iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Checking Your Blood Oxygen

Checking Your Blood Oxygen

Consider adding an oximeter to your pandemic medicine cabinet .
We ’ re all tired of this wretched virus , but that doesn ’ t mean it has finished with us .
I ’ m normally an optimist , someone with tremendous faith in human ingenuity .
But my best guess is that health care in much of the world is going to be under tremendous stress between now and the end of January .
Reducing our individual risk profile is still a smart move .
Low Vitamin D levels appear to be associated with higher COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vitamin D tablets a day .
( Some evidence suggests Vitamin D drops , which cost more , may be superior to tablets . )
A blood test can tell you if your Vitamin D levels are low , but there seems to be little interest in administering such tests .
( In the part of Canada in which I reside , they aren ’ t covered by provincial health insurance .
My better half and I each paid $ 40 for one recently , nevertheless . )
Taking zinc supplements also seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a bit harder to find in pharmacies .
Please also think about acquiring a way to assess your blood oxygen level – either through a stand alone device known as a pulse oximeter , or via a FitBit , a smartwatch , or even a smartphone app .
One of the weird things about COVID is that you can be on the verge of a medical crisis , yet not display the normal warning signs .
Writing in the New York Times back in April , physician Richard Levitan explained : There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who have Covid pneumonia sooner and treat them more effectively…It requires detecting silent hypoxia early through a common medical device that can be purchased without a prescription at most pharmacies : a pulse oximeter .
Pulse oximetry is no more complicated than using a thermometer .
These small devices turn on with one button and are placed on a fingertip .
In a few seconds , two numbers are displayed : oxygen saturation and pulse rate…Pulse oximeters helped save the lives of two emergency physicians I know , alerting them early on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they noticed their oxygen levels declining , both went to the hospital and recovered ( though one waited longer and required more treatment ) .
…People using the devices at home would want to consult with their doctors to reduce the number of people who come to the E.R .
unnecessarily because they misinterpret their device .
There also may be some patients who have unrecognized chronic lung problems and have borderline or slightly low oxygen saturations unrelated to Covid-19 .
[ bold added ] After reading the above , I mail-ordered two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but supplies seem to have stabilized since then .
On Amazon.com there are now plenty for sale in the $ 20- $ 40 range .
While awaiting delivery of mine , I downloaded an app on my iPhone that cost $ 10 .
You press your fingertip over the phone ’ s back camera , and it takes a reading .
I ’ ve used it multiple times , and its numbers have been comparable to those produced by the stand alone devices .
Strangely , though , that particular app has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store .
Stand alone devices usually indicate your pulse/heart rate first ( 60-100 is normal ) .
The second number is your oxygen level .
A normal reading is in the 94-100 range .
An informative , recent article over at PC Magazine titled How to Measure Your Blood Oxygen Level With the Apple Watch Series 6 , explains that “ consistent readings of less than 90 % are considered low and a potential sign of some underlying condition.
” If you get a series of such readings , do take them seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be nothing more than a malfunctioning device .
Or it may be an important red flag .
There are no guarantees , of course .
An oximeter is just a tool .
But as we head into what may be a grim holiday season , tools that provide useful information are good to have around .
If someone you care about is experiencing COVID-like symptoms , measuring their blood oxygen can help you decide how fast they should see a doctor .
• I pay close attention to medical professionals who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an ABC News story titled Meet the ICU doctor who is going viral for embracing a COVID-19 patient , introduced us to Joseph Varon , who has worked 250+ days straight battling the virus in a Houston hospital .
In April , when NYC was exploding , reinforcements were available from elsewhere .
But with more US residents than ever now hospitalized with COVID , and with those hospitalizations spread across the country , there ’ s little ability to recruit out-of-town help .
• Varon is chief of staff at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has won numerous awards , and receives high marks from patients .
In this 3-minute video , he says : “ I truly believe that the next six to 12 weeks are going to be the darkest weeks in modern American medical history.
” • He also says : “ We ’ re exhausted .
We are tired .
I have nurses that , in the middle of the day , start crying because , you know , they keep on getting patients , and there are just not enough nurses that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published in 2018 found that smartphone apps worked just as well as hospital grade oximeters , when tested on 81 young people .
You can read it here .
• If you jump to Amazon by clicking here , and subsequently purchase an oximeter , I ’ ll earn a small commission as an Amazon affiliate .
I use those funds to purchase books from Amazon .

Consider adding an oximeter to your pandemic medicine cabinet.
We’re all tired of this wretched virus, but that doesn’t mean it has finished with us. I’m normally an optimist, someone with tremendous faith in human ingenuity. But my best guess is that health care in much of the world is going to be under tremendous stress between now and the end of January.
Reducing our individual risk profile is still a smart move. Low Vitamin D levels appear to be associated with higher COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. So take a couple of inexpensive Vitamin D tablets a day. (Some evidence suggests Vitamin D drops, which cost more, may be superior to tablets.)
A blood test can tell you if your Vitamin D levels are low, but there seems to be little interest in administering such tests. (In the part of Canada in which I reside, they aren’t covered by provincial health insurance. My better half and I each paid $40 for one recently, nevertheless.) Taking zinc supplements also seems to be a good idea, despite being a bit harder to find in pharmacies.
Please also think about acquiring a way to assess your blood oxygen level – either through a stand alone device known as a pulse oximeter, or via a FitBit, a smartwatch, or even a smartphone app. One of the weird things about COVID is that you can be on the verge of a medical crisis, yet not display the normal warning signs. Writing in the New York Times back in April, physician Richard Levitan explained:
Patients compensate for the low oxygen in their blood by breathing faster and deeper – and this happens without their realizing it. This silent hypoxia…causes even more inflammation and more air sacs to collapse…In effect, patients are injuring their own lungs by breathing harder and harder…By the time patients have noticeable trouble breathing and present to the hospital with dangerously low oxygen levels…their pneumonia is already well advanced… [bold added]
Levitan continued:
There is a way we could identify more patients who have Covid pneumonia sooner and treat them more effectively…It requires detecting silent hypoxia early through a common medical device that can be purchased without a prescription at most pharmacies: a pulse oximeter. Pulse oximetry is no more complicated than using a thermometer. These small devices turn on with one button and are placed on a fingertip. In a few seconds, two numbers are displayed: oxygen saturation and pulse rate…Pulse oximeters helped save the lives of two emergency physicians I know, alerting them early on to the need for treatment. When they noticed their oxygen levels declining, both went to the hospital and recovered (though one waited longer and required more treatment). …People using the devices at home would want to consult with their doctors to reduce the number of people who come to the E.R. unnecessarily because they misinterpret their device. There also may be some patients who have unrecognized chronic lung problems and have borderline or slightly low oxygen saturations unrelated to Covid-19. [bold added]
After reading the above, I mail-ordered two oximeters. They took weeks to arrive, but supplies seem to have stabilized since then. On Amazon.com there are now plenty for sale in the $20-$40 range. While awaiting delivery of mine, I downloaded an app on my iPhone that cost $10. You press your fingertip over the phone’s back camera, and it takes a reading. I’ve used it multiple times, and its numbers have been comparable to those produced by the stand alone devices. Strangely, though, that particular app has since disappeared from Apple’s app store.
Stand alone devices usually indicate your pulse/heart rate first (60-100 is normal). The second number is your oxygen level. A normal reading is in the 94-100 range. An informative, recent article over at PC Magazine titled How to Measure Your Blood Oxygen Level With the Apple Watch Series 6, explains that “consistent readings of less than 90% are considered low and a potential sign of some underlying condition.”
If you get a series of such readings, do take them seriously and consult a medical professional. It may be nothing more than a malfunctioning device. Or it may be an important red flag.
There are no guarantees, of course. An oximeter is just a tool. But as we head into what may be a grim holiday season, tools that provide useful information are good to have around. If someone you care about is experiencing COVID-like symptoms, measuring their blood oxygen can help you decide how fast they should see a doctor.
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Data Sonification: A New Cosmic Triad of Sound

