iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--China to expand its fleet of coal power plants by 10%

Chinese state-owned utilities are betting on coal ’ s longevity by building new coal-fired power plants , with their fleets set to expand about 10 % by 2025 .
The future of coal looks like an ice cream truck parked half a kilometer down a mine shaft in China ’ s Shanxi province .
The yellow and white vehicle is equipped with a 5G router from Huawei Technologies Co. to gather data for the mine ’ s control center , where technicians monitor high-definition feeds on a screen the size of a two-story house .
They ’ re tracking temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black lumps zipping along conveyor belts on the way up to waiting trucks .
The data collection would previously have been done by workers down in the pit , but Yangquan Coal Industry Group has managed to eliminate some of those workers and virtualize the least appealing aspect of mine labor .
“ It will take time , but in the future , miners will wear suits and white shirts , ” says Han Weihai , manager of Huawei ’ s mine projects in Shanxi .
“ People no longer want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with college degrees.
” When President Xi Jinping announced in September that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060 , he gave coal a four-decade transition period .
Or even longer , perhaps , if China ’ s vast and politically powerful coal industry can find a way to capture the planet-warming pollution generated by burning the fuel , or find other ways around the national policy .
The long transition buys China time to use up its vast coal resources and figure out how to gradually shut down an industry that still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of people .
Nowhere shows this high-tech trajectory for China ’ s coal sector better than the Xinyuan mine .
Next-generation mining jobs there pay as much as 100,000 yuan ( $ 15,000 ) a year .
That ’ s more than miners of previous generations could have dreamed of making , and for some workers , that ’ s for sitting behind a desk in a college campus-like facility with a basketball court , pingpong tables and a library .
The company organizes outdoor movie nights in the summer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The operation produces about 2.4 million tons of coal a year , less than a tenth of a percent of China ’ s current demand .
That much coal could generate as much as 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide when it ’ s burned , even as Xinyuan employs emissions-reducing techniques such as using methane instead of coal in its boilers .
Coal ’ s long exit is part of a two-speed approach proposed by climate scientists at Tsinghua University .
Citing the inertia of energy and economic systems , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue being built until around 2030 , when China will be richer and replacement technologies will have advanced .
Then the plan calls for the ongoing transition to solar and nuclear to accelerate sharply .
Easing off coal slowly would reduce abrupt shocks that risk bringing unrest , the Communist Party ’ s biggest nightmare , by dulling the inevitable pain to China ’ s army of coal workers .
“ The industry will cut jobs , but it should be slow and gradual , ” says Wang Haigang , Xinyuan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,000 workers in 2012 , and by 2025 plans to have fewer than 1,000 .
“ It may take a long time , but we ’ re aiming for a future in which no workers need to work underground.
” Keeping coal alive while reducing the number of miners may also solve a further headache for China , where climate policies governing 1.4 billion people are planned in Beijing but have to be implemented by dozens of local governments .
The central government has long struggled with the question of how to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industries that many of those officials rely on for income .
New mining technology will allow provincial governments to keep earning money that could be used to develop post-coal industries .
That ’ s happening in Jinzhong , the city above the Xinyuan mine , which in 2018 invested 11.5 billion yuan ( $ 1.8 billion ) in a medical research center , an industrial park for logistics companies , and other major projects .
Chinese state-owned utilities are betting on coal ’ s longevity by building new coal-fired power plants , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % by 2025 .
Just last year , China opened the $ 30 billion Haoji Railway line , a 2,000-kilometer ( 1,243-mile ) conduit to haul 200 million tons of coal a year directly from central mining basins to energy-hungry regions in the southeast .
But the coal industry and local governments that support it may be too optimistic about the remaining timeline .
China needs to stop building coal power plants immediately if it wants to meet the 2060 pledge , according to the Draworld Environment Research Center and the Centre for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That goal would require whittling China ’ s coal fleet down to 680 gigawatts by 2030 , a reversal of the 1,300-gigawatt expansion currently planned .
Before long , an uncomfortable truth could push to the forefront : China ’ s national target of reaching net-zero emissions might not be compatible with another generation of coal .
The climate researchers and the coal industry envision two parallel universes .
In one , the use of fossil fuels is drastically reduced and China pivots quickly to renewable energy .
In the other , coal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are used to reduce their environmental impact .
China ’ s coal bosses know their regions may struggle to recover if the first scenario comes to pass .
In the northeastern city of Fuxin , locals have been extracting coal since the 1700s .
When the Communist Party took over in 1949 , leader Mao Zedong made Fuxin central to his efforts to modernize the nation .
Working the mines was an economic necessity but also a source of patriotic pride .
The post China to expand its fleet of coal power plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

Chinese state-owned utilities are betting on coal’s longevity by building new coal-fired power plants, with their fleets set to expand about 10% by 2025.
Workers sort coal near a mine in Datong, in China’s northern Shanxi province, in November 2015. | AFP-JIJI
The future of coal looks like an ice cream truck parked half a kilometer down a mine shaft in China’s Shanxi province. The yellow and white vehicle is equipped with a 5G router from Huawei Technologies Co. to gather data for the mine’s control center, where technicians monitor high-definition feeds on a screen the size of a two-story house. They’re tracking temperature and methane concentrations while keeping watch over the black lumps zipping along conveyor belts on the way up to waiting trucks.
The data collection would previously have been done by workers down in the pit, but Yangquan Coal Industry Group has managed to eliminate some of those workers and virtualize the least appealing aspect of mine labor. “It will take time, but in the future, miners will wear suits and white shirts,” says Han Weihai, manager of Huawei’s mine projects in Shanxi. “People no longer want to work in a mine, especially young people with college degrees.”
When President Xi Jinping announced in September that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060, he gave coal a four-decade transition period. Or even longer, perhaps, if China’s vast and politically powerful coal industry can find a way to capture the planet-warming pollution generated by burning the fuel, or find other ways around the national policy.
The long transition buys China time to use up its vast coal resources and figure out how to gradually shut down an industry that still employs, directly and indirectly, tens of millions of people. Nowhere shows this high-tech trajectory for China’s coal sector better than the Xinyuan mine.
Next-generation mining jobs there pay as much as 100,000 yuan ($15,000) a year. That’s more than miners of previous generations could have dreamed of making, and for some workers, that’s for sitting behind a desk in a college campus-like facility with a basketball court, pingpong tables and a library. The company organizes outdoor movie nights in the summer and running races in the spring and autumn.
The operation produces about 2.4 million tons of coal a year, less than a tenth of a percent of China’s current demand. That much coal could generate as much as 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide when it’s burned, even as Xinyuan employs emissions-reducing techniques such as using methane instead of coal in its boilers.
Coal’s long exit is part of a two-speed approach proposed by climate scientists at Tsinghua University. Citing the inertia of energy and economic systems, they proposed allowing coal power plants to continue being built until around 2030, when China will be richer and replacement technologies will have advanced. Then the plan calls for the ongoing transition to solar and nuclear to accelerate sharply.
Easing off coal slowly would reduce abrupt shocks that risk bringing unrest, the Communist Party’s biggest nightmare, by dulling the inevitable pain to China’s army of coal workers. “The industry will cut jobs, but it should be slow and gradual,” says Wang Haigang, Xinyuan’s deputy general manager. His mine had 3,000 workers in 2012, and by 2025 plans to have fewer than 1,000. “It may take a long time, but we’re aiming for a future in which no workers need to work underground.”
Keeping coal alive while reducing the number of miners may also solve a further headache for China, where climate policies governing 1.4 billion people are planned in Beijing but have to be implemented by dozens of local governments. The central government has long struggled with the question of how to get local officials to embrace plans for restructuring industries that many of those officials rely on for income.
New mining technology will allow provincial governments to keep earning money that could be used to develop post-coal industries. That’s happening in Jinzhong, the city above the Xinyuan mine, which in 2018 invested 11.5 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in a medical research center, an industrial park for logistics companies, and other major projects.
The Shanghai Waigaoqiao Power Generator Company coal power plant | AFP-JIJI
Chinese state-owned utilities are betting on coal’s longevity by building new coal-fired power plants, with their fleets set to expand about 10% by 2025. Just last year, China opened the $30 billion Haoji Railway line, a 2,000-kilometer (1,243-mile) conduit to haul 200 million tons of coal a year directly from central mining basins to energy-hungry regions in the southeast.
But the coal industry and local governments that support it may be too optimistic about the remaining timeline. China needs to stop building coal power plants immediately if it wants to meet the 2060 pledge, according to the Draworld Environment Research Center and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. That goal would require whittling China’s coal fleet down to 680 gigawatts by 2030, a reversal of the 1,300-gigawatt expansion currently planned.
Before long, an uncomfortable truth could push to the forefront: China’s national target of reaching net-zero emissions might not be compatible with another generation of coal.
The climate researchers and the coal industry envision two parallel universes. In one, the use of fossil fuels is drastically reduced and China pivots quickly to renewable energy. In the other, coal is phased out slowly as new technologies are used to reduce their environmental impact.
China’s coal bosses know their regions may struggle to recover if the first scenario comes to pass. In the northeastern city of Fuxin, locals have been extracting coal since the 1700s. When the Communist Party took over in 1949, leader Mao Zedong made Fuxin central to his efforts to modernize the nation. Working the mines was an economic necessity but also a source of patriotic pride.
The post China to expand its fleet of coal power plants by 10% appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
via The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF)
https://ift.tt/3mprflV
December 16, 2020 at 02:38AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--Reds and Greens: China’s useful idiots

