Another Week of GW News, September 4, 2011

Logging the Onset of The Bottleneck Years

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Another week of Climate Disruption News

Sipping from the Internet Firehose...

September 4, 2011

• Chuckles, COP17+, Horn of Africa, Keystone XL Action, The Conversation, Wagner
• Monnett, Kirby et al., WikiLeaks, Bottom Line, Free Science, Thermodynamics, Cook
• Fukushima Note, Fukushima News, Nuclear Policy
• Melting Arctic, Megafauna, Methane/CO2, Geopolitics, Antarctica
• Food Crisis, Food vs. Biofuel, Land Grabs, GMOs, Food Production
• Hurricanes, Temperatures, Aerosols, Paleoclimate, Attribution
• ENSO, Extinctions, Proxies, Satellites
• Impacts, Extreme Weather, Corals, Acidification, Floods & Droughts
• Transportation, Buildings, Sequestration, Geoengineering
• Journals, Other Docs , Misc. Science, Alley, Mann, Curry, Pielke
• Kyoto, UN, Carbon Trade, Bank Tax
• International Politics: Rare Earths, Security, Activism, Polls, Water Politics & Business
• National Politics: America, BP Disaster, 2012, Gore, Energy Security, Krugman, Smog, Obama, USAdmin, Congress
• Britain, Europe, Australia, Carbon War, Murray-Darling, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, Asia, Africa, South America
• Canada, Post G20, CWB, Salmon, BC, Tar Sands, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, North, Canadiana
• Ecological Economics, IPAT, Apocalypso, Media, Books, Video
• Energy, Fracking, Coal, Oil & Gas, Fossil Fuel Corps, Pipelines, Peak Oil, Biofuel
• Wind, Solar, FITs, Nukes, Nuclear Waste, LENR, Grid, Efficiency, Cars, Gee Whiz, Energy Storage
• Insurance, Joe's List, Carbon Lobby, Miscellaneous Climate, Useful Links
• Autobahn, Shameless Self Promotion, .sig

Laugh. I dare ya:

1. 2011/08/31: JoeMohr: (cartoon - Mohr) God's Response to Rick Perry
2. 2011/09/03: TP:JR: (3 cartoons - various) Best Extreme Weather Cartoons
3. 2011/08/31: uComics: (cartoon - Auth) Vox Dei
4. 2011/08/31: uComics: (cartoon - Danziger) Mr. Cantor and Mr. Paul Give The Republican Response To The Flood
5. 2011/08/30: TI:CF: (cartoon - Roberts) Zombie Apoclypse
6. 2011/08/30: SeattlePI: (cartoon - Horsey) If only hurricanes were more precise
7. 2011/09/01: SeattlePI: (cartoon - Horsey) Pray that naysayers are right about climate change
8. 2011/08/30: uComics: (cartoon - Wiley) The Post-Journalism Existentialist
9. 2011/08/29: XKCD: (cartoon - xkcd) Hurricane Names
10. 2011/08/29: uComics: (cartoon - Rall) 15% of Americans are on Food Stamps...40% of Food Stamp Recipients Are Employed

    And for those who enjoy challenging Poe's Law:

11. 2011/09/02: Wonkette: Obama Calls For Smog Death To Please GOP (They Still Aren't Pleased)
12. 2011/09/01: QuarkSoup: God Denies....
13. 2011/08/31: Wonkette: Former Unicorn Obama Has Beloved Mermaid Arrested
14. 2011/08/29: Wonkette: Michele Bachmann: Hurricane Is Order From God To Lower Spending

    Looking ahead to COP17 and future international climate negotiations:

15. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: [Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC executive secretary] Says Durban Talks Can Deliver

    The Horn of Africa drought and famine continues to be a major disaster:

16. 2011/09/03: al Jazeera: More areas of Somalia 'face famine threat'
    UN warns situation in drought-stricken southern Somalia is deteriorating, raising dangers of malnutrition and disease.
17. 2011/09/02: al Jazeera: Witness to famine: A cameraman's journal
    An eye-witness account of life in the famine-stricken Horn of Africa during Ramadan and on Eid.
18. 2011/09/03: Guardian(UK): Charity president says aid groups are misleading the public on Somalia
    Médecins Sans Frontières executive says charities must admit that much of the country can't be helped The head of an international medical charity has called on aid agencies to stop presenting a misleading picture of the famine in Somalia and admit that helping the worst-affected people is almost impossible. The international president of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Dr Unni Karunakara, returned from Somalia last week and said that, even though there was chronic malnutrition and drought across east Africa, hardly any agencies were able to work inside war-torn Somalia, where the picture was "profoundly distressing". He condemned other organisations and the media for "glossing over" the reality in order to convince people that simply giving money for food was the answer.
19. 2011/09/02: UN: UN and partners boost food aid to Somali refugees amid alarming malnutrition
20. 2011/08/15: PsychToday: Statistical Numbing: Why Millions Can Die and We Don't Care -- The way we perceive risk makes mass death more likely
21. 2011/09/04: BBC: Drought in Eritrea: hunger despite government denials
22. 2011/08/30: CCurrents: East Africa Now Facing Drought Induced Famine
23. 2011/08/31: al Jazeera: Saving children in the Horn of Africa
    It's not too late to make a difference in famine-ravaged East Africa.
24. 2011/08/30: al Jazeera: No relief for Somali refugees in Dadaab
    Muslims in world's largest refugee camp mark end of Ramadan with little to look forward to, as UN calls for more aid.
25. 2011/08/30: CBC: East Africa refugees get cash handouts -- UN refugee agency fears charities' gifts could create chaos at swelling camp
    The United Nations refugee agency is raising concern that hundreds of independent charities are doing more harm than good at Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp by handing out aid -- including cash -- to those who have fled the famine in the Horn of Africa. The agency UNHCR warns the unprecedented generosity is unco-ordinated and could cause significant problems among the camp of hundreds of thousands of refugees, who are mostly from neighbouring Somalia.
26. 2011/08/29: CNN: Drought not the real cause of East Africa famine by Thomas Keneally
    Up to 12 million people in Horn of Africa facing famine - Famines occur in places where people are tyrannized, says Thomas Keneally - Famines occur in places where people get by on a few food items, he argues - He says famine can only be addressed if it isn't only blamed on drought

The Keystone XL civil disobedience action in Washington DC got a lot of attention:

27. 2011/09/03: TP:JR: A Climate Movement Is Born: Ozone Decision Spikes Total Arrests to 1,252 at White House Pipeline Protest
28. 2011/09/02: TreeHugger: Ralph Nader: Tar Sands Pipeline Would Usher in "Corporate Dictatorship"
29. 2011/09/03: TreeHugger: 1,252 Peaceful Protesters Arrested Opposing Tar Sands Pipeline at the White House
30. 2011/09/03: CCurrents: The White House And Tar Sands by James E. Hansen
31. 2011/08/31: RS: NASA Scientist Hansen Arrested at Tar Sands Protest - A Grim Sign of the Times
32. 2011/09/03: Rabble:B: Activist Powless shoots 'iconic' photo of NASA scientist arrest at tar sands protest
33. 2011/09/02: CBC: Naomi Klein arrested at D.C. pipeline protest
34. 2011/09/02: CCP: Maryland State Senator Paul Pinsky (D-Hyattsville) Arrested at White House Friday over Tar Sands Keystone XL Pipeline
35. 2011/09/03: HotTopic: Tar Sands Action Draws to a Finish, But More to Come says McKibben
36. 2011/09/02: CSW: Jim Hansen arrest at White House tar sands pipeline protest: "We had a dream"
37. 2011/09/02: 350orBust: "We Are All Downstream": Tar Sands Protests Go Global
38. 2011/09/01: TStar: Celebrity protesters blur the Canadian oil sands message
39. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: Center for American Progress on Keystone XL Pipeline Permit: It Is Not in the National Interest, Nor in Humanity's Interest
40. 2011/09/01: Grist: Which side are you on, Obama? Live from the tar-sands protests [video]
41. 2011/09/01: DeSmogBlog: Hillary Clinton's State Department Oil Services and the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline [video]
42. 2011/09/01: DeSmogBlog: Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Action Page
43. 2011/08/31: TPL: Keystone XL Pipeline -- Game Over?
44. 2011/08/31: ClassM: Celebrity worship
45. 2011/08/31: ABC(Au): Daryl Hannah arrested in White House protest
46. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: Actress Daryl Hannah Arrested at White House Tar Sands Protest
47. 2011/08/31: CSM: Daryl Hannah arrested for protesting proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline
48. 2011/08/31: WMTC: canada and u.s.: join to speak out against tar sands pipeline
49. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: NASA's James Hansen Arrested at Tar Sands Pipeline Protest
50. 2011/08/30: DeSmogBlog: Reliance on Canadian Tar Sands Threatens U.S. Energy Security
51. 2011/08/30: CBC: First Nations leaders join Keystone pipeline protest
    Indigenous people from across North America are joining the White House protest against TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry crude oil from northern Alberta to Gulf Coast refineries in Texas. Several First Nations leaders from Canada are making the trip to join the protest Sept. 2. Protesters have gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C. since Aug. 20, with actors and scientists among those opposing the pipeline. Over 250 people have been arrested, including Canadian actors Margot Kidder and Fort McMurray, Alta.,-born Tantoo Cardinal.
52. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: Soul Force: Tar Sands Protest Echoes King's Civil Rights March
53. 2011/08/30: Grist: Daryl Hannah gives you her [lawyer's] number
54. 2011/08/30: DM:JLV: Daryl Hannah Joins The Resistance At The White House Against The Keystone Pipeline
55. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: Why Civil Disobedience is Key to the Climate Movement
56. 2011/08/30: Oregonian: NW environmental news: Oil sand pipeline in the crosshairs of activists
57. 2011/08/30: CCP: NASA climate scientist James Hansen was arrested today outside the White House after joining a protest against the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline
58. 2011/08/29: CCP: Record crowd stands firm against a Tar Sands pipeline that's 'built to spill'
59. 2011/08/29: CCP: James Hansen: "Einstein said to think and not act is a crime. If we understand the situation, we must try to make it clear." [K XL]
60. 2011/08/28: TP:JR: One of the Jailed 'Tar Sands 52? Tells His Story

    The Conversation has resumed in Australia:

61. 2011/08/29: Deltoid: Conversation series on media and misinformation
62. 2011/09/02: ABC(Au):TDU: Conversations: Policy-making media and climate change
63. 2011/09/01: Guardian(UK): Australia's climate scientists expose shock-jock distortion tactics
    Academics catalogue the deluge of spin and misinformation of climate science by various Murdoch-owned papers
64. 2011/08/30: CCP: Michael Ashley: Event horizon: the black hole in The Australian's climate change coverage [The Conv]
65. 2011/08/29: TheConversation: Forget the fantasy politics -- advertising is no substitute for debate
66. 2011/08/29: TheConversation: Selling climate uncertainty: misinformation and the media

    Editor Wolfgang Wagner resigned over the Spencer/Braswell paper and cacaphonous controversy ensued:

67. 2011/09/02: MDPI: Taking Responsibility on Publishing the Controversial Paper "On the Misdiagnosis of Surface Temperature Feedbacks from Variations in Earth's Radiant Energy Balance" by Spencer and Braswell, Remote Sens. 2011, 3(8), 1603-1613 by Wolfgang Wagner
    Abstract: Peer-reviewed journals are a pillar of modern science. Their aim is to achieve highest scientific standards by carrying out a rigorous peer review that is, as a minimum requirement, supposed to be able to identify fundamental methodological errors or false claims. Unfortunately, as many climate researchers and engaged observers of the climate change debate pointed out in various internet discussion fora, the paper by Spencer and Braswell [1] that was recently published in Remote Sensing is most likely problematic in both aspects and should therefore not have been published. After having become aware of the situation, and studying the various pro and contra arguments, I agree with the critics of the paper. Therefore, I would like to take the responsibility for this editorial decision and, as a result, step down as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Remote Sensing.
68. 2011/09/03: MGS: Peer review and Wagner Resignation over Spencer and Braswell
69. 2011/09/03: PSinclair: Spencer Braswell: This is not New. This is the Way it's Done.
70. 2011/09/03: NatureNB: Cool climate paper sinks journal editor
71. 2011/09/02: ScienceInsider: Journal Editor Resigns Over Contrarian Climate Paper
72. 2011/09/03: Stoat: Porkies from Woy
73. 2011/09/02: TDC: The damaging impact of Roy Spencer's science
    In his bid to cast doubts on the seriousness of climate change, University of Alabama's Roy Spencer creates a media splash but claims a journal's editor-in-chief. The science doesn't hold up.
74. 2011/09/02: GLaden: CloudGate: Denialism Gets Dirty, Reputations Are At Stake
75. 2011/09/03: SkeptiSci: Journal editor resigns over 'fundamentally flawed' paper by Roy Spencer
76. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: The End of Day One of Today's Battle
77. 2011/09/02: TPL: Another one bites the dust... Editor of Remote Sensing Resigns Over Spencer-Braswell Pal Review
78. 2011/09/02: CAbyss: Spencer & Braswell and the Review Process
79. 2011/09/02: ERabett: Honor and Respect [Wagner]
80. 2011/09/02: LFR: Science mag editor resigns after publishing faulty climate change denier paper
81. 2011/09/02: BBC: Journal editor resigns over 'problematic' climate paper
    The editor of a science journal has resigned after admitting that a recent paper casting doubt on man-made climate change should not have been published. The paper, by US scientists Roy Spencer and William Braswell, claimed that computer models of climate inflated projections of temperature increase. It was seized on by "sceptic" bloggers, but attacked by mainstream scientists. Wolfgang Wagner, editor of Remote Sensing journal, says he agrees with their criticisms and is stepping down.
82. 2011/09/02: MediaMatters: Journal Editor Resigns After Publishing Flawed Climate Study Touted By Forbes, Fox
83. 2011/09/02: CCP: Paper Disputing Basic Science of Climate Change is "Fundamentally Flawed," Editor Resigns, Apologizes
84. 2011/09/02: BVerheggen: Spencer and Braswell fundamentally flawed, journal editor resigns
85. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: A Devastating Comment on Spencer
86. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: Editor's Most Important Words
87. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: More on Editor's Resignation
88. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: Editor Resigns Over Roy Spencer Paper's Controversy
89. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: Some Reactions [Wagner]
90. 2011/09/02: ClassM: Oops -- Wouldn't it be great if everyone was as good at admitting their mistakes?
91. 2011/09/02: BBickmore: Remote Sensing Editor Resigns Over Spencer/Braswell Paper
92. 2011/09/02: TP:JR: Science Stunner: Editor of Journal that Published Flawed Denier Bunk Apologizes, Resigns, Slams Spencer for Exaggerations
93. 2011/09/02: Stoat: Holy editor resignation, Batman!
94. 2011/09/02: Guardian(UK): Journal editor resigns over 'flawed' paper co-authored by climate sceptic
    Prof Wolfgang Wagner says research was not properly peer-reviewed and wrongly accepted by Remote Sensing
95. 2011/09/02: Deltoid: Editor-in-Chief of Remote Sensing agrees that Spencer and Braswell (2011) should not have been published; resigns
96. 2011/09/02: MTobis: Editor Apologizes for Spencer Paper, Resigns
97. 2011/09/02: BCLSB: Editor Steps Down For Publishing Denialist Paper
98. 2011/08/31: QuarkSoup: Roy Spencer Smarter than Feynman?
99. 2011/09/03: WottsUWT: Editor-in-chief of Remote Sensing resigns over Spencer & Braswell paper

