Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling

DailyTech: - Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling:

Twelve-month long drop in world temperatures wipes out a century of warming

Over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snow cover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile -- the list goes on and on.

No more than anecdotal evidence, to be sure. But now, that evidence has been supplanted by hard scientific fact. All four major global temperature tracking outlets (Hadley, NASA's GISS, UAH, RSS) have released updated data. All show that over the past year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously.

Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age

Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age:

Snow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."

China is surviving its most brutal winter in a century. Temperatures in the normally balmy south were so low for so long that some middle-sized cities went days and even weeks without electricity because once power lines had toppled it was too cold or too icy to repair them.

Thank goodness that the consensus has won, and we all now know that Global Warming is going to end the world as we know it.

Warming temps should end worst cold snap since 2000 Warming temps should end worst cold snap since 2000

Warming temps should end worst cold snap since 2000:

While it was 48 degrees below zero at Fairbanks International Airport on Sunday, the coldest temperature recorded so far in Fairbanks’ worst cold snap in eight years, forecasters were calling for a significant warming trend beginning today.

What ever happened to Global Warming?

Sun's low magnetic activity may portend an ice age Sun's low magnetic activity may portend an ice age

Brits at their Best: Sun's low magnetic activity may portend an ice age

The Canadian Space Agency’s radio telescope has been reporting Flux Density Values so low they will mean a mini ice age if they continue.

Uh oh. Has anyone told Al Gore about this yet?

Gulfstream Gore Gulfstream Gore

Drudge: Gulfstream Gore:

'GREEN' GORE GOES GULFSTREAM: VIDEO CATCHES ECO-WARRIOR ON LUXURY PRIVATE JET
Fri Sep 07 2007 07:48:23 ET

As former Vice President Al Gore waits to hear if he has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless effort on climate change, a new video will air this weekend capturing Gore on a fuel-guzzling private jet!

FOXNEWS host Sean Hannity is set to unleash the damning video this Sunday night, network sources reveal.

Edwards: Americans should sacrifice their SUVs Edwards: Americans should sacrifice their SUVs

Above photo shows Edwards' house and the SUVs parked around it. Edwards: Americans should sacrifice their SUVs:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards told a labor group he would ask Americans to make a big sacrifice: their sport utility vehicles.

The former North Carolina senator told a forum by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, yesterday he thinks Americans are willing to sacrifice.

Edwards says Americans should be asked to drive more fuel efficient vehicles. He says he would ask them to give up SUVs.

Mr. Two Americas thinks that Americans are willing to give up their SUVs so that he can continue to fly in private jets and live in a 20,000+ squate foot house.

Eating beef ' is less green than driving' Eating beef ' is less green than driving'

This is bad news for the environmentally sensitive: Eating beef ' is less green than driving'. Apparently, according to Japanese experts, 2.2 lbs of beef is worse for the environment than driving 150 miles. The problem with eating beef is first that cows generate a lot of methane, and second, a lot of energy is expended bring them food. Bad news for feedlots like we have in such plenty in Greeley, but better for range fed beef. Of course, the Japanese don't have the room for range fed, and they coddle their cows even more than we do - so eating beef here may only be as bad as driving 125 miles from an energy point of view.

This will be quite interesting to see how this plays out. Not surprisingly, I first saw this from PETA ("People Eating Tasty Animals" or something like that). Cows do compete for the same corn that is now in demand for ethanol right now. But the bigger question is whether people will have to give up their meat to be seen as environmentally sensitive.

Luckily, I don't have that problem.

U.S. leg of Live Earth hits key notes - Newsday.com U.S. leg of Live Earth hits key notes - Newsday.com

Newsday.com: U.S. leg of Live Earth hits key notes brings into question whether newsday.com is a legitimate news site or a shill of the environmental wacko fringe. The artists can be forgiven, but the others? For example,

Etheridge aside, it was nonmusicians at this concert who made the most passionate pleas about demanding action for the environment. "Get rid of all these rotten politicians that we have in Washington, who are nothing more than corporate toadies," said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the environmentalist author, president of Waterkeeper Alliance and Robert F. Kennedy's son, who grew hoarse from shouting. "This is treason. And we need to start treating them as traitors."

RFKJR is evidence here of growing panic on the Global Warming fringe, by suggesting that anyone who doesn't fully, completely, and absoutely believe his his type of hocus-pocus is a traitor. Of course, the reality is that the science is not settled, and "consensus" is not a word that applies to science, but rather, to politics. Oh, wait, he is a politician, whose father and grandfather tried for the presidency (the later having lost his chance by backing the wrong side in WW II). Of course, this guy's uncle is the one leading the opposition to windmills ofshore in Mass., and he likely still makes use of the family compounds in Hyannis Port and Miami.

And then there is this:

Primatologist Jane Goodall offered a greeting in chimpanzee language, before saying, "Up in the North the ice is melting, what will it take to melt the ice in the human heart?"

