that would have been a good time to read a few of his Climategate email quotes.
Three of the scientists came of as scientists with the fourth yapping like a political attack dog. Which he is. Worth the time to watch.
nickreality65 says:
1)	Per IPCC AR5 Figure 6.1 prior to year 1750 CO2 represented about 1.26% of the total biospheric carbon balance (589/46,713). After mankind's contributions, 67 % fossil fuel and cement – 33% land use changes, atmospheric CO2 increased to about 1.77% of the total biosphere carbon balance (829/46,713). This represents a shift of 0.51% from all the collected stores, ocean outgassing, carbonates, carbohydrates, etc. not just mankind, to the atmosphere. A 0.51% rearrangement of 46,713 Gt of stores and 100s of Gt annual fluxes doesn't impress me as measurable let alone actionable, attributable, or significant.
2)	Figure 10 in Trenberth et al 2011jcli24, in addition to substantial differences of opinion, i.e. uncertainties, 7 of the 8 balances considered, 87.5%, showed more energy leaving ToA than entering, i.e. atmospheric cooling.
3)	Even IPCC AR5 expresses serious doubts about the value of their AOGCMs (IPCC AR5 Box TS.3) and Key Uncertainties (TS.6) (IPCC AR5 Box TS.3).
The sea ice and sheet ice is behaving as usual for decades (DMI) and does not affect sea levels. Polar bear population is the highest in decades, the weather (30 years = climate) is less extreme not more, the sea level rise is not accelerating, the GCM's are repeat failures, the CAGW hypothesis is coming unraveled, COP21 turned into yet another empty and embarrassing fiasco, IPCC AR6 will mimic SNL's Emily Letilla, "Well, neeeveeer mind!!"
Jim Masterson says:
Figure 10 in Trenberth et al 2011
It's basically a repeat of Trenberth et. al. 2009, "Earth's Global Energy Budget." The problem I have is that Kiehl and Trenberth 1997 calculated the atmospheric window (40 W/m^2), did it wrong, and has never corrected it (or explained why it should be 40 W/m^2).
The atmospheric window is probably the most important heat flux, and it's usually ignored in most discussions.
The current endangerment finding has another malign effect: It provides a rationale for state-level subsidies and must-purchase laws. I recently read an article in WaPo in which a greenie was quoted as saying that so many states had passed so many "buy-renewables" laws that the effect of Trump's cutbacks at the federal level would be minor.
Murphy Slaw says:
This should be required reading for Ivanka.
cheryll says:
RWturner says:
Bates and Curry should sue Mann for libel.
Leo Smith says:
Everyone should sue Michael Mann for having a face like a wombats anus. But that's my bigotry shining through.
Mind you his bevaviours is remarkably similar
http://inhabitat.com/amazing-natural-packaging-the-wombats-reinforced-rump/
When a predator attacks a wombat, it runs to its burrow and uses its tough cartilage-filled bum to block the hole. Since the super tough wombat behind is just made from modified skin cells, this physical feature would be a smart place for designers and fabricators to look when they are considering more natural alternatives to non biodegradable, unsustainable plastics.
..and furthermore
So just to clarify, the wombat can run faster than the Usain Bolt, twerk better than Miley Cyrus, and its sphincter regularly handles almost literally shitting bricks…
…Wombats are protected under Australian law, presumably mostly due to being awesome.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/09/wombat-poop-is-cubic-and-other-fascinating-wombat-facts/
I think instead of polar bears and pandas, the Wombat deserves special status as the mascot for all climate denialists…Just for being awesome.
In competition to WUWT, Michael Mann's news site will be PUWT.
Pure Unadulterated Wombat Turds
All taxpayers should sue Mann.
crew says:
OT, but need an editor who is willing to keep climate 'science' related articles up to date, and in particular this one:
https://infogalactic.com/info/Climatic_Research_Unit_email_controversy
Go here if you want to sign up: https://infogalactic.com/info/Special:RequestAccount
K. Kilty says:
Last week on WUWT some guest blogger spoke about "pathological science". The originator of that phrase, Irving Langmuir, laid out a number of criteria, or tests if you will, to identify pathological science. One of those criteria is that increasing effort and expenditure to advance the so-called science lead to no further understanding, progress, or refinement. I think the quotation, above, provides a reason, if nothing else does, that "Climate Science" contains a pathological component.
vukcevic says:
Prof Peter Stott—the Acting Director of the Met Office Hadley Centre said:
"It is necessary to reduce greenhouse emissions rapidly to help avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.
