Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Antarctic Ice Melt nothing to do with Global Warming


A study by researchers at the University of Texas, Austin found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is collapsing due to geothermal heat, not man-made global warming.

Researchers from the UTA’s Institute for Geophysics found that the Thwaites Glacier in western Antarctica is being eroded by the ocean as well as geothermal heat from magma and subaerial volcanoes. Thwaites is considered a key glacier for understanding future sea level rise.

UTA researchers used radar techniques to map water flows under ice sheets and estimate the rate of ice melt in the glacier. As it turns out, geothermal heat from magma and volcanoes under the glacier is much hotter and covers a much wider area than was previously thought.

“Geothermal flux is one of the most dynamically critical ice sheet boundary conditions but is extremely difficult to constrain at the scale required to understand and predict the behavior of rapidly changing glaciers,” UTA researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The geothermal heat under the glaciers is likely a key factor in why the ice sheet is currently collapsing. Before this study, it was assumed that heat flow under the glacier was evenly distributed throughout, but UTA’s study shows this is not the case. Heat levels under the glacier are uneven, with some areas being much hotter than others.

“The combination of variable subglacial geothermal heat flow and the interacting subglacial water system could threaten the stability of Thwaites Glacier in ways that we never before imagined,” lead researcher David Schroeder said in a press release.
“It’s the most complex thermal environment you might imagine,” echoed co-author Don Blankenship “And then you plop the most critical dynamically unstable ice sheet on planet Earth in the middle of this thing, and then you try to model it. It’s virtually impossible.”
Read More: The Daily Caller

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Greenpeace Staff in Turmoil over Leadership Hypocrisy


Greenpeace is in turmoil after more than 40 staff signed a letter calling two of the group’s most senior officials to resign. The group faced ridicule last month after it emerged that Husting chose to regularly fly between his home in Luxembourg and work in Amsterdam, leaving a massive carbon footprint.

NL Times reports that staff members have now penned a letter to Husting and Greenpeace director Kuni Naidoo, calling for Husting’s sacking and also urging Naidoo to "consider his position", adding that only their departure can repair the damage they have caused the environmentalist group. 

The letter has spread among the group’s employees and has now been signed by almost all important campaign leaders and senior staff. Only Dutch director Sylvia Borren is missing, as she believes that dismissal is unnecessary.

Staff are also angry at Husting’s salary, believing it to be far too high. At €6,075 (£4,790/$8,170) a month, staff members say that the amount is "multiple times the average income and a lot of money for most of our supporters".

The letter adds that there is no way for the group to recover its reputation unless both Husting and Naidoo go, as keeping them on will continued to undermine their credibility. 

VIDEO and More: Breitbart

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Even Bill Clinton Doesn't Want Hillary to Run for President

Contrary to his public persona of steadfast support for his wife’s 2016 campaign, a new book claims that a reckless Bill Clinton actually does not want his wife to win the White House, and that he sabotaged her 2008 campaign with his disastrous performance in South Carolina — and intends to do it again. 

The book, Clinton, Inc: The Audacious Rebuilding of a Political Brand, by Daniel Halper, has won praise for its appraisal of the once and possibly future first family, based on interviews with high-ranking former Clinton administration officials. 

Back in 2008, as the book notes, Bill got into a public feud with prominent African American Democrats and the Obama campaign in bizarre red-faced tirades, souring Hillary’s relationships with a key Democrat base and beginning a downward spiral for her campaign effort against Obama. The book also claims Bill had to be talked out of bringing a mistress on the campaign trail. “There were a lot of advisors who told him that was a bad idea,” a former Clinton aide tells Halper in the book..

Clinton aides tell Halper that Bill’s bizarre behavior wasn’t likely an accident and that even Hillary, in private moments, wondered if it was “sabotage.” 

Hillary "knows better than anybody that whatever [Bill] does is intentional,” the aide says. 

The book quotes other senior Clinton aides that the former president “dreaded” a return to the White House, where he would be “trapped,” or as Halper puts it, “kept out of decision making but also unable to fly around the world and do whatever he wanted.”

Read More: Breitbart

Debbie Wasserman Schultz proving herself an Idiot Again


Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz appeared on Ralston Reports - a regional Nevada talk show which discusses politics and news. As is so often the case, she presented herself as America's number one ObamaCare cheerleader.  Unfortunately, though, she had no idea what she was talking about.

