Monthly Archives: March 2010

Human Influence on Climate More Clear

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SCIENCE: Man’s climate fingerprints clear — U.K. Met Office (03/05/2010)

The possibility that human activity is not the prime cause of climate change is becoming “increasingly remote,” according to a major review of climate science released by Britain’s national weather service, the Met Office.

The study used computer models of different possible climate change drivers — including solar output, volcanic eruptions, El Niño and the release of greenhouse gases — matched against tangible climate changes over the past decades to air and sea temperature and Arctic sea ice. This technique, called “optimal detection,” showed clear fingerprints of man-caused warming, said Peter Stott, who led the project.

“This wealth of evidence shows that there is an increasingly remote possibility that climate change is being dominated by natural factors rather than human factors,” he said.

According to NASA, average atmospheric temperatures have risen by 0.8 degrees centigrade since 1880. But much of the recent warming trends have been found instead in the world’s oceans, Stott said.

“Over 80 percent of the heat that’s trapped in the climate system as a result of the greenhouse gases is exported into the ocean, and we can see that happening,” Stott said.

One possibility frequently cited by critics of global warming is that warming could be driven by increased activity from the sun. However, if that was the case, the Earth’s atmosphere would have warmed more evenly and temperatures would have increased early in the 20th century, rather than later.

“There hasn’t been an increase in solar output for the last 50 years,” Stott said. “And solar output would not have caused cooling of the higher atmosphere and the warming of the lower atmosphere that we have seen.”

The review was published in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change (Alok Jha, London Guardian, March 5). – PV

Slip RPM of Submersible Pump Set Rotor

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Is it possible to monitor the slip rpm of a single phase submersible pump set rotor by measuring the current flowing in the stator winding and using suitable electronics to extract the required data ? If not, then what is the standard method of doing so. Your erudite replies will be highly appreciat

Electrical Test Meters and Components

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Longer Transcript of Michael Mann/Point of Inquiry Interview Up at Climate Science Watch | The Intersection

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Rick Piltz of Climate Science Watch has taken the time to transcribe what may be the most important and revealing part of my Michael Mann Point of Inquiry interview–the end. It’s the part where, among other things, Mann refers to the “asymmetric warfare” between trained skeptics and scientists as “literally like a battle between a Marine and a Cub Scout.” And there is much more there. For those who enjoy reading rather than listening, check it out.


More Shuttle Flights? Just Send Money

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Space shuttle can fly beyond 2010, if money is there: NASA, AFP

"The US space shuttle fleet can continue flying beyond NASA's September 30 deadline if the money is made available to keep it going, a US space agency official told reporters Tuesday. "I think the real issue that the agency and the nation has to address is the expense," said Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon, noting the shuttle fleet costs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 200 million dollars per month to maintain it in working condition. "Where that money comes from is the big question," he added."

Obama's New Mission for NASA Sets Off Intense Criticism, Fox

"It's amazing that we're headed down a path where we're not going to have any vehicles at all to launch from the Kennedy Space Center for an extended period of time," John Shannon, NASA's space shuttle manager said at a news conference. "And to give up all the lessons learned, the blood, sweat and tears that we have expended to get the space shuttle to the point where it is right now where it is performing so magnificently," he said."

A Taste of Dunedin

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Florida Tourism “Eli’s BBQ” from AboutFace Media on Vimeo.
Not long ago my wife and I took a bike ride from Honeymoon Island along the Pinellas Trail to Dunedin. Along the way we passed by a little BBQ stand that looked and smelled really good. Unfortunately we had already eaten lunch downtown, but we made a [...]

Space Advertising – Then and Now

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Keith's note: With the popularity of retro TV shows such as "Mad Men" comes a second look at how we used to advertise things in the 1960s - products, ideas, etc. The early space age was an exciting time when we were doing things no one had done before - and we were pretty proud of doing it. Some of the artwork is rather classy and, with a few tweaks, might even work today. If you go to this page at io9 you will some examples of ads from the dawn of space exploration.

Reaching for the Stars When Space Was a Thrill, NY Times

"... Or the American Bosch Arma Corporation showing off, in Fortune, its "Cosmic Butterfly," a solar-powered electrically propelled vehicle to ferry passengers and cargo across the solar system. Most Americans never saw these concoctions, but now they have been collected and dissected by Megan Prelinger, an independent historian and space buff, in a new book, "Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962." It is being published on May 25 by Blast Books."