Reds and Greens: China’s useful idiots

Environmental NGOs like Greenpeace , World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council , being dupes or worse , sing the praises of the world ’ s largest polluter .
Two decades ago , most economists — including me — believed that as a country became richer it would likely become more democratic and more protective of basic human rights and liberty .
After all , we had seen South Korea , Taiwan , Singapore , Chile and most of the countries of Eastern Europe go through that progression .
China was expected to follow the same path .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the 1990s , political power appeared to be increasingly decentralized , and the yoke on essential freedoms seemed to be lightening .
But then , the great reversal occurred , particularly after President Xi Jinping gained more and more power .
Freedom of expression , religion , assembly and so forth have all been curtailed .
Hong Kong ’ s independence has been destroyed , despite the treaty with the U.K .
It is estimated that more than a million Turkic Uighur Muslims are in re-education camps .
Neighboring countries like Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 virus on the world without explanation as to its source .
Canadian economist , Patricia Adams , who is an expert on China ’ s environmental policies , has just written a report , published by The Global Warming Policy Foundation , titled “ The Red and the Green : China ’ s Useful Idiots.
” Ms. Adams notes that most foreign advocacy organizations — including human rights groups and even aid organizations — have been extremely restricted or banned .
The relatively few still allowed are now effectively controlled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both their activities and expenditures being overseen by government officials .
The Chinese have perfected the art of saying one thing while acting in a totally contrary manner .
This is , of course , not unique to the Chinese ; many American politicians have long done the same thing — as recently exhibited by some in government handing down draconian restrictions because of COVID-19 while ignoring those same restrictions , such as dining in fine restaurants without anyone wearing a mask .
Or useful idiots , like Congressman Eric Swalwell , California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian collusion , while he himself apparently was engaged in a close personal relationship with a Chinese spy .
The Chinese leadership mouths all of the slogans of the environmental activists , takes their money and proclaims partnerships , while at the same time greatly expanding the number of coal-fired power plants .
Environmental lobbies like Greenpeace , World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council , being dupes or worse , sing the praises of the world ’ s largest polluter — because of China ’ s “ good intentions ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has planned or has under construction more coal-fired power plants than rest of the world combined .
At the same time , the U.S. has been greatly reducing its dependence on coal-fired plants , by shutting down many of them .
As would be expected , many in the mainstream media are the last to catch on to reality .
They heap praise on the environmental lobbies who are in bed with the Chinese and their American funders , including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation , the David and Lucile Packard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T. MacArthur Foundation , to name a few .
As an aside , all of the founders of these foundations were pro-American Republicans .
David Packard was even defense secretary at one point .
Having had the pleasure of meeting each of them decades ago , I have little doubt that if they were still with us , they would be appalled at how the highly paid managers of these foundations were spending their legacy in support of the biggest human rights abuser on the planet .
Li Zou , a Chinese national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Energy Foundation China ( which is supported in part by U.S.-based environmental groups ) .
The organization is under control of the Chinese government .
Li Zou was a key member of the Chinese negotiation team for the Paris Climate Agreement .
The post Reds and Greens : China ’ s useful idiots appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

Environmental NGOs like Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council, being dupes or worse, sing the praises of the world’s largest polluter.
Two decades ago, most economists — including me — believed that as a country became richer it would likely become more democratic and more protective of basic human rights and liberty. After all, we had seen South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Chile and most of the countries of Eastern Europe go through that progression.
China was expected to follow the same path. Economic liberties were greatly expanded, and by the 1990s, political power appeared to be increasingly decentralized, and the yoke on essential freedoms seemed to be lightening. But then, the great reversal occurred, particularly after President Xi Jinping gained more and more power.
Freedom of expression, religion, assembly and so forth have all been curtailed. Hong Kong’s independence has been destroyed, despite the treaty with the U.K. It is estimated that more than a million Turkic Uighur Muslims are in re-education camps. Neighboring countries like Taiwan are increasingly threatened — and China unleashed the COVID-19 virus on the world without explanation as to its source.
Canadian economist, Patricia Adams, who is an expert on China’s environmental policies, has just written a report, published by The Global Warming Policy Foundation, titled “The Red and the Green: China’s Useful Idiots.” Ms. Adams notes that most foreign advocacy organizations — including human rights groups and even aid organizations — have been extremely restricted or banned. The relatively few still allowed are now effectively controlled by the Communist Party of China — with both their activities and expenditures being overseen by government officials.
The Chinese have perfected the art of saying one thing while acting in a totally contrary manner. This is, of course, not unique to the Chinese; many American politicians have long done the same thing — as recently exhibited by some in government handing down draconian restrictions because of COVID-19 while ignoring those same restrictions, such as dining in fine restaurants without anyone wearing a mask. Or useful idiots, like Congressman Eric Swalwell, California Democrat, attacking President Trump over non-existent Russian collusion, while he himself apparently was engaged in a close personal relationship with a Chinese spy.
The Chinese leadership mouths all of the slogans of the environmental activists, takes their money and proclaims partnerships, while at the same time greatly expanding the number of coal-fired power plants. Environmental lobbies like Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council, being dupes or worse, sing the praises of the world’s largest polluter — because of China’s “good intentions” as contrasted with their actions. China now has planned or has under construction more coal-fired power plants than rest of the world combined. At the same time, the U.S. has been greatly reducing its dependence on coal-fired plants, by shutting down many of them.
As would be expected, many in the mainstream media are the last to catch on to reality. They heap praise on the environmental lobbies who are in bed with the Chinese and their American funders, including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, to name a few.
As an aside, all of the founders of these foundations were pro-American Republicans. David Packard was even defense secretary at one point. Having had the pleasure of meeting each of them decades ago, I have little doubt that if they were still with us, they would be appalled at how the highly paid managers of these foundations were spending their legacy in support of the biggest human rights abuser on the planet.
Li Zou, a Chinese national, is the CEO and president of Energy Foundation China (which is supported in part by U.S.-based environmental groups). The organization is under control of the Chinese government. Li Zou was a key member of the Chinese negotiation team for the Paris Climate Agreement.
The post Reds and Greens: China’s useful idiots appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
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December 16, 2020 at 02:24AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--The North Face vs. Energy Reality, Business Civility