While talking about the recent DC Circuit Court ruling, host John Ralston suggested that most Americans believe ObamaCare is a "shaky mess."  Wasserman-Schultz, he claimed had "to be worried."

The chairwoman disagreed, so she tried to make a point. She failed.

“Just take a state like Nevada," she said. "Where you have a governor who refused to implement a state exchange and as a result people who get Affordable Care Act healthcare plans are getting them on the federal exchange..."
....And that's where the DWS train jumped the tracks.

Ralston fact-checked her on the spot.

“Hang on. Let me just stop you for a second, because you’re misinformed about that. Brian Sandoval put in a state exchange. He did. So, whoever briefed you on that is wrong. He did put in a state exchange. He was the first Republican governor to do that.”

Oops.  As usual, Wasserman-Schultz had skipped the facts and gone straight to the talking points - and it blew up in her face.

“OK," she said. "That’s not even the point I’m making. I stand corrected. I’m not from Nevada.”

Ralston let her off the hook, but the question remains: what difference does it make that she's not from Nevada?

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is The DNC's national Chairwoman, one of the most prominent supporters of ObamaCare, and virtually the go-to person for the crumbling law's defense in U.S. media. The fact that she's from Florida should have no bearing on her grasp of the facts.  If she's going to put herself out there as an expert, she'd better know what she's talking about.

Why is she even in Nevada discussing ObamaCare, if she can't be bothered to know that state's relationship to the law?

As usual, with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, that kind of coherence is just too much to ask.

The Video at: The Best of Cain

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Michelle Obama and her Talking Shopping Carts


First, Michelle Obama seized control of your child’s school lunch and made it “healthy.” Now, the First Lady wants to change the way you buy groceries.

A new 80-page report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture explains that federal bureaucrats hope to use a variety of tools to modify the way Americans select food items at the supermarket.

The goal is to steer consumers toward fruits and vegetables – and away from sugar- and fat-laden items. The plan is in line with “Michelle Obama’s stated second term agenda to ‘impact the nature of food in grocery stores,’” reports FreeBeacon.com.

While the feds’ plan deals mostly with the 47 million Americans who participate in the government’s food stamp program, it would indirectly affect all consumers.

According to FreeBeacon.com, the federal busybodies want to provide food-stamp shoppers with “incentives” for making healthy food choices – such as discounts or free movie tickets – and even talking shopping carts that will notify them when they’ve selected enough healthy items.

The high-tech carts – which would cost every grocery store about $30,000 to provide – would be physically divided and color coded to help consumers select approved food items. It would also “have a system installed so that when the shopping cart reaches its healthy ‘threshold’ it would congratulate the customer,” FreeBeacon.com reports.

In case that’s not creepy enough, the feds want grocery store employees to serve as government “ambassadors” who can “redirect” food stampers toward healthy items by explaining the various incentive programs and nutritional information.

Michelle Obama and her minions also envision turning the grocery store into a “classroom” where shoppers can receive cooking tips and advice from dieticians – presumably ones employed by the federal government.

The feds also want stores to use better signage, lighting and product placement so customers can easily find the food their government thinks they should be eating. They also want stores to set aside more shelf space for the government-preferred products.

While the feds could easily ensure healthier purchases for food stamp participants by clamping down on which products are available to them, the government busybodies want consumers to think they’re making these choices all by themselves.

Read about more of Michelle's plans: EAG News

Is Everyone at MSNBC this Clueless?

Saturday, July 12, 2014

NC Puppy Mill Dogs Need your help ASAP

As animal advocates, we have been more than patient with the current NC Senate on puppy mill legislation for many years.  We have waited patiently this time because we were assured the NC Senate would do the right thing since more than 90% of the people in NC want this legislation. Our own Senator Bill Rabon has fought this legislation for very obvious reasons.  

Campaign donations to him come from groups who fear the word “humane”.  They fear that if dogs are protected, something might be done to the pig and chicken industry.  They fear that the ag – gag bill might not be passed.  That would mean that is would be against the law for someone to report abuse, but remember the abuse could come from the chicken farmers, pig farmers OR EVEN YOUR NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS OR EVEN DAY CARES.  Do you want it against the law for a person to report horrific abuse of anything or anyone? Do you want the media to be restricted in what they are allowed to report to us?

