Not All Global Warming Skeptics Are Crackpots?!?

The NY Times has a long feature appraising the science, economics, and politics of carbon dioxide and climate change.  The most surprising bit is this:

Climate-change contrarians do not accept these numbers.

The Internet has given rise to a vocal cadre of challengers who question every aspect of the science — even the physics, worked out in the 19th century, that shows that carbon dioxide traps heat. That is a point so elementary and well-established that demonstrations of it are routinely carried out by high school students.

However, the contrarians who have most influenced Congress are a handful of men trained in atmospheric physics. They generally accept the rising carbon dioxide numbers, they recognize that the increase is caused by human activity, and they acknowledge that the earth is warming in response.

But they doubt that it will warm nearly as much as mainstream scientists say, arguing that the increase is likely to be less than two degrees Fahrenheit, a change they characterize as manageable.

Among the most prominent of these contrarians is Richard Lindzen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who contends that as the earth initially warms, cloud patterns will shift in a way that should help to limit the heat buildup. Most climate scientists contend that little evidence supports this view, but Dr. Lindzen is regularly consulted on Capitol Hill.

“I am quite willing to state,” Dr. Lindzen said in a speech this year, “that unprecedented climate catastrophes are not on the horizon, though in several thousand years we may return to an ice age.”

That is a more thoughtful discussion than I ever would have expected.  They also include unexpected balancers such as this:

But these modest efforts [to reduce energy consumption] are being swamped by rising energy use in developing countries like China, India and Brazil. In those lands, economic growth is not simply desirable — it is a moral imperative, to lift more than a third of the human race out of poverty. A recent scientific paper referred to China’s surge as “the biggest transformation of human well-being the earth has ever seen.”

Growth is good!

Comments

[bgates]

In those places growth is good. Especially in China, because there growth is controlled by the totalitarian state.

That is a point so elementary and well-established that demonstrations of it are routinely carried out by high school students.

The difference between high school science and real world science is that the real world isn't a single element isolated in a small static container, it's a vast mixture of compounds circulating through several pools of fluids and the earth's surface and warmed and cooled in an unpredictable manner by the sun.

The difference between high school students and real world scientists is in high school you have to show your work.

[BR]

Ha ha, a slight climate shift at the NY Times :)

[Captain Hate]

Pinch discovers the earth is dynamic? It's a Festivus miracle.

The bigger question is whether he'll be able to explain it in terms simple enough for Caroline Kennedy Schloshedberger to understand over pillow talk. Maybe if he uses a lot of "ya know"s.

[Army of Davids]

Illinois (Obama) and California (Pelosi)...states with two worst credit ratings

Nevada (Reid) ...highest state unemployment.

Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in?

Democrats = economic incompetence.

[Laurence]

The NYTimes neglected to point out that the idea of climate catastrophe is dependent on Ma Gaia reacting to increased carbon dioxide levels with positive, rather than Her typical negative, feedback. Only a one or two degree increase is predicted solely due to carbon dioxide levels and less if negative feedback kicks in.

[Donald]

Well then...

LUN!

[Jack is Back!]

Ask Great Britain about the new ice age. Heathrow is still at 1/3rd capacity and operations. 1.5km long line at St. Pancras just to catch the Eurostar to Brussels and Paris. 5 stranded trains on the East Coast Mainline, 100 sleep on the train overnight while it sits static. Running out of road salt (grit).

And more on the way. Father Christmas is not amused Professor Jones!

[Clarice]

bgates Pinch went to Little Red Schoolhouse in the Village and I think they do different kinds of experiments there.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice,

Saw both Pinch and Punch today on Job's Lane in Southampton yesterday. They weren't wearing loafers either.

[Terry Gain]

It seems to me that size matters. I'm curious as to whether those high school heat trapping experiments limited the amount of carbon dioxide to .04 percent of the air.

Is there even one climate model that has correctly predicted the temperature record over the past ten years?

Even if this extravagant theory is valid, and we are not anywhere near that point, reductions in carbon dioxide in the developed world will have no impact on the problem. All we will do is impoverish ourselves and make it less likely that we will find alternatives to oil.

[centralcal]

OMG: Obama and his cronies (including a few of ours) are having a rooting tooting rally - back slapping each other on their greatness. Live on t.v.

[Extraneus]

Don't know if anyone has linked this, but John Fund has a piece in the WSJ today on Net Neutrality, where he catalogs the leftist groups participating in the apparent coup.

The Net Neutrality Coup - The campaign to regulate the Internet was funded by a who's who of left-liberal foundations.

[NK]

1. Jack is Back-- are you a Southampton resident? did you know my old pal Bill Condren? RIP

2. Wait, Wait.. yesterday I learned I am not the worst JOM typist, and now the NYT says I am not a crackpot? I'm stunned.