Yes Jane, it is that time of year, and so the artic ice is melting now. And in a couple of months, it will be forming again. It happens every year, and is called by the technical term of "Summer". My guess is that after all those years in the jungle, Ms. Goodall has forgotten that most of the world goes through this sort of annual heating and cooling cycle.

Pelosi: Climate Change Is a Reality Pelosi: Climate Change Is a Reality

According to Pelosi: Climate Change Is a Reality,

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday she led a congressional delegation to Greenland, where lawmakers saw "firsthand evidence that climate change is a reality," and she hoped the Bush administration would consider a new path on the issue.

Let's see if I get this right. Pelosi takes a bunch of her fellow Congress critters to Greenland on a private jet to look at evidence of "Global Warming". No mention BTW of the greenhouse gasses generated at taxpayer expenses to accomplish that trip. She follows in a long line of ecological warriers like Al Gore and Laurie David who also accomplish their evangicalizing using private jets. The difference though here is first that Pelosi's jet is paid for by American taxpayers and is likely quite a bit bigger.

Also, I question her timing in trying to scare us about "Global Warming" on Memorial Day. I would prefer if she had restrained herself to honoring our war dead on that one day of the year dedicated to that task.

Global Warming: Awash in snow, path to Pikes Peak summit proving dangerous Global Warming: Awash in snow, path to Pikes Peak summit proving dangerous

More evidence of Global Warming in: Climbers get the cold shoulder, snow, summit, cadets: Awash in snow, path to Pikes Peak summit proving dangerous

This is the snowiest spring on Pikes Peak in more than a decade. Barr Camp recorded 231 inches of snow this winter. (It only saw 50 inches in 2006.)

Hikers venturing above treeline will find that the peak is more wintry this May than it usually is in January, and they should be prepared.

Global Warming in Colorado Global Warming in Colorado

Rocky Mtn News: Snow kidding! Weather wacky

Don’t set the holiday picnic table just yet. You might need to clear some snow first..

The southwestern mountains of Colorado are under a snow advisory, with up to 8 inches of accumulation possible. A freeze watch is in effect for tonight in the San Luis Valley region and much of southeastern Colorado is under a flash flood watch.

But then, since this is Colorado,

Conditions are expected to improve tomorrow, with highs forecast in the mid 60s along the Front Range. Highs are expected in the 70s to near 80 over what should be a mostly sunny Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Nevertheless, it is sometimes hard here in Colorado to take predictions of Global Warming seriously, when we are getting blizzards a couple of days before Memorial Day.

Laurie David and her carbon footprint Laurie David and her carbon footprint

National Review Online: Planet Gore looks at Laurie David's carbon footprint. The conclusion is:

So all-in, her stated lifestyle changes have reduced her carbon footprint by about 10 tons / year.

A lot is often made of the fact that she “sometimes” flies in private jets. According to TerraPass, a Gulfstream G4 generates 8,785 Lbs of carbon per flight hour. Let’s assume Laurie David took one roundtrip flight last year between LA and NY. Assume 10 hours of flying time = 87,850 Lbs = 44 tons.

So, so far she’s in the hole by about 34 tons if you assume one r/t private flight.

But hey, she’s started to cut way down on toilet paper.

But of course she starts from a very high plateau, which the author didn't get into. By all indications, her house dwarfs Algore's 10,000 foot home. Changing twenty bulbs probably doesn't cover 5% of the cost of that home. Maybe 1% if she is lucky. And she doesn't fly across country just once a year, nor does she apparently limit herself to domestic flights. So, it is likely that she starts at least 10X the rest of us, and is cutting down to 9.75X. BFD.

Film on Global Warming Is Challenged Film on Global Warming Is Challenged

AP: Film on Global Warming Is Challenged points out that a bunch of British climate scientists are questioning Algore's "An Inconvenient Truth":

"The Great Global Warming Swindle" aired on British television in March and is coming out soon on DVD. It argues that man-made emissions have a marginal impact on the world's climate and warming can better be explained by changing patterns of solar activity.

This comes at an inconvenient time, as we are repeatedly assurred that the scientific debate is over and there is complete consensus in the area of human caused Global Warming.

Industry caught in carbon ‘smokescreen’ Industry caught in carbon ‘smokescreen’

Financial Times: Industry caught in carbon ‘smokescreen’ points out that much of the carbon offset programs are bogus. The FT investigation found:

• Widespread instances of people and organisations buying worthless credits that do not yield any reductions in carbon emissions.


• Industrial companies profiting from doing very little – or from gaining carbon credits on the basis of efficiency gains from which they have already benefited substantially.


• Brokers providing services of questionable or no value.


• A shortage of verification, making it difficult for buyers to assess the true value of carbon credits.


• Companies and individuals being charged over the odds for the private purchase of European Union carbon permits that have plummeted in value because they do not result in emissions cuts.

Who would have guessed? Unfortunately, this means that it is going to be just that much harder for Al Gore and Laurie David to fly around the country on private jets exorting us to sacrifice to help prevent Global Warming.

