The USA surrenders to Earth.

Earth is a beautiful planet even when it is beset with abrupt climate change. From space there is no other realization as to the uniqueness of planet Earth in the universe. Regardless of how scientists speak of other planets and other potential for life, Earth is a unique planet where we live.

There is conclusive evidence this episode of warming of Earth is due to high levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It is not simply a planet process in that the orbit of Earth has changed or it's attitude has rocked out into a different scenario effecting biological life.

This episode of warming is very dangerous. It is dangerous to people as well as other species. I disagree this entire event is due to the number of human beings on Earth. That is nonsense. Earth, however, has a carrying capacity and that needs to be respected which means population density matters. It not only matters, but, the consumerism of that carrying capacity matters.

People cannot continue to add burdens to Earth's capacity. If human activity was benign there would not be an issue. Civilized societies have their own capacity to react to information from scientists. They should do so and not expect the Third World to match their ability to adjust to enhance the capacity of Earth. There is nothing to say people cannot have a pleasurable life, but, that won't occur if there is abuse of the planet we have as our home.

The US Senate has acted to state their is a problem known as global warming and it is occurring now. Is it human induced? Yes, the evidence points to it conclusively. But, for the sake of the understanding the US Senate has acknowledged, "What is there to do about this climate change that will bring about a better outcomes?" 

Nothing? We are to simply accept this is Earth's destiny and we have no means of stemming the warming that is causing the Sixth Extinction. God wrote the outcome a long time ago and now civilized society is to accept this disaster playing out across this entire planet. That is a coward's answer. A coward afraid of losing an election whereby his constituents have biblical standards that measure their choices.

It is hideous and ridiculous to surrender to warming as if there is a destiny in this. Human beings think. They reason. They investigate and conclude. There are exacting physics that can be measured and human beings can draw no information to provide a better outcome? 

The US Senate majority has surrendered to Earth's destiny without question. Wow. I had no idea the USA was so helpless it can't even see a path forward for the generations to come to end this disaster. Well, time to close up shop and put up a white flag over the Capital Dome rather than the red, white and blue of our sovereign nation.

Natural succession.

Causes of extinction (click here) have prehistorically been dominated by natural earth processes such as geological transformation of the Earth's crust and major climatic oscillations, as well as species interactions; however, since the ascent of modern man during the Holocene, the causes of extinction have been dominated by the activities of humans....

...Darwin was the first to fully articulate the concepts of speciation and extinction as applied to natural succession, although he never used the terms evolution or extinction. (Darwin. 1859)... 

Darwin coined the words natural succession. Those are important words as well. It defines clearly the ability of any species to adapt to a changing climate. There are countless examples of such succession. But, with abrupt climate change that natural succession is interrupted and the species have questionable outcomes.

There is a very long list of anthropogenic impacts on the natural world that accelerates the deterioration of Earth's biological wealth.

...The most important causal anthropogenic activities are habitat destruction, overexploitation, pollution and the introduction of alien species (non-native) to an environment.  Habitat destruction elements include agricultural land conversion, deforestation, overgrazing and urbanization; within these activities the process of habitat fragmentation is a sometimes hidden cause of major biodiversity loss. Overexploitation consists of intensive mineral and other geological resource extraction,  overharvesting of wild flora and fauna (mainly for human food), hunting or fishing threatened fauna and killing of threatened fauna for herbal or cultural extracts.  Pollution impacts include buildup of toxic atmospheric substances, discharge of water pollutants into natural water reserves, chemical contamination of soils and noise pollution....

There is one word besides conclusive that is rarely said in relation to this event of climate change.

The Earth's climate (click here) has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives.

The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.

The word rarely heard is ABRUPT. This is abrupt climate change. It is different from the others for that reason. This warming has occurred over a very short time period of about 130 years. The only other episode of Earth that was this radically short was the K-T Juncture or K-T Event when the dinosaurs went extinct. Meteor is believed to have caused that event. The geological rock globally records it as such. It is that small area of rock between what could be called normal rock formation. It was rapid and abrupt. The end of the dinosaurs.

Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on a global scale. Studying these climate data collected over many years reveal the signals of a changing climate.
The heat-trapping nature of carbon dioxide and other gases was demonstrated in the mid-19th century.² Their ability to affect the transfer of infrared energy through the atmosphere is the scientific basis of many instruments flown by NASA. There is no question that increased levels of greenhouse gases must cause the Earth to warm in response.

Ice cores drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical mountain glaciers show that the Earth’s climate responds to changes in greenhouse gas levels. They also show that in the past, large changes in climate have happened very quickly, geologically-speaking: in tens of years, not in millions or even thousands.

Abrupt climate change is a crisis. It will cause extinction in many species, important species. There simply is no time for them to adapt or mutate because their circumstances change so rapidly. Evolution, regardless of it's place in science and history, requires time. Abrupt climate change is a crisis because of the lack of time for the biological world to meet their needs in a different and quite possibly an extreme climate.  

Conclusive. That is the word that matters. These are conclusive findings by our scientists and those who study the planet globally.

...The "roundness", or eccentricity, of the earth's orbit varies on cycles of 100,000 and 400,000 years, and this affects how important the timing of perihelion is to the strength of the seasons. The combination of the 41,000 year tilt cycle and the 22,000 year precession cycles, plus the smaller eccentricity signal, affect the relative severity of summer and winter, and are thought to control the growth and retreat of ice sheets. Cool summers in the northern hemisphere, where most of the earth's land mass is located, appear to allow snow and ice to persist to the next winter, allowing the development of large ice sheets over hundreds to thousands of years. Conversely, warmer summers shrink ice sheets by melting more ice than the amount accumulating during the winter....

The text and graph as before. The graph shows a geological and climate record of 600,000 years. Got that? 600,000 years and what does the text say above? Let me quote it again, "...earth's orbit varies on cycles of 100,000 to 400,000 years," A graph of six hundred thousand years and a cycle of four hundred thousand years. That is what is called conclusive. The finding of scientists, ninety-seven percent of them, have concluded this episode of Earth's warming is outside the bounds of anything experienced before and therefore CONCLUSIVE.

Now I know there are Americans that believe that Earth has only existed about seven thousand years. It would be very difficult to get their minds around such things. That is religious dogma and not science. They don't have to relate to this. The people elected of office at all levels of government need to appreciate the vast stores of information our scientists have accumulated and their findings are conclusive. It is up to the elected officials to act on the conclusions of scientists.

Roofing and ice jams.

Remember that ventilation stuff. This is a bit of an illustration of it. But, that isn't why I pulled up this picture. This is Owens Corning roofing. The Pink Panther. Everyone knows the Pink Panther. Never classified as a species either.

It is considered some, if not the best, roofing that is reliable. Now, that doesn't mean it will prevent a roof collapse, it means it is substantially good product to sustain the rigors of extreme cold. Don't cut corners with this stuff. 

Owens-Corning Roofs (click here)

The diagram below is that of an ice dam. It occurs when snow melts and rungs down the roof as water, but, then freezes in the rain gutters due to a block or a bend in the drain pipe. It could just get cold again and it starts to freeze, too. But, ice dams are very bad for roofs.

The All State Blog explores the issue of ice dams.

Icicles (click here) are commonly thought to be a sign of an ice dam on your roof, but are they? Possibly, says Rem Brown, senior engineering manager at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS)

Below is an actual picture of an ice dam. Everyone takes pictures of the pretty icicles and the reflection of the light through them, but, there is a danger in ignoring the impact such a heavy structure has on the roof of the house.

And here is a word from the International Association of Certified Home Inspection.

How do ice dams form? (click here)

Ice dams are formed by an interaction between snow cover, outside temperatures, and heat lost through the roof. Specifically, there must be snow on the roof, warm  portions of the upper roof (warmer than 32° F), and cold portions of the lower roof (at freezing or below). Melted snow from the warmer areas will refreeze when it flows down to the colder portions, forming an ice dam....