This new research shows that many people alive today could see substantial benefits of efforts to reduce emissions thanks to a greatly reduced risk of heat waves in as little as two decades."
https://phys.org/news/2017-04-early-climate-payback-higher-emission.html
Nonsense, I say.
Coeur de Lion says:
I see uah is down to nought point one nine. Break out the woollies.
Kip Hansen says:
The Singer paper, Overcoming Chaotic Behavior of Climate Models, is based on a false idea about Chaotic behavior in models and in the real world. Singer makes the same mistake that other climate modelers make — assuming that the spread of multiple runs [of a chaotic model] represent an even spread of behavior and can therefore be "averaged" to produce a true chaos-free projection. This simply is not true.
The spread of multiple runs represents ONLY the bounds of those particular runs — none of them are any more "correct" or "true" than the others. All are equally possible every time the model is started.
Additional runs, the cornerstone of the Singer paper, will extend the boundaries outward — enough runs will extend the boundaries to their mathematical maximum for that model. Averaging to find the mean between the maximum boundaries doers not produce a chaos-free result — it just produces a mean of boundary condition — which is NOT a chaos free projection and has no more predictive power — probably less — than an educated guess.


MRS. MARY HELEN LEWIS - Age 85, of Chattanooga, Tennessee passed away Sunday, October 2, 2016 at her residence. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Lewis, Jr., son, TSGT. Louis H. Silmon, parents, Jim Silmon and Alberta Whitlow, brothers, Charlie Blunt, Tommy James Whitlow, and Willie Frank Whitlow, and special cousin, Mattie Ruth Thomas. She is survived by her sisters, Elder Sandra Faye Harmon of Mableton, Georgia and Evangelist Nell Postell of LaFayette, Alabama; daughter-in-law, Christine Silmon of Chickamauga, Georgia; grandchildren, Ken Silmon of Chickamauga, Tina (Kevin) Silmon of Villa Rica, Georgia, Steven (Kristie) Lewis of Chickamauga; special great granddaughter, Dacia "Sugar" Silmon; sisters-in-law, Mary Lewis and Mary Lean Blunt; special friends, Gail Rice and Ida Mae; a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Funeral Service will be held Friday, October 7, 2016 at 12:00 Noon at Hope City Church, 7 North Tuxedo Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee, with Elder Sandra Harmon and other ministers officiating. The family will receive friends at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Thursday Evening from 6:30 until 7:30 P.M. Interment Chattanooga National Cemetery. Please share your thoughts and memories of Mrs. Mary Helen Lewis at www.willisfuneralhomedalton.com. Arrangements by Willis Funeral Home, Inc., Dalton, Georgia.


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text:
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Smriti Sharma-July 4, 2007,10:36 pm IST India
First look: Veeru in Ramu's Sholay
In Ram Gopal Verma's Sholay, while Amitabh Bachchan plays Gabar, there's Ajay Devgan as Veeru....
Smriti Sharma-May 28, 2007,3:15 pm IST India
Rosa, no more Saif's arm candy
Till now we have known her as Saif's arm candy but after the split, Rosa is trying to make an identity of her own. ...
Smriti Sharma-April 24, 2007,5:31 pm IST India

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Sound Art +
Curator-in-Residence
Critic-in-Residence
Curators-in-Residence
About Bemis
Center's
Liveness is Critical
Dorota Mytych
Elblag, Poland
November 1, 2006 - January 29, 2007
Drawing/Painting
Dorota Mytych received her Diploma of Fine Arts from the Art Institute LDM in Florence, Italy and an Honors Degree of Fine Art Painting Accademia di Belle Arti, also in Florence, Italy. She has exhibited her work in a number of venues, such as Galeria El (Elablag, Poland), the Stiftung Starke Lions Palace (Berlin, Germany) and at the Long Gallery (Hobart, Tasmania). Her work is included in private collections in the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the U.S., Australia and Italy. She has also been an Artist-in-Residence at the MacDowell Colony, and she has received numerous grants and awards for her keenly detailed work.
http://www.dorotamytych.com/


leading properties.The "strong" antioxidants strengthen cell walls.