    The Charles Monnett story continues:

100. 2011/09/02: CCP: Polar Bear Scientist Was Accused By Federal Worker
101. 2011/09/01: ERabett: Inside Job
102. 2011/08/29: ERabett: Clowns on Ice

     There's still some talk about the Kirby et al. paper:

103. 2011/09/01: SMandia: CERN Cloud Paper: Cirrus-ly Being Spun
104. 2011/08/31: DM:BA: No, a new study does not show cosmic-rays are connected to global warming
105. 2011/08/31: PSinclair: From the Horse's Mouth. The New Study on Cosmic Rays and Climate

     A smattering of WikiLeaks stories emerged this week after the big Leak:

106. 2011/08/30: Guardian(UK): Wikileaks reveals US hopes for environmental activism in China
107. 2011/08/29: OpenDem: Nationalism, media and corruption in India. An interview with Arundhati Roy
     Arundhati Roy ranges broadly over corruption scandals, Wikileaks' excessive desire for the spotlight, Pakistan/India relations, the twinned perils of nationalism and religious fundamentalism ... and how to deal with negative online comments
108. 2011/09/02: PostMedia: Conservatives lacked 'bold measures' to improve economy: U.S. diplomatic cable
     Prime Minister Stephen Harper's top priority last year was to stay in power while touting his economic stewardship, looking for a "graceful exit" from Afghanistan and avoiding any "sexy initiatives" on climate change, diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Canada wrote in a newly released confidential cable. The uncensored cable, released through WikiLeaks, provides a remarkably candid assessment of how the embassy, under the direction of Ambassador David Jacobson, viewed the Canadian political scene at the start of 2010. It is written in blunt, sometimes chatty, language and does not shy away from analyzing the political tactics of the governing Tories and opposition parties. The cable was sent to Hillary Clinton's U.S. State Department in Washington and to other U.S. embassies abroad.
109. 2011/08/30: Grist: China to build 50+ nuclear reactors based on unsafe 60's tech, says Wikileaks
110. 2011/08/29: FoodWhistleblower: Monsanto Interests Guide U.S. Diplomacy, WikiLeaks Cables Show
111. 2011/08/25: TruthOut: New WikiLeaks Cables Show US Diplomats Promote Genetically Engineered Crops Worldwide
112. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: More on Monsanto, Agribusiness Interests Guiding US Diplomacy From Wikileaks

     And on the Bottom Line:

113. 2011/08/29: TCoE: The Real Costs of Living with Inaction on Climate Change

     Now here's a Free Science story with a twist:

114. 2011/08/29: Guardian(UK): Academic publishers make Murdoch look like a socialist
     Academic publishers charge vast fees to access research paid for by us. Down with the knowledge monopoly racketeers

Delving into the laws of thermodynamics this week:

115. 2011/09/02: TSoD: Radiative Forcing and the Surface Energy Balance

     John Cook and friends continue their point-counterpoint articles:

116. 2011/09/03: SkeptiSci: Journal editor resigns over 'fundamentally flawed' paper by Roy Spencer
117. 2011/09/02: SkeptiSci: The Climate Show 18: The Big Chill & The Big Fracking Issue
118. 2011/09/02: SkeptiSci: Slovenian translation of The Scientific Guide to Global Warming Skepticism
119. 2011/09/04: SkeptiSci: [Book Plug] The Fate of Greenland: Exceptional Storytelling, Extraordinary Photography by Bud Ward
120. 2011/09/04: SkeptiSci: NASA Satellites Detect Pothole on Road to Higher Seas by Rob Painting
121. 2011/09/01: SkeptiSci: Lessons from Past Climate Predictions: IPCC SAR by dana1981
122. 2011/08/31: SkeptiSci: Michaels Mischief #2: Opposing Climate Solutions by dana1981
123. 2011/08/30: SkeptiSci: CO2 is just a trace gas by Sarah
124. 2011/08/29: SkeptiSci: Mythic Reasoning about Climate Uncertainty by muoncounter

     A note on the Fukushima disaster:

     It is evident that the Fukushima disaster is going to persist for some time. TEPCO says 6 to 9 months. The previous Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, said decades. We'll see. At any rate this situation is not going to be resolved any time soon and deserves its own section.

     Not much good news coming out of Fukushima:

125. 2011/08/31: MLynas: How dangerous is the Fukushima exclusion zone?
126. 2011/09/02: NBF: Nuclear still cost competitive in Japan even with Fukushima and World Uranium Projects move forward
127. 2011/09/02: EneNews: Slow-moving, major typhoon [Talas] to hit Japan this weekend -- Heavy rainfall expected for Fukushima, disaster zone
128. 2011/09/03: EneNews: Plutonium-238, 239, 240 detected at Fukushima playground on August 15 -- TEPCO admits they consider it to be from triple meltdown
129. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: Analysis: Reactor Restarts First Energy Hurdle For Japan's Noda
130. 2011/09/01: EneNews: TEPCO trying to stop 'leaking radioactive material' from reaching water underground -- Barrier may be complete by 2014
131. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: Paladin [Energy Co.]: Fukushima Impact On Nuclear Lingers, But Outlook Strong
132. 2011/08/30: PlanetArk: Greenpeace: Fukushima Schools Unsafe After Clean-Up
133. 2011/08/31: NBF: Japan's 13 month maintenance schedule shutting down most of the remaining reactors and Germany could face blackouts with nuclear exit
134. 2011/08/31: EneNews: Fukushima workers showered with highly radioactive water
135. 2011/08/29: Cryptome: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant 29 August 2011 [pix]
136. 2011/08/30: EneNews: 40-year-old Fukushima radiation worker dies of acute leukemia after working at plant for week -- Checkup showed no prior health problems
137. 2011/08/30: EneNews: Fish caught in river north of Tokyo exceeded legal limit for radioactive cesium -- First time seen outside of Fukushima
138. 2011/08/30: EneNews: Japan gov't finds 165 locations over wide area with cesium-137 exceeding Chernobyl evacuation levels -- Data shows radiation could be "spreading to other areas"
139. 2011/08/29: PlanetArk: Areas Near Japan Nuclear Plant May Be Off Limits For Decades
140. 2011/08/29: Independent(UK): Why the Fukushima disaster is worse than Chernobyl

     Post Fukushima, nuclear policies are in flux around the world:

141. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: U.N. Nuclear Safety Proposals Weakened: Diplomats
     Countries with atomic power plants would be encouraged to host international safety review missions, under a draft U.N. action plan that may disappoint those who had hoped for strong measures to prevent a repeat of Japan's nuclear crisis. Seeking the middle ground between states advocating more binding global rules and others wanting to keep safety as a strictly national responsibility, the U.N. nuclear agency appears to have gradually watered down its own proposals. The document from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the third draft presented to IAEA member states over the last few weeks, outlines a series of steps to help improve nuclear safety after the Fukushima accident almost six months ago. The latest version puts increased emphasis on the voluntary nature of the proposals, highlighting resistance among many countries against any move toward mandatory outside inspections of their nuclear energy installations.
142. 2011/08/30: EneNews: "We've got to stop these sorts of reports coming out" -- Int'l conference warns that media talk of Fukushima health effects "may be harmful"
143. 2011/08/30: DerSpiegel: Crossing the 20 Percent Mark -- Green Energy Use Jumps in Germany
     During the first half of 2011, the share of renewable energy sources used by Germans in their total energy mix grew to one-fifth -- a hefty boost over 2010. It's a small step toward Germany's ambition to phase out nuclear power.
144. 2011/08/30: EurActiv: Oettinger: Fukushima throws lifeline to Nabucco
     The nuclear disaster in Fukushima and subsequent scepticism vis-a-vis nuclear power has increased the chances of the up-and-down Nabucco pipeline project materialising in the future, the European Union's energy commissioner has said. "Fukushima has basically increased the probability of Nabucco," Günther Oettinger told reporters on the sidelines of the Handelsblatt renewable energy conference.
145. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Japan Steps Toward More Renewable Energy With New Feed-In Tariff

     The Arctic melt continues to garner a lot of attention:

146. 2011/09/03: ASI: SIE 2011 update 19: the fat lady is humming
147. 2011/08/31: BPRC: Petermann Glacier before-after-photos 2010-2011
148. 2011/09/01: Tamino: Arctic Sea Ice: Death Spiral Continues
149. 2011/09/02: HotTopic: Dramatic Pictures of Petermann Glacier Ice Loss
150. 2011/09/01: MSNBC: Second giant ice island set to break off Greenland [Petermann] glacier
151. 2011/09/01: RealClimate: Arctic sea ice minimum discussions
152. 2011/09/03: ASI: September SEARCH Outlook Contribution
153. 2011/08/31: TCoE: A blatant, well deserved plug for Arctic Sea Ice Blog
154. 2011/08/31: ASI: Through the eyes of [USCGC] Healy
155. 2011/08/31: moyhu: JAXA Ice extent and JS
156. 2011/08/31: MGS: Too-early consideration of sea ice estimates
157. 2011/08/31: Stoat: Yet another sea ice update
158. 2011/08/30: CCP: Polarstern: Arctic sea ice at the North Pole half as thick as it was in 2001
159. 2011/08/30: ASI: 2011 End Zone
160. 2011/08/30: DM:BA: Arctic sea ice will be below average again this year

     As for the charismatic megafauna:

161. 2011/09/01: PSinclair: Walrus Haulouts Observed Again on Alaska Shoreline
162. 2011/08/29: PlanetArk: Alaska Files Notice Of Appeal On Polar Bear Listing
163. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Witnessing Summer Starvation Among Polar Bears (Pics)

     That Damoclean sword still hangs overhead:

164. 2011/09/01: ERW: Arctic wildfires may boost climate change
     Wildfires in the Arctic have been becoming more frequent in recent years. Now new research shows that these fires may be increasing the rate of global warming. Analysis of a burn scar from a large tundra fire reveals that large amounts of carbon were released.

As for the geopolitics of Arctic resources:

165. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: Insight: Arctic Has Great Riches, But Greater Challenges
166. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: Insight: Arctic Has Great Riches, But Greater Challenges
167. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: New Blow For BP In Russia As Office Raided
168. 2011/08/31: al Jazeera: Exxon Mobil signs Arctic oil deal with Russia
     US energy giant signs multibillion dollar deal with State-owned Roseneft for developing offshore oil fields.
169. 2011/08/31: CNN: Russia raids BP offices, prompting oil giant's anger
     It comes after ExxonMobil signs a deal with Russian company Rosneft, a blow to BP - BP blasts what it calls Russia's "illegal" interference in its work - The raid is related to a long-running battle over oil exploration in the Russian Arctic
170. 2011/08/31: EurActiv: US, Russia ink biggest oil and gas deal of Obama era
     ExxonMobil and Rosneft signed an agreement yesterday (30 August) to extract oil and gas from the Russian Arctic, in the most significant US-Russia corporate deal since President Barack Obama began a push to improve bilateral ties.
171. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: Exxon, Rosneft Tie Up In Russian Arctic...
172. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: Exxon, Russia Sign Deal For Arctic Oil, Plus Share Fracking Technology
173. 2011/08/31: OilChange: Exxon Beats BP to Arctic Prize
174. 2011/08/29: Prism: The Arctic and the Government's Cowboy Solution
175. 2011/08/31: BBC: Bailiffs raid BP's offices in Moscow
     BP has confirmed that bailiffs have raided its offices in Moscow. The company said their arrival was linked to a case in a regional court in Western Siberia relating to the collapse of BP's Arctic oil exploration deal with Rosneft. The deal collapsed because of a legal challenge from its Russian partners in the joint venture TNK-BP. The deal has now been done with Exxon Mobil instead.
176. 2011/08/30: BBC: Exxon Mobil clinches Arctic oil deal with Rosneft
     US oil major Exxon Mobil has clinched an Arctic oil exploration deal with Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft. The venture seemingly extinguishes any remaining chance of BP reviving its own deal, which lapsed in May. The agreement was signed on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a Rosneft spokesman said.
177. 2011/08/28: G&M: Canada in danger of missing the boat in the Arctic
     Statements by France's ambassador for the polar regions, Michel Rocard, that Canada appears to have given up on competing with Russia for Arctic commercial shipping traffic, should serve as a wake up call for Canadians. It may be that the country prefers the Northwest Passage as it is, a slightly-used backwater that best protects the fragile Arctic ecosystem and the traditional Inuit way of life. But if Canadians favour sustainable development in the north, and jobs for northerners, then they are in danger of missing the boat.