Now this is an ice dam too, but, it is a river ice dam. It is a really ironic picture because the little guy on the ice dam is a beaver. I don't know if he is checking the water temperature, looking for twigs or admiring the construction.

Antarctica shows the climate warming before the Arctic Ocean.

In realizing the fact Antarctica, a land mass, exhibits a warming planet earlier than the Arctic Ocean what then can speak to that reality?

This picture was the Larsen Ice Shelves. There are three. Larsen A, Larsen B and Larsen C. They were a part of a section of Antarctica called WAIS (West Antarctica Ice Shelf).

Larsen A collapsed in 1995. With that collapse Larsen B was able to extend it's massive volume of ice into that empty spot along the Antarctica circumpolar ocean circulation.

Larsen B showed cracking in 2001 and collapsed in 2002/

...The collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf (click here) was captured in this series of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite between January 31 and April 13, 2002. At the start of the series, the ice shelf (left) is tattooed with parallel lines of blue dots. The dots are pools of meltwater, and they are arranged in lines because the water drained into existing crevasses. Beneath a thin layer of clouds, a smattering of icebergs appears in the dark, open waters of the bay (right). By February 17, the leading edge of the C-shaped shelf had retreated about 10 kilometers (6 miles) as the shelf began to splinter. The next good view of the area came on February 23; several more long and narrow ice bergs had fractured from the shelf in the south. By March 7, the shelf had disintegrated into a blue-tinged mixture (mélange) of slush and ice bergs. Many of the bergs were too tall and narrow to float upright. They toppled over and spread out across the bay like a neat row of books that had been knocked off a shelf....

The collapse of these ice shelves didn't occur in a day, it took a very long time to have enough erosion by warmth take place to cause such dramatic events. These are major climatic events. The ice shelves are massive and wind moving across them when not weakened effect the cooling of Earth. These structures are vital to Earth's climate and now they are gone. The day this shelf collapsed, Earth's warming accelerated.

The extremists in the Republican Party use either the sun and/or volcanoes to explain away this unique episode of climate change of Earth.

It isn't accurate to say the sun has no impact on Earth. There are four seasons on a normal Earth. There are also tides due to the Moon. But, that doesn't mean the Moon will cause or not cause global warming. 

NOAA does a good job of explaining the relationship between Earth and the Sun.

The graph above shows the drastic difference in Earth's gaseous atmosphere regarding carbon dioxide both current and historic. The graph alone shows the drastic change in CO2 levels. But, for some that might not be enough.

...Changes in the "tilt" of the earth can change the severity of the seasons - more "tilt" means more severe seasons - warmer summers and colder winters; less "tilt" means less severe seasons - cooler summers and milder winters. The earth wobbles in space so that its tilt changes between about 22 and 25 degrees on a cycle of about 41,000 years. It is the cool summers which are thought to allow snow and ice to last from year to year in high latitudes, eventually building up into massive ice sheets. There are positive feedbacks in the climate system as well, because an earth covered with more snow reflects more of the sun's energy into space, causing additional cooling. In addition, it appears that the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere falls as ice sheets grow, also adding to the cooling of the climate. The earth's orbit around the sun is not quite circular...

Now, 22 to 25 degrees change in the tilt of Earth doesn't mean that tilt is permanent, it means it meanders through that tilt. If Earth changed it's tilt 22 to 25 degrees every 41,000 years we would be in a far different attitude than we are today. But, still 22 to 25 degrees is still significant.

A good snow roof has good ventilation and insulation.

When it comes to ventilation the International Residential Building Code otherwise know as IRC is the most recommended standards.

IRC Standards (click here), there are several sections on roofs, but, ventilation and/or exhaust systems is what one would be looking for.

The best source of measuring the quality of the insulation for a home is through the DOE of the USA.

Department of Energy (click here)

This reporting is slightly inaccurate.

She states scientists expect to see changes in temperature year to year because of  changing weather patterns. That is just a little bit of misinformation. The year to year temperature changes is not due to weather changes, it is due to climate changes. The weather is always changing, but, the climate rarely does. The Republican rhetoric that the climate is always changing is grossly incorrect. Weather changes, climate rarely does.

