No need to panic about global warming

This piece appeared in the WSJ signed by 16 scientists:

There’s no compelling scientific argument for drastic action to ‘decarbonize’ the world’s economy.

Editor’s Note: The following has been signed by the 16 scientists listed at the end of the article: 

A candidate for public office in any contemporary democracy may have to consider what, if anything, to do about “global warming.” Candidates should understand that the oft-repeated claim that nearly all scientists demand that something dramatic be done to stop global warming is not true. In fact, a large and growing number of distinguished scientists and engineers do not agree that drastic actions on global warming are needed. …. 

Humans as paradox

h/t Jimmy

Swedish Social Democrats implode as Juholt resigns

I have long felt that Håkan Juholt was inappropriate as the leader of the Swedish Social Democrats. But what was most disturbing  - in this time of transparency – was the opaque manner of his being “appointed and anointed” as leader of the party some 10 months ago.

But it is the party’s Executive Committee (Verkställande utskott) who come out of this debacle  as being particularly incompetent. No doubt Juholt himself was lacking in the competence and leadership qualities necessary to unite the party behind him. But it was the Executive Committee which displayed gross incompetence;  first in choosing a leader who would be constantly sniped at from within the party; secondly, incompetent in the coup-like manner in which they pulled Juholt’s name out of a hat; thirdly incompetent in not being able to discern Juholt’s lack of the leadership qualities necessary for the position; and finally incompetent in not being able to shield their “appointed” leader from the snipers and the baying media.

The dark side of the sun in Germany

The dark side of solar energy: Der Spiegel graphic

The price for the headlong rush to renewable energy in Germany driven largely by a rampant Green party now has to be paid. Subsidies have exceeded 100 billion € but nothing of that has reached the consumer. But some developers and some entrepreneurs have made some not so  small fortunes.

Der Spiegel is not known for daring to challenge political correctness and has been one of the staunch supporters of the global warming orthodoxy. But even Der Spiegel is apalled:

The costs of subsidizing solar electricity have exceeded the 100-billion-euro mark in Germany, but poor results are jeopardizing the country’s transition to renewable energy. The government is struggling to come up with a new concept to promote the inefficient technology in the future.

The new censors – McCarthyism by Hollywood

The new McCarthys in the US

• Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Diane Feinstein(D -California), Harry Reid (D- Nevada), Ben Cardin (D-Md.)
• Motion Picture Association of America, Chris Dodd (Lobbyist and Chairman of MPAA and former Senator)
• News Corp., Time-Warner, Sony and Disney

Benefits of shale gas are real and measurable

The advent of shale gas has moved the peak of “peak-gas” into the future by some 250 years. This together with the fact that gas-fired power plant have the shortest construction times and the lowest investment costs of any form of power generation  provides the possibility to hold down electricity generation costs. The increase in generation costs in recent times has been the natural consequence of the subsidy regimes for wind and solar power plants and the opportunistic rush to renewable power. Huge fortunes have been made by “green” developers as the subsidies have been milked – but consumers have only seen rising electricity prices.

Bloomberg  reports:

A shale-driven glut of natural gas has cut electricity prices for the U.S. power industry by 50 percent and reduced investment in costlier sources of energy. With abundant new supplies of gas making it the cheapest option for new power generation, the largest U.S. wind-energy producer, NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE), has shelved plans for new U.S. wind projects next year and Exelon Corp. (EXC) called off plans to expand two nuclear plants. Michigan utility CMS Energy Corp. (CMS) canceled a $2 billion coal plant after deciding it wasn’t financially viable in a time of “low natural-gas prices linked to expanded shale-gas supplies,” according to a company statement.

145 counts of data fabrication against University of Connecticut Director of Cardiovascular Research: 11 Journals informed

Deepak Das

Another massive case of misconduct by an established  scientist – not a humble post doc but a Director of Cardiovascular Research!! Once again a scientist of Indian origin in the US is involved – Prof. Deepak Das!

This time there are also clear commercial motives which takes scientific misconduct into the realms of criminal fraud!!!

Hartford Business:The University of Connecticut is rejecting nearly $1 million in federal grants awarded to one of its scientists found to have falsified many of his findings on the health benefits of wine.

Will SAS be acquired by Qatar or Lufthansa?

SAS – which used to be one of my favourite airlines – needs new owners with access to larger markets and with financial muscle.

Lufthansa was - and still is – the most likely buyer. But in the last 2 days the rumors of interest from Qatar have been driving up the SAS share price. Of course the rumors have been denied.

But  SAS is unsustainable as it is and  something is due to happen with SAS ownership this year. And my guess would be that the clear fit and benefits would point to Lufthansa rather than Quatar.

Light blogging while on assignment

I am travelling again on an assignment and blogging will be light for a week or so.

Tony Blair has income of £12 million, spends £8 million on administration but pays only £300,000 tax

I am not Tony Blair’s greatest fan and don’t have very high expectations of him. Nevertheless, the manner in which he cashes in on his former position is breathtaking! Personal ethics are clearly unknown to him.

Paying 2.5% of his income as tax is a pretty impressive case of tax avoidance (which is probably perfectly legal and not tax evasion). But it makes him a parasite. Some parasites are useful but he is not one of them.

The Telegraph:

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair channelled millions of pounds through a complicated web of companies and paid just a fraction in tax

Official accounts show a company set up by Mr Blair to manage his business affairs paid just £315,000 in tax last year on an income of more than £12 million. In that time, he employed 26 staff and paid them total wages of almost £2.3 million. ….