A new trio of examples of ‘ data sonification ’ from NASA missions provides a new method to enjoy an arrangement of cosmic objects .
Data sonification translates information collected by various NASA missions — such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory , Hubble Space Telescope , and Spitzer Space Telescope — into sounds .
This image of the Bullet Cluster ( officially known as 1E 0657-56 ) provided the first direct proof of dark matter , the mysterious unseen substance that makes up the vast majority of matter in the Universe .
X-rays from Chandra ( pink ) show where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clusters has been wrenched away from dark matter , seen through a process known as “ gravitational lensing ” in data from Hubble ( blue ) and ground-based telescopes .
In converting this into sound , the data pan left to right , and each layer of data was limited to a specific frequency range .
Data showing dark matter are represented by the lowest frequencies , while X-rays are assigned to the highest frequencies .
The galaxies in the image revealed by Hubble data , many of which are in the cluster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , within each layer , the pitch is set to increase from the bottom of the image to the top so that objects towards the top produce higher tones .
The Crab Nebula has been studied by people since it first appeared in Earth ’ s sky in 1054 A.D. Modern telescopes have captured its enduring engine powered by a quickly spinning neutron star that formed when a massive star collapsed .
The combination of rapid rotation and a strong magnetic field generates jets of matter and anti-matter flowing away from its poles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the translation of these data into sound , which also pans left to right , each wavelength of light has been paired with a different family of instruments .
X-rays from Chandra ( blue and white ) are brass , optical light data from Hubble ( purple ) are strings , and infrared data from Spitzer ( pink ) can be heard in the woodwinds .
In each case , light received towards the top of the image is played as higher pitched notes and brighter light is played louder .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the southern hemisphere saw a new object in the Large Magellanic Cloud , a small satellite galaxy to the Milky Way .
This was one of the brightest supernova explosions in centuries and soon became known as Supernova 1987A ( SN 87A ) .
This time lapse shows a series of Chandra ( blue ) and Hubble ( orange and red ) observations taken between 1999 and 2013 .
This shows a dense ring of gas , which was ejected by the star before it went supernova , begins to glow brighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the focus sweeps around the image , the data are converted into the sound of a crystal singing bowl , with brighter light being heard as higher and louder notes .
The optical data are converted to a higher range of notes than the X-ray data so both wavelengths of light can be heard simultaneously .
An interactive version lets the user play this astronomical instrument for themselves .
The data sonification project is led by the Chandra X-ray Center ( CXC ) as part of the NASA ’ s Universe of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Science Activation program strives to enable NASA science experts and to incorporate NASA science content into the learning environment effectively and efficiently for learners of all ages .
The collaboration was driven by visualization scientist Kimberly Arcand ( CXC ) , astrophysicist Matt Russo and musician Andrew Santaguida ( both of the SYSTEMS Sound project . )
NASA ’ s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program .
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory ’ s Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington , Massachusetts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute , working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC , Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian , Jet Propulsion Laboratory , and Sonoma State University .
For more Chandra images , multimedia and related materials , visit :

From NASA
Nov. 30, 2020
A new trio of examples of ‘data sonification’ from NASA missions provides a new method to enjoy an arrangement of cosmic objects. Data sonification translates information collected by various NASA missions — such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope — into sounds.
This image of the Bullet Cluster (officially known as 1E 0657-56) provided the first direct proof of dark matter, the mysterious unseen substance that makes up the vast majority of matter in the Universe. X-rays from Chandra (pink) show where the hot gas in two merging galaxy clusters has been wrenched away from dark matter, seen through a process known as “gravitational lensing” in data from Hubble (blue) and ground-based telescopes. In converting this into sound, the data pan left to right, and each layer of data was limited to a specific frequency range. Data showing dark matter are represented by the lowest frequencies, while X-rays are assigned to the highest frequencies. The galaxies in the image revealed by Hubble data, many of which are in the cluster, are in mid-range frequencies. Then, within each layer, the pitch is set to increase from the bottom of the image to the top so that objects towards the top produce higher tones.
This image of the Bullet Cluster (officially known as 1E 0657-56) provided the first direct proof of dark matter, the mysterious unseen substance that makes up the vast majority of matter in the Universe. X-rays from Chandra (pink) show where the hot gas in two merging galaxy clusters has been wrenched away from dark matter, seen through a process known as “gravitational lensing” in data from Hubble Space Telescope (blue) and ground-based telescopes. In converting this into sound, the data pan left to right, and each layer of data was limited to a specific frequency range. Data showing dark matter are represented by the lowest frequencies, while X-rays are assigned to the highest frequencies. The galaxies in the image revealed by Hubble data, many of which are in the cluster, are in mid-range frequencies. Then, within each layer, the pitch is set to increase from the bottom of the image to the top so that objects towards the top produce higher tones.Credits: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
The Crab Nebula has been studied by people since it first appeared in Earth’s sky in 1054 A.D. Modern telescopes have captured its enduring engine powered by a quickly spinning neutron star that formed when a massive star collapsed. The combination of rapid rotation and a strong magnetic field generates jets of matter and anti-matter flowing away from its poles, and winds outward from its equator. For the translation of these data into sound, which also pans left to right, each wavelength of light has been paired with a different family of instruments. X-rays from Chandra (blue and white) are brass, optical light data from Hubble (purple) are strings, and infrared data from Spitzer (pink) can be heard in the woodwinds. In each case, light received towards the top of the image is played as higher pitched notes and brighter light is played louder.
The Crab Nebula has been studied by people since it first appeared in Earth’s sky in 1054 A.D. Modern telescopes have captured its enduring engine powered by a quickly spinning neutron star that formed when a massive star collapsed. The combination of rapid rotation and a strong magnetic field generates jets of matter and anti-matter flowing away from its poles, and winds outward from its equator. For the translation of these data into sound, which also pans left to right, each wavelength of light has been paired with a different family of instruments. X-rays from Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue and white) are brass, optical light data from Hubble Space Telescope (purple) are strings, and infrared data from Spitzer (pink) can be heard in the woodwinds. In each case, light received towards the top of the image is played as higher pitched notes and brighter light is played louder.Credits: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
On February 24, 1987, observers in the southern hemisphere saw a new object in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. This was one of the brightest supernova explosions in centuries and soon became known as Supernova 1987A (SN 87A). This time lapse shows a series of Chandra (blue) and Hubble (orange and red) observations taken between 1999 and 2013. This shows a dense ring of gas, which was ejected by the star before it went supernova, begins to glow brighter as the supernova shockwave passes through. As the focus sweeps around the image, the data are converted into the sound of a crystal singing bowl, with brighter light being heard as higher and louder notes. The optical data are converted to a higher range of notes than the X-ray data so both wavelengths of light can be heard simultaneously. An interactive version lets the user play this astronomical instrument for themselves.
On February 24, 1987, observers in the southern hemisphere saw a new object in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. This was one of the brightest supernova explosions in centuries and soon became known as Supernova 1987A (SN 87A). This time lapse shows a series of Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and Hubble Space Telescope (orange and red) observations taken between 1999 and 2013. This shows a dense ring of gas, which was ejected by the star before it went supernova, begins to glow brighter as the supernova shockwave passes through. As the focus sweeps around the image, the data are converted into the sound of a crystal singing bowl, with brighter light being heard as higher and louder notes. The optical data are converted to a higher range of notes than the X-ray data so both wavelengths of light can be heard simultaneously.Credits: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
The data sonification project is led by the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) as part of the NASA’s Universe of Learning (UoL) program. NASA’s Science Activation program strives to enable NASA science experts and to incorporate NASA science content into the learning environment effectively and efficiently for learners of all ages. The collaboration was driven by visualization scientist Kimberly Arcand (CXC), astrophysicist Matt Russo and musician Andrew Santaguida (both of the SYSTEMS Sound project.)
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. NASA’s Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Sonoma State University.
Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/chandra
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Hollywood scenarios ruled out in north Atlantic Ocean study

