Global Sea Ice Increase

Whereas, sea ice in the Northern Hemisphere has been decreasing, TOTAL global sea ice appears relatively stable after a period of reduction, potentially reducing the threat of coastal flooding.

Provided by the National Center for Environmental Predictions NOAA, NSIDC, U. Bremem

Quack Medicine - Autism

. . In 1998 Dr. Andrew Wakefield published in the medical journal The Lancet that he had discovered a link between autism and vaccines. After years of controversy and making parents mistrust vaccines, along with collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from lawyers who benefited from suing vaccine makers, it was determined he fabricated his claims. The Lancet publicly apologized, but the damage was done.
. . Since 1998 millions have been spent on studying investigating potential connection autism and vaccines. Thousands of families out of fear stopped vaccinating the children for mumbs, measles, and rubella.
. . This graphics succinctly details the controversy
http://www.healthcare-management-degree.net/autism-vaccines/

Pseudoscience of Dr. Oz

. . Recently, the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection convened a hearing on “Protecting Consumers from False and Deceptive Advertising of Weight-Loss Products.” In attendance was Dr. Mehmet Oz of daytime television, whom Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) grilled about his claims about the many questionable weight loss “miracle” cures he has peddled on his show. She reproached him for the false hope he peddles with his “flowery rhetoric.”
. . She added, quite bluntly, “the scientific community is almost monolithic against you in terms of the efficacy of those three products that you called miracles.”

Visits By ET May Not Be So Impossible

. . In 2012 NASA physicist Harold White stunned the aeronautics world when he announced that he and his team had begun work on the development of a faster-than-light warp drive. His proposed design is an ingenious re-imagining of an Alcubierre Drive. If successful it could may eventually result in an engine that can transport a spacecraft to the nearest star in a matter of weeks without violating relativity limitations.  It suggests that we shouldn't be so skeptical of the search for ET.
. . White explains how this might be possible at 

http://io9.com/5963263/how-nasa-will-build-its-very-first-warp-drive  

Shocking! You're About to Be Scammed

. . If the title of the ad includes such hyperbolic terms such as "shocking", "stunning", "secret", etc. that is almost a sure sign that you're about to be scammed.  If it's a secret that the IRS, the electric companies. or your investment broker doesn't want you to know, it's also most likely a "secret" that you are better off not knowing.  These titles are "socially engineered" come-ons to get the reader to click on something that normally may not interest them.
. . Just because these ads appear on otherwise legitimate websites does not mean that the reader should not remain extremely cautious and skeptical.  An example, is the current animated google of Ellen Degeneres that is labeled "Shocking: Ellen Lied" that seems to be popping up on many news outlets.  Click on this ad and you are likely to be taken to a webpage that has absolutely nothing to do with Degeneres.  These news websites simply sell space with virtually no review of the content. 
. . These suckers phrases are like offers of FREE stuff that needs your credit card to authorize.  In this case you can be certain that the advertiser is either expecting you to forget to cancel after the so-called "free" offer expires or they make it very difficult to cancel.
. . If these tactics irritate you (they should) and you prefer not to be treated like a fool, then voice you dissatisfaction by not clicking on anything that includes these come-on phrases or offers something for free only if they get your credit card number.  Maybe these dishonest advertisers will get the message.

Current Weather Extremes Are Not New

. . On January 16'th Judith Curry testified to the COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE reviewing the President’s Climate Action Plan.  http://goo.gl/RrfTiw
. . She is the Chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology and has devoted 30 years to conducting research on topics including climate of the Arctic, the role of clouds and aerosols in the climate system, and the climate dynamics of extreme weather events.  As President of Climate Forecast Applications Network, she worked with decision makers on climate impact assessments, assessing and developing meteorological hazard and climate adaptation strategies, and developing sub-seasonal climate forecasting strategies to support adaptive management.
. . In her testimony she demonstrated that in the U.S., most types of weather extremes were worse in the 1930’s and even in the 1950’s than in the current climate, while the weather was overall more benign in the 1970’s. This sense that extreme weather events are now more frequent and intense is symptomatic of ‘weather amnesia’ prior to 1970. The extremes of the 1930’s and 1950’s are not attributable to greenhouse warming and are associated with natural climate variability (and in the case of the dust bowl drought and heat waves, also to land use practices).
 . . With regards to the impacts of climate change on the continental U.S., the following trends are seen over the past century:

• declining frequency of wintertime cold extremes
• declining frequency of drought
• increasing frequency of heavy rain events
• increasing sea level rise that is dominated by local factors in many locations 

There is a large component of natural variability seen in the 100+ year data record particularly for drought and heat waves, each of which had maximum extremes during the 1930’s. Sea level rise also shows a maxima during the 1930’s to 1940’s.

