Support the Arctic Sea Ice Forum and Blog

Author Topic: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment  (Read 213609 times)

6roucho

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 296
  • Finance geek
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #100 on: January 28, 2017, 09:25:38 AM »
That is a scary thought ASLR..... Policy divorced from science !!! Reverse renaissance....Back to the dark ages...
Thankfully, only in America at this time. The effects of a new dark age in one country would be inconvenient, but not the end of the world. America has more direct means to achieve that.

DrTskoul

  • Nilas ice
  • Posts: 1455
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 210
  • Likes Given: 60
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #101 on: January 28, 2017, 03:02:27 PM »
Maybe for those that live outside....

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #102 on: January 28, 2017, 04:54:15 PM »
Al Gore Revives Climate Summit The CDC Abruptly Canceled
“They tried to cancel this conference but it is going forward anyway,” Gore said.
Quote
Former Vice President Al Gore is hosting his own climate change summit after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly canceled the one it had been planning for months.

Gore announced Thursday that he’ll hold the Climate & Health Meeting in Atlanta on Feb. 16 with Howard Frumkin, former director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, and a host of other health and climate groups: the American Public Health Association, The Climate Reality Project, Harvard Global Health Institute and the University of Washington Center for Health and the Global Environment.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/al-gore-climate-health-cdc_us_588a6a2be4b0303c0752b0bc
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #103 on: January 28, 2017, 05:07:51 PM »
How 21 kids could keep climate websites from going completely dark
Quote
Right now, anxiety is sweeping across the scientific community about the Trump administration's efforts to make climate data disappear.

However, there are now a very special group of 21 young Americans, ages nine to 20, who are throwing a sizable wrench in the Trump administration's plans. Their lawsuit against the federal government and fossil fuel companies seeks to hold them accountable for failing to adequately address human-caused global warming despite widespread knowledge of the risks.

The case, formally known as Juliana v United States, is scheduled to go to trial sometime this year, and has already set groundbreaking legal precedents in the nascent field of climate change law.

On Wednesday, lawyers for the young plaintiffs hit the government and fossil fuel industry with a letter that could make it much harder for the Trump administration to take websites offline without archiving them.

An expansive case

The students' lawyers delivered a legal preservation notice to fossil fuel companies such as ExxonMobil, industry trade associations and the federal government.

Because the case is extremely expansive in scope — it seeks to prove that the government and energy industry knew about the dangers of burning fossil fuels for decades, yet continued to promote a fossil fuel-based energy system — any destruction or hiding of scientific evidence by the Trump administration could threaten the students' ability to make their case.

And if a judge agrees with the kids, taking down the websites without archiving them could lead to monetary and trial penalties for the defendants. Depending on the climate data, some federal laws may restrict the information scrubbing.

"The U.S. Department of Justice and Sidley Austin are required by law to preserve all documents, including electronically stored information, that could be relevant to our 21 youth plaintiffs' case against the Trump Administration,” said Julia Olson, executive director of Our Children’s Trust and attorney for the plaintiffs, in a statement. Sidley Austin is the law firm representing the private sector defendants, which also include trade groups for oil and gas companies.
http://mashable.com/2017/01/26/youth-climate-lawsuit-trump-website-removals/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #104 on: January 28, 2017, 05:13:26 PM »
"We reached out to @AltNatParkSer through Twitter DM today, and learned more about the origins of the account and its future. "

A Conversation With the Rogue National Park Service Twitter Account
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/a-conversation-with-the-rogue-national-parks-service-twitter
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #105 on: January 28, 2017, 06:02:59 PM »
Strangling a Huge Climate Policy Machine Won't Be Easy for Trump
Quote
If the Trump administration intends to strangle the flow of climate change information produced by the federal bureaucracy, it will be no small task.

The government apparatus of climate policy involves dozens of agencies and offices, as this chart shows, and they spend billions of dollars a year. Their public activities number in the hundreds, from rules and scientific reports to research programs, webinars and internships. Thousands of employees, grant recipients and contractors are engaged in federal climate science, policy and communications.

...
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25012017/climate-change-bureaucracy-epa-donald-trump
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

pileus

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 536
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 45
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #106 on: January 30, 2017, 08:23:25 AM »
Elon Musk is getting eviscerated for this travel ban comments.  He risks losing a lot of his good will and legitimacy by normalizing Trump.  Even if he is being rational to stay out of Trump's crosshair's, there will be calls to boycott his brands.  If coastal elites boycott Tesla (and Uber) you know we are in bizarro world. 

Everyone underestimated Trump, but some are not catching on quickly to the depth and passion behind the backlash.  Same with Senator Warren.

6roucho

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 296
  • Finance geek
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #107 on: January 30, 2017, 09:57:24 AM »
Musk's posture is indeed an odd one. His market for Tesla cars must be as squarely in liberal territory as it's possible for a mass-market American product to be. Thus we might assume his alignment isn't commercial, since even a large tax cut on a brand that has lost its unique lustre can't be a win in the long run. It opens the market to competitors.

