As He Was Saying...

Australian government follows through on pledge to repeal its growth-inhibiting carbon tax.

Late last spring Roger Pielke had noted (in the context of a Chinese proposal) that carbon caps are all very well and good until they start to bite, at which point governments change course. For this, Krugman (#AlternativeRealityBased) lambasted him. Caps, taxes, whatever - people don't seem to want to pay today for mitigated climate change in fifty years. (Hence the urgency felt by Greens need to promote the notion that the future is now.)

AND JUST IN TIME! Maybe Australia is helping the world dodge a bullet; from the Climate Depot: 

The sun has gone quiet…solar cycle 24 continues to rank as one of the weakest cycles more than a century

'If history is a guide, it is safe to say that weak solar activity for a prolonged period of time can have a negative impact on global temperatures in the troposphere which is the bottom-most layer of Earth’s atmosphere - and where we all live.'

And how is solar activity implicated?

Finally, if history is a guide, it is safe to say that weak solar activity for a prolonged period of time can have a negative impact on global temperatures in the troposphere which is the bottom-most layer of Earth’s atmosphere – and where we all live. There have been two notable historical periods with decades-long episodes of low solar activity. The first period is known as the “Maunder Minimum”, named after the solar astronomer Edward Maunder, and it lasted from around 1645 to 1715. The second one is referred to as the “Dalton Minimum”, named for the English meteorologist John Dalton, and it lasted from about 1790 to 1830. Both of these historical periods coincided with below-normal global temperatures in an era now referred to by many as the “Little Ice Age”. In addition, research studies in just the past couple of decades have found a complicated relationship between solar activity, cosmic rays, and clouds on Earth. This research suggests that in times of low solar activity where solar winds are typically weak; more cosmic rays reach the Earth’s atmosphere which, in turn, has been found to lead to an increase in certain types of clouds that can act to cool the Earth.

 For some, it's complicated; others with less appreciation for nuance have it all figured out.

And do let me add: even if it is true that the current solar cycle is providing a countervailing push to the effect of our carbon dioxide emissions, that solar cycle will eventually change. Based on the two cool periods mentioned above, a fifty year respite would be ample time to segue to new technology and transition to a much lower carbon footprint globally. Although he was speaking in a different context, noted socialist "Lefty" Gomez observed that "I'd rather be lucky than good."

AND SPEAKING OF LEFTY... Imagine a transcript of a meeting on the mound between Lefty, Yogi and the Old Professor. Yeah, yeah, with Mo gone and Jeter leaving this is what Yankee fans are reduced to.

Comments

[Extraneus]

Blues guitar legend Johnny Winter dies

His representative, Carla Parisi, confirmed Thursday that Winter died in a hotel room in Zurich a day earlier. The statement said his wife, family and bandmates were all saddened by the loss of one of the world's finest guitarists.

There was no immediate word on the cause of death.

Winter had been on an extensive tour this year that recently brought him to Europe. His last performance came Saturday at the Lovely Days Festival in Wiesen, Austria.

Well, at least it's about Winter.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

God the USA would be so much better off with Harper or Abbott as POTUS. I am still optimistic that like our Aussie friends, USA voters wake up and kick the commies out in '14 and '16.

[Beasts of England]

RIP, Johnny Winter. He could slide with the very best...

[Porchlight]

AP and Bloomberg now reporting the Malaysian flight was shot down.

The LIVs are going to think this was the flight that went missing.

What will Obama do? Head to the Vineyard as planned?

[henry]

Porch, we will see a virtuoso performance of flexibility.

[Extraneus]

Detroit’s Police Chief: Armed Citizens Share Responsibility For Our Drop In Crime

[Extraneus]

AP and Bloomberg now reporting the Malaysian flight was shot down.

Bad news for Obama.

It's ok to suck at foreign policy when voters think it doesn't affect them personally.

[Captain Hate]

The group Winter had with Rick Derringer was very good; their live album was flat out intense from the get go. He was so into heroin at the time I was surprised he didn't perform with a spike in his arm. He must've successfully kicked it because he performed a long time after that. I never heard anything he recorded for Alligator but I'm sure it was good but mainly with appeal for a niche audience.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Russian gangsters feel free to mass murder air travelers, and do not fear reprisal. Mass murder one day after Putin ominously says that USA relations are at a 'dead end' and that Obummer's latest pin prick sanctions will boomerang. This is the re-set and 'more flexibility' Obummer created. FUCK HIM TO HELL.