While in Antarctica:

178. 2011/08/29: ScienceInsider: Icebreaker Deal to Keep Antarctic Research Afloat
     Antarctic researchers funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) may need to throw on another blanket at night to ward off the chill. But Thursday's agreement to lease a Russian icebreaker to help resupply NSF's logistics hub at McMurdo Station should otherwise allow the agency to avoid any major curtailments to its Antarctic research schedule for the 2011-12 winter season.

The food crisis is ongoing:

179. FAO: World Food Situation - Food Price Indices
180. 2011/09/01: DerSpiegel: Speculating with Lives -- How Global Investors Make Money Out of Hunger
     In recent years, the financial markets have discovered the huge opportunities presented by agricultural commodities. The consequences are devastating, as speculators drive up food prices and plunge millions of people into poverty. But investors care little about the effects of their deals in the real world.
181. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: U.S. Farm Income Tops $100 Billion For First Time In 2011
182. 2011/08/29: ProMedMail: Brown streak and mosaic, cassava: combined outbreak risk

     The conflict between biofuel and food persists:

183. 2011/08/30: WWI: Global Production of Biofuels Regains Momentum, According to New Research by Worldwatch Institute
184. 2011/08/30: Grist: In battle between fuel and food, food is losing worse than ever

     So, are these land grabs Colonialism V2.0?

185. 2011/08/31: EurActiv: Rising biomass demand could drive land grabs: Report
     Rising global demand for cleaner energy from biomass could drive more land acquisition in poorer nations where food security and land rights are weak, according to an International Institute for Environment and Development report released yesterday (30 August).
186. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: Rising Biomass Demand Could Drive Land Grabs: Report

     Regarding the genetic modification of food:

187. 2011/08/31: GMWatch: It's official: Glyphosate used on GM crops found in US rivers, rainfall
188. 2011/08/29: USGS: Widely Used Herbicide [Glyphosate, aka Roundup] Commonly Found in Rain and Streams in the Mississippi River Basin
189. 2011/08/24: FoodFreedom: Monsanto GM Corn in Peril: Beetle develops Bt-resistance
190. 2011/08/05: Mercola: 50% of Rats Given this Died -- Why is it On Your Dinner Plate?
191. 2011/09/01: DVoice: USGS: Glyphosate Pollutes Air, Rain and Rivers in US
192. 2011/08/30: MoJo: Attack of the Monsanto Superinsects -- New, from the company that has already brought you superweeds..
193. 2011/08/31: HuffPo: Beetle Develops Resistance To Monsanto's Genetically Modified Corn
194. 2011/08/29: FoodWhistleblower: Monsanto Interests Guide U.S. Diplomacy, WikiLeaks Cables Show
195. 2011/08/25: TruthOut: New WikiLeaks Cables Show US Diplomats Promote Genetically Engineered Crops Worldwide
196. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: More on Monsanto, Agribusiness Interests Guiding US Diplomacy From Wikileaks
197. 2011/08/29: Grist: Monsanto fail: GMO crops are losing their pest control powers

     And how are we going to feed 9 billion?

198. 2011/09/02: BBC:RB: Farming: Thoughts on an intense debate
     In a book that's already annoyed a lot of greens with its enthusiasm for nuclear power and geo-engineering, Mark Lynas's The God Species also floats the question of which kind of agriculture is actually best for nature.
199. 2011/09/01: USDA:ARS: Using Less Water to Grow More Potatoes
200. 2011/08/31: Grist: Green for greens: Philadelphia subsidizes farmers markets
201. 2011/08/29: AlterNet: What's It Going to Take for Americans to Stop Eating Chemical-Laden Industrial Food?

     Tropical Storm Lee is soaking the US Gulf states:

202. 2011/09/04: CNN: Tropical Storm Lee reaches Louisiana coast
     Lee is within 50 miles of Lafayette, Louisiana - It is expected to unleash more rain along the Gulf Coast - The storm could bring up to 20 inches of rain to some parts - Thousands of customers are without power in Louisiana
203. 2011/09/04: Wunderground: Tropical Storm Lee lingers off Louisiana coast
204. 2011/09/04: CBC: Tropical storm Lee lumbers into south Louisiana
205. 2011/09/04: al Jazeera: Tropical Storm Lee drenches New Orleans
     City on flash-flood alert as storm makes landfall in Louisiana, bringing heavy rains and threatening storm surges.
206. 2011/09/03: CNN: Tropical Storm Lee drenches Gulf states with rain
     Flooding forces some road closures in southern Louisiana - Officials shut the Port of Mobile in Alabama - A tropical storm warning is in effect from Destin, Florida, to Sabine Pass, Texas - Tropical Storm Lee could bring up to 20 inches of rain to parts of the Gulf
207. 2011/09/03: Wunderground: Tropical Storm Lee moving ashore; Katia continues northwest
208. 2011/09/03: CSM: Tropical storm Lee threatens flooding in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
209. 2011/09/02: CSM: Tropical Storm Lee could hit as near-hurricane with 20 inches of rain
210. 2011/09/03: CBC: Tropical storm Lee triggers Louisiana power outages
211. 2011/09/02: CNN: Gulf system intensifies into Tropical Storm Lee
212. 2011/09/02: Wunderground: Tropical Depression Thirteen Forms in The Gulf of Mexico
213. 2011/09/02: CBC: New storm [TD 13] threatens U.S. Gulf coast -- Flash floods possible in Lousiana
214. 2011/09/01: BBC: Louisiana declares emergency as storm [TD 13 (Lee)] brews
     Louisiana has declared a state of emergency as it prepares for a tropical depression to bring up to 15in (38cm) of rain over the weekend.

Nanmadol zapped China's Fujian province/state and Talas crossed Japan:

215. 2011/09/04: BBC: Typhoon Talas kills at least 18 people in Japan
     At least 18 people have been killed and more than 50 are missing after powerful Typhoon Talas ripped through western Japan, local media reports. The storm brought heavy rain and winds of up to 108km/h (68mph) after making landfall on Shikoku island on Saturday. Talas has now moved over Japan and into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), Japan's Meteorological Agency said on Sunday. But it warned that heavy rains and strong winds will continue - raising the threat of floods and landslides.
216. 2011/09/04: CNN: Typhoon Talas kills at least 3 in Japan
217. 2011/09/02: EneNews: Slow-moving, major typhoon [Talas] to hit Japan this weekend -- Heavy rainfall expected for Fukushima, disaster zone
218. 2011/08/31: NASA:NASA Sees Tropical Storm Nanmadol's Landfall, Talas Headed to Japan
219. 2011/08/31: al Jazeera: Tropical storm Nanmadol hits southeast China
     No casualties reported though storm brought heavy rains, destroying houses and forcing many to flee.
220. 2011/08/31: People's Daily: Tropical storm Nanmadol lands at southeast China province
221. 2011/08/30: al Jazeera: Tropical storm Nanmadol heads to China
     Authorities on alert in southeastern province of Fujian as storm threatens heavy rains.
222. 2011/08/29: CBC: Typhoon Nanmadol floods Taiwan before hitting China
223. 2011/08/29: al Jazeera: China braces for storm Nanmadol
     Storm heads for China after shutting down south Taiwan and forcing evacuations.
224. 2011/08/29: al Jazeera: Typhoon Nanmadol hits Taiwan
     Storm, which killed at least seven in the Philippines, dumps more than half a meter of rain in the mountainous south.
225. 2011/08/28: BBC: Taiwan braced as Tropical Storm Nanmadol sweeps in
     Taiwan has deployed 35,000 troops to prepare for a huge storm bearing down on the south-east of the island. Tropical Storm Nanmadol - downgraded from a typhoon - has already wreaked havoc in the Philippines, leaving at least eight people dead.

While Katia is far at sea; destination uncertain, but probably the US East Coast:

226. 2011/09/02: CNN: Katia upgraded to hurricane again
227. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: Hurricane Katia Weakens To A Storm, May Restrengthen: NHC
228. 2011/09/02: Wunderground: TD 13 intensifying; Katia may pass uncomfortably close to U.S.
229. 2011/09/01: Wunderground: Gulf of Mexico disturbance 93L a Lousiana flood threat; Katia a hurricane
230. 2011/08/31: NASA: TRMM Satellite Sees Heavy Rain, Towering Clouds in Tropical Storm Katia
231. 2011/09/01: CSM: As hurricane Katia picks up steam, potential tropical storm forming in Gulf
232. 2011/09/01: CBC: Katia reaches hurricane strength
233. 2011/08/30: Eureka: Dramatic satellite image shows daylight breaking over newborn Atlantic Tropical Storm Katia
234. 2011/08/31: CSM: Tropical storm Katia shaping up to be major hurricane, impact on US unclear
235. 2011/08/30: CBC: Tropical storm Katia forms in Atlantic -- Irene cleanup continues along U.S. East Coast

     There was lots of post-Irene chatter:

236. 2011/09/02: USGS: Aerial Photos of Outer Banks Show Coastal Damage from Hurricane Irene
237. 2011/09/03: TreeHugger: Irene Aftermath: Testing Riverbeds and Streams For E. coli
238. 2011/09/02: DemNow: In Wake of Irene, Rural New Yorkers Turn to Community-Run "Watershed Post" Website as Prime News Hub
239. 2011/08/30: CJR: After Irene: How a Hyperlocal Is Helping -- In the Catskills, the Watershed Post is coordinating relief efforts
240. 2011/09/01: Grist: Irene's damage not 'overrated' for farmers
241. 2011/09/01: CBC: Anger rises at Hurricane Irene power outages
242. 2011/09/01: CNN: Flood ruins shock Vermont residents -- Residents review 'devastating' damage as waters recede in Vermont
     DOE: 1.1 million people without power, down from 1.7 million - Agriculture is impacted, but higher prices are unlikely, official says - Floodwaters wipe out businesses in Vermont - The federal tab for the disaster could exceed the remaining funds
243. 2011/09/01: KSJT: Washington Post: Irene's lesson about rain
244. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: Waters Recede But [Irene] Storm Victims Suffer In East
245. 2011/09/01: UCSUSA: Hurricane Irene Demonstrates Threats to Coasts As Climate Changes
246. 2011/09/01: TreeHugger: Irene to Be One of the Costliest Storms in US History
247. 2011/09/01: RIT: RIT Conducts Flood Mapping of New York's Hard Hit Schoharie County -- Images will aid recovery planning and damage assessment
248. 2011/08/31: QuarkSoup: Video of Vermont Destruction
249. 2011/08/31: KSJT: CJR: Media didn't hype Irene. But how about staying with the NYC and beach story so long?
250. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: Airlifts, Water Rescues In Wake Of Hurricane Irene
251. 2011/08/30: PlanetArk: Vermont, New Jersey Flooded As Irene Spares NYC
252. 2011/08/30: DM:BA: Hurricane Irene from start to finish
253. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: Stark Aerial Footage Reveals Extent Of Vermont Hurricane Flooding (Video)
254. 2011/08/31: Wunderground: Grading the forecasts for Irene; Katia organizing; threat of a Gulf of Mexico storm
255. 2011/08/30: Eureka: Goodnight Irene: NASA's TRMM Satellite adds up Irene's massive rainfall totals
256. 2011/08/30: DemNow: Vermont Radio Station Provides Crucial Details for Flooded Residents amidst Historic Devastation
257. 2011/08/29: DemNow: "We Are Still Under Siege": Vermont Gov. Shumlin on Catastrophic Flooding & Climate Change
258. 2011/08/29: DemNow: Shored Up: Debate over Development on Barrier Islands Intensifies After Hurricane
259. 2011/08/29: DemNow: NYC Criticized for Failing to Evacuate Prisoners at Rikers Island Ahead of Hurricane
260. 2011/08/31: CBC: U.S. reels from Irene as flooding persists
261. 2011/08/31: BBC: US President Barack Obama has officially declared the floods caused by Tropical Storm Irene in North Carolina and New York a major disaster
262. 2011/08/30: CNN: Officials: At least 41 killed as a result of Hurricane Irene
263. 2011/08/30: PSinclair: Northeast Reels from Flooding. Climate Deniers: Quit yer Whining -- Water is good for Plants
264. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: Irene's Aftermath: Vermont Flooding Worst Since 1927 - Eight States Receive Hundred-Year Rains
265. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: More Footage of Vermont Hurricane Flooding, Including Historical Footage From 1927 (Video)
266. 2011/08/30: Wunderground: Irene's rains heaviest on record in Vermont; Tropical Storm Katia forms
267. 2011/08/29: Eureka: Hurricane Irene: Scientists collect water quality and climate change data from huge storm
268. 2011/08/29: Eureka: NASA continues tracking soaking remnants of Hurricane Irene into Canada
269. 2011/08/29: Eureka: NASA eyes 2 more Atlantic tropical cyclones [Jose & TD 12] while Irene drenches Canada
270. 2011/08/30: BBC: Irene floods: Vermont and New York await Fema help
     Rescue efforts are intensifying in flood-hit parts of the north-eastern US, as the death toll continues to rise two days after a fierce storm. Authorities have struggled to deliver supplies to Vermont and to New York towns isolated by washed-away roads. Tropical Storm Irene killed 40 people in the US and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
271. 2011/08/30: CBC: Quebecer dies in Irene aftermath
272. 2011/08/29: AlterNet: The 5 Dumbest Right-Wing Reactions to Hurricane Irene
273. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: Irene's 1-in-100 Year Rains Trigger Deadly Flooding
274. 2011/08/30: PSinclair: "The most devastating weather event ever to hit the region."
275. 2011/08/29: BBC: Irene: Death toll nears 40 as recovery begins
276. 2011/08/29: CBC: $3 billion damage bill as Irene heads east
277. 2011/08/29: CNN: Flooding 'an ongoing concern' amid Irene's destruction
     5 million customers without power as of Monday afternoon, FEMA's administrator says - More than 8,500 in Red Cross shelters on the East Coast - Death confirmed in Vermont; toll is now at least 24 dead in nine states - NYSE opens on time; New York City subway service resumes
278. 2011/08/29: Grist: Here's a quick roundup of the insane ways the Right is reacting to Irene
279. 2011/08/29: MTobis: Stray Thoughts as Montreal Loses Power to Irene
280. 2011/08/29: Wunderground: Irene's 1-in-100 year rains trigger deadly flooding
281. 2011/08/28: Wunderground: Irene hits New Jersey and New York; Jose threating Bermuda; 92L forms
282. 2011/08/29: CSM: Vermont battles record-setting floods in the wake of Irene
283. 2011/08/29: DeSmogBlog: Number One Lesson *Not* To Take Away from Hurricane Irene
284. 2011/08/29: BBC: Irene: Vermont in flood as US counts storm cost
     The US east coast has begun clearing up after the devastation of tropical storm Irene, which killed at least 21 people. The storm is now soaking Canada's north-east, while the north-eastern US is battling historic floods; five million US homes have lost power. In New York, which escaped a major disaster, transport resumed on Monday.
285. 2011/08/29: CBC: Irene storm cleanup in U.S. an emotional task
     At least 26 die in 8 states after hurricane weakened to post-tropical storm
286. 2011/08/29: CBC: Irene lashes Eastern Canada
287. 2011/08/29: al Jazeera: US chaos and misery in Irene trail
     Millions marooned and without electricity while New York faces travel chaos in wake of storm that killed 20 in the US.
288. 2011/08/28: al Jazeera: New York escapes worst as Irene passes
     Tropical storm surges up northeastern US, leaving 18 dead in its wake, but officials say worst is over for New York.
289. 2011/08/28: QuarkSoup: Hurricanes Irene and Before
290. 2011/08/28: Guardian(UK): Hurricane Irene claims lives and leaves trail of destruction
291. 2011/08/28: Guardian(UK): Hurricane Irene evacuation defended by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg
292. 2011/08/28: CBC: Irene drenches Quebec, Maritimes -- Huge storm bringing high winds as it moves north

