GLOBAL WARMING ALERT - June's chill in Chicago is one for the records

The Global Warming/Global Cooling/Climate Change/Carbon Footprint/Carbon Dioxide/Cap and trade crowd should go hide for about 10 years just for embarrassing themselves so badly on the world stage.
Rees

from WGNTV.com
By Steve Kahnon in Chicago
article from June 12th

The cloudy, chilly and rainy open to June here has been the talk of the town. So far this June is running more than 12 degrees cooler than last year, and the clouds, rain and chilly lake winds have been persistent. The average temperature at O'Hare International Airport through Friday has been only 59.5 degrees: nearly 7 degrees below normal and the coldest since records there began 50 years ago.

More bad weather is on the way Saturday with a cold rain expected to linger through the bulk of the morning. Rainfall could be heavy -- especially north of the city, which would be a reversal of Thursday's deluge that targeted the southern suburbs.

Better days aheadEncouraging signs in recent computer runs signal a change to more typical June weather which by now should feature daily highs around 80 degrees. A return of sunshine should boost temperatures well into the 70s Sunday and Monday, though lake cooling will continue. By midweek a northward shift in the jet stream promises a steady diet of highs in the 80s, though showers and thunderstorms are likely to accompany the warm-up.
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New Criticism Of Obama’s Czars - he has 18 of them!!!

image by rees

from Cheat-Seeking Missiles
by Laer
June 10, 2009

Sen. John Barrasso delivered a bit of a barn-burner at yesterday’s Committee on Oversight joint hearing on “Scientific Integrity and Transparency Reforms at the Environmental Protection Agency.” He’s been carrying this particular flag for a while, all but ignored by the Dem power structure. Following are excerpts from his statement:

I am concerned about the shadow cabinet position of Energy and Climate Czar. This vague position “coordinates” energy and climate change policy in the cabinet. This person is not confirmed by the Senate. How the EPA Administrator and the Czar work together remains highly ambiguous. The person appointed to this post is Carol Browner. Browner, coincidently, was the EPA Director under President Clinton. By appointing Browner, the Administration now has two EPA Directors, one confirmed by Congress, the other not. One accountable to Congress, the other not.

Obama has now appointed 18 czars - imagine what the Left would have said if “Bushitler” had done the same. They’re all problematic, but Browner is particulary so, especially given the economy-crushing global warming agenda Obama is pushing. Barrasso details some of the more nefarious acts Browner undertook while she was Clinton’s Congressionally overseen EPA chief:

She [a Washington Examiner reporter] stated that “Browner ordered Virginia to reduce the amount of ambient nitrogen oxide, not because levels were anywhere near dangerous, but because that was the only pollutant that had not declined in the past 25 years.” She stated that that Browner proposed banning chlorine, used as a disinfectant in 98 percent of municipal water treatment, “in the absence of any evidence that chlorine leads to cancer or birth defects.” Indeed, the author points out that Peru was suing the United States for classifying chlorine as a possible carcinogen “because then Peru removed chorine from its water supply, and the resulting cholera epidemic killed thousands.” She also cited Browner’s attempt to get the Food and Drug Administration to ban anti-asthma inhalers because the EPA "considered it more important to get rid of devices that release trace amounts of chlorofluorcarbons than to allow 30 million Americans to breathe easily.” She stated “public outcry, not science, caused the EPA to back off.” These are just a few examples in a larger column that cites many more.

Now this woman is operating in Jack Bauer-like fashion, with no hand, save Obama’s, constraining her. This is not exactly the model of that transparency thing Obama promised during the campaign.

The Czar positions that the Obama Administration has created seem to be designed to not be transparent. We won’t ever know whether or not politics is trumping science because we can’t get the Czar to come here and testify. Everything will be done in secret, behind closed doors, out of the view of the American people.We need not look much farther than Energy and Climate Czar Browner’s actions over the last few months.

Want an example of how untransparent the czar process is? Barrosso provided a gem:

The New York Times ran an article in May entitled “Vow of silence key to White House-California Fuel Economy Talks.” The article stated that there was a simple rule for negotiations between the White House and California on vehicle fuel economy – “Put nothing in writing.” Mary Nichols, the head of the California Air Resources Board, stated that Browner “quietly orchestrated private discussions from the White House with auto industry officials.” The paper said Nichols and Browner “decided to keep their discussions as quiet as possible, holding no group meetings and taking care to not leak updates to the press.” Nichols was quoted as saying “We put nothing in writing, ever.” This is unacceptable Madame Chairman.