On the other hand, there are his space aspirations...

Or maybe Musk is a social conservative as well as being a scientific rationalist.

Archimid

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3511
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 899
  • Likes Given: 206
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #108 on: January 30, 2017, 02:28:15 PM »
The art of the deal, or according to Donald Trump "lie your ass off until you can sell your sub standard products".  Trump will say anything to get what he wants, a life of white, wealthy privilege has made sure  that he can get away with that. Why would he change now that he is 70 years old and president of the US? He won't.

Elon Musk on the other hand, made his fortune by making products above and beyond the competition. No sleazy lies needed to make his billions. Elon Musk is also on a mission to save the world, he has the closest thing to an actual working solution to climate change and other limits of growth.  He must defend that solution for the sake of all our lives. And thats what he is doing.

Trump needs time before he can assert his power over the US. Having a well respected man like Musk lend him some credibility while he asserts power is a great way to buy some time.  Elon on the other hand is facing the danger of Donald Trump destroying everything. So Trump promises Elon fair treatment and Elon in exchange shows some public support.

Except that Trump is a liar. As soon as Trump asserts his power, he will turn on Elon as easy as he has turned on most people that have ever done business with him. So I think Elon is wrong about trusting Trump.

However as the man holding the only working solution to climate change and a veritable genius I have no other option but to trust that he knows what he is doing.  He must do whatever he needs to do to keep Tesla afloat. As far as I am concern it is a matter of survival. So I'm with Elon, even if Elon is collaborating with a lying fool.

I do worry that others  will abandon Musk and Tesla lose the great support he has enjoyed. Maybe that is exactly Trump's plan to get rid of clean energy to make way for Putin's oil.
I am an energy reservoir seemingly intent on lowering entropy for self preservation.

DrTskoul

  • Nilas ice
  • Posts: 1455
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 210
  • Likes Given: 60
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #109 on: January 30, 2017, 02:48:46 PM »
The art of the deal, or according to Donald Trump "lie your ass off until you can sell your sub standard products".  Trump will say anything to get what he wants, a life of white, wealthy privilege has made sure  that he can get away with that. Why would he change now that he is 70 years old and president of the US? He won't.

Elon Musk on the other hand, made his fortune by making products above and beyond the competition. No sleazy lies needed to make his billions. Elon Musk is also on a mission to save the world, he has the closest thing to an actual working solution to climate change and other limits of growth.  He must defend that solution for the sake of all our lives. And thats what he is doing.

Trump needs time before he can assert his power over the US. Having a well respected man like Musk lend him some credibility while he asserts power is a great way to buy some time.  Elon on the other hand is facing the danger of Donald Trump destroying everything. So Trump promises Elon fair treatment and Elon in exchange shows some public support.

Except that Trump is a liar. As soon as Trump asserts his power, he will turn on Elon as easy as he has turned on most people that have ever done business with him. So I think Elon is wrong about trusting Trump.

However as the man holding the only working solution to climate change and a veritable genius I have no other option but to trust that he knows what he is doing.  He must do whatever he needs to do to keep Tesla afloat. As far as I am concern it is a matter of survival. So I'm with Elon, even if Elon is collaborating with a lying fool.

I do worry that others  will abandon Musk and Tesla lose the great support he has enjoyed. Maybe that is exactly Trump's plan to get rid of clean energy to make way for Putin's oil.

Putin does not have that much oil to make way for....

Archimid

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3511
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 899
  • Likes Given: 206
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #110 on: January 30, 2017, 03:01:05 PM »
Quote
Putin does not have that much oil to make way for....

All he needs is for the US to drop the quest for efficiency and alternative energy for a few years. Once the US has no way to maintain the economy with local or allied energy, he has all the power over the US. To some extent he already does.
I am an energy reservoir seemingly intent on lowering entropy for self preservation.

pileus

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 536
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 45
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #111 on: January 30, 2017, 05:18:19 PM »
The linked article discusses the Delete Uber movement and the likelihood that other tech companies will be targeted for boycott if they work actively with or are silent towards Trump.  IMO this is going to grow like a tsunami and the type of intellectual gymnastics being done by Musk and others will sweep them away.  Boycotts are not always well thought out, but even so it's reflecting the depth of the distaste and anger towards Trump.  The US is quickly heading towards a breaking point.

One other dynamic to watch soon is to what extent does Trump target the H1B visa program, which is the main pipeline of talent for Silicon Valley and Seattle tech talent, and elsewhere.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/29/deleteuber-s-creator-resist-trump-or-pay-a-price.html

magnamentis

  • Guest
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #112 on: January 31, 2017, 10:13:59 AM »
This is just insane. The guy has kids. Is he so hollow that their future means nothing compared to money and power? Sociopath?

i think he has kids to show of ( one has kids ) and because he like to f....k not the other way around LOL

the pic is double posted, just fits in here as well. ;) ???

