The strange and alien plant life of Socotra Island.
The strange and alien plant life of Socotra Island.
The strange and alien plant life of Socotra Island.
Category: Behind The Black
The strange and alien plant life of Socotra Island.
The global warming scientists at the IPCC struggle to explain the lack of warming.
The global warming scientists at the IPCC struggle to explain the lack of warming.
Though scientists don’t have any firm answers, they do have multiple theories. Xie has argued that the hiatus is the result of heat absorption by the Pacific Ocean — a little-understood, naturally occurring process that repeats itself every few decades. Xie and his colleagues presented the idea in a study published last month in the prestigious journal Nature.
The theory, which is gaining adherents, remains unproved by actual observation. Surface temperature records date to the late 1800s, but measurements of deep water temperature began only in the 1960s, so there just isn’t enough data to chart the long-term patterns, Xie said. [emphasis mine]
This theory, that the oceans are absorbing all the heat, is one of the new favorite explanations for the lack of warming by advocates of global warming. However, as this article correctly notes, we have no good data to support it, and even fewer theories to explain it.
The truth is really summed up by the article’s last paragraph:
“This unpredicted hiatus just reflects the fact that we don’t understand things as well as we thought,” said Roger Pielke Jr., a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder and vocal critic of the climate change establishment. “Now the IPCC finds itself in a position that a science group never wants to be in. It’s in spin management mode.”
The global warming scientists at the IPCC struggle to explain the lack of warming.
Though scientists don’t have any firm answers, they do have multiple theories. Xie has argued that the hiatus is the result of heat absorption by the Pacific Ocean — a little-understood, naturally occurring process that repeats itself every few decades. Xie and his colleagues presented the idea in a study published last month in the prestigious journal Nature.
The theory, which is gaining adherents, remains unproved by actual observation. Surface temperature records date to the late 1800s, but measurements of deep water temperature began only in the 1960s, so there just isn’t enough data to chart the long-term patterns, Xie said. [emphasis mine]
This theory, that the oceans are absorbing all the heat, is one of the new favorite explanations for the lack of warming by advocates of global warming. However, as this article correctly notes, we have no good data to support it, and even fewer theories to explain it.
The truth is really summed up by the article’s last paragraph:
“This unpredicted hiatus just reflects the fact that we don’t understand things as well as we thought,” said Roger Pielke Jr., a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder and vocal critic of the climate change establishment. “Now the IPCC finds itself in a position that a science group never wants to be in. It’s in spin management mode.”
Obamacare will increase health costs by an average of $7,450 per year for a typical family of four.
Finding out what’s in it: Obamacare will increase health costs by an average of $7,450 per year for a typical family of four.
But don’t worry. President Obama and the Democratic Party are quite willing to shut down the federal government in order to guarantee that this law is funded and goes into effect!
Finding out what’s in it: Obamacare will increase health costs by an average of $7,450 per year for a typical family of four.
But don’t worry. President Obama and the Democratic Party are quite willing to shut down the federal government in order to guarantee that this law is funded and goes into effect!
A medical school official urges denial of all medical care for all “Obamacare nonbelievers”.
Leftwing civility: A medical school official urges denial of all medical care for all “Obamacare nonbelievers”.
The article also describes the growing list of other recent and vicious rants by leftists, including the communications director of the Democratic Party in Sacramento, all wishing harm on those who disagree with them. As the author rightly notes, now that the incivility is aimed at conservatives, Obama’s “pious talk about civility in the wake of the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords is down the memory hole.”
Leftwing civility: A medical school official urges denial of all medical care for all “Obamacare nonbelievers”.
The article also describes the growing list of other recent and vicious rants by leftists, including the communications director of the Democratic Party in Sacramento, all wishing harm on those who disagree with them. As the author rightly notes, now that the incivility is aimed at conservatives, Obama’s “pious talk about civility in the wake of the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords is down the memory hole.”
“In life and as in the game of football, you can never win the victory if you choose to punt every time you touch the ball.”
Some good advice for the Republican Party: “In life and as in the game of football, you can never win the victory if you choose to punt every time you touch the ball.”
More good advice here: 2013 is not 1995.
Some good advice for the Republican Party: “In life and as in the game of football, you can never win the victory if you choose to punt every time you touch the ball.”