The researchers conclude that “ the AMOC states in both the subpolar and subtropical North Atlantic between the 1990s and 2010s are indistinguishably different from each other ” .
In effect : nothing to see here , put the alarm bells away .
– – – Ocean vertical structures are changing as a result of global warming , says Phys.org .
Whether these changes are in pace with the ocean circulation is unknown .
Now , an international team of scientists from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology ( SCSIO ) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences , China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , Germany , gave an answer to the question .
According to their study published in Science Advances on Nov. 27 , ocean circulation changes and ocean interior property changes may not occur at the same pace as it was previously suggested .
The researchers found that despite profound decadal ocean interior property changes , the overturning circulation remains stable on decadal timescales since the 1990s .
“ The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation ( AMOC ) primarily consists of a northward-flowing upper limb that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower limb that is relatively cold and fresh , ” said Dr. FU Yao from SCSIO , leading author of the study .
The associated large net heat and freshwater transports are essential for regional and global climate .
“ Under global warming , there have been rising concerns that the AMOC is slowing down or will do so in the future , ” said Dr. WANG Chunzai , corresponding author of the study .
Hollywood science fiction movie The Day After Tomorrow even depicts catastrophic climate effects following a shutdown of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age .

The researchers conclude that “the AMOC states in both the subpolar and subtropical North Atlantic between the 1990s and 2010s are indistinguishably different from each other”. In effect: nothing to see here, put the alarm bells away.
– – –
Ocean vertical structures are changing as a result of global warming, says Phys.org.
Whether these changes are in pace with the ocean circulation is unknown.
Now, an international team of scientists from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S., and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany, gave an answer to the question.
According to their study published in Science Advances on Nov. 27, ocean circulation changes and ocean interior property changes may not occur at the same pace as it was previously suggested.
The researchers found that despite profound decadal ocean interior property changes, the overturning circulation remains stable on decadal timescales since the 1990s.
“The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) primarily consists of a northward-flowing upper limb that is warm and saline and a southward-flowing lower limb that is relatively cold and fresh,” said Dr. FU Yao from SCSIO, leading author of the study. The associated large net heat and freshwater transports are essential for regional and global climate.
“Under global warming, there have been rising concerns that the AMOC is slowing down or will do so in the future,” said Dr. WANG Chunzai, corresponding author of the study.
Hollywood science fiction movie The Day After Tomorrow even depicts catastrophic climate effects following a shutdown of the AMOC which leads to a new ice age.
Continued here.
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December 2, 2020 at 04:12AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Solar Desert Deep-Sixed In Rural Virginia

For the second time in 15 months , residents of rural Culpeper County , Virginia have risen up against a @ @ @ @ @ , forcing the would-be developers to withdraw their application to put the renewable energy facility @ @ @ @ @ picturesque rolling farmlands .
North Carolina-based Strata Solar had planned to build the $ 200 @ @ @ @ @ megawatts project on cleared timberland in southern Culpepper .
The land on which the industrial-sized @ @ @ @ @ built was zoned agricultural in keeping with the rural character of the area .
Maroon @ @ @ @ @ developer gave to the project , was supposed to be another step on the way @ @ @ @ @ energy future , but local officials and nearby residents raised strong objections .
The Culpepper @ @ @ @ @ BOS ) evaluated the project and , on Nov. 12 , held a well-attended , @ @ @ @ @ request by…

PA Pundits – International
By Bonner Cohen, Ph.D. ~
For the second time in 15 months, residents of rural Culpeper County, Virginia have risen up against a proposed massive solar array project, forcing the would-be developers to withdraw their application to put the renewable energy facility in the county’s picturesque rolling farmlands.
North Carolina-based Strata Solar had planned to build the $200 million, 1,700-acre, 149 megawatts project on cleared timberland in southern Culpepper. The land on which the industrial-sized solar array was to be built was zoned agricultural in keeping with the rural character of the area.
Maroon Solar, the name the developer gave to the project, was supposed to be another step on the way to a “carbon-free” energy future, but local officials and nearby residents raised strong objections. The Culpepper County Board of Supervisors (BOS) evaluated the project and, on Nov. 12, held a well-attended, four-hour public hearing on a request by…


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--The Pacific islands which are growing, despite sea level rise

A sprawling chain of volcanic islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean has grown in size over the past 70 years , despite sea level rises , a new study shows .
It confirms that atolls are built from sediment off modern coral reefs – and the health of the reefs is vital to keep the process going .
New Zealand and Canadian researchers studied an island on Ailinglaplap Atoll in the Marshall Islands using aerial photographs , satellite imagery and radiocarbon dating of sediment deposits .
Sediment build-up appeared to have caused the merging of what had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the western end of the island was continuing to extend , adding to the land area above sea level , the study found .
Radiocarbon dating was used to calculate the ages of coral fragments , shells and microscopic marine organisms at the island ’ s western end .
The sediment deposits were from more recent material , generally after 1950 .
Atolls are rings of coral , with islands on top of the coral and a lagoon inside the ring .
University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr Murray Ford , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the research showed that the atolls essentially depended on the health of the coral reef they were built on .
“ It ’ s all about the reef health , being able to produce sand and gravel to help make these islands and maintain them , ” he said .
Threats to the health of coral reefs included ocean acidification , reef bleaching and pollution .
There was a risk the engine room of island growth could be turned off , which would eventually have an effect on the island .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of material that built up the island .
Previously it was considered possible that older material being recycled around was causing changes to atolls , Ford said .
“ The big picture with this is the modern day coral reef can build an island even though the sea level is rising , ” he said .
“ The nice thing about these islands is everything that builds the island comes from the reef.
” The post The Pacific islands which are growing , despite sea level rise appeared first on The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