-- They kill bacteria, viruses, and fungus.
-- They stop the attack in DNA and even have restorative properties.
-- They help the body run as a complete, interrelated and integrated system.
-- They help the mind think better, adapt better, and give a sense of well-being (anti-depressant).
-- They stop the damage of brain cells so they grow and divide properly and help the cell walls and the neuro transmitters function properly.
-- They aid with Alzheimers, and all forms of memory loss.
-- They help in the battle against degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and all forms of brain malfunctions.
-- They help the VISION process: cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other forms of vision loss may be prevented.
this is interesting. i recommend DeliFruts mangosteen juice on delifreshusa.com. the taste is just perfect.


"And the other answers, 'Because they could.'" -The Power, Naomi Alderman.
"One of them says 'why did they do it?' And the other answers, 'Because they could.'" -The Power, Naomi Alderman • • • • Words cannot express how stoked I am to develop & direct the world of The Power in this new series with Amazon studios, Jane Featherstone and Naomi Alderman! @sisterpicturestv @amazonstudios @naomi_alderman THIS STORY IS CRAAAAAZY.
While Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale foresees a doomed future for women in which they are dehumanised and forced into sexual servitude as their sole purpose is to procreate, The Power imagines young women becoming the dominant gender after they develop the ability to release electrical jolts from their fingers. Men are suddenly afraid of women and their power to electrocute at will, reassembling the world into a matriarchy.
"I can't wait to expand this story - and bring electric women to TV screens around the world."


our new residence located in Great Hills.
I would like to compliment Dan and his crew for an outstanding job!
many compliments on the beauty of our yard.
I would highly recommend Dan for all of your sprinkler and landscape needs.
Feel free to us as a reference in the future.


Saturday, July 6. Registration deadline will NOT be extended.
Divisions: 10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-79, 80+. Age determination date is July 1st.
The race will be conducted using a "Lap" format on Tinman Circle at Lake Shawnee. The Start/Finish line will be near Reynolds Lodge on Tinman Circle.
5K participants will complete 3 laps. 10K participants will complete 6 laps.
Chip timing will be used with lap spllits provided.
No headsets, strollers, baby joggers, bikes, roller-blades, dogs, or motorized vehicles are allowed on the course.
Parking will be located in the grass field accross from Reynolds Lodge.
Medals to the top three in each age group will be distributed to winners at the post event award ceremony.
Trophies awarded to the top overall male and female in the 5K and 10K run.
Medals and awards must be picked up after the race and will not be mailed.
The Kids Fun Run will be 1K and will begin upon conclusion of the 5K/10K run at approximately 9:15 a.m.
The fun run is a free event for kids 10 and under only.
All fun run participants will receive a Sunflower State Games medal.
Registration will take place on-site only.
The Hy-Vee Cauldron Fest will highlight the Road Race with annual lighting of the Cauldron to kick off the 2019 Games. There will be activities and a complimentary breakfast for the athletes and spectators from 7:00-10:00 a.m. Click here for more information.
Packet Pick-up will take place at Jock's Nitch Sporting Goods, located inside the Westridge Mall at 1801 SW Wanamaker, on Friday, July 12 from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Please note: Late entries will NOT be accepted at packet pick-up.


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Pumpkin Beer: Debunking the Myths
by The Drink Nation on Aug 23, 2012 in Beer
E ach autumn, shelves of beer stores around the country begin to take on an orange tint. Brightly colored labels announce the arrival of pumpkin beer, a fall seasonal with a long history in the U.S. Early colonists made beer entirely from the plentiful orange squash, because malted barley was tough to find.
Modern breweries don't need to go to those extremes, but instead add pumpkin and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to different ales. Some of these beers are very heavy and sugary — Southern Tier Pumking is a good example — while others are less extreme, such as Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, which balances the sweet spices with the bitterness of hops.
