Global Warming Laugher

Panel Hears Climate 'Spin' Allegations [1]

WASHINGTON - Federal scientists have been pressured by the White House to play down global warming, advocacy groups testified Tuesday at the Democrats' first investigative hearing since taking control of Congress.

The Federal Government of the US of A has been playing politics with Global Warming?! Wow! Is this news or what?

Get a load of this:

It appears there may have been an orchestrated campaign to mislead the public about climate change," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

And, how do the Presidential candidates come down on this humongous issue?

• Clinton: "This is a problem whose time has come,"
• McCain: "This is an issue over the years whose time has come"
• Obama: "for decades far too many have ignored the warning" about climate change. "Will we look back at today and say this was the moment we took a stand?"

But, there is more:

…two private advocacy groups produced a survey of 279 government climate scientists showing that many of them say they have been subjected to political pressure aimed at downplaying the climate threat.

And, on it went. Politicians and advocacy groups hyperventilating in Washington.

These people don't realize the climate change process they are talking about is bigger than any of them. It's as though they think they can pass some legislation and bring it to a halt. Folks, this situation is a laugher.

Sure, we are in a warming cycle.[2] But we have gone through these for the last 10 000 years. And, we are still here. In fact, the evidence points to a long-term cooling trend over the same period. So, don't lose any sleep over this.

Tag: climate change
Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, Outside the Beltway, Planck's Constant, Dumb Ox Daily News, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Leftist blame game?

World Scientists Meet on Global Warming [1]

Some 500 scientists and officials convened in Paris on Monday for a week of word-by-word editing of a long-awaited report on how fast the world is warming, how serious it is- and how much is the fault of humans.

Or, if the truth be known: The fault of the running dog, capitalist American; squanderer of Mother Earth's bounty and oppressor of the poor.

The report is expected to warn of continued temperature rises through the century and reiterate that people-created pollution is partly to blame.

Blame? That's a really scientific term—not!

The report will be nothing more than politically motivated junk science. As I point out in an earlier post, the earth is undergoing a warming cycle, but it is simply a normal blip in an otherwise trend toward cooling.

Tag: climate change
Trackposted to Right Pundits, Pirate's Cove, Outside the Beltway, Wake Up America, Big Dog's Weblog, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

State inflicted brutality

Warden Says Inmate Felt No Pain [1]

TAMPA, Fla. - A convicted killer whose execution was botched last year was never in any pain, and appeared to be straining to see a clock, not grimacing as some witnesses claimed, the warden told a panel reviewing Florida's lethal injection procedures Monday.

"He had the opportunity to be able to scream, cry, yell and that sort of thing and that did not happen," Florida State Prison Warden Randall Bryant, who stood about 2 feet from Diaz during the execution, told the 11-member commission.

Yeah, right Mr. Bigshot Warden. Maybe some people, especially the innocent, maintain a little dignity when they die.

Someone said, "We put down our dogs more humanely than we do our prisoners." There is absolutely no justification for death to be imposed over 6 minutes (the average time) much less 13 minutes 34 seconds in this case.

I remember reading an article on lethal injection that described the chemicals as the type that simply paralyzed the victim so he couldn't breath. When asked about it, the official said, "No one ever said executions had to be painless."

The inhumanity of the executions along with the fact that overzealous prosecutors have put numerous innocents on death row forms the basis for my being a conscientious objector to capital punishment.

Tag: capital punishment
Trackposted to Right Pundits, Outside the Beltway, Wake Up America, Mark My Words, Conservative Cat, basil's blog, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

News from the front

43 Insurgents Detained, Weapons Found, Captives Freed

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2007 – In a string of operations across Iraq over the past four days, Iraqi and coalition forces detained 43 suspected terrorists, found several weapons caches, stopped an illegal checkpoint, and freed three captives, military officials reported. more…

You can find bits and pieces of this report in the MSM. But, if you want to read the story without all the floor sweepings the MSM mixes in, click the link above.

Tag: Iraq
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Right Pundits, Perri Nelson's Website, stikNstein... has no mercy, Blue Star Chronicles, The Right Nation, Conservative Cat, Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

More on carbon offsets

Landowners Plant Trees to Consume Gases [1]

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Some landowners in the Pacific Northwest are planting new forests of trees to consume greenhouse gases and potentially buffer climate change,…

Good, good. I am in favor of planting trees to improve air quality.

…in a business called carbon forestry.

The Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho recently planted 5,000 acres of new forest along the Clearwater River and is in the process of selling carbon credits from the land.

Oh, oh. Not so good. What's up with this?

