William M. Briggs, Statistician » Podcast Radio Show – Episode #4: Belief in Climate Models

Climate forecast failures? Since 1999, most climate model predictions have been too high by a factor of about 3. Plus, actual temperatures have been decreasing, or at least not increasing. Yet the belief in the accuracy of future forecasts—all of which predict yet more warming—have not abated. Why is this? Why, that is, do scientists believe the opposite of the evidence and is it rational to do so?

Catch Me If You Can: Does the IEA’s Carbon Capture Plan Make Any Sense? - Environmental Capital - WSJ

The report starts off talking of $2.5 trillion to $3 trillion in “additional investment” through 2050. But the report throws trillion-dollar figures around with such abandon, it’s hard to measure the true cost. A few pages later, for instance, the report estimates the “additional cost” of all the carbon capture projects in the world at $5.8 trillion.

Conservative Media Push Anti-Gore Documentary « The Washington Independent

This is shaping up to be a big week for McAleer and his co-director Ann McElhinney, and a celebratory moment for climate change skeptics everywhere.

The Smart Grid Won’t Save You Money - Greg Pollowitz - Planet Gore on National Review Online

Utilities will point to their smart grid improvements to convince government regulators to let them raise rates. Consumers will wind up paying the same amount — or more — for less electricity.

Wind Farms vs. Weather Forecasting - Greg Pollowitz - Planet Gore on National Review Online

Don't worry Buffalo. Al Gore says its getting warmer, so who needs a snow forecast?

Re: Geothermal - Greg Pollowitz - Planet Gore on National Review Online

Reader Mike e-mails :

Here's geothermal's Dirty Little Secret: It's filthy. That isn't pure water that comes up from Mother Gaia. It's full of sulfur and other minerals that quickly attack and destroy pipes and equipment. The physical plant requires constant maintenance and replacement. If you filter the stuff out you are left with a pile of corrosive chemicals and toxic heavy metals that qualify as an EPA supersite. Wells are abandoned and redrilled constantly as the pipes corrode.

The Midwest's Green Leap Backwards - Henry Payne - Planet Gore on National Review Online

But their solution — mandating dispersed wind and solar facilities utilizing “local” natural resources — would turn back the clock half a century, leaving industrial customers without the plentiful, reliable power delivered by large-scale generation — which, thanks to economies of scale, also happens to be far cheaper. (What’s next? Will the MGA mandate that we knit our own socks, cut our own lumber, and milk our own cows?)