Is The Game Up For Climate Change Believers?

That’s what UK Telegraph writer Charles Moore states

Most of us pay some attention to the weather forecast. If it says it will rain in your area tomorrow, it probably will. But if it says the same for a month, let alone a year, later, it is much less likely to be right. There are too many imponderables.

The theory of global warming is a gigantic weather forecast for a century or more. However interesting the scientific inquiries involved, therefore, it can have almost no value as a prediction. Yet it is as a prediction that global warming (or, as we are now ordered to call it in the face of a stubbornly parky 21st century, “global weirding”) has captured the political and bureaucratic elites. All the action plans, taxes, green levies, protocols and carbon-emitting flights to massive summit meetings, after all, are not because of what its supporters call “The Science”. Proper science studies what is – which is, in principle, knowable – and is consequently very cautious about the future – which isn’t. No, they are the result of a belief that something big and bad is going to hit us one of these days.

The thing is, “climate change” or whatever you want to call it is not about science, unless we’re discussing political science.

The origins of warmism lie in a cocktail of ideas which includes anti-industrial nature worship, post-colonial guilt, a post-Enlightenment belief in scientists as a new priesthood of the truth, a hatred of population growth, a revulsion against the widespread increase in wealth and a belief in world government. It involves a fondness for predicting that energy supplies won’t last much longer (as early as 1909, the US National Conservation Commission reported to Congress that America’s natural gas would be gone in 25 years and its oil by the middle of the century), protest movements which involve dressing up and disappearing into woods (the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift, the Mosleyite Blackshirts who believed in reafforestation) and a dislike of the human race (The Club of Rome’s work Mankind at the Turning-Point said: “The world has cancer and the cancer is man.”).

Moore goes on to describe how these ideas metastasized throughout the 1970’s along the lines of “environmentalism”, through the 1980’s, and into the 90’s, turning more towards anthropogenic global warming along political lines. James Delingpole refers to these people as “watermelons“, green on the outside, red on the inside, meaning that so many of the pseudo-commies moved into the enviro movement as the Soviet Union and other communist countries were collapsing.

…the international war against carbon totters on, because Western governments see their green policies, like zombie banks, as too big to fail. The EU, including Britain, continues to inflict expensive pain upon itself. Last week, the latest IPCC report made the usual warnings about climate change, but behind its rhetoric was a huge concession. The answer to the problems of climate change lay in adaptation, not in mitigation, it admitted. So the game is up.

The article is supposedly a review of The Age of Global Warming by Rupert Darwall. In the second paragraph of the excerpt, we see “All the action plans, taxes, green levies, protocols and carbon-emitting flights to massive summit meetings, after all, are not because of what its supporters call “The Science”.” That comes close to the reality of “climate change”, but fails to mention that this is all about instituting a Progressive government. Authoritarian. Dictatorial. Control over your life. Control of private entities. Full control of economies. Big Big Government. Fascism. This is the Third Reich without all the mass murder. Maybe. Let’s not forget that Leftists were more than will to turn their eyes away from the 100’s of millions killed by the Soviet Union and China, among other “communist” countries.

I’ve mentioned a few times that Jonah Goldberg referred to Progressivism as “nice fascism”, meaning that they do everything for your own good. But, the disciples are willing to get nasty when people refuse to conform. Witness what happened to now-former Mozilla CEO Brenden Eichs. The Progressive Hit Squad forced him out for failing to hold the proper beliefs.

Again, like always, I’ll point out that if Warmists really believed that Mankind is causing every weather/climate change, mostly through the use of fossil fuels, they might change their behavior. But, they don’t. Because the notion of “climate change” is just part of the gameplan to push Progressive politics worldwide. That sounds rather paranoid, rather conspiracy theory, I know, but sometimes they really are out to get you. And by you, I mean you, because these Progressive think none of the Bad Things, like rising prices, loss of freedom, higher taxes, etc, will happen to themselves.

Alas, the game may be up for the reality of “climate change”, but don’t think the Warmists will ever give up pushing this notion. It’s to important to their overall gameplan to quit.

Read: Is The Game Up For Climate Change Believers? »

Shiny Quarter Politics: Obama Pivots To “Fair Pay”

Which is rather funny, since Obama pays women who work in the White House less than the men

(The Hill) President Obama is preparing to lean on companies that do business with the government with a pair of new executive actions designed to close the wage gap between men and women.

The orders, detailed by a White House official, reflect the latest steps taken by the president to promote income equality without backing from the divided Congress – though both measures are limited in scope.

Obama will unveil the two orders on Tuesday, which marks “Equal Pay Day,” the name given to the point in the year at which an average woman’s pay catches up to what a man doing the same job made in the previous year.