The trees can be worth money to energy companies and other businesses under increasing pressure to offset the carbon dioxide they emit, said Ted Dodge, director of the National Carbon Offset Coalition of Butte, Mont.

You just have to know money is at the root of this.

"We believe this is going to be the largest commodity market in the world," Dodge told a group of foresters and land managers earlier this week…

Alright, here is what is wrong with this. I am all in favor of planting trees to help the environment. But, this offset scheme people are concocting is nonsensical because it amounts to a zero sum game as far as carbon emissions are concerned. In theory, there could be no net improvement in air quality.

So, what to do?

The best people can do is recognize carbon offsets as the nonsense they really are and push back wherever they can. Reforestration is good. Polluting the air is bad. And the one should not be used to offset the other.

Tag: environment
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson's Website, and Conservative Cat, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Reminiscent of German deception during WWII

4 Troops Abducted, Killed in Iraq Attack [1]

The brazen assault, 50 miles south of Baghdad, was conducted by nine to 12 gunmen posing as an American security team, the military confirmed. The attackers traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles (the type used by U.S. government convoys), had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues, and spoke English, according to two senior U.S. military officials as well as Iraqi officials.

Very reminiscent of a ploy used by German soldiers during WWII. The countermeasure was to ask the approaching force questions only an American would know the answer to. I suspect we should start doing the same now.

A senior Iraqi military official said the sophistication of the attack led him to believe it was the work of Iranian intelligence agents in conjunction with Iraq's Shiite Mahdi Army militia, which Iran funds, arms and trains.

I believe him. Where else would they find the resources to create such a sophisticated ruse.

Tag: Iraq
Trackposted to The HILL Chronicles, The Random Yak, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Adam's Blog, basil's blog, Pirate's Cove, Stuck On Stupid, The Bullwinkle Blog, The Amboy Times, Phastidio.net, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Associated Press reports of carnage in Baghdad

From the A.P.:

…a suicide car bombing killed at least 26 people in the Shiite neighborhood of Karradah and two rockets slammed into the heavy fortified Green Zone not far from the U.S. Embassy.

Seven charred bodies were visible in one of the vans, including that of a woman who was half out a window in an apparent attempt to escape the inferno. Ambulances raced from the scene, at least one with the back door still open and bodies stacked in the back.

As the rockets fell and bombs exploded across the Tigris River, the public address system inside the Green Zone compound could be heard warning in English that people should take cover because "this is not a drill.

And on and on the report went. But, is any of it true? We shall not know unless we were there. Even the A.P. couldn't say for sure it's true because they don't do any first hand reporting.

Tag: Iraq
Trackposted to Pirate's Cove, The Random Yak, Dumb Ox Daily News, Conservative Cat, Right Truth, basil's blog, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

MSM irresponsibility

Senate Committee Repudiates Bush on Iraq By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent Senate committee condemns Bush's Iraq plan By Toby Harnden in Washington [Telegraph.UK.co] Bush pitches energy plan as senators rip into Iraq war policy USA Today

Some examples of the vitriol expressed by the MSM in their choice of headline.

The MSM in this country, as well as the U.K., are a major defeatist element simply because of their irresponsible journalism. As such, they give aid and comfort to al Zawahiri and his gang.

Tag: news
Trackposted to Is It Just Me?, The Random Yak, Dumb Ox Daily News, stikNstein... has no mercy, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Get ready to rumble...

U.S. Warns Iran to Back Down [1]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - A second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group now steaming toward the Middle East is Washington's way of warning Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region, a top U.S. diplomat said here Tuesday.

"Iran is going to have to understand that the United States will protect its interests if Iran seeks to confront us," Burns continued.

Iran, as country, is heading in the wrong direction. And, the finger of blame points to the radical Ahmadinejad.

Ahmadinejad said last week that Iran is "ready for anything" in its confrontation with the United States.

Stay on your present course and you may get your wish.

But all in the conference were not happy with us:

"What we are not interested in is another war in the region," Mohammed al-Naqbi, who heads the Gulf Negotiations Center, told Burns. "Iraq is your problem, not the problem of the Arabs. You destroyed a country that had institutions. You handed that country to Iran. Now you are crying to Europe and the Arabs to help you out of this mess."

Yes, it was a mistake on our part to think you Arabs would be willing to play a constructive role in creating a peaceful climate in the Middle East.

It is obvious you care not a whit for peace. Ever fomenters of violence, we shall not come knocking on your door again. We shall protect our interests.