[ryan]

Not sure how painting all skeptics as deniers of the laws of physics is "thoughtful discussion".

[Appalled]

Why won't the net neutrality reg get overturned in the courts?

[Extraneus]

Who knows, but the drilling moratorium was overturned in the courts, and re-imposed under questionable pretenses the next day, wasn't it?

Bottom line is that the pretext of assuring that ISPs don't limit access to YouTube is pure b.s., and that Marxists have been working on this for years.

[narciso]

It doesn't really matter, just like the moratorium keeps getting battered down, but
it's effect continues, note the higher gas prices,

[Jack is Back!]

NK,

Born and raised in Southampton. Still have a home here on Toylsome Lane. Rent it out in the summers when we can but like to come up in the winter months for breaks and my son's first Christmas here. Now live in Florida on the First Coast.

The name Bill Condren is familiar but remember I left Southampton a long time ago and only come back for baptisms, weddings, funerals and Christmas:)

[Clarice]

Terry: "Even if this extravagant theory is valid, and we are not anywhere near that point, reductions in carbon dioxide in the developed world will have no impact on the problem. All we will do is impoverish ourselves and make it less likely that we will find alternatives to oil."
BINGO.And less money for everything including relief to the Third World,

For the grinches out there. Politics like life is a never ending struggle, you win a major battle and new one come up. Get some perspective.You are now in a position--or will be in January--to turn around the worst of it.

[anduril]

Hey TM, here's an interesting piece from AEI on what you've been thinking over:

How Government Failure Caused the Great Recession

The authors cite 6 factors:

1. Bank misregulation, in particular the international Basel capital rules, including a U.S. adaptation to them—the 2001 Recourse Rule—and the outsourcing of risk assessment by regulators to government-sanctioned rating agencies...

2. Continually increasing leverage—driven largely by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac credit policies and the political obsession with taking credit for increased homeownership—into the U.S. mortgage system. Reduced down payments and loosened underwriting standards were a matter of government policy throughout the housing boom. ...

3. The enlargement of the riskier subprime and Alt-A mortgage markets by Fannie and Freddie through the abandonment of proven credit standards...

4. The FDIC, Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, and Congress undertook explicit or implicit creditor bailouts for large financial institutions starting in the 1980s...

5. The increase in FDIC deposit insurance from $40,000 to $100,000 per account in 1980 combined with the unchecked expansion of coverage up to $50 million under the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service beginning in 2003. ...

6. Artificially low and sometimes negative real federal funds rates from 2001 to 2005—a result of expansionary Fed monetary policy—fueled the subprime and Alt-A mortgage boom and widened the asset-liability maturity gap for banks...

Personally, I would put number 6 in first place, on the theory that BUT FOR the Fed action the crisis would never have gotten this bad--a theory that the authors hint at but don't explicitly address. I'd also like someone to address the ballooning budget deficits as a possible factor.

In addition, Barry Ritholtz cites several other instances of government action that are unaddressed in this article. I think these are especially important:

3. The Commodities Futures Modernization Act of 2000 removed all Derivatives from all oversight, including reserve requirements, exchange listings, and disclosures. What effect did the CFMA have on firms such as AIG, Bear, Lehman, Citi, Bank of America?

4. Prior to 2004, Investment Houses were limited to 12-to-1 leverage by the SEC’s net capitalization rule. In 2004, the 5 largest investment banks asked for, and received, a full exemption from leverage restrictions (known as the Bear Stearns exemption) These five firms all jacked up their leverage. What impact did this increased leverage have on the crisis?

5. For seven decades, Glass Steagall separated FDIC insured depository banks from riskier investment houses. Prior to the repeal of Glass Steagall in 1998, the market had regular crashes that did not spill over into the real economy: 1966, 1970, 1974, and most telling of all, 1987. What impact did the repeal of Glass Steagall have on the banking system during the 2008-09 crash?

9. Prior to the 2004, many States had Anti-Predatory Lending (APL) laws on their books (and lower defaults and foreclosure rates). In 2004, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Federally Preempted state laws regulating mortgage credit and national banks. What was the impact of this OCC Federal Preemption ?

In addition, these next two considerations (really one) are mentioned in the article but aren't listed among the 6 government actions--perhaps because they are examples of government INACTION:

6. NonBank Lenders: Most of the sub-prime mortgages were made by unregulated non-bank lenders. They had a ”Lend to securitize” business model, and they sold enormous amounts of subprime loans to Wall Street for this purpose. Primarily located in California, they were also unregulated by both the Federal Reserve and the California State legislator. What was the impact of these firms?

7. These firms abdicated traditional lending standards. They pushed option arms, interest only loans, and negative amortization mortgages, all of which defaulted in huge numbers. Was non-bank sub prime lending a major factor in the crisis?