The first measure is meant to prohibit federal contractors from retaliating against employees who discuss their compensation. The White House official stressed that the order will neither compel workers to discuss their pay nor employers to reveal salaries.

That first measure is quite possibly illegal, since it creates law, of which the Executive Branch cannot Constitutionally do.

Obama will also sign a Presidential Memorandum directing Labor Secretary Tom Perez to draft new regulations requiring contractors to report summary pay information – including data on race and sex – to the agency, the official said.

What is the penalty if employers refuse to reveal their private data due to this EO possibly being illegal, since it also skirts the notion of law making?

What is the penalty to the White House, which, again, still pays its female employees less? Let’s face it, this is simply a distraction from the issues that Americans care about, along with a way to attempt to bump up the enthusiasm of the base approaching the mid-terms.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: Shiny Quarter Politics: Obama Pivots To “Fair Pay” »

“Climate Change” Might Possibly Maybe Damage Baseball

Yet another in a long line of $1 movie scary stories

(Straight) The crack of bats this time of year means two things: baseball is back and winter is over.

But Major League Baseball’s spring soundtrack relies heavily on wood from white ash trees treasured for strength and flexibility. And it may soon sound different as a tiny beetle, the emerald ash borer, threatens the northern Pennsylvania stands that for more than a century have supplied wood for bats.

Experts say climate change may alter just how far north and south the tree-killing pest will spread. Northern Pennsylvania is right in the emerald ash borer’s sweet spot.

“If climate change reduces those extreme cold temperatures in northern states, which can kill them, it may allow it to spread north faster,” said Dan Herms, a professor and entomologist at Ohio State University. “But surely they’ll get to where Louisville Slugger is.”

So, nothing concrete, eh? What happened during the previous warm periods?

”We haven’t seen it affect our ability to get logs yet, but it’s knocking on the doorstep,” said Brian Boltz, a general manager at Hillerich & Bradsby. “It’s pretty established both 50 miles [80 kilometres] north and south of our main harvesting areas.”

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Read: “Climate Change” Might Possibly Maybe Damage Baseball »

If All You See…

…is a wonderful Gaia friendly bike, which helps stave off the rising of the seas that will cover the entire east coast, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is one of my favorite liberals, Alan Colmes, with a post on a court reporter have a bit of a freak out in his transcripts.

Read: If All You See… »

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Happy Sunday! Another gorgeous spring (finally) day in the Once And Future Nation Of America. This pinup is by Edward D’Ancona, with a wee bit of help.

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. No Tricks Zone points out that 99% of doctors had an issue with cholesterol, but things change
  2. Raised On Hoecakes discusses licensing in America
  3. The Camp Of The Saints has 5 easy steps to becoming a feminist
  4. The Daley Gator has a message for gun grabber Cuomo
  5. The Jawa Report notes that CAIR thinks women have rights is anti-Islamic
  6. The Other McCain highlights @rapeculture that radical feminists don’t want to discuss
  7. protein wisdom discusses the new jihad
  8. Legal Insurrection discusses the silence of Western feminists
  9. Jammie Wearing Fools covers Chuck Schumer’s latest dopey money spending idea
  10. Joshuapundit has in interesting tidbit about the unemployment bill
  11. Fire Andrea Mitchell has some info to help you dump Firefox
  12. Defy the Narrative has more Common Core wackiness
  13. Capitalist Preservation notes what has happened in Chicago since gun restrictions were lifted
  14. Black & Right has Prop 8 hypocrites
  15. And last, but not least, American Power has more on #unistallFirefox

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page. While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your “Pinups for Vets” calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts and things that interest me

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. (BTW, since someone asked, the reason I leave links for the previous week up (or you might see a *) is because they are place holders for later in the day or for next weeks. Easier than rewriting all the time. Also, the listing order has to do with how they are added over time, not how good a post is. I just copy and paste from the previous week, then edit. If you see one of the *’s, go ahead and check out the blog anyhow, see if there is an update. I cannot update with my Android during the day.

Read: Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup »

Kansas Legislature Passes Sweeping Pro-2nd Amendment Law

Restoring citizens rights

(AP) Kansas legislators gave final approval Saturday to a bill that would nullify city and county gun restrictions and ensure that it’s legal across the state to openly carry firearms, a measure the National Rifle Association sees as a nationwide model for stripping local officials of their gun-regulating power.

The House approved the legislation, 102-19, a day after the Senate passed it, 37-2. The measure goes next to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. He hasn’t said whether he’ll sign it, but he’s a strong supporter of gun rights and has signed other measures backed by the NRA and the Kansas State Rifle Association.