Practice Fusion: Do the math: $44,000 is a LIE

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Practice Fusion:

You get $44,000 for using an EHR,

Practice Fusion is entirely free.

Do the math.

Ok.

Lie: You get $44,000 for using an EHR

Fact:  [ARRA § 4101] If an “eligible professional” is a yet-undefined “meaningful EHR user,” they could quality for Medicare and Medicaid “incentives” of “an amount equal to 75 percent of the allowed charges under this part for all such covered professional services furnished by the eligible professional during such year” from the to-be-established “Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund” not exceeding:

  • 2011: $15,000
  • 2012: $12,000
  • 2013:  $8,000
  • 2014: $4,000
  • 2015: $2,000
  • 2016: $0

Then, Medicare and Medicaid will penalize you up to 5% by the end of the decade from their rates which are already the lowest in the industry —unless you can prove to them why they shouldn’t. You probably won’t.

Commentary:

There is no $44,000.

Maybe you can apply for a few extra thousand dollars in medicare disbursements over several years if you are particularly sophisticated and already participate in Medicare or Medicaid.

Most practices will lose significant gross revenue from HITECH penalties by default.

Anybody who says otherwise is trying to sell you something dubious —probably more consulting to buy more consulting about how to save money through hiring consultants.

If $15,000 in 2011 is enough to matter to your practice, you are either a clueless medical student or about to go out of business.

Tea Party, Coffee Party, and now a Soda Party for New York Taxpayers

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Libertarian Republican interviewed Governor candidate Warren Redlich last night about his plans to launch a statewide "Soda Party" around Tax Day to protest Gov. Paterson, and NYC Mayor Bloomberg's proposed Sugary Sodat Tax. The duo is pushing the tax to "help save education and health services" from budget cuts.

From Politics Daily, March 8:

"An extra 12 cents on a can of soda would raise nearly $1 billion, allowing us to keep community health services open and teachers in the classroom," Bloomberg said in Sunday's speech. "And, at the same time, it would help us fight a major problem plaguing our children: obesity."

Redlich sharply disagrees with the Paterson-Bloomberg soda tax, pointing out that store-brand colas cost about 88 cents for a 2 liter bottle: "Paterson and Bloomberg want to slap a 68-cent tax on them. Do you know who buys store-brand sodas? People who can't afford Coke!"

The broad spread of the tax is also bothersome. "It's on 'sugared drinks.' That includes Gatorade, which is not only healthier than sodas, but also has fewer calories than fruit juice," Redlich noted.

Seeking support from the various Tea Party groups in New York, Redlich believes the soda tax is an issue that can bring them all together. "That's not how you operate when you have budget problems. You don't stick it to the regular people who are trying to get by," said Redlich.

If the soda tax makes it into the state budget, Redlich says there will be a Soda Party: "The original patriots dumped tea in the harbor. Pouring soda on the Capitol will be a wake-up call to Paterson, Silver and everyone else inside that bubble."

"NYS and NYC needs to look into cutting spending before thinking about driving more hard working taxpayers out of New York with more nanny taxes, which will reduce tax revenue, not increase them. Warren has the right idea with a Soda Protest Party," said Steven Vasquez, a NY State Tea Party organizer and NY State Coordinator for Campaign for Liberty.

Redlich told LR that other groups are already signing up like 9/12, 1776, and the Campaign for Liberty. It looks like the rally will be scheduled for Saturday, April 17 (right after Tax Day), at the Capitol in Albany. They are considering the use of a replica of the State Capitol to dump the soda on, right on the steps of the real Capitol. Obviously, environmental restrictions and good manners keep them from dumping the soda on the premises itself.

And what brand of soda will be used? Redlich says:

"Sam's Choice or some other price chopper brand, cause budget-minded New Yorkers will be hurt the most."

Warren Redlich is an attorney and local town councilman. He is a candidate for Governor seeking the nominations of both the Libertarian Party and Republican Party (against the favored Rick Lazio).

wredlich.com/ny

HUGE NEWS!! Libertarian Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom takes the lead in latest Poll

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It is increasingly looking like Geert Wilders could become Europe's very first libertarian President in history.