Now, the NC Senate has slammed another door on puppy mill legislation for NC.   The NC House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved this legislation to move puppy mills from AGRICULTURE TO PUBLIC SERVICE.  Are puppies agriculture to you?  That means puppies are to be treated as horrifically as are pigs, chickens and cows in NC slaughter houses.

IF THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU BELIEVE, YOU MUST SPEAK UP NOW!  You must speak up for the thousands of dogs living in cages, in horrific conditions because they cannot speak for themselves.

PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TODAY TO SEND EMAILS TO the NC Senators listed below.  Not just our own Senator Bill Rabon because he has already told us he does not read our emails.  He does not care what we think.  After all, we are just voters and taxpayers!  Send the emails to all the NC Senate.   Maybe one of them WILL care what we, the taxpayers and voters think. The Senators listed below are the Senators who fight this legislation.  It is critical that they hear from you NOW.


THEY NEED OUR HELP RIGHT NOW.

THE SENATE CONFEREES SAID NO TO THE TRANSFER. YUP, THEY SAID NO.

The initial decision by the Senate to protect dogs and puppies was NOT to move forward with the transfer.  The deliberations are continuing and the NC House of Representatives needs our help to convince the Senate this is the right thing to do.   The list of Senators below are the Senators that are “CONFEREES” on the 2014 Budget.  THEY MAKE THE DECISION TO REGULATE COMMERCIAL BREEDERS IN NC.

Email the list below and ask:  Please transfer the Animal Welfare Section to the Department of Public Safety and allow them to regulate commercial dog breeders.

It is that simple.  Please include the county that you live in and let them know that you vote!  Tell them this is an important issue to NC and to you personally.

Harry.Brown@ncleg.net
Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net
Phil.Berger@ncleg.net
Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net
Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net
Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net
Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net
Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net
Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net
Louis.Pate@ncleg.net
Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net
Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net
Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net
Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net
Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net
Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net

Michelle Obama and her School Lunchroom Fail


 The federal government’s attempt to force public school students to eat “healthier” lunches is falling apart at the seams.

Most recently, the School Nutrition Association – which initially championed the new federal lunch standards on fruits, vegetables, salt, fat, sugar and virtually every other aspect of school lunches when they were implemented in 2012 – is now lobbying Congress to dial back the “overly prescriptive” and expensive changes, the New York Times News Service reports.

“Congress is listening, and it is considering legislation to delay the nutrition regulations for a year, some of which have already gone into effect. But some of the association’s onetime allies in the school-meal campaign are mystified, if not suspicious, concerning the group’s motivations,” the news service reports.
 
SNA officials rightly point out that many students are throwing away the additional fruits and vegetables included in their lunches, amounting to $684 million in food waste every year – or roughly “enough to serve complete reimbursable school lunches to more than 228 million students,” according to the Times.

The association contends the “nutritious” federal lunch menu is also proving costly for many school districts that are now forced to purchase more expensive foods to comply with the new regulations.

SNA reportedly first expressed concerns about the new federal regulations in 2011, and later met with Agriculture Department officials, but have been largely ignored. That prompted SNA leaders to call on Congress instead, and they have now targeted the group’s lobbying efforts at lawmakers in the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, which are considering legislation to waive the nutrition standards for next school year, according to the Times news service.

“SNA saw the appropriations process as the only way of providing our members immediate relief,” Diane Pratt-Heavner, SNA spokeswoman, told the Times.

The SNA’s 180 on the school nutrition standards directly conflicts with other nutrition groups, teachers unions and parent-teacher organizations that want to press forward with the federal lunch regulations regardless of the impact on students or schools.

First Lady Michelle Obama, the top cheerleader for the “healthier” lunches, as well as numerous past presidents of the SNA have urged Congress not to delay the new lunch rules. Meanwhile, an increasing number of local school districts are opting out of the federal lunch program because of lost revenue tied to the food restrictions. In other words, many schools are losing more in lunch sales because of the federal regulations than they receive in subsidies from the government to provide the food.

Read More: EAG News

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Mayor Ray Chocolate City Nagin on his way to Prison


Former mayor Ray Nagin, the businessman-turned-politician who became the worldwide face of the city after Hurricane Katrina, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Nagin, 58, was ordered to report to federal prison Sept. 8 and to pay restitution of $82,000. He was found guilty Feb. 12 of fraud, bribery and related charges involving crimes that took place before and after Katrina devastated the city in August 2005.

Prosecutors immediately objected to the sentence, which falls well below typical guidelines that called for 15-20 years.