No Such Thing As a 'Perfect' Temperature No Such Thing As a 'Perfect' Temperature

Newsweek: No Such Thing As a 'Perfect' Temperature illustrates that not all atmospheric scientists are in agreement that human caused Global Warming is the end of the world. Richard S. Lindzen, the Richard S. Lindzen, the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, points out that it is not clear what the optimal temperature for the world is, esp. since it has been going up and down throughout all recorded, and prerecorded, history. He also points out that most of the studies based on models that are so much in the news these days use unrealistic assumptions and simplifications - for example the assumed linearity of the effect of CO2 concentrations on Global Warming. The scientists all know that the relationship isn't linear, but use that assumption to greatly simplify their calculations. Also, all the provisos and limitations of these studies are invariably stripped the minute journalists with little if any scientific training (e.g. Algore) get their hands on them.

Our Green ICE Age Our Green ICE Age

TCS Daily: Our Green ICE Age points out that Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) are far better ecologically than the animals such engines replaced. Not only do livestock even now generate some 18% of all greenhouse gases (more than all ICE vehicles combined), but the horses, etc. that ICE replaced were huge polluters of towns, waterways, etc. One of the most significant ways in which city life was made healthier in the last 100 years was the replacement of horses by ICE vehicles.

The Political Economy of Alternative Energy The Political Economy of Alternative Energy

TCS Daily: The Political Economy of Alternative Energy looks at the economics of carbon offsets, energy subsidies, etc. and finds that most such ideas are bad economics. This is related to my earlier posts: A tale of two markets and Carbon Cap and Charade.

Gore Tells Congressional Panel: I Don’t Exhale Gore Tells Congressional Panel: I Don’t Exhale

ScrappleFace: Gore Tells Congressional Panel: I Don’t Exhale:

(2007-03-21) — Oscar-winning filmmaker Al Gore, testifying Wednesday before a Congressional panel on global warming, revealed a little-known technique he has used for years to reduce his personal greenhouse gas emissions.

“I don’t exhale, and I haven’t since about 1991,” said the full-figured Mr. Gore. “Science shows there’s nothing wrong with humans breathing per se, it’s just the exhaling of carbon dioxide that threatens to bring our world to a premature, fiery, water-drenched apocalyptic end.”

Mr. Gore, still a Democrat party favorite to win the White House in the year 2000, said he also reduces his so-called “carbon footprint” by giving speeches and making movies to convince other people to cut their greenhouse gas production, thereby offsetting the emissions generated by his own global travel in private jets as well as SUVs and limousines.

“Leveraging the small efforts of millions of ordinary people is a very democratic way of achieving carbon-neutrality,” Mr. Gore said.

“It’s a team effort,” he added, while displaying a Powerpoint slide of the acronym: TEAM = Together Everyone Atones for Me.

Inhofe in Gore’s grill about his utility bill Inhofe in Gore’s grill about his utility bill

Tennessean.com: Sen. Inhofe in Gore’s grill about his utility bill:

U.S. Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma asked Gore to pledge to reduce his personal home energy to the national average within a year.

That was in reaction to reports of Gore’s large utility bill at his Nashville home.

Gore responded that he lives a “carbon neutral life” by buying carbon offsets to compensate for his energy use.

Inhoffe called the offsets “gimmicks” used by the wealthy.

Well, so much for Algore testifying about Global Warming. Presumably, Algore is talking about the fact that his company buys "carbon offsets" for him and its other employees. I agree with Inhofe that they are gimmicks - if the problem is urgent, then why take credit for CO2 usage by trees over the next 99 years to offset his extrodinarily high CO2 generation today? (Of course, assuming that the trees are standing in 99 years - which is problematic in many places they are being planted as carbon offsets).

Whose Ox Is Gored? Whose Ox Is Gored?

WSJ: Whose Ox Is Gored? The media discover the former vice president's environmental exaggerations and hypocrisy.

The media are finally catching up with Al Gore. Criticism of his anti-global-warming franchise and his personal environmental record has gone beyond ankle-biting bloggers. It's now coming from the New York Times and the Nashville Tennessean, his hometown paper that put his birth, as a senator's son, on its front page back in 1948, and where a young Al Gore Jr. worked for five years as a journalist.

Last Tuesday, the Times reported that several eminent scientists "argue that some of Mr. Gore's central points [on global warming] are exaggerated and erroneous." The Tenessean reported yesterday that Mr. Gore received $570,000 in royalties from the owners of zinc mines who held mineral leases on his farm. The mines, which closed in 2003 but are scheduled to reopen under a new operator later this year, "emitted thousands of pounds of toxic substances and several times, the water discharged from the mines into nearby rivers had levels of toxins above what was legal."

All of this comes in the wake of the enormous publicity Mr. Gore received after his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" won an Oscar. The film features Mr. Gore reprising his famous sighing and lamenting how the average American's energy use is greedily off the charts. At the film's end viewers are asked, "Are you ready to change the way you live?"

And, of course, he isn't. Indeed, if anything, his lifestyle has gotten progressively more prolifigate as his wealth and fame have increased.