Sierra Rayne

Measles, Skepticism, Science, and Real Conservatism

In the ongoing debate among conservatives over vaccination programs -- in which case the measles are often used as a case study by both sides -- two distinct issues are getting muddled: (1) whether or not the government should have vaccination programs (either mandatory or optional); and (2) whether or not vaccination programs have been successful.

Potential Problems With Risky Climate Projections

By now, most readers have heard of the Risky Business Project which describes itself as follows:

The Risky Business of Extreme Heat Hysteria

The Risky Business Project led by Michael Bloomberg, Henry Paulson, and Tom Steyer recently released its report on "The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States." The project's co-chairs have all been out in the media promoting the project's report, and -- like sheep -- the mainstream media have generally been uncritical of the report's claims.

Risky Business Fantasizing About Extremely Hot Days in the Northeast

The Risky Business Project -- a partnership between Michael Bloomberg, Henry Paulson, and Tom Steyer -- has released its report on "Risky Business: The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States."

Carbon Tax Lovers' Utopia of Denmark Heads Into the Economic Toilet

Denmark is often held up as the utopia for carbon tax lovers. Economists such as Jeff Rubin -- former CIBC World Markets chief economist -- ask questions like the following, and then conveniently answer them for us:

Peak Oil Production Nowhere in Sight

Having shown that the end of oil is -- as always -- still many decades away, and that our discovery of new global oil reserves has consistency outpaced increasing production rates over the past several decades, we can turn our attention towards debunking the omnipresent peak oil hysteria.

End of Oil and Gas Still Many Decades Away

With the June 16 release of the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2014, there is some continuing good news. The end of oil and natural gas is still at least a half-century or more away. The reserves-to-production (R/P) ratios for both fossil fuels are well above 50 years.

Anomalies in the Global Temperature Anomaly

Mother Jones is at it again. According to Chris Mooney's latest article,

Tony Abbott, Stephen Harper, and Climate Change

The Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is currently in Canada visiting with the Canadian PM Stephen Harper. Apparently the topic of conversation has turned to climate change and carbon taxation.

Ignoring Statistical Significance to Promote Climate Alarmism

Canada's Climate Incoherence

Discussions over climate change in the media and by politicians are ramping up to new levels of incoherence following the release of the National Climate Assessment and the Obama administration's push towards greater regulation of atmospheric carbon emissions.

Setting the Record Straight on Denver's Crime Statistics

In a recent opinion piece for the Washington Times, Michael Taube makes some unusual statements about crime in Denver, Colorado after the state legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational use on January 1st of this year. Taube claims the following:

Conflict in Syria and the Climate Change Narrative

According to Nafeez Ahmed at The Guardian, "the age of climate warfare is here. The military-industrial complex is ready. Are you?"

Hot Times in the American Southeast?

The National Climate Assessment's section on the American Southeast reads like a climate apocalypse. In this section is likely the most bizarre prediction I've seen yet in reviewing the NCA.

Fantasizing over Hot Days in the American Northeast

In the National Climate Assessment's section on climate change impacts for the US Northeast region, the following claims are made:

No Increase in Global Drought Over Past 30 Years

A recent paper published in the Nature Publishing Group's journal Scientific Data has quantified the fraction of the global land surface in varying degrees of drought since 1982. Here is the figure of interest:

Climate Hysteria and Breakfast Cereals

Oxfam's latest report on getting food and beverage companies to fight climate change leaves much to be desired

Problems in the National Climate Assessment's Evaluation of Energy System Risks

The energy sector is one of the largest and most fundamental components of the American economy. For those reasons, the National Climate Assessment's highly climate alarmist section on energy supply and use leaves much to be desired. Interestingly, one of the two lead convening authors for this chapter is from a major fossil fuel company.

Any Way You Want It: Australian Climate Modeling

When the movie Rock of Ages was released in 2012, it regenerated interest in a classic song by Journey entitled "Any Way You Want It." The following line from the song applies to climate modeling predictions for precipitation in much of Australia:

Climate Hysteria Down Under

Being a resident of the Northern Hemisphere, all I seem to hear about climate change Down Under is that (1) Tony Abbott is the Great Satan for his very reasonable skepticism over climate hysteria, and (2) much of Australia is turning into a dustbowl and a tinderbox due to a lack of precipitation brought on by anthropogenic climate change.