Issues at Hand
All types of the style have been on the rise in recent years, along with craft beer in general, which has led many breweries to up production and release these so-called autumn beers as early as August. Some beer aficionados have complained about this (just like you hate seeing the Christmas displays pop up like weeds the day after Halloween, they hate the proliferation of pumpkin beers in August). For example, Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn recently tweeted this:
Any pumpkin beer on shelves now is clearly not made with this year's pumpkin.Pumpkins are not harvested until October or November.
— Sixpoint(@sixpoint) August 8, 2012
BeerPulse even picked up on the mini controversy and put the question to its readers. We asked around a bit to get some other brewers' takes on the subject. Do they use fresh pumpkin at all? Does it matter if the pumpkin is from "this year"? And why are we seeing pumpkins on the shelves before Labor Day?
Turns out most breweries do not in fact use "this year's crop" to make their brew. "Since local pumpkin season isn't until the fall, the timing doesn't work out," Janelle Miley of Delaware's Dogfish Head tells us, explaining, "We have to brew all of the Punkin in the summer in order to have it on the shelves in the fall." For the record, Dogfish uses cooked, canned pumpkin for the 7% ABV Punkin, and it works out very well.
Easton, PA's Weyerbacher also uses canned pumpkin, which ends up in its Imperial Pumpkin Ale, a hearty and caramelly 8% ABV take on the style. "All brewers who bottle their pumpkin that I know of are using canned," says founder and president Dan Weirback.
New Jersey's River Horse Brewing Co. produces Hipp-O-Lantern, an 8.5% ABV ale brewed with molasses, and lead brewer Chris McGrath, spells it out like this:
"If you wait until October or November (to use this year's pumpkins), you run into a lot of issues. By the time the pumpkins are harvested, packaged and shipped by the farmer, ordered by the brewery, delivered to said brewery, beer is brewed, fermented, conditioned, filtered, packaged, shipped to distributor, and then finally shipped the retailer or bar, you're looking at a bare minimum of a two month process; and realistically probably more like a three month process. Which means the beer probably wouldn't get to the consumer until the end of December. and now you have out of season beer."
Speaking of staying in season, are pumpkin beers being shipped earlier and earlier? McGrath has definitely seen a change, and says his microbrewery moved up production dates in order to meet increased demand. "We brewed four tanks of pumpkin in 2010, 11 in 2011, and this year we're on track to brew 25 tanks."
Michigan's Arcadia Ales makes Jaw Jacker, a 6% ABV spiced beer that doesn't actually have pumpkin in it but is often lumped in with the style, since it features all the spices one would use to make pumpkin pie. Production started one week earlier than last year, says head brewer Stacey Roth, due to an increase in sales. Dogfish, on the other hand, aims for a September 1 release, a date that hasn't changed since it began producing the style.
Sixpoint's Autumnation is the odd one out, unique not only thanks to its use of this year's pumpkin (we gather), but also just-harvested Citra hops. Using fresh hops is extremely rare in most of the beer world, especially for breweries outside the Pacific Northwest, where most hops are grown. The result is a very flavorful, fresh-tasting 6.7% ABV ale with much more hoppy flavor than others of this season.
So we suggest you try a few different pumpkin beers and stick with the ones that suit your palate, be they fresh or not. And if a few happen to make their way into your fridge before Labor Day, we promise we won't tell.
Top photo by Flickr user RichardBowen


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Optus set for new content partnerships amid 4G growth
Optus CEO Allen Lew has revealed that the company is working to partner with new content and service providers in the wake of Vodafone Australia's agreement with music-streaming service Spotify.
By Leon Spencer | November 13, 2014 -- 05:01 GMT (21:01 PST) | Topic: Telcos
Last month, Vodafone Australia announced that it had partnered with music-streaming platform Spotify. Now, rival telco Otpus is moving to make similar deals with content and service providers, according to CEO Allen Lew.
Lew has revealed that the SingTel subsidiary was expecting to announce new partnerships with content providers as well as application and service providers "shortly", but also cautioned that any such partnerships would not only have to be regionally relevant to Australians, but also benefit both Optus and its customer base.
"Yes, we are working on partnerships," Lew said. "You'll hear Optus announcing imminently some interesting partnerships in the content space, as well as in applications and services. We'll be announcing something pretty interesting very shortly.
"For us, it's important to make sure the partnership is one that has value that accrues to Optus as well. In the digital area, it's all about partnerships. The key is: Where does the value equation lie in the partnership? Is it valid, and what do we get out of it as a result?
