From the category archives:

Energy

MSM Condemns Heartland’s Experimental Billboard, Ignores What Climate Alarmists Do Everyday

Marc Morano of Climate Depot — a proud cosponsor of our Seventh International Conference on Climate Change in Chicago May 21- 23 — shared with us today his observations on the mainstream media’s double standard for tolerating provocative communication strategies when it comes to the climate.

Marc’s views are his own — and, as always with him, an invigorating read. Those who are subject to easily getting the vapors over such things should probably not heed the advice “click to continue” below. For the rest, here is the full-and-raw Marc Morano, who called out — and answered — some egregious examples of global warming alarmists using “provocative communications” about skeptics that the MSM seems to have missed:

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Will the US follow ‘Green Power Failure’ of Canada and the EU?

“Green Power Failure” is a May 10, 2012 article by Canadian columnist Lawrence Solomon for Canada’s Financial Post.

The article is a warning for the United States of pitfalls from adopting renewable electricity sources of solar and wind. Quoting Mr. Solomon, ”Global-warming-related catastrophes are increasingly hitting vulnerable populations around the world, with one species in particular danger: the electricity ratepayer. In Canada, in the U.K., in Spain, in Denmark, in Germany and elsewhere the danger to ratepayers is especially great, but ratepayers in one country — the U.S. — seem to have weathered the worst of the disaster.”

Mr. Solomon then addresses situations in the U. K., Germany, Denmark and other countries which have adopted sizable amounts of solar and wind electricity generation that has led to electricity rates so high that 15 percent of households or more are in “fuel poverty”–ten percent or more of household income goes to electricity or gas. Many of these countries pay electricity rates triple the U. S. average.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

List of Media-Tolerated Attacks on Skepticism of Man-Made Global Warming

This is a brief list of attacks on skeptics of man-made global warming, which despite their vulgarity saw preferential tolerance from the mainstream media.

Know of any others? Email me at tsmith@heartland.org

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

EPA ‘Crucifixions’ Nothing New

EPA Regional Director Al Armendariz

The blogosphere is all atwitter this week after the disclosure of  the “crucifixion” video, in which the director of U.S. EPA Region 6 in Texas urged his staff to “crucify” oil and gas companies in enforcement actions.

In the video, disclosed by U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Regional Director Al Armendariz said:

It was kind of like how the Romans used to conquer little villages in the Mediterranean. They’d go into a little Turkish town somewhere, they’d find the first five guys they saw and they’d crucify them. And then you know that town was really easy to manage for the next few years. And so you make examples out of people who are in this case not compliant with the law. Find people who are not compliant with the law, and you hit them as hard as you can and you make examples out of them, and there is a deterrent effect there.

Sen. Inhofe calls this a “’rare glimpse’ into the Obama administration’s mindset” and is launching an investigation. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said: “I have spoken to Dr. Armendariz, I have made clear to him that I am glad he apologized because his comments were disappointing, they are not representative of the agency, they don’t reflect any policy that we have, and they don’t reflect our actions over the past two years.”

Don’t make me laugh.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

If I Wanted America to Fail

A new group has recently released a video advocating free-market policies from a whole new perspective, and the result is very compelling.

The group is called Free Market America, and its stated mission is to defend economic freedom, particularly from environmental extremism.

The video puts the viewer in the perspective of someone who wants to dismantle the country, and walks them though what they would do to accomplish it. Throughout the video, the viewer becomes aware of how many of today’s ideas match the destructive actions learned through this perspective.

What makes this argument compelling is that this sort of connection cannot be built from anything other than concrete evidence. Leaving the viewer to digest the sobering truth once the video ends.

After watching the video, feel free to read the transcript below if you would like a closer look at the video’s points.

If I wanted America to fail …

To follow, not lead; to suffer, not prosper; to despair, not dream — I’d start with energy.

I’d cut off America’s supply of cheap, abundant energy.  Of course, I couldn’t take it by force.  So, I’d make Americans feel guilty for using the energy that heats their homes, fuels their cars, runs their businesses, and powers their economy.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Heartland’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change, May 21 – 23 in Chicago

We’re doing it again … because it’s necessary to “think globally and act locally” about the climate — but with the truth, not propaganda and politicized reports passed off as rigorous science.

The Heartland Institute is hosting a conference aimed at having a real debate about the causes, consequences, and policy implications of climate change. And this year’s conference in Chicago May 21 – 23 dovetails nicely with the NATO summit in the Windy City (which ends as ours begins, on May 21). Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, will be our dinner speaker the first night.

Heartland has invited dozens of scientists who believe man is chiefly responsible for the fluctuations of the climate to debate those who disagree … again. We will be joined by dozens of think tank cosponsors and hundreds of scientists who understand the need to educate the public, and fellow scientists and educators, about what’s really happing to the planet’s climate. The world’s media will be there — and, we hope you will join us. Registration information can be found here.