How are we, the oversight committee, able to do our job with Administration officials putting nothing in writing, holding secret meetings in the dark of night without other officials present. All of this occurring outside the prying eyes of the people. This is not transparency. This is not good government. This threatens scientific integrity.

I wonder how that Times story would have run if it had occurred during the Bush admin and they caught an uncomfirmed Bush appointee saying “put nothing in writing.” We’ll never know.

The good senator concluded by repeating his longstanding request for committee hearings into Browner’s role as energy czar, a request committee chair Babs Boxer ignored. Fat chance any such hearings will happen any sooner than January 2013, when, hopefully, a new Republican majority will rule the Senate.

Click to read the comments and other great articles at Cheat-Seeking Missiles

Hey Obama, Why Don't You Lead The Way?

image by Rees

Hey Obama, why don't you and your administration try leading by example?

This is an excellent article.

Rees

from The Charleston Daily Mail

by Don Surber

May 7, 2009

The EPA should turn off its air conditioning

The story of the week was that the average wage in 54 of the state's 55 counties is below the national average. Only one county was above the national average: Boone.

Boone County happens to be the state's leading producer of coal. Much of the coal in Boone County comes from mountaintop mining.

This upsets Washingtonians, who want West Virginia to be a nice hilly green place where the deer and the black bears play - and the people are friendly, if a little naive and uneducated.

They like us poor but proud.

The reality is that roughly two-thirds of Washington's electricity comes from coal, and according to the Washington Post, one-third of that coal comes from mining the mountaintops of Appalachia.

That works out to 22 percent (one third of two-thirds) of Washington's electricity coming from coal that was mined from the mountaintops of Appalachia.

Mountaintop mining is safer and cheaper than underground mining.

But if Washington insists on banning mountaintop mining, then Washington must lead the way and cut its use of electricity by 22 percent overnight to protect our hills.

Administrator Lisa Jackson of the Environmental Protection Agency should be the first to cut her agency's power usage. She opposes mountaintop mining.

Let her cut off her agency's air conditioner. Let her agency use candles instead of electric lights. Let her lock the agency's elevators.

The EPA should set the example. If she truly believes in global warming, let her walk the talk, or in this case sweat the details. Really sweat.

Heating, ventilation and cooling accounted for 31 percent of the household consumption of electricity in 2005, according to the Department of Energy. Almost half of that HVAC consumption was from air conditioning.

So our leaders should shut off all the air conditioners in Washington. That should cut back their use of electricity by 15 percent, if my calculations are correct.

Let's make people register their air conditioners, disassemble them and keep them stored in a secure place - just like the capital city did for 30 years with firearms until the Supreme Court said it violated the Second Amendment.

There is no right to keep and bear air conditioners.

I would allow some rooms in hospitals to use them, of course. I don't want a surgeon having a sweaty palm when she is wielding a scalpel.

But if coal is evil - if coal is filthy, if coal is sick - then federal officials should be the first to turn the AC off.

We do not want our congressmen or president to get ill.

If Washington really thinks going green is so good, then let the people in the nation's capital power their lights and air conditioners with wind power.

They can line their streets with windmills - or turbines as they call them now.

The Washington Monument would be the perfect place for a few turbines.

Maintenance should be no problem. I keep hearing about all these spin doctors in Washington.

Wind turbines should be set up in the cities that use electricity but hate coal and not in the hills of West Virginia.

After all, the turbines would ruin our beautiful hills and scare the deer and the black bears.

If we are not going to be allowed to have flat land in West Virginia for aesthetic reasons, then Washington should not be allowed to mar the landscape of the state with wind turbines.

Save our trees. After all, they consume the carbon dioxide that Washington said is killing us.

And until the turbines are set in place, Washington must cut back.

I say: EPA Administrator Jackson, if you seek green, if you seek carbon capture for the United States, if you seek environmentalism: Come to the thermostat.

Ms. Jackson, turn down that thermostat. Ms. Jackson, tear down that air conditioner.

Surber may be reached at donsur...@dailymail.com. His blog is at http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber.

Mount Redoubt continues to thumb nose at EPA!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - In a blatant act of defiance to the EPA crackdown, Mt. Redoubt continues to spew ash and toxic gases unabated. The on-site spokesman for the EPA indicated that they are very disappointed that the volcano has chosen to continue down that path.

Rumors have been circulating that the EPA has been in contact with the United Nations. Sources indicate an emergency Security Council resolution has been requested that will apply crippling sanctions against the volcano.

