It just keeps getting better

First Stephen Chu for energy secretary, then John Holdren for science adviser. Now Jane Lubchenco for NOAA chief. Wow. One of the country's top marine biologists and a hard-core climateer. It's hard to imagine a better science team. From the LA Times:

Lubchenco did not draw the same level of fire from conservative groups as Holdren on Thursday, but she represents just as radical a departure for NOAA, which oversees marine issues as well as much of the government's climate work. While NOAA has traditionally favored commercial fishing interests in policy disputes, Lubchenco has consistently called for conservation measures to safeguard ocean ecosystems in the face of industry opposition.
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We're learning more about what Obama is actually going to do in office, and while there are some negatives, right now the positives outweigh them. Let's get the bad decisions out of the way first. Rick Warren, professional homophobe, bigot, and smirking airhead, will be prominently promoted in the…
That's the word from the Washington Post. Like, wow. Lubchenco is yet another distinguished scientist and ScienceDebate2008 supporter. We are racking them up in this administration. Here's Lubchenco's video: Chu, Holdren, Lubchenco....we've got a hell of a science administration shaping up here…
In his weekly address, President-elect Obama says: the truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources – it's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what…
Updated - The archived video is now available on the committee website, so I've been able to go back and fill in the details I missed due to earlier technical problems. Due to technical problems, this liveblog of the Confirmation hearings for Jane Lubchenco and John Holdren begins in progress.…

I'm thrilled, too - having a founding member of Project Steve and two past AAAS presidents in these positions is also some nice extra repudiation of the cdesign proponentsists. Question, though, since I haven't been paying as close attention: what do you think of the appointment of Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior?

Re: Salazar appointment

One of several disappointing appointments. Not disastrous, but disappointing.

I suspect Obama is trying to assuage right-leaning Democrats and Republicans that he should be trusted, a strategy that should do him well if he's about to embark on a radical legislative agenda. Otherwise, why put centrists with corporate leanings in a position like sec of Interior while naming those with more progressive, science-oriented approaches closer to where the real action will be?

All you AGW Parrots, be sure to remember to go to Global Warming church tomorrow. Reverend Al and company will teach you exactly how 3 ppm of CO2 plant food overwhelms the forces of water vapor and clouds. You will also learn that the power of the sun is just a puny tiny little thing that isn't even significant enough to be modelled. And don't forget, of course, that warming is the cause of any and all cooling (and is the cause of warming due to cooling and cooling due to warming and vice versa). Our prayers are with you as you seek a purpose in life via a made-up farce hoax joke crisis. Gore bless. p.s. squawk.

By Theres no E in… (not verified) on 20 Dec 2008 #permalink

The big question is: Does she wear "comfortable" shoes?

By FuzzyWuzzy (not verified) on 20 Dec 2008 #permalink

Yay more propaganda from the Daily Mail. I so wish the British tabloids had to follow the same ethical code as the television networks do e.g. Littlejohn had to answer to Ofcom.

With regards to the blogpost, this is of course great news.

Meanwhile, John Tierney is stewing denialist (amongst other things) nonsense about John Holdren's appointment over at the New York Times of all places:

Even if most climate scientists agree on the anthropogenic causes of global warming, that doesn�t imply that the best way to deal with the problem is through drastic cuts in greenhouse emissions.

How then do we stop global warming? Let the magical climate fairy cart the CO2 away?

http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/flawed-science-advice-fo…

By Alex Deam (not verified) on 20 Dec 2008 #permalink

Why do stupid liberals always think they-we (and is "we" as in them not us) must save anyone from anything, and why must they fantasize about actually being capable. The vast majority of the world and its scientists clearly know that AGW is just the latest they-we made-up stupid crap to worry about so they-we can have something to do to fret about pace about and wring hands about. Once We-Us the common sensicals have watched the they-we arrogant eco fascists complete their implosion under actual observed data as is happening now and will continue over the next few years, I'm sure there's another crisis waiting in the wings to be made up and fretted over. I challenge you stupid hysterical quacking self-righteous liberals to stop using the word "we" in your posts and stop stating what YOU feel others must do in response to your ill-guided self-serving perceived moral superiority. State ONLY what YOU think and YOU will do without using we-they-them-others or imposing your stupidity on others, and further identify the specific members of your religious clan by always naming all those who are self-excluded anytime you use the word WE (or just qualify WE each time with and asterisk that states the "majority of the world is not included in my version of "WE" "), and stop acting like the majority of the world cares and isn't laughing at you. We-us the Majority don't believe in your religion and don't care. But it is fun and always entertaining to laugh at misguided eco religious zealots while they go down in flames. Enjoy your Global Warming Church services today. Meh Meh.

I pretty ignorant in science but still find this blog fascinating in the topics it discusses and have learned a lot. With that, I read something in McClatchy today that is on this topic (loosely) and was curious if anyone here had seen it and what your educated minds had to say about it.

"A beneficial way to curb global warming and a resulting catastrophic ocean rise [is to] spray gigatons of seawater into the air, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, and let Mother Nature do the rest."
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/58124.html

Seems to be drawing some controversy and "cure-alls" tend to worry me. But it seems like a novel idea.

brrr. someone whip out the "CO2 blanket" and cover the world. just get the skinny one out of the closet because it only needs to be a few ppm thick to warm things right back up. brrrrrrrrr.

By Polar Bear Clubber (not verified) on 22 Dec 2008 #permalink