the illegal imprisonment of Joel Rosenberg
The illegal imprisonment of Joel Rosenberg.
The illegal imprisonment of Joel Rosenberg.
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
the illegal imprisonment of Joel Rosenberg
India “outraged” over TSA patdown of ambassador
More TSA absurdity, with video: Indian ambassador given full patdown by TSA.
More TSA absurdity, with video: Indian ambassador given full patdown by TSA.
Caterpillars Can Whistle
Man arrested after bringing boat flying foreign flag with Arabic lettering into restricted area of Cape Canaveral
Those TSA patdowns sure are working, aren’t they? A unidentified man was arrested (not by the TSA) after bringing a boat — flying a foreign flag with Arabic lettering — into a restricted area of Cape Canaveral.
Those TSA patdowns sure are working, aren’t they? A unidentified man was arrested (not by the TSA) after bringing a boat — flying a foreign flag with Arabic lettering — into a restricted area of Cape Canaveral.
Obama climate cash pledge in doubt
The Obama administration’s $30 billion cash pledge at last year’s climate summit is in doubt.
Not only do I think this is good, I continue to wonder how any administration (not just Obama’s) can make such a pledge in the first place, considering the fact that under our Constitution all such allocations must first be approved by Congress.
The Obama administration’s $30 billion cash pledge at last year’s climate summit is in doubt.
Not only do I think this is good, I continue to wonder how any administration (not just Obama’s) can make such a pledge in the first place, considering the fact that under our Constitution all such allocations must first be approved by Congress.
Venus Has a Moon?
Venus has a Moon?
Venus has a Moon?
South Africa launches its own space agency
The new colonial movement, in space! South Africa joins the race, launching its own space agency.
The new colonial movement, in space! South Africa joins the race, launching its own space agency.
Cancun blog
Want to follow the Cancun climate summit come to an end, for good or ill, on this its final day? Check out this blog.
Want to follow the Cancun climate summit come to an end, for good or ill, on this its final day? Check out this blog.
Riots of tuition fees in Great Britain
NASA Satellite Sees An Early Meteorological Winter In US Midwest
NASA satellite sees an early meteorological winter in the American midwest.
I know this is weather, not climate, but according to the repeated claims of global warming scientists for the past decade, cold winters like this should no longer be happening. But they are, which means there must be holes in their science!
NASA satellite sees an early meteorological winter in the American midwest.
I know this is weather, not climate, but according to the repeated claims of global warming scientists for the past decade, cold winters like this should no longer be happening. But they are, which means there must be holes in their science!
Almost half of all doctors plan to retire due to Obamacare
Repeal this stinker! Poll finds that almost half of all doctors plan to retire or close their practices as Obamacare is phased in.
Repeal this stinker! Poll finds that almost half of all doctors plan to retire or close their practices as Obamacare is phased in.
Rosie O’Donnell thinks John Edwards has suffered more than his wife
From Ace of Spades: Rosie O’Donnell thinks John Edwards was the victim, not his wife, even though he cheated on her while she was dying from cancer, and she has now died from that long illness. Sounds insane, doesn’t it? How could anyone with any reasonable sense of right and wrong believe that? Read her words (audio available at the link):
He’s in his time of grief, and believe me, I think the person who probably has suffered the most through all of this is him, and there are people who would disagree with me and say, ‘No, it was her, she was the one who was publicly humiliated,’ and blah blah blah blah blah. I just think he has to live with himself every day. Not only survivor’s guilt, but you know? He, I’m sure, has guilt, right? Look, you know, she was in remission, this happened, she got sick again. I don’t know, I’m sure that it’s very hard for him to live with himself and to have to deal with the public condemnation…
In other words, O’Donnell doesn’t have a reasonable sense of right and wrong, which makes her opinions on any issue completely irrelevant, if not damaging to our society.
From Ace of Spades: Rosie O’Donnell thinks John Edwards was the victim, not his wife, even though he cheated on her while she was dying from cancer, and she has now died from that long illness. Sounds insane, doesn’t it? How could anyone with any reasonable sense of right and wrong believe that? Read her words (audio available at the link):
He’s in his time of grief, and believe me, I think the person who probably has suffered the most through all of this is him, and there are people who would disagree with me and say, ‘No, it was her, she was the one who was publicly humiliated,’ and blah blah blah blah blah. I just think he has to live with himself every day. Not only survivor’s guilt, but you know? He, I’m sure, has guilt, right? Look, you know, she was in remission, this happened, she got sick again. I don’t know, I’m sure that it’s very hard for him to live with himself and to have to deal with the public condemnation…
In other words, O’Donnell doesn’t have a reasonable sense of right and wrong, which makes her opinions on any issue completely irrelevant, if not damaging to our society.
top NASA scientist says that all global warming models are too gloomy
The uncertainty of science! A top NASA scientist says that the models used by global warming scientists are far too gloomy, leaving out the cooling effects of increased plant production in a carbon dioxide rich atmosphere. Key quote:
It now appears, however, that the previous/current state of climate science may simply have been wrong and that there’s really no need to get in an immediate flap. If Bounoua and her colleagues are right, and CO2 levels keep on rising the way they have been lately (about 2 ppm each year), we can go a couple of centuries without any dangerous warming.
The uncertainty of science! A top NASA scientist says that the models used by global warming scientists are far too gloomy, leaving out the cooling effects of increased plant production in a carbon dioxide rich atmosphere. Key quote:
It now appears, however, that the previous/current state of climate science may simply have been wrong and that there’s really no need to get in an immediate flap. If Bounoua and her colleagues are right, and CO2 levels keep on rising the way they have been lately (about 2 ppm each year), we can go a couple of centuries without any dangerous warming.
