iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--10 Days That Changed Britain: “Heated” Debate Between Scientists Forced Boris Johnson To Act On Coro

“ If you think the government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies is a cosy consensus of agreeing , you ’ re very wrong indeed ” .
It was on Wednesday March 11 — 10 days ago — that some of the experts on the government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies began to realise that the coronavirus was spreading through the UK too fast for the NHS to cope .
Over the next few days , Britain ’ s leading epidemiologists were embroiled in a series of extremely tense — and until now private — discussions among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance , and Boris Johnson ’ s government over what to do .
There was no consensus .
Several of the scientists frantically argued that the UK must immediately introduce social distancing to halt the spread of the virus .
Some pleaded with the government to change tack or face dire consequences .
But others continued to believe that introducing social distancing now would be unsustainable for a long period and would lead to a more disastrous second wave of infection .
The days-long debate between the experts themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ extremely difficult ” , multiple sources familiar with the discussions told BuzzFeed News .
Vallance admitted as much at a health select committee hearing this week : “ If you think SAGE is a cosy consensus of agreeing , you ’ re very wrong indeed ” .
The extent of the disagreement between the nation ’ s top scientists and the government can be revealed at the end of one of the most extraordinary weeks in modern British history .
As chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled an unprecedented package of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced the closure of pubs , restaurants , theatres and gyms , it also emerged that : Ministers have criticised the prime minister ’ s senior aides for “ outsourcing ” leadership on coronavirus to a small group of experts ; Downing Street is still considering a partial lockdown of London in the coming weeks ; and cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill introduced a series of new Whitehall structures after concerns that the government was acting too slowly on both its health advice and its economic response .
While the scientific debate was raging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers in face-to-face meetings and over emails and text messages , Johnson ’ s government was publicly insisting that the scientific advice showed the UK did not yet have to bring in more stringent measures to fight the virus .
Political aides tacitly criticised other countries who had taken more dramatic steps , claiming Britain was being “ guided by the science ” rather than politics .
Towards the end of last week , some ministers and political aides at the top of the government were still arguing that the original strategy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no real restrictions on wider society — was correct , despite almost every other European country taking a much tougher approach , and increasing alarm among SAGE experts .
[ … ] While the crisis that Johnson faces is undoubtedly unprecedented , there is significant criticism of Number 10 ’ s handling of the situation across the government and the Conservative Party .
Chief among them is the view — expressed by several ministers and Tory MPs to BuzzFeed News over the last few days — that Johnson and his chief aide Dominic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s decision-making process to Vallance , the chief medical officer Chris Whitty , and a small team of scientific advisers .
While Downing Street ’ s deference to the experts won plaudits early on , this approach has turned out to be lacking , the ministers and MPs said , because the scientists themselves disagreed on what to do .
One minister said that it was then the political responsibility of Johnson and Number 10 to decide which scientists to back , but described a “ vacuum of leadership ” among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Cummings and Vallance were “ close allies ” and claimed the government had “ bet ” the future of the UK on advice from a very small group of scientists that for a long time differed from the wider international consensus , and other members of SAGE .
The post 10 Days That Changed Britain : “ Heated ” Debate Between Scientists Forced Boris Johnson To Act On Coronavirus appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

“If you think the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies is a cosy consensus of agreeing, you’re very wrong indeed”.
Leon Neal / Getty Images
It was on Wednesday March 11 — 10 days ago — that some of the experts on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies began to realise that the coronavirus was spreading through the UK too fast for the NHS to cope.
Over the next few days, Britain’s leading epidemiologists were embroiled in a series of extremely tense — and until now private — discussions among themselves, with the UK’s chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance, and Boris Johnson’s government over what to do.
There was no consensus. Several of the scientists frantically argued that the UK must immediately introduce social distancing to halt the spread of the virus. Some pleaded with the government to change tack or face dire consequences.
But others continued to believe that introducing social distancing now would be unsustainable for a long period and would lead to a more disastrous second wave of infection.
The days-long debate between the experts themselves and with the government was “heated” and “extremely difficult”, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told BuzzFeed News. Vallance admitted as much at a health select committee hearing this week: “If you think SAGE is a cosy consensus of agreeing, you’re very wrong indeed”.
The extent of the disagreement between the nation’s top scientists and the government can be revealed at the end of one of the most extraordinary weeks in modern British history.
As chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled an unprecedented package of state intervention in the economy, and Johnson enforced the closure of pubs, restaurants, theatres and gyms, it also emerged that: Ministers have criticised the prime minister’s senior aides for “outsourcing” leadership on coronavirus to a small group of experts; Downing Street is still considering a partial lockdown of London in the coming weeks; and cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill introduced a series of new Whitehall structures after concerns that the government was acting too slowly on both its health advice and its economic response.
While the scientific debate was raging last week between experts, officials and ministers in face-to-face meetings and over emails and text messages, Johnson’s government was publicly insisting that the scientific advice showed the UK did not yet have to bring in more stringent measures to fight the virus.
Political aides tacitly criticised other countries who had taken more dramatic steps, claiming Britain was being “guided by the science” rather than politics.
Towards the end of last week, some ministers and political aides at the top of the government were still arguing that the original strategy of home isolation of suspect cases — but no real restrictions on wider society — was correct, despite almost every other European country taking a much tougher approach, and increasing alarm among SAGE experts. […]
While the crisis that Johnson faces is undoubtedly unprecedented, there is significant criticism of Number 10’s handling of the situation across the government and the Conservative Party.
Chief among them is the view — expressed by several ministers and Tory MPs to BuzzFeed News over the last few days — that Johnson and his chief aide Dominic Cummings have effectively “outsourced” the government’s decision-making process to Vallance, the chief medical officer Chris Whitty, and a small team of scientific advisers.
While Downing Street’s deference to the experts won plaudits early on, this approach has turned out to be lacking, the ministers and MPs said, because the scientists themselves disagreed on what to do. One minister said that it was then the political responsibility of Johnson and Number 10 to decide which scientists to back, but described a “vacuum of leadership” among aides.
The minister told BuzzFeed News that Cummings and Vallance were “close allies” and claimed the government had “bet” the future of the UK on advice from a very small group of scientists that for a long time differed from the wider international consensus, and other members of SAGE.
The post 10 Days That Changed Britain: “Heated” Debate Between Scientists Forced Boris Johnson To Act On Coronavirus appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
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March 21, 2020 at 05:48AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--What Victory Looks Like in the Coronavirus War

We can try to stop time until a vaccine is ready , but the result might be identical to defeat .
A telling moment came on CNBC Thursday .
A host gently shushed the learned Jim Grant , editor of Grant ’ s Interest Rate Observer , saying discussion of trade-offs was not encouraged .
On TV , delivering up unpleasant choices is bad for the brand .
Unfortunately policy discussion is about trade-offs , especially in the hardest of circumstances .
Fortunately , the dam would break on CNBC a day later , thanks in part to an editorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quandary , the cure may not only be worse than the disease .
The cure is likely no cure at all .
We might hold off an expected surge in coronavirus cases for two or three weeks with the kind of extraordinarily destructive economic lockdowns seen in California , New York and elsewhere .
But unless warmer weather is coming to our rescue , Americans probably won ’ t accept the social devastation that would be inflicted by a five-month or 18-month campaign of virus suppression of the sort promoted , variously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London , Germany ’ s Robert Koch Institute and other public-health think tanks .
Mandatory social distancing might well break down .
( Look for speakeasies to re-emerge in New York and other shut-in cities . )
The government might well face a choice of coercion or seeing its authority collapse .
I ’ m not being alarmist .
This is a lesson the World Health Organization ’ s Bruce Aylward brought back from Wuhan .
People with flu-like symptoms had to be isolated in dormitories , hospitals and stadiums .
Asking them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ After a couple of days people get bored , go out for a walk and go shopping and get other people infected.
” And he was talking about people who knew they were sick .
We would be asking apparently healthy Americans to surrender much of what makes life interesting and meaningful for an indefinite period .
Bad decision making , as shown in research , often begins with reducing a complex problem to the single variable with the biggest emotional wallop .
That ’ s what ’ s happening here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disgrace that would descend on our elites if Italy-like scenes of a health-care system meltdown played out on our TVs .
But we may get the bad result anyway and worse if we overtax the willingness of Americans to isolate themselves indefinitely .
We also may be underestimating their ability to adopt effective voluntary distancing even as they proceed with their economic lives .
Each of us knows our own situation in a way no top-down directive can .
This is a virtue to leverage .
[ … ] Because—make no mistake—there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You think our politics are irrational now ?
You haven ’ t seen anything .
The 1918 flu was far worse medically than what we ’ re about to experience , slaughtering even young people with strong immune systems .
Yet we can end up a far more damaged society as a result of the 2020 coronavirus .
The America of 1918 won a world war and launched technological and commercial revolutions that created the modern world .
We may not be saying anything as flattering about the America of 2020 if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victory Looks Like in the Coronavirus War appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

