NY Times Turns Up The Climate Propaganda Machine

By William Teach March 22, 2017 – 6:51 pm

The heck you say, as Julie Kelly points out at The Hill

NY Times turns up volume on ‘climate propaganda machine’

The New York Times announced last week that it will expand its coverage on climate change, just as the Trump administration plans to defund most federal climate programs and the global commitment to pay for climate policies starts to wane.

A group of journalists at the Times will now be “devoted entirely to climate issues” and work with their international news bureaus to report how “the calamities caused by climate change seem to be intensifying.”

According to Hannah Fairfield, head of the new climate reporting team, the Times will “produce visual, explanatory and investigative journalism” during a time of “uncertainty regarding the Trump administration’s environmental policies.”

Why now?

As if all that alarming coverage isn’t enough, the Times is ready to turn up the volume on its climate propaganda machine. Why? Because the media and everyone on the left now realizes what is at stake — they are about to lose their best excuse to expand government, raise taxes, promote globalism and punish industry.

What will this look like?

What we do know is that climate mouthpieces like the New York Times will only ramp up their personal attacks on so-called deniers, push climate doomsday scenarios and blame every weather incident on America’s carbon output. If you think the headlines and articles are egregious now, just wait.

When activism replaces journalism.

Read: NY Times Turns Up The Climate Propaganda Machine »

Posted in Global Warming, Journalistic Malpractice | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach March 22, 2017 – 1:00 pm

…is leather which comes from cows which are bad for ‘climate change’, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Raised On Hoecakes, with a post on milk being the new racism.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 6 Comments | Trackback URL

You Too Can Get A Degree In Climate Justice From Lyndon State College

By William Teach March 22, 2017 – 10:54 am

You can learn all about spreading awareness and nagging people

New Climate Change Science Degree at LSC to Tackle Global Problem

A new Bachelor of Science degree in Climate Change Science at Lyndon State College, to be launched this fall, will give students skills to confront the pervasive problems caused by global climate issues.

As the impacts of global warming grow and intensify, LSC is addressing a crucial need for trained professionals to find solutions to climate change challenges. One of few such degree programs in the country and the only one in Vermont, the innovative major is part of LSC’s nationally known Atmospheric Sciences department. Students will be prepared for a wide range of career opportunities in a rapidly evolving field.

The cutting-edge program will train students to apply their skills in a variety of areas affected by climate change, including renewable energy, public policy, climate risk management, and urban and natural resource planning. Students will do research with faculty on externally funded projects that will influence government and business initiatives.

The interdisciplinary curriculum includes general science courses and meteorology and climatology courses. Students will gain hands-on experience with data collection, learn technological skills for climate data analysis and environmental assessment, and develop communication skills to help bridge the gap between scientists and non-scientists.

Read: You Too Can Get A Degree In Climate Justice From Lyndon State College »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

As GOP Struggles To Find Votes On Trumpcare, Trump Threatens Holdouts

By William Teach March 22, 2017 – 9:15 am

It’s a weak bill. It doesn’t fully repeal Obamacare, it still has a penalty, and it doesn’t provide the path towards lower cost health insurance and care that was promised

(The Hill) House Republican leaders on Tuesday struggled to pick up votes for their ObamaCare repeal-and-replace bill, even after President Trump visited Capitol Hill to sell the plan.

With only a day before a scheduled vote on the House floor, the White House and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) are facing an uphill fight to get the majority — 216 votes — needed to clear the lower chamber.

In a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, Trump warned that failure to pass the legislation might trigger a backlash for the GOP in the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans, the president said, could lose their seats next year, give Democrats the majority and derail Trump’s ambitious 2017 agenda if they fail to fulfill their campaign promise of repealing ­ObamaCare, said sources in the room.

The reality is that if the GOP votes to enact this poor bill, they will lose. Many Trumpcare supporters are saying that it would be bad for Trump to lose on his very first big bill. Well, Paul Ryan should have put up a better bill, and Trump shouldn’t have backed it. Furthermore, if this is just stage one, then the GOP leadership should have shown us the following steps, the follow on legislation. With only a vague notion that they are going to Do Something, that’s not enough.