More good advice here: 2013 is not 1995.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
As far as I can tell, the software glitch and the delay are relatively minor issues, being handled with due care and caution, and will not prevent the eventual docking. More important, they are not serious enough to require any major design changes to Cygnus, which means the freighter will be able to begin operational flights soon after this demo flight is completed.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
As far as I can tell, the software glitch and the delay are relatively minor issues, being handled with due care and caution, and will not prevent the eventual docking. More important, they are not serious enough to require any major design changes to Cygnus, which means the freighter will be able to begin operational flights soon after this demo flight is completed.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
Linking mass extinctions to the Sun’s journey in the Milky Way
In a paper published today on the Los Alamos astro-ph preprint service, astronomers propose that as many as eleven past extinction events can be linked to the Sun’s passage through the spiral arms of the Milky Way. (You can download the paper here [pdf].)
A correlation was found between the times at which the Sun crosses the spiral arms and six known mass extinction events. Furthermore, we identify five additional historical mass extinction events that might be explained by the motion of the Sun around our Galaxy. These five additional significant drops in marine genera that we find include significant reductions in diversity at 415, 322, 300, 145 and 33 Myr ago. Our simulations indicate that the Sun has spent ~60% of its time passing through our Galaxy’s various spiral arms.
The figure on the right, from their paper, shows the Sun’s orbit in red over the last half billion years. The Sun’s present position is indicated by the yellow spot, and the eleven extinctions are indicated by the circles.
There are obviously a great deal of uncertainties in this conclusion. Most significantly, the shape and history of the Milky Way remains very much in doubt, especially since we reside within it and cannot really get a good look at it. Though in recent years astronomers have assembled a reasonable image of the galaxy’s shape — a barred spiral with two major arms and several minor ones — this picture includes many assumptions that could very easily be wrong.
Nonetheless, the paper’s conclusions are interesting.
» Read more
The real Navy Yard scandal.
Which has been the same scandal in Newtown, in Aurora, in Ft. Hood, and in practically every recent mass shooting.
And it has nothing to do with guns.
Which has been the same scandal in Newtown, in Aurora, in Ft. Hood, and in practically every recent mass shooting.
And it has nothing to do with guns.
Only two weeks before Obamacare goes into effect, the law’s health exchanges can’t figure out what people will have to pay for coverage.
Not finding out what’s in it: Only two weeks before Obamacare goes into effect, the law’s health exchanges can’t figure out what people will have to pay for coverage.
It appears the software for determining premiums doesn’t work. But don’t worry, the Democrats voted to fund this turkey today!
Not finding out what’s in it: Only two weeks before Obamacare goes into effect, the law’s health exchanges can’t figure out what people will have to pay for coverage.
It appears the software for determining premiums doesn’t work. But don’t worry, the Democrats voted to fund this turkey today!
The Republican battle plan for defunding Obamacare while keeping the government operating.
The Republican battle plan for defunding Obamacare while keeping the government operating.
What makes me skeptical is their fear of having the government shut down, a fear that somehow does not worry the Democrats. While Obama and the Democrats are quite willing to shut everything down to save Obamacare, the Republicans don’t seem to have the same courage. Under these circumstances, they will likely lose the battle.
And why is it that everyone assumes the Republicans will be blamed for the shutdown when they seem to be the ones most interested in avoiding it?
Update: The House has now voted to defund Obamacare but fund the goverment.
Note that the Democrats in the House have once again voted in support of Obamacare, a law that is very clearly destroying the health insurance business.
The Republican battle plan for defunding Obamacare while keeping the government operating.
What makes me skeptical is their fear of having the government shut down, a fear that somehow does not worry the Democrats. While Obama and the Democrats are quite willing to shut everything down to save Obamacare, the Republicans don’t seem to have the same courage. Under these circumstances, they will likely lose the battle.
And why is it that everyone assumes the Republicans will be blamed for the shutdown when they seem to be the ones most interested in avoiding it?
Update: The House has now voted to defund Obamacare but fund the goverment.
Note that the Democrats in the House have once again voted in support of Obamacare, a law that is very clearly destroying the health insurance business.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
It was already expected that this December launch would be delayed anyway because NASA wants SpaceX to complete two launches of the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket before using it to launch Dragon to ISS.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
It was already expected that this December launch would be delayed anyway because NASA wants SpaceX to complete two launches of the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket before using it to launch Dragon to ISS.
