Friday Talking Points [339] -- Best Pi Day Of The Century!
Before we get on with all the politics, we have two unrelated announcements. The first is tomorrow's quirk in the calendar. Actually, today is quirky as well, if you're a friggatriskaidekaphobe, since it's Friday the 13th. But tomorrow is much more momentous, because the convergence only comes once a century. Tomorrow morning will mark an extraordinary moment in time for geeks everywhere, in fact. Know a mathematician? Call him or her up tomorrow morning and wish her or him the happiest of Pi Days!
For the uninformed, Pi Day is a yearly celebration of a date on the calendar, for its numerical significance. It ranks up there among geeky holidays with the fourth of May ("Star Wars Day," since you can go around wishing everyone "May the Fourth be with you!"). The significance is it will be "3/14" (at least in the United States, as Europeans write their dates differently). These are the first three digits in the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, or "pi."
But this year's Pi Day will be the best one for the next 100 years, because a whole bunch of digits will come into play. Pi's value is, to 10 digits: 3.141592653. This year's Pi Day will be 3/14/15. Taking it a step further, just before 9:30 AM tomorrow morning, the date and time will read: 3/14/15 -- 9:26:53. Woo hoo! Best Pi Day of the century!
The admissions office at MIT has taken note, and this year's acceptance letters will all go out tomorrow. How appropriate!
Mathematical geekiness aside, we have one more announcement to make. This column is going on vacation for the next two weeks. Yes, we will be going on hiatus until April 3, as we travel to the Emerald Isle to experience a thoroughly Irish St. Patrick's Day. So don't expect another fresh talking points column for the next two weeks. You have been duly warned.
In an entirely unrelated story, Ireland kind-of, sort-of legalized a whole bunch of drugs this week. A court threw out one of Ireland's main drug laws, on a technicality that rendered it unconstitutional. Whoops! This meant that ecstasy, crystal meth, and magic mushrooms were all suddenly legal (leprechaun sightings must have gone through the roof, one assumes). The Irish legislature scrambled to pass emergency legislation to fix the problem, but it still must have been a pretty psychedelic week for some in Ireland! By the time I get there, however, I will be completely satisfied as long as Sir Arthur Guinness's fine product is still widely available (and legal). So to speak.
But it wasn't all fun and games in the world of international politics last week. Far from it, in fact. Since it is Friday the 13th, a day when many ponder unlucky numbers, we have to wonder what it is about the number 47 that keeps getting Republicans in trouble. First it was Mitt Romney's infamous dismissal of the "47 percent," after which he wound up with exactly 47 percent of the vote in the general election. This week, 47 Republican senators decided it would be a good idea to sign an extraordinarily condescending letter to the leaders of Iran's government. Maybe, in the future, Republicans should try avoiding anything associated with the number 47? Just a suggestion, guys....
The Republicans' effort to hobble President Obama's negotiations with Iran failed spectacularly. That much, everyone agrees upon. Perhaps the best commentary on the letter came from Iran's foreign minister, who dismissed it as an attempt at "propaganda," and went on to school the Republicans in the way international and U.S. laws and agreements actually work.
The only real difference in the reactions to the senators' letter was in the terminology used to condemn it. The New York Daily News ran a gigantic headline that stated: "Traitors." The Wall Street Journal was a little more reserved in its language, but not by much. The New York Times ran an editorial under the headline "Republican Idiocy On Iran." The Washington Post pointed out that Republicans seem to think they're running some sort of breakaway nation of their own (calling it "Republicania").
European leaders soon joined in the chorus of condemnation. Conservative commentators admitted the entire thing was a fiasco. Cartoonists, of course, had a field day (our favorite so far is Jeff Danziger's take on Tom Cotton). One retired general rejected the term "traitors," but didn't exactly mince his own words:
I would use the word mutinous. I do not believe these senators were trying to sell out America. I do believe they defied the chain of command in what could be construed as an illegal act. What Senator Cotton did is a gross breach of discipline, and especially as a veteran of the Army, he should know better. I have no issue with Senator Cotton, or others, voicing their opinion in opposition to any deal to halt Iran's nuclear progress. Speaking out on these issues is clearly part of his job. But to directly engage a foreign entity, in this way, undermining the strategy and work of our diplomats and our Commander in Chief, strains the very discipline and structure that our foreign relations depend on, to succeed. The breach of discipline is extremely dangerous, because undermining our diplomatic efforts, at this moment, brings us another step closer to a very costly and perilous war with Iran. I think Senator Cotton recognizes this, and he simply does not care. That's what disappoints me the most. I expect better from the men and women who wore the uniform.
Remember those halcyon days when all Republicans maintained that "listening to the generals" was the way to deal with questions of war? Ah... memories!
Liberals, of course, were universal in their disgust at the 47 Republicans. A movement quickly began to charge all 47 with violating the Logan Act (a law passed in the era of the Alien and Sedition Acts). The petition to demand charges be brought under the Logan Act at the White House's website currently has over 275,000 signatures. I wrote about this idea yesterday, pointing out the history of the Logan Act, and why bringing charges would probably not be the best idea, but I realize others differ in their opinions.
The universal condemnation of the letter apparently caught Republicans by surprise. Some are now even admitting that it was a "dumb idea." Some tried the old "we were just kidding around" defense, not with any noticeable success.
Really, who could have possibly expected that pulling a political stunt like this would backfire? What could possibly go wrong when Republicans write a letter to a regime that Republicans have been describing as one of the most evil on the planet since 1979, in order to sabotage their Commander-in-Chief's efforts to avoid an all-out war, with absolutely no thought given to their own alternative plan for what America should do? I mean, Republicans can't all be as confused as Marco Rubio when it comes to Iran, can they?
The biggest irony, however, is that Republicans have only succeeded in undermining their own efforts. Senate Republicans have been pushing to pass a bill to force President Obama to get congressional approval for any deal, and by some accounts they had convinced enough Democrats to almost have a veto-proof majority. This is probably no longer the case, as Democrats now see that the entire exercise is nothing more than crass politics -- Republicans putting party before country -- and now it looks like Republicans are losing Democrats' votes they were counting on. So the biggest fallout from the letter is that Republicans sabotaged their own efforts in the Senate. Priceless!
There were a few odds-n-ends stories worth noting this week in the political world as well as the big Senate letter fiasco. President Obama got two pieces of good news this week, both economic in nature and both from the Congressional Budget Office. The 10-year costs of Obamacare are down even from the projections of a few months ago, and the costs are now estimated to be 11 percent less than expected. That is a savings of $142 billion over the next decade, which ain't exactly small change.
The other good news is more abstract. The C.B.O. projected that Obama's proposed budget would shrink the deficit by a whopping $1.2 trillion over the next decade. This is abstract good news, since Obama's budget is never going to pass Congress unscathed (as indeed no president's budgets ever do), but it does lay down a marker for the negotiations to come with congressional Republicans.
Rahm Emanuel seems to be in a bigger political fight than he expected, in the runoff election for Chicago mayor. The third-place finisher has just announced he's throwing his support to the second-place finisher, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia. This may make the race far more competitive for Emanuel, so we'll be keeping a close eye on the polling, for now.