     While elsewhere in the hurricane wars:

293. 2011/08/31: NASA: Tropical Depression 8E Forms On Mexican [Eastern Pacific] Coastline, Watches Up
294. 2011/08/31: CChallenge: Ryan Maue, hurricanes & ACE (accumulated cyclone energy)
295. 2011/08/29: DVoice: Six Years After Katrina: The Battle for New Orleans Continues
296. 2011/08/29: PlanetArk: Tropical Storm [Jose] Forms Near Bermuda
297. 2011/08/29: Grist: Global warming will make future hurricanes worse, full stop

     As for the temperature record:

298. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: 3rd Warmest August
299. 2011/09/02: TreeHugger: While Much of World Sweats, Britain Has Coolest Summer Since Early 1990s
300. 2011/08/31: NASA: NASA Satellite Observes Unusually Hot July in the Great Plains
301. 2011/08/30: BBC: UK's summer 'coolest since 1993' says Met Office
302. 2011/08/28: CCP: 2011 Temperatures: 2011.08.28, Actual highs from TWC
303. 2011/08/28: QuarkSoup: Hadley: 9th Warmest July

     Aerosols are making their presence felt:

304. 2011/09/02: FuturePundit: Soot Seen As 2nd Biggest Human-Caused Atmospheric Warmer

     While in the paleoclimate:

305. 2011/09/01: Eureka: Climate in the past million years determined greatly by dust in the Southern Ocean

     In the attribution debate:

306. 2011/08/31: Maribo: Was Hurricane Irene caused by climate change?
307. 2011/08/31: RealClimate: An exercise about meaningful numbers: examples from celestial "attribution studies"
308. 2011/08/30: KSJT: Lots of blather: Was Irene a global warming storm? (wrong question. Answer is yes but it's still meaningless)
309. 2011/08/29: Grist: Global warming will make future hurricanes worse, full stop

     While on the ENSO front:

310. 2011/09/01: WMO: El Niño/La Niña Update
     Neutral conditions have prevailed over the tropical Pacific, following the dissipation of the 2010-11 La Niña event by early May 2011. However, a few weak remnants of La Niña have persisted, particularly in some atmospheric features, and in recent weeks the surface as well as sub-surface waters in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean have also cooled. Model forecasts and expert interpretation suggest persistence of near-neutral conditions or the re-emergence of La Niña conditions as the possible scenarios for the remainder of 2011. If a La Niña event does indeed occur, current indications are that it would be considerably weaker than the 2010-11 La Niña event. Development of El Niño, however, is considered very unlikely.
311. 2011/09/01: WMO: WMO Issues new El Niño/La Niña Update -- Neutral Conditions or Weak La Niña most likely scenarios for rest of 2011
312. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: Weak La Nina Possible In 2011, No Chance Of El Nino: WMO

     What's new on the extinction front?

313. 2011/08/29: Yale360: Climate Relicts: Seeking Clues On How Some Species Survive
     In pockets ranging from mountain peaks to bogs, scientists are discovering plants and animals that survived previous eras of climate change. Now, conservation biologists say, these climate "relicts" could shed light on how some species may hang on in the coming centuries.

What's new in proxies?

314. 2011/08/30: OPB: Field Notes: For the Love of Tree Rings

     Meanwhile in near earth orbit:

315. 2011/09/02: USGS: Landsat Images Illustrate Flooding from Irene in New York State

     More GW impacts are being seen:

316. 2011/08/29: BPA: How has Climate Change Affected Iowa's Weather So Far?

     This week in the New Normal -- extreme weather:

317. 2011/09/02: TP:JR: Can We Handle Nature's New Norm? Part 1: Angry Weather
318. 2011/09/01: SciAm:Obs: Damage from Extreme Weather Increasing
319. 2011/09/01: Guardian(UK): Climate change: an eye on the storms
     We all know particular events can't be attributed to long-term warming of the atmosphere. Actually, it's no longer that simple
320. 2011/08/30: Eureka: Extreme 2010 Russian fires and Pakistan floods linked meteorologically

     Corals are a bellwether of the ocean's health:

321. 2011/08/30: ClimateShifts: Drowning out the truth about the Great Barrier Reef

     Acidification is changing the oceans:

322. 2011/09/02: NOAANews: Argo floats help monitor ocean acidity

     Glaciers are melting:

323. 2011/09/01: GreenGrok: Remember Those Himalayan Glaciers?

     As for hydrological cycle disruptions [floods & droughts]:

324. 2011/08/31: USGS: River Levels Set Records in 10 States -- USGS Continues to Monitor East Coast Rivers for Flooding
325. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: Drought Intensifies In The South, No End In Sight
326. 2011/09/02: TreeHugger: Fate of Dying Lake Sparks Clashes in NW Iran
327. 2011/08/31: AlterNet: Expanding Desert, Falling Water Tables, and Toxic Pollutants Are Driving People From Their Homes
328. 2011/08/30: al Jazeera: The death toll in Nigeria continues to rise
     Torrential rains cause a dam to overflow, triggering widespread flooding
329. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: State Climatologist: "It's Likely Much of Texas Will Still Be in Severe Drought" Next August, With Worse Water Shortages
330. 2011/08/31: CNN: 102 die in Nigeria after dam collapse, flooding
     More than 100 people have died in Nigerian flooding - More flooding is possible during the rainy season, agency warns - Thousands of people have been displaced, the Nigerian Red Cross says
331. 2011/09/01: TreeHugger: It's Official: This is Texas's Worst One-Year Drought on Record (Infographic)
332. 2011/08/31: BBC: Death toll from flooding in and around south-western Nigerian city of Ibadan rises to 102, says Nigerian Red Cross
333. 2011/09/03: JFleck: Drought by the numbers
334. 2011/08/31: PSinclair: Graphs of the Day: More on Texas Drought
335. 2011/08/30: CNN: Officials: Floods kill at least 25 in southwest Nigeria
     Flooding hits Nigeria's southwestern city of Ibadan - Emergency agency chief is "shocked by the devastation" - More flooding is possible during the rainy season, the agency warns - Thousands of people have been displaced, the Nigerian Red Cross says
336. 2011/08/30: MTobis: Spot the Outlier
337. 2011/08/29: CAbyss: Texas Drought: Spot the Outlier
338. 2011/08/29: CNN: Landslide kills at least 23 in Uganda
     Red Cross: Torrential rains trigger the landslide -- Two people are rescued, but the death toll is expected to go up
339. 2011/08/29: BBC: Uganda landslides: Villagers killed in Bulambuli
     At least 24 people have died after torrential rains triggered landslides in eastern Uganda, Red Cross workers say. Residents fear 35 people may have been killed in Bulambuli district, but only 24 bodies have been recovered so far. The village of Namwidisi has reportedly been completely submerged in mud.
340. 2011/08/28: BBC: Nigeria floods: At least 20 killed in Ibadan
     At least 20 people have been killed and thousands displaced by flooding in and around the city of Ibadan in south-western Nigeria. The floods, resulting from heavy rains that began on Friday, caused a dam to overflow and washed away numerous buildings and bridges.

Consider transportation & GHG production:

341. 2011/09/01: CalcRisk: U.S. Light Vehicle Sales at 12.12 million SAAR in August
342. 2011/08/31: Eureka: A high-tech propulsion system for the next 100 years [electric motor, battery & fuel cell]
343. 2011/08/28: NYT: Portland Plans for Transit All Powered by Electricity
344. 2011/08/29: CBC: Futuristic 'airships' to be built for North -- Yellowknife, British companies sign deal for aircraft that can land almost anywhere
     A British manufacturer will build a fleet of airships for Yellowknife's Discovery Air to supply remote communities and enterprises in the North, the two companies say. The futuristic giant blimps from Hybrid Air Vehicles will cost $40 million each, Discovery Air Innovations, a Quebec-based subsidiary of Discovery Air, announced after signing its agreement with HAV. The aircraft use a mix of non-flammable helium and air power to fly and can land on almost any surface, HAV says on its website They'll be able to carry up to 50 tonnes of cargo to mining camps and remote communities, HAV says. Stuart Russell, the vice-president of a Yellowknife mining logistics company, suggests northern transportation is a challenge just waiting for solutions.

While in the endless quest for zero energy, sustainable buildings and practical codes:

345. 2011/09/01: TaG: Negative Carbon Concrete
346. 2011/08/30: BizJournal: [The University of Oregon] adopts aggressive green building, energy plans
347. 2011/08/29: NBF: Steps to reduce overall carbon emissions associated with concrete pavements by about 50 percent
348. 2011/08/30: CSM: Do 'green buildings' come with a higher price tag?
349. 2011/08/28: LA Times: Energy-efficient homes seem to sell faster, fetch higher prices
     Some research projects in California, Oregon and Washington offer hints that energy efficiency and sustainability certifications for homes may result in easier sales and higher prices.
350. 2011/08/27: STimes: Ultra-green office building breaking ground
     The Bullitt Center on Capitol Hill will set a new standard for green development. The building will generate as much energy as it consumes.

As for carbon sequestration:

351. 2011/08/28: ABC(US): That CO2 Warming the World: Lock It in a Rock
     In Icelandic volcano field, 21st-century alchemy could turn greenhouse gas to harmless rock

Large scale geo-engineering keeps popping up:

352. 2011/09/01: GEB: Geoengineering field testing
353. 2011/09/02: Guardian(UK): A balloon and hosepipe as the answer to climate change? It's just pie in the sky
     Increasingly bizarre attempts at geo-engineering simply deflect attention from the fact we need to cut greenhouse gases
354. 2011/08/31: Guardian(UK): Giant pipe and balloon to pump water into the sky in climate experiment
     Field test by British academics marks first step towards recreating an artificial volcano that would inject particles into the stratosphere and cool the planet
355. [Conference in Hamburg, November 10 & 11, 2011] Geoengineering the Climate: An Issue for Peace and Security Studies?

     Meanwhile in the journals:

356. 2011/09/01: NERC:NORA: Soil carbon release enhanced by increased tropical forest litterfall by Emma J. Sayer et al.
357. 2011/08/31: NERC:NORA: Modelling and mapping UK emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture, nature, waste disposal and other miscellaneous sources for 2009 by U. Dragosits & M.A. Sutton
358. 2011/09/02: ACP: Direct ecosystem fluxes of volatile organic compounds from oil palms in South-East Asia by P. K. Misztal et al.
359. 2011/09/02: ACPD: Mass absorption efficiency of elemental carbon and water-soluble organic carbon in Beijing, China by Y. Cheng et al.
360. 2011/09/01: GMD: The Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), model description - Part 2: Carbon fluxes and vegetation dynamics by D. B. Clark et al.
361. 2011/09/01: GMD: The Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), model description - Part 1: Energy and water fluxes by M. J. Best et al.
362. 2011/09/02: TC: On the influence of model physics on simulations of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice by F. Massonnet et al.
363. 2011/08/21: GRL: (ab$) Separating Signal and Noise in Atmospheric Temperature Changes: The Importance of Timescale by Benjamin D. Santer et al.
364. 2011/08/31: CP: Temperature trends at the Mauna Loa observatory, Hawaii by B. D. Malamud et al.
365. 2011/08/30: CP: A millennial multi-proxy reconstruction of summer PDSI for Southern South America by Ã. Boucher et al.
366. 2011/08/30: CP: Sensitivity of Red Sea circulation to sea level and insolation forcing during the last interglacial by G. Trommer et al.
367. 2011/08/31: CPD: Sensitivity of the North Atlantic climate to Greenland Ice Sheet melting during the Last Interglacial by P. Bakker et al.
368. 2011/08/31: CPD: The quantitative reconstruction of the paleoclimate between 5200 and 4300 cal yr BP in the Tianshui Basin, NW China by N. Sun & X. Q. Li
369. 2011/08/09: ACS: (ab$) A Robust, Air-Stable, Reusable Ruthenium Catalyst for Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane by Brian L. Conley et al.
370. 2011/09/01: ACPD: Bulk microphysical properties of semi transparent cirrus from AIRS: a six years global climatology and statistical analysis in synergy with CALIPSO and CloudSat by A. Guignard et al.
371. 2011/09/01: ACPD: The climate penalty for clean fossil fuel combustion by W. Junkermann et al.
372. 2011/08/30: ACPD: On the quality of MIPAS kinetic temperature in the middle atmosphere by M. GarcÃa-Comas et al.
373. 2011/08/29: ACPD: Climatic effects of 1950-2050 changes in US anthropogenic aerosols - Part 2: Climate response by E. M. Leibensperger et al.
374. 2011/08/29: ACPD: Climatic effects of 1950-2050 changes in US anthropogenic aerosols - Part 1: Aerosol trends and radiative forcing by E. M. Leibensperger et al.
375. 2011/08/03: Nature: (ab$) Southern Ocean dust-climate coupling over the past four million years by Alfredo MartÃnez-Garcia et al.
376. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Effects of parasites from salmon farms on productivity of wild salmon by Martin Krkosek et al.
377. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Eocene habitat shift from saline to freshwater promoted Tethyan amphipod diversification by Zhonge Hou et al.
378. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Dynamics of the plague-wildlife-human system in Central Asia are controlled by two epidemiological thresholds by Noelle I. Samia et al.
379. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Reconstruction of a 1,910-y-long locust series reveals consistent associations with climate fluctuations in China by Huidong Tian et al.
380. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Divergent ecosystem responses within a benthic marine community to ocean acidification by Kristy J. Kroeker et al.
381. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Demography and ecology drive variation in cooperation across human populations by Shakti Lamba & Ruth Mace
382. 2011/08/30: PNAS: (ab$) Evidence of neutron leakage at the Fukushima nuclear plant from measurements of radioactive 35S in California by Antra Priyadarshi et al.
383. 2011/08/31: AGWObserver: Papers on permanent El Niño
384. 2011/08/31: WOL:GCB Bioenergy: (ab$) Bioethanol production from sugarcane and emissions of greenhouse gases -- known and unknowns by Carolina Cardoso Lisboa et al.
385. 2011/08/31: WOL:GCB Bioenergy: (ab$) Biodiesel production using Aspergillus niger as a whole-cell biocatalyst in a packed-bed reactor by Man Xiao et al.
386. 2011/08/31: WOL:GCB Bioenergy: (ab$) Bioenergy production potential of global biomass plantations under environmental and agricultural constraints by Tim Beringer et al.
387. 2011/08/01: APS:PRB: (ab$) Visible-light absorption and large band-gap bowing of GaN1-xSbx from first principles by R. Michael Sheetz et al.
388. 2011/08/29: OSD: An empirical stochastic model of sea-surface temperature and surface wind over the Southern Ocean by S. Kravtsov et al.
389. 2011/08/29: OSD: Numerical modeling of dynamics of Russian south waters within the framework of operational oceanography tasks by A. V. Grigoriev et al.
390. 2011/08/29: EnergyBulletin: [links to 8 articles] At the American Journal of Public Health, experts examine the risks posed by peak petroleum
391. 2011/08/29: AGWObserver: New research from last week 34/2011

     And other significant documents:

392. 2011/08/30: EnergyBulletin: [link to 1.8 meg pdf] Complete English translation of German military analysis of peak oil now available

     As for miscellaneous science:

393. 2011/08/04: MetOffice(UK): Pause in upper ocean warming explained
     Two research papers shed new light on why the upper layers of the world's oceans have seen a recent pause in warming despite continued increases in greenhouse gases.
394. 2011/09/01: NatureNB: King's brings back chemistry
     Eight years after its shock exit, chemistry at King's College London has made a surprise return. The university closed its chemistry department in 2003, a move that angered the UK's chemistry community...
395. 2011/08/31: ERabett: An Odd Introduction to a New Paper
396. 2011/09/02: SMandia: How Many Licks Does It Take to Get to the Center of the Climate Tootsie Roll Pop?
     [...] A new paper by B.D. Santer, et al. (2011) has shown that lower atmosphere temperature records must be at least 17 years long in order to discriminate between the weather "noise" and the climate "signal" (human-caused changes).

Regarding Richard Alley:

397. 2011/08/30: CSW: Richard Alley to receive first annual Stephen Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication

     Regarding Mann:

398. 2011/08/28: CCP: Brian Angliss: NSF confirms results of Penn State investigation, exonerates Michael Mann of research misconduct

     Regarding Curry:

399. 2011/08/29: SkeptiSci: Mythic Reasoning about Climate Uncertainty by muoncounter

     The Pielke fan clubbe, alas:

400. 2011/08/29: ERabett: No Title Again

     On the Kyoto front:

401. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: Nauru Wonders About Climate Role Reversal As Emerging Powers Continue Backing Kyoto Protocol

     While at the UN:

402. 2011/09/03: UN: UN-backed climate change technology mechanism team concludes first meeting
     Members of the technology executive committee created under the United Nations climate change convention to facilitate the use of technology to support mitigation and adaptation to climate change concluded their first meeting on Saturday, saying they had made important progress on issues discussed. Meeting in Bonn, members of the Technology Executive Committee (TEC), the policy arm of the convention's Technology Mechanism, deliberated on how the TEC will provide technology needs, assess policy and technical issues related to technology development and transfer. The three-day meeting also discussed sharing information on new and innovative technologies, facilitating action on technology and ways to engage stakeholders to build the momentum on the Technology Mechanism.
403. 2011/08/30: UN: Hotels can go green in energy consumption under new UN scheme

     And on the carbon trading front:

404. 2011/08/31: QuarkSoup: The Emissions Trading Mess
405. 2011/08/30: EurActiv: Romania suspended from Kyoto carbon trading
     A UN panel has suspended Romania's right to trade its surplus carbon emissions after it breached rules on emissions reporting, Bucharest's environment ministry said on 28 August. The UNFCCC compliance committee, which had been meeting in Bonn for a week, found "irregularities" in Romania's 2010 greenhouse gas emissions data, and ruled that its national emissions inventory had been inadequately kept. "Maybe tough measures will lead to more transparent information," Natalia Yakymenko, an analyst with Point Carbon, told EurActiv from Kiev. "It's hard to evaluate whether Romania's projects have really generated anything."
406. 2011/08/29: PlanetArk: U.N. Bans Romania From Trading Its CO2 Rights
     A U.N. panel suspended Romania from trading its surplus carbon emission rights for breaching Kyoto Protocol rules on reporting emissions, the country's environment ministry said on Sunday. The compliance committee of the UNFCCC was sitting in a week-long meeting in Bonn, Germany and decided to suspend Romania from trading assigned amount units (AAUs) after a preliminary hearing in July, when it found the country did not report its national emissions inventory properly.

The Robin Hood tax, aka the Tobin tax, aka the Bank tax, aka the Financial Transaction tax keeps coming up:

407. 2011/09/01: EurActiv: EU to push financial transactions tax at G20 summit
     The European Union will push for the adoption of a financial transactions tax at a summit of the world's 20 biggest economies, the G20, in November, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said on Wednesday (31 August). G20 leaders are to meet in the southern French resort of Cannes in early November.

In the Rare Earths' tussle:

408. 2011/09/01: EurActiv: China appeals raw materials WTO case
     China has appealed a World Trade Organisation ruling against its export policies on raw materials, the Ministry of Commerce said, in a move which could have implications for its rare earth exports.

Climate Change is a threat multiplier exacerbating existing conflicts in food, energy, water, race, ideology ... etc.:

409. 2011/09/02: EnergyBulletin: Food insecurity and the conflict trap
410. 2011/09/02: Grist: Do climate shifts spark wars?
411. 2011/08/29: DemNow: Global Warming & War: New Study Finds Link Between Climate Change and Conflict

     What are the activists up to?

412. 2011/09/02: CChallenge: Tim DeChristopher. . . A Citizen With True Grit
413. 2011/08/30: CCurrents: The Commodification of Tim DeChristopher
414. 2011/08/30: AlterNet: A Letter From Prison: Tim DeChristopher Speaks Out
415. 2011/08/29: DemNow: Bill McKibben: Will Hurricane Irene Be a Wake-Up Call about Climate Change?
416. 2011/08/30: Guardian(UK): US eco-activist Tim DeChristopher speaks out from prison
417. 2011/08/29: Grist: Letter from prison: Tim DeChristopher speaks

     Polls! We have polls!

418. 2011/08/30: Guardian(UK): Climate change concern tumbles in US and China
     A new survey shows 69% of global citizens are concerned about global warming, but opinion is sliding worryingly in the biggest polluting nations

Regarding Water Politics and Business:

419. 2011/08/30: JFleck: The Law of the River as a model for dealing with the loss of stationarity

     And on the American political front:

420. 2011/08/30: RS: The GOP War on Voting
     In a campaign supported by the Koch brothers, Republicans are working to prevent millions of Democrats from voting next year
421. 2011/09/02: Grist: Texas' official water plan defiantly includes no mention of climate change
422. 2011/09/02: Grist: Conservatives just as wrong on climate economics as they are on climate science
423. 2011/09/01: Grist: GOP's dirty air hit list sacrifices Americans' health
424. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: Debunking the GOP's Dirty Air Hit List: Polluting the Air and Poisoning Our Kids Doesn't Help the Economy or Create Jobs
425. 2011/09/01: Grist: Conservative pundits grapple with 'anti-science' charge, flail
426. 2011/09/03: TreeHugger: In Texas and Oklahoma, Extreme Drought Could Have Political Consequences Too
427. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: O'Reilly and Krauthammer Don't Understand the Environmental Regulations They're Bashing
428. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: VT Gov. Shumlin on "Our Continuing Irrational Exuberance About Burning Fossil Fuels, in Light of These Storm Patterns"
429. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: U.S. Farm Income Tops $100 Billion For First Time In 2011
430. 2011/08/31: Grist: Dissing coal -- and the future of West Virginia
431. 2011/08/31: Grist: How dense: Tea Party rages over smart growth
432. 2011/08/31: CCurrents: National EPA Environmental Justice Conference in Detroit
433. 2011/08/30: AlterNet: War on Women: Anti-Choice Movement Resorting to Shameless Tricks to Shutter Abortion Clinics
434. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: Green Jobs Reality Check: Clean Energy Still Means More and Better Jobs for American Workers
435. 2011/08/30: Grist: Why do green jobs pay better than other jobs?
436. 2011/08/30: DeSmogBlog: Death Of A Talking Point? Regulations Actually Create Jobs
437. 2011/08/29: PlanetArk: Alaska Files Notice Of Appeal On Polar Bear Listing
438. 2011/08/29: Grist: Everything you've heard about the tar sands and energy security is wrong
439. 2011/08/28: ERabett:JF: Winds of Change

     The BP disaster continues to twist US politics:

440. 2011/09/02: PSinclair: One Year Later -- Sea Floor in Gulf Still a Wasteland
441. 2011/08/30: GreenGrok: Oil From the Gulf of Mexico
442. 2011/09/02: NatureN: Oil-spill research funds begin to flow -- BP's post-spill research initiative is underway in the Gulf of Mexico
443. 2011/09/01: CSM: Is oil leaking in the Gulf from the BP spill site?
444. 2011/09/02: BBC: BP sued by Halliburton over Gulf oil disaster
445. 2011/09/01: al Jazeera: The return of the BP disaster?
     Oil is resurfing again not far from the location of the BP Macondo Well off the Gulf of Mexico, 15 months on.
446. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: More Oil Leaking At Gulf Spill Site Now Stretches For 10 Miles (Video)
447. 2011/08/30: OilChange: "Very Close Match" Between New Spill And BP's Well -- Is Macondo leaking?
448. 2011/08/28: CCP: Deepwater Horizon Macondo oil bubbling up to the surface: chemical match to BP crude confirmed

     On the 2012 election trail:

449. 2011/09/02: ProPublica: Our Handy Guide to the Best Coverage on Gov. Rick Perry and His Record
450. 2011/08/30: ProPublica: Our Guide to the Best Coverage of Mitt Romney and His Record
451. 2011/09/04: Guardian(UK): The Republicans are now the anti-science party by Paul Krugman
     On climate change and evolution, the party's presidential hopefuls are wilfully ignorant
452. 2011/09/03: Guardian(UK): If Rick Perry is an economic miracle worker, why are so many Texans going hungry?
453. 2011/09/01: AlterNet: Pushback on Draconian Rick: Stay Out of Women's Sex Lives
454. 2011/09/01: Grist: Why the hell does Michele Bachmann want to drill for oil in the Everglades?
455. 2011/08/31: QuarkSoup: The Scariest Thing Rick Perry Has Said
456. 2011/08/30: Wonkette: Michele Bachmann's Hurricane Irene Joke About God Caught On Video
457. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: Bachmann Would Consider Drilling for Oil in the Everglades
458. 2011/08/29: AlterNet: Meet the Shady Dallas Mega-Billionaire Industrialist Pouring Money into Rick Perry's Coffers
459. 2011/08/29: CCP: Dr. Andrew Dessler, Texan climatologist, says Governor Rick Perry is "Shooting the Messenger!"
460. 2011/08/29: PSinclair: Bachmann: Irene a Message from God
461. 2011/08/29: DM:JW: Ron Paul Doesn't "Accept Evolution as a Theory"
462. 2011/08/29: CSM: Hurricane Irene cleanup: FEMA not a good friend, says Ron Paul

     Al Gore spoke up this week; Don't think he got arrested:

463. 2011/08/31: HuffPo: The Dirtiest Fuel on the Planet by Al Gore
     The leaders of the top environmental groups in the country, the Republican Governor of Nebraska, and millions of people around the country -- including hundreds of people who have bravely participated in civil disobedience at the White House -- all agree on one thing: President Obama should block a planned pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico. The tar sands are the dirtiest source of fuel on the planet.
464. 2011/09/02: PostMedia: Al Gore pushes halt to pipeline -- Obama urged to prevent Keystone 'mistake'
     The debate surrounding TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL pipeline grew louder Thursday as former U.S. vice-president Al Gore waded into the controversy, calling the proposed development "an enormous mistake."
465. 2011/08/30: MLynas: Is Al Gore right to compare climate sceptics to racists?
466. 2011/08/28: DailyCaller: Gore: Global warming skeptics are this generation's racists
467. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Al Gore: Climate Denial Must Go the Way of Racism