Tag: Middle East
Trackposted to Wake Up America, Dumb Ox Daily News, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Be careful what you wish for…

CEOs Ask Bush to Back Climate Protection [1]

WASHINGTON - The chief executives of 10 major corporations, on the eve of the State of the Union address, urged President Bush on Monday to support mandatory reductions in climate-changing pollution and establish reductions targets.

Okay, they have fallen for the hype about human activity being the cause global warming. But, mandatory reductions isn't all they are expecting. In the name of "free market" activity, they want a system of "cap and trade" where companies under the cap can sell "credits" (indulgences) to other companies that are over the limit. They also want a system of "offsets" where they can take credit for other green house gas reduction activities such as "reforestration."

I say: Nonsense!

If they really believe these caps are important, then caps we shall have. None of this nonsense about buying and selling credits or offsets, both of which would be impossible to administer in any transparent way. And, the caps shall be "stretch goals", i.e., no-one is likely to be under the limit at the outset.

So, what will it be, Gents? Voluntary reductions as the President has been espousing or mandatory caps that you can't manipulate?

Tag: news
Trackposted to Pirate's Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Mark My Words, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Conservative Cat, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Boots (and paws) on the ground in Iraq

A soldier and his sniffer dog take 5 in Mosul.

Tag: Iraq Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, Wake Up America, Dumb Ox Daily News, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

On patrol in Mosul

Sgt. Fred Abernathy, a security force team leader and combat lifesaver, treats a child's foot while on patrol in Mosul.

Tag: Iraq Trackposted to Wake Up America, Blue Star Chronicles, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, basil's blog, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Obama: Me, Too.

Sen. Obama [D-IL] made a speech on the Senate floor in which he said of the troop surge into Iraq:

I cannot in good conscience support this escalation. It is a policy which has already been tried and a policy which has failed.

So, what does Mr. Obama base his refusal to support our Country on? Here are some of his sources:

• Just this morning, I had veterans of the Iraq war visit my office to explain to me that this surge concept is, in fact, no different from what we have repeatedly tried, but with 20,000 troops, we will not in any imaginable way be able to accomplish any new progress.
• American military officials have told the New York Times that there is no clear chain of command between Iraqis and U.S. commanders and no real indication that the Iraqis even want such a partnership.
• Prime Minister al-Maliki, the person whom the President said had brought this plan to us, the man who is supposed to be our partner-in-chief for this new plan, told foreign journalists that if the United States would only give his Army better weapons and equipment, our soldiers could go home.

One wonders if Mr. Obama talked to anyone closer to the action, e.g., Gen. Casey: [1]

"So far, so good" is the way Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. characterized Iraqi efforts to bring security to Baghdad. At a news conference with visiting Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Casey said Maliki has delivered on what he promised in a recent speech in which he laid out a range of commitments Iraqi security forces will have to follow.

So, what of the Democratic fresh face in Congress? Is he everything the Country wished for? Or, is he just another "me, too" politician?

Tag: news and politics
Trackposted to Wake Up America, Outside the Beltway, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Right Voices, and basil's blog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

A very political climate?

A very political climate surrounding the topic of climate change? You bet. And, the politics aren't limited to just the non-climatologist crowd.

Heidi Cullen of TWC sparked a firestorm of criticism when she wrote in a blog article

If a meteorologist can't speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS shouldn't give them a Seal of Approval.

Why? Because

Clearly, the AMS doesn't agree that global warming can be blamed on cyclical weather patterns. It's like allowing a meteorologist to go on-air and say that hurricanes rotate clockwise and tsunamis are caused by the weather.

First of all, hurricanes do rotate clockwise in the southern hemisphere; they're simply called typhoons.

Second, the earth has undergone periodic warming/cooling cycles as this graph illustrates:

Note that each major tick represents 50 000 years.

Here's a closer look at the last 50 000 years. Notice the flucuations in the last 10 000 years; about plus or minus 2C? That's the scale of change the global-warmers are frantic about. No mention of there being a down trend on average over the same period.

Now compare that data with the position of the AMS as stated in Cullen's blog:

"There is convincing evidence that since the industrial revolution, human activities, resulting in increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and other trace constituents in the atmosphere, have become a major agent of climate change."

As a point of reference, the Industrial Revolution spans about the last squiggle at the extreme left of the graph.

So, is Cullen and the rest of the global-warming group correct in pointing to human activity as the major driver behind global temperature rise?

My opinion: They don't have enough data to prove their case. Not only that, they do not have the data to support imposing drastic, potentially crippling measures to cut CO2 emissions.