Leadership has “maintained the general framework of ­ObamaCare. They haven’t fixed the real problems with ­ObamaCare, and then they expect us to vote for it?” asked Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), a Freedom Caucus co-founder.

“It’s unreasonable and unrealistic.”

In the Senate, it appears as if it is already dead. There are enough Republican senators who will be “nay” votes right from the get go, and, unless there are substantial changes before a supposed Thursday House vote, you can’t count on having 50 plus VP Pence to pass it on reconciliation.

Read: As GOP Struggles To Find Votes On Trumpcare, Trump Threatens Holdouts »

Posted in Healthcare | 24 Comments | Trackback URL

ICE Releases First Declined Detainer Report On Illegal Aliens

By William Teach March 22, 2017 – 8:56 am

It’s a great view into which cities and counties refuse to cooperate with federal authorities on illegal aliens

(CNN) The Trump administration on Monday opened up its first line of attack on so-called sanctuary cities, naming jurisdictions that decline to detain immigrants who could be subject to deportation.

The report lays out 206 declined “detainers” that were registered in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement databases during the week of January 28 to February 3. Detainers are requests by ICE to local law enforcement agencies to hold certain individuals ICE believes could be deported for up to an extra 48 hours beyond the criminal process so they can be picked up by ICE.

President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to issue the reports, called the Weekly Declined Detainer Outcome Report, in an executive order in January.

In the report, DHS lays out the type of crime for which the individual was either charged or convicted, where they were arrested and the request was declined. (snip)

According to the report, the top 10 non-cooperating counties for declined detainers are Clark County, Nevada; Nassau County, New York; Cook County, Illinois; Montgomery County, Iowa; Snohomish County, Washington; Franklin County, New York; Washington County, Oregon; Alachua County, Florida; Franklin County, Iowa; and Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

CNN didn’t bother providing a link to the report, so, you can find it here. To make it easier, the full report is at this link. The article does briefly mention, near the end, the types of crimes committed by these illegals

Crimes included convictions and charges of domestic violence, driving under the influence, forgery, assault, drugs, traffic offenses and homicide.

Yet, cities and counties are letting these people go, rather than briefly holding them so ICE can come get them. We also see arson, cruelty towards wife, burglary, forgery, identity theft, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, indecent exposure to a minor, sexual offense towards a child, hit and run, and rape, among others. These illegals were all convicted of these crimes. Serious crimes. Why are Democrats protecting these types of illegal alien criminals?

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: ICE Releases First Declined Detainer Report On Illegal Aliens »

Posted in Illegal Immigration | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Say, Does Hotcoldwetdry Cause Diabetes?

By William Teach March 21, 2017 – 4:46 pm

Unsurprisingly, Warmists are now linking the two

Is there a link between climate change and diabetes?

Scientists have long warned that rising global temperatures may impact public health in a devastating way because climate change is associated with deadly weather events, the spread of infectious diseases and even food shortages.

Now, researchers are looking at whether climate change might be linked to another public health concern: Type 2 diabetes.

Between 1996 and 2009, as outdoor temperatures rose across the United States, so did the prevalence of diabetes, according to a study published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care on Monday.

“We were surprised though by the magnitude of the effect size,” said Lisanne Blauw, a researcher at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands and lead author of the study.

“We calculated that a 1-degree Celsius rise in environmental temperature could account for more than 100,000 new diabetes cases per year in the USA alone,” she said. “Future research into the effects of global warming on our health status is therefore of great importance.”

Of course, since 1996, there has barely been any temperature rise. Perhaps two tenths of a degree Celcius, most of which was associated with naturally occurring El Nino’s, especially the 1998 edition. But, again and as usual, this is about scaring people, and, of course, wanting more funding.

Kudos to CNN writer Jacqueline Howard, who attempts to provide some balance

However, this observational study simply reveals an association between climate and diabetes, not a causation. Among the factors known to cause Type 2 diabetes are being overweight or obese and having a family history of the disease.

“I think calorie consumption and weight are probably the biggest by a country mile,” said Dr. Adrian Vella, an endocrinologist who has researched Type 2 diabetes at the Mayo Clinic. He was not involved in the new study.