A sprawling chain of volcanic islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean has grown in size over the past 70 years, despite sea level rises, a new study shows.
A recent picture of part of the island in the study, with the outline of the land in 1943 in red. Photo US Department of Agriculture
It confirms that atolls are built from sediment off modern coral reefs – and the health of the reefs is vital to keep the process going.
New Zealand and Canadian researchers studied an island on Ailinglaplap Atoll in the Marshall Islands using aerial photographs, satellite imagery and radiocarbon dating of sediment deposits.
Sediment build-up appeared to have caused the merging of what had been two separate islands, and a spit at the western end of the island was continuing to extend, adding to the land area above sea level, the study found.
Radiocarbon dating was used to calculate the ages of coral fragments, shells and microscopic marine organisms at the island’s western end. The sediment deposits were from more recent material, generally after 1950.
US NATIONAL ARCHIVES – The land as it was in 1943, with the outline of the modern island in red.
Atolls are rings of coral, with islands on top of the coral and a lagoon inside the ring.
University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr Murray Ford, a coastal geomorphologist who worked on the study, said the research showed that the atolls essentially depended on the health of the coral reef they were built on.
“It’s all about the reef health, being able to produce sand and gravel to help make these islands and maintain them,” he said.
Threats to the health of coral reefs included ocean acidification, reef bleaching and pollution. There was a risk the engine room of island growth could be turned off, which would eventually have an effect on the island.
The study confirmed the modern reef was the source of material that built up the island. Previously it was considered possible that older material being recycled around was causing changes to atolls, Ford said.
“The big picture with this is the modern day coral reef can build an island even though the sea level is rising,” he said.
“The nice thing about these islands is everything that builds the island comes from the reef.”
The post The Pacific islands which are growing, despite sea level rise appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
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December 2, 2020 at 03:07AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Remembering Enron (Bankruptcy & layoffs 18-years ago today)

Note : On this day in 2002 , the politically correct , all-things-to-all-people Enron entered the workweek in bankruptcy .
Monday December 2nd was my last day at the company after a 16-year career there , as it was for several thousand other employees .
Enron , a unique story of corporate strategy and governance gone wrong , has been misinterpreted by the Progressive mainstream .
The company represented the failure of political capitalism , not market capitalism .
Its lessons extend to image environmentalism and renewable energy hyperbole , as I document in my book series on the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reprinted below for the historical record is an email from John Jennrich , founding editor of Natural Gas Week , to Enron author John Emshwiller and myself .
Jennrich discusses Enron ’ s role in the development of the modern natural gas market .
( His email of January 29 , 2020 , has been edited for clarity . )
I ’ ll be happy to talk about Ken Lay .
As Rob knows , I started the newsletter Natural Gas Week , which began publication in January 1985 .
I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left in mid-1996 for other employment .
That period coincides with much of Enron ’ s existence , starting with the ill-named Enteron that , once identified by the press as meaning human intestines , morphed into Enron .
NGW was launched by The Oil Daily Co. to cover the natural gas market as federal control over natural gas prices was partially ended on January 1 , 1985 .
Specifically , as federal price-setters slowly backed off , the gas industry needed guidance on setting prices in interstate markets .
NGW and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information from market participants , volume-weighting the results , and reporting natgas prices for various market hubs and other price points throughout the country .
As federal price-setting dissolved over the following years , market participants tied their sales contracts to our published prices for the physical commodity of natural gas .
In April 1990 , the New York Mercantile Exchange ( NYMEX ) began trading in natural gas futures , keyed to the Henry Hub , a confluence of about a dozen gas pipelines near Erath , Louisiana .
That created another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one supply point .
Calculating prices for other locations in the United States required adding transportation costs .
As a result , publications such as mine retained their value because we reported commodity prices for 50 locations or more throughout the country .
NGW ’ s interest in Ken Lay and Enron , as well as in many other producers , pipelines , and marketing companies , was to assess their effects on the natural gas market — specifically , on prices .
We took interest in company activities such as acquisitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior executives .
But we wanted to know what effect a company had on gas markets .
We were especially interested in Enron because of its early involvement in derivatives trading and its unbridled support for natural gas at a time when most oil and gas producers tended to favor the oil side of the house , and when gas as a commodity competed against coal for power generation .
Enron also changed the way natural gas was purchased .
Before Enron , buyers of gas ( normally pipeline companies ) tied their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas field , where many wells would be drilled .
Such contracts might run “ for the life of the well , ” which meant that fairly quickly the total volume of gas purchased would shrink as the wells depleted ( a process that was inevitable but which could take years ) .
Enron instead told buyers they were buying from the company , not from a specific well or field , and Enron would guarantee the flow of the specific volume as originally contracted .
[ Ed note : The Gas Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ascending : The Forgotten Years ( 2018 ) , pp .
236–38 , and https : //ift.tt/2VpU9XV % 5D Enron , at heart , was involved in gas aggregation , marketing , and hedging in order to supply the guaranteed volume to buyers .
Of course , Enron the corporation had a leg up because it owned the producer Enron Oil & Gas , but EOG ’ s production was not enough to supply all the sales contracts .
That meant that Enron had to get heavily , and expertly , involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling it .
Enron , under the guidance of Ken Lay as well as Rich Kinder , Jeff Skilling , and others , had a solid production company and at the time the greatest mileage of pipelines ( about 42,000 miles , if I remember correctly ) .
But its genius was to change the way the gas market worked by using the tools of gas aggregation , physical and futures trading , and hedging — as well as integrating renewables ( solar and wind ) into the energy mix — to emphasize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it considered critical to the country in moving to a reduced-carbon future .
In short , Ken Lay and Enron were bullish on natural gas supply at a time when many others were skeptical , including the McKinsey consultants , for whom Skilling previously worked .
In time , Jeff changed his view ( as he told me in an interview ) to align closer to Ken ’ s view , as well as the views of geologists Mike Halbouty , Robert Hefner of GHK Companies , and Bill Fisher , head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Texas at Austin .
( For what it ’ s worth , today the United States is the world ’ s largest producer of both oil and natural gas .
In short , the gas supply bulls were right about the resource . )
In removing the rose-tinted glasses , it is obvious that Enron achieved its success in ways good and bad ; in fact , lots of bad .
I don ’ t want to minimize the evils of crooked-E Enron , but the company also changed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally , for the better .