Tag:news
Trackposted to Wake Up America, The Right Nation, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Right Voices, and basil's blog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

News from the front

Baghdad, January 18, 2007—General Praises New Operational Freedom in Baghdad [1]

“The Iraqi government has committed to a no-holds-barred approach to operations inside Baghdad,” [Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute] said. “(This means) there’s no geographic constraint on military operations, and there’s no political or sectarian group constraint on military operations.”

He noted these things have constrained progress in earlier operations.

This sounds encouraging. The Iraqi government appointed a three-star general to be in charge of both the Interior and Defense forces.

This one three-star Iraqi general will be in charge of not only the Iraqi army but (also) the Iraqi police,” [Gen. Lute] said. “It will be very important to establish that one-man-in-charge approach to the very important problems of Baghdad

Iraq
Trackposted to Rightwing Guy, Wake Up America, Conservative Cat, basil's blog, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

News from the front

Soldiers Surprise Iraqi Troops With Goodwill Visit [1]

BALAD, Iraq, Jan. 17, 2007 — Iraqi army troops weren’t expecting to see U.S. soldiers walking to their post, but quickly made them welcome during a visit designed to link up with key military leaders and learn more about the skills and training of the local Iraqi unit.

[Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Smith] offered chai tea and Iraqi cigarettes to the 1st platoon leader, Lt. Mohammed Saber al Hismawi of the 2nd Iraqi Army Company, observing social customs to demonstrate his respect for the culture. Such actions foster good will and cooperation between the U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers that are working together, said Smith.

Yeah, it'll work out okay if we can give it some time.

Iraq
Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, Outside the Beltway, Stuck On Stupid, Dumb Ox News, and , thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

American Patrol

Iraq

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Is It Just Me?, Perri Nelson's Website, Big Dog's Weblog, Adam's Blog, basil's blog, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Sujet- Celebrities, Rightwing Guy, Wake Up America, stikNstein... has no mercy, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Planck's Constant, Dumb Ox News, Dumb Ox News, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Al Anbar: A model for Baghdad

Anbar Province Progressing in Spite of Challenges [1]

Regimental Combat Team 7 under command of Col. William Crowe has been achieving successes in providing security to the area northwest of Baghdad:

• Unlike a year ago, Iraqi border guards are launching enforcement actions on their own.
• 3000 police officers have been trained and more are in training. There were no police officers when the Marines arrived. They are now operating independently.
• Local nationals are expressing appreciation publicly when the Marines and Iraqi Army arrest known bad characters. Previously, the locals were afraid to speak up.
• Operations are driving the insurgents out of the Marines' area of operations.
• The Marines are establishing a secure environment for the judges and court officials so the court system will be able to operate.
• The railroad is once again operating.
• Extensive work was done on the irrigation systems.
• The oil refinery is being evaluated for possible resumption of operations.

A perfect example of clear, hold and rebuild. According to the Colonel, the only limitation is the strength of the two Iraqi brigades.

Obviously, the addition of troops during the surge will help speed up operations

Iraq
news
Samantha Burns

Darfur rebel group?

With all the talk of no one coming to the aid of civilians in Darfur, hardly any mention is made of a rebel group operating there.[1] As a rule, we only hear about the civilians being driven from their homes by the janjaweed:

More than 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million people have fled their homes since rebels from the region's ethnic African community took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum in February 2003, accusing it of long-standing neglect and discrimination. The U.N. accuses the government of arming the janjaweed, which is blamed for the bulk of the atrocities. Khartoum denies the allegation.

But, if there are armed rebels in the area, why aren't they defending the people that live there. Instead, all we get from the liberals are accusations that all this is happening because George W. Bush is doing nothing to stop it.

Why is that?

news
Darfur

Nifong out...

Duke Lacrosse Prosecutor Asks Off Case [1]

RALEIGH, N.C. - Facing ethics charges that could lead to his disbarment, the embattled district attorney in the Duke lacrosse sexual assault case has asked the state attorney general's office to appoint a special prosecutor to take over the case.

I don't know who Nifong's replacement will be but, if the bloke has half a brain in his head, he will drop the entire case.

As for Nifong, the State ought to make an example of him and disbar him.

Duke
news

Anti-war Democrats

Flying in the face of surmountable odds, the President takes a stand:[1]

Unswayed by anti-war passions, President Bush was to say Wednesday he will send 21,500 additional U.S. forces to Iraq to quell its near-anarchy.

Sure enough. Cindy Sheehan is really worked up about this. Also, Nancy's a little miffed at being "notified."

news and politics

Sleep well tonight, America

The Democrats are in charge.

news and politics

(Mommy, is the bad man dissin' the Democrats?)