The Russians have now rescheduled for September 30 the next Proton rocket launch.
The competition heats up: The Russians have now rescheduled for September 30 the next Proton rocket launch.
The Russian Proton rocket’s return to flight following its spectacular July 2 failure has been rescheduled for Sept. 30 following a review of a first-stage valve issue and discussions between the Russian and Kazakh governments over launch safety issues.
They claim the main reason for the delay was the issues of clean-up following the July 2 launch crash, but that “first-stage valve issue” intrigues me. They have been very closed-mouth about it, yet it very clearly existed.
The competition heats up: The Russians have now rescheduled for September 30 the next Proton rocket launch.
The Russian Proton rocket’s return to flight following its spectacular July 2 failure has been rescheduled for Sept. 30 following a review of a first-stage valve issue and discussions between the Russian and Kazakh governments over launch safety issues.
They claim the main reason for the delay was the issues of clean-up following the July 2 launch crash, but that “first-stage valve issue” intrigues me. They have been very closed-mouth about it, yet it very clearly existed.
The Senate has passed a bill to allow the sale of the government’s stockpile of helium.
The Senate has passed a bill to allow the continued sale of the government’s stockpile of helium, but this time at market prices.
The House has already passed a similar bill. The two sides of Congress now have to come to agreement. If they don’t, come October sales cease and the supplies dry up.
The Senate has passed a bill to allow the continued sale of the government’s stockpile of helium, but this time at market prices.
The House has already passed a similar bill. The two sides of Congress now have to come to agreement. If they don’t, come October sales cease and the supplies dry up.
A lot of famous people have bought tickets to fly on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo but not William Shatner: He’s apparently afraid of flying!
A lot of famous people have bought tickets to fly on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo but not William Shatner: He’s apparently afraid of flying!
That’s according to Richard Branson. Shatner says instead that it’s the price of the ticket. “He wanted me to go up and pay for it and I said, ‘Hey, you pay me and I’ll go. I’ll risk my life for a large sum of money’. But he didn’t pick me up on my offer.”
A lot of famous people have bought tickets to fly on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo but not William Shatner: He’s apparently afraid of flying!
That’s according to Richard Branson. Shatner says instead that it’s the price of the ticket. “He wanted me to go up and pay for it and I said, ‘Hey, you pay me and I’ll go. I’ll risk my life for a large sum of money’. But he didn’t pick me up on my offer.”
Engineers have pushed the four orbiting Cluster satellites into their closest configuration yet.
Flying in formation: Engineers have pushed the four orbiting Cluster satellites into their closest configuration yet.
In an orbital reconfiguration that will help to maintain the mission’s life span, two of the four satellites achieved their closest-ever separation on 19 September, closing to within just 4 km of each other as they orbited at up to 23 000 km/h high above Earth. “We’re optimising the Cluster formation so that the separation between Cluster 1 and the duo of Cluster 3 and 4 – which are on almost identical orbits – is kept below 100 km when the formation crosses Earth’s magnetic equator,” says Detlef Sieg, working on Cluster flight dynamics at ESA’s ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany.
This close formation will provide scientists better data, as they are finding that the Earth’s magnetosphere is far more complex than expected.
Flying in formation: Engineers have pushed the four orbiting Cluster satellites into their closest configuration yet.
In an orbital reconfiguration that will help to maintain the mission’s life span, two of the four satellites achieved their closest-ever separation on 19 September, closing to within just 4 km of each other as they orbited at up to 23 000 km/h high above Earth. “We’re optimising the Cluster formation so that the separation between Cluster 1 and the duo of Cluster 3 and 4 – which are on almost identical orbits – is kept below 100 km when the formation crosses Earth’s magnetic equator,” says Detlef Sieg, working on Cluster flight dynamics at ESA’s ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany.
This close formation will provide scientists better data, as they are finding that the Earth’s magnetosphere is far more complex than expected.
Boeing has successfully completed a series of thruster tests for its CST-100 manned capsule.
The competition heats up: Boeing has successfully completed a series of thruster tests for its CST-100 manned capsule.
The competition heats up: Boeing has successfully completed a series of thruster tests for its CST-100 manned capsule.
Check out this detailed overview of the upcoming launch of SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9, including yesterday’s static fire test.