[Captain Hate]

What will Obama do? Head to the Vineyard as planned?

Of course, not facing another election he has "more flexibility" to go on vacation during a world crisis.

[GMax]

VIX, a measure of nervousness of investors as measured by futures tied to market downturns, jumps 14% this AM.

Why in the world would you fly over that region, when you could drop slightly south and fly over the Black Sea? Maybe Daddy can enlighten my ignorance?

[Jack is Back!]

More "global tranquility"?

[henry]

Per our friend, Pro Russian separatists confirm they shot down the plane. Strelkov "warned them not to fly over our skies. No civilians were killed."

Interfax now suffering DDOS attack for reporting that.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwaski]

That airliner follows Russia shooting down a Ukrainian AF Sukhoi yesterday and another being damaged, and a Ukrainian troop transport being shot down Monday.
Time for a flexibility reset?

[glasater]

That plane must have been at cruise level if it were enroute from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur one would think. What kind of missiles do these separatists have anyway if not supplied by Russia.

[lyle]

You know what this means for Barry, don't you? More fundraising.

[GMax]

33,000 feet. That is some impressive missile technology. Not the crap that Hamas has.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

'No civilians were killed'. What is that supposed to mean?

[Sue]

Someone on twitter says the separatists thought it was a cargo plane. Makey-stakey.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwaski]

It means if he warns you to stay out and you don't you are a combatant, apparently.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Oh really-- stooges for Putin's gang can call a civilian airliner over Ukraine sovereign territory 'combatants' and lawful targets? This is the re-set Obummer world?

[Jack is Back!]

The BUK System.

[henry]

Gmax, am I asked to kindly point out the VXX (VIX?) Index got reduced to a sheep shearing shed back in 2009. Of no material use since then. HF strategies killed it, now HFTs run the sandbox.

[Momto2]

Not the kind of day that makes you glad BHO is in the WH - of course there is NEVER a day that makes you glad of that anyway!!! Never mind........

[Threadkiller]

A link:

http://news.sky.com/story/1302864/malaysian-plane-shot-down-with-295-on-board

[Threadkiller]

The Odd Book One Texas Rancher Found Near the Border

http://weaselzippers.us/193320-the-odd-book-one-texas-rancher-found-near-the-border/

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

THIS is vital national security policy and great election year politics by Cruz: http://hotair.com/archives/2014/07/17/ted-cruz-working-on-bill-that-would-repeal-obamas-2012-amnesty-for-dreamers/

[Captain Hate]

Not the crap that Hamas has.

http://weaselzippers.us/193378-what-goes-up-in-gaza-comes-down-in-gaza/

[Threadkiller]

The director of refugee health in the federal Health and Human Services Department "has identified a breakdown of the medical screening processes at the Nogales, Arizona, facility," according to an internal Department of Defense memo reviewed by ABC News.

The "breakdown" a systemic failure of the handoff of these children between CBP and HHS.Inside the government, officials are sounding alarms, fearing that they and their teams who come in contact with the sick children face potential exposure to infectious diseases from chicken pox to influenza, including rare cases of H1N1, more commonly called swine flu.

Two unaccompanied children were flown from Nogales to California despite having 101-degree fevers and flu-like symptoms, according to the Department of Defense memo. Those children had to be hospitalized.

The memo said pointedly that officials in charge of moving the immigrants from Border Patrol processing centers to Health and Human Services facilities are "putting sick [fevers and coughing] unaccompanied children on airplanes inbound for [Naval Base Ventura County] in addition to the chicken pox and coxsackie virus cases."

The document said three other kids were in the ICU at local hospitals in California, and two of them were diagnosed with strep pneumonia.Less than a week later, that same Ventura Naval Base suffered an outbreak of pneumonia and influenza among the unaccompanied minors inside the shelter...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exclusive-feds-struggling-to-cope-with-medical-breakdown-at-the-border/blogEntry?id=24595456

Zombie invasion

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

The Border is SECURE... so says the alleged pederast.

[henry]

coxsackie virus

I don't know what that is, but the name...

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

HotAir quotes the Twitter World, Putin's GRU ordered the Code Red on Malaysia Air according to former US Ambassador to Putin: https://twitter.com/McFaul

[glasater]

Geez...if Russia cannot distinguish between civilian aircraft and military we're in for some really scary times.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Why do you assume Putin cares about any such difference?

