Climate change

In Obama administration, transparency and science take backseat to politics

July 7, 2009

President Barack Obama has promised to make transparency the standard for his administration. He also pledged to base decisions such as our nation’s energy policy on science.

As reported on this site, the Competitive Enterprise Institute uncovered a series of email messages within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that raise questions as to how seriously these goals are followed.

Read the full article →

Kansans will be hurt by global warming bill

June 25, 2009

The Waxman-Markey climate bill, soon to be considered by Congress, will harm all Americans. Here’s a look at what it would cost Kansans.

Read the full article →

EPA suppresses internal global warming study

June 24, 2009

Is there any doubt that the crusade against global warming is motivated as much by politics as by anything else?

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has uncovered an effort within the Environmental Protection Agency to suppress “scientific analysis of climate change because of political pressure to support the Administration’s policy agenda of regulating carbon dioxide.”

Read the full article →

Earthjustice meddles in Kansas again

June 22, 2009

The radical environmentalist group Earthjustice is again meddling in Kansas energy policy. They’ve sent a “warning letter” to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Read the full article →

Articles of interest

June 22, 2009

Chemical security, national health care, global warming cost, school order.

Read the full article →

Faust-Goudeau’s concern selective

June 22, 2009

In today’s Wichita Eagle, Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Democratic member of the Kansas Senate representing parts of north-central and northeast Wichita, writes this in a letter to the editor:

I would like to commend Mayor Carl Brewer and the Wichita City Council for having the courage to vote down a rate increase for water and sewer charges for customers in our city (“Water rates to hold steady,” June 17 Local & State). As we continue to face economic down times, I am very concerned about our senior citizens and people with disabilities who are on fixed incomes and struggling to make ends meet. This increase would have certainly added an additional financial burden for them in paying utility bills.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

June 12, 2009

Global warming alarmist James Hansen, inflation, Facebook, paygo deception.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

June 11, 2009

Kansas liberal Republicans, student rights, greenwashing, historic preservation, Sotamayor.

Read the full article →

The Threat of Big Brother in Green Clothing

June 10, 2009

From the Competitive Enterprise Institute. This organization, particularly its site GlobalWarming.org, is a great place to look for information about the true nature of global warming and climate change. The following announces the release of a video message that spotlights the real threat of global warming fear mongering.

Read the full article →

More doubt about man-made global warming

June 8, 2009

The evidence that global warming is a man-made phenomenon continues to fall under sharp questioning and doubt.

Read the full article →

More myths of green jobs

June 7, 2009

On its surface, a seemingly strong argument for adopting a national policy of increasing reliance on renewable energy is all the jobs and economic growth that will result. It’s claimed by some that the switch to so-called “green” sources of energy will pay for itself this way.

Read the full article →

Why climate models are wrong

June 4, 2009

Could the science behind all the models that predict global warming be wrong? Dr. Roy Spencer believes it is. His article A Layman’s Explanation of Why Global Warming Predictions by Climate Models are Wrong takes a while to read, but it’s worth the time and effort.

Read the full article →

Another Kansas electricity rate hike

June 4, 2009

Kansas cusomers served by electric utility Westar are facing another rate increase. It’s a “follow-up” rate increase, coming after several other recent rate increases. The purpose is to pay for “the second phase of its Emporia Energy Center and two Westar-owned wind farms.”

Read the full article →

Another Evangelical’s view of creation

June 2, 2009

Wichita Geophysicist Dennis Hedke explains the problems with the beliefs held by radical environmentalist Rev. Richard Cizik. This is the unabridged version of a letter that appeared in the Wichita Eagle.

Read the full article →

Clinton Concedes Spain’s Green Jobs Program “Has Cost Many Jobs”

May 29, 2009

Spain’s decade-long program to subsidize the creation and continued existence of so-called green jobs through a massive infusion of taxpayer resources “has cost many jobs,” former President Bill Clinton admitted to a Spanish audience at the European University of Madrid this week, according to the Spanish daily newspaper El Mundo.

