Category: Uncategorized

3.6 Million More Penguins Live in Antarctica Than Thought

3.6 Million More Penguins Live in Antarctica Than Thought

via The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF)
http://www.thegwpf.com

New data collected by researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia estimates the population number at nearly six million—almost four million higher than previous estimates.

Image result for penguins antarctic

Until this most recent study, scientists drew their estimates by counting breeding pairs. However, this means previous counts missed non-breeding penguins.

“Non-breeding birds are harder to count because they are out foraging at sea, rather than nesting in colonies on land,” Louise Emmerson, a seabird ecologist with the Australian Antarctic Division, says in a press release.

Using a combination of aerial and ground surveys, as well as automated camera images, researchers were able to collect more accurate population counts over several breeding seasons and revise their estimated totals.

Full post

via The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF) http://www.thegwpf.com

March 22, 2017 at 03:41AM

Is there a Linux specialist in the house?

Is there a Linux specialist in the house?

via Watts Up With That?
http://ift.tt/1Viafi3

In the attached picture you’ll be able to see what’s happening to one of my most important servers containing some irreplaceable climate data. I’m at a loss and understand what’s going on because Linux is not my specialty and my Linux expert has since moved on to other ventures. It’s very important I get this […]

via Watts Up With That? http://ift.tt/1Viafi3

March 22, 2017 at 03:28AM

A Bureaucrat Says: “Market Argues Against Arctic Ocean Oil Development.” The Market Seems to Disagree.

A Bureaucrat Says: “Market Argues Against Arctic Ocean Oil Development.” The Market Seems to Disagree.

via Watts Up With That?
http://ift.tt/1Viafi3

Guest post by David Middleton

From Real Clear Energy:

407008MarketArctic

Really?

Firstly, how can reopening the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea OCS areas to leasing be disrespectful to “market forces”?  Opening up an area to leasing doesn’t somehow impose an obligation on oil companies to bid on leases in those areas.

Secondly, Royal Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips didn’t pull out of the U.S. Arctic OCS due to free “market forces.”  Shell pulled out for a combination of reasons: 1) operational challenges, 2) the disappointing results of their first wildcat in the Chukchi Sea and 3) regulatory malfeasance.  ConocoPhillips pulled out of the U.S. Arctic OCS for one reason: regulatory malfeasance.

Had market forces been the driving force, Shell would have drilled several exploratory wells years before the Obama administration grudgingly allowed them to drill one.

Thirdly, if the “market argues against Arctic Ocean oil development”, why is Eni forging ahead in the Beaufort Sea?

Trump Weighing Eni’s Arctic Drilling Bid in Post-Obama Pivot

by Jennifer A Dlouhy
March 16, 2017, 10:42 AM CDT

  • Company can target tracts 5.5 miles away from man-made island
  • Shell, Repsol are partners in Beaufort Sea exploration project

The Interior Department is weighing Eni SpA’s request to explore for oil in waters north of Alaska, giving the Trump administration a chance to reverse course from former President Barack Obama’s attempt to curtail Arctic drilling.

Eni’s exploration well would be in an area it previously leased from the federal government, and so it isn’t covered by the executive order Obama issued in December to block the sale of new drilling rights within huge swaths of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. As the Trump administration considers ways it could reverse Obama’s directive, approving this plan could encourage more oil companies to consider Arctic exploration.

Although some oil companies have abandoned plans to launch expensive quests for crude off Alaska’s coast, recent discoveries have fanned interest in waters near the shoreline that can be drilled at a lower cost.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is conducting an initial, 15-day review of the broad drilling blueprint filed by Italy’s Eni, which is aiming to sink a well in the federal waters of the Beaufort Sea before its leases expire at the end of the year.

If the bureau deems Eni’s broad exploration blueprint complete, it would publish the document online and subject it to public comment while scrutinizing the plan’s details in a 30-day review.

[…]

Bloomberg

Granted, Eni can drill their program from existing infrastructure.  However, market forces don’t seem to be arguing against them.

Fourthly, if the “market argues against Arctic Ocean oil development”, why did Shell, Statoil and ConocoPhillips request lease extensions in the Alaska OCS?  Dr. Kozloff seems to think that the answer is to impress shareholders:

Some oil companies want the Administration to open Arctic leasing so they can show their shareholders that they have access to these reserves, at least on paper.

Real Clear Energy

There are no “reserves.” There is only resource potential… And no oil company would expend millions of dollars on lease bonuses and rentals, simply to hold leases they never intended to exploit.

Furthermore, they wouldn’t even bid on the blocks without having spent a lot of money and time acquiring and interpreting seismic data.