We can try to stop time until a vaccine is ready, but the result might be identical to defeat.
A woman in a mask walks through Grand Central Terminal in New York, March 16.PHOTO: JOHANNES EISELE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
A telling moment came on CNBC Thursday. A host gently shushed the learned Jim Grant, editor of Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, saying discussion of trade-offs was not encouraged.
On TV, delivering up unpleasant choices is bad for the brand. Unfortunately policy discussion is about trade-offs, especially in the hardest of circumstances. Fortunately, the dam would break on CNBC a day later, thanks in part to an editorial in this paper.
In our coronavirus quandary, the cure may not only be worse than the disease. The cure is likely no cure at all. We might hold off an expected surge in coronavirus cases for two or three weeks with the kind of extraordinarily destructive economic lockdowns seen in California, New York and elsewhere. But unless warmer weather is coming to our rescue, Americans probably won’t accept the social devastation that would be inflicted by a five-month or 18-month campaign of virus suppression of the sort promoted, variously, by the U.K.’s Imperial College London, Germany’s Robert Koch Institute and other public-health think tanks.
Mandatory social distancing might well break down. (Look for speakeasies to re-emerge in New York and other shut-in cities.) The government might well face a choice of coercion or seeing its authority collapse. I’m not being alarmist.
This is a lesson the World Health Organization’s Bruce Aylward brought back from Wuhan. People with flu-like symptoms had to be isolated in dormitories, hospitals and stadiums. Asking them to self-isolate voluntarily didn’t work. “After a couple of days people get bored, go out for a walk and go shopping and get other people infected.”
And he was talking about people who knew they were sick. We would be asking apparently healthy Americans to surrender much of what makes life interesting and meaningful for an indefinite period.
Bad decision making, as shown in research, often begins with reducing a complex problem to the single variable with the biggest emotional wallop. That’s what’s happening here. All of us sense the opprobrium and disgrace that would descend on our elites if Italy-like scenes of a health-care system meltdown played out on our TVs. But we may get the bad result anyway and worse if we overtax the willingness of Americans to isolate themselves indefinitely.
We also may be underestimating their ability to adopt effective voluntary distancing even as they proceed with their economic lives. Each of us knows our own situation in a way no top-down directive can. This is a virtue to leverage. […]
Because—make no mistake—there are things worse than the coronavirus. You think our politics are irrational now? You haven’t seen anything. The 1918 flu was far worse medically than what we’re about to experience, slaughtering even young people with strong immune systems. Yet we can end up a far more damaged society as a result of the 2020 coronavirus. The America of 1918 won a world war and launched technological and commercial revolutions that created the modern world. We may not be saying anything as flattering about the America of 2020 if we handle this badly.
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March 21, 2020 at 05:33AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Daily #Coronavirus #COVID-19 Data Graphs

Regular WUWT contributor Willis Eschenbach always goes to data when questions and issues arise , he has been plotting the @ @ @ @ @ the Coronavirus almost daily , and will continue to do so .
I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ to this .
We will continue to add to this page as needed and as @ @ @ @ @ the full page of graphs here : https : //wattsupwiththat.com/daily-coronavirus-covid-19-data-graph-page/

Regular WUWT contributor Willis Eschenbach always goes to data when questions and issues arise, he has been plotting the official death rate data from the Coronavirus almost daily, and will continue to do so. I’ve dedicated a permanent WUWT page to this. We will continue to add to this page as needed and as Willis makes updates.
Friday’s graph:
See the full page of graphs here: https://wattsupwiththat.com/daily-coronavirus-covid-19-data-graph-page/


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Bavarian Prime Minister Calls For Suspension Of Carbon Tax & Green Energy Subsidies

To provide relief from the deepening pandemic crisis , Bavaria Prime Minister has called for the suspension of Germany ’ s carbon tax and renewable energy subsidies which have made electricity rates in Germany among the world ’ s highest .
The draconian measures implemented to cub the so-called COVID-19 pandemic are having a profound impact on the German economy as millions of self-employed have seen business wiped out , and even large industries such as Mercedes , VW and BMW are halting production .
Even worse is the unprecedented ( postwar ) degree of uncertainty that now looms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay in place ?
Will the economy be able to rebound ?
Where ’ s the money to pay for it all going to come from ?
How do we get relief to the citizens ?
Not since WWII has Germany been confronted with such monumental challenges .
One place to start for providing relief , says Bavaria Minister President Markus Söder , is a suspension of the punishing EEG levy and electricity tax , which have made electricity rates in Germany among the world ’ s highest .
reports pv magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapid and extensive aid from the Federal Government to keep the economy crashing .
In a speech in the State Parliament in Munich yesterday , Söder called on the Federal Government to come up with a rapid and comprehensive federal aid package for industry , saying 100 to 150 billion euros were needed .
“ Among other things , he called for the suspension of the electricity tax and EEG levy .
This would help many companies and private households , ” reported the online German pv magazine .
Currently German consumers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mandatory feed-in tariffs for renewable energies such as wind and solar .
The post Bavarian Prime Minister Calls For Suspension Of Carbon Tax & Green Energy Subsidies appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

To provide relief from the deepening pandemic crisis, Bavaria Prime Minister has called for the suspension of Germany’s carbon tax and renewable energy subsidies which have made electricity rates in Germany among the world’s highest.
The draconian measures implemented to cub the so-called COVID-19 pandemic are having a profound impact on the German economy as millions of self-employed have seen business wiped out, and even large industries such as Mercedes, VW and BMW are halting production.
Even worse is the unprecedented (postwar) degree of uncertainty that now looms. How long are the strict measures going to stay in place?
Will the economy be able to rebound? Where’s the money to pay for it all going to come from? How do we get relief to the citizens? Not since WWII has Germany been confronted with such monumental challenges.
Suspend green energy feed-in tariffs
One place to start for providing relief, says Bavaria Minister President Markus Söder, is a suspension of the punishing EEG levy and electricity tax, which have made electricity rates in Germany among the world’s highest. reports pv magazine.
Source: Statista
Minister President Söder is calling for rapid and extensive aid from the Federal Government to keep the economy crashing.
In a speech in the State Parliament in Munich yesterday, Söder called on the Federal Government to come up with a rapid and comprehensive federal aid package for industry, saying 100 to 150 billion euros were needed.
“Among other things, he called for the suspension of the electricity tax and EEG levy. This would help many companies and private households,” reported the online German pv magazine.
23.9 billion euros just for feed-in levies
Currently German consumers and industry are paying over €20 billion annually in mandatory feed-in tariffs for renewable energies such as wind and solar.
Full post
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March 21, 2020 at 04:58AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Matthew Paris: Crashing The Economy Will Also Cost Lives

Just like the virus , impoverishment kills , and locking down the elderly might have been a drastic but fairer solution .
From the start we ’ ve all agreed on one thing : we must follow the science .
Viruses , we say , are blind to politics and the coronavirus emergency requires only one political choice : to listen to the experts .
Our prime minister is hardly seen except flanked by two of these and the intended message is clear : there are no political choices here .
“ The science ” will tell us what to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no place for politics in a decision , it is almost always the case that they have already made a political choice , often without knowing it .
Boris Johnson has .
He may well have made the right choice .
God knows , when as prime minister you face the possibility that within a year we could lose more of our citizens than we lost during the Blitz , the pressure must be almost intolerable .
He has decided to proceed , as have most world leaders , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ err on the side of caution and throw everything we have at this pandemic .
Including our economy , as evidenced by the chancellor ’ s astonishing measures to try to mitigate the harm .
I can not say he is wrong .
What do I , what does he , what does anyone know ?
One writes with great hesitation on an issue like this .
But there ’ s a lurking doubt in my mind that still seems worth thinking about , if only for when the next pandemic strikes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have decided to prioritise the reduction of deaths among the old and very old at the expense of the livelihoods and prospects of those who are still at work .
Even that is only a guess at this stage .
It does seem that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are overwhelmingly going to be the casualties but information is still coming in and it ’ s too early to be sure .
But on that basis we ’ re weighing the nation ’ s jobs , businesses and the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working population ’ s prospects against an imperative to keep one smaller part of the population ( to which , being 70 years old , I belong ) alive .
Must it be either/or ?
If the aim is finally to corner and isolate the virus , and if we throw everything into the attempt , we shall almost certainly succeed but at enormous cost .
What , though , if this is not the last time a virus mutates into a fast-spreading threat to life ?
Even after we beat this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 is annihilated for good or just beaten into a temporary stand-off .
So it ’ s worth attempting a dispassionate survey of the battle , to see what can be learnt for the next one .
Some things seem increasingly likely .
That , for instance , Covid-19 is much better at spreading itself than the influenzas we ’ re familiar with ; that it appears much , much more dangerous to the old or physically fragile than to the rest of the population ; and that the fatality rate is much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildly between countries , however , and can be especially unreliable when they come from countries like ours where ( to the bafflement of most of us ) there has been little or no testing of the general population .
The most reliable figure probably comes from South Korea and that figure so far is just short of 1 per cent .
The Korean rate may look small but could still mean about half a million of us British would die , far more than seasonal flu kills ; and my guess is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are contemplating .
It would overwhelm our NHS , which explains this week ’ s U-turn on the previous policy of attenuating the spread rather than trying to stop it .
Most of these deaths would probably occur among our oldest citizens plus some younger people already at risk .
Given what we already know , or surmise , might it be worth considering a more ruthlessly but more narrowly targeted drive to confine the most apparently at-risk ( like me , I fear ) for our own protection , rather than ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by confining almost everybody else ?
Are we going to do this all over again next time a mutant virus threatens the ever-increasing number of fragile elderly that modern medicine adds to our population ?
My mother is 93 and very frail .
My father was kept alive for 15 years with heart operations and drugs .
I wouldn ’ t wish to sacrifice a day of their lives but if we could design a way to keep grandparents safe without closing down the economy , then their many children , grandchildren and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think , would they .
“ Epidemic ” is an emotive word ; “ pandemic ” even more so .
A virus , especially a “ foreign virus ” roots easily in the public and political imagination as an identifiable enemy , an alien assassin .
Fatality statistics look like brute and indisputable facts , especially when the figures for “ would have died anyway before long ” are beyond our grasp and sound so unfeeling .
Contrast these all-too vivid and immediate spectres with cloudy abstractions like “ the economic health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But economic distress is no less real for being stealthy .
Impoverishment kills .
Redundancy can be a physical or mental health disaster .
Bankruptcy wounds .
Debt scars .
Austerity comes calling in its own hood , wields its own scythe .
People die quietly , alone and unreported — through drink , drugs , unhealthy living , depression or despair .
Read Sir Michael Marmot ’ s 2010 report , Fair Society , Healthy Lives , and you will see hard statistics about the links between poverty and reduced longevity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Britain is already dropping .
And if this is true of a rich country with a well-resourced health service such as ours , what will a global recession do in places where provision is already thin and overstretched ?
If you kick the global economy in the guts , you kick billions of real people in the guts too : it ’ s just that , unlike coronavirus victims , we ’ ll never know who they were .
For good and honourable reasons our government is straining to protect the identifiable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the less identifiable .
We can ’ t change course now , and nor am I even certain our present course is unwise , but let ’ s give some brutally honest thought to how we approach the next epidemic when it hits us .
Is crashing the economy , every time , the only answer ?
If so , and given this pandemic is not the last , we ’ re in for a rollercoaster ride .
The post Matthew Paris : Crashing The Economy Will Also Cost Lives appeared first on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .

Just like the virus, impoverishment kills, and locking down the elderly might have been a drastic but fairer solution.
From the start we’ve all agreed on one thing: we must follow the science. Viruses, we say, are blind to politics and the coronavirus emergency requires only one political choice: to listen to the experts. Our prime minister is hardly seen except flanked by two of these and the intended message is clear: there are no political choices here. “The science” will tell us what to do.
But when people tell you there is no place for politics in a decision, it is almost always the case that they have already made a political choice, often without knowing it. Boris Johnson has. He may well have made the right choice. God knows, when as prime minister you face the possibility that within a year we could lose more of our citizens than we lost during the Blitz, the pressure must be almost intolerable. He has decided to proceed, as have most world leaders, on the basis that it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw everything we have at this pandemic. Including our economy, as evidenced by the chancellor’s astonishing measures to try to mitigate the harm.
I cannot say he is wrong. What do I, what does he, what does anyone know? One writes with great hesitation on an issue like this. But there’s a lurking doubt in my mind that still seems worth thinking about, if only for when the next pandemic strikes, as it surely will.
World leaders have decided to prioritise the reduction of deaths among the old and very old at the expense of the livelihoods and prospects of those who are still at work. Even that is only a guess at this stage. It does seem that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are overwhelmingly going to be the casualties but information is still coming in and it’s too early to be sure. But on that basis we’re weighing the nation’s jobs, businesses and the whole of the younger generation’s and working population’s prospects against an imperative to keep one smaller part of the population (to which, being 70 years old, I belong) alive. Must it be either/or?
If the aim is finally to corner and isolate the virus, and if we throw everything into the attempt, we shall almost certainly succeed but at enormous cost. What, though, if this is not the last time a virus mutates into a fast-spreading threat to life? Even after we beat this one, we won’t know whether Covid-19 is annihilated for good or just beaten into a temporary stand-off. So it’s worth attempting a dispassionate survey of the battle, to see what can be learnt for the next one.
Some things seem increasingly likely. That, for instance, Covid-19 is much better at spreading itself than the influenzas we’re familiar with; that it appears much, much more dangerous to the old or physically fragile than to the rest of the population; and that the fatality rate is much higher than from flu. Figures vary wildly between countries, however, and can be especially unreliable when they come from countries like ours where (to the bafflement of most of us) there has been little or no testing of the general population. The most reliable figure probably comes from South Korea and that figure so far is just short of 1 per cent.
The Korean rate may look small but could still mean about half a million of us British would die, far more than seasonal flu kills; and my guess is that this is the worst-case scenario ministers are contemplating. It would overwhelm our NHS, which explains this week’s U-turn on the previous policy of attenuating the spread rather than trying to stop it. Most of these deaths would probably occur among our oldest citizens plus some younger people already at risk.
Given what we already know, or surmise, might it be worth considering a more ruthlessly but more narrowly targeted drive to confine the most apparently at-risk (like me, I fear) for our own protection, rather than (as it seems) wreck the economy by confining almost everybody else? Are we going to do this all over again next time a mutant virus threatens the ever-increasing number of fragile elderly that modern medicine adds to our population? My mother is 93 and very frail. My father was kept alive for 15 years with heart operations and drugs. I wouldn’t wish to sacrifice a day of their lives but if we could design a way to keep grandparents safe without closing down the economy, then their many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would thank us and so, I think, would they.
“Epidemic” is an emotive word; “pandemic” even more so. A virus, especially a “foreign virus” roots easily in the public and political imagination as an identifiable enemy, an alien assassin. Fatality statistics look like brute and indisputable facts, especially when the figures for “would have died anyway before long” are beyond our grasp and sound so unfeeling. Contrast these all-too vivid and immediate spectres with cloudy abstractions like “the economic health” of a nation or the planet.
But economic distress is no less real for being stealthy. Impoverishment kills. Redundancy can be a physical or mental health disaster. Bankruptcy wounds. Debt scars. Austerity comes calling in its own hood, wields its own scythe. People die quietly, alone and unreported — through drink, drugs, unhealthy living, depression or despair. Read Sir Michael Marmot’s 2010 report, Fair Society, Healthy Lives, and you will see hard statistics about the links between poverty and reduced longevity — longevity which in the poorer parts of Britain is already dropping. And if this is true of a rich country with a well-resourced health service such as ours, what will a global recession do in places where provision is already thin and overstretched?
If you kick the global economy in the guts, you kick billions of real people in the guts too: it’s just that, unlike coronavirus victims, we’ll never know who they were. For good and honourable reasons our government is straining to protect the identifiable, but perhaps at the expense of the less identifiable. We can’t change course now, and nor am I even certain our present course is unwise, but let’s give some brutally honest thought to how we approach the next epidemic when it hits us. Is crashing the economy, every time, the only answer? If so, and given this pandemic is not the last, we’re in for a rollercoaster ride.
The Times, 21 March 2020
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March 21, 2020 at 04:29AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Solar energy tracker powers down after 17 years

After nearly two decades , the Sun has set for NASA ’ s SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment ( SORCE ) , a mission that continued and advanced the agency ’ s 40-year record of measuring solar irradiance and studying its influence on Earth ’ s climate .
The SORCE team turned off the spacecraft on February 25 , 2020 , concluding 17 years of measuring the amount , spectrum and fluctuations of solar energy entering Earth ’ s atmosphere — vital information for understanding climate and the planet ’ s energy balance .
The mission ’ s legacy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irradiance Sensor ( TSIS-1 ) , launched to the International Space Station in December 2017 , and TSIS-2 , which will launch aboard its own spacecraft in 2023 .
The Sun is Earth ’ s primary power source .
Energy from the Sun , called solar irradiance , drives Earth ’ s climate , temperature , weather , atmospheric chemistry , ocean cycles , energy balance and more .
Scientists need accurate measurements of solar power to model these processes , and the technological advances in SORCE ’ s instruments allowed more accurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ These measurements are important for two reasons , ” said Dong Wu , project scientist for SORCE and TSIS-1 at NASA ’ s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland .
“ Climate scientists need to know how much the Sun varies , so they know how much change in the Earth ’ s climate is due to solar variation .
Secondly , we ’ ve debated for years , is the Sun getting brighter or dimmer over hundreds of years ?
We live only a short period , but an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you know how the Sun is varying and can extend that knowledge into the future , you can then put the anticipated future solar input into climate models together with other information , like trace gas concentrations , to estimate what our future climate will be.
” SORCE ’ s four instruments measured solar irradiance in two complementary ways : Total and spectral .
Total solar irradiance , or TSI , is the total amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth ’ s outer atmosphere in a given time .
Sunspots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s surface ) and faculae ( brightened areas ) create tiny TSI variations that show up as measurable changes in Earth ’ s climate and systems .
From space , SORCE and other solar irradiance missions measure TSI without interference from Earth ’ s atmosphere .
SORCE ’ s TSI values were slightly but significantly lower than those measured by previous missions .
This was not an error — its Total Irradiance Monitor was ten times more accurate than previous instruments .
This improved solar irradiance inputs into the Earth climate and weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The big surprise with TSI was that the amount of irradiance it measured was 4.6 watts per square meter less than what was expected , ” said Tom Woods , SORCE ’ s principal investigator and senior research associate at the University of Colorado ’ s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics ( LASP ) in Boulder , Colorado .
“ That started a whole scientific discussion and the development of a new calibration laboratory for TSI instruments .
It turned out that the TIM was correct , and all the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not often in climate studies that you make a quantum leap in measurement capability , but the tenfold improvement in accuracy by the SORCE / TIM was exactly that , ” said Greg Kopp , TIM instrument scientist for SORCE and TSIS at LASP .
SORCE ’ s other measurements focused on spectrally-resolved solar irradiance ( SSI ) : The variation of solar irradiance with wavelength across the solar spectrum , covering the major wavelength regions important to Earth ’ s climate and atmospheric composition .
Besides the familiar rainbow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy also contains shorter ultraviolet and longer infrared wavelengths , both of which play important roles in affecting Earth ’ s atmosphere .
Earth ’ s atmospheric layers and surface absorb different wavelengths of energy — for example , atmospheric ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation , while atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb longer-wavelength infrared radiation , which keeps the surface warm .
SORCE was the first satellite mission to record a broad spectrum of SSI for a long period , tracking wavelengths from 1 to 2400 nanometers across its three SSI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ozone chemistry and ultraviolet radiation are very important , and visible light is important for climate modeling , ” Wu said .
“ We need to know the solar variability at different wavelengths and compare these measurements with our models.
” SORCE observed the Sun across two solar minima ( periods of low sunspot activity ) , providing valuable information about variability over a relatively short 11-year period .
But a longer record is needed to improve long-term predictions , Wu said .
SORCE was originally designed to collect data for just five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required creative and resourceful engineering , said Eric Moyer , SORCE ’ s mission director at Goddard .
SORCE ’ s battery began to degrade in its eighth year of operations , no longer providing enough power to support consistent data collection .
Unfortunately , the NASA instrument designed to take up its TSI measurements , Glory , was lost shortly after its 2011 launch , and the next instrument , the NOAA / U.S. Air Force Total solar irradiance Calibration Transfer Experiment ( TCTE ) , would not launch until 2013 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing solar irradiance record could be interrupted .
Because the Sun changes very slowly — its sunspots and faculae follow an 11-year cycle , and some changes span decades or even centuries — a long , continuous record is essential for understanding how the Sun behaves .
The engineering team switched to daytime-only solar data collection , powering down the instruments and part of the spacecraft during the night part of the SORCE orbit .
This plan effectively allowed the satellite to run with no functioning battery , Woods said — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and science teams at our partner organizations developed and implemented a completely new way to operate this mission when it appeared it was over because of battery capacity loss , ” said Moyer .
LASP and Northrup Grumman Space Systems led the development of new operational software in order to continue the SORCE mission .
“ The small , highly dedicated team persevered and excelled when encountering operational challenges .
I am very proud of their excellent accomplishment and honored to have had the opportunity to participate in managing the SORCE mission.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun ends , NASA ’ s solar irradiance record continues with TSIS-1 .
The mission ’ s two instruments measure TSI and SSI with even more advanced instruments that build on SORCE ’ s legacy , said Wu .
They have already enabled advances like establishing a new reference for the “ quiet ” Sun when there were no sunspots in 2019 , and for comparing this to SORCE observations of the previous solar cycle minimum in 2008 .
TSIS-2 is scheduled to launch in 2023 with identical instruments to TSIS-1 .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give it more flexibility than TSIS-1 ’ s data collection aboard the ISS .
“ We are looking forward to continuing the groundbreaking science ushered in by SORCE , and to maintaining the solar irradiance data record through this decade and beyond with TSIS-1 and 2 , ” said LASP ’ s Peter Pilewskie , principal investigator for the TSIS missions .
“ SORCE set the standard for measurement accuracy and spectral coverage , two attributes of the mission that were key to gaining insight into the Sun ’ s role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvements that should further enhance Sun-climate studies.
” “ Solar irradiance measurements are very challenging , and the SORCE team proposed a different way , a new technology , to measure them , ” said Wu .
“ Using advanced technology to advance our science capability , SORCE is a very good example of NASA ’ s spirit.
” For more information on SORCE , visit : http : //lasp.colorado.edu/home/sorce/ .