Down in Texas, a brave Republican state lawmaker is taking a bold stand in support of Planned Parenthood. Sarah Davis made a very strong statement on why she's bucking her party, who is trying to gut Planned Parenthood's funding:
I don't think it is appropriate to continue to fund the women's health program so that we can make some type of a political statement as Republicans that we care about women, only to chip away at the safety net of the providers. If we don't have the provider network, women cannot be served. And they will die.
This is exactly right, and Davis should be applauded for saying so in such blunt language.
Over in Florida, Rick Scott has solved the problem of climate change, it seems. All the Florida government has to do is to never utter the words "climate change" (or "global warming" or "sea-level rise") and -- Hey, presto! -- these problems will then never happen. Out of sight, out of mind. Fun fact: the highest point in Florida is the lowest high point of any U.S. state, at only 345 feet. That's right -- the entire state sits at a lower elevation than an average hill in San Francisco. So, obviously, that whole "sea-level rise" thing won't be a problem there, or anything.
And finally, Michele Bachmann made a mini-splash this week, by warning of an impending sharknado in front of the White House. Heh. OK, to be fair, she was filming a cameo in the upcoming Sharknado 3, but that doesn't detract from the humor much at all, we find. Her big line: "Congress has to take this seriously because sharknado is a real phenomenon." Even funnier, a woman in the crowd watching the shoot had the perfect summation of the entire Michele Bachmann political legacy. When asked by a friend who that was, she responded: "I don't know. I think it's someone playing a congresswoman."
Perfect! Best description of Michele Bachmann we've ever heard, in fact!
Before we get to the main award, we first have two Honorable Mention awards to hand out. The first goes to President Obama, for a little-noticed announcement this week that he would be overhauling the way people pay back student loans, which will be welcome news for millions of Americans. This wasn't one of the hot topics of the week in the media, and therefore received little attention, but this is (once again) proof that Democrats actually do care about the little guy and try to craft policies to help people out.
Our second Honorable Mention goes to two senators who really should have won the MIDOTW outright this week (and indeed would have, if the whole letter-to-Iran thing hadn't happened). Senators Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand joined with Republican Rand Paul to introduce a bill to begin ending the federal government's costly and futile War On Weed. I wrote about this at length earlier in the week, if you'd like to read my take on it. I have no idea what the bill's chances for passage are, but I encourage everyone to pick up the phone today and call their senators to urge them to sign on as co-sponsors to the bill.
But seeing as how 47 Republican senators saw fit to attempt to weaken not only the president's negotiating position but also the United States of America in world opinion, our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week is none other than Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden -- on the same day the senators' letter was released -- issued a statement of his own. This statement was so impressive and so important, we have decided to run it instead of this week's talking points, in fact.
Joe Biden loves the Senate. He spent over a third of a century there. His disgust at the actions of these 47 senators is on full display in the letter he wrote. His was the best response to the letter from any American politician to date.
For the immediacy of his reaction, and for everything he has to say in his own letter, Joe Biden is easily the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week. Tell it like it is, Joe!
[Congratulate Vice President Joe Biden on the White House contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
The other gigantic media story of the week in the political world was Hillary Clinton's emails.
Now, most agree that Hillary Clinton actively distrusts and doesn't like the media. There's a reason for this, which Salon helpfully pointed out, offering up some badly-needed historical perspective, pointing out that time when the George W. Bush White House lost a whopping five million emails that they had sent through a non-official server:
Even for a Republican White House that was badly stumbling through George W. Bush's sixth year in office, the revelation on April 12, 2007 was shocking. Responding to congressional demands for emails in connection with its investigation into the partisan firing of eight U.S. attorneys, the White House announced that as many as five million emails, covering a two-year span, had been lost.
The emails had been run through private accounts controlled by the Republican National Committee and were only supposed to be used for dealing with non-administration political campaign work to avoid violating ethics laws. Yet congressional investigators already had evidence private emails had been used for government business, including to discuss the firing of one of the U.S. attorneys. The RNC accounts were used by 22 White House staffers, including then-Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who reportedly used his RNC email for 95 percent of his communications.
This article goes on to compare the media's gigantic yawn over this story, back then, with the frenzy that happened last week over Clinton's emails. No wonder Hillary isn't best buddies with the media, in other words.
The media overreaction was absurd. It sank to such depths as breathlessly reporting about the hardship reporters were facing in getting United Nations press credentials to cover Clinton's press conference -- a bit of navel-gazing that added precisely nothing to the story.
Still, even having said all of that, Hillary Clinton is indeed our Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week this week, for allowing the story to go on for as long as she did. For over a week, Clinton's only response was a single posting on Twitter. That is simply not good enough, and not fast enough. Clinton's press conference itself was pretty thorough, and she released a nine-page document with answers on the same day. This has already gone a long way towards defusing the story politically.
But there was no real reason to wait that week. Hillary Clinton has so far refused to make public her intentions towards the 2016 presidential race, but just about everyone expects her to run. Instead of playing cutesy games over when she will announce her candidacy, she really should consider that doing so means being able to bring a full team on board who can handle damage control exercises much better (and much faster) than the whole email fracas.
So, to be clear, we're not disappointed at Clinton's eventual response. We don't think she's suffered much political damage (the election is a long ways away) among her supporters. But we are indeed disappointed at the length of time it took her to realize she had to publicly address the problem, for which she earns this week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week.
In fact, we'd go further, and encourage Clinton to go ahead and toss her hat in the ring. Playing coy with the media (and the voters) is, quite obviously, not working well for her. It's time for Hillary Clinton to step up and declare her 2016 intentions. And to hire some competent campaign people to help her out when the next media circus crops up.
[Hillary Clinton is still a private citizen, and we have a long-standing policy not to provide contact information for such. We realize that this is ironic, in the midst of a story about Clinton's email, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.]
Volume 339 (3/13/15)
As mentioned, this week we're going to forgo political talking points, and instead run the full text of Joe Biden's letter responding to the 47 Republican senators. The letter's text was taken directly from the White House website.
There is really nothing we can add to what Biden says, below. He condemns the letter and what it has to say in great depth, for which he should be commended. If you only read one reaction to the senators' letter, this is the one to read.
Statement by the Vice President on the March 9 Letter From Republican Senators to the Islamic Republic of Iran
I served in the United States Senate for thirty-six years. I believe deeply in its traditions, in its value as an institution, and in its indispensable constitutional role in the conduct of our foreign policy. The letter sent on March 9th by forty-seven Republican Senators to the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressly designed to undercut a sitting President in the midst of sensitive international negotiations, is beneath the dignity of an institution I revere.
This letter, in the guise of a constitutional lesson, ignores two centuries of precedent and threatens to undermine the ability of any future American President, whether Democrat or Republican, to negotiate with other nations on behalf of the United States. Honorable people can disagree over policy. But this is no way to make America safer or stronger.
Around the world, America's influence depends on its ability to honor its commitments. Some of these are made in international agreements approved by Congress. However, as the authors of this letter must know, the vast majority of our international commitments take effect without Congressional approval. And that will be the case should the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany reach an understanding with Iran. There are numerous similar cases. The recent U.S.-Russia framework to remove chemical weapons from Syria is only one recent example. Arrangements such as these are often what provide the protections that U.S. troops around the world rely on every day. They allow for the basing of our forces in places like Afghanistan. They help us disrupt the proliferation by sea of weapons of mass destruction. They are essential tools to the conduct of our foreign policy, and they ensure the continuity that enables the United States to maintain our credibility and global leadership even as Presidents and Congresses come and go.