Editor Note : Adam Anderson , CEO of Innovex Downhole Solutions , wrote the letter below to Steve Rendle , CEO of North Face ’ s parent , VF Corporation , in response to the latter ’ s refusal to fulfill a shirt order for the oil and gas company .
Mr. Rendle has not responded to date .
The title above was chosen by the editors , not the author .
I am proud to be the CEO of Innovex Downhole Solutions .
We are an industry leader providing tools and technologies to service oil and natural gas producers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , employees and communities to thrive .
Low-cost , reliable energy is critical to enable humans to flourish .
Oil and natural gas are the two primary resources humanity can use to create low-cost and reliable energy .
The work of my company and our industry more broadly enables humans to have a quality of life and life expectancy that were unfathomable only a century ago .
The merits of low-cost and reliable energy are too numerous to cite in totality but here are a few key highlights : • Lifespans and quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 150 years , enabled by access to abundant energy .
• Low-cost and reliable energy enables life-saving technologies .
For example , the new Pfizer vaccine must be stored at -70 0C .
This would be impossible without low cost and reliable energy .
• American industry is dependent on low-cost and reliable energy to thrive and compete internationally .
• More than a billion people worldwide live today without access to electricity1 .
As a result , these people live shorter , more difficult and dangerous lives than necessary .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reliable energy , not less .
Hydrocarbons are the only source of supply for the vast majority of our low-cost and reliable energy needs .
The Oil and Gas industry is essential to enable human flourishing and no low-cost and reliable alternative exists : Oil and natural gas are the only viable sources for low-cost , reliable energy today .
Wind , solar and many other alternatives suffer from an intermittency problem that has not yet been solved .
Any attempts to move our energy consumption to these unreliable , higher-cost sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for humanity as it will dramatically decrease our access to low-cost and reliable energy .
For example , Germany has endeavored to transition their energy grid to alternatives such as wind and solar with disastrous consequences .
Electricity costs in Germany have tripled over the last 20 years and are roughly 2x the US costs ( which are themselves elevated due to the partial shift to unreliable , intermittent sources of energy in the US ) 2 .
Oil and natural gas are used in many other important ways to create materials that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , clothes , smart phones , vehicles and life-saving medical devices .
Lastly , the Oil and Gas industry is a bastion of high-quality , high-paying , industrial jobs for our people .
Last year , Innovex employed ~650 people and paid our employees an average salary of > $ 85,000 per year .
More than 230 of our employees earned over $ 100,000 last year .
The majority of these individuals do not have a college degree and achieve these high levels of income due to their intelligence , dedication and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffed with individuals like my team members in this country , not fewer .
Frequently people are concerned about the impacts of CO released from the burning of hydrocarbons .
I acknowledge that CO is a greenhouse gas and modest increases in CO level will have modest impacts on global temperatures .
However , I think the climate catastrophists who claim we will endure dramatic negative impacts from these changes are terribly wrong and misunderstand how low cost energy can help us adapt to our ever changing climate : • The US Oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % reduction in US CO emissions over the last decade , largely as a result of significant growth in Natural Gas production3 • Climate related deaths have declined ~90 % since the beginning of the 20th century4 as a direct result our society is more robust against floods , draughts , storms , wildfires and extreme temps • As there has been a modest increase in CO , there has been an increase in carbon dioxide fertilization in plants across the Globe .
According to NASA5 there has been significant greening of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This greening combined with incredible technological progress enabled by low cost and reliable energy has led to a dramatic decrease in death by famine .
The death rate due to famines has declined by more than 95 % over the last century6 .
At this point , you may wonder why I am directing this letter to you , the CEO of one of the world ’ s largest apparel companies .
We recently contacted North Face to inquire about buying jackets with the Innovex logo for all of our employees as Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high-quality brand that our employees would value and cherish for years to come .
Unfortunately , we were informed that North Face would not sell us jackets because we were an oil and gas services company .
The irony in this statement is your jackets are made from the oil and gas products the hardworking men and women of our industry produce .
I think this stance by your company is counterproductive virtue signaling , and I would appreciate you re-considering this stance .
We should be celebrating the benefits of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors lifestyle your brands embrace .
Without Oil and Gas there would be no market for nor ability to create the products your company sells .
I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you .
Outdoor clothing company The North Face allegedly refused to fulfill a corporate clothing order to Houston-based oil and gas company Innovex Downhole Solutions due to concerns over the company ’ s environmental practices .
The accusation was reported by retail and energy publications , as well as a number of local news affiliates around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out the irony of the alleged refusal , citing the fact that some products made by The North Face contain materials produced by oil and gas companies .
The North Face did not respond to follow-up questions from Snopes as to whether or not the company denied the request on the basis that Innovex is an “ oil and gas services company ” as its CEO alleged… .
The North Face has a history of strong environmental messaging , including its commitment to making products by improving environmental performance and social responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The North Face ’ s parent company , VF Corporation , made a commitment to reduce some greenhouse gas emissions by 30 % by 2030 , it is true that the company has previously used petroleum-based materials in its products — particularly those that are waterproof — and continued to do so into late 2020 .
On one of the company ’ s Frequently Asked Questions pages , The North Face noted that its DryVent® waterproofing technology utilized a polyurethane coating — a polymer whose principal raw materials come from crude oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The North Face has made efforts to reduce its use of oil-derived polyurethane as it moves to waterproof materials made from natural castor oil from beans , which the company said reduces the use of synthetic components by half compared to traditional waterproof materials .

Editor Note: Adam Anderson, CEO of Innovex Downhole Solutions, wrote the letter below to Steve Rendle, CEO of North Face’s parent, VF Corporation, in response to the latter’s refusal to fulfill a shirt order for the oil and gas company. Mr. Rendle has not responded to date. The title above was chosen by the editors, not the author.
“I think this stance by [North Face to not fulfill our shirt order] is counterproductive virtue signaling…. We should be celebrating the benefits of what oil and gas do to enable the outdoors lifestyle your brands embrace. Without Oil and Gas there would be no market for nor ability to create the products your company sells.”
I am proud to be the CEO of Innovex Downhole Solutions. We are an industry leader providing tools and technologies to service oil and natural gas producers worldwide.
Adam Anderson
Our work enables our customers, employees and communities to thrive. Low-cost, reliable energy is critical to enable humans to flourish. Oil and natural gas are the two primary resources humanity can use to create low-cost and reliable energy. The work of my company and our industry more broadly enables humans to have a quality of life and life expectancy that were unfathomable only a century ago.
The merits of low-cost and reliable energy are too numerous to cite in totality but here are a few key highlights:
Lifespans and quality of life have expanded dramatically over the last 150 years, enabled by access to abundant energy.
Low-cost and reliable energy enables life-saving technologies. For example, the new Pfizer vaccine must be stored at -70 0 C. This would be impossible without low cost and reliable energy.
C. This would be impossible without low cost and reliable energy. American industry is dependent on low-cost and reliable energy to thrive and compete internationally.
More than a billion people worldwide live today without access to electricity1. As a result, these people live shorter, more difficult and dangerous lives than necessary. The solution to this problem is more low-cost and reliable energy, not less.
Hydrocarbons are the only source of supply for the vast majority of our low-cost and reliable energy needs. The Oil and Gas industry is essential to enable human flourishing and no low-cost and reliable alternative exists:
Oil and natural gas are the only viable sources for low-cost, reliable energy today.
Wind, solar and many other alternatives suffer from an intermittency problem that has not yet been solved.
Any attempts to move our energy consumption to these unreliable, higher-cost sources of energy will have many negative impacts for humanity as it will dramatically decrease our access to low-cost and reliable energy.
For example, Germany has endeavored to transition their energy grid to alternatives such as wind and solar with disastrous consequences. Electricity costs in Germany have tripled over the last 20 years and are roughly 2x the US costs (which are themselves elevated due to the partial shift to unreliable, intermittent sources of energy in the US)2.
Oil and natural gas are used in many other important ways to create materials that go into thousands of critical products including, clothes, smart phones, vehicles and life-saving medical devices.
Lastly, the Oil and Gas industry is a bastion of high-quality, high-paying, industrial jobs for our people. Last year, Innovex employed ~650 people and paid our employees an average salary of >$85,000 per year. More than 230 of our employees earned over $100,000 last year. The majority of these individuals do not have a college degree and achieve these high levels of income due to their intelligence, dedication and work ethic. We need more high-quality jobs staffed with individuals like my team members in this country, not fewer.
Frequently people are concerned about the impacts of CO 2 released from the burning of hydrocarbons. I acknowledge that CO 2 is a greenhouse gas and modest increases in CO 2 level will have modest impacts on global temperatures. However, I think the climate catastrophists who claim we will endure dramatic negative impacts from these changes are terribly wrong and misunderstand how low cost energy can help us adapt to our ever changing climate:
The US Oil and Gas Industry has enabled an ~14% reduction in US CO 2 emissions over the last decade, largely as a result of significant growth in Natural Gas production 3
emissions over the last decade, largely as a result of significant growth in Natural Gas production Climate related deaths have declined ~90% since the beginning of the 20 th century 4 as a direct result our society is more robust against floods, draughts, storms, wildfires and extreme temps
century as a direct result our society is more robust against floods, draughts, storms, wildfires and extreme temps As there has been a modest increase in CO 2 , there has been an increase in carbon dioxide fertilization in plants across the Globe. According to NASA 5 there has been significant greening of the Earth over the last 35 years
, there has been an increase in carbon dioxide fertilization in plants across the Globe. According to NASA there has been significant greening of the Earth over the last 35 years This greening combined with incredible technological progress enabled by low cost and reliable energy has led to a dramatic decrease in death by famine. The death rate due to famines has declined by more than 95% over the last century6.
At this point, you may wonder why I am directing this letter to you, the CEO of one of the world’s largest apparel companies. We recently contacted North Face to inquire about buying jackets with the Innovex logo for all of our employees as Christmas presents. We viewed North Face as a high-quality brand that our employees would value and cherish for years to come. Unfortunately, we were informed that North Face would not sell us jackets because we were an oil and gas services company.
The irony in this statement is your jackets are made from the oil and gas products the hardworking men and women of our industry produce. I think this stance by your company is counterproductive virtue signaling, and I would appreciate you re-considering this stance. We should be celebrating the benefits of what oil and gas do to enable the outdoors lifestyle your brands embrace. Without Oil and Gas there would be no market for nor ability to create the products your company sells.
I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
Adam Anderson, CEO, Innovex Downhole Solutions, 4310 N Sam Houston Parkway E Houston, TX 77032
Sources:
1 – http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators
2 – https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/what-german-households-pay-power#
3 – https://www.statista.com/statistics/183943/us-carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-1999/
4 – OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, www.emdat.be
5 – https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/carbon-dioxide-fertilization-greening-earth
6 – https://ourworldindata.org/famines
Appendix: Snopes Summary
Outdoor clothing company The North Face allegedly refused to fulfill a corporate clothing order to Houston-based oil and gas company Innovex Downhole Solutions due to concerns over the company’s environmental practices.
The accusation was reported by retail and energy publications, as well as a number of local news affiliates around the U.S. On social media, some users pointed out the irony of the alleged refusal, citing the fact that some products made by The North Face contain materials produced by oil and gas companies.
The North Face did not respond to follow-up questions from Snopes as to whether or not the company denied the request on the basis that Innovex is an “oil and gas services company” as its CEO alleged….
The North Face has a history of strong environmental messaging, including its commitment to making products by improving environmental performance and social responsibility in the supply chain. And while The North Face’s parent company, VF Corporation, made a commitment to reduce some greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, it is true that the company has previously used petroleum-based materials in its products — particularly those that are waterproof — and continued to do so into late 2020.
On one of the company’s Frequently Asked Questions pages, The North Face noted that its DryVent® waterproofing technology utilized a polyurethane coating — a polymer whose principal raw materials come from crude oil and natural gas.
That being said, The North Face has made efforts to reduce its use of oil-derived polyurethane as it moves to waterproof materials made from natural castor oil from beans, which the company said reduces the use of synthetic components by half compared to traditional waterproof materials.
———–