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
After nearly two decades, the Sun has set for NASA’s SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE), a mission that continued and advanced the agency’s 40-year record of measuring solar irradiance and studying its influence on Earth’s climate.
The SORCE team turned off the spacecraft on February 25, 2020, concluding 17 years of measuring the amount, spectrum and fluctuations of solar energy entering Earth’s atmosphere — vital information for understanding climate and the planet’s energy balance. The mission’s legacy is continued by the Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1), launched to the International Space Station in December 2017, and TSIS-2, which will launch aboard its own spacecraft in 2023.
Monitoring Earth’s “Battery”
The Sun is Earth’s primary power source. Energy from the Sun, called solar irradiance, drives Earth’s climate, temperature, weather, atmospheric chemistry, ocean cycles, energy balance and more. Scientists need accurate measurements of solar power to model these processes, and the technological advances in SORCE’s instruments allowed more accurate solar irradiance measurements than previous missions.
“These measurements are important for two reasons,” said Dong Wu, project scientist for SORCE and TSIS-1 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Climate scientists need to know how much the Sun varies, so they know how much change in the Earth’s climate is due to solar variation. Secondly, we’ve debated for years, is the Sun getting brighter or dimmer over hundreds of years? We live only a short period, but an accurate trend will become very important. If you know how the Sun is varying and can extend that knowledge into the future, you can then put the anticipated future solar input into climate models together with other information, like trace gas concentrations, to estimate what our future climate will be.”
SORCE’s four instruments measured solar irradiance in two complementary ways: Total and spectral.
Total solar irradiance, or TSI, is the total amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s outer atmosphere in a given time. Sunspots (darkened areas on the Sun’s surface) and faculae (brightened areas) create tiny TSI variations that show up as measurable changes in Earth’s climate and systems. From space, SORCE and other solar irradiance missions measure TSI without interference from Earth’s atmosphere.
SORCE’s TSI values were slightly but significantly lower than those measured by previous missions. This was not an error — its Total Irradiance Monitor was ten times more accurate than previous instruments. This improved solar irradiance inputs into the Earth climate and weather models from what was previously available.
“The big surprise with TSI was that the amount of irradiance it measured was 4.6 watts per square meter less than what was expected,” said Tom Woods, SORCE’s principal investigator and senior research associate at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in Boulder, Colorado. “That started a whole scientific discussion and the development of a new calibration laboratory for TSI instruments. It turned out that the TIM was correct, and all the past irradiance measurements were erroneously high.”
“It’s not often in climate studies that you make a quantum leap in measurement capability, but the tenfold improvement in accuracy by the SORCE / TIM was exactly that,” said Greg Kopp, TIM instrument scientist for SORCE and TSIS at LASP.
SORCE’s other measurements focused on spectrally-resolved solar irradiance (SSI): The variation of solar irradiance with wavelength across the solar spectrum, covering the major wavelength regions important to Earth’s climate and atmospheric composition.
Besides the familiar rainbow of colors in visible light, solar energy also contains shorter ultraviolet and longer infrared wavelengths, both of which play important roles in affecting Earth’s atmosphere. Earth’s atmospheric layers and surface absorb different wavelengths of energy — for example, atmospheric ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation, while atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb longer-wavelength infrared radiation, which keeps the surface warm. SORCE was the first satellite mission to record a broad spectrum of SSI for a long period, tracking wavelengths from 1 to 2400 nanometers across its three SSI instruments.
“For public health, ozone chemistry and ultraviolet radiation are very important, and visible light is important for climate modeling,” Wu said. “We need to know the solar variability at different wavelengths and compare these measurements with our models.”
SORCE observed the Sun across two solar minima (periods of low sunspot activity), providing valuable information about variability over a relatively short 11-year period. But a longer record is needed to improve long-term predictions, Wu said.
Buying Time for an Aging Mission
SORCE was originally designed to collect data for just five years. Extending its lifespan to 17 required creative and resourceful engineering, said Eric Moyer, SORCE’s mission director at Goddard.
SORCE’s battery began to degrade in its eighth year of operations, no longer providing enough power to support consistent data collection. Unfortunately, the NASA instrument designed to take up its TSI measurements, Glory, was lost shortly after its 2011 launch, and the next instrument, the NOAA / U.S. Air Force Total solar irradiance Calibration Transfer Experiment (TCTE), would not launch until 2013. If SORCE could no longer operate, the ongoing solar irradiance record could be interrupted. Because the Sun changes very slowly — its sunspots and faculae follow an 11-year cycle, and some changes span decades or even centuries — a long, continuous record is essential for understanding how the Sun behaves.
The engineering team switched to daytime-only solar data collection, powering down the instruments and part of the spacecraft during the night part of the SORCE orbit. This plan effectively allowed the satellite to run with no functioning battery, Woods said — a groundbreaking engineering achievement.
“The operation and science teams at our partner organizations developed and implemented a completely new way to operate this mission when it appeared it was over because of battery capacity loss,” said Moyer. LASP and Northrup Grumman Space Systems led the development of new operational software in order to continue the SORCE mission. “The small, highly dedicated team persevered and excelled when encountering operational challenges. I am very proud of their excellent accomplishment and honored to have had the opportunity to participate in managing the SORCE mission.”
Continuing a Bright Legacy
As SORCE’s time in the Sun ends, NASA’s solar irradiance record continues with TSIS-1. The mission’s two instruments measure TSI and SSI with even more advanced instruments that build on SORCE’s legacy, said Wu. They have already enabled advances like establishing a new reference for the “quiet” Sun when there were no sunspots in 2019, and for comparing this to SORCE observations of the previous solar cycle minimum in 2008.
TSIS-2 is scheduled to launch in 2023 with identical instruments to TSIS-1. Its vantage point aboard its own spacecraft will give it more flexibility than TSIS-1’s data collection aboard the ISS.
“We are looking forward to continuing the groundbreaking science ushered in by SORCE, and to maintaining the solar irradiance data record through this decade and beyond with TSIS-1 and 2,” said LASP’s Peter Pilewskie, principal investigator for the TSIS missions. “SORCE set the standard for measurement accuracy and spectral coverage, two attributes of the mission that were key to gaining insight into the Sun’s role in the climate system. TSIS has made additional improvements that should further enhance Sun-climate studies.”
“Solar irradiance measurements are very challenging, and the SORCE team proposed a different way, a new technology, to measure them,” said Wu. “Using advanced technology to advance our science capability, SORCE is a very good example of NASA’s spirit.”
###
For more information on SORCE, visit: http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/sorce/.
From EurekAlert!