"When we look at partnerships, we have to make sure that we benefit from it. And, at the end of the day, the partner is also someone that has a service or content that is meaningful and engaging to our customers," he said.
Lew said that not only would the content provided by the yet-to-be-announced partnerships be Australian focused; its selection and incorporation would also be heavily informed by the experiences of parent company SingTel.
"Partnerships from some of the content or service providers will have to be very, very local," he said. "Meaning they will have to have information about what's happening, particularly in Australia, and also within the cities and towns that we are focused on with this service.
"And, most importantly, it also has to be something that you can get on the mobile that you are not also getting on some other media. It should be something that supplements what you're watching on TV today, or something different from what you can already get on TV," he said.
The announcement comes as Optus works to roll out its 4G network across the country, with the company also revealing today that it plans to expand its national 4G network to 90 percent of the population by April 2015.
Parent company SingTel released its second-quarter financial results today, revealing that Optus had seen its 4G customers rise to 2.75 million from 2.43 million the previous quarter, with data revenues rising by 7 percent.
While Optus is working to ramp up its wireless network, the company has been working on discussions with NBN Co to work out how its existing hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) network will be used to support the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Optus vice president of corporate affairs and regulatory affairs David Epstein remained tight-lipped as to how the discussions are progressing, saying only that Optus is in "a comfortable position".
However, NBN Co today released details about how the existing Optus and Telstra HFC infrastructure would be incorporated into the NBN rollout.
According to NBN Co's principles for the government-backed multi-technology rollout, Australians already served by the Optus or Telstra HFC infrastructure will receive fast broadband over an upgraded HFC network.
Meanwhile, areas where the fibre-to-the-premises (FttP) network has been deployed or is at an advanced stage of deployment will remain part of the FttP rollout.
While fibre to the node has become the default NBN deployment, according to the plan, NBN Co said that it would work with small communities that choose to co-fund FttP if they are in an alternative technology area.
More from Leon Spencer
Smartphone surveillance on the rise for SMBs
Australia set for small business mobile tech investment surge
The rapid rise of smartphone health care
Cloud moves see SAS ramp up dev and deployment


I'm not sure if I'm the only one who has tried to Cache WordPress API endpoint wp-json without a plugin, but I sure didn't find anything useful out there.
I have been working with the WordPress API bringing some blog content into a non WordPress site and noticed that like most things with WordPress the API calls were terribly slow.
I went down the typical WordPress path of plugin exploration. Testing a few, Enabling Memcached, Enabling Object caching all without any real success.
Annoyed and convinced that the API is somehow treated totally differently from other WordPress queries ( is it? ). I decided to use CloudFront for no other reason that it's what my company uses for SSL.
After adding a Behavior for /wp-json/* I setoff to find the correct combination of caching that still allowed the API to work properly as it still uses URL rewriting, relies on some headers, and needs query strings.
My Basic settings look something like this.
Under Cache Based on Selected Requests choose Whitelist and chose the following.
While it is possible that I have more than what is needed, this allows any WordPress CloudFrott plugins to detect and handle HTTPS properly for you.
Next I chose Object Caching and changed it to Customize choosing between 5 and 15 min for my TTL.
I disabled Forward Cookies to None and set Query String Forwarding and Caching to Forward all.
Last I set Compress Objects Automatically to Yes.
This dropped my terrible load times from 700ms to around 45ms.
Let me know how this worked for you and what you use for your caching strategy.
User Interface Designer & Developer with a background in UX. I have spent 5 years as a professionally certified bicycle mechanic and ride year-round.
I am a husband and father of two, I enjoy photography, music, movies, coffee, and good food.
You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!


I always find it hard to encapsulate what happens at men's knitting retreats. Aaron Bush did a good job highlighting what we did and the camaraderie felt last weekend at Easton Mountain Retreat Center. Anyone who attended would probably admit coming away with more than inspiration for a project or a new knitting technique, but the personal impact may be hard to verbalize. Gratitude, communion and a shift in respect for self and others might all be part of it.
At the end Jeff Cohen, one of the attendees, passed one of his hand-knitted hats around and asked everyone to touch it. Whenever he knits at home through the year, he said, it lets him feel connected to all of us.
