Coercive Government Strikes Deal On Cable Box Energy Efficiency

By William Teach December 26, 2013 – 3:02 pm

Did you know your cable/satellite dish box was an enormous sucker of power?

(Grist) When you turn off your cable box, you may think it isn’t using any power. In fact, every electronic device uses some electricity as long as it’s plugged in. These energy suckers are known as “vampires” and they account for a tremendous amount of energy waste in the U.S.: over 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year, costing Americans more than $11 billion.

Wasted energy means more than just wasted money when you pay your electric bill. All too often, it also means that the coal-burning plant where your electricity comes from is belching more greenhouse gases and particulate pollution into the air.

Aaaaaaand, of course that “vampire energy” causes Bad Weather. You knew that had to be on the docket. But, for those of us who live in Reality Land and aren’t part of the Cult Of Manbearpig, vampire energy still stinks. It wastes our money. But, the makers of the boxes are changing, according to a DOE press release

These new standards — developed through a non-regulatory agreement between the pay-TV industry, the consumer electronics industry and energy efficiency advocates — will improve set-top box efficiency by 10 to 45 percent (depending on box type) by 2017, and are expected to save more than $1 billion on consumer energy bills annually.

The set-top box efficiency standards announced today will ultimately save enough electricity each year to power 700,000 homes. The standards will also avoid more than five million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

This seems like a good deal. Except, let’s face it, when the DOE comes calling, you can bet it is anything close to “voluntary” changes. These businesses surely made these changes to avoid regulation and because they were scared of the unhinged “environmental” groups

The standard that takes effect Jan. 1 was organized by the industry itself last year in an attempt to stave off regulation. But the government and environmental groups pushed for even more, resulting in Monday’s agreement. The Energy Department, in exchange for the signal providers’ agreement, has dropped its plans to issue efficiency rules.

Groups that signed the agreement include the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project and two industry trade groups, the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

And there you have it: coercive government acting at the behest of groups like the NRDC, a group that produces nothing but hot air, have essentially forced groups to comply with standards ahead of regulation.

Do I want a better box? You betcha. But not at the barrel of government bullying, backed by enviro-weenie groups. And, there is the question as to whether these new energy efficient boxes will cost more, and we know that the costs are always passed on to the consumer.

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If All You See…

By William Teach December 26, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is a horrible flooded drought world, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Jammie Wearing Fools, with a post on Jesse Jackson, Sr. and Duck Dynasty.

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Dueling Studies On Solar Activity And Climate

By William Teach December 26, 2013 – 11:38 am

Here’s the first

(The Hockey Schtick) A paper published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters finds solar activity was strongly correlated to climate change over the past 200,000 years. The paper reconstructs solar geomagnetic field strength using the 10Be isotope proxy of cosmic rays, which is inversely related to solar activity. The reconstruction in Figure 2 shows solar activity at the end of the record [“near present day”] was at some of the highest levels of the past 200,000 years, and solar geomagnetic field intensity approximately 3 times higher than during the ice age ~180,000 years ago.

Figure 4 below shows the strong correlation between solar activity [grey and black] and the climate change proxy [d18O in red] over the past 200,000 years. According to the author, “The marine δ18O [temperature proxy] record and solar modulation are strongly correlated at the 100,000 year timescale. It is proposed that variations in solar activity control the 100,000 year glacial–interglacial cycles.”

Obviously, Warmists do not like the notion that the nuclear furnace in the sky is mostly responsible, or responsible at all, for changes in climate, so now we get this study which Warmists in the media are pimping breathlessly

(International Business Times) Variations in heat from the sun have not strongly influenced climate change, according to a new study conducted by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, which instead points the finger at volcanic activity and greenhouse gases for the planet’s ever-changing climate patterns.

The findings of the study, published in Nature GeoScience on Sunday, have overturned a widely-held scientific concept that long-lasting periods of warm and cold weather in the past might have been caused by periodic fluctuations in solar activity. The researchers examined causes of climate change in Earth’s northern hemisphere over the past 1,000 years and found that until the year 1800, the key driver of periodic changes in climate was volcanic activity.