[OldTimer]

Obama this morning is having a celebratory and very public DADT repeal signing. As congressional supporters loudly and gleefully cheer, he cites of all things an heroic endeavor during the Battle of the Bulge that involved a gay man saving the life of a straight man. We have been given a whole new perspective on what makes the military great.

Rome is burning, our enemies are at the gate, and the best we've seen in months of our messianic leader is that huge smile and keen ability of his, to focus laser-like on domestic issues that serve only to distress and polarize the nation.
Effortlessly, he does nothing to reassure.

[NK]

JIB-- got it. About 30 years ago, Bill built a big ole mansion at the end of Gin Lane. Hence the name for his second Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin. he was a character. Southampton is one of the world's great places October-April. Just fantastic. This year it will probably have Christmas Day snow.

[MarkO]

Gayness may be legal and gay men may be able to shout their gayness from flagpoles and foxholes, but I won't celebrate homosexuality.

And that's the point here. It's not just enough to find behavior legal, we must praise it, study it, embrace it and celebrate it.

I prefer not.

[Jack is Back!]

NK,

Now I remember. His son is Kevin, right?

I think my Dad knew him pretty well and he may have been a regular at Sip 'N Soda with all the old farts that really do run the world (or so they thought). I know the house since I walk and bike by it on my daily journey to the beach.

Talking about snow - last year we came up before Christmas but not stay for Christmas. The day before we were to go back to Florida via Islip, it snowed 2 full feet. Took us 2-3 hours to dig out and get the SUV on the road to find gas. Only one station opened out on the highway. But we got out on time the next day. Hoping for a white Christmas since my son has only seen snow once - last year. Fingers and toes crossed.

[Jack is Back!]

NK,

Kevin = Colin. Correct? Got him confused with someone else.

[Cecil Turner]

. . . he cites of all things an heroic endeavor during the Battle of the Bulge that involved a gay man saving the life of a straight man.

I caught that bit. The more topical thing that sprang to mind was Bradley Manning, dumping the contents of SIPRNET in a tiff over gay rights and an insensitive boyfriend.

[Jack is Back!]

NK,

One little bit of trivia; Condren's house on Gin Lane is right next to George Soros' walled compound (or at least it was since George left us for somewhere else). The code inspector used to issue tickets daily to Soros' because of water runoff from his irrigation system into Old Town Pond. He never batted an eye or hired a lawyer. The Village make thousands a year off of Soros.

[Thomas Collins]

I'm disappointed in the Identity Global Warming Fundamentalists. I thought by now they'd be shifting to the talking point that Global Warming causes not only Global Warming, but also causes Global Cooling. I've seen a little of this, but not nearly as much as I thought I would.

[centralcal]

I agree, OldTimer, with your comments.

Larry Sabato tweets that this is the most productive lame duck session evah!!!! Of course, he doesn't define productive. I would say most destructive evah!!!

[narciso]

As if Jackson Lee and Couric, didn't make me doubt a degree from UVA enough.

[Army of Davids]

Does "Net Neutrality" = "Fairness Doctrine"?

Why do I have a very bad feeling about this?

[Army of Davids]

racist accusations = divisiveness coming for the Obama camp.

Started vs Clinton.

Might as well start calling it out directly.

[Captain Hate]

O/T At a sidebar item @ AoS, an identity pole smoker is threatening to "out" Lady Lindsey. To paraphrase narc, in other news Meghan McCain eats a lot and has a habit of saying really stupid things.

[Ignatz]

--But they doubt that it will warm nearly as much as mainstream scientists say, arguing that the increase is likely to be less than two degrees Fahrenheit, a change they characterize as manageable.--

And there's the problem in a nutshell.
To the extent a mainstream should exist in science at all it should only concern theories that are time-tested and overwhelmingly reinforced through repeated replications, and even then they should be considered possibly vulnerable to new discoveries.
The "mainstream" in science often functions, as it does in most human endeavors, mainly as an illegitimate means of forcing conformity and acceptance of prominent or popular theories and often for reasons far removed from the scientific method or free inquiry.

[bunky]

Thank goodness that Ivy League will now supply many of our newest and best officers in the military.

[NK]

JIB- correct colin is his son and Bill had 2 daughters. I'm sure the Village of Southampton takes lots of quarters out of the code violation cushions of the toffs along Gin Lane. Good luck with snow the night after Christmas. The City probably won't get any, but it might cover the ground in Southampton.

[Neo]

... even the physics, worked out in the 19th century, that shows that carbon dioxide traps heat.

A very interesting choice of words, since the greenhouse effect was disproved in 1906.