     So much for the "Keystone XL for Energy Security" argument:

468. 2011/09/03: OilChange: Oil markets and pipelines: the big picture
469. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: US Plans to Export Oil from Keystone XL Tar Sands; It Won't Improve Energy Security
470. 2011/08/31: OilChange: Report: Exporting Energy Security: Keystone XL Exposed
471. 2011/08/30: DeSmogBlog: Reliance on Canadian Tar Sands Threatens U.S. Energy Security

     Paul Krugman caused a bit of a stir with his Republicans Against Science polemic:

472. 2011/08/29: NYT: Republicans Against Science
     [...]
     Now, we don't know who will win next year's presidential election. But the odds are that one of these years the world's greatest nation will find itself ruled by a party that is aggressively anti-science, indeed anti-knowledge. And, in a time of severe challenges -- environmental, economic, and more -- that's a terrifying prospect.
473. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: Must-Read Krugman: GOP is Now "Aggressively Anti-Science, Indeed Anti-Knowledge," Which Should "Terrify Us."
474. 2011/08/29: ITracker: "Republicans Against Science": the silly season opens
475. 2011/08/29: DM:BA: The increasingly antiscience Republican candidates
476. 2011/08/30: HotTopic: The Anti-Science of the Republican Party Terrifies

     President Zero has directed the EPA to hold the smog rules until 2013:

477. 2011/09/03: TP:JR: Is President Obama a Lost Cause Environmentally -- and What Should Progressives Do?
478. 2011/09/02: Grist: By giving in to Big Oil, Obama seals his political fate
479. 2011/09/03: Grist: Ozone madness
480. 2011/09/02: ScienceInsider: White House Delays Any Change to Smog Standard
481. 2011/09/02: SciAm:Obs: Smog Levels to Remain Higher than Scientists Suggest Safe for Public Health
482. 2011/09/02: TreeHugger: Obama Caves, Abandons Proposal to Improve National Air Quality
483. 2011/09/03: TreeHugger: Not A Good Week For Barack Obama, Or The Environment
484. 2011/09/02: Eureka: ATS statement regarding White House decision to delay new ozone standard
     Today, the White House issued a press release stating they would not move to issue a final standard on ozone pollution. The American Thoracic strongly condemns this decision. "This is not change we believe in," said ATS President-Elect Monica Kraft, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Asthma, Allergy and Airway Center at Duke University.
485. 2011/09/02: AutoBG: President Obama urges EPA to withdraw proposed ozone standards
486. 2011/09/02: CCP: Richard Graves: President Obama Abandons Clean Air: Picks Polluters Over Sick and Dying American Kids
487. 2011/09/02: CCP: Lisa Heinzerling: Ozone Madness
488. 2011/09/02: BBC: Obama scraps tighter smog rules
489. 2011/09/02: Guardian(UK): Obama backs down on tighter smog regulations
     Environmental groups dismayed as president -- under pressure from GOP -- delays enacting stricter standards until 2013
490. 2011/09/02: TP:JR:President Obama Backs Down On Ozone Standards
491. 2011/09/02: Grist: Obama blows smog in everyone's face
492. 2011/09/02: UCSUSA: President Obama Undercuts Science with Smog Standard Delay
493. 2011/09/02: CBC: Obama halts controversial smog standards
     President Barack Obama is sacking a controversial proposed regulation tightening government smog standards, bowing to the demands of congressional Republicans and some business leaders. In a statement Friday, Obama said he had ordered Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw the proposal, in part because of the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and uncertainty for businesses at a time of rampant uncertainty about an unsteady economy.

The Obama chatter is nonstop:

494. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: Drill, Baby, Drill Fails: Obama Presides Over Record Growth in Oil Rigs, Still Gets Blamed by GOP for High Oil Prices
495. 2011/08/31: CSW: "Whistle-Blowers Say Obama Fails to Save Scientists From Meddling"
496. 2011/08/31: PeakEnergy: Obama's big dirty oil test
497. 2011/08/31: BBC: US President Barack Obama has officially declared the floods caused by Tropical Storm Irene in North Carolina and New York a major disaster
498. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: Obama to Kids: Carbon is Warming the Planet, Intensifying Hurricanes and Droughts. We Should Do Something About This

     The actions of the Obama administration are being watched closely:

499. 2011/09/02: DeSmogBlog: Reality Check: New Keystone XL Report Blows Up Steven Chu's "Energy Security" Claim
500. 2011/09/02: TP:JR: Energy Secretary Chu Suggests He Supports Keystone XL Pipeline, Nebraska GOP Governor Dave Heineman Opposes It
501. 2011/08/31: Grist: Secretary of Energy is a Keystone XL booster
502. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: Energy Secretary Steven Chu: 'It Saddens Me' That Political Leaders Don't Understand Climate Science
503. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: Navy Secretary Ray Mabus: 'Our Responsibilities Have to be Tied in to the Effects of Climate Change'
504. 2011/08/30: GEP: EPA Moves to Reduce Barriers to CCS
505. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: Biden: 'If We Don't Develop Renewable Energy, We Will Make the Biggest Mistake in This Nation's History'
506. 2011/08/29: Grist: Biden doesn't support China's one-child policy, and neither does any other American with power

     As for what is going on in Congress:

507. 2011/09/01: EconView: Paul Krugman: Eric and Irene
508. 2011/08/31: HuffPo: Eric Cantor: Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief Funding Has 'No Strings Attached'
509. 2011/08/25: TPMDC: With Hurricane Bearing Down Cantor Spox Says Disaster Relief Should Be Paid For With Spending Cuts
510. 2011/08/30: NYT:PK: Disaster Relief Economics
511. 2011/08/28: TMoS: And If You Had Any Doubt the Radical Right Is Stark Raving Mad
     House Republicans maintain that NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is a huge waste of money. In fact it's such a huge waste of money they're planning to force through cuts that would trim NOAA's budget by 30%. The agency is warning the cuts will leave it effectively blind and will destroy its ability to give 5-10 days advance information of approaching hurricanes.
512. 2011/08/28: Guardian(UK): Can Hurricane Irene batter Republicans into a U-turn on NOAA cuts?

     While in the UK:

513. 2011/09/02: Guardian(UK): Environmental regulations come under spotlight in 'red tape challenge'
514. 2011/09/01: BBC: David Cameron 'won't back abortion advice change'
     David Cameron "cannot support" an attempt by a Conservative MP to change the rules on the advice that can be offered to women seeking abortions.
515. 2011/08/31: Guardian(UK): Downing Street forces U-turn on Nadine Dorries abortion proposals
     No 10 decides to vote against Tory backbench amendment seeking to stop charities offering abortion counselling
516. 2011/08/30: BBC: Funding cuts leave science programme all at sea
     In these cash-strapped times, it's no surprise to see funding disappearing from science and environment projects - even those that have huge potential to alleviate hazards felt by many millions of people around the world. The latest likely casualty is one of the most enticing of all earth science collaborations - the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). Bringing together the best scientists available, with funding supplied principally by Japan, the US and Europe, its remit is to facilitate research that involves drilling into the ocean floor, with a range of aims. Basic geology, past climate change, earthquake prediction, volcanoes, and life beneath the seabed are all in its portfolio.
517. 2011/08/29: Grist: Brit gives NIMBYists the tongue-lashing they deserve

     And in Europe:

518. 2011/09/01: EurActiv: Russia-Ukraine gas tensions resurface
     With the winter season approaching, Ukraine and Russia have reignited old tensions about gas pricing, in a row reminiscent of the trade dispute which ended up leaving parts of Europe cold in 2006 and 2009.
519. 2011/09/01: EUO: New Ukraine-Russia gas dispute looms
520. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: German Renewable Power Production Hits Record High: 20.8%, Quadruple the Level in 2000, on Track to 35% in 2020
521. 2011/08/31: PlanetArk: German Government, Oil Lobby Clash On Biofuel Use Target
     Germany's government and its oil industry association on Tuesday disagreed about whether the country can reach its 2011 biofuel use quotas as sales of a new gasoline blend with a higher biofuel content remain sluggish.
522. 2011/08/29: OpenDem: The road to Europe: the green alternative
523. 2011/08/30: DerSpiegel: Crossing the 20 Percent Mark -- Green Energy Use Jumps in Germany
     During the first half of 2011, the share of renewable energy sources used by Germans in their total energy mix grew to one-fifth -- a hefty boost over 2010. It's a small step toward Germany's ambition to phase out nuclear power.
524. 2011/08/29: NatureN: Scientists promised 'one voice' in European policy -- ScienceEurope hopes to shift balance of power away from Brussels and towards researchers

     Meanwhile in Australia:

525. 2011/09/03: JQuiggin: After Gillard
526. 2011/09/02: ABC(Au): Forum to outline climate change impact
     Sunshine Coast residents are being urged to attend a weekend forum that will address climate change issues affecting the coast.
527. 2011/09/02: BBC: Australia PM Julia Gillard vows not to resign
     Australian PM Julia Gillard has said she has no intention of stepping down amid reports of unrest in her governing Labor Party about her leadership. Ms Gillard suffered a major blow this week when the High Court ruled that an asylum deal with Malaysia was unlawful. She told Australian media: "I'm not going anywhere."
528. 2011/09/01: ABC(Au): Farmers to be briefed on CSG legal rights
     The Environmental Defenders' Office (EDO) will chair a meeting this evening in Narrabri on landholders' legal rights in relation to the development of coal seam gas (CSG). The meeting has been organised by Narrabri Shire Council.
529. 2011/08/31: ABC(Au): Up to 180 turbines for SA wind farm
530. 2011/08/31: PeakEnergy: Queensland to be left in the dark?
531. 2011/08/31: JQuiggin: Scandal
532. 2011/08/29: ABC(Au): The head of Scotland's independent environmental watchdog has been appointed CEO of South Australia's Environment Protection Authority
533. 2011/08/29: ABC(Au): Wind farm no-go zones to be established [in Victoria]
534. 2011/08/29: HotTopic: Dismaying Australian Politics
535. 2011/08/28: Guardian(UK): Australia: A poisonous political climate

     Now that the Australian carbon plan has been released, the wrangling is moving into high gear:

536. 2011/09/02: ABC(Au): Coalition climate plan to cost double carbon tax: FOI
     Federal Treasury analysis shows the Opposition's direct action climate change policy would cost twice as much as a carbon tax for the same reduction in emissions. The analysis has been released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
537. 2011/09/01: ABC(Au): [Federal Infrastructure Minister, Anthony] Albanese jostled at carbon tax rally
538. 2011/08/30: ABC(Au): Anti-carbon tax rally 'misleading'
     The organiser of an anti-carbon tax forum in Bathurst says many residents do not trust the Federal Government's figures. Gary Rush says about 130 people turned out last night to hear from the New South Wales Minerals Council, Federal Opposition, New South Wales Business Chamber and Australian Farm Institute. The forum has been criticised for being one-sided and not detailing the compensation available to households and businesses.

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan controversy continues:

539. 2011/08/31: ABC(Au): Barham irrigator questions Murray health 'crisis'
540. 2011/08/30: ABC(Au): Snowy water release benefits 'fabulous'
     A date has been set for the biggest environmental water releases into the Snowy River since the construction of the hydro-electric scheme. A total of 84,000 megalitres will be released over 19 days from Jindabyne Dam from October 6. Peak flows will hit 12,000 megalitres a day over three days.

And in New Zealand:

541. 2011/09/01: HotTopic: Energy Strategy in Denial of Climate Change Reality

     While in the Indian subcontinent:

542. 2011/08/31: CCurrents: Jan Lokpal Bill Is Very Regressive: Arundhati Roy
543. 2011/08/29: OpenDem: Nationalism, media and corruption in India. An interview with Arundhati Roy
     Arundhati Roy ranges broadly over corruption scandals, Wikileaks' excessive desire for the spotlight, Pakistan/India relations, the twinned perils of nationalism and religious fundamentalism ... and how to deal with negative online comments
544. 2011/08/31: OpenDem: Frenzied argument in India
     A high-decibel debate lasting several weeks in India has forced an agreement on introducing a draconian anti-corruption bill. Anna Hazare's hunger strike with round-the-clock television coverage has divided the nation. Is there a third way between apathy and messianic fanaticism?

And in China:

545. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: China Needs Absolute CO2 Cap To Meet Market Plans: Researchers
     China needs to set absolute restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions if it is to fulfill its aim to set up a carbon market over the next five years, a cabinet office think tank said in a paper published on Thursday. "It is only under an absolute emissions cap that carbon emission permits will become a scarce resource and possess the qualities of a commodity," the State Council's Development and Research Center said in a paper in Seeking Truth, a magazine published by the ruling Communist Party. China has traditionally baulked at the idea of emissions caps either on a regional basis or for industrial sectors, invoking a key Kyoto protocol principle that puts most of the burden of cutting greenhouse gases on developed countries. Beijing has pledged to reduce 2005 levels of carbon intensity -- the amount of CO2 produced per unit of GDP growth -- by 40-45 percent by 2020, but that is unlikely to be enough to kickstart a market, the researchers said. "China's carbon emission intensity target is a relative amount and it must be converted to an absolute amount," they said.
546. 2011/09/02: NBF: China Energy plan through 2015, 100 GW of wind, 10 GW of solar, 40 GW of Nuclear
547. 2011/09/01: Grist: Peak coal in China means the country's desperate for renewables
548. 2011/09/01: NatureN: Chinese science ministry increases funding -- Annual round of research grants is up 50%, but scientists say the cash is still spread too thinly.