[Captain Hate]

Welp, we've got Strobe Talbot commenting on it so that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

glasater, Ukraine could be using commercial flights to transport troops. I hate to blame the victim but Malaysia Airline was being extremely irresponsible by flying over a war zone.

[Threadkiller]

Putin isn't as flexible as his minions.

[henry]

UM, Strelkov thought it was a Ukrainian plane, admits shooting it down. Strelkov is known as a GRU agent. Reports 23 US nationals on plane.

[henry]

For those like me who need an english translation.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Flying in straight line at 33,000ft sqawking Civil airliner. Putin's minions knew very well what they were shooting down. Not enough vodka in all Russia to cause that kind of confusion.

[GMax]

Henry

TMax talks to me in code using all the military acronyms, and I usually have to ask for the English translation. So

I get that you think the VIX is not useful but what else do the acronyms mean.

I have followed the VIX for the last several years, and have never seen a 14% jump in either direction before. I think its clear that some folks went short as a fear reaction, I got no other explanation. You?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwaski]

Comments by the former Ambassador;

--It was ONLY 2 years ago. Tragic what has happened since............ It's hard to believe that this civilized period did exist...

Putin, not Washington, has ruined relations with US and Europe by his actions in Ukraine.--

With a short sighted ahistorical buffoon like this in Moscow I'm glad he now seems to be in Montana.
Does he remember the civilized periods in Chechnya and Georgia?
With Russian troops still in Georgia there was no civilized period.

Interesting though that when Russia invades neighbors our trusty Dems are quite upset and demand action; when the Soviets were invading countries all over the place they couldn't talk fast enough to explain why the weak and threatened USSR needed to and that nothing they did should interfere with our 'friendship' with them.

[pagar]

"as he was saying"

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/07/17/video-the-obama-loving-teachers-unions-will-hate-deion-sanders-after-the-see-this/

Can you imagine how many leftists will unfriend him?

[lyle]

I'm just glad that, in these times of strife, trouble and woe, we have a benevolent, wise, and caring monarch who will protect us and keep us safe.

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

[fdcol63]

This is what happens when the US leaves a vacuum in leadership and loses deterrence.

Obama .... a tyrant himself, and a friend to other tyrants.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Andrew Johnson @AndrewE_Johnson
NBC reports no plans by the White House for Obama to cancel Delaware campaign-style speech following Malaysia Airlines plane crash

[rse]

GMax-you talk to TMax like we do with our eldest. They would get along famously. Much in common. If we can ever be in Panhandle at the same time we can talk about it over drinks and good food.

[Stephanie tortoise not the hare]

((NBC reports no plans by the White House for Obama to cancel Delaware campaign-style speech following Malaysia Airlines plane crash))

The trained monkey can only dance the steps he's been taught.

[henry]

GMax, I have no opinion, just a passthrough on that one. Suggest you email our friend in Chicago for an explanation (on the list?).

[glasater]

Frank Gaffney was just on CNBC calls this event a 'gathering storm' and points out Zero gutting the military is a sign of furthering US weakness.

Stating the obvious of course.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwaski]

Unfortunately Deion Sanders' charter school appears about to have its charter revoked by the TX authorities for financial irregularities.
He's one of those guys there is always something swirling around.

[glasater]

A fellow from Janes is on CNBC right now.

[Captain Hate]

The trained monkey can only dance the steps he's been taught.

We know that he didn't cancel a Vegas fundraiser after Benghazi and now this. The only question is would he have still gone about his extra curricular crap during 9/11.

[lyle]

A palate cleanser from the late WFB:

The salient economic assumptions of liberalism are socialist. They center on the notion that the economic ass can be driven to Point A by the judicious use of carrot-and-stick, an approach that supersedes the traditional notion of conservatives and classical liberals that we are not to begin with dealing with asses, and that Point A cannot possibly, in a free society, be presumed to be the desired objective of tens of millions of individual human beings.

Too bad we don't have a true opposition party who believes this.

[Beasts of England]

For my much-beloved JOMrades, I offer this Open Championship lunchtime update:

Phil misses a putt. Phil misses a putt on the next hole. Phil misses a putt on the next hole. Phil misses a putt on the next hole. Phil misses a putt on the next hole. Phil misses a...

