Category Archives: climate change
Blizzard Bust
Boston got busted but the blizzard was a bust in New York. Central Park got about 8 inches of snow. Not bad but not very historical. “Potentially historical” is how the National Weather Service predicted the blizzard. That caused Louis C.K. to write, “Well I didn’t know you could call a thing historic if it hasn’t happened yet.” His Madison Square Garden show got cancelled.
The New York Post‘s John Podhoretz said, “don’t blame the media, blame the politicians.” Governor Cuomo shut down the subway system for the first time in 101 years – “because he wanted to”. Now that’s historical. Podhoretz called NY Mayor DeBlasio a “6-foot, 5-inch wagging finger, ordering everybody to go inside and stay inside if they knew what was good for them”.
Kevin Williamson summed it up in National Review. “If you happen to be a power-hungry politician, a state of emergency is a very useful thing”.
Silly Shirt Season
World leaders showed up at the APEC summit in China last week wearing silly shirts. It’s an annual tradition to distract us from the silly stuff they do.
China is filled with with smog. You can taste the PM 2.5 – little particles that go into your lungs to kill you. So what was the signing event of the week? A deal to reduce the carbon dioxide you exhale to cough those little buggers out. And the Chinese don’t even have to do it until 2030. If they’re still alive.
Silly Season
The agreement is for America to set the example by cutting co2 emissions right away. The really silly part is that it’s a deal about nothing. Carbon dioxide emissions in the United States have been falling due to increased use of natural gas and a decreased role for industrial production. We’re expected to reach the goals of the agreement by doing nothing. China will reach peak population growth by 2030 and it’s co2 emissions are expected to fall naturally by then too.
The other big news of the week was the revelation that our governing elites lack a positive attitude toward us voters. They think we’re stupid. Ok, so maybe they’re right. It’s certainly not a problem shared by China – a situation much admired by Tom Friedman of the NYT.
Tom Steyer Campaign Spending
The Koch brothers got a nice return on their big spending ways in Tuesday’s wave election. Tom Steyer, not so much.
Steyer is a billionaire hedge fund guy. He wants to save the climate from change. The Koch brothers are billionaire energy tycoons.They spend millions promoting a conservative/libertarian agenda and irritating Harry Reid. Harry thinks that’s un-American.
Tom Steyer
Steyer spent $74 million on this election. Climate change rated dead last among voter concerns in the Gallup poll. Tom Steyer’s candidates didn’t rate much higher with them.
Arctic Sea Ice Challenge
UK Mail Online published satellite photos that show this summer’s arctic sea ice increased from 2012’s all-time low. Slate was quick to point out, with its usual annoying habit of answering a question you didn’t ask, that “No You Can’t Claim Arctic Sea Ice is Recovering”.
Sea Ice Challenge
The increase represents a change in weather not climate. Like the Lake Superior ice that wouldn’t leave until June. Or the drought in California. Oh wait, that’s climate not weather.
Anyway, maybe you can’t claim arctic sea ice is recovering, but you might say polar bears are. 
Climate Shame
The president is going it alone on a climate plan. Well, not exactly alone. He’s working it out with the UN. It’s just that Congress won’t be involved.
Name and Shame
The idea is to hammer out a plan for carbon reduction for the entire “international community”. But without Senate approval the agreement won’t have the force of law (see Kyota). If the plan isn’t legally binding what keeps it from being a toothless piece of paper? It will be a “politically binding” agreement. International Community members will be shamed into compliance.