But in 1906 American experimental physicist R. W. Wood published the results of an experiment that demonstrated that a glass greenhouse was not heated by trapped long-wave (infrared) radiation. In fact, the glass windows excluded more infrared energy entering the greenhouse than they trapped inside the greenhouse, which actually lowered the temperature inside a glass greenhouse when compared with a comparable quartz greenhouse.

[rse]

I have mentioned before that there is a great deal of evidence that about the time in the mid 1980s that CPUSA and the USSR high ups realized they would lose the cold war is the same time that the concepts of diversity, sustainability, and mass radicalization of US education away from academics all begin to accelerate at the same time.

It's as if these ideas became the new weapons in how to obtain the worldwide socialist vision. "We will undermine and control the West one way or another" is a valid description for what seems to be going on.

On that note I came across a story that a German economist on the IPCC said in mid November that it's an "illusion" to see climate policy in terms of environmental policy.

In an interview with Neue Zurcher Zeitung Ottmar Edenhofer is quoted as saying:

"it's a big mistake to discuss climate policy separately from the major themes of globalization. The climate summit in Cancun . . . is not a climate conference, but one of the largest economic conferences since the Second World War ... we redistribute de facto the world's wealth by climate policy".

Anyone else seen references to this quote? I came across it on a personal blog while I was looking for something else.

[Clarice]

I have no doubt that Fenton became the new face of the socialist war against the US, rse. Green is the new red.

I saw references to that quote, too, but can't recall where.

[ROA]

Edenhofer's quote was posted on Watts Up With That (WUWT). LUN

[lonetown]

I like how they ascribe to their own views the description of mainstream.

[MayBee]

I can only imagine this is because Obama is not going to be able to get all of his green legislation through. So the powers that be need to make that ok.

[Clarice]

Could be, MayBee. Could be that the economic downturn around the world, the weather reversals and the climategate revelations have made the scam unsustainable even for the NYT.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

OT: Did anyone else get a Christmas card from Mitt Romney. It is one of the funniest cards I've ever gotten. I didn't realize Mitt had such a good sense of humor.

[Jim Ryan]

Is there going to be a sucking sound of green-tech rent-seeking jobs going down the drain soon? I have an acquaintance, somewhat conservative. Guy would have voted McCain but voted Obama because he has one of those jobs and knows which side his bread is buttered on. I tried to shame him out of it, to no avail.

Is there going to be a sucking sound?

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Did Elliott make it our of Heathrow?

Why won't the net neutrality reg get overturned in the courts?

It already was - they just reframed the issue so they could defy the decision.

[Janet]

The Washington Post's unique genre: 'That pattern we never told you about, of corporate lobbyists favoring Democrats, is ending'

Just like politically correct school curriculum. It is only news when the right/conservative/traditional side starts pushing back.

I can only imagine this is because Obama is not going to be able to get all of his green legislation through. So the powers that be need to make that ok.

Really interesting point, Maybee.

[Clarice]

Jim, I sincerely hope so. BTW a great deal of money has gone into Dem coffers from investors and lawyers who will be the only beneficiaries of this scam.

[Jim Ryan]

FCC CRAWLBOT 569004-A CRAWL

DATE 2014-5-23 09:43 EST

DETECTED INSUFFICIENT BALANCE IN POLITICAL VIEWPOINT (STATUS: MOSTLY CONSERVATIVE. VERY LITTLE LEFTWING, LIBERAL, GREEN, OR DEMOCRATIC VIEWPOINTS) NEUTRALITY COEFFICIENT 0.012345, IN VIOLATION OF MINIMUM 0.50000 STANDARD.

OPERATION: THIS BLOG WILL BE SHUT DOWN IN TEN MINUTES

[Rob Crawford]

Why won't the net neutrality reg get overturned in the courts?

Well, first off, anyone who sues will be declared to not have standing.

Constitutional challenges will be shot down on the basis of, well, Congress didn't do this, so clearly the 1st Amendment doesn't apply (read the text carefully), since nothing's being taken then the 5th doesn't apply, and it's not a criminal action so the 4th doesn't apply. Oh, and anyone who argues from the 9th or 10th is just a neanderthal Hater who wants to reinstate slavery.

I'm beginning to think the Tea Party was too little, too late. The totalitarians aren't going to let themselves be restrained by anything, let alone losing a few elections.

[Pagar]

"Thank goodness that Ivy League will now supply many of our newest and best officers in the military."

Any such thoughts need to be tempered with the facts surrounding John Kerry, the North Vietnamese win, the Sandinistas win, the efforts to defeat America in Iraq by Americans in America.

[Rick Ballard]

I'd say the worldwide OPM crop failure plus the make up of the incoming House. There isn't even enough OPM available to keep AFSCME members buying Govmobiles, so fending off the CO2 Monster moves way down the list.

[squaredance]

OldTimer: careful now, you may dampen that optimism and common sense you are so keen about.

