Open thread.
The Sound Of Settled Science
Models trump measurements (Lawrence Solomon, Financial Post);
We are doomed, say climate change scientists associated with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body that is organizing most of the climate change research occurring in the world today. Carbon dioxide from man-made sources rises to the atmosphere and then stays there for 50, 100, or even 200 years. This unprecedented buildup of CO2 then traps heat that would otherwise escape our atmosphere, threatening us all.
“This is nonsense,” says Tom V. Segalstad, head of the Geological Museum at the University of Oslo and formerly an expert reviewer with the same IPCC. He laments the paucity of geologic knowledge among IPCC scientists — a knowledge that is central to understanding climate change, in his view, since geologic processes ultimately determine the level of atmospheric CO2.
“The IPCC needs a lesson in geology to avoid making fundamental mistakes,” he says. “Most leading geologists, throughout the world, know that the IPCC’s view of Earth processes are implausible if not impossible.”
Catastrophic theories of climate change depend on carbon dioxide staying in the atmosphere for long periods of time — otherwise, the CO2 enveloping the globe wouldn’t be dense enough to keep the heat in. Until recently, the world of science was near-unanimous that CO2 couldn’t stay in the atmosphere for more than about five to 10 years because of the oceans’ near-limitless ability to absorb CO2.
“This time period has been established by measurements based on natural carbon-14 and also from readings of carbon-14 from nuclear weapons testing, it has been established by radon-222 measurements, it has been established by measurements of the solubility of atmospheric gases in the oceans, it has been established by comparing the isotope mass balance, it has been established through other mechanisms, too, and over many decades, and by many scientists in many disciplines,” says Prof. Segalstad, whose work has often relied upon such measurements.
Then, with the advent of IPCC-influenced science, the length of time that carbon stays in the atmosphere became controversial. Climate change scientists began creating carbon cycle models to explain what they thought must be an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These computer models calculated a long life for carbon dioxide.
Amazingly, the hypothetical results from climate models have trumped the real world measurements of carbon dioxide’s longevity in the atmosphere. Those who claim that CO2 lasts decades or centuries have no such measurements or other physical evidence to support their claims.
Neither can they demonstrate that the various forms of measurement are erroneous.
Click
Nothing To See Here
Iran is holding (and parading on television) American Hostages. But the press is not covering it. […] It’s what Robert Jackson said in his closing argument in the Nuremberg trial:
“They stand before the record of this Trial as bloodstained Gloucester stood by the body of his slain king. He begged of the widow, as they beg of you: ‘Say I slew them not.’ And the Queen replied, ‘Then say they were not slain. But dead they are.’ If you were to say of these men that they are not guilty, it would be as true to say that there has been no war, there are no slain, there has been no crime.”
In other words, if you do not report that Iran has seized American hostages, it would be as true to say that there has been no war, there have been no hostages, there is no crisis.
“This was not United Airlines”
All night I waited for a flight and was bumped again and again by soldiers on their way to places like War Eagle, Victory, and Fallujah. Finally I got on a manifest and gathered around a gruff barking sergeant with everyone else.
“I want you all back here in 20 minutes,” he bellowed. “First, I want you to go to the bathroom. Then I want to see you standing in front of me with a bottle of water.”
I went to the bathroom even though I didn’t have to. Then, as ordered, I pulled a cold bottle of water out of the fridge. We lined up with our gear and marched single file into the plane. I felt awkwardly out of place and also like I was in the army myself at the same time.
The plane was windowless and loud as 100 lawnmowers. I crammed pink foam plugs into my ears, strapped on my body armor, and seat belted myself into the side of the plane.
“Hang your bags on the hooks!” barked the sarge. “Hang them all the way up!”
“Don’t fall asleep,” said the soldier next to me. “When you see the rest of us grab our helmets, put yours on, too. We’ll be beginning the spiral dive into Baghdad.”
A great read by Michael Totten, from Baghdad.
He relies on reader donations to fund these trips, so consider hitting his paypal button while you’re there.
The Save Mickey Campaign
the “N” word, the “H” word and “B” word
LOWRY: If a robot or to dress like a prostitute, isn’t that the kind of outfit it would wear?
SHARPTON: Do you have a copy of the outfit? I happened to have been there that night, because it was the night I did a tribute to James Brown at the BET Awards, and the outfit was a totally clothed outfit.
LOWRY: Looked like a robot, didn’t it?
SHARPTON: It did not.
LOWRY: You think he thinks Beyonce is a robot.
SHARPTON: Slow down, Richard. Don’t go past your statement. The problem you guys get with me is I know how to listen so I can out-debate you. He said a robot would wear that outfit if it was a prostitute. What does that mean?
LEVIN: Guys can I just get one word in?
LOWRY: It means the costume looks like a robo-prostitute costume.
SHARPTON: Why? Why?
LOWRY: What if he said robo-stripper? Would you be upset?
Passchendaele
Reader Tips
An interview with General David Petraeus.
“as a black man… I cannot be racist…”
“Just had a visit from two uniformed officers. Reason? My firearms renewal, but more significantly this blog. It seems that my crappy little corner of the blogosphere has come to the attention of the police, and they don’t like it.”
James Travers: Code Talker
Comments are open for yours.
“Contradictions do not exist”
Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction….
“You would think that reputable news sources, when covering a protest, might take the time and trouble to investigate the grounds for the protest. But not apparently if it involves a Canadian mining company operating overseas, and not if you can throw in a visit from Stephen Harper to give the protest a little news value.”
Fire At Cory Potash
Local radiois reporting 47 miners trapped underground, believed to have made it to their shelter station, but no one can confirm that contact has been made with them.
Company website.