     Japan has a new PM:

549. 2011/08/30: NatureN: Japan's new leader faces energy gap -- Power policy remains in flux
550. 2011/08/30: CBC: Japan's parliament elected former Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda as the new prime minister on Tuesday...
551. 2011/08/29: CBC: Japan's finance minister to be next PM -- Yoshihiko Noda elected to replace outgoing leader Naota Kan
552. 2011/08/29: al Jazeera: Japan finance minister to be new PM
     Yoshihiko Noda set to succeed Naoto Kan as prime minister after being elected leader by ruling Democratic party.

And elsewhere in Asia:

553. 2011/08/31: WMO: Pakistan strengthens flood forecasting services to ensure that warnings arrive ahead of the waters

     While in Africa:

554. 2011/08/31: AutoBG: Nigeria bans two-stroke engines, adopts Euro II emissions standards from 1996

     And South America:

555. 2011/09/01: AutoBG: Brazil to reduce mandatory ethanol blend in gas by 5%
556. 2011/08/29: al Jazeera: Indigenous activists gain momentum in Bolivia
     A 526km march brings attention to Evo Morales' hypocritical stance on the environment and indigenous sovereignty. "We can't understand that an indigenous government is violating our indigenous rights," said Fernando Vargas, pulling together the complexity - and perplexity - of the government-supported construction of a new highway through an indigenous area and national park in Bolivia. Vargas is the current leader of the TIPNIS indigenous territory, through which the planned highway will be built, to the dismay of hundreds of indigenous people who are leading a 526km march as a show of opposition.

In Canada, neocon PM Harper, continues his do-nothing policy:

557. 2011/09/02: PostMedia: Conservatives lacked 'bold measures' to improve economy: U.S. diplomatic cable
     Prime Minister Stephen Harper's top priority last year was to stay in power while touting his economic stewardship, looking for a "graceful exit" from Afghanistan and avoiding any "sexy initiatives" on climate change, diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Canada wrote in a newly released confidential cable. The uncensored cable, released through WikiLeaks, provides a remarkably candid assessment of how the embassy, under the direction of Ambassador David Jacobson, viewed the Canadian political scene at the start of 2010. It is written in blunt, sometimes chatty, language and does not shy away from analyzing the political tactics of the governing Tories and opposition parties. The cable was sent to Hillary Clinton's U.S. State Department in Washington and to other U.S. embassies abroad.
558. 2011/09/03: G&M: When it comes to emissions, we have bureaucracy run wild
559. 2011/09/01: LFR: What the world thinks of Canada these days, New Zealand edition
560. 2011/08/29: Prism: The Arctic and the Government's Cowboy Solution
561. 2011/08/30: G&M: Power sector objects to proposed federal emission rules
     The federal government plans to regulate emissions on new natural-gas-fired power plants, posing a major challenge for an industry that is being forced to phase out traditional coal-fired plants. The electricity sector should expect to meet emission standards for new gas plants that will have to be built to replace coal-fired plants that reach the end of their commercial life after 2015, Environment Minister Peter Kent revealed in an interview on Tuesday.
562. 2011/08/30: BuckDog: Harper Turns Blind Eye To Gazebogate - That Says More About Harper Than It Does About Tony Clement
563. 2011/08/29: PostMedia: Canada highlight oilsands lobbying success
     The federal government described media reports about weakened Europe climate-change policies as a "leap forward" on work to protect Alberta's oilsands industry, internal documents obtained by Postmedia News have revealed. The information was included in a document summarizing a March 2010 meeting between government officials, oil and gas industry executives, and Bruce Carson, a former top adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It highlighted media reports about the European Union backing away from stringent environmental standards targeting oilsands crude in order "to avoid further damage to ties." The proposed standards, known in Europe as the Fuel Quality Directive, and in other jurisdictions as a Low Carbon Fuel Standard or LCFS, would restrict imports or use of fuel that requires intensive energy use and results in higher greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, such as the oilsands.
564. 2011/08/28: G&M: Canada in danger of missing the boat in the Arctic
     Statements by France's ambassador for the polar regions, Michel Rocard, that Canada appears to have given up on competing with Russia for Arctic commercial shipping traffic, should serve as a wake up call for Canadians. It may be that the country prefers the Northwest Passage as it is, a slightly-used backwater that best protects the fragile Arctic ecosystem and the traditional Inuit way of life. But if Canadians favour sustainable development in the north, and jobs for northerners, then they are in danger of missing the boat.

The G20 controversy lingers:

565. 2011/09/01: TStar: Police board refuses to promote G20 officers
566. 2011/09/02: PaiD: The Toronto Police Board and Bill Blair
567. 2011/08/29: Bullet: One Year After the G20 Protests: Forms of Protest Reflect Our Power

     The CWB vote results will soon be out, not that the Tories care what the farmers think:

568. 2011/09/01: JRiddell: Ottawa takes aim against a historic right of grain farmers

     Alexandra Morton tossed an info-bomb in the direction of the Cohen Commission:

569. 2011/08/30: AlexandraMorton: Here's why I think salmon farms are gatekeepers to Fraser sockeye survival
570. 2011/08/30: TheCanadian: Morton Sees Answer to Fraser Sockeye Collapse...And She's Finally Free to Share It

     In BC, the stage is set. Now what will Clark and Dix do?

571. 2011/08/31: Tyee: BC Hydro's New Way of Reporting First Nations Clashes -- Corporation quietly drops global standard for disclosing human rights record
572. 2011/09/02: CBC: Disappearance of glacial river stuns B.C. hikers -- 'The maps will have to be redrawn a bit,' Atlin residents say
     One of the glacial rivers feeding a large lake straddling the Yukon-British Columbia border has dried up, hikers say, turning a normally fast-running watercourse into a muddy field strewn with icebergs.
573. 2011/09/01: CBC: [B.C. Premier] Christy Clark rules out fall B.C. election

     Meanwhile in that Mechanical Mordor known as the tar sands:

574. 2011/09/03: JLaxer: Why the tar sands are destructive for Canada:" ethical" oil and other resourceful fantasies
575. 2011/09/02: PostMedia: Oilsands costs on rise with oil price -- Ernst & Young predicts rising input prices and a tight labour market
576. 2011/09/02: LFR: Our liberal media XXVXX: CBC shills for the tar sands again
577. 2011/09/02: CBC: Examining 5 oilsands claims by Daryl Hannah
578. 2011/09/01: DeepClimate: The Institute
579. 2011/09/01: CBC: Kent backs Keystone pipeline despite protests
     Native protesters lobbying Canada's Ambassador in Washington [Gary Doer] to stop backing project
580. 2011/08/30: TreeHugger: What You Need To Know About The Canadian Tar Sands
581. 2011/08/29: Grist: Everything you've heard about the tar sands and energy security is wrong

     Also in Alberta:

582. 2011/08/29: PI: Pembina reacts to revised draft of Lower Athabasca Regional Plan

     In Manitoba, an election looms:

583. 2011/08/31: PostMedia: Manitoba NDP campaign pitch has familiar ring
     Manitoba's incumbent NDP government promised to keep on keepin' on Tuesday with a vision statement before the Oct. 4 provincial election that pledges to maintain, continue or expand existing programs.

In Ontario, energy policy is a major issue in the upcoming election:

584. 2011/08/31: AutoBG: Magna, Ontario announce $408-million electric vehicle deal
585. 2011/08/29: CleanBreak: How to create (and destroy) a solar PV export industry, Ontario-style
586. 2011/08/29: CleanBreak: Tsk, tsk: Globe and Mail runs another misleading Wente column on green energy, electric vehicles
587. 2011/08/29: CleanBreak: Deal with Magna International and Magna E-Car builds more momentum for Ontario EV strategy
588. 2011/08/30: Envirogy: microFIT Fails To Connect Customers
589. 2011/08/29: TStar: [Ontario] NDP losing its green allies
     Environmentalists are seeing red over the fading green credentials of Ontario's NDP. On the eve of a provincial election, these traditional allies are growing estranged. Prominent environmentalists are denouncing the NDP and publicly defending the Liberal government's activist agenda on green energy.
590. 2011/08/29: CBC: Magna to invest $400M in electric cars
     A government official says Magna International Inc. is pairing with the Ontario government to invest more than $400 million to research and develop electric vehicle technology.

In the North:

591. 2011/09/02: PI:B: Natural gas shortage leaves NWT community scrambling -- and may have lessons for the rest of us
592. 2011/09/01: CBC: Divers find Northwest Passage discovery artifacts
     A musket and other artifacts from HMS Investigator, the ship abandoned in the Canadian Arctic in 1854 during the hunt for Sir John Franklin's lost expedition, have been recovered by divers. The ship is credited with discovering the Northwest Passage
593. 2011/08/29: CBC: Futuristic 'airships' to be built for North -- Yellowknife, British companies sign deal for aircraft that can land almost anywhere

     As for miscellaneous Canadiana:

594. 2011/09/01: CBC: Cooler fall for Canada's east, west coasts
     Canadians on the Pacific coast and in parts of Atlantic Canada may be in for a cooler than normal autumn, Environment Canada said Thursday as it unveiled its outlook for the next three months. For most of the rest of the country, temperatures may be above normal for September through November, according to the outlook. Precipitation levels for the period may also be below normal for the Prairies and Atlantic Canada but about normal everywhere else.
595. 2011/08/30: CBC: Canada's weather service lags U.S. in resources

     The movement toward a long term ecologically viable economics is glacial:

596. 2011/09/03: EnergyBulletin: Energy infrastructure of the post-carbon future
597. 2011/09/01: EnergyBulletin: Culture and behavior: The human nature of unsustainability by William Rees
598. 2011/09/01: EnergyBulletin: The economy: Possible scenarios for the future 3
599. 2011/08/31: MTobis: The Alleged Non-Limits to Growth
600. 2011/08/29: EnergyBulletin: Why do so many people believe in the fantasy of infinite growth on a finite planet?

     IPAT [Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology] raised its head once again:

601. 2011/09/02: Guardian(UK): China's village of the bachelors: no wives in sight in remote settlement
     Surplus of males caused by preference for sons means poor subsistence farmers have no chance of finding a mate
602. 2011/09/01: BBC: David Cameron 'won't back abortion advice change'
     David Cameron "cannot support" an attempt by a Conservative MP to change the rules on the advice that can be offered to women seeking abortions.
603. 2011/08/19: AlterNet: 7 Billion People By October: How Are We Going to Feed Ourselves?
604. 2011/08/31: Guardian(UK): Downing Street forces U-turn on Nadine Dorries abortion proposals
     No 10 decides to vote against Tory backbench amendment seeking to stop charities offering abortion counselling
605. 2011/08/30: AlterNet: War on Women: Anti-Choice Movement Resorting to Shameless Tricks to Shutter Abortion Clinics
606. 2011/08/30: Grist: Busting myths about China's one-child policy

     Apocalypso anyone?

607. 2011/08/31: CCurrents: Petroleum And Population
608. 2011/08/30: CCurrents: A Time Frame For Systemic Collapse
609. 2011/08/29: EnergyBulletin: The Seneca effect: why decline is faster than growth

     As for how the media handles science:

610. 2011/08/31: CJR: Media Hurricane Hype? Irene spurs debate about the quality of news coverage
611. 2011/09/03: CO2Art: Today's Sunshine Shill - New Co2 Art Feature
612. 2011/09/02: TP:JR: Fox Pundits Inanely Blame Overregulation for Solyndra Demise
613. 2011/09/01: WottsUWT: Bill Nye is the anti-science guy when it comes to global warming and hurricanes
614. 2011/08/31: Deltoid: The Australian's War on Science 70: We know where you live
615. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: Cholera and Climate Change: The New York Times Gets the Story Exactly Backwards
616. 2011/08/31: TP:JR: Scientist: "The Murdoch Media Empire Has Cost Humanity Perhaps One or Two Decades in Battle Against Climate Change."
617. 2011/08/29: CleanBreak: Tsk, tsk: Globe and Mail runs another misleading Wente column on green energy, electric vehicles
618. 2011/08/30: Deltoid: The Australian's War on Science 69: Michael Asten
619. 2011/08/30: Grist: Fox News viewers 'confused' by Bill Nye, science in general
620. 2011/08/30: SciAm:BAtC: Defining the Journalism vs. Blogging Debate, with a Science Reporting angle

     Here is something for your library:

621. 2011/09/01: CSW: "The Inquisition of Climate Science" takes down the denialists
     [Book Review] _The Inquisition of Climate Science_ by James Lawrence Powell
622. 2011/09/04: SkeptiSci: [Book Plug] The Fate of Greenland: Exceptional Storytelling, Extraordinary Photography by Bud Ward
623. 2011/08/30: EnergyBulletin: [Book Review] _Life Without Oil: Why We Must Shift to a New Energy Future_ by Steve Hallett with John Wright
624. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: The Inquisition of Climate Science: A Scientist Exposes the Business of Denial
     [Book Review] _The Inquisition of Climate Science_ by James Lawrence Powell

And for your film & video enjoyment:

625. 2011/09/02: MTobis: Foley says the same thing twice
626. 2011/09/02: PSinclair: One Year Later -- Sea Floor in Gulf Still a Wasteland
627. 2011/09/02: PSinclair: The Weekend Wonk: Bill McKibben in Conversation with Thom Hartmann
628. 2011/09/02: Deltoid: Haydn Washington interviewed
629. 2011/09/02: SkeptiSci: The Climate Show 18: The Big Chill & The Big Fracking Issue
630. 2011/09/01: Grist: Which side are you on, Obama? Live from the tar-sands protests
631. 2011/08/31: QuarkSoup: Video of Vermont Destruction
632. 2011/09/04: PSinclair: How to Build an Offshore Wind Farm
633. 2011/08/30: PSinclair: Scott Mandia Interview: Irene Wrapped, CERN explained
634. 2011/08/30: Wonkette: Michele Bachmann's Hurricane Irene Joke About God Caught On Video
635. 2011/08/30: PSinclair: Northeast Reels from Flooding. Climate Deniers: Quit yer Whining -- Water is good for Plants
636. 2011/08/30: PSinclair: "The most devastating weather event ever to hit the region."