(Allow me to introduce you to another concept.)

Who would ever think that you would see such a bizarre tableau as this presser: The POTUS, in front of the fouled anchor of the USMC, in what can only be described as a paroxysm of glee, debasing the Armed services with Republicans at his side cheering him on. To no strong, decent, vital, and free people would this be tolerated.

(I keep listening for the public outcry, but I cannot seem to hear it. Must be that pessimism of mine.)

Seriously, we can scarcely get more depraved, debauched and decadent.

But what should really alarm is not this disgusting display today but the incredible comment of the DoD senior brass: "If you do not like it, GET OUT!".

This goes far beyond mere conformal duty and moves into activism.

They now have said to the current service men and women in duty, who collectively span everything from Gulf war 1 to now, "Screw you!"

You proud record of service? We do not care! Your beliefs? We do not care! Your sense of decency, morality and honor? we do not care! Get Out! Sodomites are more important to us than your service!

What an insult! What a fundamental betrayal. What a complete retreat form duty, honor and country. It is so deeply shameful, so uncalled for.

Such men can easily turn their troops against the citizenry. Such men cannot be a bulwark against internal enemies.

And those here that comically think that "we have turned the tide and can reverse this" are just kidding themselves. Especially in DoD matters, they no idea what they are talking about. DADT and START, if it goes forward. will not be "undone", they cannot be "defunded". The damage will be so deeply rooted.

What do you imagine is going to happen after '12, that we will ban gays? Go back to DADT? First, it will not happen. Second, if it did, the corrupt judiciary will overturn it.
Lastly, the structural damage will already be done. Many of the Good and the Great will be gone. The decent few who remain will be intimidated and in time weeded out. Have you forgotten the damage Pat Schroeder's nonsense has left in its wake? In the vacuum and confusion, the Leftist toadies will build a power block inside the DoD. What are you going to do to get rid of them? Require ideology tests? The Decent who may wish to join will think twice now. Many will not join.

This is a foundational step in wholly corrupting the one institution that has thus far eluded their claws. They will corrupt it now. We will never look the same on the armed service once they are through. We will never completely trust them, nor they us. Moreover, the effects of this will ripple across all government institutions now. How do we "rollback" that one?

But above all that, there is the fundamental moral debasement of our national culture; That is the POTUS and the GOP up there saying "Let us rejoice for a great moral good has come to pass. Sodomites are now openly in the USMC".

This does not seem to register hereabouts. This is far beyond politics. If you do not think so, just imagine how this all registers with young children or teenagers; go sit down and honestly explain this one to your children and grandchildren.

"Rollback" indeed.

How naive some here are, and how deluded they are in thinking this politics as usual or that these are merely political matters. How vain they are to that they either have some deep insight in to the "process" or are "experienced insiders" who can "offer advice". How willfully they ignore our political history as concerns the expansions of the State and the ever growing injection of cultural Marxism into its institutions.

What you who claim that this can be all be "rolled back" are proposing has in fact never happened in the post war years. Not at this scale. Never. Not ever. Even Reagan could but slap at reducing the State, and that was with all his popularity, a Congress that was not yet chock full of Marxist traitors and nation yet full of decent, patriotic folks. These outrages are of a whole new order and so is the citizenry.

You are asking not just for 1 wholly unprecedented and truly revolutionary political miracle, you are asking for about 2 dozen of them, and you are asking this out of the GOP. Particularly in the Senate, you overestimate the advance. Yes we get in a few like Paul (what 3 or 4 of them?) but we also got in Brown and Kirk, who,like Collins or Snowe, can really only be described as infiltrating Democrat operatives.

And in all of this you are assuming there will not be major upheavals and that the only recourse of the Left is political backstopping in Congress.

Has it occurred to you that Obama may just move funds around illegally? What then, impeachment? What then? What if he just sits there? What are they going to do, send the Sargent at Arms of the House over there drag him off his throne?

How will defunding look to the electorate if there is a major crash in the Dollar or the markets? A major outbreak in hostilities. A major catastrophe?

It is all we have, and it is infinitely better than a sharp stick in the eye, but do not imagine that we have it in the bag merely becuase "The House controls the purse strings".

Beyond that, merely defunding does not address the issue. The issue is that these are unconstitutional. The issue is the Democrat Party is out there executing a communist coup. Stop thinking that ""defunding" is a victory. It is not, it is a rather pathetic rear guard action.

It may be all we have at the moment, but It no wise guarantees that there will be a sea-change in the electorate

The problem is solved when the treason is broadly understood and broadly denounced, when even the most fish-eyed American understand what is happening and is will to work to undo it.

That huge march on Washington did not work; the last election's real effects are thus far much muted.

It may take a grass roots national strike. 20 simultaneous "million patriot marches" across the country. It may take civil disobedience. It may take revolt.

it will require the courageous to see things as they actually are.

