by a siegel
Tue Oct 14th, 2008 at 05:58:15 PM EST
In South Carolina, the "Democratic Party" candidate is Bob Conley, who must be mentioned was recently a Republican, on a county GOP committee until winning the Democratic Party primay, and Ron Paul supporter. On the Repulbican side, Lindsey Graham. In this race, Saturday's debate could well be a telling one for anyone who cares for science and issues of Global Warming.
Conley, in Inhofe-scale like terms, very "firmly proclaimed his denial of global warming science". In face of a question as to whether Global Warming is real (come off, is this a real question people?), Conley's response:
CONLEY: It really is the arrogance of man to think that we are having any effect.
These are not words of someone interested in reality-based policy making.
by a siegel
Mon Oct 13th, 2008 at 02:28:02 PM EST
Paul Krugman, the winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize for Economics, penned an article a few months ago: "Know-Nothing Politics".
the debate on energy policy has helped me find the words for something I've been thinking about for a while. Republicans, once hailed as the "party of ideas," have become the party of stupid.
For Krugman, the Republican embrace and promotion of Drillusion exemplified how "know-nothingism" had become revered within the Republican Party. "The party's de facto slogan has become: "Real men don't think things through."" ANd, "In the case of oil, this takes the form of pretending that more drilling would produce fast relief at the gas pump."
by a siegel
Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 05:19:36 PM EST
T Boone Pickens continues his hard sell efforts when it comes to the flawed Pickens' Plan. Yesterday, a bipartisan group of bloggers had a teleconference with T Boone. If one listens through 'the call', several points might jump out:
- The bloggers seem have an uneven understanding of energy issues based on their comments and questions. In fact, the "right wing" bloggers seem to have basically no knowledge of energy issues. From the "left", several of the bloggers have legitimate claims to be energy/environmental experts.
- At the end of the day, T Boone Pickens was able to get away with half-truths and untruths in the session.
This was part of T Boone's promotion of an "e-rally" to be held before and after the Presidential debate this evening, with Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope joining him, to seek to influence the national debate toward
T Boone's problem filled plan.
by a siegel
Sat Oct 4th, 2008 at 07:32:32 AM EST
During the Vice Presidential debate, Sarah "Energy Expert" Palin continued to demonstrate either her fundamental ignorance about energy realities or her fervent desire to mislead as many American voters as possible with half-truths and un-truths. We'll put aside the whole question of Sarah's dealings with oil companies and the national gas pipeline and the problems of clean-coal discussion at the debate, but lets take a few moments to discuss the implications of Sarah's various words about "energy independence". Remember, Sarah reminded us that energy is her subject:
"governor of an energy-producing state, and kind of undo in my own area of expertise, and that's energy."
Okay, what did Miss Energy Expert say about energy issues?
by a siegel
Mon Sep 15th, 2008 at 11:18:57 PM EST
Reflective roofing has long seemed one of the best geoengineering options
to help turn the rising tides of Global Warming. An opportunity to reduce energy use through reduced cooling demand and longer lasting roofs, to improve urban life (and cut energy requirements) by reducing urban heat island impacts, and to contribute to fighting global warming by reflecting solar radiation back into space.
It seems, however, that this opportunity might be even greater than previously believed. Global Cooling: Increasing World-wide Urban Albedos to Offset CO2 (pdf) suggests that white roofing of just 100 cities could handle Global Warming temperature increases.
by a siegel
Fri Sep 12th, 2008 at 12:30:37 AM EST
At the Corporate ECOforum, Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a talk that looks well worth hearing. Schmidt began his talk with a Google Earth heavy discussion "of rising temperatures and government policies that are either speeding up or slowing down climate change."
There's a total failure of political leadership, at least in the United States, if not in the world.
His plan deals with three interrelated challenges: over-reliance on oil; sluggish world economy; and global warming.
by a siegel
Sat Jul 12th, 2008 at 09:02:26 AM EST
Just how much of the pump price of gasoline is attributable to the war in Iraq? A dollar? Three dollars? None. That conversation recently swirled around me and, one one point, someone commented that well over half (or more than $2) of America's $4.10 gallon of gas is due to the war. Another person asked "Is that right?" And, after pulling out some hair from my head, my response was both short and then long.
The short:
Two dollars a gallon is, perhaps, as good a swag as anyone's. ... I think.
And,
the long after the fold.
by a siegel
Wed Jul 9th, 2008 at 08:29:12 AM EST
Since diving into the deep end when it comes to energy issues, almost every day sees new fascinating concepts, approaches, and technologies. Fascinating ... exciting ... even hope inspiring at times. And, as well, as the passion builds, so many of these are truly Energy COOL.
This is a somewhat different path of discover and discussion when it comes to Energy COOL thinking. This isn't some emergent technology about to blow your mind away nor news of some momentous change in policy, but a window on a movement to communicate better paths forward through our public gardens.
So, join me in my stroll through a garden and, I hope, plan to take your own stroll.
by a siegel
Fri Jun 27th, 2008 at 12:34:02 AM EST
Tradition!
The Washington Post is establishing a firm 21st Century tradition: when it comes to Global Warming, take guidance from Faux News, "Fair and Balanced".
Multiple times in the pastweek, both in reporting and on the editorial page, The Washington Post continued a seemingly iron tradition of coloring Global Warming science by ensuring that skeptics and deniers have their say as well, without providing any indication to the 'regular' reader that serial skeptics received a silver platter invitation to the Post's pages to spread their deception.
by a siegel
Thu Jun 19th, 2008 at 11:57:38 PM EST
Prior to the industrial era, the atmosphere was at about 280 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Now, we are about 387 and growing at nearly 2 ppm per year.