Latest: All 47 are safe and have been spoken to. Calm and good spirits. They went to refuge stations this morning because of a fire alarm and slight scent of smoke. Rescue teams were unable to proceed into the mine until backup teams had arrived, which they have, and they are beginning rescue operations.
Sounds like this is under control. Back to regular programming unless something new is reported.
Free Dominion Targeted by HRC
Note the date, and the deadline for reply;
July 16, 2007
File 2006057
Ms. Connie Wilkins
c/o Free Dominion
2033 Unity Rd.
Kingston, ON
K0H 1M0
Dear Ms. Wilkins:
I am the investigator designated under Part III of the Canadian Human Rights Act to investigate the complaint of Ms. [name omitted at this time] against Free Dominion. As the investigator, it is my responsibility to gather the evidence in relation to the complainant’s allegations and, once the investigation is complete, to report on my findings to the Members of the Commission.
The report will include a recommendation for the disposition of the complaint. I can recommend that a conciliator be appointed, if the evidence supports the allegations in the complaint, or that the complaint be dismissed, if the allegations are not supported by the evidence. I can also recommend to the Commission that a settlement be approved if the parties reach an agreement during the course of the investigation.
I am currently awaiting your full response to the allegations which is due on 18 July 2007.
I would like to draw your attention to section 48 of the Canadian Human Rights Act which allows the parties to settle a complaint in the course of investigation. I would be pleased to discuss the possibility of a settlement with you or your representative at any time.
You can reach me at the address and telephone number indicated at the bottom of the first page of this letter. My direct line is 999-999-9999 and my email address is OfficersName@chrc-ccdp.ca. Please note that there are security and confidentiality risks in sending information by email.
This was left in their mailbox. The “allegations” are not provided.
Keep an eye on this one.
The Launch Of Media Mythbusters
In order to make even the most mundane of everyday decisions it is necessary to have good information. The public depends on television, radio and print media to deliver reliable and accurate information. For the most part, reporters and editors do their jobs and the result is an informed public. In some instances, however, the information relayed to the public is neither reliable nor accurate. Far too often, inaccurate information is reported and repeated until it achieves a certain myth status. The goal of this site is to debunk myths that take hold as a result of inaccurate or irresponsible media reports.
I am happy to have been a (very) small part this brainchild of Kim Priestap and Lorie Byrd. Lorie explains;
This new wiki website was created to provide a place for approved contributors to archive facts and links to chronicle major media’s treatment of stories in which questions have arisen regarding facts or methods of reporting. Because the site is a wiki, it will always be a work in progress. Some of the listed entries consist of just a framework awaiting content to come, while others are already quite extensive. We have provided a format and some intitial posted items to serve as the beginning of a site I hope will grow considerably into a valuable resource.
Check it out here. This is a must-add to your blogroll, folks. Help spread the word.
I Don’t Read Harry Potter
I don’t go to the movies.
Normally, that would be sufficient reason to ignore the topic. However.
I’m finding myself becoming quite irritated with the breathless media reports about the premature/accidental/clandestine release of every new book in the series.
I mean, are they really this goddamned stupid?
May 6, 2003;
A British father has reportedly found copies of an unreleased Harry Potter novel in a field in southern England.
It appears that the accidental sale of 14 copies of the latest Harry Potter book at a Coquitlam store last week may have been a marketing blessing in disguise.
As the release of the final Harry Potter novel approaches, the growing frenzy around the title is being fuelled in part by a host of internet spoilers that allegedly reveal the fate of the teen wizard.
Or are they just in on the marketing joke?
Update – Harry Potter and the The Christopher Little Literary Agency: the plot thickens…
Update 2 – “I was just interviewed by a camera crew, and will apparently be on the CBS Evening News tonight.
Given the history of this very blog, I hereby pause for a moment to soak in the irony.
Today’s events tell me two things: One, CBS doesn’t have Google. Two, this must be the slowest news day in the history of the planet, and possibly the universe.”
Reader Tips
Open for Thursday tips.
“The Left Regroups, The Right Fizzles”
A fairly long piece by Pieter Dorsman on the political uncertainty that is Holland today;
[A]s rapturous and challenging the changes have been for the Dutch themselves, foreign media have equally stumbled to label the developments in that stable, liberal and prosperous haven of tranquility ever since three political icons disappeared from the scene in a highly unusual way. Pim Fortuyn, the gay professor turned conservative politician was fatally shot by an animal rights activist, outspoken moviemaker Theo van Gogh was killed by a gun and knife wielding jihadist and Somali immigrant and conservative-liberal parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali was more or less forced to pack up and set sail for a better and presumably safer life at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
Check it out. It should be especially informative for those who have been following the discussion on the Ayaan Hirsi Ali post below.
The PreCationary Principle
Close the border to processed meats from China, please.
More: “That’s not chicken in your chicken chow mein”… thanks to reader Bruce for the hate mail that will generate.
The Wealthiest Americans Ever
Adjusted for inflation. This takes a little time to load, but it’s pretty cool.
“Please don’t take my leg”
Dr. Vivian McAlister, a civilian doctor from London, Ont., busted into the media hooch. He said they were about to operate on an Afghan National Army soldier hurt by an IED and asked if I would like to sit in. I grabbed my gear and headed over.
The doctor showed me where to get changed into scrubs and then gave me a tour of the operating room. I decide to leave the sketchpads outside the OR and just use the camera.
The ANA soldier was one of six soldiers hit by the IED. Four died immediately; one made it as far as here before dying. This was the blast’s only survivor.
On duty were four surgeons, three nurses, an anesthesiologist and an X-ray technician. Throw in an artist and we hit double figures. It was going to be a bit cramped. I determined to keep the hell out of their way.
A longer, illustrated version at Richard Johnson’s Kandahar Journal blog at the NP.