From Reuters, March 7:

Wilders three seats ahead of rivals in Dutch Poll

The Maurice de Hond poll put the PVV on 27 seats in the June 9 national elections, while the CDA and the Labour Party (PvdA) were both on 24 seats. The poll also showed that none of the three most likely coalitions would be able to form a majority government without reaching across lines to a fourth or fifth party.

In local council polls on March 3, Wilders made substantial gains, positioning him to do well in the national election. Balkenende's Christian Democrats were seen as the biggest loser in the council voting.

A PVV triumph could also mark the first time in history that a European Nation would have a libertarian party as the governing party. Just two weeks ago, the PVV won a majority of council seats in the city of Alsmere (pop. 188,000), and placed second in The Hague, the second largest city in the Netherlands.

Split on the Right: Mark Steyn takes NeoCon Charles Krauthammer to task over Geert Wilders

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What's at issue is fighting to protect Western liberties at its core

Libertarian-Conservative Mark Steyn is critical of Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer over some recent comments on the Fox All-Stars. Krauthammer, a NeoConservative stalwart, made disparaging statements on Dutch libertarian Geert Wilders for his anti-Islamist views.

Said Krauthammer:

What he says is extreme, radical, and wrong. He basically is arguing that Islam is the same as Islamism. Islamism is an ideology of a small minority which holds that the essence of Islam is jihad, conquest, forcing people into accepting a certain very narrow interpretation [of Islam].

The untruth of that is obvious. If you look at the United States, the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the U.S. are not Islamists. So, it's simply incorrect. Now, in Europe, there is probably a slightly larger minority but, nonetheless, the overwhelming majority are not.

Mark Steyn responded at NR 03/09:

Wilders does not need to be lectured condescendingly about distinctions within Islam, because he lives with them every day. And he has concluded, notwithstanding Dr. Krauthammer's views on the precise "minority" that identifies as "Islamist," that Islam itself is the issue — and that, therefore, regardless of the "moderation" of the "overwhelming majority" of Muslims, the more Islam the less Netherlands in any recognizable sense. Are the gangs of gay bashers on the streets of Amsterdam "Islamist" by Krauthammer's definition? Maybe, maybe not. But, either way, they make the running, and the rest of the community is either indifferent or quiescent.

As for whether Wilders is "extremist," his views on the cultural compatibility of immigrants were routine and unexceptional until the 1960s, not only in Europe, but also in the U.S. And, even in North America today, they are the stated policy of the Government of Quebec. One can certainly disagree with that, but does that make Quebec also "fascist" (Beck) or even "extreme" (Krauthammer)?

Dr. Krauthammer is also incorrect to suggest there are two issues here. When the state attempts to constrain further Europe's already too shriveled bounds of public discourse, the only issue is state power. The Continental political class does not want to debate the question of its ever more assertive Muslim populations, and so has decided to criminalize that debate. Geert Wilders lives under 24/7 security because Muslims (including the killer of Theo van Gogh) have pledged to murder him. Yet he's the one on trial for incitement? The issue is not Wilders or his views, but the Dutch state and their ever more "extreme, radical, and wrong" views on core Western liberties.

Photo of Mark Steyn with Atlas Shrugs Pamela Geller.

Liam Sarsfield Pleads Guilty

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Ex-NASA Official Pleads Guilty in Contracts Case, WS Journal

"A former high-ranking National Aeronautics and Space Administration official pleaded guilty in Mississippi to designing contracts that netted him more than $270,000 in illegal profits. Liam P. Sarsfield is a former chief deputy engineer in Washington, D.C. ... Mr. Sarsfield will be sentenced June 24. He pleaded guilty to one charge of acts affecting a personal financial interest."

Ex-NASA official pleads guilty, AP

"The U.S. Attorney's office would not comment on whether Sarsfield is cooperating with authorities in the case against Stadd. However, Sarsfield was charged in a criminal information, which is filed by prosecutors when the defendant has agreed to waive grand jury indictment and plead guilty. They are often used when a defendant is cooperating."

NASA Presolicitation Notice: Engineering Services: Liam P. Sarsfield, earlier post from July 21, 2005

"NASA/HQ intends to award a purchase order to Mr. Liam P. Sarsfield. The authority is 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1) "only one responsible source."