What "Science" is Settled?

. . The "warmist" contagion claim the science of global climate change is settled, but their "models" for doom neither anticipate nor explain the current pause in warming.  They seem to be in denial.
. . A good summary of what is at stake is the article in the Washington Post, Global warming of the Earth’s surface has decelerated (Viewpoint). http://goo.gl/e0MHoa
. . Regardless of whether or not you believe in the global warming theories, solid evidence from NASA shows the pause in the temperature increase is real, it was never anticipated in the warmist models, and the later have no credible explanation.
. . The one fact that is settled, however, is that the science is not settled and those who say otherwise are dishonest.

Dr. Patrick Moore's Testimony on Climate Change

Patrick Moore, Canadian ecologist (PhD, Ecology, 1974) is an environmentalist who helped found Greenpeace in the Seventies.  He subsequently left in protest of its position on climate change which fails the most basic principles of the scientific method.

"The certainty among many scientists that humans are the main cause of climate change, including global warming, is not based on the replication of observable events. It is based on just two things, the theoretical effect of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, predominantly carbon dioxide, and the predictions of computer models using those theoretical calculations. There is no scientific "proof" at all."

Dr Moore testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight February 25, 2014. http://goo.gl/5Cy5je

In his testimony he states some key facts about "climate change" which are ignored by true believers are as follows:

IRAQ MYOPIA

. . The noise is getting loud again about Iraq.  The level of ignorance of history in America seems to know no bounds.  America can do little to change the course in the Middle East, unless we want to take up permanent residence there.  In 2003 the majority of Americans supported the invasion of Iraq. A decade later the overwhelming majority realize that policy was a mistake.  Now this same bunch are quick to rush into this quagmire that has no reasonable strategy for success.  What don’t they understand about a sectarian conflict? 

. . Ever watch an outsider try to intercede in domestic violence?  The end result most often is the combatants turning on the naïve interceding party.  Sunni may have issues with Shiite, but they have greater issues with Americans.  If you are of a mindset to interject American into this battle take time to read the philosophies and beliefs of Osama bin Laden.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beliefs_and_ideology_of_Osama_bin_Laden

. . All need to be careful with the distortions promoted by the hawks.  In 2003 they garnered support for the Two Trillion dollar war expenditure by the world’s paranoia with nuclear weapons, aka weapons of mass-destruction.  It was going to be a quick jaunt in and out to remove a despot.  Without a doubt, Americans were either asleep or incompetent.  Now we are hearing the same rhetoric.

. . ISIS has a 9,000 soldier army.  Iraq is supposed to have a 900,000 soldier army.  If they can’t be overwhelmingly successful in pushing back why do some people believe America should get involved? Remember ISIS is the same group that some of the boisterous wanted Obama to arm in Syria. 

. . It is time to accept the reality of our position in the Middle East and not the fantasies of the boisterous.  The warring factions in the Middle East only tolerate American interference as long as America provides them leverage.  From Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, none of them want a true alliance with America.  The only thing our efforts create are more reasons to hate America.  In the end each of the warring combatants will proclaim they hate America more than the other in order to win over allegiance of their citizens.     

. . I am always amazed how a certain political party will cry about physical responsibility when it comes to spending billions on a healthcare, educational, and infrastructure systems for everyone, but never hesitate to spend trillions on war implements.

Social Inequality and Ignorance in America

. . With the constant resistance against such educational performance measures, such as Common Core, I become convinced in the inevitability of ignorance and superstition.  It is just too easy to accept.  It takes no effort, which seems to be an Americans priority -- the good life with no effort.  Americans constantly talk about the growing financial inequity in an expanding technological world where education is critical a higher quality of life, but America falls further behind the rest of the industrialized world in math and science, even though its citizens have the best exposure money can buy.Too many in this country believe the solution is a redistribution of wealth rather than a redistribution of effort.
. . Data from a recent national Harris survey (2008) addresses these deficiencies by measuring multiple dimensions of Americans’ beliefs about evolution,their familiarity with scientific concepts in evolutionary biology (for example, adaptation), and their scientific knowledge in general (for example, the age of the earth and of the universe) — all social-psychological facts that the American scientific and educational communities must confront in dealing with the obstacles to full acceptance of the theory of human evolution in the 21st century.

