Big Oil Praises Latest Obama Cave on EPA Regs.

by TomP

The caves keep coming.  The Obama adminstration is delaying new rules governing smog and toxic emissions from industrial boilers, and keeping the Bush standards for now.  Big Oil loves it, but wants even more.  

The Obama administration is retreating on long-delayed environmental regulations — new rules governing smog and toxic emissions from industrial boilers — as it adjusts to a changed political dynamic in Washington with a more muscular Republican opposition.

The move to delay the rules, announced this week by the Environmental Protection Agency, will leave in place policies set by President George W. Bush. President Obama ran for office promising tougher standards, and the new rules were set to take effect over the next several weeks.

snip

But in a striking turnabout, the National Association of Manufacturers and the  American Petroleum Institute — which have been anything but friendly to Mr. Obama — are praising his administration.

NY Times: E.P.A. Delays Tougher Rules on Emissions

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US Green Energy Fail

by Steven D

Here's we in the United States should be doing now to keep up with the rest of the world's investment in research and development of green energy technologies:

The United States needs to more than triple its spending on energy research, development and demonstration projects, from about $5 billion now to $16 billion, and should review  national energy policy every four years, an advisory group of scientists and engineers said in a report to President Obama this week.

The US is falling behind almost every other major developed country in the world.  Look at this chart from 2007 that shows R & D spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product:

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In 1956 Physicist Said CO2 Causes Climate Change

by Steven D

Who knew Al Gore didn't invent man made global warming created by greenhouse gases as part of a scheme to destroy America and mach himself and a few greedy scientists rich?  Well, Scientists back in the 1950's knew, that's who.  When Al Gore was 8 years old this news recording was made demonstrating a John Hopkin's physicist, Gilbert Plass, was already speaking out about global warming as a result of industrial activity.  Here's a GE radio show explaining Plass' research:

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Jobs Hell! GOP Attacks Climate, Scientists and EPA

by Steven D

Everybody expects there will be a host of Congressional subpoenas flying as soon as the next Congress is seated to investigate -- whatever. And first up to feel the wrath of the coming Republican inquisition may very well be any scientist who works  in the field of climate science.  

According to Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic, the House Republicans, likely led by Joe Barton, ranking member of the Energy Committee and its presumptive new Chair, or Darell Issa, intends to hold hearing to investigate scientific fraud concerning global warming.

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GOP Wrong: Green Means More Jobs Now

by Steven D

Who could have predicted that while other manufacturing jobs declined, jobs in green industries increased in California, the state with some of the toughest environmental laws?  What a shock, eh?

In a study released Wednesday, Palo Alto-based nonprofit Next 10 and Collaborative Economics Inc. of Mountain View found that manufacturing jobs in the state's green sector grew by 19 percent between 1995 and 2008.

The increase came at the same time that overall manufacturing jobs in California tumbled 9 percent.

Furthermore, who could have known that venture capitalists, seeing California's "friendly" climate for green technologies would invest billions of dollars into growing that part of California's manufacturing sector?

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Arnold calls out the Big Oil Front Groups in dramatic fashion

by jamess

I couldn't believe my ears.  Did Arnold just change from Red to Blue ?

Or maybe it was just a deeper shade of Green.

Schwarzenegger defends climate law, slams Texans
Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer, SFGate -- Sep 28, 2010

The governor's vehement defense of the climate legislation commonly referred to as AB32 comes amid a fierce campaign led by oil interests to win passage in November of Proposition 23, a ballot measure that calls for suspending the climate law until the jobless rate hits 5.5 percent for a year, a level achieved only three times in 40 years.

Schwarzenegger, speaking before several hundred people at the Commonwealth Club in Santa Clara, said the proponents of Prop. 23 are attempting to subvert the democratic process using scare tactics. He likened the campaign to a shell game hiding what he said was the real purpose: "self-serving greed."

"They are creating a shell argument that they are doing this to protect jobs," the governor said. "Does anybody really believe they are doing this out of the goodness of their black oil hearts - spending millions and millions of dollars to save jobs?"

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Don't Let Big Oil Kill Clean Energy in California

by Steven D

Proposition 23 is the referendum measure in California which would eliminate suspend the state law, the Global Warming Solutions Act (a/k/a AB 32), that calls for lowering California's greenhouse gas emissions until California's unemployment rate hits 5.5% (well that is effectively the elimination of the law).  That law was passed with Republican Arnold Schwartzenegger's active support in 2006.

