The weather at Glacier Bay National Park is (Crystal Ice Chime) pleasant?

We are not far from our ancestors in loving this planet, coming to know it and preserving it for generations to come !


Alexander Agassiz, a preeminent oceanographer of the 19th century, attributed the first scientific basis for exploring the Gulf Stream to American statesman Benjamin Franklin. Franklin published this map of the Gulf Stream in 1769, 200 years before a submersible named after him drifted below the surface to study this river in the ocean. (click here)


(Graph derived from Rothrock et al.: Thinning of the Arctic Sea-Ice Cover, 1999) - Click here.
...Although the U.S. Navy has collected ice data for decades, it has only allowed their use in research since the end of the Cold War. Many of the submarine sonar data on sea ice draft collected in the 1990s were acquired through the Scientific Ice Expeditions (SCICEX) program. Because these data cover most of the deep Arctic Ocean basin, they enabled an analysis of variations in ice draft over a much broader region than was previously possible....

Urgency to USA Federal Policy is an understatment.

Repeat Photography of Glaciers (click here title to entry - thank you)
High-resolution image
Image Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center, W. O. Field, B. F. Molnia


On the left is a photograph of Muir Glacier taken on August 13, 1941, by glaciologist William O. Field; on the right, a photograph taken from the same vantage on August 31, 2004, by geologist Bruce F. Molnia of the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
According to Molnia, between 1941 and 2004 the glacier retreated more than twelve kilometers (seven miles) and thinned by more than 800 meters (875 yards).
Ocean water has filled the valley, replacing the ice of Muir Glacier; the end of the glacier has retreated out of the field of view. The glacier’s absence reveals scars where glacier ice once scraped high up against the hillside. In 2004, trees and shrubs grow thickly in the foreground, where in 1941 there was only bare rock.

Local Time :: 11:34 AM AKST (GMT -09)

Lat/Lon :: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Elevation :: 33 ft

Temperature :: 32 °F

Conditions :: Overcast

Windchill :: 26 °F

Humidity :: 87%

Dew Point :: 28 °F

Wind :: 6 mph from the SE

Pressure :: 29.70 in (Rising)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds :: Overcast 3500 ft
(Above Ground Level)

It sounds to me as though the 'little black freezing cloud' over Al Gore's head was summoned by the Devil if that is your pleasure.

If it's Al Gore, it's cold (click here)
By Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin
POSTED January 27, 2009 1:56 PM
Stormbringer
Former Vice President Al Gore is set to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this morning on global climate change. Which means, of course, that it's been cold and snowing here. More of the same (freezing rain, actually) is expected while he speaks. Today's high temperature is forecast at 36 degrees, and a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until noon.
This always seems to happen to the global warming crusader. Last October, freezing temperatures followed Gore to Boston, as he gave a speech at Harvard.
In November 2006, Gore flew to Australia. Cold and snow came with him, despite that the country was nearing its summer months.
In January 2004, a Gore speech in New York was marked by a low temperature that day of 7 degrees.
In fact, climate-change skeptics and other thorns in Gore's side have dubbed the coincidental phenomenon "The Gore Effect."
Sam Kazman, general counsel with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says it "proves that God has a really good sense of humor."
Ditto Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, who often does battle with Gore: "The ‘Gore Effect’ proves Mother Nature has a sense of humor; she seems to enjoy mocking global warming fear promoters.”

January 26, 2009, 3:08 PM
Clinton Names Special Envoy For Climate Change (click here)

On the day that President Obama took steps to change U.S. energy policy, his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, named a special envoy for climate change.

"American leadership is essential to meeting the challenges of the 21st century, and chief among those is the complex, urgent and global threat of climate change," Clinton said at a State Department ceremony, according to the Associated Press.

The special envoy is Todd Stern, who was a key negotiator for the U.S. over the Kyoto Protocol during Bill Clinton's administration. Clinton said his appointment sends "an unequivocal message that the United States will be energetic, focused, strategic and serious about addressing global climate change and the corollary issue of clean energy."

The Bush administration abandoned the Kyoto Protocol, an international effort to curb emissions, arguing that it favored other nations. There are now international efforts to draft a successor to that agreement.

"The time for denial, delay and dispute is over," Stern said, according to the AP. "The time for the United States to take up its rightful place at the negotiating table is here."

I happen to think the BBC is correct !

Protesters demonstrate in London on Saturday against the BBC (AFP photo)

Gaza is NOT an autonomous 'Nation,' but, every sympathizer on the planet seems to think any aid to that region of Palestine should be treated as if it had its own sovereignty.

It doesn't.

To continue to supply Gaza with 'aid' that is not handled and distributed in accordance with 'joint' concerns of both Palestine and Israel is a threat to the security of the children of Gaza. The children of Gaza should be secured from being human shields and child soldiers and that won't occur as long as Hamas is in control of their futures. The circumstances are loaded with potential to 'end their suffering' if handled correctly and turning 'rescue' efforts over to NOG's is NOT in the best interest of the 'security' of the entire region.

I thought Saudi Arab was involved in all this anyway. If Saudi Arabia is a 'partner' in Gaza, they need to come forward with a plan to secure the children there and incorporate it into the plans Palestine has for its people and the agreement with Israel for security of the region.