Get Twitter updates of the conference by following @HeartlandInst and the hashtag #ICCC7.

This year’s conference theme is:

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

More MSM Misinformation on Fracking

According to reports from the media, a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey have scientifically linked hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” to the recent rise in Midwest earthquakes. But the lead author of the study, Bill Ellsworth, went on live TV last week and announced the study does not support that claim, and that the media is misinforming the public about the study.

If you don’t have time to watch the interview, Ellsworth states that the only established link with earthquake activity is with the disposal of the leftover waste water after the natural gas is released, which is likely where the misunderstanding could have occurred. However, this link has been known for decades, and in most cases is not a problem, and in the few that are, are easily accommodated with straightforward solutions.

Ellsworth’s effort to clarify the epidemic spread of misinformation is heartening, although likely not to be too effective with a liberally-biased media. But if nothing else, reveals which of our political leaders are susceptible to being misled.

{ 0 comments }

Pot, Watch Who You Call ‘Kettle’

It is shameful that the intellectually lazy practice of killing the messenger instead of debunking his message has become the norm in politics today. And there is no clearer example of that than yesterday’s frenzied Sunshine State News (SSN) hit piece against the organization I am proud to represent in Florida.

The Heartland Institute is a 28 year-old national public policy research organization with offices around the country and dozens of respected policy analysts and experts. A quick Google search reveals the contributions Heartland has made to promote economic liberty and free market policies over the years through its research, publications, partnerships, conferences, and education outreach none of which, to my knowledge, has ever been successfully discredited.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

America’s Failed Energy Policies and the Reason Why

President Obama’s Energy Speech at the University of Miami February 23 added more details to his energy thoughts as given by his State Of The Union Speech and 2013 Fiscal Year budget submitted to Congress.

His ideas are based upon curtailing use of fossil fuels, in particular coal, due to fears carbon dioxide produced from combustion cause catastrophic global warming.   This is the reason why given for our failed energy policies.  Detailed discussions of climate science are too lengthy to be given in this paper.

There is little experimental data to support combustion of fossil fuels play a big part in climate.  However, there is a vast amount of data showing the role of carbon dioxide is minor compared to other factors influencing climate such as the sun, earth’s orbit, volcanos, ocean currents  (El Nino and La Nina), and clouds.  The administration’s actions should be taken as future energy policies for the next four years.  Policies implemented and policies ignored will lead to a dismal future for the United States.

The United States has the most abundant fossil fuel reserves in the world, the greatest agriculture system, and the most innovative population which should lead to prosperity for centuries.   A few remarks about energy policies follow.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Gen-Y Rejects the Green Life: ‘Let’s all live like the Kardashians’

It increasingly looks like we’re entering the 4th quarter of the great Contest of Truth on global warming. The climate alarmists know they are way behind, and the Fakegate scandal shows they are willing to heave one Hail Mary after another — even in the most underhanded fashion — in a desperate attempt to get back in the game.

Yet those Hail Mary passes expose a rag arm throwing fluttering ducks into a headwind. Fact is: Generation Y — a generation exposed to relentless alarmist global warming propaganda since elementary school — is not very motivated to take the field, catch the pass, and win one for the Green Gipper.

Power Line’s Steve Hayward — who recently wrote one of the best pieces yet about Fakegate in the Weekly Standard — mirthfully notes that “one of Time’s hippest young columnists, the egregious Joel Stein, [has written] a column saying essentially that environmentalists are basically a bunch of losers.”

Hayward quotes the hipster Stein, who wrote of  the Gen-Y generation (and quoted the author of a study on Gen-Y’s attitudes on environmentalism):

Compared with boomers and Generation X-ers, Gen Y-ers are the least willing to cut down on driving and electricity use. “There was a lot more questioning of materialism in the 1970s. Now it’s just like, Let’s all live like the Kardashians,” she said. . .

We do stuff not to save the planet as much as to look as if we’re saving the planet. That means I need to spend a lot more on my food, clothing and appliances and let everyone know about it.

Ouch. At least Gen-Y is sufficiently self-aware to recognize the contradiction. The power for all those Macbooks, iPods, iPads, live-streaming, Facebook updates, and Tweeting has to come from somewhere — and Gen-Y demands to be plugged in at all times. Gen-Y will not “power down” for the planet. Stage Two: Giving up paying the poseur premium for reliable, fossil-fueled energy that keeps all them all plugged in — and bursting the media-fed fantasy that wind farms and solar panels will keep an uninterrupted digital world at their fingertips. Gen-Y is at least halfway there. Critical mass comes after the first brown-out in California.

[click to continue…]

{ 1 comment }

← Previous Entries