Since the beginning of the Republic, Presidents have addressed sensitive and high-profile matters in negotiations that culminate in commitments, both binding and non-binding, that Congress does not approve. Under Presidents of both parties, such major shifts in American foreign policy as diplomatic recognition of the People's Republic of China, the resolution of the Iran hostage crisis, and the conclusion of the Vietnam War were all conducted without Congressional approval.
In thirty-six years in the United States Senate, I cannot recall another instance in which Senators wrote directly to advise another country -- much less a longtime foreign adversary -- that the President does not have the constitutional authority to reach a meaningful understanding with them. This letter sends a highly misleading signal to friend and foe alike that that our Commander-in-Chief cannot deliver on America's commitments -- a message that is as false as it is dangerous.
The decision to undercut our President and circumvent our constitutional system offends me as a matter of principle. As a matter of policy, the letter and its authors have also offered no viable alternative to the diplomatic resolution with Iran that their letter seeks to undermine.
There is no perfect solution to the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program. However, a diplomatic solution that puts significant and verifiable constraints on Iran's nuclear program represents the best, most sustainable chance to ensure that America, Israel, and the world will never be menaced by a nuclear-armed Iran. This letter is designed to convince Iran's leaders not to reach such an understanding with the United States.
The author of this letter has been explicit that he is seeking to take any action that will end President Obama's diplomatic negotiations with Iran. But to what end? If talks collapse because of Congressional intervention, the United States will be blamed, leaving us with the worst of all worlds. Iran's nuclear program, currently frozen, would race forward again. We would lack the international unity necessary just to enforce existing sanctions, let alone put in place new ones. Without diplomacy or increased pressure, the need to resort to military force becomes much more likely -- at a time when our forces are already engaged in the fight against ISIL.
The President has committed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He has made clear that no deal is preferable to a bad deal that fails to achieve this objective, and he has made clear that all options remain on the table. The current negotiations offer the best prospect in many years to address the serious threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions. It would be a dangerous mistake to scuttle a peaceful resolution, especially while diplomacy is still underway.
-- Chris Weigant
All-time award winners leaderboard, by rank
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
Cross-posted at: The Huffington Post
The actions of Republicans - from the neo-conservative brand, on through the Tea Party wannabees to the garden variety Republicans - over the course of the last decade and more have amply demonstrated the havoc one political party can wreak on one nation, strong and free, if not always courageous.
This Iran letter has left the majority of them fully exposed to anyone who cares to look and see as nothing more than partisan hacks, willing to put their own nation in peril in order to make their political points, obtuse as those points usually are.
Collectively, the Republican Party has become blindly and dangerously destructive - to itself and to its very own nation.
Since 9/11, Republicans have acted out of anger and ignorance and, consequently, have diminished the influence of America in a world that is desperate for American leadership. Particularly since January 20, 2009 and to the present, Republicans have acted in their own selfish and misguided interests at every opportunity in ways that have effectively diminished the stature of the United States of America.
This behavior is wholly unforgiveable and should be more than enough to preclude any of them from assuming the office of the POTUS for a very, very long time.
Vice President Biden, on the other hand, is a whole other breed. That is to say he is a patriot in every sense of the word and a preeminent American statesman - proudly non-partisan when it comes to the conduct of US foreign policy but, at the same time, a profile in political courage when the US behaves in ways inimical to its values and ideals.
It is unfortunate beyond words that Vice President Biden remains a largely unknown and underappreciated force in American politics and is rarely, if ever, mentioned by the mainstream press as a serious presidential candidate in 2016. He has more respect from international leaders than it appears he will ever have from a majority of his fellow citizens.
I just don't understand it ... I hope, at the very least, that many Americans take advantage of the opportunity that another CW.com MIDOTW award presents to thank Vice President Biden for his lengthy and admirable service toward realizing the greatness and promise of America.
It's funny...
None of the Left (hysterical or otherwise) condemned Nancy Pelosi when she traveled to Syria to undermine President Bush's attempts to isolate President Never-Met-A-Chemical-Weapon-He-Didn't-Want-To-Use-On-His-Own-People Assad...
Thereby once again proving (as if any more proof is required) that there really isn't any reason to get all giddily comdemny about what the Republicans did...
It's all just partisan politics.. Nothing more..
For the immediacy of his reaction, and for everything he has to say in his own letter, Joe Biden is easily the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week. Tell it like it is, Joe!
http://sjfm.us/temp/biden.pdf
Guess that makes Biden a "traitor" doesn't it?? :^/
This is probably no longer the case, as Democrats now see that the entire exercise is nothing more than crass politics -- Republicans putting party before country -- and now it looks like Republicans are losing Democrats' votes they were counting on
Which makes it even MORE likely that Iran will acquire nuclear weapons..
So now it's DEMOCRATS who are not only putting Party before Country (as if that's anything new for Democrats), they are putting Party before the safety of the WORLD!!
A new low for the Democrat Party...
Over in Florida, Rick Scott has solved the problem of climate change, it seems. All the Florida government has to do is to never utter the words "climate change" (or "global warming" or "sea-level rise") and -- Hey, presto! -- these problems will then never happen. Out of sight, out of mind.
Well, talking about it and spending BILLIONS on talking about it hasn't "helped" much, eh??
I mean.. Honestly?? Don't you recall how many cold weather records have been broken the last couple months??
I bet the people up in Boston would really appreciate some "Global Warming", eh? :D
I'm just sayin'...
Now, most agree that Hillary Clinton actively distrusts and doesn't like the media. There's a reason for this, which Salon helpfully pointed out, offering up some badly-needed historical perspective, pointing out that time when the George W. Bush White House lost a whopping five million emails that they had sent through a non-official server:
Again, ya'all are missing the point..
The point is a non-official server..
The point is that Hillary created her OWN server so that she could evade FOI requests..
A mailserv, I might add, that was ludicrously and criminally insecure...
I mean, honestly... CW, your CW.COM blog is more secure than Hillary's email server was..
And SHE was the US Secretary Of State fer chreest's sake!!
NOTHING any GOP'er has done compares to the utter bonehead move Hillary made..
And she compounded the bonehead move by ignoring it for almost 2 weeks... For which she, most righteously, received the MDDOTW...
But let's be clear.. What she did is far FAR more egregious than simply waiting so long to address it..
How do I know this to be true?? Because if it had been a GOP SecState, the hysterics from the Left (and from Weigantians) would be deafening...
We KNOW this because of the response from the Left over a few private emails by the Bush Administration..
Michale
For the immediacy of his reaction, and for everything he has to say in his own letter, Joe Biden is easily the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week. Tell it like it is, Joe!
http://sjfm.us/temp/biden.pdf
Guess that makes Biden a "traitor" doesn't it?? :^/
Cue the calls of "That was different!!"....
Yea, it was different..
It was a Democrat doing it...
Do ya'all want a list of times that Democrats bypassed a GOP POTUS and talked straight to the enemy??
Hell, Teddy Kennedy went to the Soviet Union and said that he would help the Soviets against Reagan if the Soviets helped Kennedy get elected president!!
THAT is 20 times more traitorous than anything the GOP has ever done...