Kansas law doesn’t expressly forbid the open carrying of firearms, and the attorney general’s office has in the past told local officials that some restrictions are allowed. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., has prohibited the practice, but the bill would sweep any such ban away, except to allow cities and counties to prevent openly carried weapons inside public buildings.

The measure also would prevent cities and counties from enacting restrictions on the sale of firearms and ammunition, or imposing rules on how guns must be stored and transported. Existing ordinances would be void, and local governments could not use tax dollars for gun buy-back programs.

What this certainly does is remove the “patchwork” of law that makes it difficult for law-abiding citizens to express their 2nd Amendment Right to carry. One the things the gun grabbers do is pass this tiny restriction, that tiny restriction, making it extremely difficult to carry a weapon legally. It gets to a point where law abiding citizens just say “to heck with it”, exactly what the gun grabbers want to happen (of course, criminals do not care, putting law abiding citizens in danger). Even with this new Kansas law, if Governor Brownback chooses to sign it, it can still be difficult. We have something similar in North Carolina, and it can still be difficult, because there are still restrictions. You have to know where you are in terms of government property and federal law.

Here’s where it gets humorous, with Dems/gun brabbers making funny statements

“We don’t want the feds imposing their will on us. We shouldn’t be doing that to the local jurisdictions,” said Rep. Carolyn Bridges, a Wichita Democrat and opponent of the bill.

Ms. Bridges is a big supporter of Obamacare, Medicare expansion, and a host of other federally driven laws. Like most Democrats.

But Jonathan Lowry, director of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence’s efforts to defend gun control policies in court and oppose the lessening of existing regulations, called the Kansas measure “undemocratic.”

“The gun lobby likes to prevent people who believe in sensible gun laws from having a say in protecting their own communities,” Lowry said. “It’s cynical, and it’s dangerous public policy.”

The Brady Center likes to push lots of top down gun restrictions. Common sense means “easy to understand”, not a raft of drips and drabs making it impossible to understand where it is and isn’t legal.

Perhaps these Dems should spend more time dealing with those who carry and use guns illegally, rather than restricting those of us who are law abiding citizens.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: Kansas Legislature Passes Sweeping Pro-2nd Amendment Law »

Just A Girl In A Bikini Getting Tasered For Climate Change

OK, I made up the climate change part, it’s really for some charity

It was kind a good or bad shot, depending on your POV, if you know what I mean

Read: Just A Girl In A Bikini Getting Tasered For Climate Change »

If All You See…

…is extreme storm quickly forming because Someone Else installed a pool, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Bookworm Room, with a post on refusing to do business with fascists.

Read: If All You See… »

Hooray! How To Talk To A Climate Contrarian (If You Must)

The first piece of advice I’d give The Week’s Ryan Cooper would be to act like an adult and leave the insults out of the mix

How to talk to a climate change contrarian (if you must)

Climate trolls make the link between climate change and extreme weather seem highly complicated. It isn’t.

No, it isn’t complicated, because it doesn’t exist except in the talking points of Warmists. Starting out with “troll”, ie, people who don’t adhere to the same religion as Warmists is probably a Bad Idea.

Nate Silver’s hiring of noted stats whiz Roger Pielke Jr. to write for FiveThirtyEight sparked a minor internet scrape last month over climate change, extreme weather, and how those issues are covered in the press. Pielke made his career repeatedly accusing climate scientists of scientific malfeasance for exaggerating the link between climate change and extreme weather (see here for dozens more). His latest effort was another entry in the canon, arguing that the rising economic costs of extreme weather had little to do with climate change.

Now the Breakthrough Institute, which is about as troll-y as they come with regards to climate change, is out with a true-to-form defense of Pielke, claiming that a new, devastating report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change entirely vindicates his approach to weather disasters. (I know, I know, I’ve called on the universe not to feed the trolls, but sometimes I’ll take requests.)

As is typical for Breakthrough, Pielke, and other climate change contrarians, the debate they’re trying to have is almost totally pointless. It’s long past time to kill forever the idea that quibbling over the current costs of weather disasters matters either for climate policy or politics. When it comes to climate change and extreme weather, one simple fact takes care of the vast majority of what’s really important. You ready? Here it is, drum roll…

More global warming means more extreme weather.

Mr. Cooper actually forgets to explain how one should talk to a “climate contrarian”, instead focusing on the discredited notion of extreme weather. Thing is, there has been no statistically significant warming in 17 years and 8 months. No US landfalling major hurricanes since October 2005. Only one barely-a-hurricane since October 2008. We’re seeing very low fire and tornado seasons. Then he kind blows his own argument out of the water that we’re doomed from extreme weather

The Pielke post that kicked off this whole mess is about an ancillary question: is the economic damage from past natural disasters the result of climate change? Right away we’re in trouble, because extreme weather events are by definition rare and random, and there have been only a few decades on record that have been much hotter than average. As this post explains in detail, with the exception of heat records, we simply don’t have very much data yet on the question, and it will take a while for the statistics to shake out.