If you had high hopes for the U.N. …

If you had high hopes for the U.N. under new management, you can forget it. U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon, author of S. Korea's "Sunshine" policy towards the North, is concerned about our attacks on al Qaeda in Somalia:

"Notwithstanding the motives for this reported military action, the secretary-general is concerned about the new dimension this kind of action could introduce to the conflict and the possible escalation of hostilities that may result," spokeswoman Michele Montas said.

Perverse as usual with their misplacing of concerns; fretting over our actions but never once thinking to worry over the evil that is al Qaeda.

Of course, hope that the U.N. could amount to anything useful is placing hope on the hopeless.

news
U.N.

Iraq, Vietnam & Col. North

Lt. Col. North has an article on the Fox News site claiming the planned surge of troops to Iraq is the wrong thing to do. He mentioned the usual issues—the Iraqis must fight their own fight, the planned surge ignores recent Sunni cooperation in al Anbar province—but then he goes on to draw a parallel between the current plan for a surge in Iraq and President Johnson's escalation in Vietnam:

The call for incrementally increasing U.S. troop strength in Iraq — a "solution" that was first proffered last summer as the Congressional election campaign heated up — sounds eerily like Lyndon Johnson’s plan to save Vietnam in the mid 1960s. Mr. Johnson saw "gradual escalation" as a way not to lose and to avoid the unpleasant necessity of directly confronting North Vietnam. Regrettably, that also meant we could not win.

What North doesn't realize is that the proposals he supports—more training and emphasis on logistical support to the Iraqi army—has the same eery no-win ring as the Vietnamization strategy tried a generation earlier. The flaw in that earlier plan and in North's argument is that neither recognizes the importance of taking and holding ground as being the key to success.

The idea that an army needs to hold ground once won is not revolutionary. It's as ancient as the Roman conquests that left garrisons behind to establish control. And, incidently, to build infrastructure and establish trade.

And, that is the key difference in the President's plan at least as far as we understand it: To clear Baghdad neighborhoods of insurgents, leave units behind to establish control, and to begin to rebuild infrastructure.

What could be more classical in approach?

Iraq
news

Our soldiers turning and running?

Gunmen Attack National Guard Border Patrol Site in Arizona [1]

TUCSON, Ariz. — National Guard troops working at an observatory post near the Mexican border were forced to flee after being approached by a group of armed individuals, authorities said.

Our troops on the border turn and run? It is our country, isn't it?

"We don't know if this was a matter of somebody coming up accidentally on the individuals, coming up intentionally on the individuals, or some sort of a diversion," said Rob Daniels, spokesman for the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector.

Well, that statement is a load of BS. Accidental? Intentional? What crap.

This has got to change. The National Guard simply has to be authorized to use armed force in situations like this.

news

Saddam's execution

According to this [1] report:

President Bush said Thursday he wished the execution of Saddam Hussein "had gone in a more dignified way."

But, let's face it. Executions are brutal affairs; more so for execution by hanging. No amount of decorum would make them into a ladies' tea party.

news

Islamic Extremism

Bangladesh Feels the Tug of Islamist Extremism

NPR had an article [1] on growing radical Islam in Bangladesh. The reporter interviewed an official of the radical Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, who said

he believed in the establishment of an Islamist state including sharia law, though through the ballot box.

The important idea that the imposition of sharia law meant the end of the ballot box was not discussed.

news

These are farmers?

Haylift to Save Snowbound Cattle Begins [1]

"Most of my cattle haven't seen food since last Thursday, when the snow started," said [a farmer], who has 200 head on a ranch near Lamar, Colo. "Wherever they were standing when the snow piled up, that's where they are now. Every day, it's getting more crucial."

Didn't they put up hay for the winter? And, have they no barns to shelter their livestock? What's up with that? Did they, at least, round the cattle up and bring them in to shelter?

Colorado and Kansas were trying to find enough helicopters capable of hauling hay bales weighing up to 1,300 pounds, said Don Ament, Colorado's agriculture director. Many helicopters in the state's National Guard fleet are in the Middle East.

They are surely going to chip in to pay for the help, aren't they? Or, is this a freeby by the tax payers?

What's with this generation? I'll betcha they want to shoot wolves, too.

news

Peace and the Pope

Pope Urges Worldwide Peace in New Year [1]

"Today, there is a lot of talk about human rights but often it is forgotten that these need a stable foundation, not a relative one, not one subject to opinion," the pope said during his blessing to the faithful. "And this cannot be anything but the dignity of the person. Respect for this dignity starts with the recognition and the protection of the right to live and to freely profess one's own religion."

Well said. One hopes the Pope will become an outspoken advocate for this theme for the duration of his reign.

new year