[Beasts of England]

Flexible tranquility is the new black.

[lyle]

The only question is would he have still gone about his extra curricular crap during 9/11.

There's a question here?

[GMax]

Henry The commenter(artist?) formerly known as Melinda?

Robin it would be an honor and my treat. Your entire family has a standing offer to go on a boat ride with us next time you are down here. I have a 40 foot Formula under contract and if all goes well I will take delivery next month.

[Marlene]

I've been watching Fox for a few minutes (Shemp isn't hysterical yet).This is interesting,major commercial airlines had continued to fly over Ukraine airspace,despite warnings. 295 people onboard is going to include many nations. Pray for the families.

[glasater]

Reporting that 23 US citizens were on board.

[Danube on iPad]

Fox News says most of the world's airlines (including all U.S airlines) had ceased flying over that region some time ago.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Of course the commercials have been flying over Ukraine, who shoots at a big slow plane, flying in a straightline flight plan along the polar route to asia, and squawking civilian... who shoots at that?

Now we know.

RIP to all the victims of this mass murder.

[henry]

GMax, yup. Let's just say the two of you disagree on this one. I haven't done securities market software since the 80s so make a poor translator.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Gmax:
I have a 40 foot Formula under contract and if all goes well I will take delivery next month.

You know if you drive that thing over to a JOM meet up anywhere along the Tampa to Naples coast . . . I'm happy to deckhand for you.

I've made that trip in reverse before.

[Jeff Dobbs]

(We didn't make it all the way to Destin, though. We stopped at PCB)

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

I disagree with MelR on a few things, but I would never ignore his opinion. He never accepts CW, without turning it upside down and inside out first, to examine how it was assembled.

[Marlene]

The Jen Psaki spokeswoman is speaking with press,can't confirm 23 U.S. citizens onboard. No plans for Kerry to make any phone calls. Fox now showing pictures of plane debris. People from the nearby village are looking at and standing around pieces of debris. Psaki isn't given much info. At least Harf isn't at the podium.

[Marlene]

*giving*

[James D.]

NBC reports no plans by the White House for Obama to cancel Delaware campaign-style speech following Malaysia Airlines plane crash

23 American citizens (and 260+ civilians of other nationalities) are deliberately murdered by a foreign government in cold blood, and the President of the United States can't be bothered to adjust his schedule for it?

Hope and change indeed.

[fdcol63]

I went to Florida State during the same period that Neon Deion did. He was always too flashy and ran his mouth, but he could back up the talk with action and good play.

A couple of years ago, though, I watched one of those NFL profiles on him and gained a lot more respect for him than I previously had.

I know these profiles can be touchy-feely and tout the exploits of players more than they might otherwise deserve, but what struck me the most were the stories from other players, on various teams, about just how much of a TEAM player Sanders was and how well-liked he was by so many of his peers, in addition to the raw athletic talent that he had.

Personally, I think that kind of respect and admiration from your peers says a lot about someone.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

What did State Senator Obummer have to say on 9/11/01? any link?

[Captain Hate]

James D., I'm sure he's speaking to a bunch of dumbasses who won't be confused when he says "the bear is loose".

[henry]

CH, maybe that was a signal to the bear to do whatever, like shoot down the odd civilian plane?

[Pere's syntheses are a joy to read.]

Pielke Pere et Fils are utterly reliable. Pere is a more pure atmospheric scientist, and Fils a social one. Pere is a maven & seer, Fils absolute Hell on the Climate Weirding crowd. Fils a bit too proggy for my taste but of those sort of visions, his and his foundation's are not fearfully out of touch with humanity.

[Miss Marple]

I have been getting my hair cut so of course missed this.

Why would Putin shoot down this plane? Or the separatists? Or the Ukrainians? Makes no sense.

However, Chechnyans would do it. Or AQ types who had infiltrated separatists like they did with Syrian rebels.

Think it best to wait and see who takes blame (or credit, if you are a terrorist).

[Cecil Turner]

... who shoots at that?

Normally, the rebel types don't have the capability to hit an airliner flying at altitude (and governments generally won't). This is what makes this case different:

In his Facebook update, the Ukrainian interior ministry official said that the missile used to shoot down the Malaysian airplane had been given to separatists by Russia, but that couldn't be confirmed independently. [emphasis added]

Might be unconfirmed, but it's the most plausible explanation (followed closely by the same group using a captured missile system).