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--Some Transition!: Europe’s Power Prices Rocket Whenever the Sun Sets & Calm Weather Sets In

Europe ’ s ‘ inevitable transition ’ to wind and solar is not looking so ‘ inevitable ’ , after all .
A burst of cold , calm weather has grid managers panicking as to where their next megawatt might come from .
Those opportunistic ‘ devils ’ who command reliable , fossil-fuelled power generation sources are making out like veritable bandits .
While power punters are bracing themselves for another bitter winter of being left freezing in the dark .
U.K. power prices rose to a four-year high after the U.K. grid operator warned that its safety buffer of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
National Grid Plc said it ’ s “ monitoring the situation closely ” in a warning published on Twitter .
The network operator stopped short of issuing an official alert called an Electricity Margin Notice , last triggered on Thursday , which is published when the normal safety margin for operating the system shrinks below the level permitted by the government .
It ’ s unusual for there to be problems meeting demand on a weekend when consumption is typically lower as offices and industry shut .
That shows how close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is this winter .
National Grid has been expecting more supply warnings this year , Chief Executive Officer John Pettigrew said in an interview with Bloomberg last month .
The margin between power supply and demand is the narrowest the U.K. has seen in about four years , he said .
Read more of the interview with National Grid ’ s CEO here Power for delivery on Sunday evening traded as high as 350 pounds ( $ 470 ) a megawatt-hour in an auction on Saturday on Epex Spot SE .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period since November 2016 .
The peakload contract jumped to 96.29 pounds a megawatt-hour , the highest since 2018 , the data show .
National Grid is struggling to keep the system balanced as demand rises with colder weather and wind generation is forecast to be low .
The forecasts show the situation continuing next week .
National Grid identified next week as one of the crunch points in its winter outlook .
Britain gets about 8 % of its power supply from huge cables connected to Europe .
One of these so-called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electricity supply situation could be compounded by a planned strike by Electricite de France SA workers on Dec. 10 .
If the strike impacts nuclear output and France can ’ t export any power to Britain , National Grid could face an even tougher challenge to keep the lights on .
When supplies are low first National Grid will ask all available coal and gas plants to run .
If there ’ s still not enough , it can ask some large consumers to turn down their demand to try to balance the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network operator will ask local grids to start temporarily cutting off power to consumers .
Bloomberg Electricity prices skyrocketed to record heights on Monday morning in Belgium due to unfavourable weather conditions .
Prices shot up to €2,300 per MegaWatt-hour due to a lack of wind and sun , causing wind turbines and solar panels to barely produce any renewable energy .
Solar and wind energy took a record share of 23 % on the electricity grid in October as an increasing number of solar panels and wind farms are being put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures have been low in Belgium , causing many to turn on electric heaters .
That combined with France ’ s lack of nuclear capacity made the cost of electricity supply rise to €66/MWh .
The Brussels Times

Europe’s ‘inevitable transition’ to wind and solar is not looking so ‘inevitable’, after all. A burst of cold, calm weather has grid managers panicking as to where their next megawatt might come from.
Those opportunistic ‘devils’ who command reliable, fossil-fuelled power generation sources are making out like veritable bandits. While power punters are bracing themselves for another bitter winter of being left freezing in the dark.
U.K. Power Prices Jump After National Grid Warns of Supply Risks
Bloomberg
Rachel Morison
6 December 2020
U.K. power prices rose to a four-year high after the U.K. grid operator warned that its safety buffer of supplies is almost eroded for Sunday night.
National Grid Plc said it’s “monitoring the situation closely” in a warning published on Twitter. The network operator stopped short of issuing an official alert called an Electricity Margin Notice, last triggered on Thursday, which is published when the normal safety margin for operating the system shrinks below the level permitted by the government.
It’s unusual for there to be problems meeting demand on a weekend when consumption is typically lower as offices and industry shut. That shows how close to the edge Britain’s power system is this winter. National Grid has been expecting more supply warnings this year, Chief Executive Officer John Pettigrew said in an interview with Bloomberg last month. The margin between power supply and demand is the narrowest the U.K. has seen in about four years, he said.
Read more of the interview with National Grid’s CEO here
Power for delivery on Sunday evening traded as high as 350 pounds ($470) a megawatt-hour in an auction on Saturday on Epex Spot SE. That’s the highest for the 5-6 pm period since November 2016. The peakload contract jumped to 96.29 pounds a megawatt-hour, the highest since 2018, the data show.
National Grid is struggling to keep the system balanced as demand rises with colder weather and wind generation is forecast to be low. The forecasts show the situation continuing next week. National Grid identified next week as one of the crunch points in its winter outlook.
Britain gets about 8% of its power supply from huge cables connected to Europe. One of these so-called interconnectors runs to France. The low electricity supply situation could be compounded by a planned strike by Electricite de France SA workers on Dec. 10. If the strike impacts nuclear output and France can’t export any power to Britain, National Grid could face an even tougher challenge to keep the lights on.
When supplies are low first National Grid will ask all available coal and gas plants to run. If there’s still not enough, it can ask some large consumers to turn down their demand to try to balance the system that way. After that the network operator will ask local grids to start temporarily cutting off power to consumers.
Bloomberg
Electricity prices reach record high in Belgium
The Brussels Times
11 December 2020
Electricity prices skyrocketed to record heights on Monday morning in Belgium due to unfavourable weather conditions.
Prices shot up to €2,300 per MegaWatt-hour due to a lack of wind and sun, causing wind turbines and solar panels to barely produce any renewable energy.
Solar and wind energy took a record share of 23% on the electricity grid in October as an increasing number of solar panels and wind farms are being put in place in Belgium.
In addition, temperatures have been low in Belgium, causing many to turn on electric heaters. That combined with France’s lack of nuclear capacity made the cost of electricity supply rise to €66/MWh.
The Brussels Times


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--WA “Solves” the Solar Energy Duck Curve by Raising Evening Electricity Prices

h/t Alan ; In a desperate attempt to contain the damage government subsidised rooftop solar energy has done to the grid , West Australia is trialling a pricing scheme which offers cheap electricity around midday , when nobody wants it , then slams on high prices when solar energy begins to fade in the early evening .
WA electricity prices would be slashed during the day , doubled during peak under new Government trial Electricity prices would be slashed by more than two thirds during the middle of the day under a trial aimed at encouraging households to soak up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biggest grid .
But customers would face paying almost twice as much for their power at peak times in the evening , as the State Government tries to shore up supplies and reduce costs in the system .
Amid forecasts the number of installations could almost double by 2030 , the Government will run a trial that provides incentives for customers to shift more of their use to the middle of the day .
Under the trial 400 customers of State-owned electricity provider Synergy will pay just eight cents for every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grid between 9:00am to 3:00pm , compared with a flat rate of 28.8 cents per kilowatt hour ( c/kWh ) .
Opposition energy spokesman David Honey labelled the changes bad policy , arguing time-of-use tariffs tended to disadvantage poorer households while benefiting wealthier ones .
“ What WA Labor doesn ’ t understand is that there are many West Australian families that simply can not change the times that they use energy , ” Mr Honey said .
“ The working poor who don ’ t have swimming pools and lots of freezers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can be shifted to other times of the day .
“ Likewise , West Australians that can not afford batteries and solar panels miss out .
”