Each year the group raises money to provide scholarships for several men who could not otherwise afford to attend. This year for the first time, non-knitters who wanted to learn the craft were actively encouraged to attend and apply for scholarships. My good friend Jaye Crawford received one, went with us and learned how to knit. He was finishing his first hat in the car on the road back to Guelph. We call the new men lambkins.
This spirit of community and generosity, passing on both skill and wisdom, has persuaded me to consider planning a men's knitting retreat here in Ontario sometime in 2014.
It would be a considerable personal challenge. My partner, Danny, and I are both strong introverts. Besides that I suffer from anxiety disorder.
Some people get panic attacks from flying on a plane or going out in public. Mine are triggered exclusively by social interactions. It is a hangover from being ostracized and leaving a cult-like religious community 18 years ago. Though the roots of my condition go back much further, since then I have felt uncomfortable in groups of people where intimacy is shared (and potentially punished). Isolation is a curse to a boy whose mother raised him to be kind and open-hearted toward others.
I enjoyed my first two retreats in 2008 and 2012 but found myself frequently exhausted, jittery, needing to remove myself and spend time alone in the woods. However, I also tasted the fellowship and unconditional love certain religions preach but seldom demonstrate well. Besides that I found myself in the company of others who have perhaps experienced isolation and remain guarded in different ways. Instead of foundering on the sidelines, like I did as a "recovering homosexual" in the evangelical church, we find ourselves in the midst, cherished, teaching workshops, showing off things of beauty we have made with our hands. Soaring a little.
This is what society is supposed to do. These retreats have restored my faith in people somewhat: not just a head faith, but an emotional one that frees me to emerge more comfortably from my safe zone, relax, not worry so much about saying the wrong thing or appearing nervous.
Danny and I arrived early on Wednesday. It gave us time to wind down from the trip, greet people as they trickled in and participate in an informal field trip before everyone else arrived Thursday evening. I do not recall when the wave of anxiety washed gently as a ripple on the sand. I expected it. It did not displace me. I rode it in good company without the need to walk away or hide my feelings.
This year's gathering brought me a step closer to the active, participative person I was in my youth. I first had the idea of organizing a Canadian men's knitting retreat after we returned last year, but it dissolved in a sea of other challenges, projects and responsibilities. This year I am determined to keep it afloat. So I begin by putting it forward.
The top photo shows Dave Sledesky, a veteran of the men's spring knitting retreat, teaching an introductory weaving workshop using cardboard boxes for looms. He suggested to me this is also a great way to weave samples when figuring out how to do larger projects. I would like a simple tool like that for envisioning events.
Below is a photo of three friends: John Wise, who I met only last year but it feels like a lifetime, Ron Doughten, a newbie to the East Coast retreat, and Danny Ouellette, my partner of almost 10 years.
Special thanks go to Joe Wilcox who has organized the men's spring knitting retreat so adeptly for six years. I will never match his grace, candour, energy and good humour, but he inspires me to be more at ease in who I am.
Jeff, I'm feeling more excited just talking about it and hearing this from you and others. I think you're right that it can be fairly simple to organize. I have enough ideas for field trips to last five years. I'm actually thinking of Oct. 4, 2014, the weekend ahead of Canadian Thanksgiving. Fall colour is at its peak then. The biggest thing will be finding the right venue.
What a beautiful example of your feelings, thought and writing, Van. I hope that I will be able to be included in a Canadian men's knitting retreat. Consider me an enthusiastic supporter.
Thank you, Jack. Your friendly company would add a lot to the gathering. I'm getting more and more excited about this.
As you know by now, many of my interests are decidedly non-mainstream: native wildflowers, Ukrainian Easter eggs (traditionally a feminine craft), astrology, Tarot, etc, as well as certain demographics I could potentially identify with. In a city this size, there are social groups for all of them, but most attempts I've made to participate, well, I end up on the fringes and don't feel included. How much of that is my own "baggage," I don't know.
As for organizing your event, if I can do it, you can. 🙂 From comments so far, seems others have similar faith in you. I used to organize events around local food, a few years before it became trendy. (I burned out on it because people wanted to enjoy it but not help organize it). The hardest part is finding the right venue and reserving it for your group. You've got the timeframe in mind and it's in-advance enough to reserve a setting someplace.