[bunky]

Pagar: The last barrier is down now so that the best and brightest can lead us in the field. I am truly grateful that my chain of command will be full of such patriots.

[Clarice]

Rob, the Congress made the FCC and they can make it. They fund it and can unfund it. They can use the Congressional review act to declare the rule void.

Sour pusses and pessimists here today. BUCK UP

[Rob Crawford]

debasing the Armed services

WTF?

Back in the killfile, squaredance. You're retarded.

[Rob Crawford]

Clarice -- Congress will hold hearings. Then they'll send the FCC more money than they get now.

Or they might send the money first and wait to hold the hearings for late next year, to make us think they're going to do something.

What they won't do is defund the FCC, fold it into Commerce, or anything that might actually have an impact. Oh, we'll probably hear some ranting from some of the new members of the House, but if the cameras pulled back on their speeches, they would reveal an empty chamber.

What needs to happen is the imprisonment (or more) of the commissars, er, "Commissioners" who pulled this crap. Pour l'encouragement d'les autres and all that. By ignoring the decision of the courts and the letter of the law, they have declared themselves to be in rebellion against the lawful authority of the United States. We can either treat them as such or we can watch the same game played over and over.

And mark my words -- if they are not stomped down, the tyrants' next move will be bigger.

[Frau Lebkuchen]

"Battle of the Bulge"?
Couldn't Obama have chosen another battle for his example of homosexual bravery?

BTW - Last night I quoted but did not link the John Fund's WSJ article about the FCC's coup. Is that ever depressing. I asked how much to drink after reading it. DoT said "Four and hit right."

[Ignatz]

--Is there going to be a sucking sound of green-tech rent-seeking jobs going down the drain soon?--

Not in CA. We're going full speed ahead on implementing AB 32, our own little version of cap and trade, brought to us by the same dunderheads who gave us our wonderful era of blackouts.
Why even our newly elected marxist AG has pledged to make enforcing AB 32 and reducing recidivism her two top priorities.
An AG whose priorites are to punish the law abiding and coddle the criminal.

I'd like to see a ballot intiative to replace all the "Welcome to California" signs at the various state line entry points with "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate".

[Clarice]

Go watch "It's a Wonderful Life" or better yet "Christmas Story", Rob. Pour yourself a "you should pardon the expression" egg nog.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/255801/obamaites-about-face-victor-davis-hanson?page=1>Four Legs Ae good

[Appalled]

Rob:

And as for the question of standing, parties such as Comcast or Verizon, whose bandwith has been grabbed by the FCC, certainly have such standing. Comcast has tried to raise the gate on streaming from Netflix and Hulu before, so they have every reason to claim they have been harmed.

As for why I ask the queston -- a court has laready ruled the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the internet. I am assuming that ruling is being appealed, and the ruling on appeal will affect this power grab as well.

[Frau Lebkuchen]

Jeez, Rob, Clarice thought we were too negative last night.

[MarkO]

"The Bishop's Wife" may be the best of all.

[Rob Crawford]

Go watch "It's a Wonderful Life" or better yet "Christmas Story", Rob.

Watched "Christmas Story" -- or at least half of it -- Sunday night.

How are Christmas movies supposed to make me feel better about tyrants?

As for why I ask the queston -- a court has laready ruled the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the internet.

And the FCC has responded to the courts and to Congress with "F--- Y--". What makes you think more court rulings and more legislation will make a difference?

You can only count on the law to restrain someone who sees themselves as constrained by the law. When someone has declared they are not bound by laws and act that way, more law isn't going to make a difference.

[Captain Hate]

LUN for the parting snarls of a loser on his way out the door. What a miserable SOB.

[Frau Lebkuchen]

But in this case, Capt., he is *their* SOB. You forgot the "backstabbing" descriptor

"Specter, the former GOP chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, chastised Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito for "eroding the constitutional mandate of separation of powers."

Sez the man who hearts Scottish law. Now that is funny!

[Clarice]

Appalled's right. Between Congress and the Courts this is going nowhere. I take back suggesting you wtch "It's a Wonderful Life". I actually think a lot of holiday suicides are brought on by that--people feeling their lives are not as good as that.

Christmas Story is better..It's real--Chop suey and duck in a deserted Chinese restaurant.

[Old Lurker]

Jim Ryan: "OPERATION: THIS BLOG WILL BE SHUT DOWN IN TEN MINUTES"

Was not aware those sites shut down last week got ten minutes notice.

[Boo Boo]

but what about the ozone, Yogi?

[Janet]

Pour yourself a "you should pardon the expression" egg nog.

Hahahaha!

[Frau Lebkuchen]

A friend emailed, "It's been so long since anyone copped a feel, I may go to the airport and pretend I'm flying somewhere."