Check out this detailed overview of the upcoming launch of SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9, including yesterday’s static fire test.
Check out this detailed overview of the upcoming launch of SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9, including yesterday’s static fire test.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
It appears the spacecraft continues to do well as it continues its tests prior to approaching ISS.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
It appears the spacecraft continues to do well as it continues its tests prior to approaching ISS.
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
After several tries, SpaceX finally completed the static fire test of its upgraded Falcon 9 rocket today.
The competition heats up: After several tries, SpaceX finally completed the static fire test of its upgraded Falcon 9 rocket today.
It appears it was a success, and that all systems are go for launch when the range becomes available in about 10 days.
The competition heats up: After several tries, SpaceX finally completed the static fire test of its upgraded Falcon 9 rocket today.
It appears it was a success, and that all systems are go for launch when the range becomes available in about 10 days.
Another leak from the IPCC shows that politicians in Belgium, Hungary, Germany, and the United States attempted to pressure the scientists writing the report to cover up the lack in global temperature rise since 1998.
Another leak from the IPCC shows that politicians in Belgium, Hungary, Germany, and the United States attempted to pressure the scientists writing the report to cover up the lack in global temperature rise since 1998.
[L]eaked documents seen by the Associated Press, yesterday revealed deep concerns among politicians about a lack of global warming over the past few years. Germany called for the references to the slowdown in warming to be deleted, saying looking at a time span of just 10 or 15 years was ‘misleading’ and they should focus on decades or centuries. Hungary worried the report would provide ammunition for deniers of man-made climate change. Belgium objected to using 1998 as a starting year for statistics, as it was exceptionally warm and makes the graph look flat – and suggested using 1999 or 2000 instead to give a more upward-pointing curve. The United States delegation even weighed in, urging the authors of the report to explain away the lack of warming using the ‘leading hypothesis’ among scientists that the lower warming is down to more heat being absorbed by the ocean – which has got hotter.
Two points: First, for this article to refer to any legitimate scientist who questions the theory of human-caused global warming to be called a “denier” offends me beyond words, as regular readers of this website know.
Second, this leak proves once again the foolishness of allowing politicians to get involved in the scientific process. They should be kept as far away as possible, at all times.
Another leak from the IPCC shows that politicians in Belgium, Hungary, Germany, and the United States attempted to pressure the scientists writing the report to cover up the lack in global temperature rise since 1998.
[L]eaked documents seen by the Associated Press, yesterday revealed deep concerns among politicians about a lack of global warming over the past few years. Germany called for the references to the slowdown in warming to be deleted, saying looking at a time span of just 10 or 15 years was ‘misleading’ and they should focus on decades or centuries. Hungary worried the report would provide ammunition for deniers of man-made climate change. Belgium objected to using 1998 as a starting year for statistics, as it was exceptionally warm and makes the graph look flat – and suggested using 1999 or 2000 instead to give a more upward-pointing curve. The United States delegation even weighed in, urging the authors of the report to explain away the lack of warming using the ‘leading hypothesis’ among scientists that the lower warming is down to more heat being absorbed by the ocean – which has got hotter.
Two points: First, for this article to refer to any legitimate scientist who questions the theory of human-caused global warming to be called a “denier” offends me beyond words, as regular readers of this website know.
Second, this leak proves once again the foolishness of allowing politicians to get involved in the scientific process. They should be kept as far away as possible, at all times.
Despite data from orbiting probes that say there is methane in Mars’ atmosphere, Curiosity has detected none.
Despite data from orbiting probes that say there is methane in Mars’ atmosphere, Curiosity has detected none.
The detection of methane by orbiting satellites in certain regions of Mars was intriguing as it suggested the possibility of Martian microbiological life. Curiosity is not in those regions, but apparently the scientists thought they’d detect evidence of it from a distance. That they did not reduces significantly the possibility of life on Mars.
Despite data from orbiting probes that say there is methane in Mars’ atmosphere, Curiosity has detected none.
The detection of methane by orbiting satellites in certain regions of Mars was intriguing as it suggested the possibility of Martian microbiological life. Curiosity is not in those regions, but apparently the scientists thought they’d detect evidence of it from a distance. That they did not reduces significantly the possibility of life on Mars.
An Australia test flight of a scramjet engine ended in failure today when the rocket carrying the engine failed to reach the require elevation for the test to begin.