Note: On this day in 2002, the politically correct, all-things-to-all-people Enron entered the workweek in bankruptcy. Monday December 2nd was my last day at the company after a 16-year career there, as it was for several thousand other employees.
Enron, a unique story of corporate strategy and governance gone wrong, has been misinterpreted by the Progressive mainstream. The company represented the failure of political capitalism, not market capitalism. Its lessons extend to image environmentalism and renewable energy hyperbole, as I document in my book series on the company, as well as in shorter articles.
Reprinted below for the historical record is an email from John Jennrich, founding editor of Natural Gas Week, to Enron author John Emshwiller and myself. Jennrich discusses Enron’s role in the development of the modern natural gas market. (His email of January 29, 2020, has been edited for clarity.)
——————————————
I’ll be happy to talk about Ken Lay. As Rob knows, I started the newsletter Natural Gas Week, which began publication in January 1985. I was editor and columnist of NGW until I left in mid-1996 for other employment. That period coincides with much of Enron’s existence, starting with the ill-named Enteron that, once identified by the press as meaning human intestines, morphed into Enron.
Natural Gas Week
NGW was launched by The Oil Daily Co. to cover the natural gas market as federal control over natural gas prices was partially ended on January 1, 1985. Specifically, as federal price-setters slowly backed off, the gas industry needed guidance on setting prices in interstate markets.
NGW and my competitors filled the void by gathering price information from market participants, volume-weighting the results, and reporting natgas prices for various market hubs and other price points throughout the country. As federal price-setting dissolved over the following years, market participants tied their sales contracts to our published prices for the physical commodity of natural gas.
In April 1990, the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) began trading in natural gas futures, keyed to the Henry Hub, a confluence of about a dozen gas pipelines near Erath, Louisiana. That created another measure of gas prices, although limited to one supply point. Calculating prices for other locations in the United States required adding transportation costs. As a result, publications such as mine retained their value because we reported commodity prices for 50 locations or more throughout the country.
Enron and Natural Gas Pricing
NGW’s interest in Ken Lay and Enron, as well as in many other producers, pipelines, and marketing companies, was to assess their effects on the natural gas market — specifically, on prices. We took interest in company activities such as acquisitions, reorganizations, and the hiring of senior executives. But we wanted to know what effect a company had on gas markets.
We were especially interested in Enron because of its early involvement in derivatives trading and its unbridled support for natural gas at a time when most oil and gas producers tended to favor the oil side of the house, and when gas as a commodity competed against coal for power generation. Enron also changed the way natural gas was purchased. Before Enron, buyers of gas (normally pipeline companies) tied their purchase contracts to a specific well or gas field, where many wells would be drilled.
Such contracts might run “for the life of the well,” which meant that fairly quickly the total volume of gas purchased would shrink as the wells depleted (a process that was inevitable but which could take years). Enron instead told buyers they were buying from the company, not from a specific well or field, and Enron would guarantee the flow of the specific volume as originally contracted. [Ed note: The Gas Bank concept is discussed in Bradley, Enron Ascending: The Forgotten Years (2018), pp. 236–38, and https://ift.tt/2VpU9XV%5D
Enron, at heart, was involved in gas aggregation, marketing, and hedging in order to supply the guaranteed volume to buyers. Of course, Enron the corporation had a leg up because it owned the producer Enron Oil & Gas, but EOG’s production was not enough to supply all the sales contracts. That meant that Enron had to get heavily, and expertly, involved in buying gas from others as well as selling it.
Enron, under the guidance of Ken Lay as well as Rich Kinder, Jeff Skilling, and others, had a solid production company and at the time the greatest mileage of pipelines (about 42,000 miles, if I remember correctly). But its genius was to change the way the gas market worked by using the tools of gas aggregation, physical and futures trading, and hedging — as well as integrating renewables (solar and wind) into the energy mix — to emphasize using natural gas to produce electricity, which it considered critical to the country in moving to a reduced-carbon future.
In short, Ken Lay and Enron were bullish on natural gas supply at a time when many others were skeptical, including the McKinsey consultants, for whom Skilling previously worked. In time, Jeff changed his view (as he told me in an interview) to align closer to Ken’s view, as well as the views of geologists Mike Halbouty, Robert Hefner of GHK Companies, and Bill Fisher, head of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. (For what it’s worth, today the United States is the world’s largest producer of both oil and natural gas. In short, the gas supply bulls were right about the resource.)
In removing the rose-tinted glasses, it is obvious that Enron achieved its success in ways good and bad; in fact, lots of bad. I don’t want to minimize the evils of crooked-E Enron, but the company also changed the natural gas market forever — and, generally, for the better.


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Without investigating FBI and Dept of Justice know there was no fraud

Lou Dobbs Tonight was scathing on the Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice So many resources , yet so little results .
How are the FBI or the DOJ serving the American people ?
Weeks after the most contentious election ever in the United States and there is no sign these major institutions are even checking the incidents being reported of voting irregularities .
Like the climate debate , why is it left mainly to volunteers to research and investigate something so important to the people ?
Why aren ’ t the legacy media investigating and interviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr , who has been absent for weeks , has made no public statement for 40 days during a national crisis , today said “ The FBI agents who have followed up on the election .
We have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election ” .
Dobbs says “ in no way can he honestly say that “ the FBI has with any integrity or intensity , investigated voter fraud in this country.
” What have Barr and his department looked into ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ … ]

Lou Dobbs Tonight was scathing on the Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice
So many resources, yet so little results. How are the FBI or the DOJ serving the American people? Weeks after the most contentious election ever in the United States and there is no sign these major institutions are even checking the incidents being reported of voting irregularities.
Like the climate debate, why is it left mainly to volunteers to research and investigate something so important to the people?
Why aren’t the legacy media investigating and interviewing witnesses?
The Attorney General, William Barr, who has been absent for weeks, has made no public statement for 40 days during a national crisis, today said “The FBI agents who have followed up on the election. We have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election”. Dobbs says “in no way can he honestly say that “the FBI has with any integrity or intensity, investigated voter fraud in this country.”
What have Barr and his department looked into?
… …
Congressman Jim Jordan (Rep): The American people deserve the truth.
I have never seen an election […]
Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)
via JoNova
https://ift.tt/2JFhy5e
December 2, 2020 at 01:20AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--UPHEAVAL – A Short Novel