Clarice, did you see that Christmas Story has been made into a musical? It includes a chorus line with leg lamps.

I may just go outside in the rain (11 inches reported) with my Red Ryder and shoot *at* any squirrels stupid enough to venture out.

[Clarice]

I did, frau. I don's see how the movie can be improved upon. Anyone who grew up in the Midwest in the 40's and early 50's knows that every single bit of it is true. I can watch it over and over and it loses none of its appeal .

[anon]

Because the physics of the 19th century is still valid today? Another definitive proof that "science journalists" are retarded.

[Captain Hate]

Don't go too far overboard praising the Christmas Story; I've been to the house where it was filmed: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Maybe the least value for $5 ever.

Frau, the funniest thing is that Arlen will leave not having the slightest idea why the voters didn't appreciate him.

[Tom Bowler]

Appalled's right. Between Congress and the Courts this is going nowhere.

You reassure me, Clarice. I tend to worry that Rob is right. In this administration and the congress that should have gone home last month, they are unconstrained by laws or elections. Anything goes if it enhances progressive power.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.

[Porchlight]

We watch A Christmas Story dozens of times every December. I agree with Clarice - it never gets old. I have a piece of the original siding from the house in Cleveland where it was filmed.

I've never been a huge fan of It's A Wonderful Life, but I must admit, I watched the first 45 minutes or so the other day (having DVRd it) and the scene with young George and the druggist had me bawling. So I'm willing to admit error on this one. I'm going to watch the rest of it later tonight.

[Frau Lebkuchen]

So true, Clarice, about the movie. Hoorah! Help is on the way: Mark Steyn is on for Rush. Even though you and Jane had joint custody, I can pretend he's mine over the airwaves.

[Extraneus]

From Insty,

Ron Radosh: Hugo Chavez: CommuNazi

Chilling.

[Captain Hate]

I'm glad Steyn is in for Rush because he just about took me out of the Christmas spirit (after buying Mrs H's final present) with his whining about how he was being vindicated by somebody in Philly saying that they'd known for a while that McNabb was overrated. First of all, ESPN was being their typically douchey self when they canned Rush for his commentary whether he was right or wrong; they hired him to be controversial and the fired him for what? Second Rush should just stop talking about sports because he reveals that he likes the smell of jock just a little too much; stick to what you're good at, Slappy. Third, owning an NFL team is *not* a conservative value. I'm not saying he shouldn't spend his jack whichever way he wants to but Goodell is a simpering mince-meat of every PC attitude foisted off on the public and would make him fall into line. Finally although Rush was correct in how the MFM was fully committed to McChunk being a good QB, in reality for the majority of his career he was very good; better than Favre in all the head-to-heads I can remember. He's pretty bad now and has been tossing worm scorchers for the last few seasons, which is what the writer was talking about and not going back as far as when Rush made his original comments.

I'm glad I got that off my chest.

[glasater]

I may just go outside in the rain (11 inches reported) with my Red Ryder and shoot *at* any squirrels stupid enough to venture out

Thanks for the laugh Frau!! Your comment is one I'll reflect on through the day.

Can anyone explain the photo on Drudge where the (I think) female soldier (bumps on the chest) is being hauled off?
The link below the pic didn't really illustrate the headline.

[Rob Crawford]

Between Congress and the Courts this is going nowhere.

Congress and the Courts have already told the FCC "no". The FCC doesn't care.

Do you really think the FCC is going to back down if they're just told the same thing again in a sterner voice? What's the evidence of that?

[Appalled]

Rob:

Agencies are often quite cavalier with lower court rulings. (Don't get me started on the IRS...) I don't think they can act that way with a DC Circuit ruling.

[Bill in AZ sez it's time for Zero to resign]

Can anyone explain the photo on Drudge where the (I think) female soldier (bumps on the chest) is being hauled off?
The link below the pic didn't really illustrate the headline.

Prolly guilty of reading JOM on the internet.

[Frau Lebkuchen]

Wasn't there a protest in front of "Obama's House"?

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice and Rob,

Actually, Christmas Story and Its a Wonderful Life aren't the appropriate movie since Rob is looking for a miracle. LUN

Yes, Rob, there is a Santa Claus.

But like Chuck Knox said: "those who live in hope, die in s**t".

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Rob says:

As for why I ask the queston -- a court has laready ruled the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the internet. I am assuming that ruling is being appealed, and the ruling on appeal will affect this power grab as well.

The FCC did not apply for certiorari (appeal) the Comcast case. In Comcast, the DC Court of Appeals found the FCC's "ancillary jurisdiction" did not give it the power or authority to regulate the internet.