Not all gay bears by any means, though there are a few. The group actively encourages diversity. For example, diversity is a factor in the application for scholarships, of which there are two or three every year. Although the majority of participants are 35-60, there are several seniors and several younger men. And while most are gay, there is also a smattering of straight men and trans men. The group also seeks to initiate new knitters, and several attended this year. From what some of the members of these fringe demographics shared with the group, I can tell you they feel just as included as I do.
I have a professional hat, comparable to yours, as a journalist. The comfort comes from my education and training, in which I gained experience interviewing people, especially on the phone. Although I would not venture to say I am comfortable with it, I find it exciting and enjoyable when I have this purpose for talking to people, and I an invigorated by the raw energy I feel. I also stammer a little, and I daresay this puts a few people off at first, but I am also good at getting people to talk to me. I suppose this was one of the reasons I wanted to get back into journalism so badly: because I have a sense of capability about my interview skills, and I love telling people's stories.
I have to tell you, I have three Joes who are among the most frequent commenters on my blog. I think of them as knitting retreat coordinator Joe, Easter egg LiveJournal Joe, and Joe-in-Wyoming (also a knitter). I can usually tell you apart by what you say (you in particular seem to drop hints–I don't know whether it's deliberate, but it's helpful). But on several occasions I have been completely flummoxed. It's strange (but amusing) because I feel some intimacy as friends with you and coordinator Joe.
In response to your last sentence, the metaphor that comes to mind is that we are cut from the same cloth, to use a fibre-arts analogy. 🙂 Therefore it's easy to understand one another or appreciate one another's way of seeing things.
If it would help, I'll identify myself in the future as I have done above.


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Home News & Media Windows 8 – 12 key changes we can look forward to in the 8.1
News & Media, PC Software
Windows 8 – 12 key changes we can look forward to in the 8.1
By Steve P May 30, 2013 June 7, 2013 software, updates, Windows
Miss the Start button in Windows8? Want more control over the sizes of your tiles in the Start screen? Looks like you're going to love the Windows 8.1 free update that's coming later on this year.
1. Lock screen slideshow
"As people started using Windows 8, we found that people were using their Lock screens to show pictures of their families," Leblond says. So in Windows 8.1, you can turn your PC or tablet into a picture frame by making your Lock screen a slide show of your pictures – either locally on the device or photos from Microsoft SkyDrive. "We also added the ability to take pictures with the built-in camera right from the Lock screen without having to log in."
2. More backgrounds
Windows 8.1 offers more colours and backgrounds for the Start screen – including some with motion. You can also choose your desktop background as your Start screen background.
3. Different tile sizes
As in Windows Phone 8, the Windows 8.1 Start screen features a variety of tile sizes including a new large and new small tile. It's also even easier to name groups and rearrange tiles, says Leblond: "We found people were accidentally moving tiles on their Start screen so in Windows 8.1, you press and hold (or right click) to move things around." You can now select multiple apps all at once, resize them, uninstall them, or rearrange them: "View all apps just by swiping from the bottom to view all apps, and we've added the ability to filter your apps by name, date installed, most used, or by category. You want the Start screen to be about all the things you love. So when you install a new app from the Windows Store, we no longer put that app on your Start screen. Instead, you'll find these apps under apps view as mentioned above and marked as 'new' where you can choose to pin the apps you want to your Start screen."
4. Aggregated search
Instead of having to select an app and then search when you go to the Search charm, Bing now powers an aggregated search system from the web, your files, SkyDrive and elsewhere. Leblond says: "We think this will really change the way you interact with the Web and with Windows making it quicker and easier to get things done. It is the modern version of the command line! Results from local files, apps, and settings are easily accessed in the same convenient view by scrolling to the left."
5. Enhanced apps
New app enhancements are also promised to all the built-in apps. According to Leblond: "The Photos app now has some new editing features that let you quickly edit or adjust photos when you view them in the Photos app or open them from other places like the Mail, SkyDrive, and Camera apps. And our Music app has been completely redesigned to help pick and play music from your collection. We plan to talk more about updates to the built in apps in Windows 8.1 and some brand new apps we will be introducing in [the] future. We're also making improvements for using multiple apps at once in Windows 8.1."