A scientist from the EPA (oxymoron), who spoke on the condition of anonymity, indicated that a draft had in fact been completed, and that they expected the resolution to be voted on by the UN Security Council early next week.

In the meantime, a spokesman for the EPA requested that Americans remain calm. They are concerned with the hysteria that is being created by right wing blogs and talk shows.

The spokesman stated that, "It is unconscionable that these blogs and talk shows would actually be encouraging this volcano to erupt. We understand that one website thinks it would actually be funny if 'the volcano should suffer a pre-mature eruption. What kind of sick people are these?"

The EPA wants Americans to know that they are monitoring the situation very closely and are ready to take action at a moments notice. The EPA has vowed that "they will not allow this volcano to erupt."

A spokesman from the Governor's office said, "The Governor believes the EPA has no business trying to interfere with the eruption of this volcano. This is a natural thing and we should let Mother Nature run its course."

Update 6:00 PDT

On tonight's "Shoutdown with Keith Olbermann," Keith declared Mount Redoubt as today's "Worse Volcano in The World!" He also stated that any injuries resulting from the eruption of Mount Redoubt would be the responsibility of Glenn Beck.

Now to the real news. According to The Alaska Volcano Observatory:

Seismic and satellite data over the past day indicate continued lava dome growth. Satellite and web camera images have been obscured by clouds, but no significant ash emissions visible in radar.

A satellite image from yesterday afternoon showed a continuous sulfur dioxide gas plume extending for more than 600 miles from volcano.

Additional significant explosive events with accompanying ash clouds, ash fall, and mudflows are possible and can occur with little or no warning. AVO will maintain 24/7 operations in order to quickly detect renewed significant explosive activity and other hazardous phenomena.

Click to go to the Alaska Volcano Observatory website

Mount Redoubt - defying the EPA

photo from Alaska Volcano Observatory

I was having some fun a couple of days ago and made a post about the EPA imposing fines on Alaska as a result of the Mount Redoubt Volcano spewing ash and gases into the atmosphere. I noticed that the Alaska Pride blogspot linked to my post and I just want to say, "Thank You."

I have a personal connection with Alaska. I've actually driven to Anchorage from the lower States. That was back in 1976 when only a small portion of the Alaskan Highway was actually paved. It was an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience. My Boss at that time had been stationed in Kotzebue while in the Air Force, and his wife is from Kotzebue.

I would encourage everyone to visit Alaska and experience the breath-taking majestic beauty that will surround you. It's difficult to describe.

I'm also a very strong supporter of Governor Sarah Palin. She is a true American Patriot. The personal attacks on her and her family are a disgusting reflection of the type of individuals that oppose her. The viciousness of the attacks on her are an indication of how afraid they are of Sarah.
Rees
Click to go to the Alaska Pride Blogspot

EPA Fines Alaska over Mount Redoubt Volcanic Emissions

Volcanic eruption also violates conditions of Obama's new Cap and Trade Law

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – I'm obviously being facetious, but I'm trying to point out not only how absurd the government has become, but how extreme some of their agencies are. The Cap and Trade Law will increase the cost on all sources of energy, which will ultimately increase the cost of everything consumers buy. Obama pledged that he wouldn't raise taxes on 95% percent of Americans. Well, that was a lie. Cap and Trade is a Tax, and it will affect 100% of the American people. The sad thing is it will hurt poor people and fixed income people like senior citizens the most.

Obama is on a spending and taxing spree. He is taxing everything in sight but trying to disguise it as something we all need and convince everyone that it is in their best interest.

For an example of this government stupidity, the EPA will be issuing fines to farmers for dust pollution. Yes, they must control their dust! That's what the government and the EPA is worried about now. Yet, the four or five eruptions this past week from this Alaskan Volcano probably added more particulates, including toxic gases, into the air than a combined 10 years of farming in the U.S..

You'll never see the Global Warming Whores like Al Gore ever include the data from Volcanic evruptions when they are convincing you that man is having such a devastating effect on pollution and Global Warming. Volcanic gases consist of water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Man-made carbon dioxide emissions are dwarfed by the amount that volcanic eruptions across this planet create.

Hey, maybe we can get our government to pass laws regulating volcanic eruptions. Why not? They regulate everything else.
Rees

Now, back to being serious.

Yahoo News
from Associated Press
March 27, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Another volcanic explosion at Alaska's Mount Redoubt has sent an ash cloud 50,000 feet above sea level.