6roucho

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 296
  • Finance geek
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #113 on: January 31, 2017, 06:32:41 PM »
Elon Musk on the other hand, made his fortune by making products above and beyond the competition. No sleazy lies needed to make his billions.
That's partially true. Like so many of the big dot.com successes, x.com and PayPal succeeded by being in the right place at the right time, particularly by being brought by eBay. Plenty of the early dot.com billionaires were essentially lottery winners. Tesla on the other hand is an exceptional achievement.

magnamentis

  • Guest
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #114 on: January 31, 2017, 06:40:30 PM »
Elon Musk on the other hand, made his fortune by making products above and beyond the competition. No sleazy lies needed to make his billions.
That's partially true. Like so many of the big dot.com successes, x.com and PayPal succeeded by being in the right place at the right time, particularly by being brought by eBay. Plenty of the early dot.com billionaires were essentially lottery winners. Tesla on the other hand is an exceptional achievement.

technically it's an achievement, i love it really, but economically this remains to be proven yet. there are many billions of creditlines and capital investments to be paid back (or lost) one day in the not so far future.

not saying it's an econ. fail, just learned not to praise the day before midnight :-)

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #115 on: January 31, 2017, 08:59:44 PM »
Climate denial is dead!   Long live climate denial!
A good summation of where we are now (in the U.S.). 
By Michael Mann.

Climate change denial is not dead
Quote
The era of climate change denial is over. Rejection of the unequivocal scientific evidence that carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are warming the planet and changing our climate is no longer socially acceptable. Only the most fringe of politicians now disputes the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real and human-caused, and they are largely ignored.

So why dignify the notion of climate change denial by writing about it?

Such was the criticism I received from many well-meaning fellow climate scientists last fall after I published my latest book, “The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial Is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy,” co-authored with Washington Post editorial cartoonist Tom Toles.

I wish the critics had been right. But of course, they weren’t.

Our book couldn’t seem any more prophetic now. For we are firmly back in the madhouse. Climate change denial is once again in vogue in Washington, D.C. As of Jan. 20, it is now the official policy of our executive branch....
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/317102-climate-denial-is-dead-long-live-climate-denial
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #116 on: January 31, 2017, 09:16:42 PM »
The linked article is entitled: "The future of NOAA, the world’s largest repository of climate data, is now in the hands of a climate-change denier".  It is good to know who the enemy is so that one can keep an eye on him (Kenneth Haapala).

https://qz.com/899450/trump-kenneth-haapala-and-wilbur-ross-the-future-of-noaa-the-worlds-largest-repository-of-climate-data-is-now-in-the-hands-of-a-climate-change-denier/

Extract: "“The archive spans data that goes well over a hundred years,” Scott Stephens, a NOAA meteorologist, tells Quartz. “Especially for the US, there’s data that goes back almost to Independence.”

Now, all that is in the hands of Kenneth Haapala, selected by US president Donald Trump to help appoint top administrators at NOAA. Haapala serves on the transition team for the US Department of Commerce, which oversees the agency. He is also an unabashed climate-change denier.

Haapala is a policy expert at the Heartland Institute, a conservative group that has equated belief in climate change with terrorism and mass murder."
« Last Edit: February 01, 2017, 06:19:06 PM by AbruptSLR »
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

Pmt111500

  • Guest
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #117 on: February 01, 2017, 09:17:33 AM »
In order to get this thread a bit more scientific I'll present some exploration on the name Haapala: www.karjalansivistysseura.fi/sampo/fi/content/uhtuan-haapalan-afanasjev-suku so Kenneths family might have been partly russian or at least had another name during russian rule.

There are several families calling themselves Haapala in Finland, though. (f.e. http://www.raunohaapala.com/haapalan-suku ) Quick search on genealogies revealed at least three families, and by the number of houses called thus (over 400) there are several others. The name itself means Aspen-place, as in the tree Populus tremula.

'Kenneth' is an anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic names, Cainnech and Cináed (Wikipedia). so I'd throw a guess his mothers' family is Irish, Scotch or Welsh originally, and not from USA. I'd say he needs to show his birth certificate before he can be allowed in the position. I bet it stands 'Cainnech Aspenacre' there.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2017, 10:49:09 AM by Pmt111500 »

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #118 on: February 02, 2017, 04:19:09 AM »
Per the linked article the date for the March for Science (to protest against Team Trump's assaults on Science) is April 22 – Earth Day:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/politics/science-march-earth-day-trnd/

Extract: “The group behind the March for Science in Washington just announced in a tweet that they will rally on April 22 -- Earth Day. “
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

DrTskoul

  • Nilas ice
  • Posts: 1455
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 210
  • Likes Given: 60
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #119 on: February 02, 2017, 01:05:16 PM »
Quote
GOP House votes to reject Obama administration stream protection rule

Another opportunity by Prez Trumpf

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #120 on: February 02, 2017, 05:47:17 PM »
The linked article is entitled: "Why Environmentalists Are So Worried About Trump's Supreme Court Pick".  Essentially getting Neil Gorsuch appointed to the Supreme Court represents an assault by Trump against climate science:

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01022017/neil-gorsuch-donald-trump-supreme-court-climate-change

Extract: "Neil Gorsuch is a steadfast foe of the 'Chevron' standard, a pillar of modern regulatory law that matters greatly to climate change advocates.

