RealClimate: How large were the past changes in the sun?

In the May issue of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Shapiro et al. present a new long-term reconstruction of the solar irradiance that implies much greater variation over the last 7000 years than any previously reconstruction.

Icebreaker at the North Pole | Watts Up With That?

The Polarstern is at the North Pole for the third time in its history. On 7 September 1991 it was one of the first two conventionally driven ships to sail there, along with the Swedish research icebreaker Oden. Almost exactly ten years later, on 6 September 2001, it carried out a joint expedition at the North Pole together with the American research icebreaker Healy.

Sec. Chu Uses Taxpayer Dollars For Multi-Billion-Dollar Spanish Company - By Greg Pollowitz - Planet Gore - National Review Online

$40 billion is currently committed to this program and no real job creation as a result. This isn’t Keynesian economics. This is Marx — as in Marx Brothers economics.

The Rats Are Leaving the Taxpayer-Funded Solar Ship - By Greg Pollowitz - Planet Gore - National Review Online

Solyndra’s founder is calling it a day and moving on to other opportunities.
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Just a parting question for Dr. Gronet: When, exactly do you see your baby paying back taxpayers the half-a-billion dollars or so you owe us? Thanks!

Can someone please get Energy Secretary Chu under oath and start asking him questions about this mess.