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Alan; In a desperate attempt to contain the damage government subsidised rooftop solar energy has done to the grid, West Australia is trialling a pricing scheme which offers cheap electricity around midday, when nobody wants it, then slams on high prices when solar energy begins to fade in the early evening.
WA electricity prices would be slashed during the day, doubled during peak under new Government trial
By Daniel Mercer
Electricity prices would be slashed by more than two thirds during the middle of the day under a trial aimed at encouraging households to soak up excess solar power flooding into Western Australia’s biggest grid.
But customers would face paying almost twice as much for their power at peak times in the evening, as the State Government tries to shore up supplies and reduce costs in the system.
…
Amid forecasts the number of installations could almost double by 2030, the Government will run a trial that provides incentives for customers to shift more of their use to the middle of the day.
Under the trial 400 customers of State-owned electricity provider Synergy will pay just eight cents for every unit of power they draw from the grid between 9:00am to 3:00pm, compared with a flat rate of 28.8 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh).
…
Opposition energy spokesman David Honey labelled the changes bad policy, arguing time-of-use tariffs tended to disadvantage poorer households while benefiting wealthier ones.
“What WA Labor doesn’t understand is that there are many West Australian families that simply cannot change the times that they use energy,” Mr Honey said.
“The working poor who don’t have swimming pools and lots of freezers simply do not have large energy consumption that can be shifted to other times of the day.
“Likewise, West Australians that cannot afford batteries and solar panels miss out.”
…


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--Politicizing Business: From CSR to ESG

Politicizing Business: From CSR to ESG

Reposted from the Institute of Energy Research Corporate social responsibility ( CSR ) … stakeholder theory … sustainability … environmental , social , and governance investing ( ESG ) .
Whatever the term , the premise is that business is a cultural failure as well as a “ market failure ” and therefore must be socially regulated in addition to being governmentally regulated .
In the climate-alarmism era , CSR and ESG have focused intensively on energy companies .
The very term ESG is recent , adding climate change and social justice to more traditional concerns about resource depletion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corporate darlings of this movement—Enron in the 1990s and BP thereafter—turned out to be anything but good corporate citizens .
Enron ’ s systemic failure cost many tens of thousands of jobs and brought capitalism into disrepute .
BP ’ s Deepwater Horizon blow-out resulted in nearly $ 70 billion in clean-up costs , fines , and other charges , in addition to manslaughter verdicts .
Now , the past forgotten , a new generation of ESG-pressured business is emerging , some for a second act ( BP ) .
Caveat emptor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s colossus was the first major US corporation to bang the climate drum ( in 1988 ) and invest heavily into solar panels and wind turbines .
Enron , in fact , resuscitated the dormant solar industry in 1995 and struggling wind industry in 1997 .
( The story can be found in my 2018 paper , “ The Economic Fall and Political Rise of Renewable Energy.
” ) In the fall of 2001 , Ken Lay set the tone for what would be Enron ’ s last Environmental , Health , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Enron ’ s Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ) task force listed its Accomplishments to Date .
• Established formal partnerships with WBCSD [ World Business Council on Sustainable Development ] , IBLF [ International Business Leaders Forum ] , and CI [ Conservation International ] • Responding to stakeholder concerns on an ongoing basis • Specify social/environmental expectations in formal relationships with vendors and contractors • Review results of stakeholder survey and develop strategy to address outcome • Create awareness of social/environmental trends among [ Enron ’ s ] origination and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about trying to be everyone ’ s favorite company—and helping to monetize its “ green ” energy investments ( seven profit centers in all ) .
It ended in December 2001 when , out of money and time , Enron went down with its green lights on .
Remember “ beyond petroleum ” BP ?
Then-head John Browne bought into the climate alarm in a 1997 speech and , despite a fortuitous purchase of Amoco the next year , drove his company down with the help of his successor , Tony Hayward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was more interested in climate imaging than boots-on-the-ground safety ) culminated in the preventable May 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout .
The Left ’ s favorite energy company ( like Enron before ) , BP became Exhibit A against offshore drilling and fossil fuels in general .
The “ sustainability ” crowd was again embarrassed .
“ Oops : ‘ Socially Responsible ’ Funds Hold Big Stakes of BP , ” a Wall Street Journal article was titled at the time .
And in his piece Beyond Pathetic , Andrew Wilson noted : With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the shore , it is almost comical—no , it is comical—to see some of BP ’ s erstwhile friends in academia and other centers of high-minded thought running for cover .
To cite one example , thanks to BP sponsorship , 300 researchers in white lab coats at Berkeley are busily searching for ways to make green fuels that will reduce our dependence on oil .
In 2007 , BP set up the Energy Biosciences Institute , saying it would spend $ 500 million over the next ten years to support research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other universities .
This is the largest corporate donation ever for university research .
Biofuel for transportation in place of gasoline and diesel ?
Once mighty Exxon Mobil has since shinnied down this path .
The hoped-for “ fuel of the future , ” politically correct , economically incorrect , has attracted criticism from all sides .
At BP , “ big promises ” has replaced “ beyond petroleum.
” New CEO Bernard Looney talks big about “ net zero ” carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) emissions by 2050 .
( “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and running out fast , ” he states . )
For an oil and gas company , this seems somewhere between fanciful and bizarre .
To environmentalists , it ’ s greenwashing .
To consumers , it ’ s an unnecessary corporate cost item .
To stockholders , it is a warning sign of a distracted corporation .
“ I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the publick good , ” Adam Smith wrote in the 18th century .
“ It is an affectation , indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and every few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.
” “ The two greatest enemies of free enterprise in the United States , ” Milton Friedman once stated , “ have been , on the one hand , my fellow intellectuals and , on the other hand , the business corporations of this country.
” Centuries apart , Smith and Friedman fingered the contra-capitalist business models of Enron , BP , and other companies that banked on fads , misdirection , and political favor .
What is now called ESG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) is old vinegar in new bottles .
Businesses are not and can not be governments or nonprofits .
For-profit enterprises are wealth creators in the realm of mutually advantageous exchange , not arbiters of debatable ideologies .
Carbon-based energy providers should not pretend to be otherwise at the expense of consumers and/or owners .
America is reaping the rewards of what largely is free-market energy policy .
Energy dominance should not be compromised by ESG , much less government intervention in the years ahead .

Reposted from the Institute of Energy Research
BY ROBERT L. BRADLEY, JR.
DECEMBER 15, 2020
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)… stakeholder theory … sustainability … environmental, social, and governance investing (ESG). Whatever the term, the premise is that business is a cultural failure as well as a “market failure” and therefore must be socially regulated in addition to being governmentally regulated.
In the climate-alarmism era, CSR and ESG have focused intensively on energy companies. The very term ESG is recent, adding climate change and social justice to more traditional concerns about resource depletion and employment diversity.
Yet, instructively, the corporate darlings of this movement—Enron in the 1990s and BP thereafter—turned out to be anything but good corporate citizens. Enron’s systemic failure cost many tens of thousands of jobs and brought capitalism into disrepute. BP’s Deepwater Horizon blow-out resulted in nearly $70 billion in clean-up costs, fines, and other charges, in addition to manslaughter verdicts.
Now, the past forgotten, a new generation of ESG-pressured business is emerging, some for a second act (BP). Caveat emptor.
“Green” Enron
Remember Enron? Ken Lay’s colossus was the first major US corporation to bang the climate drum (in 1988) and invest heavily into solar panels and wind turbines. Enron, in fact, resuscitated the dormant solar industry in 1995 and struggling wind industry in 1997. (The story can be found in my 2018 paper, “The Economic Fall and Political Rise of Renewable Energy.”)
In the fall of 2001, Ken Lay set the tone for what would be Enron’s last Environmental, Health, and Safety Management Conference:
We believe that incorporating environmental and social considerations into the way we manage risk, govern our projects, and develop products and services will help us maintain our competitive advantage. As we move forward, we will leverage our intellectual capital and innovative capabilities to promote sustainable business practices around the world.
At this meeting, Enron’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) task force listed its Accomplishments to Date.
Secured board oversight of social/environmental performance
Expressed support for Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Completed corporate responsibility task force
Developed and pilot-tested human rights audit
Developed security and human rights guidelines
Established formal partnerships with WBCSD [World Business Council on Sustainable Development], IBLF [International Business Leaders Forum], and CI [Conservation International]
Identified language to strengthen code of ethics
Providing project support—Calypso, Transredes, Dabhol and Cuiabá
Responding to stakeholder concerns on an ongoing basis
The goals for 2002 included:
Formally adopt CERES Principles
Complete indigenous peoples’ policy
Specify social/environmental expectations in formal relationships with vendors and contractors
Review results of stakeholder survey and develop strategy to address outcome
Create awareness of social/environmental trends among [Enron’s] origination and investment groups
Add corporate responsibility performance attribute to PRC [Performance Review Committee] process
Present task force recommendations to Dr. Lay and senior management
Enron’s CSR was about trying to be everyone’s favorite company—and helping to monetize its “green” energy investments (seven profit centers in all). It ended in December 2001 when, out of money and time, Enron went down with its green lights on.
BP “Environmentalism”
Remember “beyond petroleum” BP? Then-head John Browne bought into the climate alarm in a 1997 speech and, despite a fortuitous purchase of Amoco the next year, drove his company down with the help of his successor, Tony Hayward. A group of environmental problems (BP was more interested in climate imaging than boots-on-the-ground safety) culminated in the preventable May 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout.
The Left’s favorite energy company (like Enron before), BP became Exhibit A against offshore drilling and fossil fuels in general. The “sustainability” crowd was again embarrassed. “Oops: ‘Socially Responsible’ Funds Hold Big Stakes of BP,” a Wall Street Journal article was titled at the time. And in his piece Beyond Pathetic, Andrew Wilson noted:
With great big blobs of oil washing up on the shore, it is almost comical—no, it is comical—to see some of BP’s erstwhile friends in academia and other centers of high-minded thought running for cover. To cite one example, thanks to BP sponsorship, 300 researchers in white lab coats at Berkeley are busily searching for ways to make green fuels that will reduce our dependence on oil. In 2007, BP set up the Energy Biosciences Institute, saying it would spend $500 million over the next ten years to support research into plant-based fuels at Berkeley and two other universities. This is the largest corporate donation ever for university research.
Biofuel for transportation in place of gasoline and diesel? Once mighty Exxon Mobil has since shinnied down this path. The hoped-for “fuel of the future,” politically correct, economically incorrect, has attracted criticism from all sides.
View Post
At BP, “big promises” has replaced “beyond petroleum.” New CEO Bernard Looney talks big about “net zero” carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. (“The world’s carbon budget is finite and running out fast,” he states.)
For an oil and gas company, this seems somewhere between fanciful and bizarre. To environmentalists, it’s greenwashing. To consumers, it’s an unnecessary corporate cost item. To stockholders, it is a warning sign of a distracted corporation.
Real Corporate “Responsibility”
“I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the publick good,” Adam Smith wrote in the 18th century. “It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and every few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.”
“The two greatest enemies of free enterprise in the United States,” Milton Friedman once stated, “have been, on the one hand, my fellow intellectuals and, on the other hand, the business corporations of this country.”
Centuries apart, Smith and Friedman fingered the contra-capitalist business models of Enron, BP, and other companies that banked on fads, misdirection, and political favor. What is now called ESG (environmental, social and governance investing) is old vinegar in new bottles.
Conclusion
Businesses are not and cannot be governments or nonprofits. For-profit enterprises are wealth creators in the realm of mutually advantageous exchange, not arbiters of debatable ideologies. Carbon-based energy providers should not pretend to be otherwise at the expense of consumers and/or owners.
America is reaping the rewards of what largely is free-market energy policy. Energy dominance should not be compromised by ESG, much less government intervention in the years ahead.
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-17--Science Says: Media Covid Coverage Driving US Crazy