"What Ray Nagin did was sell his office over and over and over again," Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Coman said outside the courthouse. "The damage that Ray Nagin inflicted upon this community ... is incalculable. We as a community need not and should not accept public corruption."

Coman said a decision on whether to appeal will be made by U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli.

Judge Ginger Berrigan determined that Nagin did not have a leadership role in the criminal conspiracy, saying all defendants are "equally culpable."

"Mr. Nagin's crimes were motivated in part by a deeply misguided desire to provide for those closest to him," she said.

Before announcing the sentence, Berrigan indicated she would "downwardly depart from guidelines" and that "sentencing imposed should reflect Nagin's ability to harm the public again."

Nagin said he would "trust in God that this would all work out."

A jury convicted Nagin of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes — money, free vacation trips and truckloads of free granite for his family business — from businessmen who wanted work from the city or Nagin's support for various hurricane recovery projects.

Prosecutors asked the court to send Nagin to prison for a long time. They argued that he was found guilty of 20 of 21 counts in the indictment, and that he participated in and orchestrated a years-long conspiracy to enrich himself and his family.

The government also argued that Nagin spent years covering up his crimes and that his testimony during the two-week trial showed an unwillingness to accept responsibility for his actions.

Coman compared Nagin's crimes with those of other public officials who drew stiff sentences, including former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (28 years), former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich (14 years) and former Birmingham, Ala., mayor Larry Langford (15 years).

"Nagin's widespread and corrosive breach of the public trust — lasting through much of his tenure in office — equals even the worst of these state and local corruption cases," Coman wrote.

Read More: USA Today

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Voter ID Laws Increased Minority Election Participation


If there was a hidden agenda behind North Carolina’s voter ID law to suppress minority turnout – as the law’s opponents claim – it hasn’t worked, based on a study showing not only more voters overall, but an increase in black voter turnout especially, after the law’s implementation.

The findings came before a scheduled hearing next week where the U.S. Justice Department will ask a U.S. District Court for an injunction against the law going into the November midterms. The Obama administration has argued that such a law will make it more difficult for minorities to vote.
Comparing May 4, 2010 North Carolina primary election data with the May 14, 2014 primary data, the study found that voter turnout increased across the board, but particularly among black voters, where it increased by 29.5 percent, compared to an increase of white voter turnout of 13.7 percent. The findings were based on Census Bureau data and public names who signed the voter rolls.
Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, commissioned the study and included the findings in an amicus brief for the July 7 hearing. Judicial Watch was joined in its legal brief by the Allied Educational Foundation and by former Buncombe County commissioner candidate Christina Kelley Gallegos-Merrill.

The North Carolina law also eliminated same-day voter registration, which is why Gallegos-Merrill joined the brief. She alleges that her close loss in the state resulted from ineligible same-day registrations.
North Carolina adopted a law in line with 37 other states that don’t allow same-day voter registration, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.
“The recent election in North Carolina shows that the Obama administration is engaged in a race-baiting canard when it suggests that voting integrity measures suppress minority votes,” Fitton said. “It is high time that the Obama administration comes into line with the majority of the American people who want to strengthen rather than weaken ballot box integrity.”
Read More: The Blaze

Thursday, July 3, 2014

NOAA Caught Manipulating Climate Data


The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, criticized for manipulating temperature records to create a warming trend, has now been caught warming the past and cooling the present.

July 2012 became the hottest month on record in the U.S. during a summer that was declared “too hot to handle” by NASA scientists. That summer more than half the country was experiencing drought and wildfires had scorched more than 1.3 million acres of land, according to NASA.

According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in 2012, the “average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average, marking the warmest July and all-time warmest month on record for the nation in a period of record that dates back to 1895.”

“The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936, when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F,” NOAA said in 2012.

This statement by NOAA was still available on their website when checked by The Daily Caller News Foundation. But when meteorologist and climate blogger Anthony Watts went to check the NOAA data on Sunday he found that the science agency had quietly reinstated July 1936 as the hottest month on record in the U.S.

“Two years ago during the scorching summer of 2012, July 1936 lost its place on the leaderboard and July 2012 became the hottest month on record in the United States,” Watts wrote. “Now, as if by magic, and according to NOAA’s own data, July 1936 is now the hottest month on record again. The past, present, and future all seems to be ‘adjustable’ in NOAA’s world.”

Read More: The Daily Caller