     Wrestling over a new energy infrastructure continues unabated:

637. 2011/09/02: PeakEnergy: Tidal power or hydro power in Derby?
638. 2011/09/02: NBF: China Energy plan through 2015, 100 GW of wind, 10 GW of solar, 40 GW of Nuclear
639. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: German Renewable Power Production Hits Record High: 20.8%, Quadruple the Level in 2000, on Track to 35% in 2020
640. 2011/09/01: PeakEnergy: South Korea opens world's largest tidal power plant
641. 2011/09/01: TechRev: Powering Gadgets a Step at a Time
     A microfluidics approach could be ideal for harnessing electricity from footsteps.
642. 2011/08/31: BNC: What is your energy philosophy?
643. 2011/08/31: Grist: Germany sets renewables record
644. 2011/08/30: TP:JR: World's First Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Power Plant is Underway
645. 2011/08/26: Oregonian: Clean energy future of Oregon depends on conservation, renewables and smart grid, says report
646. 2011/08/28: AutoBG: Volkswagen to invest $1.4 billion in offshore wind farms, other sources of renewable energy
647. 2011/08/28: QuarkSoup: Surprisingly, More Renewables than Nuclear

     Hey! Let's contaminate the aquifer for thousands of years! It'll be a fracking gas!

648. 2011/09/01: ProPublica: Who Are America's Top 10 Gas Drillers?
649. 2011/09/02: GreenGrok: What's in This Fracking Water?
650. 2011/08/31: Guardian(UK): The UK's lack of fracking regulation is insane [Monbiot]

     On the coal front:

651. 2011/09/03: TheCanadian: Shades of Green: A $50 Million Message to Coal
652. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: Major Coal Plant to Close, Transform into Green Community?
653. 2011/08/30: Grist: Close coal: D.C.-area coal-fired power plant to close

     On the gas and oil front:

654. 2011/09/02: BBerg: Closing oil prices Friday
     OIL (US$/bbl)
     Nymex Crude Future...86.45
     Dated Brent Spot....112.96
     WTI Cushing Spot.....86.45
655. 2011/09/03: BRitholtz: Libya Oil Exports
656. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: US Plans to Export Oil from Keystone XL Tar Sands; It Won't Improve Energy Security
657. 2011/08/31: OilChange: Report: Exporting Energy Security: Keystone XL Exposed
658. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Natural Gas Electricity Emits 47% Fewer Greenhouse Gases Than Coal: New Analysis
659. 2011/08/29: OilDrum: Natural Gas: The Squeeze at the Bottom of the Resource Triangle

     In the fossil fuel corps:

660. 2011/08/30: BBC: Australian miner Macarthur Coal has backed a revised takeover offer from Peabody Energy and ArcelorMittal

     And in pipeline news:

661. 2011/09/01: OilChange: Could Keystone XL turn out to be the oil major's Achilles Heel?
662. 2011/08/30: DeSmogBlog: New Infographic Shows how Keystone Pipelines are 'Built to Spill'
663. 2011/08/30: CCP: New infographic explores how Keystone pipelines are 'built to spill'

     Yes we have peak everything:

664. 2011/09/02: CCurrents: The Imminent Crash of Oil Supply
665. 2011/09/02: PeakEnergy: Has Peak Oil Come To The Non-Opec World ? Maybe.
666. 2011/09/01: Grist: Peak coal in China means the country's desperate for renewables
667. 2011/08/31: EnergyBulletin: The peak oil crisis: a billion vehicles
668. 2011/08/31: CCurrents: Complete English Translation Of German Military Analysis Of Peak Oil Now Available
669. 2011/08/30: EnergyBulletin: [link to 1.8 meg pdf] Complete English translation of German military analysis of peak oil now available

     Biofuel bickering abounds:

670. 2011/09/01: RRapier: Investor Interest in U.S. Biofuel Production Set to Soar
671. 2011/09/01: PeakEnergy: Plane biofuel to be made from eucalypts
672. 2011/08/31: NBF: Global biofuels production increased 17% in 2010
673. 2011/08/31: Eureka: Cracking cellulose: a step into the biofuels future
674. 2011/08/31: HotTopic: [Nelson-based algae company] Aquaflow in Multi-Biomass Venture
675. 2011/08/30: SciNews: Pooping pandas may make better biofuels
     Gut microbes break down bamboo efficiently, inspiring new approaches to process raw plant materials for fuel

The answer my friend...:

676. 2011/09/02: ABC(Au):TDU: Is 'wind turbine syndrome' mass hysteria?
677. 2011/08/29: ABC(Au): Wind farm no-go zones to be established [in Victoria]
678. 2011/09/02: TreeHugger: China, US, India Add Most Wind Power in 2011 So Far
679. 2011/08/31: PeakEnergy: Japan: Simple 'Wind Lens' Triples Output from Wind Turbines
680. 2011/08/31: NBF: Japan has wind lens turbine design that generates triple the power of regular wind turbines

     Meanwhile among the solar aficionados:

681. 2011/09/03: OilDrum: An Idea for Inexpensive Electricity: Concentrated Solar Power 12 Miles above the Earth
682. 2011/09/03: NBF: Stratosolar economic analysis
683. 2011/09/02: CJR: Why the Sun Set on Solyndra -- How the bad news about green jobs could be better
684. 2011/09/01: PlanetArk: Solar Company That Obama Visited [Solyndra LLC] Will Shut Down
685. 2011/08/31: Grist: 'Solar home rule' could power the D.C. economy
686. 2011/08/31: NBF: Several Solar Power Companies are going bankrupt
687. 2011/09/01: NBF: Solyndra bankruptcy and solar power costs
688. 2011/08/31: TreeHugger: Solar Power Innovator Solyndra Files For Bankruptcy
689. 2011/08/31: Eureka: Solar industry responsible for lead emissions in developing countries [from batteries]
690. 2011/08/31: NBF: Berkeley Lab Researchers Develop Inexpensive Technique for Making High Quality Nanowire Solar Cells
691. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: Solar Stunner: America is a $1.9 Billion Exporter of Solar Products
692. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Solar Power Can Produce Most Of Our Electricity & Half Of All Our Energy By 2060: IEA
693. 2011/08/29: BBerg: Solar May Produce Most of World's Power by 2060, IEA Says

     Feed-In-Tariffs are being variously implemented around the world:

694. 2011/08/29: TreeHugger: Japan Steps Toward More Renewable Energy With New Feed-In Tariff

     The nuclear energy controversy continues:

695. 2011/09/04: BNC: Civil disorder and nuclear power
696. 2011/09/04: BBC: Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant connected to national grid
697. 2011/09/04: CBC: Iran reportedly connects nuclear plant to grid
698. 2011/08/31: APR: Fort Calhoun - Event Clear
699. 2011/08/30: WarIsACrime: Damage at Nuclear Plants in Virginia
700. 2011/08/30: Grist: China to build 50+ nuclear reactors based on unsafe 60's tech, says Wikileaks

     Nuclear waste storage requires _very_ long term thinking:

701. 2011/08/29: ERW: Nuclear waste requires cradle-to-grave strategy
     If nuclear waste management is not thought out from the beginning, the public in many countries will reject nuclear power as an energy choice, according to research published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
702. 2011/09/02: PlanetArk: East Coast Quake Rattled Nuclear Plant's Waste Casks

     The Rossi Energy Catalyzer keeps coming up:

703. 2011/09/01: NBF: Rossi Energy Catalyzer will be tested at NASA starting September 3, 2011
704. 2011/09/01: NBF: Rossi 1 megawatt energy catalyzer tests will run for two months and Eight Krivit videos Interviewing Levi and Focardi

     More people are talking about the electrical grid:

705. 2011/08/29: SciAm:PI: The U.S. Electric Grid vs. Extreme Weather
706. 2011/08/29: Grist: How the smart grid of the future will prevent power outages for millions

     And then there is the matter of efficiency & conservation:

707. 2011/09/02: AutoBG: Here's how to tell how efficient your motorcycle is, all the way back to 1934 models
708. 2011/09/04: Grist: Jevons paradox: When doing more with less isn't enough

     Automakers & lawyers, engineers & activists argue over the future of the car:

709. 2011/08/29: FuturePundit: Ford Focus EV Comes With Home PV Recharge Option
710. 2011/09/01: TCoE: CNG vehicles: A cheap, shiny new bridge to nowhere
711. 2011/08/31: AutoBG: Analyst [John Petersen] says limits on batteries mean electric vehicles are doomed
712. 2011/08/29: EnergyBulletin: MPG for Electric Cars?
713. 2011/08/29: SlashDot: The Quest For an EV Fast-Charge Standard

     This week in the Gee Whiz File:

714. 2011/09/02: Grist: Cheap alloy could produce zero-carbon hydrogen from sunlight
715. 2011/09/01: KSJT: A few reporters notice: Maybe a hydrogen fuel tank that's good? Maybe a way to make hydrogen that's green?
716. 2011/08/30: NBF: Novel alloy could produce hydrogen fuel from sunlight
717. 2011/08/30: Eureka: Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cells -- USC chemists develop way to safely store, extract hydrogen
718. 2011/08/30: Eureka: Novel alloy could produce hydrogen fuel from sunlight
     Using advanced theoretical computations, a team of Kentucky scientists has derived a means to "tweak" an inexpensive semiconductor to function as photoelectrochemical catalyst. Scientists from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have determined that an inexpensive semiconductor material can be "tweaked" to generate hydrogen from water using sunlight.

As for Energy Storage:

719. 2011/09/02: AutoBG: Japan goes toe-to-toe with South Korea in quest for lithium-ion domination

     Insurance and re-insurance companies are feeling the heat:

720. 2011/09/01: BBerg: Market, Politicians Going Separate Ways on Threat of Climate Change: View
721. 2011/09/02: MTobis: Disinfographics
722. 2011/09/01: SciAm:Obs: Damage from Extreme Weather Increasing
723. 2011/09/01: TCoE: Insurers and climate risk
724. 2011/08/30: CCP: Irene Adds to a Bad Year for Insurance Industry
725. 2011/08/29: CNN: Hurricane Irene damage could reach billions
     Hurricane Irene left 24 people dead, 3 million customers without power and potentially billions of dollars in damage from flooding and wind. But the economic damage could have been a lot worse, experts said. "It was much less bite than bark," said Matt Carletti, specialty insurance analyst at JMP Securities. "Rounding up, it's a $10 billion event, not 20 or 30 or 40."

Joe Romm posts a daily list of top energy and climate stories:

726. 2011/09/02: TP:JR: September 2 News...
727. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: September 1 News...
728. 2011/08/29: TP:JR: August 29 News...

     The carbon lobby are up to the usual:

729. 2011/09/02: QD: Is That a Fact?
730. 2011/09/03: ITracker: Threat of the day: Spencer & Braswell retrospective edition
731. 2011/09/02: QuarkSoup: The Heartland Institute's Epic Fail
732. 2011/09/01: Grist: Climate convert says deniers are dumb
733. 2011/09/01: TP:JR: John Podesta: Climate Change Deniers are the 'Know-Nothings' of this Generation
734. Wiki: Know Nothing [Party]
735. 2011/09/01: Stoat: Ha ha
736. 2011/08/31: WottsUWT: Government Funding of the National Weather Service: A Response to Our Critics
737. 2011/09/04: TP:JR: CO2 is Just a Trace Gas
738. 2011/08/30: Stoat: The Truth About the Truth About Greenhouse Gases?
739. 2011/08/29: MTobis: The Truth About the Truth About Greenhouse Gases
740. 2011/08/28: JKB: The one where S. Fred Singer lies about his funding and is NOT coming to Belgium?

     As for climate miscellanea:

741. 2011/09/02: Grist: The 'radical' faces of climate change
742. 2011/09/01: MTobis: Burden of Proof
743. 2011/09/01: CAbyss: Weekend Weather, Catastrophes, and the Three-Body Problem
744. 2011/09/02: CBC: Lightning sensors thwart forest fire flare-ups
745. 2011/09/01: PSinclair: Dare to Be Dumb
746. 2011/08/29: ABC(Au): Climate change linked to mental health problems
     A report out today draws a direct link between inaction on climate change and long-term social and mental health problems. The study by the Climate Institute, titled A Climate Of Suffering: The Real Cost Of Living With Inaction On Climate Change, points to increased depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicide and self-harm in the wake of recent natural disasters in Australia. The report also warns continuing catastrophic weather events are creating anxiety and insecurity for children at levels not seen since the Cold War.

And here are a couple of sites you may find interesting and/or useful:

747. GMWatch
748. MDPI: MDPI - Open Access Publishing
749. FoodWhistleblower - Food Integrity Campaign
750. CASSE: Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy
751. Wiki: Carl Linnaeus
752. [Conference in Hamburg, November 10 & 11, 2011] Geoengineering the Climate: An Issue for Peace and Security Studies?
753. Wiki: Bacillus thuringiensis
754. ASTI: Arctic Species Trend Index
755. HtP: Hack the Planet
756. NOAA: Future of Arctic Sea Ice and Global Impacts
757. The Cartoons of Marc Roberts -- Cantankerous Frank and friends, from Throbgoblins International [change of address]\
758. Wiki: Plankton
759. Wiki: Photosynthesis
760. Wiki: Biogeochemical Cycle
761. Wiki: Oxygen Cycle
762. NASA:JPL: News

     ---

     Low Key Plug

     Autobahn Note:

     In case you have been looking for my home page, it seems Autobahn member pages are permanently toast. I am in the process of arranging another web host. In the meanwhile, there is AFTIC only.

     My first novel Water was published in Canada May, 2007. The American release was in October. An Introductionto the novel is available, along with the Unpublished Forewordand the Launch Talk(which includes some quotations), An overview of my writing is available here.

     <regards>
     

     -het

     P.S. Recent postings can be found in the week archive and the ancient postings can be accessed here, which should open to this.

     I notice moyhu has set up a monster index to old AWoGWN on AFTIC.

     ---

     "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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