UPHEAVAL – A Short Novel

Susan J. Crockford — biologist , author and bone whisperer – has today released her latest fiction effort : “ UPHEAVAL- a short novel ” .
[ Just now available from Amazon in Kindle e-book and Paperback formats ] Eighty-six year old Duff Gillies didn ’ t want to die without telling the story of what he ’ d witnessed during the great sea ice tsunami that devastated Cape Breton Island , Nova Scotia back in 2026 .
That was the winter he ’ d agreed to take young Izzy Walker on as his student aboard the Ice Queen and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of St. Lawrence for the first time .
After an unsettling polar bear encounter out on the ice , Duff thought he ’ d seen everything but then three ice-covered waves turned his quiet maritime existence upside down .
Called on to help a good friend rescue his brother , he and Izzy witnessed first-hand the devastating toll the tsunami had taken .
But Duff had an experience no one else did and it came to haunt him .
This fictional first-person account of the greatest tsunami disaster ever to hit a North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to miss .
It ’ s a short novel that will leave you astonished at the destructive power a tsunami can muster when it teams up with thick sea ice cover.
” – source This is a terrific little book – short enough at 159 pages to read in a single bout of insomnia or to pass a pleasant afternoon or long evening on a cold rainy winter day ( which is exactly what I did the minute I received my advance review copy ) .
The story takes place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have never visited but had no trouble visualizing from Crockford ’ s almost cinematic prose : This map , included in the book , will help those unfamiliar with the area to find their way around .
Those familiar with the sea will see at once the possibilities presented by the geography of the Cabot Strait , which runs between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia – our protagonists live on the northeastern-facing shores of Cape Breton Island , at Neil ’ s Harbour , on the Sydney Bight .
As the book quip has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just off the southwest shore of Newfoundland , marked “ Epicenter ” .
I always find that maps help me understand a story that takes place across a wider area .
I offer this rendering of the geography – the nautical chart of North/South Harbours with a detail of Dingwall Harbour .
When you read the book , you can use this one for detailed reference : Dingwall Harbour is under ½ mile long – and sees a lot of the action .
Neil ’ s Harbour , Duff ’ s home port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the bottom right of the chart above .
I know we have geologists and geographers reading here , I ’ ll let them explain in the comments the consequences to be expected from the quake – and the resulting tsunami — and geography .
Having spent about one-half of my adult life living aboard ships and boats on the seas , I can personally attest to the authenticity of nautical details of the book .
Full of fascinating detail of the seal hunting life in the Gulf of St. Lawrence , hunting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the book is insightful and will expand the readers ’ breadth of experience .
And it exposes the inner-life and thoughts of an old man of the sea coming to grips with forces of nature that can humble even a man of unending confidence .
After introducing the story as the re-collections of an old man trapped by the nursing home restrictions implemented after the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 which limit visitors to once a month – we read what Duff Gillies records on tape for his grandson to transcribe — his never-before-told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cape Breton Island Ice Tsunami of 2026 ( five years in our future ) , Regardless of your interests , you ’ ll find this book a rewarding and fulfilling read .
You will not be disappointed .
Boats , adventure , the sea in winter….and , did I mention Polar Bears ?
Yes , there are polar bears ready and willing for action .
Who could possibly ask for more ?
I read a lot .
I write some .
And I recommend this book to anyone looking for that ever-so-rare commodity @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Book Review by Kip Hansen — 1 December 2020
Susan J. Crockford — biologist, author and bone whisperer – has today released her latest fiction effort: “UPHEAVAL- a short novel”.
[Just now available from Amazon in Kindle e-book and Paperback formats]
Here’s the leader from Dr. Crockford:
Eighty-six year old Duff Gillies didn’t want to die without telling the story of what he’d witnessed during the great sea ice tsunami that devastated Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia back in 2026. That was the winter he’d agreed to take young Izzy Walker on as his student aboard the Ice Queen and the year polar bears invaded the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the first time. After an unsettling polar bear encounter out on the ice, Duff thought he’d seen everything but then three ice-covered waves turned his quiet maritime existence upside down. Called on to help a good friend rescue his brother, he and Izzy witnessed first-hand the devastating toll the tsunami had taken. But Duff had an experience no one else did and it came to haunt him. This fictional first-person account of the greatest tsunami disaster ever to hit a North American shore is a story you won’t want to miss. It’s a short novel that will leave you astonished at the destructive power a tsunami can muster when it teams up with thick sea ice cover.” – source
This is a terrific little book – short enough at 159 pages to read in a single bout of insomnia or to pass a pleasant afternoon or long evening on a cold rainy winter day (which is exactly what I did the minute I received my advance review copy).
The story takes place in a part of the world I have never visited but had no trouble visualizing from Crockford’s almost cinematic prose:
This map, included in the book, will help those unfamiliar with the area to find their way around. Those familiar with the sea will see at once the possibilities presented by the geography of the Cabot Strait, which runs between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia – our protagonists live on the northeastern-facing shores of Cape Breton Island, at Neil’s Harbour, on the Sydney Bight. As the book quip has already revealed, an earthquake takes place just off the southwest shore of Newfoundland, marked “Epicenter”.
I always find that maps help me understand a story that takes place across a wider area. I offer this rendering of the geography – the nautical chart of North/South Harbours with a detail of Dingwall Harbour. When you read the book, you can use this one for detailed reference:
Dingwall Harbour is under ½ mile long – and sees a lot of the action. Neil’s Harbour, Duff’s home port, is just south of the point at the bottom right of the chart above.
I know we have geologists and geographers reading here, I’ll let them explain in the comments the consequences to be expected from the quake – and the resulting tsunami — and geography. Having spent about one-half of my adult life living aboard ships and boats on the seas, I can personally attest to the authenticity of nautical details of the book.
Full of fascinating detail of the seal hunting life in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, hunting on the shifting and ever-changing ice, the book is insightful and will expand the readers’ breadth of experience. And it exposes the inner-life and thoughts of an old man of the sea coming to grips with forces of nature that can humble even a man of unending confidence.
After introducing the story as the re-collections of an old man trapped by the nursing home restrictions implemented after the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 which limit visitors to once a month – we read what Duff Gillies records on tape for his grandson to transcribe — his never-before-told story of his personal experiences during the Cape Breton Island Ice Tsunami of 2026 (five years in our future),
Regardless of your interests, you’ll find this book a rewarding and fulfilling read. You will not be disappointed.
Boats, adventure, the sea in winter….and, did I mention Polar Bears? Yes, there are polar bears ready and willing for action. Who could possibly ask for more?
I read a lot. I write some. And I recommend this book to anyone looking for that ever-so-rare commodity — a just plain Good Read.
# # # # #
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-02--Nothing Sustainable About Wind & Solar Power Generation – Except Massive Government Subsidies