That principle says courts should defer to federal regulatory agencies when the regulators are carrying out laws that are ambiguous. In contrast to Gorsuch, Merrick Garland, nominated last year by Obama but stymied by Senate Republicans, adhered closely to the standard.

Chevron is one of the pillars of modern regulatory law, and it matters greatly to climate change activists because it has provided the Environmental Protection Agency considerable leeway in using the Clean Air Act to control carbon dioxide pollution.

Its significance will be stark when the Supreme Court considers the fate of the Clean Power Plan in the next year or so."
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #121 on: February 02, 2017, 05:53:33 PM »
The link leads to a tracker entitled: "Trump Issues Statement Confirming That He Will Approve Congressional Repeal of BLM Methane Rule and Other Regulations"; which indicates that Trump promises to sign the bill to repeal Obama's Bureau of Land Management methane emission rules.  This is a significant assault on climate science:

http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/4205/
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #122 on: February 02, 2017, 06:04:21 PM »
The linked article is entitled: "Trump's election is prompting more scientists to run for public office."  It indicates that many scientists are sufficiently concerned about Trump's assault on science that they are willing to become politicians in order to more effectively fight back.

http://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-election-is-prompting-more-scientists-to-run-for-public-office-2017-1
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #123 on: February 03, 2017, 02:52:56 AM »
Elon Musk got a lot of flak when he tweeted that he would maintain his position on the President's Advisory Forum, in order to attempt to communicate different views to the administration.  He also gave only a mildly-worded statement against the foreign travel ban.  Understand that DT regards people as either with him, or against him, so Musk directly criticizing him would have no beneficial influence (and besides, there are plenty of people doing that already).

Tonight Musk tweeted this message:

Regarding the Whitehouse meeting:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/827328619609481216
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #124 on: February 03, 2017, 04:24:32 PM »
The linked article is entitled: "Immigration Ban Takes Toll on Earth and Space Scientists", indicating that the travel ban contributes to the Trump assault on science.

https://eos.org/articles/immigration-ban-takes-toll-on-earth-and-space-scientists?utm_source=eos&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EosBuzz020317

Extract: "Some researchers can't come to the United States or fear leaving the country to visit their home nations because of a new federal ban on immigrants."
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #125 on: February 12, 2017, 05:10:58 AM »
The linked article is entitled: “3 Reasons Trump's EPA Pick Can't Be Trusted With Climate Science “, which speaks for itself.

http://www.ecowatch.com/pruitt-climate-science-2255425293.html

Extract: “As a climate scientist I've been trained to base my conclusions strictly on scientific evidence and not on politics. This is why I find it so troubling that President Trump's pick for the top job at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) openly misrepresented scientific data during his confirmation process.“

See also the linked article with an associated Australian newscast indicating that Trump may soon sign an order for the US to pull out of the Paris agreement:

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/welcome-to-the-madhouse-scientist-says-trump-could-destroy-the-world/news-story/0e31691ab55a520800cef7dbd289fdad

Edit, also see the following linked article entitled: "EPA scientists held back from conference: Cost-cutting or something more?".

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2017/0211/EPA-scientists-held-back-from-conference-Cost-cutting-or-something-more

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

Eli81

  • New ice
  • Posts: 45
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #126 on: February 12, 2017, 12:32:02 PM »
I've gotta stop reading these threads, it's unimaginably depressing....

It's going to be a long, dark four years....

LRC1962

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 446
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 11
  • Likes Given: 3
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #127 on: February 12, 2017, 04:28:58 PM »
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2017/jan/31/trumps-copying-the-bush-censorship-playbook-scientists-arent-standing-for-it
Quote
A war on science is a war he’s guaranteed to lose. Trump can deny the science, silence the scientists, censor their reports, even fire them from government agencies - but that won’t stop the Earth from heating and its climate from changing at a dangerous rate. At best he would survive a four or eight-year term, leave the planet a worse place for future generations, and be seen as a villain in the history books.