Rather than appeal, the FCC decided to use its power to regulate "telecommunications" to accomplish what it tried to do under its ancillary jurisdiction. Pursuant to that new claim of authority, the FCC gave notice that it was publishing new proposed regulations which were probably very similar to the those invalidated by the DC Circuit.

The time for comments on the proposed regs ran and the FCC's new ruling adopts them.

It has yet to be decided whether the FCC's authority to regulate telecommunications gives it the power to regulate the internet.

You can bet that Comcast, Verizon, ATT and other internet distributers will appeal that action to the DC Circuit when and if the FCC decides to implement the new regs.

[Jack is Back!]

glasater,

I think its an old photo of a protest by some DADTers who either told or were asked.

OT: Its official. Obama has declared that it is now federal policy to suck on the public teet. LUN

[Frau Lebkuchen]

Rob, how about John Ford's and John Wayne's "The 3 Godfathers"? LUN

I loved Ann Althouse's remark that in the Huck and MO vs Sarah Palin food fight matter, Sarah was the thin one.

[pagar]

"Obama has declared that it is now federal policy to suck on the public teet."

That after the Federal government declared that school districts are required to allow their teachers to go on hajj. LUN

There is no aspect of life in America that the Obama regime does not intend to control 100 Percent.

[Specter]

Uhh..just to be clear..I am not, nor have I ever been, Arlen....

[cathyf]

Anyone who grew up in the Midwest in the 40's and early 50's knows that every single bit of it is true.

My dad, who went to junior high in Lockport, IN, 1947-49, and who was born in Chicago and lives there now, refers to The Christmas Story and The Blues Brothers as documentaries. Oh, and also Moonstruck -- my mom is Italian.

[Jack is Back!]

I think I first read the short story that led to A Christmas Story in Playboy, where Jean Sheperd was a regular. He used to have a radio show on WOR in New Yawk where he used to relish in telling nostalgic stories of growing up in Northern Indiana. And there are not many of us who grew up in the 50's who never tried to stick their tongue on cold metal in the winter.

[Clarice]

Exactly, cathy.
I know for a fact in those days, mothers were born saying ,"You'll shoot your eye out." And every kid learned quickly about licking frozen poles, and had an experience where they fell down while wrapped in countless clothes and couldn't get up, and had a sociopathic kid who lived down the alley, and had his mouth washed out with brown soap, and........
(I don't want to give the whole thing away.)

[Clarice]

pagar, I could be wrong, but the hajj bit was part of a longstanding application of federal law which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to religious adherents. A long leave for hajj seems extreme but the principle of trying to shift other workers' schedules about to accommodate others is a set policy and has been for some time.

[Ignatz]

--I think I first read the short story that led to A Christmas Story in Playboy, where Jean Sheperd was a regular. He used to have a radio show on WOR in New Yawk where he used to relish in telling nostalgic stories of growing up in Northern Indiana.--

Jean Shepherd was my favorite 20th century American author. Got his books right next to my Wodehouse set.
He also used to have a TV show on PBS called, I think, The Great American Dream Machine. Nobody loved America like he did while gently prodding its peculiarities.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Clarice and Frau:

Make sure you change your underwear. You could be in an accident.

And don't make a face like that. It could stay that way.

[Rob Crawford]

Appalled:
Agencies are often quite cavalier with lower court rulings. (Don't get me started on the IRS...) I don't think they can act that way with a DC Circuit ruling.

Jim Rhoads:
You can bet that Comcast, Verizon, ATT and other internet distributers will appeal that action to the DC Circuit when and if the FCC decides to implement the new regs.

What makes you both think they'll obey the ruling of the Circuit Court when they've already ignored the Court of Appeals and Congress?

It has yet to be decided whether the FCC's authority to regulate telecommunications gives it the power to regulate the internet.

It has been decided, repeatedly. They've been told "no" by the courts and "no" by the legislature. They've gone forward anyway, because they know no one will do anything real to stop them.

When these want-to-be-tyrants are sitting in prison, then tell me they'll be stopped. I trust nothing short of that.

(And Congress? Well, how'd you like the surprise passage of the "food safety" bill?)

[Neo]

I have not a clue whether his methods are sound or not. But when so many of his forecasts seem to come true, and when he seems to be so consistently ahead of the Met Office, I feel I want to know more. Piers Corbyn believes that the last three winters could be the harbinger of a mini ice age that could be upon us by 2035, and that it could start to be colder than at any time in the last 200 years. He goes on to speculate that a genuine ice age might then settle in, since an ice age is now cyclically overdue.

[sbw]

Net Neutrality will fail. It presumes centralized control of information by the United States. Does anyone recall a single instance where our government has managed to control information?

It's why the Soviet Union was bound to fail.

One voice at a time, we will win.

[Rob Crawford]

Why not stop the tyrants before we have to take solace in the inevitable failure of tyrannies?