The National Weather Service says ash from a Friday morning eruption and smaller ones overnight were expected to miss Anchorage but could fall on more sparsely populated areas north of the state's largest city.

The other eruptions occurred less than an hour apart late Thursday and early Friday.
Since the series of eruptions began Sunday night, the volcano has had several bursts. One on Thursday sent ash 65,000 feet high. The last round of activity at the volcano was during a four-month period in 1989-90.
Click to go to the article

The Stench of Scandal Nails Obama Nominee for Deputy EPA Administrator

from Cheat Seeking Missiles
Posted by: Laer
March 25, 2009

Jon Cannon, the prez’s nominee for deputy EPA administrator, is cannon fodder this afternoon, the latest scandal-plagued nominee to have to resign in shame even before confirmation. Here’s Cannon’s statement:

“Today I am voluntarily removing my name from consideration to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. It has come to my attention that America’s Clean Water Foundation, where I once served on the board of directors, has become the subject of scrutiny. While my service on the board of that now-dissolved organization is not the subject of the scrutiny, I believe the energy and environmental challenges facing our nation are too great to delay confirmation for this position, and I do not wish to present any distraction to the agency.”

Michelle Malkin dug into the Cannon/Clean Water Foundation deal and found sewer water, not clean water - the mishandling of $26 million in federal funds. The Foundation was either Geithner-like in its ineptness or just plain crooked, because EPA said it could not provide support for any of its general journal entries; included duplicate transactions in its accounting system; recorded labor charged to EPA grants incorrectly; could not support the recorded indirect costs; claimed unallowable pre-award costs (a really stupid move - anyone who’s bid on a government contract knows that’s verbotin!), and three other assorted crooked acts.

So to recap, Obama nominated as Dep. Dir. of EPA a guy from a group that scammed EPA. That would be about as dumb as appointing a Treasury Sec. who scammed the IRS. Hey, wait a minute …
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E.P.A. Expected to Regulate Carbon Dioxide - "will have a profound impact on transportation, manufacturing costs and how utilities generate power."

Wow! This is great. Two slippery slopes in one day.

This is just another tax on the American People. When will this Financial Rape of the American People end?
Rees

from The New York Times
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: February 18, 2009

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to act for the first time to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that scientists blame for the warming of the planet, according to top Obama administration officials.

The decision, which most likely would play out in stages over a period of months, would have a profound impact on transportation, manufacturing costs and how utilities generate power. It could accelerate the progress of energy and climate change legislation in Congress and form a basis for the United States’ negotiating position at United Nations climate talks set for December in Copenhagen.

The environmental agency is under order from the Supreme Court to make a determination whether carbon dioxide is a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare, an order that the Bush administration essentially ignored despite near-unanimous belief among agency experts that research points inexorably to such a finding.

Lisa P. Jackson, the new E.P.A. administrator, said in an interview that she had asked her staff to review the latest scientific evidence and prepare the documentation for a so-called endangerment finding. Ms. Jackson said she had not decided to issue such a finding but she pointedly noted that the second anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts v. E.P.A., is April 2, and there is the wide expectation that she will act by then..

“We here know how momentous that decision could be,” Ms. Jackson said. “We have to lay out a road map.”

She took a first step on Tuesday when she said that the agency would reconsider a Bush administration decision not to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new coal-burning power plants. In announcing the reversal, Ms. Jackson suggested that the E.P.A. was considering additional measures to regulate heat-trapping gases. The White House signaled that it fully supported Ms. Jackson’s approach, deferring to her to discuss the administration’s response to the Supreme Court case.

If the environmental agency determines that carbon dioxide is a dangerous pollutant to be regulated under the Clean Air Act, it would set off one of the most extensive regulatory rule makings in history. Ms. Jackson knows that she would be stepping into a minefield of Congressional and industry opposition and said that she was trying to devise a program that allayed these worries.

“We are poised to be specific on what we regulate and on what schedule,” Ms. Jackson said. “We don’t want people to spin that into a doomsday scenario.”

Even some who favor an aggressive approach to climate change said they were wary of the agency’s asserting exclusive authority over carbon emissions. They say that the Clean Air Act, now more than 40 years old, was not designed to regulate ubiquitous substances like carbon dioxide.

Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, warned Ms. Jackson during her January confirmation hearing that she should not undercut Congress’s authority by using the agency’s regulatory power to address global warming. Mr. Barrasso called the use of the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon “a disaster waiting to happen.”
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