Americans’ Scientific Knowledge and Beliefs about Human Evolution in the Year of Darwin  
http://ncse.com/rncse/30/3/americans-scientific-knowledge-beliefs-human-evolution-year-

MS XP FUD

. . Everyone was warned that Microsoft was no longer going to support its popular XP Operating system.  In its wake we should expect an avalanche of malware.  The dire prognostications were reflective of the Year 2000 scare.  At this time we were told to expect planes to fall from the sky.  But nothing of significance happened.  It's now been over two months and no serious infections have appeared for XP.  Is anyone surprised?
. . After thirteen years of almost monthly security patching, it was certainly reasonable to expect the "holes" in XP were plugged.  The big fear, however, was the not so public declining sales of desktop systems and of the constant barge of updates sold by software manufacturers. The demise of XP provided an opportunity to scare users into buying new stuff.
. . Microsoft's constant change and software bloat was unnecessary.  Their goal was not to improve their offerings with requested features, but to sell new product.  In the process they created a productivity challenge for support organizations.  With each new release, every three years or less, users had to retrain on stuff they once knew how to use even though the new software provided no new usable features for them. It was serious lost time.
. . Windows 8 was the final straw. Likewise, what has the "ribbon" graphical user interface added to the Office, but more confusion and unproductive retaining? Corporate users have solidly rejected Microsoft's self-serving tactic.
. . What the computer industry did not explain to users in their XP fear-mongering is the greatest source of malware was stuff users were being tricked into loading onto their computers through very effective social engineered scams, which arrive via email bait or promise of something FREE on the internet.  Unfortunately, none of Microsoft's heralded software protects against the guy or gal typing on the keyboard.

Big Bang Blunder and the Carbon Pollution Canard | The Resilient Earth

Hoards of non-scientists have been making a career out of pushing “settled science,” particularly when it come to climate change, the eco-socialists' favorite excuse for dismantling the world's existing economic and industrial base. Unlike the notoriously squishy science of climate change, physics is viewed as being mature and on a more solid foundation, at least by those who are physicists. Given the recent furor caused by the IPCC and NCA reports, plus the US EPA's ham handed attempt to institute CO₂ Cap & Trade without the agreement of Congress, it is instructional for scientific outsiders to review recent events in both fields. Read on, believers in the myth of settled science and those who think scientific questions are resolved by consensus.

Big Bang Blunder and the Carbon Pollution Canard | The Resilient Earth

Misguided Climate Policies

The Obama policy on climate change is based on computer models.  So how well have those models done relative to reality?

Not so well! For more read,
Why Kerry Is Flat Wrong on Climate Change: It was the scientific skeptics who bucked the 'consensus' and said the Earth was round by McNider and Christy,  http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303945704579391611041331266

Want More Information on GMO from Peer-Reviewed Articles

. . The goal of GENERA is to provide an all-in-one place where scientific literature about agricultural biotechnology can be found and understood at-a-glance and be readily accessible to the public. Regarding the risks associate with this technology there is extensive scientific literature.
. . Scientists and students at academic institutions have access to peer-reviewed journals around the world. However, most people do not have free access to these journals, and the research papers are often difficult to understand.
. . Many websites may discuss these issues in way that is easy to understand, but lack accuracy, independence, and sufficient scope.
. . GENetic Engineering Risk Atlas (GENERA) provides a searchable database of peer-reviewed research on the risks of genetically engineered crops. Below are answers to FAQs about GENERA:

• Why create GENERA?
• Who is GENERA for?
• What studies are in GENERA?
• How will GENERA be built?
• Who financially supports GENERA?
• How can I cite GENERA?
• For more information

Genetically Modified Scare Stories

. .  It seems some people thrive on scare or often are quick to accept pseudo-science to the exclusion of real science.  One of the latest scares is that of genetically modified food.  What they fail to realize is humans have been genetically modifying food for centuries.  For example, the corn we eat today bares no resemblance its initial natural form as teosinte.   It has been highly domesticate over millennia at the hands of humans in a far less targeted and controlled manner that is being done today. Furthermore, it is claimed that nearly 90% of all corn is genetically modified. (Click here)
. . Virtually all our food has been domesticated and a good reference as to studies can be found at Assessment of the food safety issues related to genetically modified foods.
. . Jon Entine, senior research fellow at the Center for Health & Risk Communication at George Mason University^[1] and the founder and director of the Genetic Literacy Project states

"We've eaten about 7 trillion meals in the 18 years since GMOs first came on the market. There's not one documented instance of someone getting so much as a sniffle."

A popular GMO product is the red grapefruit (click here for more info)

The 1929 Ruby Red patent came after the discovery of a red grapefruit growing on a pink variety. Using radiation to trigger mutations, new varieties were developed to retain the red tones which typically faded to pink, The Rio Red is a mutation bred variety which was developed by treatment of bud sticks with thermal neutrons. 

We are not suggesting that caution and proper testing is not required.  We are suggesting the current level of hysteria about GMO is not justified.