Michale
Down in Texas, a brave Republican state lawmaker is taking a bold stand in support of Planned Parenthood. Sarah Davis made a very strong statement on why she's bucking her party, who is trying to gut Planned Parenthood's funding:
Perhaps a MIROTW award, eh?? :D heh
Michale
Do ya'all want a list of times that Democrats bypassed a GOP POTUS and talked straight to the enemy??
All I am saying is that Democrats have absolutely NO moral authority to wrap themselves in the USA Flag on this issue..
The Democrat Party was the Party of the VietCong during the Vietnam War and was the Party of Al Qaeda in the aftermath of 9/11...
NO... MORAL... AUTHORITY.... period...
Michale
Democrats were livid, and they had every right to be. This letter steps so far over the bounds of acceptable behavior in American politics as to be breathtaking. "Imagine," Democrats cried, "what Republicans would have said about us if we had pulled such a stunt and sent a letter to Saddam Hussein, just before George W. Bush invaded Iraq!" This is an excellent and valid point -- the words "traitor" and "treason" would likely have been prominently used, should such a thing have happened.
Or imagine Nancy Pelosi would go to Syria and schmooze with the Chemical Weapons King, Assad while Bush was trying to isolate Syria...
Oh wait... We don't have to imagine.. She actually did that with full support of the Democrat Party...
So, tell me again how outrageous the actions of those 47 Republicans were??? :D
I seem to have forgotten while I was reviewing the history of all the times that Democrats and Lefties consorted with and gave comfort to the enemy... :D
Michale
Again, ya'all are missing the point..
The point is a non-official server..
The point is that Hillary created her OWN server so that she could evade FOI requests..
A mailserv, I might add, that was ludicrously and criminally insecure...
I mean, honestly... CW, your CW.COM blog is more secure than Hillary's email server was..
That should read
"Again, ya'all are missing the point..
The point is NOT a non-official server.."
My bust...
Michale
Jeesh... This is what I get for posting at 0200hrs without the requisite 3 Diet Cokes in me..
Hell, Teddy Kennedy went to the Soviet Union and said that he would help the Soviets against Reagan if the Soviets helped Kennedy get elected president!!
Amend that to read:
Hell, Teddy Kennedy sent an emissary to the Soviet Union and said that he would help the Soviets against Reagan if the Soviets helped Kennedy get elected president!!
My bust, Part Duex..... :^/
Michale
Clinton's press conference itself was pretty thorough, and she released a nine-page document with answers on the same day. This has already gone a long way towards defusing the story politically.
Really??
Please explain why Hillary said that there are many emails on her server between herself and her husband, but Bill is one record as stating he has only sent 2 emails his entire life and those were both while he was POTUS...
She's lying or Bill is...
Also, please explain why Hillary said that she set up her own server for the convenience of only carrying one device, but she is on record as saying she carries 2 Ipads, a blackberry etc etc etc..
The presser was only "thorough" because the Left ain't too demanding when it's one of their own...
Michale
Obama's budget is never going to pass Congress unscathed
"Grover Norquist is a very, very bad and dangerous man in my opinion." - broken clock Glenn Beck on Wednesday
I mean.. Honestly?? Don't you recall how many cold weather records have been broken the last couple months??
I bet the people up in Boston would really appreciate some "Global Warming", eh? :D
I'm just sayin'...
I mean.. Honestly?? Don't you recall how many lack of rain records have been broken the last couple months??
I bet the people up in the sierra mountains would really appreciate some "Global Cooling", eh? :D
I'm just sayin'...I bet you will, but I know, I know, your not a "scientist".
The point is that Hillary created her OWN server so that she could evade FOI requests..
And this is different from Jeb Bush how exactly?
And SHE was the US Secretary Of State fer chreest's sake!!
And HE was the Gov of Florida fer chreest's sake!!
NOTHING any GOP'er has done compares to the utter bonehead move Hillary made..
Uhhh.... I might have to concede that one, but probably for different reasons.
I mean.. Honestly?? Don't you recall how many lack of rain records have been broken the last couple months??
For example???
You DO realize that snow is precipitation, right??
:D
My point is, according to the Human Caused Global Warming fanatics, by THIS time we were not even supposed to SEE any snow...
So-called "scientists" in Britain were postulating that our grandchildren would never witness snow..
Just another "prediction" that turned out to be flat out felgercarb...
Yet, the theory is unchanged..
Funny, iddn't it. :D
Michale
GT,
Wouldn't you agree that the "marketing" of Human Caused Global Warming has been atrocious??
Would you further agree that, if you have to "market" science that it's not science?? It's an agenda..
Michale
http://www.krgv.com/news/local-news/Border-Patrol-Increase-in-Sex-Offenders-Crossing-the-Border/31790518
Way ta go, Obama!!!
Just what we need in the US... More sex offenders..
Hay, as long as they vote Democrats, who cares!? :^/
Michale
For example???
ZERO days of rain for January in the SF bay area, a first since we began keeping track of weather. 2 days of rain in February yet another record breaker or how about one of the lowest snow packs on record for the Sierra?
You DO realize that snow is precipitation, right??
I wasn't aware of that, I thought is was something that was just used for recreational purposes out west to ride wooden sticks strapped to your feet in a downward direction on the side of a mountain.
Or
In the case of DFW it causes you to be stuck in a plane on the ground for longer than you are stuck in the air and forces you to spend the night in the admirals club because they aren't used to snow nor do they have mountains to ride sticks in a downward direction.
But I wasn't aware that it was precipitation....Thanks for informing me....
Just another "prediction" that turned out to be flat out felgercarb...
Yet, the theory is unchanged..
And rightfully so....I love how you guys in the denier camp use near term activities to debunk a long term theorem. I also really enjoy how you guys use the very near term weather activities that are part of the long term theorem to "market" your point of view.
There is a reason those of us in the aviation community call them "Weather Guessers" and much like guessing the weather predicting climate change is a science about as accurate as republicans predicting economic doom and gloom that will result from any policy that benefits the middle class (read ACA and Minimum wage or bank regulation or how's about water pollution rules....just to name a few) so i will concede that you are correct in the fact that the predictions are off, however, our climate system is definitely marching towards those predictions.
Me, I prefer to KISS. All one has to do is apply some basic classical science to see the validity of the theorem behind global warming. Just think about it, we are taking a bunch of crap from the ground fracturing it through burning and changing the basic nature of what we took out of the ground and putting those missing elements in to the air, above the ground, then we are taking some of the resultant products and burning them thus putting those resulting elements into the air. There are one or two classical scientists that I can think of right off the top of my head that would probably be saying it is pretty stupid to be doing that.
ahh, FOXTROT, gotta go, need to deal with a boatload of bad guys and blow heading into port....time to jet (literally)...To sum up, climate change is real, the prediction models are exactly that predictions of the future and much like politics predicting the future is not precise, and the only marketing happening here is the deniers corporate interest block marketing their point of view.
But HAAAY who cares as long as we drill, baby drill, to keep our big car driving Walmart way of life going right? after all it won't effect me. Eh?
well it will be few before i get to rebut have fun....
For those of ya'all who think Hillary's EXCLUSIVE use of a personal email server that is severely ill-maintained.....
Ask yourself one simple question..