But it looks as though scientists and journalists aren’t going to let that happen without a fight, and kudos to them for standing up to the anti-science bullies on behalf of the planet and future generations. We’ll all have to do our parts to protect science and hold the administration accountable to facts and truth for the next four years.

http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/canadian-scientists-know-what-to-expect-from-trump

Quote
If the Canadian experience can teach U.S. scientists anything, it’s that not only their future research but also their past work is at risk. “Watch your libraries,” May said. “Stuff was taken away in dumpsters. Raw data and archives were lost.” There is enough collective anxiety about U.S. climate data being destroyed, altered, or lost that several groups of concerned citizens spent the months before Trump’s Inauguration copying federal data and moving it to other servers. “Within weeks of Harper becoming Canada’s Prime Minster, the climate-change information was scrubbed from the Web site of Environment Canada and researchers were muzzled,” May said. “That took weeks. Trump is a lot faster.”
A couple of things the USA can look up to as positives. One: There is a far stronger wealthier private scientific establishment. Two: Suing is a routine act about everything there and Trump is quickly burning up any good that might have gone his way in that respect. Third: The media. Broadcasting, Hollywood, social media is far more active and influential on a per capita basis then Canada and therefore could help things along (granted most of that comes from immigrants who know how to use it).
"All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second,  it is violently opposed; and Third, it is accepted as self-evident."
       - Arthur Schopenhauer

Archimid

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3511
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 899
  • Likes Given: 206
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #128 on: February 14, 2017, 03:54:07 PM »
Diehard Coders Just Rescued NASA’s Earth Science Data

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/diehard-coders-just-saved-nasas-earth-science-data/

Extract:

Quote
Berkeley hackathon to collect data from NASA’s earth sciences programs and the Department of Energy, are doing more than archiving. Diehard coders are building robust systems to monitor ongoing changes to government websites. And they’re keeping track of what’s already been removed—because yes, the pruning has already begun.
I am an energy reservoir seemingly intent on lowering entropy for self preservation.

DrTskoul

  • Nilas ice
  • Posts: 1455
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 210
  • Likes Given: 60
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #129 on: February 19, 2017, 02:45:22 PM »
GOP Plots To Clip NASA Wings As It Tweets Climate Change Updates

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58a91361e4b045cd34c2689e?

Pmt111500

  • Guest
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #130 on: February 19, 2017, 04:56:40 PM »
GOP Plots To Clip NASA Wings As It Tweets Climate Change Updates

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58a91361e4b045cd34c2689e?

Why do they still pretend it's GOP? They could use the correct name, The Great Trumppparty of Trumpistan (TTT, hopping over the G since it's obvious). This is media gone wrong. And whatabout those IkEa weapons of mass-confusion in sweden. Anyway We aren't cutting wings but giving moorre it's great they can fly to Mars with those chinese sabotaged satellites.


AbruptSLR

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 19703
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 2268
  • Likes Given: 286
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #131 on: February 21, 2017, 03:52:33 PM »
The linked article is entitled: ‘We did not start this fight’: In Trump era’s dawn, scientists rally in Boston".  We should all support scientists who fight for "the centrality of objective information to making policy".

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/19/we-did-not-start-this-fight-as-trump-era-dawns-scientists-rally-in-boston/?utm_term=.e798f3073b67

Extract: "Hundreds of scientists and their supporters rallied in historic Copley Square on Sunday, demanding that the Trump administration accept empirical reality on issues such as climate change and highlighting the centrality of objective information to making policy.

“We did not politicize science,” said Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard science historian who spoke at the rally, which unfolded on a surprisingly warm February day that left the square filled with mud puddles from the melt of a recent blizzard. “We did not start this fight.”"
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson

gerontocrat

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 20370
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 5289
  • Likes Given: 69
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #132 on: February 21, 2017, 04:06:12 PM »
You may want to read the Guardian on Prof Happer.:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2017/feb/21/trumps-potential-science-adviser-william-happer-hanging-around-with-conspiracy-theorists

With Happer on board to give credibility, Trump and his merry men will feel even more emboldened as they eviscerate the USA's climate science infrastructure and subject science discourse to political vetting.

Not so laughable any more - somewhat scary.
"Para a Causa do Povo a Luta Continua!"
"And that's all I'm going to say about that". Forrest Gump
"Damn, I wanted to see what happened next" (Epitaph)

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #133 on: February 23, 2017, 08:16:35 PM »
Eric Holthaus:  This is huge. The largest Earth science society in the U.S. has officially joined the #ScienceMarch.
We will #resist the attack on science.

AGU:  AGU has joined the @ScienceMarchDC as a partner. Learn more about our involvement: https://fromtheprow.agu.org/agu-announces-endorsement-march-science/ #ScienceisEssential

https://mobile.twitter.com/theagu/status/834835271120199682
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #134 on: February 23, 2017, 08:22:16 PM »
Massive police operation ongoing to clear the #NoDAPL Oceti camp - Watch #LIVE https://livestream.com/unicornriot/events/7046185

https://twitter.com/ur_ninja/status/834835848071897088
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

longwalks1

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 204
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 65
  • Likes Given: 19
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #135 on: February 24, 2017, 02:41:09 AM »
Watching some of the canned livestream.  of NoDAPL. 