In fact, the paper itself notes, while positioning itself as the Ultimate Proof!!!!!!!

Research examining the causes of climate change in the northern hemisphere over the past 1000 years has shown that until the year 1800, the key driver of periodic changes in climate was volcanic eruptions.

These tend to prevent sunlight reaching the Earth, causing cool, drier weather. Since 1900, greenhouse gases have been the primary cause of climate change.

A couple points: if volcanoes were the major driver over the past 1000 years, why couldn’t the same natural process be in charge now? Second, what about 1800-1900? What drove the climate to switch from the Little Ice Age to the Modern Warm Period? Third, this is all about dismissing the effects of the Sun, as Warmists have been trying to do for quite some time. Fourth, this paper seems more about Blaming Man for the Modern Warm Period, but forgets that if GHGs are the primary cause of the current warm period, why has there been no warming in 17 years?

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“Climate Change” Causing North Pole To Move

By William Teach December 26, 2013 – 7:12 am

All because you, dear reader, drove a fossil fueled vehicle to a Christmas gathering and left your Christmas lights on when not at home. This comes from the New Scientist, which, apparently, the “New” part means too much mescaline

Earth’s poles are shifting because of climate change

Climate change is causing the North Pole’s location to drift, owing to subtle changes in Earth’s rotation that result from the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. The finding suggests that monitoring the position of the pole could become a new tool for tracking global warming.

Let’s be clear: these folks mean climate changes caused mostly or solely by Mankind. Nature? Pfft. Nature only affects past changes, or when it is really convenient for Climatologists.

Computer simulations had suggested that the melting of ice sheets and the consequent rise in sea level could affect the distribution of mass on the Earth’s surface. This would in turn cause the Earth’s axis to shift, an effect that has been confirmed by measurements of the positions of the poles.

Now, Jianli Chen of the University of Texas at Austin and colleagues have shown that melting due to our greenhouse-gas emissions is making its own contribution to the shift.

Chen and colleagues supposedly used NASA’s GRACE satellite to measure wobble and gravity fields, and determined

“Ice melting and sea level change can explain 90 per cent of the [eastward shift],” says Chen. “The driving force for the sudden change is climate change.”

Obviously, in Warmist World, there can be no other explanation. But, then, in their world, “climate change” is responsible for everything. Their brains just can’t conceive of the notion that most of the changes in climate/weather could have natural causes, just like has happened over the last 4.5 billion years. This is not science, these people are part of a cult. It’s no wonder Warmists want all divergent discussion banned from the media, chat rooms, etc.

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Oops: Slightly Over Half Of Counties In Federal Exchange Lack Affordable Obamacare Plans

By William Teach December 26, 2013 – 6:53 am

Sticker shock

(USA Today) More than half of the counties in 34 states using the federal health insurance exchange lack even a bronze plan that’s affordable — by the government’s own definition — for 40-year-old couples who make just a little too much for financial assistance, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

Many of these counties are in rural, less populous areas that already had limited choice and pricey plans, but many others are heavily populated, such as Bergen County, N.J., and Philadelphia and Milwaukee counties.

More than a third don’t offer an affordable plan in the four tiers of coverage known as bronze, silver, gold or platinum for people buying individual plans who are 50 or older and ineligible for subsidies.

This goes to those making just over the 400% of the poverty line, which would be $47,780 for an individual or $61,496 for a couple, who are ineligible for any sort of subsidy. USA Today looked at the premiums for all plans to see if they broke through the 8% of income level, which, according to Los Federales, is the affordability threshold.

The number of people who earn close to the subsidy cutoff and are priced out of affordable coverage may be a small slice of the estimated 4.4 million people buying their own insurance and ineligible for subsidies. But the analysis clearly shows how the sticker shock hitting many in the middle class, including the self-employed and early retirees, isn’t just a perception problem. The lack of counties with affordable plans means many middle-class people will either opt out of insurance or pay too much to buy it.

Isn’t it funny how everything always seems to be a “small slice”? Yet, a small slice here, a small slice there, pretty soon the entire country is killed by a 1000 paper cuts.