Two recently published analytical studies together lead to the conclusion in the title of this post .
One is a working paper Why is All Covid 19 News Bad News ?
published at NBER ( National Bureau of Economic Research ) .
The other is an article at Vox Anxiety and depression are following a remarkably similar curve to Covid-19 cases .
Excerpts are in italics with my bolds .
We analyze the tone of COVID-19 related English-language news articles written since January 1 , 2020 .
Ninety one percent of stories by U.S. major media outlets are negative in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major sources and sixty five percent for scientific journals .
The negativity of the U.S. major media is notable even in areas with positive scientific developments including school re-openings and vaccine trials .
Media negativity is unresponsive to changing trends in new COVID-19 cases or the political leanings of the audience .
U.S. major media readers strongly prefer negative stories about COVID-19 , and negative stories in general .
Stories of increasing COVID-19 cases outnumber stories of decreasing cases by a factor of 5.5 even during periods when new cases are declining .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing President Donald Trump and hydroxychloroquine are more numerous than all stories combined that cover companies and individual researchers working on COVID-19 vaccines .
Figure 1 plots the time trend in media negativity for major media outlets in the U.S. ( green line ) and outside the U.S. ( blue line ) using the scale on the left .
The most striking fact is that 91 percent of the U.S. stories are classified as negative whereas 54 percent of the non-U.S. stories are classified as negative .
Figure 1 uses our estimated probability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtain similar results using the Hu-Liu dictionary and the fraction of words in the article that are negative .
It is well documented that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a serious toll on emotional well-being .
Rates of depression and anxiety in June were three to four times higher than at the corresponding point in 2019 , according to the CDC , and deteriorating mental health outcomes have been similarly observed in nations across the world , among them the UK , India , and China .
Rates of suicidal ideation , substance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steadily .
But the connection is even stronger than you might think in the US : As the number of new cases of the virus fluctuates week to week , our mental health moves in lockstep .
Data available from the Mental Health Household Pulse Survey , run by the CDC , offers a week-by-week estimate of the fraction of Americans who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression between April 23 and July 21 .
Comparing this data to the weekly US coronavirus cases over the same time interval reveals an unmistakable trend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms among Americans almost exactly mirrors the trajectory of the US coronavirus curve .
With an r2 value ( a standard metric of correlation strength ) of 0.92 between new Covid-19 cases and the incidence of anxious or depressive symptoms , the correlation between them is very , very strong .
It is always possible that any correlation could be coincidental rather than causal , or that the link could be more complicated than it seems .
Indeed , June and July marked a period of increasing viral spread ; one might speculate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , public mental health could have correspondingly worsened simply as a function of time or some other factor .
Yet data from the second phase of the Household Pulse Survey , from August through October , showed mental health continued to consistently follow fluctuations in the Covid-19 curve .
After the scary viral spike in July , the number of weekly cases declined from roughly 450,000 per week at the end of July to roughly 250,000 by the end of August .
And along with this period of slower viral spread , mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinforcing the relationship between the two .
Then again , as cases increased during September and October , mental health outcomes correspondingly worsened .
Overall , the pandemic has raised America ’ s baseline levels of anxiety and depression : Even at its lowest point this summer ( early May ) , the rate of Americans reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression hovered around 34 percent , roughly three times higher than the average of 11 percent reported in a parallel study between January and June 2019 .
Fluctuations above this already-high baseline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part , by the severity of the pandemic at a given point in time .
For example , elevated rates of viral spread directly increase the likelihood that we or someone we know will become exposed and undergo a mentally straining period of quarantining waiting for symptoms — or self-isolation while battling the new illness itself .
The state of the pandemic also often determines things like freedom of mobility through lockdown measures or their absence .
Historically , imposed quarantine has been shown to dramatically affect mental health .
Moreover , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant repercussions for the economy and unemployment , both of which have been shown to directly impact mental health .
Early on everyone wondered : What ’ s different about this pandemic ?
Some observed : It ’ s the first pandemic with 24/7 cable news and rampant social media .
Informal surveys show that many people have few or no family , friends or associates who have gotten sick , let alone seriously ill or died from Covid19 .
What we do get is a deluge of scary messaging and official warnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crazy .

Two recently published analytical studies together lead to the conclusion in the title of this post. One is a working paper Why is All Covid 19 News Bad News? published at NBER (National Bureau of Economic Research). The other is an article at Vox Anxiety and depression are following a remarkably similar curve to Covid-19 cases. Excerpts are in italics with my bolds.
Malevolent Media Covid Coverage
Summary
We analyze the tone of COVID-19 related English-language news articles written since January
1, 2020. Ninety one percent of stories by U.S. major media outlets are negative in tone versus
fifty four percent for non-U.S. major sources and sixty five percent for scientific journals. The
negativity of the U.S. major media is notable even in areas with positive scientific developments
including school re-openings and vaccine trials. Media negativity is unresponsive to changing
trends in new COVID-19 cases or the political leanings of the audience. U.S. major media readers
strongly prefer negative stories about COVID-19, and negative stories in general. Stories of
increasing COVID-19 cases outnumber stories of decreasing cases by a factor of 5.5 even during
periods when new cases are declining. Among U.S. major media outlets, stories discussing
President Donald Trump and hydroxychloroquine are more numerous than all stories combined
that cover companies and individual researchers working on COVID-19 vaccines.
Discussion
Figure 1 plots the time trend in media negativity for major media outlets in the U.S. (green line)
and outside the U.S. (blue line) using the scale on the left. The most striking fact is that 91 percent
of the U.S. stories are classified as negative whereas 54 percent of the non-U.S. stories are
classified as negative. Figure 1 uses our estimated probability that an article is negative. We
obtain similar results using the Hu-Liu dictionary and the fraction of words in the article that are
negative.
US Mental Health Linked to Covid Case Reporting
From Vox article linked above:
It is well documented that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a serious toll on emotional well-being. Rates of depression and anxiety in June were three to four times higher than at the corresponding point in 2019, according to the CDC, and deteriorating mental health outcomes have been similarly observed in nations across the world, among them the UK, India, and China. Rates of suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and alcohol consumption are rising steadily.
But the connection is even stronger than you might think in the US: As the number of new cases of the virus fluctuates week to week, our mental health moves in lockstep.
Data available from the Mental Health Household Pulse Survey, run by the CDC, offers a week-by-week estimate of the fraction of Americans who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression between April 23 and July 21. Comparing this data to the weekly US coronavirus cases over the same time interval reveals an unmistakable trend: The incidence of depressive or anxious symptoms among Americans almost exactly mirrors the trajectory of the US coronavirus curve.
With an r2 value (a standard metric of correlation strength) of 0.92 between new Covid-19 cases and the incidence of anxious or depressive symptoms, the correlation between them is very, very strong.
It is always possible that any correlation could be coincidental rather than causal, or that the link could be more complicated than it seems. Indeed, June and July marked a period of increasing viral spread; one might speculate that, as the pandemic stretched on, public mental health could have correspondingly worsened simply as a function of time or some other factor.
Yet data from the second phase of the Household Pulse Survey, from August through October, showed mental health continued to consistently follow fluctuations in the Covid-19 curve. After the scary viral spike in July, the number of weekly cases declined from roughly 450,000 per week at the end of July to roughly 250,000 by the end of August. And along with this period of slower viral spread, mental health outcomes markedly improved as well, reinforcing the relationship between the two.
Then again, as cases increased during September and October, mental health outcomes correspondingly worsened.
Overall, the pandemic has raised America’s baseline levels of anxiety and depression: Even at its lowest point this summer (early May), the rate of Americans reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression hovered around 34 percent, roughly three times higher than the average of 11 percent reported in a parallel study between January and June 2019.
Fluctuations above this already-high baseline could plausibly be caused, at least in part, by the severity of the pandemic at a given point in time. For example, elevated rates of viral spread directly increase the likelihood that we or someone we know will become exposed and undergo a mentally straining period of quarantining waiting for symptoms — or self-isolation while battling the new illness itself. The state of the pandemic also often determines things like freedom of mobility through lockdown measures or their absence.
Historically, imposed quarantine has been shown to dramatically affect mental health. Moreover, the perceived trajectory of the pandemic has significant repercussions for the economy and unemployment, both of which have been shown to directly impact mental health.
My Comment:
Early on everyone wondered: What’s different about this pandemic? Some observed: It’s the first pandemic with 24/7 cable news and rampant social media. Informal surveys show that many people have few or no family, friends or associates who have gotten sick, let alone seriously ill or died from Covid19. What we do get is a deluge of scary messaging and official warnings and restrictions that are literally driving us crazy.
via Science Matters
https://ift.tt/2Wm1PLd
December 16, 2020 at 06:24PM