It was a much gentler scene in NoDak.for the nuclear missile civil disobedience (10 consecutive years) during the era of Governor Sinner of North Dakota (and at all the actions was his brother,Roman Catholic priest Fr. Sinner).  But ever since 911 everything has changed for civil dissent and the usofa police forces have been heavily militarized. 

Once in Missouri, in a state park near Whiteman AFB, over 100 of us were in a circle, doing the Lord's prayer, and as we came to "but deliver us from evil, up from the treetops arose 3 helicopters and we were triangulated.  They were sideways, gun door open, and the three "60s" had an airman in sunglasses touching the machine gun pointed upwards.  Afterwards it seemed we all thought we knew what they were thinking, "If they gave the orders, would I shoot."  And I believe that in 1991 some would not fire on unarmed people.

We all got into cars and caravaned to a missile silo, which had been stood down. The days of cutting open the chain on the fence of a nuclear missile site and 70 people going on site and none being arrested are long gone.  Welcome to the anthropocene. 






TerryM

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6002
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #136 on: February 24, 2017, 07:48:20 AM »
WOW


I've been in some tights during protests, but nothing to compare.


Stay Lucky
Terry

Gray-Wolf

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 948
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 131
  • Likes Given: 458
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #137 on: February 24, 2017, 01:53:27 PM »
My 17 year old daughter went along to an anti trump demo as the UK parliament were debating his visit. It was her first political demo.

would any other person have caused such global outpourings?

If anything Trump is radicalising millions around the world. Folk who would not consider themselves political are attending rallies. Who else would have caused such a reaction?

Advantage out of adversity eh?
KOYAANISQATSI

ko.yaa.nis.katsi (from the Hopi language), n. 1. crazy life. 2. life in turmoil. 3. life disintegrating. 4. life out of balance. 5. a state of life that calls for another way of living.
 
VIRESCIT VULNERE VIRTUS

TerryM

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6002
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #138 on: February 25, 2017, 12:12:09 PM »
My 17 year old daughter went along to an anti trump demo as the UK parliament were debating his visit. It was her first political demo.

would any other person have caused such global outpourings?

If anything Trump is radicalising millions around the world. Folk who would not consider themselves political are attending rallies. Who else would have caused such a reaction?

Advantage out of adversity eh?


Kennedy was killed in my 17th year.


It's a great time in life to gain awareness that things are not always as we have been told.


Wish her my best
Terry

Pmt111500

  • Guest
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #139 on: February 26, 2017, 06:55:23 AM »
Is that guy Happer really equating the souls of jews and carbon dioxide? Does carbon dioxide have a soul? I'm not familiar with the Trumpistan Religion, that's why the question.
The reference:
https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/02/25/trump-potential-science-adviser-will-happer-carbon-dioxide-demonized-jews

TerryM

  • First-year ice
  • Posts: 6002
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 893
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #140 on: February 26, 2017, 08:27:22 AM »
Is that guy Happer really equating the souls of jews and carbon dioxide? Does carbon dioxide have a soul? I'm not familiar with the Trumpistan Religion, that's why the question.
The reference:
https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/02/25/trump-potential-science-adviser-will-happer-carbon-dioxide-demonized-jews
Geriatrics and science make strange bedfellows.


The upside may be that at 77, he won't be subject to early onset Alzheimer's.  ::)


Terry

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #141 on: February 26, 2017, 03:08:14 PM »
Sciencegurl:  Trying to figure out why so many male scientists are all "don't say anything or organize. Just put your head down & it will all be fine".
https://twitter.com/sciencegurlz0/status/835556276406988800

See the Twitter link for the whole thread.  Excerpt:

Quote
And I think it is bc that is true for them. They've never had to 'fight' to have a legitimate place in this field.

No one has ever questioned whether they should even be at the table making decisions. They don't get silenced just for who they are.

Marginalized groups KNOW that if we don't force our way to the table we will NEVER get invited.

We know that even our place at that table is questioned. For instance, if a white man gets a job then it is bc he is qualified.

If a person from a marginalized group gets a job it is bc they "probably want to increase diversity".

I'm the only women PI in my deparmtent & people who I love have even suggested that I just had to be competent to be hired bc 'diversity'.

Which pretty much says, "I don't know if you actually belong here but it looks good on paper to have you here."

Now that scientists have been labeled by our admin as a group that doesn't deserve a voice, men who have never dealt with that have no clue

They think that pushing back is seen as disruptive & polarizing bc they have never had to do it.

They don't realize the reason they're seeing those who don't look like them across the table is bc we have done just that our entire career.

So, no. Staying silent is not going to help. If you want a voice then you have to scream it as loud as you can....