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Crush the Curve: Italian town with first death in Italy stopped the virus

The first epicentre in Italy was Vò , a little town of 3,000 .
It was shut down , fullly tested and twice and nine days apart .
By testing , isolating , and tracking , they reduced the spread to almost nothing , and this is despite the extraordinary discovery that when the first death happened , already 3 % of the town had the disease .
At that point surely the Italian government should have immediately closed everything ?
In one Italian town , we showed mass testing could eradicate the coronavirus Our experiment came to be by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong emotional reaction to news of the country ’ s first death – which was in Vò .
The whole town was put into quarantine and every inhabitant was tested .
In the first round of testing , 89 people tested positive .
In the second round , the number had dropped to six , who remained in isolation .
In this way , we managed to eradicate coronavirus from Vò , achieving a 100 % recovery rate for those previously infected while recording no further cases of transmission .
The headline is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t eradicate anything , but it does make strict isolation [ … ]

The first epicentre in Italy was Vò, a little town of 3,000. It was shut down, fullly tested and twice and nine days apart. By testing, isolating, and tracking, they reduced the spread to almost nothing, and this is despite the extraordinary discovery that when the first death happened, already 3% of the town had the disease.
At that point surely the Italian government should have immediately closed everything?
In one Italian town, we showed mass testing could eradicate the coronavirus
Andrea Crisanti and Antonio Cassone, The Guardian, March 20.
Our experiment came to be by chance. The Italian authorities had a strong emotional reaction to news of the country’s first death – which was in Vò. The whole town was put into quarantine and every inhabitant was tested.
In the first round of testing, 89 people tested positive. In the second round, the number had dropped to six, who remained in isolation. In this way, we managed to eradicate coronavirus from Vò, achieving a 100% recovery rate for those previously infected while recording no further cases of transmission.
The headline is a bit silly — mass testing doesn’t eradicate anything, but it does make strict isolation […]
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March 21, 2020 at 04:07AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--BBC: Have UK Experts Over-Egged Coronavirus Deaths?

“ There is certainly evidence to suggest the modellers have underestimated the ability of the NHS to increase intensive care capacity.
” The drastic measures taken in the UK to tackle coronavirus have been justified because of the need to save lives .
Modelling by Imperial College London – used to inform government – suggests 500,000 could die if we do nothing .
Even the government ’ s previous strategy to slow the spread was likely to lead to 250,000 deaths , the research showed .
The warnings prompted ministers to announce on Monday the most draconian crackdown on freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to pubs , clubs or theatres , and to work from home if possible .
The move has hit the economy , putting jobs at risk and prompting schools to be closed and exams cancelled .
Professor Neil Ferguson , one of the lead academics involved in the modelling , told the BBC ’ s Today Programme this week there was “ no option ” if 250,000 lives were not to be risked .
Sir Patrick Vallance , the government ’ s chief scientific adviser , said in an appearance before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope was to keep the death toll below 20,000 by suppressing the virus .
That would still be worse than those killed by flu , he said , giving a number of 8,000 per year .
He said limiting deaths to 20,000 would be “ horrible ” but still represented a “ good outcome ” given where we are .
Would these people be dying anyway ?
The figures for coronavirus are eye-watering .
But what is not clear – because the modellers did not map this – is to what extent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given that the old and frail are the most vulnerable , would these people be dying anyway ?
Every year more than 500,000 people die in England and Wales : factor in Scotland and Northern Ireland , and the figure tops 600,000 .
The coronavirus deaths will not be on top of this .
Many would be within this “ normal ” number of expected deaths .
In short , they would have died anyway .
It was a point conceded by Sir Patrick at a press conference on Thursday when he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between coronavirus deaths and expected deaths – he just did not know how much of an overlap .
In contrast , the figure he gave for flu deaths to MPs – 8,000 – is different .
It is actually the number of deaths over and above what you would expect to happen in any given year .
Many more die with flu , but the figure gives you an indication of how many more die because of flu , whereas the 20,000 , 250,000 and 500,000 figures for coronavirus are simply the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing which has been done in many countries means we know when a patient dies with the virus inside their body .
What it does not tell us is to what extent coronavirus contributed to the death .
Why better intelligence is needed There are , of course , other factors at play here .
Left unchecked , the deaths would come very quickly .
The 500,000 deaths could all occur in the UK by August , the modellers said .
This in itself would overwhelm the health service – if they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk , because care would not be available for others .
But there is certainly evidence to suggest the modellers have underestimated the ability of the NHS to increase intensive care capacity .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens suggested intensive care capacity could be doubled , after this modelling came out .
What else has not been done is a proper assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the measures taken , which themselves will put lives and health at risk .
The post BBC : Have UK Experts Over-Egged Coronavirus Deaths ?
appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

“There is certainly evidence to suggest the modellers have underestimated the ability of the NHS to increase intensive care capacity.”
The drastic measures taken in the UK to tackle coronavirus have been justified because of the need to save lives.
Modelling by Imperial College London – used to inform government – suggests 500,000 could die if we do nothing.
Even the government’s previous strategy to slow the spread was likely to lead to 250,000 deaths, the research showed.
The warnings prompted ministers to announce on Monday the most draconian crackdown on freedom in peacetime with the public told not to go to pubs, clubs or theatres, and to work from home if possible.
The move has hit the economy, putting jobs at risk and prompting schools to be closed and exams cancelled.
No other option – experts
Professor Neil Ferguson, one of the lead academics involved in the modelling, told the BBC’s Today Programme this week there was “no option” if 250,000 lives were not to be risked.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, said in an appearance before the Health Select Committee, that the hope was to keep the death toll below 20,000 by suppressing the virus.
That would still be worse than those killed by flu, he said, giving a number of 8,000 per year.
He said limiting deaths to 20,000 would be “horrible” but still represented a “good outcome” given where we are.
Would these people be dying anyway?
The figures for coronavirus are eye-watering. But what is not clear – because the modellers did not map this – is to what extent the deaths would have happened without coronavirus.
Given that the old and frail are the most vulnerable, would these people be dying anyway?
Every year more than 500,000 people die in England and Wales: factor in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the figure tops 600,000.
The coronavirus deaths will not be on top of this. Many would be within this “normal” number of expected deaths. In short, they would have died anyway.
It was a point conceded by Sir Patrick at a press conference on Thursday when he said there would be “some overlap” between coronavirus deaths and expected deaths – he just did not know how much of an overlap.
The flu comparison
In contrast, the figure he gave for flu deaths to MPs – 8,000 – is different. It is actually the number of deaths over and above what you would expect to happen in any given year.
Many more die with flu, but the figure gives you an indication of how many more die because of flu, whereas the 20,000, 250,000 and 500,000 figures for coronavirus are simply the number of deaths linked to coronavirus.
The testing which has been done in many countries means we know when a patient dies with the virus inside their body. What it does not tell us is to what extent coronavirus contributed to the death.
Why better intelligence is needed
There are, of course, other factors at play here. Left unchecked, the deaths would come very quickly.
The 500,000 deaths could all occur in the UK by August, the modellers said.
This in itself would overwhelm the health service – if they were right – putting even more lives at risk, because care would not be available for others.
But there is certainly evidence to suggest the modellers have underestimated the ability of the NHS to increase intensive care capacity.
NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens suggested intensive care capacity could be doubled, after this modelling came out.
What else has not been done is a proper assessment of the economic and social costs of the measures taken, which themselves will put lives and health at risk.
The post BBC: Have UK Experts Over-Egged Coronavirus Deaths? appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
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March 21, 2020 at 03:47AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Feb 27th: Some US Republicans knew what was coming, and didn’t warn the people

Some in the Republican Party knew what was coming .
At least four Senators in the US are being accused of insider trading , selling stocks before the crash , but not warning the public or making sure the US was prepared .
Senator Richard Burr sold something like a million dollars in their own stocks on Feb 13th .
At private briefings his message was that this virus was aggressive , more like the Spanish Flu , “ the military might be mobilized ” .
Burr was probably more aware than most because he “ helped to write the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
” On the other hand Senator Loeffer says she was not involved in choosing the stocks that were sold on her portfolio .
But others say some of these blind trusts sold shares the same day the Senators were briefed in some cases as early as Jan 24th .
The Senators claim they were only acting on public news services .
Possibly , even if they knew , they may have been bound by some Party ruling not to contradict the President .
Rod Dreher , The American Conservative “ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Us ” Think about it : Trump certainly knew how bad it was going to [ … ]

Traitors to the people?
Some in the Republican Party knew what was coming. At least four Senators in the US are being accused of insider trading, selling stocks before the crash, but not warning the public or making sure the US was prepared. Senator Richard Burr sold something like a million dollars in their own stocks on Feb 13th. At private briefings his message was that this virus was aggressive, more like the Spanish Flu, “the military might be mobilized”. Burr was probably more aware than most because he “helped to write the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).”
On the other hand Senator Loeffer says she was not involved in choosing the stocks that were sold on her portfolio. But others say some of these blind trusts sold shares the same day the Senators were briefed in some cases as early as Jan 24th. The Senators claim they were only acting on public news services. Possibly, even if they knew, they may have been bound by some Party ruling not to contradict the President.
Rod Dreher, The American Conservative “They Knew, And Didn’t Tell Us”
Think about it: Trump certainly knew how bad it was going to […]
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March 21, 2020 at 02:34AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--NOW CLIMATE EXTREMISTS CLAIM CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE IS A TEMPLATE TO TACKLE CO2

I thought we would soon hear this argument .
The problem is that we would end up living with these @ @ @ @ @ I suspect that would not go down very well with the voters .

I thought we would soon hear this argument . The problem is that we would end up living with these extreme measures for ever. I suspect that would not go down very well with the voters.


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Trapped at home? Watch the Northen Lights via live stream

Proving again the Internet is quite possibly the best ( and worst ) thing ever invented .
Located at the @ @ @ @ @ Churchill , Manitoba , this live cam is located directly underneath the aurora oval–one of @ @ @ @ @ to watch the aurora borealis , the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon better known as the Northern @ @ @ @ @ early spring are the best times for the aurora , so be sure to stop @ @ @ @ @ February and March !