The Replication Crisis

CAMBRIDGE , MA–December 16 , 2020–In 2019 , the National Academies of Science , Engineering , and Medicine ( NASEM ) published a consensus report for the US Congress–Reproducibility and Replicability in Science–which addressed a major methodological crisis in the sciences : The fact that many experiments and results are difficult or impossible to reproduce .
The conversation about this report and this vital topic continues in a special , twelve-article feature in issue 2:4 of the Harvard Data Science Review ( HDSR ) , publishing today .
Growing awareness of the replication crisis has rocked the fields of medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famous experiments and influential findings have been cast into doubt .
But these issues affect researchers in a wide range of disciplines–from economics to particle physics to climate science–and addressing them requires an interdisciplinary approach .
“ The overall aim of reproducibility and replicability is to ensure that our research findings are reliable , ” states HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-li Meng in his editorial .
“ Reliability does not imply absolute truth–which is an epistemologically debatable notion to start with–but it does require that our findings are reasonably robust to the relevant data or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replication studies requires a host of data science skills , from statistical designs to causal inference to signal-noise separation , that are simultaneously tailored by and aimed at substantive understanding , ” Meng continues .
Guest edited by Victoria Stodden ( University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign ) , the special theme collection presents research and commentary from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and professionals .
Articles include : • Interview with Reproducibility and Replicability in Science Committee Chair Harvey V. Fineberg , President of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and HDSR guest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-Li Meng • “ Self-Correction by Design “ by Marcia McNutt , President of NAS • “ Leveraging the National Academies ‘ Reproducibility and Replication in Science ’ Report to Advance Reproducibility in Publishing “ byManish Parasha , Assistant Director for Strategic Computing at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy , and Director of the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure at the National Science Foundation • “ Toward Reproducible and Extensible Research : from Values to Action “ by Aleksandrina Goeva ( Broad Institute ) , Sara Stoudt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Harvard University ) • “ Reproducibility and Replicability in Economics ” by Lars Vilhuber ( Cornell University ) • “ Reproducibility and Replicability in Science , A Metrology Perspective “ by Anne L. Plant ( National Institute of Standards and Technology ) and Robert J. Hanisch ( National Institute of Standards and Technology ) • “ Perspectives on Data Reproducibility and Replicability in Paleoclimate and Climate Science “ by Rosemary T. Bush ( Northwestern University ) , Andrea Dutton ( University of Wisconsin , Madison ) , Michael N. Evans ( University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rich Loft ( National Center for Atmospheric Research ) , and Gavin A. Schmidt ( National Aeronautics and Space Administration ) • “ Science Communication in the Context of Reproducibility and Replicability : How Non-Scientists Navigate Scientific Uncertainty “ by Emily Howell ( University of Wisconsin-Madison ) • “ Learning Lessons on Reproducibility and Replicability in Large Scale Genome-Wide Association Studies “ by Xihong Lin ( Harvard University ) • “ Selective Inference : The Silent Killer of Replicability “ by Yoav Benjamini ( Tel Aviv University ) • “ Trust but Verify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Infrastructure to Ensure Computational Reproducibility in Publication “ by Craig Willis ( University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ) and Victoria Stodden • “ Reproducibility and Replication of Experimental Particle Physics Results “ by Thomas R. Junk ( Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory ) and Louis Lyons ( University of Oxford , Emeritus ) The editors hope to take advantage of the collaborative features available on the open-source publishing platform , PubPub , whereHDSR is hosted .
Readers around the world can freely read , annotate , and comment on the essays–continuing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Initiative , launched in 2017 , is a cross-University initiative working at the nexus of statistics , computer science , and related disciplines to gain insights from complex data in nearly every research domain .
Those insights can be deployed to address issues ranging from global economics and inequality to targeted medical treatments , privacy and security , health and the environment , scientific discovery , education , and many more .
While the collection and analysis of data has long held an important role in academic research , the Harvard Data Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this work by advancing methodologies , enabling breakthroughs , promoting new research collaborations , and enhancing Harvard ’ s educational mission .
All of these efforts are rooted in an urgent desire to improve our world : how can we best use data for the common good ?
The Harvard Data Science Review is published for the Harvard Data Science Initiative by the MIT Press .
Established in 1962 , the MIT Press ( Cambridge , MA and London ) is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journals at the intersection of science , technology , art , social science , and design .
MIT Press books and journals are known for their intellectual daring , scholarly standards , interdisciplinary focus , and distinctive design .
For almost 50 years the MIT Press journals division has been publishing journals that are at the leading edge of their field and launching new journals that have nurtured burgeoning areas of scholarship .
PubPub is an open-source publishing platform from the Knowledge Futures Group for collaboratively editing and publishing journals , monographs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Knowledge Futures Group , a nonprofit originally founded as a partnership between the MIT Press and MIT Media Lab , builds and sustains technology for the production , curation , and preservation of knowledge in service of the public good .

Harvard Data Science Review explores reproducibility and replicability in science
THE MIT PRESS
Research News
CAMBRIDGE, MA–December 16, 2020–In 2019, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) published a consensus report for the US Congress–Reproducibility and Replicability in Science–which addressed a major methodological crisis in the sciences: The fact that many experiments and results are difficult or impossible to reproduce. The conversation about this report and this vital topic continues in a special, twelve-article feature in issue 2:4 of the Harvard Data Science Review (HDSR), publishing today.
Growing awareness of the replication crisis has rocked the fields of medicine and psychology, in particular, where famous experiments and influential findings have been cast into doubt. But these issues affect researchers in a wide range of disciplines–from economics to particle physics to climate science–and addressing them requires an interdisciplinary approach.
“The overall aim of reproducibility and replicability is to ensure that our research findings are reliable,” states HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-li Meng in his editorial. “Reliability does not imply absolute truth–which is an epistemologically debatable notion to start with–but it does require that our findings are reasonably robust to the relevant data or methods we employ.”
“Designing sound replication studies requires a host of data science skills, from statistical designs to causal inference to signal-noise separation, that are simultaneously tailored by and aimed at substantive understanding,” Meng continues.
Guest edited by Victoria Stodden (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), the special theme collection presents research and commentary from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and professionals. Articles include:
The editors hope to take advantage of the collaborative features available on the open-source publishing platform, PubPub, whereHDSR is hosted. Readers around the world can freely read, annotate, and comment on the essays–continuing this important conversation.
###
The Harvard Data Science Initiative, launched in 2017, is a cross-University initiative working at the nexus of statistics, computer science, and related disciplines to gain insights from complex data in nearly every research domain. Those insights can be deployed to address issues ranging from global economics and inequality to targeted medical treatments, privacy and security, health and the environment, scientific discovery, education, and many more. While the collection and analysis of data has long held an important role in academic research, the Harvard Data Science Initiative strengthens, deepens, and expands this work by advancing methodologies, enabling breakthroughs, promoting new research collaborations, and enhancing Harvard’s educational mission. All of these efforts are rooted in an urgent desire to improve our world: how can we best use data for the common good?
The Harvard Data Science Review is published for the Harvard Data Science Initiative by the MIT Press. Established in 1962, the MIT Press (Cambridge, MA and London) is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world and a leading publisher of books and journals at the intersection of science, technology, art, social science, and design. MIT Press books and journals are known for their intellectual daring, scholarly standards, interdisciplinary focus, and distinctive design. For almost 50 years the MIT Press journals division has been publishing journals that are at the leading edge of their field and launching new journals that have nurtured burgeoning areas of scholarship.
PubPub is an open-source publishing platform from the Knowledge Futures Group for collaboratively editing and publishing journals, monographs, and other open access scholarly content. The Knowledge Futures Group, a nonprofit originally founded as a partnership between the MIT Press and MIT Media Lab, builds and sustains technology for the production, curation, and preservation of knowledge in service of the public good.
From EurekAlert!
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--Greta Thunberg Slams New Zealand’s Unambitious Climate Emergency