People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #142 on: March 05, 2017, 09:18:32 PM »
You Can Now Access The EPA Website As It Existed Before Trump
Now we'll know what the government thought about climate change when it still believed in it.
Quote
"The Web Snapshot consists of static content, such as web pages and reports in Portable Document Format (PDF), as that content appeared on EPA's website as of January 19, 2017," according to a statement on the mirror site. Live databases and large information sources are not mirrored, so if you want those, you should grab them from the regular EPA site right now; the mirror site provides links.
https://www.fastcoexist.com/3068319/you-can-now-access-the-epa-website-as-it-existed-before-trump
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 25753
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 1153
  • Likes Given: 430
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #143 on: March 08, 2017, 01:25:22 PM »
The EPA’s Science Office Removed “Science” From Its Mission Statement
Quote
...Some worry these changes signal the EPA’s new direction—one that prioritizes business interests over public health and science—under new Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has close ties to fossil-fuel companies. Pruitt didn’t mention public health once in his first speech to agency employees, instead focusing on improving the EPA’s relationship with private interests. In a tweet after his speech, Pruitt said he was committed to working with several types of  “stakeholders” on environmental stewardship. He did not mention environmentalists as one of those stakeholders.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a science advocacy organization, shares EDGI’s concerns. “The role of the EPA is to protect public health and safety,” said Andrew Rosenberg, Director of UCS’s Center for Science and Democracy. “So what you want a science office to do is make sure you’re using the best science available, and what’s safe for the public. That’s a pretty critical role.”

Rosenberg said it would be a “major change in direction” if the EPA stopped prioritizing the best science and focused instead on what’s most “economically achievable” for businesses. “I think we have to be very mindful,” he said. “It seems like this EPA and this administration broadly seem to view their job as being a support for business as opposed to safeguarding public health.”
https://newrepublic.com/article/141174/epas-science-office-removed-science-mission-statement
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

cesium62

  • Frazil ice
  • Posts: 330
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 33
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #144 on: March 09, 2017, 11:03:55 AM »
Quote
One thing that climate and environmental science in general (and the environment itself) is, is global. Who knows what the consequences will be if Trump succeeds in ripping apart the US environmental science fabric.

What has this "climate and environmental science" effectively done to reverse ANYTHING?

We can only be observers as this runaway train is speeding into the abyss.
Of course, You're free to believe You can shout at the tide not to come in- by coming up with more and more observational data.
Or blame one particular leader.

[Responding here as this thread seems more on-topic than the freezing thread...]

Climate and environmental science establish cause and effect and measure change.  It provides the framework in which one can successfully make predictions about how changes today will affect the future.  The science informs what policies can stop this runaway train.

Ripping apart the science implies not attempting policies to halt the widespread changes we make to the environment.  When we all need to work together to move in the right direction, those moving in the wrong direction not only impede progress, but also sap the will of the weak.

gerontocrat

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 20370
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 5289
  • Likes Given: 69
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #145 on: March 09, 2017, 01:10:39 PM »
Quote
One thing that climate and environmental science in general (and the environment itself) is, is global. Who knows what the consequences will be if Trump succeeds in ripping apart the US environmental science fabric.

What has this "climate and environmental science" effectively done to reverse ANYTHING?

We can only be observers as this runaway train is speeding into the abyss.
Of course, You're free to believe You can shout at the tide not to come in- by coming up with more and more observational data.
Or blame one particular leader.

[Responding here as this thread seems more on-topic than the freezing thread...]

Climate and environmental science establish cause and effect and measure change.  It provides the framework in which one can successfully make predictions about how changes today will affect the future.  The science informs what policies can stop this runaway train.

Ripping apart the science implies not attempting policies to halt the widespread changes we make to the environment.  When we all need to work together to move in the right direction, those moving in the wrong direction not only impede progress, but also sap the will of the weak.

That we have a renewables industry is because climate science paved the way. There are some kids in the USA suing the government using climate data.

Maybe it will not be enough but one has to try. But without data there is no chance at all to prevent or at least reduce runaway climate change.

"Para a Causa do Povo a Luta Continua!"
"And that's all I'm going to say about that". Forrest Gump
"Damn, I wanted to see what happened next" (Epitaph)

pileus

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 536
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 45
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #146 on: March 09, 2017, 04:47:09 PM »
No surprise and we all knew this was coming, but EPA chief Scott Pruitt stated during a live TV interview that he believes CO2 is not the primary contributor to global warming.

Here is a statement from the Sierra Club

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/03/statement-pruitt-misled-congress-co2-senators-should-demand-he-be-removed-his

crandles

  • Young ice
  • Posts: 3379
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 239
  • Likes Given: 81
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #147 on: March 09, 2017, 05:37:12 PM »
No surprise and we all knew this was coming, but EPA chief Scott Pruitt stated during a live TV interview that he believes CO2 is not the primary contributor to global warming.