“I think the general message always should be that association studies do not actually imply causation,” he said of linking climate change and diabetes.

Rarely do Cult of Climastrology fables include any rebuttal, and certainly not ever a notion that association is not causation. However, there’s a saying for Internet articles, namely that people tend to read for 30 seconds or the first 3 paragraphs. Hence, many will have come away with the notion that Hotcoldwetdry causes diabetes.

Read: Say, Does Hotcoldwetdry Cause Diabetes? »

Posted in AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming | Comments Off on Say, Does Hotcoldwetdry Cause Diabetes? | Trackback URL

Last Year’s (completely normal) Weather Leaves No Room For Doubt On ‘Climate Change’ Or Something

By William Teach March 21, 2017 – 1:00 pm

The same people who used to say that weather is not climate when it was cold, snowy, icy, entirely average, etc (until they decided that things like cold and snow are caused by carbon pollution) are now claiming that entirely normal weather is all part of man-caused climate change doom

Last year’s weather proves climate change is real with ‘no room for doubt’, say scientists
‘Human-driven climate change is now an empirically verifiable fact … those who dispute [it] are not sceptics, but anti-science deniers’

There is “no room for doubt”. The astonishing weather experienced by the world last year and advances in climate science demonstrate conclusively that fossil fuel emissions are causing global warming – and something must be done about it.

That was the reaction from scientist after scientist to a new report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which documented record-breaking droughts, heatwaves, rainfall, melting of sea ice and a host of tangible signs observed in 2016 that the Earth’s climate has changed. (snip)

But Dr Phil Williamson, an associate fellow at the University of East Anglia, said: “The WMO’s statement on the 2016 climate leaves no room for doubt.

“Human-driven climate change is now an empirically verifiable fact, combining year-to-year variability with the consequences of our release of extra greenhouse gases. Those who dispute that link are not sceptics, but anti-science deniers.”

So, the average temperature being a few hundredths of a degree higher (with lots of asterisks attached), and weather occurring, like it always has, drives supposedly reasonably people to go into meltdown and proclaim doom and make political/pseudo-religious pronouncements. This is more of the “the science is settled” schtick.

The problem here is that records, and weather, do not prove causation. But, facts and evidence have never mattered to the Cult of Climastrology.

Heavy California rains par for the course for climate change
Stanford climatologist Noah Diffenbaugh explains why heavy rains during a drought are to be expected for a state in the throes of climate change.

Here’s a question that Stanford climatologist Noah Diffenbaugh gets asked a lot lately: “Why did California receive so much rain lately if we’re supposed to be in the middle of a record-setting drought?”

Obviously, the answer in the article is carbon pollution created doom. In the real world, it’s that California has always gone through periods of very dry and then periods of wet, due to changes in the Pacific Ocean. Warmists are about as rational as the people who claim that God buried dinosaur bones to throw people off.

Read: Last Year’s (completely normal) Weather Leaves No Room For Doubt On ‘Climate Change’ Or Something »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach March 21, 2017 – 1:00 pm

…is a world where sunlight is magnified due to carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Moonbattery, with a post noting that all you Social Justice Warriors can now house the homeless in your backyards.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 21 Comments | Trackback URL

Fancy Pants Malibu, California Votes To Become A Sanctuary City

By William Teach March 21, 2017 – 8:29 am

Hey, someone has to mow the yards, clean the bathrooms, and cook the meals for ultra-low wages in one of the richest cities in the country

(LA Times) But it being Malibu, there was a celebrity twist. The idea was inspired by one of the town’s many famous residents: actor Martin Sheen. In December, he grabbed the lectern during a City Council meeting and — as if conjuring his inner President Josiah Bartlet from “The West Wing” — urged the city to become a sanctuary city.

Like many sanctuary city resolutions, Malibu’s is largely symbolic. Backers said the move, which passed on a 3-2 council vote, is a chance for Malibu’s privileged to stand up for the city’s vulnerable population.

Malibu is about 92% white and one of L.A. County’s wealthiest cities. Everyone agrees the city has workers who are not authorized to be in the United States, and they tend to serve the food at upscale eateries, clean the beachside mansions, look after children and keep the landscaping looking lush.