6. More snap views
If, like us, you use Windows 8 a lot, you'll have been frustrated by the lack of 50:50 split snap views. This is the game-changer for Windows 8 apps. "You will have more ways to see multiple apps on the screen at the same time," says Leblond. "You can resize apps to any size you want, share the screen between two apps, or have up to three apps on each screen if you have a multiple displays connected, you can have different Windows Store apps running on all the displays at the same time and the Start Screen can stay open on one monitor (yes!). This makes multi-tasking even easier. Also in Windows 8.1, you can have multiple windows of the same app snapped together – such as two Internet Explorer windows." We're really looking forward to that.
7. An enhanced Windows Store
App updates will now install automatically in the background as they come through the Store. And search is available in the upper right hand corner for finding the apps you want. Leblond elaborates: "The improved Windows Store is designed to show more info than before in Windows 8 with detailed lists of top free apps, new releases, and picks for you on the homepage. The app listing is more descriptive and informative and includes an area for related apps to help with app discovery."
8. Save direct to SkyDrive, plus offline files
In Windows 8.1 your files can be saved directly to SkyDrive. The SkyDrive app will also get a new update so that files are available even when offline – as in the desktop version.
9. You no longer need the desktop Control Panel
The updated PC Settings in Windows 8.1 gives you access to all your settings on your device without having to go to the Control Panel on the desktop. "You can do things like change your display resolution, set power options, see the make and model of my PC, change the product key, let me do Windows Update, and even join a domain – all from PC Settings," says Leblond. You can also manage SkyDrive from PC Settings as well.
10. A new Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer 11 will ship with Windows 8.1. "IE11 will offer even better touch performance, faster page load times and several other new features we think you will enjoy," says Leblond. "For example, you can now adjust the appearance of modern IE11 to always show the address bar and you can have as many open tabs as you like. And you can access your open tabs in sync across your other Windows 8.1 devices."
11. Better with a mouse and keyboard
For devices without touch, Windows 8.1 features a number of improvements for easier navigation using a mouse and keyboard. "PCs today are evolving for a world of mobile computing where people interact with their devices through touch, and we designed Windows 8 for this," explains Leblond. "But we also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today – especially in the commercial setting."
12. A change to the Start 'tip'
You've already heard about this one, right? Leblond adds that there are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens: "For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view."
Microsoft says it will be releasing more Windows 8.1 details "in the coming weeks. As you've heard us talk about before, Windows 8.1 will be available later this year as a free update."
Microsoft also says that it will also be sharing more about Windows Embedded at Build. Embedded will be
"updated in the same timeframe as Windows 8.1. We're aligning the platforms even more to bring Windows to form factors of all types, including not only tablets and PCs, but also the growing category of devices such as ATMs, point of service (POS) terminals, and kiosks."
Source: Techradar.com
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Windows 10 1809 is here :)


Mexico is buying an 8-cell MK56 VLS launcher and Evolved Seasparrow Missiles (ESSM) for its new Sigma corvette, a US Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement has said.
According to the statement, The US State Department approved a possible sale of six Evolved Seasparrow tactical missiles (ESSM) and two Evolved Seasparrow telemetry missiles for an estimated cost of $41 million.
Included in the sale are one MK56 VLS launcher, eight MK30 canisters, eight MK783 shipping containers, spare and repair parts, training, engineering support services, and technical assistance.
The total estimated value is $41 million with Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, as prime contractor.
The announcement follows an earlier one in which the government of Mexico requested the sale of RGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles, Block II Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) surface-to-air missiles and MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes under a potential $$98.4 million contract.
The weapons would be used on the Mexican Navy's 107-meter Long Range Ocean Patrol vessel (POLA from its initials in Spanish).
POLA will be based on Damen's SIGMA 10514 design capable of sailing at speeds of up to 25+ knots and staying at sea for more than 20 days.
Dutch shipbuilder Damen and the Mexican Navy took the decision to build two of the six modular sections of the vessel at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, with the remaining four modules to be built locally in Mexico.
The first of the Dutch modules is now in Mexico, where it is being integrated by Mexican personal with two of those already built in Salina Cruz.
Posted on August 10, 2018 with tags Damen, Mexican Navy, POLA, Sigma.