Greta Thunberg has slammed New Zealand ’ s “ so-called ” climate emergency .
But rather than thank Greta for her criticism , Jacinda Ardern has done the unthinkable , and contradicted the harsh words of the Swedish global climate leader .
Greta Thunberg calls out New Zealand Government for ‘ so-called ’ climate emergency declaration Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has called out the New Zealand Government for its “ so-called ” climate emergency declaration earlier this month .
In a tweet on Sunday ( local time ) , the 17-year-old linked to a Newsroom opinion piece , arguing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtue signalling unless it ’ s backed by immediate action to reduce the country ’ s carbon emissions .
“ ‘ In other words , the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country ’ s emissions by 2025 ’ , ” Thunberg tweeted , quoting an excerpt from the article .
She continued : “ Text explaining New Zealand ’ s so-called climate emergency declaration .
This is of course nothing unique to any nation .
# FightFor1Point5.
” The following is New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambition by trying to contradict Greta Thunberg .
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended her country ’ s climate change policies after activist Greta Thunberg suggested the country lacked ambition .
Ms Ardern said the comments referred only to part of New Zealand ’ s goals on climate change .
Ms Thunberg took to Twitter on Sunday to say that New Zealand ’ s “ so-called climate emergency declaration ” was “ of course nothing unique to any nation ” .
New Zealand announced earlier this month that it would become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters she welcomed Ms Thunberg ’ s contribution to the debate on climate , but said the emergency declaration covered only a portion of New Zealand ’ s climate change goals .
“ If it was the sum total of what we were doing , it would be worthy of criticism , it ’ s clearly not , ” Ardern said , adding it ’ s “ only a good thing that there are people out there continuing to urge ambition and action ” .
How dare she ?
How dare a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and contradict the words of a great climate leader like Greta Thunberg ?
Jacinda in my opinion is a total climate traitor , her refusal to accept correction from someone who has never held elected office , had any meaningful responsibility , and has AFAIK never even set foot in New Zealand is proof of her guilt .
Karl Marx once explained “ The mode of production of material life determines altogether the social , political , and intellectual life process .
It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being , that determines their consciousness.
” .
If New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern genuinely wants to foster a green consciousness amongst her people , Ardern should stop being so half hearted , she should follow the advice of Greta instead of arguing with her , she should follow the path laid by Greta Thunberg and Karl Marx and go all in to create a mode of production and social being which leads people to an inevitable green epiphany .
Hilarious when the green left eat their own .

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Greta Thunberg has slammed New Zealand’s “so-called” climate emergency. But rather than thank Greta for her criticism, Jacinda Ardern has done the unthinkable, and contradicted the harsh words of the Swedish global climate leader.
Greta Thunberg calls out New Zealand Government for ‘so-called’ climate emergency declaration 14/12/2020
Lana Andelane Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has called out the New Zealand Government for its “so-called” climate emergency declaration earlier this month. In a tweet on Sunday (local time), the 17-year-old linked to a Newsroom opinion piece, arguing the Government’s declaration is merely virtue signalling unless it’s backed by immediate action to reduce the country’s carbon emissions. “‘In other words, the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country’s emissions by 2025’,” Thunberg tweeted, quoting an excerpt from the article. She continued: “Text explaining New Zealand’s so-called climate emergency declaration. This is of course nothing unique to any nation. #FightFor1Point5.” … Read more: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/12/greta-thunberg-calls-out-new-zealand-government-for-so-called-climate-emergency-declaration.html
The following is New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern compounding her shameful lack of climate ambition by trying to contradict Greta Thunberg.
Jacinda Ardern defends climate change goals after Greta Thunberg scoffs at emergency declaration New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended her country’s climate change policies after activist Greta Thunberg suggested the country lacked ambition. Ms Ardern said the comments referred only to part of New Zealand’s goals on climate change. Ms Thunberg took to Twitter on Sunday to say that New Zealand’s “so-called climate emergency declaration” was “of course nothing unique to any nation”. New Zealand announced earlier this month that it would become carbon neutral by 2025. Ms Ardern told reporters she welcomed Ms Thunberg’s contribution to the debate on climate, but said the emergency declaration covered only a portion of New Zealand’s climate change goals. “If it was the sum total of what we were doing, it would be worthy of criticism, it’s clearly not,” Ardern said, adding it’s “only a good thing that there are people out there continuing to urge ambition and action”. … Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/ardern-defends-nz-climate-change-goals-after-thunberg-tweet/12987266
How dare she? How dare a mere Prime Minister like Jacinda Ardern question and contradict the words of a great climate leader like Greta Thunberg? Jacinda in my opinion is a total climate traitor, her refusal to accept correction from someone who has never held elected office, had any meaningful responsibility, and has AFAIK never even set foot in New Zealand is proof of her guilt.
Karl Marx once explained “The mode of production of material life determines altogether the social, political, and intellectual life process. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but on the contrary their social being, that determines their consciousness.”.
If New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern genuinely wants to foster a green consciousness amongst her people, Ardern should stop being so half hearted, she should follow the advice of Greta instead of arguing with her, she should follow the path laid by Greta Thunberg and Karl Marx and go all in to create a mode of production and social being which leads people to an inevitable green epiphany.
Hilarious when the green left eat their own.
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iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-12-16--Similarity of election fraud to climate-data fraud

These things are occurring IN PLAIN SIGHT , with virtually no attempt to conceal what they are doing .
– Lloyd Robins ___________ What concerns me is the fact that it is clear these things are occurring IN PLAIN SIGHT , with virtually no attempt to conceal what they are doing .
There is really no way to conceal it anyway , they are just doing it regardless .
How do they get away with it ?
They get away with it through a system that allows this to occur in the first place .
I agree that Australia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of view of security and veracity .
It totally boggles my mind that anyone can replace a paper system with a computer system which doesn ’ t record every ballot exactly as it was made , and then keep those records for later scrutiny .
This is the point of a paper system , in that the ballot papers are available at least until the result is known and any recounts are done .
Where is the opportunity for a recount when the actual ballots are destroyed ?
The same thing has occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historical records have been allegedly amalgamated into presentations of supposedly historical trends , and then simply removed , on the basis that they would never be needed again .
The whole concept of destroying records FOR ANY REASON , is a travesty , regardless of whether those records are scientific or electoral .
The similarity to me of how this has occurred in BOTH these subject areas does seem to indicate a link to me .
The post Similarity of election fraud to climate-data fraud appeared first on Ice Age Now .

These things are occurring IN PLAIN SIGHT, with virtually no attempt to conceal what they are doing.
– Lloyd Robins
___________
Similarity of election fraud to climate-data fraud
Lloyd Robins
(This is in response to “The only way to have a fair election is to fill out actual ballot papers.”)
What concerns me is the fact that it is clear these things are occurring IN PLAIN SIGHT, with virtually no attempt to conceal what they are doing. There is really no way to conceal it anyway, they are just doing it regardless. How do they get away with it? They get away with it through a system that allows this to occur in the first place.
I agree that Australia’s system is superior from the point of view of security and veracity. It totally boggles my mind that anyone can replace a paper system with a computer system which doesn’t record every ballot exactly as it was made, and then keep those records for later scrutiny. This is the point of a paper system, in that the ballot papers are available at least until the result is known and any recounts are done. Where is the opportunity for a recount when the actual ballots are destroyed?
The same thing has occurred with climate data of course, where historical records have been allegedly amalgamated into presentations of supposedly historical trends, and then simply removed, on the basis that they would never be needed again. The whole concept of destroying records FOR ANY REASON, is a travesty, regardless of whether those records are scientific or electoral.
The similarity to me of how this has occurred in BOTH these subject areas does seem to indicate a link to me.
The post Similarity of election fraud to climate-data fraud appeared first on Ice Age Now.
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December 16, 2020 at 01:40PM