What would the reaction from the Left be if it were learned that Donald Rumsfield had EXCLUSIVELY used a personal email server for his emails both personal and government?
We all know what they reaction would be..
Once again..
One set of rules for Democrats..
Another set of rules for Republicans..
Michale
GT,
And rightfully so....I love how you guys in the denier camp use near term activities to debunk a long term theorem.
As long as you don't acknowledge ALL the science, rather than just the science that fits the agenda, it's you who is the "denier", my friend. :D
For example..
Me, I prefer to KISS. All one has to do is apply some basic classical science to see the validity of the theorem behind global warming. Just think about it, we are taking a bunch of crap from the ground fracturing it through burning and changing the basic nature of what we took out of the ground and putting those missing elements in to the air, above the ground, then we are taking some of the resultant products and burning them thus putting those resulting elements into the air. There are one or two classical scientists that I can think of right off the top of my head that would probably be saying it is pretty stupid to be doing that.
Yes it is..
Yet the CO2 concentrations have been going thru the roof..
And have the temps, per the current theory, followed suit??
No, they have not..
So, what gives??
Maybe, JUST MAYBE, the theory is wrong??
Can you concede that??
Michale
GT,
And this is different from Jeb Bush how exactly?
Did Jeb Bush set up his own private server in his own home and use that exclusively to any other email option??
That is exactly how it is "different.."
And HE was the Gov of Florida fer chreest's sake!!
So, on your importance scale, the GOV of FL is MUCH higher than the SecState of the United States... Eh?? :D
Uhhh.... I might have to concede that one, but probably for different reasons.
Common ground.. A wonderful thing. :D
Nice ta see a concession now and again.. :D
Michale
Did Jeb Bush set up his own private server in his own home and use that exclusively to any other email option??
And did Jeb set up his own private mailserv in his own house so as to have complete and total control over his email trail and to evade FOI requests??
Nope..
Another difference...
Michale
And rightfully so....I love how you guys in the denier camp use near term activities to debunk a long term theorem. I also really enjoy how you guys use the very near term weather activities that are part of the long term theorem to "market" your point of view.
Let me put it another way...
Can you list for me a single Human Caused Global Warming prediction that has actually occurred??
A specific BEFORE THE FACT Global Warming prediction that has ACTUALLY occurred...
No you can't because it has never happened..
Yet, I can list HUNDREDS of predictions and models that have turned out to be flat out wrong...
And yet, you deny that any of that has relevance..
So... I have to ask...
Who is the "denier"??? :D
Now, it's been a long, long, LONG time since I was in science class in high school (GO HIGHLANDERS!!!! :D)....
But I seem to recall that when one postulates a theory and makes predictions and models based on that theory and those predictions and models all turn out to be, consistently, 100% wrong.....
I seem to recall my science teacher telling me that the theory needs to be adjusted to fit reality..
That adjusting reality to fit the theory is not science...
It's faith...
Maybe my science teacher had it all wrong..
Michale
The accidental repeal of Ireland's Drug laws brings "the sick note" to mind, which will almost certainly get played on my local public radio station this coming Tues.
You've probably heard it, but I provide a clip in honor of Saint Patrick's Day, unintended consequences, Newtonian Mechanics and Lego, in no particular order of significance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA5RGI3zn20
Michale,
Maybe my science teacher had it all wrong..
Ha! Now, THAT was funny!
Because, I don't believe you had a science teacher.
Heheheheheheheheh
Because, I don't believe you had a science teacher.
Several in fact... I was more into science than into math..
And WAY more than history... History bored me...
It's only when I grew up (a year ago or so :D) that I really began to appreciate history.. :D
Michale
"I don't believe you had a mother."
What movie is that from?
I have to admit I had to google it... :D
It was a great movie. But it's one I only saw once.. Usually I have to see a movie several times to retain the quotes..
In fairness to everyone else, I'll refrain from naming the movie to give others a chance to guess...
My plan tomorrow is to watch LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN... It was a toss up between that and the 3rd of the LOTR trilogy...
And, speaking of Sean Connery (my namesake), he was in two Disney movies featuring Darby O'Gill.. :D
In deference of CW's upcoming trip to the Land o' Irie... :D
Michale
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150315/us--united_states-iran-1fbac2e170.html
So typical of Obama Diplomacy...
"We agree that enough progress has been made on our talks that we can continue talking.."
Talk, talk, talk....
Diplomats talked with Hitler, too...
Didn't work out too well for Europe....
Jeesus, why won't people learn from history....
Michale
Michale wrote:
Over in Florida, Rick Scott has solved the problem of climate change, it seems. All the Florida government has to do is to never utter the words "climate change" (or "global warming" or "sea-level rise") and -- Hey, presto! -- these problems will then never happen. Out of sight, out of mind.
Well, talking about it and spending BILLIONS on talking about it hasn't "helped" much, eh??
I mean.. Honestly?? Don't you recall how many cold weather records have been broken the last couple months??
I bet the people up in Boston would really appreciate some "Global Warming", eh? :D
I'm just sayin'...
And I'm just saying, you do know the difference between weather and climate, right? And while the east coast of the USA has broken many cold weather records, the west coast of the USA has broken many warm weather records at the same time! Also, one of the hallmarks of climate change and global warming is wild extremes in weather. That includes both hot and cold spells, and deluges as well as droughts, all happening with more frequency and intensity. Finally, taking an example from just one region, the USA for example, does not in any way debunk global warming for the entire planet on a global scale!
Also, one of the hallmarks of climate change and global warming is wild extremes in weather.
But the Global Warming fanatics only came up with this theory AFTER alleged "wild weather" began...
EVERYTHING that the Global Warming fanatics point to they have stated AFTER the fact..
How come??
Further, don't you find it a tad ridiculous that if it's really really hot, it's because of Human Caused Global Warming..
If it is really really cold, well, THAT's because of Human Caused Global Warming..
If it's really really dry with no precipitation, it's because of Human Caused Global Warming..
If there are snowstorms on a massive scale, guess what?
THAT's because of Human Caused Global Warming...
It's amazing! EVERY weather event is because of Human Caused Global Warming..
Now, I ask ya.. Do you see ANY similarity between some Global Warming fanatic saying, "It's all because of Global Warming" and some religious fanatic saying, "It's all because of god's will"...
Each fanatic has their own set of "facts" to back up their claims and ignore ANY facts that dispute their claims..
That includes both hot and cold spells, and deluges as well as droughts, all happening with more frequency and intensity.
Guess what? That has happened since the planet was created...
But NOW it's happening because of human beings??
What caused the Medieval Warming Period?? Did human beings time travel to the MWP, set up huge factories to pollute the planet and cause Global Warming then dismantled all those factories and left no trace??
Finally, taking an example from just one region, the USA for example, does not in any way debunk global warming for the entire planet on a global scale!
Yet, there hasn't been any statistically significant warming on a global scale in 2 decades!!
Why didn't all the Human Caused Global Warming models show this??
Why didn't ANY of the hundreds of models and thousands of predictions show this cooling period??
Since we're asking questions, why not field this one..
It's agreed amongst ALL scientists that CO2 concentrations have risen greatly in the past 20 years or so..
Based on ALL the Human Caused Global Warming models and predictions, temperatures SHOULD be rising dramatically..
How come they are not??