Proving again the Internet is quite possibly the best (and worst) thing ever invented.
Located at the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Churchill, Manitoba, this live cam is located directly underneath the aurora oval–one of the best places on earth to watch the aurora borealis, the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon better known as the Northern Lights. Late winter and early spring are the best times for the aurora, so be sure to stop in during the months of February and March!
Watch here: https://explore.org/livecams/aurora-borealis-northern-lights/northern-lights-cam


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Steve Milloy wins against Exxon with SEC

Steve Milloy is the publisher of junkscience.com and trained as a lawyer and biostatistician .
He was “ lauded ” as one of the top ten “ climate deniers ” by George Monbiot at the Guardian .
Milloy has filed a shareholder proposal with Exxon-Mobil insisting that they account for their “ greenwashing ” activities that are not required by law .
He defines greenwashing as expenditures that are supposed to be environment-related but are actually undertaken to improve the company ’ s public image .
These insincere green activities waste shareholder money , deceive shareholders and the public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ SEC to exclude Milloy ’ s proposal from the shareholder meeting , scheduled for May 27 , 2020 .
The SEC ruled in Milloy ’ s favor as you can see in Figure 1 .
Figure 1 .
SEC summary of their decision , they turned down Exxon Mobil ’ s request to exclude Milloy ’ s proposal .
Source : SEC .
Exxon-Mobil management has long been divided on the risks of climate change , as I have written here .
But , the risks of human-caused climate change have been investigated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 1979 and they have uncovered nothing significant .
The only solid impacts of human-caused global warming or climate change uncovered are positive , as seen here .
Greenwashing by Exxon-Mobil , sends the wrong signal to the public and the environmentalists .
They use it as a club to beat the fossil fuel industry , saying “ See climate denier , even the largest private fossil-fuel producer agrees with us !
” As a long-time Exxon-Mobil shareholder and a past Exxon employee , I will vote with Milloy and against Exxon-Mobil in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself and what is right .

By Andy May
h/t Willie Soon
Steve Milloy is the publisher of junkscience.com and trained as a lawyer and biostatistician. He was “lauded” as one of the top ten “climate deniers” by George Monbiot at the Guardian. Milloy has filed a shareholder proposal with Exxon-Mobil insisting that they account for their “greenwashing” activities that are not required by law. He defines greenwashing as expenditures that are supposed to be environment-related but are actually undertaken to improve the company’s public image. These insincere green activities waste shareholder money, deceive shareholders and the public.
Exxon Mobil submitted a request to the SEC to exclude Milloy’s proposal from the shareholder meeting, scheduled for May 27, 2020. The SEC ruled in Milloy’s favor as you can see in Figure 1.
Figure 1. SEC summary of their decision, they turned down Exxon Mobil’s request to exclude Milloy’s proposal. Source: SEC.
Exxon-Mobil management has long been divided on the risks of climate change, as I have written here. But, the risks of human-caused climate change have been investigated by thousands of researchers, worldwide, since 1979 and they have uncovered nothing significant. The only solid impacts of human-caused global warming or climate change uncovered are positive, as seen here.
Greenwashing by Exxon-Mobil, sends the wrong signal to the public and the environmentalists. They use it as a club to beat the fossil fuel industry, saying “See climate denier, even the largest private fossil-fuel producer agrees with us!” As a long-time Exxon-Mobil shareholder and a past Exxon employee, I will vote with Milloy and against Exxon-Mobil in May. Exxon-Mobil should stand up for itself and what is right.


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Hornsdale Power Reserve: helping to prevent blackouts in … Melbourne?

After writing previous post , I wondered how much impact the Tesla battery of the Hornsdale Power Reserve actually has on the South Australia grid .
Just looking at the numbers ( the battery has a capacity of 100 MW and can deliver 129 MWh ) , I expected it to be rather insignificant .
In the meanwhile , I came across a heated discussion on a reblog of previous post on the blog “ Utopia , you are standing in it !
“ .
That post was about the Tesla battery of the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that South Australia is a net exporter and after the question how long the Tesla battery would last , this suprising claim was made : Later in the discussion on the South Australia import/export balance , the claim was repeated in similar a wording : It is remarkable that such a small capacity could stop potential blackouts in a large city .
If the capacity of the coal plants in Australia is in the same range as those in Europe , then the Tesla battery with a capacity of 100 MW / 129 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event one such a plant would actually break down .
I was going to look into the impact of the Hornsdale battery anyway , so I thought it might be a good idea to start from this particular claim and see how the Hornsdale battery was able to prevent blackouts in Melbourne .
That is one way to figure out what the impact of the battery is in practice .
Looking for more information on the South Australia grid , I encountered the first problem for the claim .
Just take a look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : There is no coal in the energy mix of South Australia !
The Wiki page “ List of power stations in South Australia ” confirmed that there are no coal fired power power plants anymore in South Australia .
The last one closed in May 2016 .
That made me wonder how on earth the Tesla battery could help prevent blackouts in Melbourne due to regularly breaking down coal fired power plants , when there is no coal fired power plant left in South Australia to break down ?
The solution presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that claim .
When I was looking for more information on Melbourne , I found that Melbourne is a city in Victoria , not in South Australia !
Chances are very slim that this battery would help to prevent blackouts in Melbourne , roughly 1,000 km away from the Hornsdale Power Reserve .
But then , maybe Melbourne has its own “ Tesla battery ” that help to prevent blackouts caused by those regularly failing coal fired power plants ?
The Wiki page “ List of power stations in Victoria ( Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batteries in Victoria , but there was an entry in the EAMO dashboard for battery power ( although it had zero output as far as I could go back ) .
I then found the article “ Victoria to turn to Tesla battery power in time for next summer ” in which was stated that a Tesla battery system would be build by the summer of the next year .
The article is from March 2018 , so that would make it operational in the summer of 2019 .
The planned capacity is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , roughy half the capacity of the Hornsdale Power Reserve .
Expecting to save Melbourne with that capacity is I think wishful thinking .
There are three coal fired power plants in Victoria : Loy Yang A ( 2,200 MW ) , Loy Yang B ( 1,500 MW ) and Yalloum ( 1,480 MW ) .
That tiny capacity of 55 MW will not be a match for even the smallest of the three .
According to the article , this 55 MW battery “ will be big enough to power 20,000 households @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( most probably on condition that it is fully loaded at the moment of the coal fired power plant breakdown ) .
If we start from the assumption that the 80 MWh could provide electricity for 20,000 households at peak demand , then 1,480 MW could provide 370,000 households during one hour for the smallest coal fired power plant .
In the further assumption that the battery would be able to provide enough power to those 370,000 households at any given moment , the power in the battery would last for 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the assumption that the battery was fully loaded at the start of the breakdown .
If this battery serves the same purposes as the Hornsdale Power Reserve ( frequency control and peak shaving ) , then this is very unlikely the case .
Okay , this is the worst case scenario when such a plant would fail at peak demand and its full capacity is relied upon .
To his/her credit , the commenter later said : I think the first part is true .
The second part is however puzzling .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,480 to 2,200 MW breaking down is by no means a “ minor ” event and if a battery system with a capacity of 55 MW / 80 MWh ( or even a 100 MW / 129 MWh in case of the Hornsdale Power Reserve ) is able to compensate for such an event , then it most probably wasn ’ t a “ break down ” at all…

After writing previous post, I wondered how much impact the Tesla battery of the Hornsdale Power Reserve actually has on the South Australia grid. Just looking at the numbers (the battery has a capacity of 100 MW and can deliver 129 MWh), I expected it to be rather insignificant. In the meanwhile, I came across a heated discussion on a reblog of previous post on the blog “Utopia, you are standing in it!“. That post was about the Tesla battery of the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia. The discussion started with the comment that South Australia is a net exporter and after the question how long the Tesla battery would last, this suprising claim was made:
Long enough to stop potential blackouts in Melbourne because of the unreliability of their coal fired power stations! […]
Later in the discussion on the South Australia import/export balance, the claim was repeated in similar a wording:
[…] Thus the telsa battery can help Melbourne obviate blackouts caused by units in coal fired power plants breaking down regularly. […]
It is remarkable that such a small capacity could stop potential blackouts in a large city. If the capacity of the coal plants in Australia is in the same range as those in Europe, then the Tesla battery with a capacity of 100 MW / 129 MWh would fall woefully short in the event one such a plant would actually break down.
I was going to look into the impact of the Hornsdale battery anyway, so I thought it might be a good idea to start from this particular claim and see how the Hornsdale battery was able to prevent blackouts in Melbourne. That is one way to figure out what the impact of the battery is in practice.
Looking for more information on the South Australia grid, I encountered the first problem for the claim. Just take a look at the fuel mix of South Australia:
There is no coal in the energy mix of South Australia!
The Wiki page “List of power stations in South Australia” confirmed that there are no coal fired power power plants anymore in South Australia. The last one closed in May 2016.
That made me wonder how on earth the Tesla battery could help prevent blackouts in Melbourne due to regularly breaking down coal fired power plants, when there is no coal fired power plant left in South Australia to break down?
The solution presented itself when I encountered the second problem for that claim. When I was looking for more information on Melbourne, I found that Melbourne is a city in Victoria, not in South Australia!
Chances are very slim that this battery would help to prevent blackouts in Melbourne, roughly 1,000 km away from the Hornsdale Power Reserve.
But then, maybe Melbourne has its own “Tesla battery” that help to prevent blackouts caused by those regularly failing coal fired power plants? The Wiki page “List of power stations in Victoria (Australia)” did not state any grid-sized batteries in Victoria, but there was an entry in the EAMO dashboard for battery power (although it had zero output as far as I could go back).
I then found the article “Victoria to turn to Tesla battery power in time for next summer” in which was stated that a Tesla battery system would be build by the summer of the next year. The article is from March 2018, so that would make it operational in the summer of 2019.
The planned capacity is 55 MW and could deliver 80 MWh, roughy half the capacity of the Hornsdale Power Reserve. Expecting to save Melbourne with that capacity is I think wishful thinking. There are three coal fired power plants in Victoria: Loy Yang A (2,200 MW), Loy Yang B (1,500 MW) and Yalloum (1,480 MW). That tiny capacity of 55 MW will not be a match for even the smallest of the three.
According to the article, this 55 MW battery “will be big enough to power 20,000 households for one hour during peak demand periods” (most probably on condition that it is fully loaded at the moment of the coal fired power plant breakdown).
If we start from the assumption that the 80 MWh could provide electricity for 20,000 households at peak demand, then 1,480 MW could provide 370,000 households during one hour for the smallest coal fired power plant. In the further assumption that the battery would be able to provide enough power to those 370,000 households at any given moment, the power in the battery would last for 3 minutes and 14 seconds. Again, in the assumption that the battery was fully loaded at the start of the breakdown. If this battery serves the same purposes as the Hornsdale Power Reserve (frequency control and peak shaving), then this is very unlikely the case.
Okay, this is the worst case scenario when such a plant would fail at peak demand and its full capacity is relied upon. To his/her credit, the commenter later said:
[…] We simply do not have the renewable back up to compensate if the breakdowns are alrge as we saw two years ago. Telsa helps if the uit breakdown is ‘minor’
I think the first part is true. The second part is however puzzling. A power plant with a capacity of 1,480 to 2,200 MW breaking down is by no means a “minor” event and if a battery system with a capacity of 55 MW / 80 MWh (or even a 100 MW / 129 MWh in case of the Hornsdale Power Reserve) is able to compensate for such an event, then it most probably wasn’t a “break down” at all…
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March 21, 2020 at 04:17PM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Germany’s Coronavirus Infections Climb But Deaths Remain Low