“The ACA was not designed to reduce costs or, the law’s name notwithstanding, to make health insurance coverage affordable for the vast majority of Americans,” says health care consultant Kip Piper, a former government and insurance industry official. “The law uses taxpayer dollars to lower costs for the low-income uninsured but it also increases costs overall and shifts costs within the marketplace.”

Essentially, redistributing money. And, let’s face it, even if these folks obtain health insurance, they still won’t be able to afford the deductibles. Someone making $20K, $30K, etc, won’t be able to pitch out $6k or so.

Although premiums are unaffordable in many places now, protections in the law will prevent the massive jumps in premiums that characterized the individual insurance market before the ACA, she says.

Individual policies before had only the “optics of affordability and no dependability,” Pollitz says. “What good is protection if it doesn’t work when you need it?”

What good are plans that one cannot afford right off the bat, and have deductibles that are a massive chunk of people’s income? That’s the reality of Obamacare.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

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If All You See…

By William Teach December 25, 2013 – 12:59 pm

…is horrible warmth induced snow, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Moe Lane, with a post on Obama extending Obamacare deadlines.

Folks with Christmas posts

Again, Merry Christmas, and if I’ve missed anyone, let me know.

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Bummer: Over Half Of US States See Snow Cover For Christmas

By William Teach December 25, 2013 – 11:12 am

Ending the 25 Days Of Climate Christmas on a bright note

(IBD) Those humming the words to “White Christmas” got their wish big-time as snow covered more than half the lower 48 states as of mid-December, putting snowless winters on the pile of failed climate predictions.

More than half of the continental U.S. had snow cover as of Dec. 15, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the most in 11 years. That exposes as worthless the predictions of the climate scammers of snowless winters as far as the eye can see. In 2006, by comparison, snow covered just 12% of these states.

There are many reasons for this, but climate change is not one of them, even though the warm-mongers cite high temperatures in Alaska and claim record snow cover merely reflects the fact that warmer air can carry more moisture.

This is written by the editorial board of the Investor’s Business Daily, which then notes

As we have pointed out many times, there is no weather condition that climate-change true believers do not cite as proof of climate change. If it is too dry, too wet, too warm or too cold, it is all due to climate change.

This reminds me of a post by Steven Goddard yesterday, in which a Warmist argued that 30 days is climate, but 60 days is just weather…since the 60 days didn’t support the notion of “climate change”.

We recall the prediction in 2000 by Dr. David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia, that winter snowfall would become “a very rare and exciting event” and claiming, “Children just aren’t going to know what snow is.”

Rare snow in Cairo and Jerusalem. Lots of winter storms, including lots of snow, in Britain, France, and Europe. Rare summer snow in Australia. Must be climate change due to Warmists refusing to give up their own fossil fueled habits.

But, if you really, really want some Warmist madness, here’s Soros funded climate monkey Joe Romm whining about The Ghost Of Climate Change Yet To Come. Some cra-cra Leftists who want their union to fight against climate change. A wacko at the HuffPo, who Blames the Tea Party for climate change. And the Governor of the Caymans just had to include a brief whine about “climate change” in her Christmas message (up-twinkles for her actually wishing people a Merry Christmas, though).

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Posted in Christmas, Collapsing Science, Global Warming | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

By William Teach December 25, 2013 – 7:46 am

Every Christmas, after the presents are opened and breakfast is being made, I read this first in the paper (ye olde parental units get an actual paper, and they live in NJ). It is a Christmas classic that has always touched my soul. While some people outside of the Tri-State area have heard of it, rarely do papers outside of the NY-NJ-Conn area see it in print, and it always surprises me when I run across someone who has not ever heard the first line. I humbly bring it to you, and hope it touches you as much as it touches me:

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

And a Merry Christmas from deep down in my heart to all my friends and visitors out there.

If you would like to know the background on the letter, you can go to the 2004 posting of this.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

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“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

By William Teach December 24, 2013 – 9:19 pm

Luke 2: 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field , keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo , the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid . 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold , I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes , lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying , 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

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If All You See…

By William Teach December 24, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is a Christmas Holiday Winter Festival tree that could be made extinct by climate change, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Proof Positive, with a post on the phony budget deal.

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