Read the full article →

Kansas coal still generates discussion

May 19, 2009

The recent decision in Kansas to proceed with the building of a coal-fired power plant still generates discussion. Today’s Wichita Eagle carries a letter to the editor that deserves discussion of its claims.

The main focus of today’s letter is that we as a state missed out on an opportunity to “produce thousands upon thousands of new jobs in the green-energy manufacturing and operation sector.”

Read the full article →

Geophysicist to testify before EPA

May 18, 2009

Today Wichita Geophysicist Dennis Hedke is in Arlington, Virginia to testify before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the science of global warming, or climate change.

Read the full article →

Global warming fundamentals available

May 16, 2009

Wichita Geophysicist Dennis Hedke delivered a lecture on the science underlying global warming. He also covered the severe economic impact that the ill-considered war on carbon dioxide emissions will have.

You can read my coverage and notes by clicking on Wichita Geophysicist explains climate science data.

Now Dennis has made some of his charts and notes available, and with his permission, I’m publishing the document below.

Read the full article →

Kansas wind energy boon deserves examination

May 15, 2009

An op-ed in today’s Wichita Eagle (Energy standard a boon for Kansas) points to a coming boon for Kansas as the result of a wind turbine manufacturing plant locating in Hutchinson. This article, however, should be read carefully and critically before we congratulate that city and the state of Kansas.

Read the full article →

Wichita Geophysicist explains climate science data

May 14, 2009

Speaking at a recent meeting of Libertarians of South Central Kansas, Wichita Geophysicist Dennis Hedke provided much useful information about the scientific basis of climate change science.

The presentation included a lot of data, with many charts and illustrations. This is important, as the global warming alarmists — I’ll call them “warmists” — base their case on data. Following are some notes from the talk.

Read the full article →

Wichita geophysicist to speak on climate change, politics

May 9, 2009

Dennis Hedke is a professional geophysicist who will offer some insight into the Earth’s climate change and its relation to the political climate. This will be a Powerpoint presentation and should be very informative. Dennis is wading into the fray on the issue of climate change in an attempt to inform the public as to the facts regarding this issue. These facts are in short supply in the mainstream media. This will be the first time that this presentation has been made to the public.

Read the full article →

Rebranding the green message

May 9, 2009

The New York Times wrote a story about it, but it doesn’t seem to be gaining much traction.

The article, published last Saturday, is titled Seeking to Save the Planet, With a Thesaurus. It tells of a memo accidentally sent to news media. Written by ecoAmerica, an “environmental marketing and messaging firm,” the memo describes the need for environmentalists to better market their goal.

Read the full article →

Neodymium illustrates a consequence

May 7, 2009

Our technology and economy is so complex and interdependent that it’s often impossible to predict the effect of one thing on another. Sometimes things done with the best of intentions — driving hybrid cars and building wind turbines, for example — have unintended consequences.

Read the full article →

Going green can cost too much green

May 6, 2009

“For two years, the city of Durango, Colo., bought electricity for all its government buildings from wind farms. The City Council ended that program this year, reverting to electricity derived from coal-burning plants and saving the cash-strapped city about $45,000.” It’s becoming evident that all across the world, people are beginning to realize that “green” power sources are expensive.

Read the full article →

Kansas HB 2014 vote analysis

April 29, 2009

In the Kansas House of Representatives, two votes were taken this year on HB 2014. The major purpose of this bill is to allow the building of a coal-fired power plant in Kansas.

The first vote, taken on February 27, 2009, was 79 Yes and 44 No. On April 3, 2009, the vote was 74 Yes and 48 No.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

April 29, 2009

Kansas governors, renewable energy, napping, flying over New York, the Google, banks.

Read the full article →

Does Jim Ward hate trees?