Experts have been debating Germany ’ s ‘ coronavirus anomaly ’ , as cases continue to grow in the country but deaths caused by the virus remain low .
Currently , Germany has confirmed over 16,000 cases of coronavirus infections among its citizens – the virus which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19 .
Although the virus is spreading fast within the country , the confirmed number of deaths has remained low – standing at 44 , according to data from John Hopkins University .
In comparison to the UK , which has far fewer confirmed cases – just over 2,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who tested positive for the virus is 138 , more than in Germany .
The disparity between Germany ’ s confirmed cases and death rate has left experts trying to explain why some countries have lower case numbers but higher deaths than the country , including France and the US .
Some have attributed the low death rate to the high level of testing in the country , with Lothar Wieler , president of the Robert Koch Institute , revealing that German laboratories are undertaking approximately 160,000 test per week .
That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out in other countries in Europe and around the world .
The high level of testing allows for the identification of individuals who have little to no symptoms , and hence have a higher chance of survival .
Also , Germany ’ s confirmed cases are more likely to reflect the true number of infections because of this widespread testing , compared to other countries where the confirmed cases likely do not reflect the real picture of the virus ’ spread .
So far , the majority of those confirmed to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the age of 60 – over 80 % – which may also explain the low death rate .
“ Especially at the beginning of the outbreak in Germany , we saw many cases connected to people returning from skiing trips and similar holidays , ” said Matthias Stoll , a professor of medicine at the University of Hanover , in the Financial Times .
“ These are predominantly people who are younger than 80 and who are fit enough to ski or engage in similar activities .
Their risk of dying is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite the relatively low levels of death in Germany , experts have warned that the country is still in the early stages of the outbreak , and the mortality rate is expected to grow .
The post Germany ’ s Coronavirus Infections Climb But Deaths Remain Low appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum ( GWPF ) .

Experts have been debating Germany’s ‘coronavirus anomaly’, as cases continue to grow in the country but deaths caused by the virus remain low.
Currently, Germany has confirmed over 16,000 cases of coronavirus infections among its citizens – the virus which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19.
Although the virus is spreading fast within the country, the confirmed number of deaths has remained low – standing at 44, according to data from John Hopkins University.
In comparison to the UK, which has far fewer confirmed cases – just over 2,500 – the number of deaths of individuals who tested positive for the virus is 138, more than in Germany.
The disparity between Germany’s confirmed cases and death rate has left experts trying to explain why some countries have lower case numbers but higher deaths than the country, including France and the US.
Some have attributed the low death rate to the high level of testing in the country, with Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, revealing that German laboratories are undertaking approximately 160,000 test per week.
That is well above the number of tests being carried out in other countries in Europe and around the world. The high level of testing allows for the identification of individuals who have little to no symptoms, and hence have a higher chance of survival.
Also, Germany’s confirmed cases are more likely to reflect the true number of infections because of this widespread testing, compared to other countries where the confirmed cases likely do not reflect the real picture of the virus’ spread.
So far, the majority of those confirmed to have the contracted the virus in Germany are under the age of 60 – over 80% – which may also explain the low death rate.
“Especially at the beginning of the outbreak in Germany, we saw many cases connected to people returning from skiing trips and similar holidays,” said Matthias Stoll, a professor of medicine at the University of Hanover, in the Financial Times.
“These are predominantly people who are younger than 80 and who are fit enough to ski or engage in similar activities. Their risk of dying is comparatively low,” he added.
Despite the relatively low levels of death in Germany, experts have warned that the country is still in the early stages of the outbreak, and the mortality rate is expected to grow.
The post Germany’s Coronavirus Infections Climb But Deaths Remain Low appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).
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March 21, 2020 at 03:16PM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Europe braces for intense Arctic cold

Europe braces for intense Arctic cold

Prolonged , dangerous frost conditions are likely in many parts of the continent .
“ A significant Arctic cold outbreak @ @ @ @ @ and central Europe this coming weekend .
Much colder air mass at the surface could @ @ @ @ @ .
This will develop dangerous frost conditions for early blossoming trees .
But more importantly @ @ @ @ @ ongoing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak , ” Severe Weather Europe ( SWE ) meteorologists said .
@ @ @ @ @ last through the end of March , with another blast expected at the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ Wilson for this link The post Europe braces for intense Arctic cold appeared first on @ @ @ @

Prolonged, dangerous frost conditions are likely in many parts of the continent.
“A significant Arctic cold outbreak from northern Russia into eastern and central Europe this coming weekend. Much colder air mass at the surface could also spread towards western Europe. This will develop dangerous frost conditions for early blossoming trees. But more importantly, it could worsen the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak,” Severe Weather Europe (SWE) meteorologists said.
The cold is expected to last through the end of March, with another blast expected at the beginning of April.
https://watchers.news/2020/03/19/europe-braces-for-intense-arctic-cold-outbreak-after-unusually-warm-winter/
Thanks to Guy Wilson for this link
The post Europe braces for intense Arctic cold appeared first on Ice Age Now.
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March 21, 2020 at 02:09PM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Persisting March Arctic Ice

Persisting March Arctic Ice

Previous posts showed 2020 Arctic Ice breaking the 15M km2 ceiling , while wondering whether the ice will have staying power .
“ Yes ” is the answer , at least through the first two-thirds of March .
The animation above shows ice extents over the first 20 days of March 2020 in the Pacific basins .
Bering Sea on the right grew ice until peaking at 819k km2 on day 71 , 44 % higher than 2019 Bering maximum .
It then declined losing 274k km2 by day 80 .
Meanwhile Okhotsk Sea on the left lost 100k km2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ km2 .
The animation above shows ice extents on the Atlantic side fluctuating and helping offset Pacific ice losses .
On the left Baffin Bay and Gulf of St. Lawrence fluctuate but end the period with nearly the same ice as at the beginning.In the center Greenland Sea ice was steady the first week and then added 116k km2 up to day 80 .
On the right Barents Sea lost 130k km2 up to day 73 , then gained 140k km2 back by day 80 .
By end of February , ice extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year average , then dipped lower before growing again to atch the average and surplus to other years including 2007 .
This is important since March monthly average is considered the ice extent maximum for the year .
Note also the SII is matching and at times exceeds the MASIE estimates .
The chart below shows the distribution of ice across the various regions comprising the Arctic zone .
As of yesterday , Day 2020071 matches the NH 13-year average and also most regions .
Bering Sea is the main deficit to average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Offsetting surpluses appear in Barents and Okhotsk Seas , as well as Greenland Sea and Central Arctic and Barents Sea .
Note Okhotsk sea ice is almost 50 % more than the extent in 2007 .

Previous posts showed 2020 Arctic Ice breaking the 15M km2 ceiling, while wondering whether the ice will have staying power. “Yes” is the answer, at least through the first two-thirds of March. The animation above shows ice extents over the first 20 days of March 2020 in the Pacific basins. Bering Sea on the right grew ice until peaking at 819k km2 on day 71, 44% higher than 2019 Bering maximum. It then declined losing 274k km2 by day 80. Meanwhile Okhotsk Sea on the left lost 100k km2 by day 72 before gaining back 65k km2.
The animation above shows ice extents on the Atlantic side fluctuating and helping offset Pacific ice losses. On the left Baffin Bay and Gulf of St. Lawrence fluctuate but end the period with nearly the same ice as at the beginning.In the center Greenland Sea ice was steady the first week and then added 116k km2 up to day 80. On the right Barents Sea lost 130k km2 up to day 73, then gained 140k km2 back by day 80.
By end of February, ice extent this year was well above the 13- year average, then dipped lower before growing again to atch the average and surplus to other years including 2007. This is important since March monthly average is considered the ice extent maximum for the year. Note also the SII is matching and at times exceeds the MASIE estimates.
The chart below shows the distribution of ice across the various regions comprising the Arctic zone.
Region 2020080 Day 080 Average 2020-Ave. 2007080 2020-2007 (0) Northern_Hemisphere 14901276 14873303 27972 14547397 353879 (1) Beaufort_Sea 1070655 1070207 448 1069711 944 (2) Chukchi_Sea 966006 965780 226 966006 0 (3) East_Siberian_Sea 1087137 1087135 3 1087137 0 (4) Laptev_Sea 897845 897799 46 897845 0 (5) Kara_Sea 934902 917684 17218 912117 22785 (6) Barents_Sea 749134 620285 128849 583698 165436 (7) Greenland_Sea 688025 628250 59776 606689 81336 (8) Baffin_Bay_Gulf_of_St._Lawrence 1494573 1537332 -42760 1392468 102105 (9) Canadian_Archipelago 854282 852953 1330 852767 1516 (10) Hudson_Bay 1260903 1260407 497 1259717 1186 (11) Central_Arctic 3248013 3223120 24893 3239953 8060 (12) Bering_Sea 543951 757159 -213208 836184 -292233 (13) Baltic_Sea 13401 80508 -67107 83894 -70492 (14) Sea_of_Okhotsk 1083325 958236 125089 739985 343340
As of yesterday, Day 2020071 matches the NH 13-year average and also most regions. Bering Sea is the main deficit to average along with Baffin Bay and Baltic Sea. Offsetting surpluses appear in Barents and Okhotsk Seas, as well as Greenland Sea and Central Arctic and Barents Sea. Note Okhotsk sea ice is almost 50% more than the extent in 2007.
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March 21, 2020 at 01:27PM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--IEEE: “It’s Too Late to Undo Climate Change”