You don't know. Scientists don't know...
Until the Human Caused Global Warming fanatics are ready to address ALL the science, rather than just addressing the science that supports their theory, they will never... never... EVER... be about science..
They will always just be fringe fanatics.
They will always be just deniers...
"Dems da facts, Jack!!"
-Bill Murray, STRIPES
Michale
Boston breaks seasonal snowfall record with 108.6 inches
http://news.yahoo.com/boston-breaks-seasonal-snowfall-record-108-6-inches-232218057.html
Oh look... GLOBAL WARMING has caused a new snowfall record in Boston!!!
I bet Bostonians would really REALLY like some Global Warming about now, eh?? :D
Remember when British (so called) "scientists" were saying back in 2000 that children will not even know what snow is...
Scientists like that have been making wild-assed predictions like that for decades...
Guess what??
Not a SINGLE prediction has come to pass..
Not a SINGLE model has been accurate...
NOT... A... SINGLE.... ONE.....
Now, you seem like a logical and rational person...
So let me ask the logical and rational part of you.
If you have a scientist who has a theory and that scientist makes hundreds of models and thousands of predictions based on that theory and EVERY model and EVERY prediction is always wrong.....
What would that scientist do??
Well, if he (or she) was a REAL scientist who is ONLY about the science, they would modify the theory to fit the facts...
But if he (or she) is a Human Caused Global Warming fanatic who REALLY needs some grant money to buy a new car, then they would modify the facts to fit their theory...
They would modify temperature data to make things colder in the past so it would LOOK like there has been a warming trend..
They would talk to other fanatical (so-called) scientists about hiding the decline in temps and pressuring review boards to censure scientists who are not on board with their con..
They would try and censor any dissenting viewpoints with ad honiemem attacks and proclaim "97% of scientists agree" and to stifle debate on the issue, they would claim that the "science is settled"..
THAT is what a Human Caused Global warming fanatic would do...
And THAT is what has been done for decades...
And ALL of that has been done against the back drop of falling temperatures and no statistically significant warming...
And ya call this "science"???
"Fascinating"
-Spock
Michale
OK, I am going to have to break up this next comment because the NNL filters have been tripped..
CW, you can ignore what's in the filter.. :D
Boston breaks seasonal snowfall record with 108.6 inches
http://news.yahoo.com/boston-breaks-seasonal-snowfall-record-108-6-inches-232218057.html
Oh look... GLOBAL WARMING has caused a new snowfall record in Boston!!!
I bet Bostonians would really REALLY like some Global Warming about now, eh?? :D
Remember when British (so called) "scientists" were saying back in 2000 that children will not even know what snow is...
Scientists like that have been making wild-assed predictions like that for decades...
Guess what??
Not a SINGLE prediction has come to pass..
Not a SINGLE model has been accurate...
NOT... A... SINGLE.... ONE.....
Now, you seem like a logical and rational person...
So let me ask the logical and rational part of you.
If you have a scientist who has a theory and that scientist makes hundreds of models and thousands of predictions based on that theory and EVERY model and EVERY prediction is always wrong.....
What would that scientist do??
Well, if he (or she) was a REAL scientist who is ONLY about the science, they would modify the theory to fit the facts...
But if he (or she) is a Human Caused Global Warming fanatic who REALLY needs some grant money to buy a new car, then they would modify the facts to fit their theory...
They would modify temperature data to make things colder in the past so it would LOOK like there has been a warming trend..
They would talk to other fanatical (so-called) scientists about hiding the decline in temps and pressuring review boards to censure scientists who are not on board with their con..
They would try and censor any dissenting viewpoints with ad honiemem attacks and proclaim "97% of scientists agree" and to stifle debate on the issue, they would claim that the "science is settled"..
THAT is what a Human Caused Global warming fanatic would do...
And THAT is what has been done for decades...
And ALL of that has been done against the back drop of falling temperatures and no statistically significant warming...
And ya call this "science"???
"Fascinating"
-Spock
Well, if he (or she) was a REAL scientist who is ONLY about the science, they would modify the theory to fit the facts...
But if he (or she) is a Human Caused Global Warming fanatic who REALLY needs some grant money to buy a new car, then they would modify the facts to fit their theory...
They would modify temperature data to make things colder in the past so it would LOOK like there has been a warming trend..
They would try and censor any dissenting viewpoints with ad honiemem attacks and proclaim "97% of scientists agree" and to stifle debate on the issue, they would claim that the "science is settled"..
THAT is what a Human Caused Global warming fanatic would do...
And THAT is what has been done for decades...
And ALL of that has been done against the back drop of falling temperatures and no statistically significant warming...
And ya call this "science"???
"Fascinating"
-Spock
Michale wrote:
But the Global Warming fanatics only came up with this theory AFTER alleged "wild weather" began...
But guess what Michale? That's what scientists do! Modify their theory to fit new facts. That's the hallmark of science! They aren't ignoring facts that disprove their claims, because their models of global warming predict extremes in weather like we are observing.
Guess what? That has happened since the planet was created...
But NOW it's happening because of human beings??
Yes! That is exactly it. You know that the last time the Earth warmed, it took 10,000 years for it to do so naturally. Now, because of Man, it is doing the same thing by the same amount of temp. increase in only 100 years time! Do you really honestly believe that the first global industrial technological sentient species to exist in the entire history of the planet has no effect on nature on a global scale? Really?
Yet, there hasn't been any statistically significant warming on a global scale in 2 decades!!
Not true Michale! The Earth's surface temp. has warmed by 1.5 degrees over the past few decades. What you are citing and saying, in order to support your denial of global warming, is the average temp. of the entire atmosphere, which you are correct, has not changed. All of the global warming models DO take this into account.
Finally, you are conveniently ignoring several things. The retreat and disappearance of glaciers all over the world. The steady loss of ice coverage from both poles. And I don't mean just seasonal increase or decrease or variability from year to year. But a steady loss when measured over decades. Also, the fact that a lot of the energy has gone not into heating up the atmosphere yet, and I stress the word yet, but into heating up the world's oceans, which is what has saved us so far. Coral reefs all over the world have been dying, because as the oceans have warmed, their ph level has changed, and more fresh water from the melting of ice has been dumped into them.
But guess what Michale? That's what scientists do! Modify their theory to fit new facts.
But that's just my point.
Your so-called "scientists" AREN'T modifying their theory..
Their theory has been consistent throughtout..
It's all the fault of human beings.
NO OTHER FACTORS are involved..
They haven't modified that theory one iota...
<I.Yes! That is exactly it. You know that the last time the Earth warmed, it took 10,000 years for it to do so naturally. Now, because of Man, it is doing the same thing by the same amount of temp. increase in only 100 years time! Do you really honestly believe that the first global industrial technological sentient species to exist in the entire history of the planet has no effect on nature on a global scale? Really?
So, yer argument is since human kind has never happened on the planet it MUST be because of man??
Where is the warming now??
Not true Michale! The Earth's surface temp. has warmed by 1.5 degrees over the past few decades. What you are citing and saying, in order to support your denial of global warming, is the average temp. of the entire atmosphere, which you are correct, has not changed. All of the global warming models DO take this into account.
That's your claim...
Yet the facts show different..