The Republicans need to pay attention to government scientists that can explain to them that the climate rarely changes. This is a unique event in Earth's history. There has never been nearly 7 billion people on Earth before. Add to that the far more polluting consumerism of the modern era and it creates climate change.

The Arctic Ocean. The thing to remember about the melting of the Arctic Ocean is that it occurs after Antarctica.

Post by NOAA Climate.Gov.

What is a survival window and why should anyone care?

January 25, 2015
By Tim Pratt and Kelcie Pegher 

Anne Arundel County residents (click here) could see several inches of snow early this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the county from 2 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday as forecasters predict 1 to 2 inches of snow will fall on the area.

A winter storm watch also has been issued from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon as another 3-5 inches of snow is expected.

The Maryland State Highway Administration began pre-treating roads Sunday. Meanwhile, area residents flocked to grocery stores and home improvement centers, picking up food, ice-melt and shovels....

The snow and ice are huge problems. Preparation starts long before the snow arrives. These weather patterns are deadly, both from the weather and snow accumulation, the ice on the roads, but, mostly from deadly temperatures.

People have to concentrate on expanding the safety zone around their lives. If there is a reason why a family has to leave their home because of extreme weather impacting it, they have to be prepared to survive the temperatures outside. While temperatures might be in the thirties, the wind chill could take the temperature down in the negative range.

Anne Arundel County residents could see several inches of snow early this week. 
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the county from 2 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday as forecasters predict 1 to 2 inches of snow will fall on the area. 
A winter storm watch also has been issued from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon as another 3-5 inches of snow is expected. 
The Maryland State Highway Administration began pre-treating roads Sunday. Meanwhile, area residents flocked to grocery stores and home improvement centers, picking up food, ice-melt and shovels. 
- See more at: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cn-weather-0125-20150125,0,7190237.story#sthash.4EO6H3IK.dpuf

- Plan precautions to prevent water pipes from freezing during periods of intense cold, such as proper insulation of pipes or draining water from exposed pipes. As a last resort, maintain minimum water flow to prevent freezing.
 
- Be aware that heavier than normal snows may cause leaks and collapse weakened or small structures such as sheds or other outbuildings.
- Residents/owners should ensure that gutters and roof drains are clear to ensure the removal of water from roof areas.
- Be alert to storm WATCHES or WARNINGS issued by the National Weather Service and broadcast by local radio and television stations

A survival window allows for preparedness. Some Americans don't live close to town and for them a survival window is imperative. 

Ex.: Walking home from a run in the park. A wind blows up and dust flies around and could potentially hurt the eyes. Is that wind a concern for survival? No, but, it is a concern to cover the eyes when such an event happens.

Driving in a rain storm and the lighting is very sharp, the thunder very loud. Is that a threat to survival? No. If there is flooding without road signs to direct away from the flooding it might be a survival issue, but, for most Americans such a storm is not a threat to survival.

The alarm goes off and the radio weather forecast states icey road conditions. Is that a survival issue? Not really. Icey roads are dangerous and someone can have an accident. The accident can be very bad if one is not prudent in their driving, but, for the most part it is not a survival issue. If one has a fender bender because of ice, that person can still get out of the car and find the damage without a threatening life event.

If one is home with the family and the house is in good repair and The Weather Channel states, severe weather is coming in the way of cold temperatures, high snow accumulations and potentially ice to follow; is that a survival issue? For most Americans it isn't. They expect to have the house ride out the storm and everyone inside is okay. But, what if there are high snow accumulations that cause a roof collapse, is it a survival event? It can be for the simple fact people are now exposed to the weather outside that is very dangerous. All of a sudden people are faced with danger they didn't expect. It is this survival window I worry about. 

Plan precautions to prevent water pipes from freezing during periods of intense cold, such as proper insulation of pipes or draining water from exposed pipes. As a last resort, maintain minimum water flow to prevent freezing.

• Be aware that heavier than normal snows may cause leaks and collapse weakened or small structures such as sheds or other outbuildings.

• Residents/owners should ensure that gutters and roof drains are clear to ensure the removal of water from roof areas.