Dragon’s secret payload
So, what was the top secret payload carried by Dragon on its first orbital mission? SpaceX revealed this secret today: their tribute to Monty Python.
A wheel of cheese.
So, what was the top secret payload carried by Dragon on its first orbital mission? SpaceX revealed this secret today: their tribute to Monty Python.
A wheel of cheese.
WikiLeaks Cables Confirm Worst Fears of Climate Skeptics
It ain’t about science: WikiLeaks cables confirm worst fears of climate skeptics.
It ain’t about science: WikiLeaks cables confirm worst fears of climate skeptics.
Corn ethanol tax credits on the way out?
Maybe I’ll be able to eat corn again instead of putting it in my car! Corn ethanol tax credits on the way out?
Maybe I’ll be able to eat corn again instead of putting it in my car! Corn ethanol tax credits on the way out?
Orlando airport Considers Dumping TSA Screeners
Another airport is considering dumping the TSA.
Another airport is considering dumping the TSA.
Cancun COP16 attendees fall for the old “dihydrogen monoxide” petition as well as signing up to cripple the U.S. Economy
And these are the people who want to tinker with the climate: Cancun climate summit attendees eagerly sign petition to ban “dihydrogen monoxide,” which in plain language is nothing more than water!
And these are the people who want to tinker with the climate: Cancun climate summit attendees eagerly sign petition to ban “dihydrogen monoxide,” which in plain language is nothing more than water!
More Than 1000 International Scientists Dissent Over Man-Made Global Warming Claims – Challenge UN IPCC & Gore
This will make things chilly in Cancun: More than 1000 scientists dissent over man-made global warming claims.
This will make things chilly in Cancun: More than 1000 scientists dissent over man-made global warming claims.
First carbon-rich exoplanet discovered
The first carbon-rich exoplanet discovered.
The first carbon-rich exoplanet discovered.
Wind Group Warns of Job Losses Without Grants
Oink! Oink! The wind industry warns of job losses without federal grants.
Oink! Oink! The wind industry warns of job losses without federal grants.
Eight Hebrew books stolen from Indiana University Library and thrown in toilets and urinated on
If only the book was the Koran and these Jews believed in Mohammed, then someone might care! Eight Hebrew texts stolen from the library at Indiana University and thrown in toilets and urinated on, followed by several attacks on Jews at the university.
If only the book was the Koran and these Jews believed in Mohammed, then someone might care! Eight Hebrew texts stolen from the library at Indiana University and thrown in toilets and urinated on, followed by several attacks on Jews at the university.
“Gore effect” strikes Cancun Climate Conference 3 days in a row
“Gore effect” strikes Cancun Climate Conference 3 days in a row.
“Gore effect” strikes Cancun Climate Conference 3 days in a row.
Firestorm over arsenic microbe continues to grow
Firestorm over arsenic microbe continues to grow. Now the leader author of the paper responds to the criticisms from other scientists that have been popping up on the web.
Firestorm over arsenic microbe continues to grow. Now the leader author of the paper responds to the criticisms from other scientists that have been popping up on the web.
Falcon 9 launch a success. Dragon capsule returns successfully
SpaceX is two for two! The Falcon 9 launch today was a success, and was topped off by the successful return of the Dragon capsule after two orbits.
This is big news. Think about it: a private company — not a government — has designed and built a rocket and capsule, capable of carrying astronauts, and successfully launched both and recovered the capsule. Hot dog! True space travel might very well be around the corner at last.
SpaceX is two for two! The Falcon 9 launch today was a success, and was topped off by the successful return of the Dragon capsule after two orbits.
This is big news. Think about it: a private company — not a government — has designed and built a rocket and capsule, capable of carrying astronauts, and successfully launched both and recovered the capsule. Hot dog! True space travel might very well be around the corner at last.
Japan’s Venus probe fails to enter orbit
Sad news: It appears that Japan’s Venus probe failed to enter orbit, and might have flown past Venus.
Update: It is confirmed that the spacecraft flew past Venus. There is a chance Japan could try again, when Akatsuka returns to Venus — in about seven years.
Sad news: It appears that Japan’s Venus probe failed to enter orbit, and might have flown past Venus.
Update: It is confirmed that the spacecraft flew past Venus. There is a chance Japan could try again, when Akatsuka returns to Venus — in about seven years.
The Crab Nebula burps!
Deorbiting the International Space Station
NASA budget details
The continuing space war: A draft version of NASA’s budget suggests that the lame duck Congress will more or less follow the recommendations of the authorization bill passed in September.
The continuing space war: A draft version of NASA’s budget suggests that the lame duck Congress will more or less follow the recommendations of the authorization bill passed in September.
Climate models used by IPCC fail to predict past climate patterns
A recent paper published in Hydrological Sciences Journal states that climate models used by IPCC cannot even predict known past climate patterns. Key quote:
It is claimed that GCMs [General Climate Models] provide credible quantitative estimates of future climate change, particularly at continental scales and above. Examining the local performance of the models at 55 points, we found that local projections do not correlate well with observed measurements. Furthermore, we found that the correlation at a large spatial scale, i.e. the contiguous USA, is worse than at the local scale. However, we think that the most important question is not whether GCMs can produce credible estimates of future climate, but whether climate is at all predictable in deterministic terms.
A recent paper published in Hydrological Sciences Journal states that climate models used by IPCC cannot even predict known past climate patterns. Key quote:
It is claimed that GCMs [General Climate Models] provide credible quantitative estimates of future climate change, particularly at continental scales and above. Examining the local performance of the models at 55 points, we found that local projections do not correlate well with observed measurements. Furthermore, we found that the correlation at a large spatial scale, i.e. the contiguous USA, is worse than at the local scale. However, we think that the most important question is not whether GCMs can produce credible estimates of future climate, but whether climate is at all predictable in deterministic terms.