Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Anthony WUWT and NPR

{edited 1/27/14 am to add some information about North Dakota's oil boom}

Mr. Watts, I read your gleeful headline: "We’re winning – National Public Radio guts its climate reporting team."  I'm thinking that could be your best line ever, perfectly summing up the Republican/Libertarian mentality and their agenda when it comes to learning about our home planet:
"Shut up, go away! It's about THE ECONOMY STUPID !"

Or as Anne Gudenkauf, senior supervising editor of NPR’s science desk puts it'the environment doesn’t necessarily requires dedicated reporters.'  
Who cares about our wondrous planet or the biosphere we all depend on.

Yes sir, Mr. WUWT, you, Gudenkauf and your Republican/Libertarian boosters have much to be thankful for this holiday season.  Although, old NPR listeners know full well, this is just the latest amputation of the once proud NPR.  Like a hapless creature being pulled apart by some nasty kids, Republican/Libertarian money interests have been having their way with NPR for quite a while now.  Not as fast or hard as they originally wanted, and once in a while NPR still come through, such as their recent Ebola coverage; nice job, that one.  Still overall, the masters of our universe got the puppy dog public radio they sought.  

Sad thing is, it goes well beyond NPR.  Consider, those changes at NPR would have been impossible had a motivated 'we the people' - you know, an engaged electorate - defended NPR against the special interests.  

But, no.  It's as though every year less and less people want to know about any of it.  As though apathy towards our life sustaining biosphere has become the new coping mechanism in the face of current difficulties and those frightening, but indisputable, trends and changes that are afoot all around us.

I know, i know, Anthony, you simply don't want to hear about it. 

And what's next? Why not shut down observations, and scientific studies? Perhaps you can destroy some scientific records?  Oh yea, already happening big time in Canada, of all places, (see following notes).  That way when keeping track of their oil spill "incidents" they can rubber-stamp the reports "No reported impacts to any water body or wildlife" - nothing to compare it to, nothing to report.  How tidy, fulfilling their commitment to society. Yes, sir.  

When it comes to our society's impacts on the atmosphere, oceans and climate, your message is loud and clear: SHUT UP.  
If forced to hear the news;  you'll refuse to consider it,
outright attack it and then attack the messengers.
You already have your truth, don't need no more.  

It's ludicrous and it's tragic, but it's your story and you're sticking to it, happy thanksgiving to you all and the children in your respective lives.  They will learn to appreciate what you have done.

Sincerely, CC

I've included Anthony's subsequent post regarding latest NPR emasculating, he didn't have anything else to add.  One sentence said it all.  Following that some further reading.

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Watts Up With That | October 25, 2014
From InsideClimate News: (hat tip to Michael E. Mann)


NPR has cut back on the number of staffers focused solely on the environment and climate change. 
Earlier this year, the news outlet had three full-time reporters and one editor dedicated to covering the issue within NPR’s science desk. One remains—and he is covering it only part-time. A few reporters on other desks occasionally cover the topic as well.The move to shift reporters off the environment beat was driven by an interest to cover other fields more in depth, said Anne Gudenkauf, senior supervising editor of NPR’s science desk. 
“We’ll think of a project we want to do and the kind of staff that we need to do it, and then organize ourselves that way,” she said. “One of the things we always do is change in response to the changing world.” 
Gudenkauf also said she doesn’t “feel like [the environment] necessarily requires dedicated reporters” because so many other staffers cover the subject, along with their other beats.Richard Harris, widely known as NPR’s climate science guru (he has reported on international treaty talks since 1992), started covering biomedicine in March. Elizabeth Shogren, who largely focused on the Environmental Protection Agency, is no longer at NPR. Vikki Valentine, the team’s editor, is now lead editor for the outlet’s global health and development coverage, which includes a new project launched this summer using a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Reporter Chris Joyce, a 21-year veteran of NPR, remains. 
More: http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141024/npr-reduces-its-environment-team-one-reporter

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What's Driving Chaotic Dismantling of Canada's Science Libraries? 
Scientists reject Harper gov't claims vital material is being saved digitally. 
By Andrew Nikiforuk, 23 Dec 2013, TheTyee.ca 
http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/12/23/Canadian-Science-Libraries/ 
Scientists say the closure of some of the world's finest fishery, ocean and environmental libraries by the Harper government has been so chaotic that irreplaceable collections of intellectual capital built by Canadian taxpayers for future generations has been lost forever.
Many collections such as the Maurice Lamontagne Institute Library in Mont-Joli, Quebec ended up in dumpsters while others such as Winnipeg's historic Freshwater Institute library were scavenged by citizens, scientists and local environmental consultants. Others were burned or went to landfills, say scientists.
 