Green technologists exploring the possibility the world won ’ t end in 2030 .
It ’ s Too Late to Undo Climate Change .
We Need Tech in Order to Adapt A raft of companies are developing tech to help us live in a warmer world On the CES floor in Las Vegas this past January , I saw dozens of companies showing off products designed to help us adapt to climate change .
It was an unsettling reminder that we ’ ve tipped the balance on global warming and that hotter temperatures , wildfires , and floods are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon dioxide emissions , we can expect warming of up to 1.5 °C by 2033 .
Even if we stopped spewing carbon today , temperatures would continue to rise for a time , and weather would grow still more erratic .
The companies at CES recognize that it ’ s too late to stop climate change .
Faced with that realization , this group of entrepreneurs is focusing on climate adaptation .
For them , the goal is to make sure that people and the global economy will still survive across as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrepreneurs ’ companies are developing practicalities , such as garments that adapt to the weather or new building materials with higher melting points so that roads won ’ t crack in extreme temperatures .

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Green technologists exploring the possibility the world won’t end in 2030.
It’s Too Late to Undo Climate Change. We Need Tech in Order to Adapt
A raft of companies are developing tech to help us live in a warmer world
By Stacey Higginbotham
On the CES floor in Las Vegas this past January, I saw dozens of companies showing off products designed to help us adapt to climate change. It was an unsettling reminder that we’ve tipped the balance on global warming and that hotter temperatures, wildfires, and floods are the new reality.
Based on our current carbon dioxide emissions, we can expect warming of up to 1.5 °C by 2033. Even if we stopped spewing carbon today, temperatures would continue to rise for a time, and weather would grow still more erratic.
The companies at CES recognize that it’s too late to stop climate change. Faced with that realization, this group of entrepreneurs is focusing on climate adaptation. For them, the goal is to make sure that people and the global economy will still survive across as much of the world as possible. These entrepreneurs’ companies are developing practicalities, such as garments that adapt to the weather or new building materials with higher melting points so that roads won’t crack in extreme temperatures.
…


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--90-year-old woman who contracted coronavirus is now recovering

“ My husband ’ s grandma was diagnosed with COVID-19 , and she ’ s getting better , ” reads the headline .
Geneva Wood , who lived at Life Care Center in Kirkland , Washington , tested positive for coronavirus on March 6 , her grand-daughter-in-law , Kate Neidigh writes in “ Seattle Refined.
” However , you may be surprised to learn it ’ s not a “ doom and gloom ” story , writes Meidigh .
Wood was placed in isolation at Harborview Medical Center and expected to be gone any day .
However , the 90-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down without a fight , is now a beacon of hope for millions .
The family reports that as of March 17 , this feisty woman ( her family describes her as a “ bat out of hell ” ) was fully off her oxygen , tested negative for the disease and had only a few symptoms left .
“ Who are we to question the fighting spirit of a tough ol ’ Texas coot !
” says her daughter Cami Neidigh .
“ If anyone ’ s going to give the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s her.
” “ My family and I are sharing this story because we feel it ’ s important to give people some hope , ” says Cami .
“ Getting this virus is not necessarily a death sentence for the elderly or anybody , ” Cami advises .
“ Be more afraid of spreading it .
It ’ s a wake-up call to take care of each other .
Find positive ways to help others out.
” This story was also picked up by CBS News : https : //www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-90-year-old-woman-seattle-recovering-covid-19-life-care-center-kirkland-washington-geneva-wood/ See @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html # /bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 The post 90-year-old woman who contracted coronavirus is now recovering appeared first on Ice Age Now .

“My husband’s grandma was diagnosed with COVID-19, and she’s getting better,” reads the headline.
Geneva Wood, who lived at Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, tested positive for coronavirus on March 6, her grand-daughter-in-law, Kate Neidigh writes in “Seattle Refined.”
However, you may be surprised to learn it’s not a “doom and gloom” story, writes Meidigh.
Wood was placed in isolation at Harborview Medical Center and expected to be gone any day. However, the 90-year-old great-great grandmother, who refused to go down without a fight, is now a beacon of hope for millions.
The family reports that as of March 17, this feisty woman (her family describes her as a “bat out of hell”) was fully off her oxygen, tested negative for the disease and had only a few symptoms left.
“Who are we to question the fighting spirit of a tough ol’ Texas coot!” says her daughter Cami Neidigh. “If anyone’s going to give the middle finger to a killer virus, it’s her.”
“My family and I are sharing this story because we feel it’s important to give people some hope,” says Cami.
“Getting this virus is not necessarily a death sentence for the elderly or anybody,” Cami advises. “Be more afraid of spreading it. It’s a wake-up call to take care of each other. Find positive ways to help others out.”
See entire uplifting story by Kate Neidigh:
http://seattlerefined.com/lifestyle/the-90-year-old-great-grandma-isnt-going-down-without-a-fight
This story was also picked up by CBS News:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-90-year-old-woman-seattle-recovering-covid-19-life-care-center-kirkland-washington-geneva-wood/
_____________
Coronavirus statistics:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
See also this interactive map:
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
The post 90-year-old woman who contracted coronavirus is now recovering appeared first on Ice Age Now.
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March 21, 2020 at 11:05AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--Easter Season Cold, Frost Ends Onset Of European Spring… And Italy Air Quality WORSENS After Curfew!

The past winter has been an unusually mild one for most of Europe , which has led many people to @ @ @ @ @ stay .
But the weather pattern has since switched .
Instead of westerly winds bringing @ @ @ @ @ Europe , as they did all winter long , we are now beginning to see @ @ @ @ @ East ” pattern that is now pumping frigid air from Russia .
Wetteronline.de here shows @ @ @ @ @ dropping to -12°C in some south German areas by Wednesday next week : Now all @ @ @ @ @ from “ climate warming ” to “ just weather ” .
On another note , @ @ @ @ @ the Corona curfews in northern Italy reducing traffic to almost zero , we ’ d @ @ @ @ @ But in fact the opposite has occurred .
“ More people at home means more @ @ @ @ @ in this country is encouraged by the most stupid energy and environmental policies , ” @ @ @ @ @ , citing the Italian online Gazzetta here .

Widespread frost to grip Europe
The past winter has been an unusually mild one for most of Europe, which has led many people to think spring was here to stay.
But the weather pattern has since switched. Instead of westerly winds bringing mild temperatures and rains across Europe, as they did all winter long, we are now beginning to see the “Beast from the East” pattern that is now pumping frigid air from Russia.
Wetteronline.de here shows the forecast ground surface temperatures dropping to -12°C in some south German areas by Wednesday next week:
Now all the talk has since gone from “climate warming” to “just weather”.
Northern Italy air quality WORSENS after people stop driving
On another note, one would think that with the Corona curfews in northern Italy reducing traffic to almost zero, we’d see improved air quality. But in fact the opposite has occurred.
“More people at home means more frequent wood/pellet heating, which in this country is encouraged by the most stupid energy and environmental policies,” says Swiss meteorologist Jörg Kachelmann, citing the Italian online Gazzetta here.
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March 21, 2020 at 11:00AM


iowaclimatescienceeducation--2020-03-21--CLINTEL President Says Zero Carbon Is A Crime Against Humanity

I recently got an intriguing email from Professor Guus Berkhout , president of the Climate Intelligence Foundation or CLINTEL .
@ @ @ @ @ and the last sentence really got me thinking : “ The past 150 years show @ @ @ @ @ is the key to prosperity .
The past 150 years also show that more CO2 @ @ @ @ @ greening the Earth and increasing the yields of crops .
Why do governments ignore these @ @ @ @ @ they do the opposite and lower the quality of life by forcing high-cost , dubious @ @ @ @ @ citizens ?
The zero-emission act is a crime against humanity.
” ( Emphasis added .
@ @ @ @ @ the law on crimes against humanity and Professor Berkhout may have a strong case .
@ @ @ @ @ crime against humanity is a government policy that systematically and knowingly harms a specific group…

PA Pundits – International
By David Wojick, Ph.D. ~
I recently got an intriguing email from Professor Guus Berkhout, president of the Climate Intelligence Foundation or CLINTEL. It contained this striking paragraph and the last sentence really got me thinking:
“The past 150 years show that affordable and reliable energy is the key to prosperity. The past 150 years also show that more CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth and increasing the yields of crops. Why do governments ignore these hard facts? Why do they do the opposite and lower the quality of life by forcing high-cost, dubious low-carbon energy technologies upon their citizens? The zero-emission act is a crime against humanity.” (Emphasis added.)
So I looked into the law on crimes against humanity and Professor Berkhout may have a strong case. At its simplest, a crime against humanity is a government policy that systematically and knowingly harms a specific group…