After 30 years of operation , enterprises that would collapse overnight without massive subsidies ain ’ t “ industries ” – which is what wind and large-scale solar outfits spuriously claim to be .
And when RE rent seekers talk about their “ sustainable ” business model , that ’ s just code for ensuring that those massive subsidies outlast religion .
Following that theme , Robert Bradley Jr gives us a timely primer on energy economics below .
Energy , as Julian Simon emphasized , is the master resource .
Without energy , other resources could not be produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : usable mineral energies require energy to manufacture and to power the requisite tools and machinery .
Nor would there be wind turbines or solar panels , which are monuments to embedded fossil-fuel energy .
Fossil fuels upgrade renewable energies to be part of the electricity grid .
Short of prohibitively expensive storage , natural gas-generated power , in particular , fills in when the wind does not blow or the sun does not shine .
As an input to all products and services , energy must be affordable , convenient , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy should respect consumer preference and allow energy entrepreneurs to meet the demands of the marketplace .
This requires a respect for private property rights , voluntary exchange , and the rule of law to facilitate the global exchange of energy and its innumerable subcomponents .
Government Intervention Global energy supplies are primarily owned by governments rather than by individuals , giving rise to ‘ energy security ’ problems for some nations with some fuels .
In state-run economies , political elites make the decisions that otherwise would be made by the millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government-dictated win-lose transactions .
Wealth is redistributed rather than created .
Pure waste results from the intervention of ( political ) third parties into what otherwise would be mutually advantageous self-interested exchange .
For example , electric utilities may be forced to buy wind power , solar power , or another politically correct energy under a state or federal law .
A mandate is required because a free marketplace would not support such an expensive , unreliable—noncompetitive—supply .
Oil and gas producers may be unable to access prospects because of government constraint .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced , and higher-cost substitutes elsewhere pick up some of the slack .
Consumers are left with less supply and higher prices .
Economists have a name for this : inefficiency .
Government intervention may also give life to uneconomic projects .
Such ventures may include a synthetic fuel plant , carbon capture and storage , a “ smart ” electricity grid , or a nuclear plant .
Resources that go to these projects do not go to other more economical projects ( which may or may not be in the energy sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resources are again misallocated .
Nonmarket Failure Proponents of government intervention cite “ market failure ” as the reason for regulating or subsidizing energy projects .
Negative externalities created by self-interested exchange are said to require government modification of transactions in ways ranging from a prohibition to a tax .
But there are two other types of failure that also must be considered before rushing to policy judgment .
One is an analytic failure , in which the outside evaluator ’ s prescription for intervention ( such as a per barrel “ energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a per ton “ climate change ” tax on carbon dioxide emissions ) overcorrects or under corrects for the “ real ” problem .
The error might be purely intellectual—or it might reflect the personal prejudice of the analyst .
Fallible self-interest in the marketplace has a counterpart in the ivory tower .
Second , there is government failure whereby even the “ correct ” analytical blueprint is altered and violated in the political process .
Special-interest tinkering adds to or subtracts from the core proposal , and “ log rolling ” ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation just to win votes ) is resorted to .
House passage of a cap-and-trade energy bill back in 2010 , and healthcare legislation enacted a year later , are stark evidence of sausage-making in Washington , D.C.—and something scarcely recognizable in “ we the people ” textbooks .
Thus , “ market failure ” does not automatically require government correction .
This suggests a different approach .
Knowing that solutions are likely to be as or more imperfect than problems , alleged market failures should be scrutinized to see if they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whether the real problems can be addressed by novel voluntary approaches and reforms rather than by government dictates .
Intellectual and political debates over energy have revolved around four “ sustainability ” issues : • Future supply growth of oil , gas , and coal in light of the fixity/depletion view of minerals .
• Security of supply , particularly oil imports to the U.S. from the Middle East .
• Global warming ( aka climate change ) from man ’ s use of carbon-based energy .
Whole books address these issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conclude that mankind is on a perilous path , and government-engineered energy transformation is necessary .
But students of history must ask : Has a political makeover of any industry ever worked well for consumers and taxpayers ?
Or has it had the opposite effect ?
Market makeovers from shifting consumer demand , also known as creative destruction , is one thing ; governments wielding carrots-and-sticks to pick winners and losers is quite another .
Federal energy planning during World War I , the Great Depression/New Deal , World War II , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ energy crisis ” are case studies of the predictable and unpredicted consequences of government intervention .
Price controls on natural gas , crude oil , and petroleum products create the very problems that planning is advertised to prevent and require more intervention in the production , transportation , refining/separation , wholesaling , and retailing of the same .
The argument for free markets to address the four major sustainability issues can be summarized as follows : • Estimated quantities of recoverable oil , gas , and coal have been increasing over time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ingenuity in market settings has and will continue to overcome nature ’ s limits , leaving in its wake errant forecasts of resource exhaustion .
The resource challenge is political : allowing access and incentive so that the ultimate resource of human innovation and entrepreneurship can expand new energy supplies and multiply its productive utilization .
• Statistics of air and water quality in the United States show dramatic environmental improvement and , in fact , indicate a positive correlation between energy usage and environmental betterment .
While improvements have been achieved by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results have come at a higher cost than necessary .
• Energy security in the electricity market is assured by abundant domestic coal and the fact that almost all U.S. natural gas imports are from Canada .
Most of the oil needed for transportation comes from domestic supplies supplemented by imports from a variety of ally countries , led by Canada and Mexico .
The rise and maturation of hydraulic fractionation for oil and gas production has all but eliminated yesterday ’ s “ energy security ” concerns .
• The global warming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , and open scientific questions ; unsavory economic tradeoffs , and the reality that carbon-based energy is requisite to economic coordination and prosperity .
Carbon rationing is a failed policy for the developed world and a nonstarter for the developing world .
Not only have targeted reductions under the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Accord proved elusive , but the prospects of future cooperation short of ruinous carbon taxes and tariffs also make the cure worse than the disease .
Rather than expand government , public policy should end preferential subsidies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to public-land resources , and privatize such assets as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve .
Multi-billion-dollar energy programs at the U.S. Department of Energy can be eliminated .
Such policy reform can simultaneously increase energy supply , improve energy security , reduce energy costs , and increase the size of the private sector relative to the public sector .
The Real Sustainability Problem : Statism From Al Gore to Joe Biden , the “ planetary emergency ” is six-to-seven billion people using oil , gas , or coal for most of their energy needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of millions of people do not use modern forms of energy .
Rampant statism in place of economic freedom and individual empowerment is the energy crisis of today .
Towards Freedom Freedom , reason , and persuasion–not coercion—is a worthy goal .
The initiation of force should be a last resort given the ability of free people to improve their situation and correct problems .
In the U.S. energy sector , market reliance has produced economic coordination , fostered economic growth , and democratized wealth .
Government intervention , on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970s with U.S. oil and gas price controls , has produced shortages , civil strife , and bureaucratic waste .
Markets are not perfect , inspiring some to devise and champion government intervention into energy .
But political solutions must contend with analytic failure , implementation problems , and public-sector ( taxpayer ) costs .
Imperfect markets , in other words , may well be better than “ perfect ” regulation in the real world .
The burden of proof , therefore , should be on government intervention , rather than on voluntary @ @ @ @