April 26, 2009

The Legislative Forum focused on the budget shortfall and how to deal with it. I was shocked within the first five minutes when, after the panel was introduced, only specific members of the audience were given special recognition. Audience members who were employees of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, were granted time carved out of the people’s minutes. Each was honored with an introduction by name, place of work, and even given time to talk about their sports teams! Attendees not on the government payroll — e.g. those paying the salaries of each person specially recognized and catered to — got not a word of recognition. Were we worth that little? Actually worth the nothing they gave us? Do the legislators believe that each person in the room has one vote each, or do some get extra? I think I witnessed vote-buying. And it wasn’t their constituents they cared about; no, it was fellow government hacks.

Read the full article →

What President Obama really believes about coal

April 25, 2009

I wonder what President Obama really believes about clean coal technology. Or about anything, for that matter.

Read the full article →

Fraud, deceit, and misinformation regarding carbon dioxide

April 21, 2009

EPA declares greenhouse gases a threat, (Renee Shoof, McClatchy Newspapers, 4/18/09). This pronouncement follows a U.S. Supreme Court conclusion that carbon dioxide (CO2) is a pollutant, with a directive to the EPA to study whether this gas posed a threat to our health and welfare, or whether the science was too uncertain to make a judgment.

Read the full article →

Share in the green-energy boom and quit fighting

April 15, 2009

Share in the green-energy boom. That’s the title of Rhonda Holman’s editorial in Sunday’s Wichita Eagle.

It’s backed up in today’s paper by Enough fighting over coal plants. This editorial is notable for a few points.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

April 6, 2009

Bailout costs rise, local election turnout, health care, light bulbs, newspapers, Kansas coal prospects.

Read the full article →

Wind power: it’s not free

April 6, 2009

A letter from a citizen in today’s Wichita Eagle makes the case that electricity generated from coal is less expensive than electricity from wind. I don’t know if the writer’s numbers are correct. Considering all costs, though, it is true that wind power is very expensive.

Read the full article →

GPACE poll on Kansas energy

April 1, 2009

Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy recently released a poll that purportedly shows great interest in Kansas for clean energy sources. Looking at the poll, however, leads to little confidence in its results.

Read the full article →

Green energy policies causing harm in Europe

March 30, 2009

In their Washington Times article Lessons from Europe, Iain Murray, Gabriel Calzada, and Carlo Stagnaro warn us in the United States about “green” energy policies that have been implemented in Europe. These harmful policies are just like the ones we are considering here.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

March 30, 2009

Capitalism, CFL bulbs, green indoctrination, bailout constitutionality, Facebook, Twitter.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

March 21, 2009

Stimulus, invisible hand, Kansas wind.

Read the full article →

Physics for future presidents is for all of us

March 19, 2009

In the most unlikely of all cities, at the most unlikely of all universities, Richard A. Muller tries to a inject a dose of sanity into science, especially the debate over climate change.

“Surrounded by tree-hugging academics at UC Berkeley, he dares to argue that coal and nuclear fission are good sources of energy.”

Read the full article →

Academic Study Challenges Projections of Green Jobs

March 17, 2009

Global warming alarmists often argue that transforming our economy to reliance on “green” sources of energy is good because millions of jobs will be created. These new green jobs, it is claimed, will drive our economy forward and create wealth.

Read the full article →

Earl Watkins, Sunflower Chief Executive, speaks at AFP event

March 13, 2009

Earl Watkins, President and CEO of Sunflower Electric Power Corporation recently spoke to a group of citizen activists as part of AFP – Kansas Day at the Capitol. Here’s a few notes from his talk.

Read the full article →

Articles of Interest

March 13, 2009

Charity, Kansas legal intrigue, Kansas infant mortality rate rises under Sebelius, taxing it all, bailouts not wanted, cap-and-trade costs, school choice saves.

Read the full article →

Increased number think global warming is “exaggerated”

March 12, 2009

A new Gallup poll shows that the trend in thinking among Americans over the past few years is that the news about global warming is exaggerated. “This represents the highest level of public skepticism about mainstream reporting on global warming seen in more than a decade of Gallup polling on the subject.”

Read the full article →