The 'old' (a few years ago) scientific consideration was that it seemed we could stabilize, without utterly catastrophic risk, at 450 ppm or below. This is the guiding thinking behind cutting carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050.
Jim Hansen, NASA and one of the strongest voices in climate research, came out with work stating that we must fall to 350 ppm to avoid catastrophic climate change, considering the impacts that we are already seeing globally.
by a siegel
Wed Jun 18th, 2008 at 07:21:18 AM EST
Across the world, people are passing around with great 
excitement the news that there might be a bug that will create oil. And, not just bio-derived oil, but carbon-negative oil. One little bug, too small for the naked eye to see, and all our problems are solved!
Worried about anything? Forget it. Solved!
Or ...
by a siegel
Sun Jun 15th, 2008 at 11:00:56 PM EST
Last month, to far (FAR) less attention than it merited, the House of
Representatives passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act with $20 billion for greening public schools across the nation.
Taking aggressive action to green schools is about one of the smartest steps the nation can take, action that should go beyond bipartisanship to true unity of action as it is a win-win-win-win strategy along so many paths:
Save money for communities and taxpayers
Create employment
Foster capacity for 'greening' the nation
Reduce pollution loads
Improve health
Improve student performance / achievement
And, well, other benefits. In the face of these benefits, "
The White House threatened a veto, saying it was wrong for the federal government to launch a costly new school-building program."
by a siegel
Wed Jun 4th, 2008 at 12:59:44 AM EST
Robert J. Samuelson simply doesn't believe in America,
in American ingenuity, in Americans ability to rise to challenges and solve problems.
From an acquaintance,
This week's Newsweek magazine carries a column by Robert Samuelson, titled Just-Call It Cap-and-Tax. Samuelson likes to say he's not an economist. In this column, he certainly showed that to be the case.
Join me after a fold for a stroll through some of Samuelson's reckless truthiness.
by a siegel
Fri May 23rd, 2008 at 06:43:59 AM EST
Coal is NOT Clean.
Coal IS Dirty!
Introducing the Clean Coal Body Slam. Kevin Grandia of DeSmogBlog has put together an amazing team with a clear (not clean) agenda:
For a while now, 
whenever I mentioned the term "clean coal" people would roll their eyes and groan, "clean coal," usually followed by a rolling of the eyes or a mock gagging, eyes bulging expression. Most people know coal isn't clean, but that hasn't stopped the coal industry from trying to convince us otherwise.
by a siegel
Thu May 22nd, 2008 at 02:41:09 PM EST
When it comes to Global Warming impacts, Alaska is on the front lines. It is also on the front lines of continued Republican efforts to confront reality directly ... and deny it!
Several Republican members of the Alaska State
Legislature drove through, almost beneath the radar scope, a $2 million funding for a conference on Global Warming. This conference, however, is not intended to be an honest discussion about Global Warming's impacts on Alaska and what Alaskans might do in the face of these impacts (both in terms of changed energy/other usage to reduce contributions to Global Warming and amelioration measures to help Alaska/Alaskans deal with Global Warming). No, instead, it is an effort to put together a lavish environment to fete and give prominence to pseudo-scientists that seek to obfuscate reality and inhibit action to deal with Global Warming.
by a siegel
Tue May 13th, 2008 at 12:18:32 PM EST
John McCain's speech and policy constructs on Global Warming have gotten a bit of attention from the Energy Smart blogging world. The following are few of the worthwhile discussions to date.
by a siegel
Fri May 2nd, 2008 at 03:24:11 PM EST
My six-year old son is addicted to the Berenstein Bears. One of his first 
successfully read books: Ready, Get Set, Go which teaches adjectives and suggests that no one is best at everything. How many times read between us? 10? 25? Maybe 50? As any parent can tell you, a favored book like that becomes imprinted in your brain.
"Good, Better, Best ..." is the tag line in Ready, Get Set, Go. Well, in the past few days, we've seen an example of this in reverse, something more from the film world. When it comes to politics and energy, we've had a display of Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest.
Clinton, McCain, Bush.
Energy Dumb. Energy Dumber, Energy Dumbest.
by a siegel
Wed Apr 16th, 2008 at 04:20:13 PM EST
Yet again, George the W graces America's 
television screens.
Yet again, George the W peddles truthiness masquerading as serious policy concepts.
Yet again, George the W works to undermine American and Global security and prosperity.
Yet again ...
by a siegel
Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 at 07:26:28 AM EST
On April Fools Day, the US Chamber of Commerce issued a memo that suggests that they want to make April's Fools of all Americans through their continued efforts to distort discussion about energy issues in a way that takes the truth out of truthiness. And, what is impressive (and depressing) is how the Chamber's distorting material brings out April Fools who live in the black hole of denial.
In Pay to Play on Climate Change, the Chamber's President and CEO, Thomas J. Donohue, moves quite directly into the Delayer mode of reacting to climate change issues. He does not address the fact of Global Change or its (serious) implications, but asserts that there is not the public support for reacting to Global Warming while pursuing truthiness, by distorting the issue, rather than truth.
by a siegel
Tue Mar 25th, 2008 at 12:01:46 PM EST
While the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Council for Capital Formation take their dog-and-pony show of supposedly independent but fully deceitful analysis about global warming legislation around the country, reviews of the work are coming in from across the country. And, the common reframe:
Thumbs DOWN!
Cross-posted from Energy Smart.