Finally, you are conveniently ignoring several things. The retreat and disappearance of glaciers all over the world. The steady loss of ice coverage from both poles. And I don't mean just seasonal increase or decrease or variability from year to year. But a steady loss when measured over decades. Also, the fact that a lot of the energy has gone not into heating up the atmosphere yet, and I stress the word yet, but into heating up the world's oceans, which is what has saved us so far. Coral reefs all over the world have been dying, because as the oceans have warmed, their ph level has changed, and more fresh water from the melting of ice has been dumped into them.
Oh come on.. There is not enough evidence to support those claims as even suppositions, let alone rise to the level of an actual THEORY...
There has been no melting ice. The ice caps are larger than ever with TONS more ice than there was 20 years ago...
Again, this is what the FACTS show...
Human Caused Global Warming has become a religion.. And, like all religions, it relies on the faith of the devoted...
Trying to convince a Global Warming fanatic that we don't know enough about the mechanics of Climate to do anything, even if we DID have the technology to change the Climate (which we don't) is like trying to convince a religious fanatic that there is no god...
It's an exercise in futility because their belief is based on faith and faith alone... They cherry pick their facts that re-enforce their faith and discard the facts that dispute their faith...
Michale
I know you can list a bunch of "facts" that "prove" what you are saying...
And I can list a bunch of equally accurate "facts" that "prove" what you are saying is wrong...
But that simply re-enforces my overall point..
That the science, the REAL science, is in dispute..
To put it succinctly, I completely and unequivocally agree that you MIGHT be right. The planet MIGHT be heading into a global climate catastrophe that will destroy all life on earth...
Now... Can YOU agree that you might be wrong??
Can YOU concede the possibility that mankind has little to no effect on planetary climate??
My guess is you can't...
Just like a devout Christian cannot concede (or even CONCEIVE) that they might be wrong about the existence of god...
Because their (and yours) position is borne not of logic or facts, but of faith...
And the ONE requirement of faith is total obedience...
On the other hand, my guess could be wrong. :D
Michale
John M,
My whole point has been the same every time this discussion comes up..
The Science Is NOT Settled..
We don't know enough about the Climate to go monkeying around with things, even if we had the technology to do so... Which we don't...
Anyone who claims that the science is "settled" is pursing a political agenda at the EXPENSE of real science...
Having said all that...
<I.Do you really honestly believe that the first global industrial technological sentient species to exist in the entire history of the planet has no effect on nature on a global scale? Really?
THAT was a logical and rational argument.. And it's one I have addressed before...
Human kind's impact on global climate is like a man sitting in a dingy in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and flopping out his wee wee over the edge to take a piss..
Yea, it's probably not the best thing to happen in the immediate vicinity of the pee'er... The fish in the area might be a tad put out...
But the idea that THAT one guy can raise the level of the oceans and toxify the ENTIRE ocean just by peeing is utterly ludicrous..
Even if you multiply that ONE guy by 10,000 guys all peeing in the ocean at the same time, it's STILL ludicrous to think that those 10K guys can raise the level or pollute the ENTIRE ocean...
So it is with Human Beings and Climate..
On the planet Earth, climate has been changing for BILLIONS of years. Human Kind is a flea on the ass of the lifespan of the planet...
Human's INDUSTRIAL time on the planet is a small MICRO-PIMPLE on the flea that is on the ass of the lifespan of the planet..
The idea that such a micro-pimple can actually affect the Climate??
Ludicrous... Absolutely ludicrous...
But, as I say above..
I am more than willing to entertain the notion that you are unequivocally right and I am totally and completely wrong...
Are you? Are you willing to concede that YOU could be totally and completely wrong??
Therein lies the question...
"Good talk...."
-Dr Rodney McKay, STARGATE: ATLANTIS, McKay And Mrs Miller
:D
Michale
Michale,
I am more than willing to entertain the notion that you are unequivocally right and I am totally and completely wrong...Are you? Are you willing to concede that YOU could be totally and completely wrong??
Therein lies the question...
Actually, that's not the pertinent question, at all. The really important question would be to ask what would be the consequences for the planet if you are wrong.
If the rest of us are wrong, there are no negative consequences for the planet as a result of actions taken to mitigate climate change and many positive consequences. You cannot claim the same if you are wrong.
Your last few comments here, by the way, have convinced me that you really have never had a science teacher. :)
Michale
You really are an exasperating individual. I think you just like to argue, because apparently reality, facts, and logic have no effect on you whatsoever. You will stick to what you want to believe no matter what, even with all the evidence proving you wrong.
What other factors besides Man are you talking about? The sun's output? That has decreased, and should lead to global cooling, but it hasn't. Volcanoes? Their output has not changed either. They should also lead to global cooling. The Earth is still warming. Nothing has changed significantly except the increase in greenhouse gases caused by Man.
It is not my claim that the Earth has increased by 1.5 degrees, and the facts do not show otherwise as you contend. The figure in fact comes from NASA data from thermometers all over the world. There has been melting of ice. There is not more ice now than 20 years ago. Again NASA satellite observations of the polar regions proves this. You disputing that objective data like you are is no different than you saying that gravity doesn't exist, the world isn't round, and the sun revolves around the Earth. When 97 percent of the world's scientists agree on something, then the real science is NOT in dispute. You are like the creationist saying that the science of evolution is in dispute, despite the reality that all of modern biology would not make any sense at all without evolution. I can certainly agree that I might be wrong. But scientific consensus does not make that very likely. The facts are on my side, not yours. By the way, the man in the dingy doesn't have to raise the level of the ocean, all he has to do is poke enough holes in his own boat in order to make it sink. Mankind is very capable of changing the planet enough to make it unfit for himself. Just ask the residents of Chernobyl or Fukushima, as just one example.
<I.The sun's output? That has decreased, and should lead to global cooling, but it hasn't.
Yea??
Tell that to the people in Boston... :D
The sun is a VERY big factor in the planet's Climate. A much larger factor than human beings..
The Earth is still warming.
That's what you claim...
But that is not what science shows..
When 97 percent of the world's scientists agree on something, then the real science is NOT in dispute.
Ohmygods... I thought was I actually dealing with someone who knew a bit what they were talking about..
But you go and spoil that belief with your quote of that UTTERLY ridiculous and totally debunked claim about 97% of scientists..
Let me clue you in on that totally fraudulent claim...
My exact numbers may not be accurate as I am doing it from memory. But the gist has been proven factual..
Some loony toon down in Australia (one of your "scientists) compiled tens of thousands of scientific papers.. Of those, about 12% dealt with Climate Change..
OF those 12%, about 3% stated an actual position on Climate Change...
Of that 3% that stated a claim this loony toon, thru an arbitrary and totally bogus process determined that 97% of that 3% (which is of the 12%) stated that they believe humans are causing climate change..
And if THAT wasn't a bogus enough process, the scientists who actually WROTE the papers said that the loony toon totally disregarded their papers and made claims about them that were totally inaccurate...
So, please tell me again how 97% of scientists throughout the planet agree.... I was too busy laughing the first time you said it..
The facts are on my side, not yours.
No.. The only "facts" that are on your side are the cherry picked facts that you WANT to believe... There are tons of other facts that you ignore because they don't fit your agenda....
Mankind is very capable of changing the planet enough to make it unfit for himself. Just ask the residents of Chernobyl or Fukushima, as just one example.