Only 6% is Latino. And mostly poor. And

But residents say a good chunk of the service workforce is Latino. And at least some of those people are in the United States illegally. (Councilwoman Laura) Rosenthal said it’s a well-known fact around town, one rarely talked about — even at last week’s council meeting.

“I think some people in Malibu have people working for them who are undocumented,” she said.

Here’s the money quote from the article

Lifelong Malibu resident Mikke Pierson, 57, a supporter of the resolution, said it’s hard to imagine a Malibu without the many immigrants who toil there. That why expressing support for people who are in the country illegally is so important, he said.

“Heck … we would be paralyzed and no one’s houses would be cleaned,” the former surf shop owner said.

Obviously, it would be too much for so many to hire American citizens and/or those legally authorized to be in the United States. These people in Malibu (media home price is $2.9 million) would prefer to nickle and dime workers, especially since they know the workers can’t complain.

In fairness, there was a lot of discussion, with some against, some for. The city doesn’t receive much money from the federal government, only around $50,000 a year, so, losing that if Trump pushes through with his threat to defund sanctuary cities wouldn’t mean much. And the Los Angelos County Sheriff’s department barely cooperates with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as it is.

But, for all their supposed high ideals and “caring”, what these rich folks want is cheap labor which can’t complain.

Read: Fancy Pants Malibu, California Votes To Become A Sanctuary City »

Posted in Illegal Immigration | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

GOP Tries Sweeteners On Ocare Repeal Bill

By William Teach March 21, 2017 – 8:04 am

None of this really addresses the fundamental flaws of the replace bill

(Politico) House Republican leaders are making a last-ditch attempt to win enough support to pass their Obamacare repeal, revealing an expansive series of changes to the bill on Monday night designed to woo wary GOP lawmakers.

Requested by President Donald Trump, the amendment includes perks for restive conservatives who wanted optional work requirements and block granting in Medicaid, as well as a potential olive branch to wary centrists who demanded more help for older Americans to buy insurance, POLITICO has learned.

Will these changes make a difference?

“House leadership does not have the votes to pass this very liberal bill unless they have a bunch of Democrats on board!” declared Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) while exiting the meeting. He called it a “the largest Republican welfare bill in the history of the Republican Party.”

And

What are the changes?

The mangers amendment is expected to entice some to vote “yes” on the bill, on both sides. For moderate and centrist Republicans, it would set aside funding — about $85 billion, according to Republican sources — for tax credits to help Americans between 50 and 64, who would see their premiums skyrocket under the current repeal plan. The amendment would not set up the tax credits but would instruct the Senate to do so, forcing House Republicans to take a vote on something the upper chamber would do later. It would be paid for by allowing consumers to write off less medical debt. (snip)

The bill also includes provisions nodding at anti-abortion GOP leaders. Among other changes to the repeal bill, the amendment would delete a provision that would have allowed consumers to move leftover tax credit money into a Health Savings Account. Anti-abortion groups had raised concerns that the provision might be eliminated under the Senate’s strict budget rules and inadvertently allow for taxpayer funding of abortion.

It also allows states to opt-in to traditional Medicaid block grants, and makes some changes to attempt to make this more palatable for moderate Republicans.

And then there are the Obamacare taxes. This would see most ended starting January 2017, rather than 2018. But, it would not get rid of the Cadillac Plan tax, but simply hold off on implementation from 2025 to 2026.

But, as Caleb Howe notes

This doesn’t even begin to address the “still to come” problems like getting through the Senate, getting the other “phases” passed, and the rest of the pipe dreams.

It doesn’t address the “mandate” that would penalize people who do not have insurance and attempt to get it, nor the other issues with the bill. It doesn’t provide that pathway to make it easier for people to obtain health insurance nor reduce costs. Whether people like it or not, there are lots of individuals and small businesses that get their insurance via the government exchanges (they really have little choice): what do they do as the Exchanges end? There must be a guidance, and this bill doesn’t do it.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: GOP Tries Sweeteners On Ocare Repeal Bill »

Posted in GOP, Healthcare | 2 Comments | Trackback URL
Pirate's Cove