• Be alert to storm WATCHES or WARNINGS issued by the National Weather Service and broadcast by local radio and television stations. - See more at: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cn-weather-0125-20150125,0,7190237.story#sthash.4EO6H3IK.dpuf

Climate Change happens for a reason. What is causing it now?

Does anyone know why past changes in climate have occurred and why this time it is unique to the greenhouse gas emissions of humans?

May 27, 2014
By Michael Snyder 

...When Kerry Livgren (click here) penned those now famous lyrics, he probably never imagined that Dust Bowl conditions would return to his home state just a few short decades later.  Sadly, that is precisely what is happening.  When American explorers first traveled through north Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, they referred to it as “the Great American Desert” and they doubted that anyone would ever be able to farm it.  But as history has shown, when that area gets plenty of precipitation the farming is actually quite good.  Unfortunately, the region is now in the midst of a devastating multi-year drought which never seems to end.  Right now, 56 percent of Texas, 64 percent of Oklahoma and 80 percent of Kansas are experiencing “severe drought”, and the long range forecast for this upcoming summer is not good.  In fact, some areas in the region are already drier than they were during the worst times of the 1930s.  And the relentless high winds that are plaguing that area of the country are kicking up some hellacious dust storms...

I don't want to diminish the impact of the lyrics of the song by "Kansas." They are a great band and I have much of their work still on vinyl. The song lyrics reach beyond the sad reality of the dust bowl or deserts; it is about life and how we live it and what our claim to morality is. 

But, the lyrics do bring about some recollection of the physical dust bowl as well as the emotional dust bowl. It was not unusual for American song writers to etch out a deeper meaning while using the natural world in their lyrics. They were right to do it. Nature can be a profound place of common experience in the USA. Still yet another reason to protect the world we physically live in. 

This is the most recent US Drought Monitor. Even with the rain in California and the snow in Texas, the drought still hasn't lifted as everyone had hoped. I haven't seen any reports from NOAA or NASA as to why the rain in California. I am assuming it has to do with the stubborn high pressure system in the Pacific.

This was being shown around the holidays.

The real Barbie vs the indoctrinating Barbie. A lot of anxiety with the indoctrinating Barbie. However, if every woman in America were just herself and happy, the boys would have to settle for what is real. Enjoy life, it is too short.

"Dust in the Wind" by Kansas (click here - their official website is "www.kansasband.com" because the newspaper "The Wichita Eagle" has the website, www.kansas.com.)

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind (Ohhhhh,)

Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind (all we are is dust in the wind)
Dust in the wind (everything is dust in the wind), everything is dust in the wind (the wind)

The RT media service has been carrying this Anti-US theme for a few weeks now.

The man (click here) holds a carbine in his hand and is wearing a tactical vest. As the correspondent points her microphone with a request to comment, the man covers his face with the other hand and says, “Out my face, out my face!”

This media service has reported there are American soldiers examining the ruins of the attack in Mariupol. For a few weeks now Russia has been working up a propaganda theme that the USA is responsible for the violence. There has been statements about the Malaysian Airlines MH 17 indicating there is evidence the USA shot the jet out of the sky. Evidently, Russian media can be stenographers as well.

If this is an American soldier investigating the murders of the people in Mariupol I congratulate NATO for honoring those killed and bringing facts to the event. I hope the USA is in Ukraine. The USA needs to give Putin and his military a new reality. As far as shooting down MH17, it is nonsense and more anti-American propaganda of the USA.

The RT media service is taking speculation as fact and then allowing the public to make their own decisions about the speculation. There is no investigative reporting, but, simply pandering to fear of the USA. It is interesting to see a foreign media service modeling itself after the Murdoch media of FOX News.

The story here is not about a PERHAPS American investigating the deaths in Mariupol, but, about the fact the terms of the Minsk Treaty is not being respected. Perhaps RT needs to take aim at the truth rather than propaganda. There has been nothing but violation of Ukraine following Minsk.

In case RT is lacking the knowledge as to where to find the facts regarding Minsk, it can be found here (click here).