OK, we don’t have much data, but we’re supposed to change our entire society for the prognostications of what may possibly happen in the future? In fact, we have lots of data from news reports about “extreme weather” occurring well before CO2 hit 350ppm. And we know what humans went through during the Little Ice Age. We know that humans do much better during warm periods than cool periods. We also know that Warmists are so utterly concerned about CO2 that they change their own lives to match their rhetoric.

Read: Hooray! How To Talk To A Climate Contrarian (If You Must) »

Kinsley: The Solution To Money In Politics

Obviously, people, primarily liberals/Democrats, had a conniption fit over the recent Supreme Court decision over campaign finance. Here’s Michael Kinsley

On Thursday, the day after the Supreme Court’s decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, The Post and the New York Times between them carried eight separate print articles about the ruling. McCutcheon is the latest in a string of decisions in which the court has held that various limits on campaign contributions violate the First Amendment free speech rights of rich people and corporations. The articles ranged from fairly balanced news reports through only slightly slanted sidebars to open frothing and foaming on the Times editorial page.

Nevertheless, this was all too much for a group of Republican House members who introduced H.R. 2532, the so-called “Freedom From the Press Act,” which would place strict limits on how much a corporation or individual could spend putting out a newspaper or any other medium in which political opinions are expressed. “For too long,” said a news release issued with the text of the bill, “wealthy media companies have been able to dominate the political debate, drowning the voices of ordinary citizens who may not agree with these companies’ elitist views on subjects such as campaign contributions by wealthy corporations. Some of these ordinary citizens are veterans, who have fought for freedom in Afghanistan or Iraq, only to come home and find that their own voices are drowned out by the blowhards on ‘Morning Joe’ or the mandarins at the New York Times. Media corporations dominate the political debate, not just because of money but because they control the established channels of communication. This bill will be one step toward a level playing field.”

Sadly, this was not a real bill

There is, in fact, no such bill as the Freedom From the Press Act, limiting anyone’s right to publish a newspaper or broadcast a talk show. But if there were, is it possible that the media might find this bill just a tad unconstitutional? Might they not invoke every cliche of First Amendment jurisprudence, such as “the solution to speech is more speech” (i.e., if you disagree with me, write your own op-ed piece but don’t try to stop mine) or all that stuff about disagreeing with what you say but defending to the death your right to say it? And wouldn’t they be right?

It would have been great if it had been real, for exactly the notions Kinsley writes about. The media is spending their own money to propagate their own political point of view while demonizing Other People, primarily those on the political right, who do the same. Have you ever seen the NY Times or Washington Post or MSNBC rail against the money spent by George Soros and other big pocketed Liberals? Or how about the money Obama spent to win the presidency? As far as his idea about money in politics goes

The power of money in politics, in other words, is only as large as we allow it to be. What we need are a few more campaigns where the amount an opponent is spending becomes an issue itself. We need a political culture where a politician will have to make a calculation before accepting a contribution from Rich Plutocrats for America: Will the number of votes I gain by having more money to spend on obnoxious TV commercials be bigger or smaller than the number I will lose because people are offended by Rich Plutocrats for America (and those obnoxious TV commercials)?

He wants people to speak up. That’s a great idea.

However, I will note that the moneyed class, and the media, have much more influence than the average citizen. Did they listen when we said “Hell No!” to Obamacare? Or many other laws and regulations? Sure, the Government, particularly elected officials, ie, public servants, listen now and then, but money and access is huge. While I don’t like someone people being able to essentially buy elections, power, and access, the 1st Amendment is the 1st. We have to deal with it. I wrote a post somewhere in the archives, having trouble finding it, that they key is not to put regulations on citizens, including the moneyed class, but on the elected officials. How about restricting lawmakers from offering legislation that helps any individual, company, or industry that has donated to them above a certain monetary level? Or hurts a competitor of the entity that donated? Restricting lawmakers from voting in the same manner? Clamping down heavily on “pay for play”?

There are lots of ideas, but they should mostly be aimed at the lawmakers, not the citizens, in order to reduce the influence of money in politics. There has always been a problem with money in politics. The biggest problem is not trying to elect, or defeat, officials and legislation, but in trying to essentially bribe politicians to pass legislation that helps the donor and/or hurts rivals. Is giving boatloads of money to a politician part of “asking for redress of grievance”? That’s the big question.

Read: Kinsley: The Solution To Money In Politics »

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