[Beasts of England]

A 40' Formula? Nice. Very, very nice!

[Sue]

I love Deion. One of his sons plays little league baseball and his team played in a series here. Deion was at every game, politely signing autographs when approached.

[Jane]

I'm sure this is all happening to deflect from the children being raped and then brought over the border.

More fundraising to ensue.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Sanders-- saw him a few months ago on an ESPN thing, retired players going 3v3 on an CV museum in San Diego(Dan Marino was a QB and Jerry Rice was a wideout.) Those 3 were unbelievable, Rice's route running was ballet like and Deion still had those quick feet and hands. Even in football, some guys are born with it and keep it.

[Sue]

This was a few years ago.

[sbw]

rse: sbw-when you check in, I have put up links to a UK article on how PUSH Buffalo is creating the new model for a community controlled economy for Post Industrial Cities.

Hi, rse. Where is the link to the links?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwaski]

Deion may be the cat's PJs, but there still seems to be something swirling around him pretty much nonstop. I don't know why but there is. I report, you decide.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/07/16/obamas-latest-executive-order-slapping-russia-with-sanctions-could-affect-some-ak-47-owning-americans/

[Porchlight]

'No civilians were killed'. What is that supposed to mean?

Haven't there been two planes shot down now? The Malaysian commercial flight with 295 on board and the Ukrainian fighter jet? Maybe "no civilians were killed" was in reference to the fighter jet:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/europe/ukraine-says-russian-plane-shot-down-its-fighter-jet.html

[sbw]

Deporting those who entered the country illegally would be easier for Obama if he wasn’t obliged to follow the laws Congress passed.

:-/

[fdcol63]

Obama could be more effective as POTUS if he wasn't always on vacation, playing golf, fund-raising, giving speeches bashing Republicans and the TEA Party, and using his pen and phone to legislate around Congress.

[henry]

Its the competence, stupid! justice department learned about IRS email loss via press. I don't need to ask what kind of investigation they had going on. also **WSJ** so use creativity to get to actual article.

[Threadkiller]

An ironic statement, sbw.

[(A)Nuther Bub]

Saw on Twitter a few minutes ago, a CBS ALERT: "WH just announced that President Obama has been fully briefed on Malayasian airliner incident."

The relief I felt!

[glasater]

Obama's day:

Retweeted by Ron Fournier
Alexander Panetta @Alex_Panetta · 5m
Obama schedule today: Lunch with single working mom; later, announcement on infrastructure; fundraisers. So far, he's been sticking to plan

[Bori]

Sbw,

In this case, it is just another instance of the Obama Administration misinterpreting the law to suit its goals.

http://cis.org/2008-trafficking-law-inapplicable-current-border-crisis

[fdcol63]

" .... President Obama has been fully briefed on Malayasian airliner incident."

Oh, great. Now he probably thinks Israel did it.

[Porchlight]

Remember, he was "intimately" informed about everything going on at the border but didn't know that the detention centers are 40-50 miles inland until Rick Perry told him.

[fdcol63]

I'm okay with building internment camps, a la Maricopa County Jail, along the border and housing all illegals there.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

That would be more humane to the captured invaders than what the Obamaniacs are doing.

[Beasts of England]

He's been briefed? I thought he only learned about events from watching TV? Hmm...

[Miss Marple]

I note that Obama made sure to show up and order a burger and fries as he was sauntering around DC instead of DOING HIS JOB.

I am sure his statement will be equally infuriating.

I guess I had better get some work done. BBL.

[Threadkiller]

The teleprompter has told Obama that the Ukraine stuff is bad.

He is now yucking it up with his pals on how the recovery act is bad ass.

Put a Tiger Grant in Your Tank!

10,000,000 new jobs!!!

[Threadkiller]

Deficit cut in half!

[rse]

AB-I heard on the radio while out that bo had ordered our personnel to contact their counterparts in the Ukraine. What a selfish doofus response to mass murder. I never liked Larry McDonald and argued with him more than once but I vividly remember KAL.

GMax-cool. I was thinking though about liking to cook down there. You would like my cioppino from the Ravinia Festival cookbook. Similar to what Tadich's in SF serves.

Sounds like fun. Hubby who loved Pitts and Barons and has his ATP could probably be lured by that boat. Please do not call him mr rse though.