After 30 years of operation, enterprises that would collapse overnight without massive subsidies ain’t “industries” – which is what wind and large-scale solar outfits spuriously claim to be.
And when RE rent seekers talk about their “sustainable” business model, that’s just code for ensuring that those massive subsidies outlast religion.
Following that theme, Robert Bradley Jr gives us a timely primer on energy economics below.
A Free Market Energy Vision
Master Resource
Robert Bradley Jr.
4 November 2020
Energy, as Julian Simon emphasized, is the master resource. Without energy, other resources could not be produced or consumed. Even energy requires energy: usable mineral energies require energy to manufacture and to power the requisite tools and machinery. Nor would there be wind turbines or solar panels, which are monuments to embedded fossil-fuel energy.
Fossil fuels upgrade renewable energies to be part of the electricity grid. Short of prohibitively expensive storage, natural gas-generated power, in particular, fills in when the wind does not blow or the sun does not shine.
As an input to all products and services, energy must be affordable, convenient, and reliable. To this end, public policy should respect consumer preference and allow energy entrepreneurs to meet the demands of the marketplace. This requires a respect for private property rights, voluntary exchange, and the rule of law to facilitate the global exchange of energy and its innumerable subcomponents.
Government Intervention
Global energy supplies are primarily owned by governments rather than by individuals, giving rise to ‘energy security’ problems for some nations with some fuels. In state-run economies, political elites make the decisions that otherwise would be made by the millions. Win-win voluntary exchanges are supplanted by government-dictated win-lose transactions. Wealth is redistributed rather than created. Pure waste results from the intervention of (political) third parties into what otherwise would be mutually advantageous self-interested exchange.
For example, electric utilities may be forced to buy wind power, solar power, or another politically correct energy under a state or federal law. A mandate is required because a free marketplace would not support such an expensive, unreliable—noncompetitive—supply.
Oil and gas producers may be unable to access prospects because of government constraint. In such cases, supply is not produced, and higher-cost substitutes elsewhere pick up some of the slack. Consumers are left with less supply and higher prices. Economists have a name for this: inefficiency.
Government intervention may also give life to uneconomic projects. Such ventures may include a synthetic fuel plant, carbon capture and storage, a “smart” electricity grid, or a nuclear plant. Resources that go to these projects do not go to other more economical projects (which may or may not be in the energy sector) as judged by the marketplace. Resources are again misallocated.
Nonmarket Failure
Proponents of government intervention cite “market failure” as the reason for regulating or subsidizing energy projects. Negative externalities created by self-interested exchange are said to require government modification of transactions in ways ranging from a prohibition to a tax.
But there are two other types of failure that also must be considered before rushing to policy judgment.
One is an analytic failure, in which the outside evaluator’s prescription for intervention (such as a per barrel “energy security” tax on oil imports or a per ton “climate change” tax on carbon dioxide emissions) overcorrects or under corrects for the “real” problem. The error might be purely intellectual—or it might reflect the personal prejudice of the analyst. Fallible self-interest in the marketplace has a counterpart in the ivory tower.
Second, there is government failure whereby even the “correct” analytical blueprint is altered and violated in the political process. Special-interest tinkering adds to or subtracts from the core proposal, and “log rolling” (where extraneous issues are added to the legislation just to win votes) is resorted to.
House passage of a cap-and-trade energy bill back in 2010, and healthcare legislation enacted a year later, are stark evidence of sausage-making in Washington, D.C.—and something scarcely recognizable in “we the people” textbooks.
Thus, “market failure” does not automatically require government correction. This suggests a different approach. Knowing that solutions are likely to be as or more imperfect than problems, alleged market failures should be scrutinized to see if they are really serious problems. And if so, whether the real problems can be addressed by novel voluntary approaches and reforms rather than by government dictates.
Energy Sustainability: Markets, Not Government
Intellectual and political debates over energy have revolved around four “sustainability” issues:
Future supply growth of oil, gas, and coal in light of the fixity/depletion view of minerals. Air and water pollution from fossil fuels. Security of supply, particularly oil imports to the U.S. from the Middle East. Global warming (aka climate change) from man’s use of carbon-based energy.
Whole books address these issues, most from the market-failure viewpoint, to conclude that mankind is on a perilous path, and government-engineered energy transformation is necessary.
But students of history must ask: Has a political makeover of any industry ever worked well for consumers and taxpayers? Or has it had the opposite effect? Market makeovers from shifting consumer demand, also known as creative destruction, is one thing; governments wielding carrots-and-sticks to pick winners and losers is quite another.
Federal energy planning during World War I, the Great Depression/New Deal, World War II, the Korean War, and the 1970s “energy crisis” are case studies of the predictable and unpredicted consequences of government intervention. Price controls on natural gas, crude oil, and petroleum products create the very problems that planning is advertised to prevent and require more intervention in the production, transportation, refining/separation, wholesaling, and retailing of the same.
The argument for free markets to address the four major sustainability issues can be summarized as follows:
Estimated quantities of recoverable oil, gas, and coal have been increasing over time according to the statistical record. Human ingenuity in market settings has and will continue to overcome nature’s limits, leaving in its wake errant forecasts of resource exhaustion. The resource challenge is political: allowing access and incentive so that the ultimate resource of human innovation and entrepreneurship can expand new energy supplies and multiply its productive utilization. Statistics of air and water quality in the United States show dramatic environmental improvement and, in fact, indicate a positive correlation between energy usage and environmental betterment. While improvements have been achieved by politicized, command-and-control environmental regulation, the results have come at a higher cost than necessary. Energy security in the electricity market is assured by abundant domestic coal and the fact that almost all U.S. natural gas imports are from Canada. Most of the oil needed for transportation comes from domestic supplies supplemented by imports from a variety of ally countries, led by Canada and Mexico. The rise and maturation of hydraulic fractionation for oil and gas production has all but eliminated yesterday’s “energy security” concerns. The global warming scare remains plagued by exaggeration, one-sided research, and open scientific questions; unsavory economic tradeoffs, and the reality that carbon-based energy is requisite to economic coordination and prosperity. Carbon rationing is a failed policy for the developed world and a nonstarter for the developing world. Not only have targeted reductions under the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Accord proved elusive, but the prospects of future cooperation short of ruinous carbon taxes and tariffs also make the cure worse than the disease.
Rather than expand government, public policy should end preferential subsidies for politically favored energies, depoliticize access to public-land resources, and privatize such assets as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Multi-billion-dollar energy programs at the U.S. Department of Energy can be eliminated. Such policy reform can simultaneously increase energy supply, improve energy security, reduce energy costs, and increase the size of the private sector relative to the public sector.
The Real Sustainability Problem: Statism
From Al Gore to Joe Biden, the “planetary emergency” is six-to-seven billion people using oil, gas, or coal for most of their energy needs. But the real emergency is the hundreds of millions of people do not use modern forms of energy. Rampant statism in place of economic freedom and individual empowerment is the energy crisis of today.
Towards Freedom
Freedom, reason, and persuasion–not coercion—is a worthy goal. The initiation of force should be a last resort given the ability of free people to improve their situation and correct problems. In the U.S. energy sector, market reliance has produced economic coordination, fostered economic growth, and democratized wealth. Government intervention, on the other hand, such as occurred in the 1970s with U.S. oil and gas price controls, has produced shortages, civil strife, and bureaucratic waste.
Markets are not perfect, inspiring some to devise and champion government intervention into energy. But political solutions must contend with analytic failure, implementation problems, and public-sector (taxpayer) costs. Imperfect markets, in other words, may well be better than “perfect” regulation in the real world. The burden of proof, therefore, should be on government intervention, rather than on voluntary transactions.
Master Resource