Here is a statement from the Sierra Club

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/03/statement-pruitt-misled-congress-co2-senators-should-demand-he-be-removed-his

The ref for misleading congress seems to be

Quote
The greenhouse gas effect traps outgoing longwave radiation causing a
radiative imbalance of Earth, ultimately leading to the warming of the globe.
...
•Do you disagree that additional greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, such
as carbon dioxide, will cause a smaller magnitude outgoing longwave radiation to
escape to space? Please explain.
•Do you disagree that the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil or natural gas, cause
carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere? Please explain.
•Do you disagree that if fossil fuels were not extracted and burned, less carbon
dioxide would be released into the atmosphere? Please explain.
•Therefore, is it possible, if not probable, that humans releasing greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere could cause more heat to be trapped by the
atmosphere? Please explain.

Answer
 I will work to ensure that any regulatory actions are based on
the most up to date and objective scientific data, including the ever-evolving
understanding of the impact increasing greenhouse gases have on our
changing climate.

Hmm, is there a few defences possible here:
I will work to ensure that, but in the meantime I haven't yet had time absorb all the nuances of the science and when I state my opinions that isn't a regulatory action so there is no contradiction.

Saying he believes in 'ever-evolving understanding' seems like it might be code for I don't believe the science is settled.

Perhaps it is more this part of the answer:
Quote
I also believe the Administrator has an important role when it comes to the regulation of carbon dioxide, which I will fulfill consistent with Massachusetts v. EPA and the agency's Endangerment Finding on Greenhouse Gases respective of the applicable statutory framework established by Congress.

Can stating such an opinion be regarded as separate from 'role when it comes to the regulation of carbon dioxide'? Possibly not?

gerontocrat

  • Multi-year ice
  • Posts: 20370
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 5289
  • Likes Given: 69
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #148 on: March 09, 2017, 05:40:20 PM »
Herewith an assault on science  NOT down to Trump. As NSIDC has written in its Feb 2017 summary we are in high risk of losing polar sea ice data. Not  a Trump decision directly but read on .......

These satellites belong to the USAF. This shambles has been rumbling on for 2+ years. Congress Armed Services Committee rules, OK. Space News has stuff about it.

It seems USAF expects Indian, Korean, Japanese and European satellites to fill the gap. Also expects other US agencies to send up satellites (e.g.s NASA & NOAA).

WHOOPS ?


"Para a Causa do Povo a Luta Continua!"
"And that's all I'm going to say about that". Forrest Gump
"Damn, I wanted to see what happened next" (Epitaph)

pileus

  • Grease ice
  • Posts: 536
    • View Profile
  • Liked: 45
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Trump Administration Assaults on Science and the Environment
« Reply #149 on: March 09, 2017, 06:17:28 PM »
No surprise and we all knew this was coming, but EPA chief Scott Pruitt stated during a live TV interview that he believes CO2 is not the primary contributor to global warming.

Here is a statement from the Sierra Club

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/03/statement-pruitt-misled-congress-co2-senators-should-demand-he-be-removed-his

The ref for misleading congress seems to be

Quote
The greenhouse gas effect traps outgoing longwave radiation causing a
radiative imbalance of Earth, ultimately leading to the warming of the globe.
...
•Do you disagree that additional greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, such
as carbon dioxide, will cause a smaller magnitude outgoing longwave radiation to
escape to space? Please explain.
•Do you disagree that the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil or natural gas, cause
carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere? Please explain.
•Do you disagree that if fossil fuels were not extracted and burned, less carbon
dioxide would be released into the atmosphere? Please explain.
•Therefore, is it possible, if not probable, that humans releasing greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere could cause more heat to be trapped by the
atmosphere? Please explain.

Answer
 I will work to ensure that any regulatory actions are based on
the most up to date and objective scientific data, including the ever-evolving
understanding of the impact increasing greenhouse gases have on our
changing climate.

Hmm, is there a few defences possible here:
I will work to ensure that, but in the meantime I haven't yet had time absorb all the nuances of the science and when I state my opinions that isn't a regulatory action so there is no contradiction.

Saying he believes in 'ever-evolving understanding' seems like it might be code for I don't believe the science is settled.

Perhaps it is more this part of the answer:
Quote
I also believe the Administrator has an important role when it comes to the regulation of carbon dioxide, which I will fulfill consistent with Massachusetts v. EPA and the agency's Endangerment Finding on Greenhouse Gases respective of the applicable statutory framework established by Congress.

Can stating such an opinion be regarded as separate from 'role when it comes to the regulation of carbon dioxide'? Possibly not?

It's unlikely that he will held to account for any of his statements during confirmation.  The consequences for lying to congress either under oath or not have magically shifted with the current version of the GOP.  They will be too busy investigating Obama, Hillary, and the past DOJ.

And we will likely see his statement about the "most up to date and objective scientific evidence" turn into a parade of "science" from the fringe right wing and denial sphere being mainstreamed in the public square, to replace actual science and to assualt the 97%+ consensus body of understanding.  They will also try to enshrine denialism and doubt into public education, and across society. 

And all along, physics will not care one bit.