UK lawmakers pressure BBC over Gaza appeal (click here)
By GREGORY KATZ – 1 hour ago
LONDON (AP) — Emotional criticism of the British Broadcasting Corp. over its refusal to air a charity appeal for the people of Gaza intensified Tuesday as more legislators demanded the BBC change course.
More than 110 British lawmakers have endorsed motions criticizing the BBC's decision to keep the Gaza appeal off the air, said legislator Richard Burden....

Fatah, Hamas disagree on border reopening (click here)

Mona Salem I

Arab News

CAIRO: Hamas rivals Fatah called yesterday for the forming of a national unity government acceptable to the international community before Gaza’s crossings open, a position in apparent conflict with that of Hamas.

“We want a government of national unity which will supervise reconstruction and crossing points so the crossing points are completely open, so that we can bring in products necessary for reconstruction,” Azzam Al-Ahmed, who heads Fatah’s parliamentary group, told journalists....

End of Discussion.

Fatah is not getting cooperation from Hamas to save THEIR own children.

Financial Institutions in disarray, how much of Timothy Geithner is "Old World?"

The astounding reality of the Obama Presidency is that 'he gets it.' He knows that all the factories that once manufactured 'made in the USA' were vital to the tax base of the country. Barak knows that returning jobs to Americans is more than important to 'making money' it is a matter of supporting a tax base that provides for National Security.

One of the stark realities to the American Landscape is the loss of 'small town' manufacturing jobs. The ONE prime example is the loss of American made pottery, dinnerware, etc. There are dearly few manufacturing companies for something as simple and elegant as dinnerware left in the USA and below is a husband and wife success story.

What is occurring instead, and in the case of Pfaltzgraff, everything is NOW made in China. Over the years there was a 'segment' of their manufacturing that always 'outsourced' but there was always those items consistently "Made in the USA." I don't know about anyone else, but, even when American 'distributors' demand a 'certain' quality of product to sell to the American public, imports are far less desirable and in the instance of pottery can contain lead and glazings that are unsafe.

When American products are met with government standards that are enforced as well as legisltated, we have products of longevity and safety. Today, the Pfaltzgraff stamped with "Made in the USA" is an heirloom item and should be considered valuable beyond its' 'Yard Sale' price.

It is up to us, the people of this country to look beyond the 'discount' way of life we have been living and strive to return manufacturing to our towns and cities. American made pottery is only one example. We should be asking ourselves, "How much of what we purchase actually is "Made in the USA?"


In 2003, husband and wife team, Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey purchased Heath Ceramics. Their shared mission was to revitalize the company by placing a strong emphasis on design, while preserving Edith Heath’s handcrafted techniques and design legacy. Today, classic designs, as well as new ones are made with the highest level of craftsmanship - ensuring the lasting quality and aesthetic of each of our products. (click here)


THE PFALTZGRAFF FLEMINGTON OUTLET RETAIL STORE ~ NOW CLOSED

How important is Wall Street? In actuality, not very. It is why I truly didn't care if there was a recovery at that level or not. Wall Street is about 'sameness' and maintaining the status quo to insure profits and income, not about 'change.'

The 'real economy' of the USA lies in its ability to collect taxes. Those taxes can be corporate taxes, which when and if increased won't hurt any recovery.

Why?

Because the reduction in their tax burden received for so long under Bush/Cheney was disproportionate to the responsibility they hold to the people of the USA. Under Bush; as noted with 'the extreme' Halliburton; companies' tax burdens were cut to the bone while 'supplemented' with all kinds of 'imagineering' to supposedly support R&D and expansion of an economy.

The opposite was true. Besides being willing to 'con' the American people at the pleasure of their wrongfully elected President, Halliburton did nothing to improve the American economy and now their headquarters are in Dubai. Quite frankly, good riddens.

Halliburton agrees to pay $560 million in KBR bribery case (click here)
By BRETT CLANTONCopyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Jan. 26, 2009, 11:53PM
Nearly two years after cutting ties with KBR, Halliburton Co. said Monday it has one more big bill to pay before it is free and clear of its former subsidiary.
The oil field services giant said it has agreed to shell out nearly $560 million to settle federal bribery allegations against KBR, making it the second-biggest Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlement deal ever.
Though the deal still faces final approval by the Justice Department, Halliburton said it had already set aside more than $300 million to deal with the matter, a cost that proved to be a drag on its fourth-quarter profit, which the company also reported Monday....

In the coroporate world, the less of a tax burden the companies carried the easier it is for any CEO to satisfy stockholders and the profit margins were far more reliable. When corporations have to carry their full responsibility including paying taxes to the USA Treasury they will expand their business, employ more people and produce more product.


So much for Bush/Reagan economics. The question is how much of the Geithner Treasury will reflect 'Wall Street' indulgences rather than "Main Street" bolstering? I firmly believe that when the manufacturing sector of the USA is 'on track' Wall Street takes care of itself. There is no reason to fixate on corporations IF we as Americans support local economies where we work. Keeping automakers in business is an important sector for the USA, in my opinion the auto manufacturing sector is as much a Homeland Security issue as passenger inspections to airlines. The sector has served the county well when war machines need a 'quick start-up.'