Isn't it funny how you lecture me on taking isolated sections of the planet (like the United States) and apply it to the planet and ya'all take even MORE isolated sections of the planet (San Francisco and Chernobyl and Fukushima) and do the EXACT thing that you accuse me of...
But, let's go with yours and GT's examples..
The drought in San Francisco hasn't bothered me or my family one iota...
Chernobyl?? Made a great location for DIE HARD 5 and for CALL OF DUTY:MODERN WARFARE II. But as far as impacting the rest of the planet, including my home in FL??
Nope... Didn't feel a thing.. Still don't..
Fukushima?? Not a planet wide catastrophe the Global Warming fanatics claim that Global Warming is...
In short, you have absolutely ZERO evidence that humans will cause the destruction of the planet thru their effect on the planet's climate..
ZERO... NONE.... ZILCH.... NADA....
The mere idea that humans can actually destroy this planet is simply ludicrous... It's the epitome of misplaced self-importance and bloated arrogance..
Tens of billions of dollars has been spent in the last couple decades marketing and lobbying and talking about Human Caused Global Warming..
And what do ya'all have to show for it??
Not a damn thing.. Ya'all line the pockets of con artists like Al Gore and Ricard Branson and say, "We're saving the planet!!!"
The Hysterical Left ain't doing a damn thing about saving the planet.. All they are doing is making the rich richer and the poor and middle class poorer...
Michale
I think you just like to argue, because apparently reality, facts, and logic have no effect on you whatsoever.
Let me know when you have some..
Because, to date, all you have is agenda driven propaganda...
The only facts you observe are the facts that support your agenda..
That's propaganda...
When you are ready to discuss ALL the facts especially the facts from REAL scientists who don't fudge data to get their grant money, I'll be around.. :D
Michale
My exact numbers may not be accurate as I am doing it from memory. But the gist has been proven factual..
97% Study Falsely Classifies Scientists' Papers, according to the scientists that published them
http://www.populartechnology.net/2013/05/97-study-falsely-classifies-scientists.html#Update2
Read 'em and weep....
That bogus 97% claim is the biggest joke of the whole Climate Change debate...
If you doubt my facts, just ask... :D
Michale
You really are an exasperating individual.
Those who challenge the fanatical orthodoxy usually are.. :D
The heathens who believed that the world was flat were VERY "exasperated" by those who said it was not..
The heathens who believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that all revolved around the earth were VERY exasperated by those who claimed this wasn't factual..
So, I consider myself in good company... :D
Michale
Peer-Reviewed Survey Finds Majority Of Scientists Skeptical Of Global Warming Crisis
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/02/13/peer-reviewed-survey-finds-majority-of-scientists-skeptical-of-global-warming-crisis/
Exasperating.... iddn't it? :D
Ok, sorry.. I am having too much fun at your expense...
But seriously, it all boils down to one simple question..
Could you be wrong about Human Caused Global Warming??
If you can't answer "YES" to that, then you don't have science...
You have faith...
And faith is diametrically opposed to science...
That's what it really all boils down to...
Michale
Peer-Reviewed Survey Finds Majority Of Scientists Skeptical Of Global Warming Crisis
http://tinyurl.com/amfwwzq
Exasperating.... iddn't it? :D
Ok, sorry.. I am having too much fun at your expense...
But seriously, it all boils down to one simple question..
Could you be wrong about Human Caused Global Warming??
If you can't answer "YES" to that, then you don't have science...
You have faith...
And faith is diametrically opposed to science...
That's what it really all boils down to...
Michale
Peer-Reviewed Survey Finds Majority Of Scientists Skeptical Of Global Warming Crisis
Exasperating.... iddn't it? :D Ok, sorry.. I am having too much fun at your expense...
But seriously, it all boils down to one simple question..
Could you be wrong about Human Caused Global Warming?? If you can't answer "YES" to that, then you don't have science...
You have faith...
And faith is diametrically opposed to science...
That's what it really all boils down to...
WOW....
NOW Al Gore is calling for those scientists who pursue science that disputes the Global Warming religion to be "punished"...
Nothing encourages open science more than PUNISHING those that don't toe the orthodoxy line, eh??
That was sarcasm, in case it was too subtle...
Why stop with punishment!!??
Why not bring back the Witch Trials and the Inquisition???
And you people call this "science"!!???
I have to be honest, I am gabberflasted....
Michale
Since no one can refute the logic of THAT topic, let's move on to the Hillary emails...
"I created my own email server so I wouldn't have to carry 2 devices. It was just a matter of convenience.."
-Hillary Clinton
"Hillary created the private email server so Congress couldn't rifle thru her emails."
-James Carville
And Hillary Clinton is the best candidate the Democrat Party can field!???
Doesn't say much for the Dem Party now does it??
Michale
Speaking of the Dem Party..
Haven't heard much about the alleged "corruption" case of Senator Bob Menendez...
Apparently, there really isn't any "case"...
It's just King Barack The First letting Menendez know that Menendez opposes the decrees of the King at his own peril...
Obama's idol, apparently, is Richard Nixon... :^/
Michale
Well, Israelis go to the voting booths today..
And it would not be overly hyperbolic to say that the survival of Israel is at stake..
If the Left Wing junta is elected, it will all be about appeasement... How much of Israel's soul can they give away in exchange for a few scant moments of peace before the slaughter..
If the goal of the terrorists is to destroy Israel, no amount of appeasement will stay the desire for that goal..
I do have to comment on one funny aspect of the Left Wing's campaign...
Their entire campaign is based on Hope and Change...
Israeli's have a front row seat to the debacle that a "HOPE AND CHANGE" candidate can wrought..
Here's a fervent wish that the Israeli's learn from our.... from MY.... mistake...
Michale
Hay JL,
You watching the Live Updates out of Israel??
Michale
Looks like my dream last week was NOT prophetic...
TV exit polls show Netanyahu set to retain premiership
Likud ahead or level with Zionist Union in all 3 exit polls, better placed to build coalition; Netanyahu’s efforts in final days drew him level with Herzog; delight in Likud, dismay in Zionist Union; Jewish Home slips
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ballot-stations-open-as-israelis-choose-new-leadership/
Looking good for Israel...
Michale
Netanyahu hails ‘a great victory for our people,’ though Herzog in no hurry to concede
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ballot-stations-open-as-israelis-choose-new-leadership/
Stick it in your ear, Obama!!!
:D
Michale
And in the "YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP" department!! :D
Rahm Emanuel Needs Republican Help
http://www.nationaljournal.com/against-the-grain/rahm-emanuel-needs-republican-help-20150317
Looks like the quintessential Democrats needs Republicans to keep his job... :)
I have to admit, I am torn...
As much as I would love to see Rahmbo go down in a humiliating defeat, the revenge MIGHT be sweeter if I am able to remind myself every day of his life that it's REPUBLICANS Rahmbo has to thank for saving his (political) life...
Like I have always said, there isn't any difference between a Democrat Politician and a Republican Politician...
NONE... ZERO.... ZILCH.... NADA.....
Michale
WH Avoids Congratulating Bibi
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/wh-avoids-congratulating-bibi_890790.html
That's our POTUS.. A petulant and immature child...
I guess the concept of being the bigger man is lost on our President.. :^/
Michale