Many leases are never drilled.  Sometimes this due to geological and/or geophysical condemnation after more detailed work is done or newer data is acquired.  Sometimes it’s due to changing price environments.  Sometimes it’s due to the fact that the prospects never rise high enough in a company’s portfolio to make it onto the drilling calendar before the leases expire.  But, no company would spend millions, possibly billions of dollars, on the evaluation and leasing of Alaska OCS blocks, if they had no intention of drilling anything.

Dr. Kozloff belies an ignorance of market forces, basic business principles and the definition of “reserves” in his diatribe about market forces arguing against Arctic Ocean oil development.  I’m going to take a wild @$$ guess (WAG) that he has an ulterior motive.  Most of the rest of his article babbles on about the Deepwater Horizon blowout and spill and he closes his essay with this:

The Trump Administration needs to stand up to them and conserve the Arctic, both its oil reserves and fragile ecosystems, for all Americans.

Dr. Keith Kozloff served as Senior Environmental Advisor at the U.S. Treasury Department, 2001-2011, where he evaluated impacts of oil development and other megaproject

Real Clear Energy

Market An Environmental Activist Bureaucrat Argues Against Arctic Ocean Oil Development

Now the title of Dr. Kozloff’s essay makes sense!

Caelus Energy recently announced a 2-4 billion barrel discovery in Alaska State waters adjacent to the Beaufort Sea OCS.

smith_bay_caelus

Despite the best market force environmental activist bureaucrat’s arguments, Caelus is determined to develop this discovery.

While Beaufort Sea OCS tracts just east of Smith Bay are still available for leasing, all of the rest of the Beaufort and all of the Chukchi Sea OCS tracts have been withdrawn from leasing due to market forces environmental activism.

ArcticOCS

If the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea OCS areas are not economically or operationally viable, open them back up to leasing and actually allow market forces to work.

Featured Image Source

 

via Watts Up With That? http://ift.tt/1Viafi3

March 22, 2017 at 03:22AM

Climatist Consortium Against Human Health

Climatist Consortium Against Human Health

via Defeat Climate Alarmism
https://defyccc.com

Website medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org, owned by a previously unknown group called the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (“MedSocCon”), published a number of  irresponsible and misinforming posters, statements, “reports,” and other materials.  These materials teach doctors that certain illnesses are caused or aggravated by “climate change” and/or “global warming,” which are, according to the same materials, caused by combustion of fossil fuels.  Posters and talking points for communication with patients tell the patients to “vote for elected leaders that will act to cut climate pollution.” These materials also instruct doctors to give wrong advice to their patients, both adults and children.  For example, a poster for children speaks directly to kids (over the heads of their parents) and tells them to bike to school.  Dangers and high fatality rates of biking compared with driving are ignored.  A “Heart Health” poster advises heart patients to replace their car trips with biking and walking.

Many of these materials are based on or utilize climate propaganda materials developed by the Center for Climate Change Communication (“4C”) of George Mason University.  MedSocCon gives these materials to doctors to use in diagnosing and/or treating illnesses and diseases.

Since March 14 MedSocCon and its propaganda have been heavily promoted by the former mainstream media.  The timing is not accidental.  This seems to be a part of the well-organized “resistance” against President Trump.

MedSocCon is not shy about rationale for this outrageous abuse.  Its Guidance for Health Professionals openly says: “The combination of trust and reach, whether it’s public health officials engaging communities or the doctor–patient relationship, presents a unique opportunity …”.  MedSocCon repeatedly tells physicians to provide intentionally wrong medical advice.  Doctors using its materials may induce panic attacks, anxiety and other related psychological disorders by alarming patients about climate change and its alleged causes and consequences.  By abusing the doctor – patient trust for political propaganda, electioneering, and spread of misinformation, climate alarmism groups and their accomplices in the “resist Trump” coalition hit an unprecedented low.

MedSocCon is funded by the notorious Energy Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and others.  4C is funded by the Rockefeller Brothers/Rockefeller Family Fund, Energy Foundation, Grantham Foundation, and other usual suspects – along with our tax money.

Officials of many scientific and medical societies have gone to extremes to endear themselves to the Obama administration in connection with its climate alarmism agenda.  It’s one thing to sign stupid statements in support of climate alarmism, but it’s quite another to advise doctors to harm patients or to violate patient-doctor trust in other ways.

MedSocCon lists the following top medical associations as its members:

  • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Allergy Asthma & Immunology
  • National Medical Association
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American Academy of Family Physicians
  • American College of Physicians
  • American College of Preventive Medicine
  • American Medical Associations
  • American Podiatric Medical Association
  • Infectious Diseases Society of America
  • Society of General Internal Medicine
  • American Geriatrics Society

It is important to remember that joining MedSocCon and approving its materials was a decision made by a small number of top officials of each complicit medical society.  These officials are not really elected by society members and in no way represent doctors or other health care providers whom they claim as members.  Media claims like, MedSocCon “represents 400,000 doctors,” is “more than half of all U.S. physicians,” or that “Doctors warn climate change is harming our health” (CBS News), are false.

