Riehl World View

Feinstein Going After Hi-Def TV

This via Congress Daily. (subscription required) Why is it that every little, or big technology advance always looks like an additional source of revenue, or regulation to these people? And, yes, the industry claims it will drive up the price of hi-def, among other things. Of course it will. They'll be forced to re-engineer. And so what if a little of the quality goes away? We have to feed Congress and preserve gaia if we want to sit around and watch great TV.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., wants the federal government to follow her state's lead in cutting the energy usage of power-hungry high-definition television sets.

The California Energy Commission on Wednesday approved a plan to cut the energy consumption of new televisions sold in the state by one-third beginning in 2011 and by one-half starting in 2013.

In a Thursday letter to Energy Secretary Chu, Feinstein urged the department to take a "serious look" at crafting national standards for TVs that are as rigorous as the ones adopted in California.

But the Consumer Electronics Association, which represents the views of most set manufacturers, wants to pull the plug on both the California requirements and the senator's proposal. "It will result in higher prices for consumers, job losses for Californians and lost tax revenue for the state," the group said.

Climate Science Fraud Exposed?

Oh my. This looks as though it could leave a mark the size of a glacier or two receding. heh!

Someone has a lot of splainin' to do. But if this is genuine, he'll have plenty of time to do it, being unemployed until the next ice age and all. What?

From: Phil Jones
To: ray bradley ,mann@xxxxx.xxx, mhughes@xxxx.xxx
Subject: Diagram for WMO Statement
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:31:15 +0000
Cc: k.briffa@xxx.xx.xx,t.osborn@xxxx.xxx

Dear Ray, Mike and Malcolm,
Once Tim’s got a diagram here we’ll send that either later today or
first thing tomorrow.
I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps
to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) amd from
1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline. Mike’s series got the annual
land and marine values while the other two got April-Sept for NH land
N of 20N. The latter two are real for 1999, while the estimate for 1999
for NH combined is +0.44C wrt 61-90. The Global estimate for 1999 with
data through Oct is +0.35C cf. 0.57 for 1998.
Thanks for the comments, Ray.

Cheers
Phil

Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) xxxxx
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) xxxx
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@xxxx.xxx
NR4 7TJ
UK

BBC Discovers New Climate Change Problem

Someone should Re-Tweet this to Al Gore:

Also - our climate change posts never do that well.. .Why? let us know

4 minutes ago from web Reply

Oh My Dear God ....

They may have been around a while but I never saw them. Something different in the second one at link. This below is just so, ... so, so beyond words. Why, I do believe I could simply scream. Mourn the death of the trees if you wish to. As for me, I mourn the death of that many brain cells. Or did they simply not exist in the first place? These people must huff Turpentine to get off, so pine tar, or something. Put a hurt on you, that stuff will. Take a look. Good grief? Not so much....

A Cap And Tax Bedtime Story

Ha! Think about the children!

Giant Jellyfish Sink Fishing Trawler

Dang. Those things are big. Check out the video here, or below - neat, though. Wait for the diver to come into view. I don't think I'd be swimming quite so close to one. Sort of makes you feel like peanut butter inside just watching it.

You could say it was the jellyfish, or you could say it was the overzealous fishermen on board. While trying to haul in a catch of several dozen giant Nomura's jellyfish - one of the largest in the world - a Japanese fishing trawler tipped right over.

According to the Telegraph, "The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler, according to the Mainichi newspaper. The local Coast Guard office reported that the weather was clear and the sea was calm at the time of the accident."

It's no wonder only a few dozen could capsize a boat. Each jellyfish can weigh as much as 450 pounds.

EPA Crackdown In Texas

It's as if this administration looks for ways to continue to hurt the economy. This has an element of State's Rights in it, as well.

DALLAS (AP) -- For 15 years, environmentalists have complained that state regulations have allowed the powerful oil and chemical industries to skirt Clean Air Act standards in Texas, the nation's foremost producer of industrial air pollution.

But the Environmental Protection Agency last month scrapped several aspects of the state's air-pollution permitting program, including "flexible" permits that have allowed about 140 plants and refineries to exceed toxic emissions limits in the short term as long as they complied to overall federal averages in the long term.

Federal regulators say the move, set to take effect next year, is designed to cut toxic emissions and bring Texas in line with the Clean Air Act. And environmental groups say it will help improve the state's ecology and the health of Texans and those living nearby.

Industry groups, however, warn that getting rid of the state program in favor of more rigid standards will hurt industries crucial to the Texas economy, and that the costs of compliance may hit consumers.

Finally, Polar Bears We Can Kill By Hand

Ever wonder why when Mr. or Mrs. Polar Bear is chasing Mr. Eskimo, or American tourist, it's perfectly fine because they's just doing their thing.

Sure, but let some poor fellow take out after one of them with a 30.06 and he's evil incarnate, or something like that. If God didn't intend for man to have guns, lightning wouldn't go boom.

Anyway, soon we may be able to chase them on foot and strangle the little buggers by hand, though I wouldn't count on it happening too soon. h/t Instapundit.

Scientists in Denmark are warning that polar bears are getting smaller. The researchers say the reduction is linked to climate change …

Score this as a clear win. See, your modern full-sized poley bear is a human-chomping, truck-molesting brute:

California: BPA Is A-OK

I've posted previously on the war on science and Bisphenol A (BPA). Seriously, if California is down with using it, should any state or Federal agency really be considering a ban? California is on the cutting edge of this type of regulation. If they see no issue with it, it's hard to imagine that one exsts.

OAKLAND, Calif.—California will not place Bisphenol A, a chemical used in the manufacture of plastic baby bottles and toys, on the state's list of chemicals that are believed to cause reproductive harm.
A state board voted Wednesday that the chemical, also known as BPA, will not be covered under Proposition 65, a voter-approved measure used by regulators to identify substances that can cause cancer or reproductive harm.

The panel of seven physicians voted unanimously, saying there's not enough scientific evidence of BPA's potential dangers.

The state Senate voted last month to ban the manufacturing, sale or distribution of children's food and drink containers that contain the chemical BPA.

Minnesota and Connecticut have already banned BPA's use in making baby bottles.