ANATOMY OF A 'LIBRICIDE'[Editor's note: This is verbatim text from a DFO scientist sent to The Tyee.]The loss of seven out of nine DFO regional science libraries is a big tragedy.Here is a link to one comment suggesting it was an act of "Libricide." 
The first step in the process was to move the libraries from Science into Information Management and Technology Services (IMTS) several years ago. At that point DFO Science became merely a client of another sector of the department for library services. It is not known whether DFO Science management put up any opposition to the cuts when IMTS announced their plans last year. ... The decision to cut the libraries was made by executives within DFO rather than imposed by higher levels of government. It was done without any prior consultation with the DFO research community and researchers have been kept largely in the dark throughout the process. There has been very little information provided to DFO science staff or the public throughout the process. 
The cuts were carried out in great haste apparently in order to meet some unknown agenda. No records have been provided with regard to what material has been dumped or the value of this public property. No formal attempt was made to transfer material to libraries of existing academic institutions. 
Each of the seven regional libraries had thousands upon thousands of items in their holdings including unique valuable material of local regional significance documenting research into aquatic systems, fish stocks and fisheries carried out in the 1800s and early 1900s, as well as more recent grey literature such as laboratory reports, consultants reports, research vessel survey reports, reports of commissions of enquiries into fisheries etc. 
...
Furthermore, the government is falsely claiming that vital content is being retained by extensively digitizing material from nine regional libraries that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) whittled down to two
 
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Why is the Harper Administration Throwing Away Entire Libraries? 
01/09/2014 
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/desmog-canada/destruction-of-dfo-libraries_b_4569748.html 
"... Walter M. Miller Jr.'s classic sci-fi book A Canticle for Leibowitz tells the story of a post-apocalyptic future in which a small group of monks strive to preserve the remnants of humanity's scientific knowledge. After the destruction of civilization, in the absence of physical records of its history, humanity repeats the worst of its mistakes. ... 
"... It's hard not to think of these things when reading stories of the closure of seven of the eleven Department of Fisheries and Oceans libraries across Canada. Local media outlets have reported dumpsters full of books. The Winnipeg-based North/South Consultants brought a flatbed truck to the closure of the library at the University of Manitoba's Freshwater Institute and packed it full with the history of Canadian water. ..." 
"... When word first broke that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans was closing the libraries, government officials promised that there would be no loss of vital historical material. Today many are skeptical of those claims. ..." 
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/desmog-canada/destruction-of-dfo-libraries_b_4569748.html
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Then there's pretending that destroying our biosphere doesn't do harm.
First the official Alberta Energy Regulator's oil spill incident reports, 
followed by a peek at the irreparable destruction they hide from us.

https://sheet.zoho.com/view.do?url=http://www.aer.ca/Data/incidents/IncidentReporting.xls
For a some background see the reporting at WC Native News:

http://westcoastnativenews.com/pipeline-leak-imaginea-energy-corp-spills-60000-litres-of-toxic-water/  
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It's not quite that bad over here yet, 
but it's coming 

North Dakota Fails to Collect Fines for Fracking Violations
by Amanda Frank, 11/25/2014

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New York Times: "The Downside of the Boom"
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What North Dakota Would Look Like if Its Oil Drilling Lines Were Above ground

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Oilfield Environmental Incidents - Newer 
This is the data the ND Department of Health, Environmental Health Section, receives from the Oil and Gas Division whenever an Oilfield Environmental Incident report is filed. 

http://www.ndhealth.gov/ehs/foia/spills/defaultOGNotContained.aspx
http://www.ndhealth.gov/ehs/spills/

{It's interesting comparing the actual reports with what's on this data base}
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The Secrets of the “Secret Science” Bill
What House Republicans really mean when they call for reform of the EPA.
By Boer Deng | Science | NOV. 24 2014 2:29 PM


Few Republicans have kind words for the Environmental Protection Agency. Many refer to it as a menacing, conspiratorial madhouse—rather than an agency that takes up 0.2 percent of the federal government’s budget to keep the air and water clean. Michele Bachmann once pledged to padlock its doors; John Boehner has called it “nuts”; and Mitch McConnell says getting “the EPA reined in” will be a top priority when he ascends to Senate majority leader come January. ...

... Last Wednesday, the chamber approved the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014, which prohibits the EPA from “proposing, finalizing, or disseminating regulations or assessments based on science that is not transparent or reproducible.” It compels the agency to release all scientific and technical information used in its assessments. ...
~ ~ ~
Why the GOP Hates the National Science Foundation
Posted: May 27, 2011


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Get your eyes back on the prize


Our life sustaining Earth



Published by Natural World on Jul 15, 2014

Earth From Space Full HD Nova

The groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 
Produced in extensive consultation with NASA scientists, 
NOVA takes data from earth-observing satellites and transforms it into dazzling visual sequences, each one exposing the intricate and surprising web of forces that sustains life on earth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Food For Thought
A collection of recent attempts to examine contrarian tactics and the challenge of communicating with those who don't want to listen.

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2014 On Pace for Hottest Year
climatecentraldotorg




Published on Nov 20, 2014
The last time the world experienced a record-breaking cold year was in 1909, more than 100 years ago. But in that period, 18 records for warmest year have been set, with 2014 likely to be the 19th.
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Scientists react: 

2014 confirmed as hottest year on record

  • 16 Jan 2015, 17:13
  • Carbon Brief staff

NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)  have confirmed 2014 was the warmest year since records began in 1880.
The 10 warmest years in the instrumental record, with the exception of 1998, have now occurred since 2000.
Carbon Brief rounds up the reaction from scientists… 

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