Examples from MedSocCon’s website (emphasis in the original).  The following quotes contain misinformation.

MEDICAL ALERT! Climate Change Is Harming Our Health

(http://ift.tt/2mJVo28)

“5. The most important action we can take to protect our health is to reduce heat-trapping pollution by reducing energy waste and accelerating the inevitable transition to clean renewable energy.”

——————————

LET’S TALK HEALTH & CLIMATE COMMUNICATION – GUIDANCE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

(http://ift.tt/2o4s7yH)

“The combination of trust and reach, whether it’s public health officials engaging communities or the doctor–patient relationship, presents a unique opportunity for health professionals to leverage their leadership and educate the public about climate change and health. “

“The following message offers effective ways in which you can communicate about climate and health. You can use phrases, whole sentences, or the message in its entirety for a successful message. See the annotations to the left explaining why this message works.”

“Kids seem to carry inhalers almost as often as lunch boxes. Seniors are stuck inside when weather shifts dramatically to extreme heat or freezing cold.”

“You can make a difference with your colleagues and patients and in your community on health and climate. These talking points provide a starting point. Tailor and use them in your conversations, speeches, and writing to build support for climate solutions.

  1. I’m a health professional because I care about the health of everyone in our community. I want to heal people, but it’s even more important to prevent the causes of illness and injury. …
  1. Fossil fuels damage our climate and are dangerously unhealthy. We know these dirty fuels pollute our air and water. The toxic pollution we’re adding to the atmosphere is not going away. The pollution is steadily building up to dangerous levels. …
  1. If we stop pollution from fossil fuels, we stop climate change and improve our health.
  • We reduce diseases, illness, and injury brought on by pollution and severe weather.
  • We slow the rising temperatures that are changing weather patterns and causing more intense storms and heat waves, all of which impact food prices and create health threats.”

“WAYS YOU CAN LEAD ON CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS:

Relate climate to patient and client health.

  • Many patients don’t realize that the symptoms they are feeling are climate-related. Help them understand how their health conditions are linked to and impacted by climate change, and share ways for them to take action.
  • Use this report and the tools offered through Climate for Health to create patient literature, include tips in newsletters, or feature climate in corporate communications and, if relevant, corporate missions.”

——————————

Patient FACTS.  Climate Change and your Health

(http://ift.tt/2nnhM3t)

“How Can Climate Change Affect My Health?

All people will be affected by climate change, but children and older adults may be most affected. Climate change will be linked with health problems, such as: [a list of conditions, including: Breathing problems, Unsafe water supply, Disease spread by insects, ‘such as Zika virus, malaria, and dengue fever’, Less food and water, Mental health problems]”

“What Can I Do to Help?

  • Carpool, bike, walk, or take public transportation to get to places you need to go …”

——————————

CLIMATE CHANGE & HEART HEALTH  – Public Health Institute

(http://ift.tt/2o4FZZD)

“What does climate change have to do with heart disease?

Climate pollution changes our climate and makes the world warmer.”

“You can take action today to make sure we have a healthy planet with healthy places for healthy people!

  • Take a brisk 10-minute walk, 3 times a day if it is not too hot or polluted outside
  • If you smoke, quit as soon as possible. Visit http://www.smokefree.gov
  • Talk to your doctor about staying safe and healthy on extreme heat days
  • Replace car trips with biking, walking and public transit
  • Find out how you can be energy efficient or buy clean energy, like wind or solar
  • Eat more locally grown fruits and vegetables, eat less red meat and processed foods
  • Ask your state and local officials for:

– Farmer’s markets and community gardens in your neighborhood

– Safe places to walk and bike

– More trees, parks and green spaces

– Clean energy, like wind or solar, in your community

  • Vote for elected leaders that will act to cut climate pollution
  • Join local efforts to fight climate pollution”

——————————

CLIMATE CHANGE, ASTHMA & YOU – Public Health Institute

(a poster for kids)

(http://ift.tt/2nn649f)

“What does climate change have to do with my asthma?

Good question!

Climate pollution makes the world warmer.  When it is warmer, air pollution gets worse.  Cars, trucks and power plants create climate and air pollution.  More air pollution can lead to more asthma attacks.”

“What you can do …

  • Walk or bike to school to be healthy and reduce climate pollution
  • Tell your school and community leaders that you want clean air to breathe”

——————————

This story is developing.

via Defeat Climate Alarmism https://defyccc.com

March 22, 2017 at 02:46AM