An Australia test flight of a scramjet engine ended in failure today when the rocket carrying the engine failed to reach the require elevation for the test to begin.
An Australia test flight of a scramjet engine ended in failure today when the rocket carrying the engine failed to reach the require elevation for the test to begin.
“Close to 10% of the papers we receive show some sign of academic misconduct”
Modern science: “Close to 10% of the papers we receive show some sign of academic misconduct.”
This is not good news if an editor of a peer-reviewed science journal admits that 1 in 10 scientists routinely try to cheat when they submit a research paper.
Modern science: “Close to 10% of the papers we receive show some sign of academic misconduct.”
This is not good news if an editor of a peer-reviewed science journal admits that 1 in 10 scientists routinely try to cheat when they submit a research paper.
All but two Democrats walk out of Benghazi hearing to avoid hearing testimony of victims’ families.
Leftwing open-mindedness: All but two Democrats walk out of Benghazi hearing to avoid hearing testimony from victims’ families.
Leftwing open-mindedness: All but two Democrats walk out of Benghazi hearing to avoid hearing testimony from victims’ families.
Home Depot joins Walgreens in dumping tens of thousands of employees from their employer heath insurance plan, because of Obamacare.
Finding out what’s in it: Home Depot joins Walgreens in dumping tens of thousands of employees from their employer heath insurance plan, because of Obamacare. Key quote:
The accelerating shift of workers to Obama’s taxpayer-funded network will likely drive up costs to taxpayers, disadvantage companies that try to pay for their employees’ health-care and make more voters dependent on health-care decisions made by Democratic officials and legislators. The switch is also making a mockery of Obama’s promise that Americans would be able to keep their pre-Obamacare insurance if they prefer. “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what,” he said in June 2009. [emphasis mine]
Obama’s statement in 2009 was an obvious lie and an insult to everyone’s intelligence. Unfortunately, it appears he estimated the intelligence of too many Americans quite rightly.
Finding out what’s in it: Home Depot joins Walgreens in dumping tens of thousands of employees from their employer heath insurance plan, because of Obamacare. Key quote:
The accelerating shift of workers to Obama’s taxpayer-funded network will likely drive up costs to taxpayers, disadvantage companies that try to pay for their employees’ health-care and make more voters dependent on health-care decisions made by Democratic officials and legislators. The switch is also making a mockery of Obama’s promise that Americans would be able to keep their pre-Obamacare insurance if they prefer. “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what,” he said in June 2009. [emphasis mine]
Obama’s statement in 2009 was an obvious lie and an insult to everyone’s intelligence. Unfortunately, it appears he estimated the intelligence of too many Americans quite rightly.
A cop stops a student from handing out copies of the Constitution, on Constitution Day.
Free speech in modern America: A cop stops a student from handing out copies of the Constitution, on Constitution Day. Video here.
The video is so egregious that I have embedded it below the fold. Watch the college bureaucrat tell the student he has to schedule his speech, and that the next date is weeks away.
» Read more
Free speech in modern America: A cop stops a student from handing out copies of the Constitution, on Constitution Day. Video here.
The video is so egregious that I have embedded it below the fold. Watch the college bureaucrat tell the student he has to schedule his speech, and that the next date is weeks away.
» Read more
Australia’s new government does the right thing, instantly shutting down its agenda-driven global warming bureaucracy.
Australia’s new government does the right thing, instantly shutting down its agenda-driven global warming bureaucracy. More details here.
Australia’s new government does the right thing, instantly shutting down its agenda-driven global warming bureaucracy. More details here.
The House vote to fund the government but not Obamacare will force vulnerable Senate Democrats to either endorse the unpopular law again or shut it down.
The House vote to fund the government but not Obamacare will force vulnerable Senate Democrats to either endorse the unpopular law again or shut it down.
Exactly. Force these Democrats to once again endorse this turkey of a law, just as it is about to go into effect. Even if the Republicans eventually back down, they will have successfully put these senators on record, only a year before the next election.
The House vote to fund the government but not Obamacare will force vulnerable Senate Democrats to either endorse the unpopular law again or shut it down.
Exactly. Force these Democrats to once again endorse this turkey of a law, just as it is about to go into effect. Even if the Republicans eventually back down, they will have successfully put these senators on record, only a year before the next election.