Not too long ago the polls indicated that Californians rejected Proposition 23 by roughly a 60 to 40 margin.  That was back at the end of July.  Now however, since the infusion of big corporate cash and ad buys from Big Oil, such as the Koch Brothers (which I wrote about HERE), a new poll has been released are showing that the likely voters who are willing to vote for Prop 23 is now roughly equal to those opposed to its passage.

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Reality vs. Politics: Climate Change & Mass Extinction

by Steven D

extinction [ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən]

1. the act of making extinct or the state of being extinct

2. the act of extinguishing or the state of being extinguished

3. complete destruction; annihilation

In the abstract, merely a word that describes the process or the state of complete eradication of some class of things or processes.  In biology, those things which can suffer from extinction are living organisms: that is, plants and animals.

We are currently living through a period of one of the greatest mass extinctions in history.  And the rate of extinction is the greatest in recorded history, thousands of times greater than at any time since the mass extinction event that triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs.  

The title to this September 17th Reuters article, World examines "impossible" goal to halt extinctions is as ominous as it is blunt:

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Koch's Greed Could Kill CA Climate Change Law

by Steven D

It should come to no one's surprise that two of the wealthiest men in America, Charles and David Koch, who just happen to own Koch Industries, a holding company with major investments in the Oil and Gas Industry are attempting to defeat, for their own grubby little purposes landmark climate change legislation in California.  If they succeed it will be a major setback to (1) responsible action regarding the threat of climate change, (2) the development of green industries and jobs, (3) weaning ourselves from dependence on foreign sources of dirty fossil fuels and (4)environmental protection:

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We Need Clean Energy Jobs Now

by Congressman Paul Hodes

Yesterday, we learned that another oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully, nobody was hurt and no oil has leaked into the Gulf as a result of the explosion.

But this most recent explosion happened less than five months after the tragic explosion at BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which killed 11 workers, dumped 4.9 billion barrels of oil into our waters and wreaked havoc on the local economies of Gulf communities.

The most dangerous thing these spills have in common is this: there were warnings that disaster might occur. Just like BP, Mariner Energy, who owns the oil rig that exploded yesterday, was cited for two safety violations in the past six months alone.

It’s clear now, more than ever, that we need to rethink America’s energy strategy.  We need to rethink the way we power our economy.

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Exxon continues funding climate denial, 3 years after promise not to

by Keith Pickering

The multi-million dollar pipeline from Exxon-Mobil to the climate denial noise machine has continued unabated, 3 years after the company promised not to fund climate deniers any longer.

Big Business, lying?

Is anyone surprised?

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Gulf Citizens show their 'Signs of Trouble'

by jamess

Gallery: Signs of trouble
Oil spill victims find an outlet for anger about the crisis and resentment toward BP.

» LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

A WashingtonPost Photo Gallery ... for many more, Citizen Statements, in art.

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BP has a Jobs Plan -- They want to Buy the Scientists

by jamess

BP buys up Gulf scientists for legal defense, roiling academic community
Ben Raines, Press-Register -- July 16, 2010

More than one scientist interviewed by the Press-Register described being offered $250 an hour through BP lawyers. At eight hours a week, that amounts to $104,000 a year.
[...]
The contract makes it clear that BP is seeking to add scientists to the legal team that will fight the Natural Resources Damage Assessment lawsuit that the federal government will bring as a result of the Gulf oil spill.

Is it their Scientific Expertise, that they want --

Or their Scientific Silence?

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Stop Big Oil Bailouts

by thinkingblue

A friend posted this as a facebook entry:

I know - petitions are a pain -- but before you give up on them, sign this one. Please, pretty please -- for our future which hangs in the balance. Remember: Big Oil is not our friend. Ditto for banks, doctors, insurance companies, brokers, etc. ad nauseum. Maddi

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BP withholding Payments, to Prevent Fraud

by jamess

Ed Schultz was stunned by the recent about face of BP --

First they promise to make everyone whole --
Now they are saying hold on, there a minute partner --
Where are your Papers?

Ed Schultz -- BP: Broken Promises -- Fisherman Not Getting Paid

summarized transcript over the fold

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California: Break the Oil Addiction Cycle

by Ella Arnold

For weeks on end we have watched our dependence on Big Oil cause the greatest environmental disaster this country has ever seen. We have been horrified by pictures like this. We have been saddened by the stories of all of the Gulf Coast residents who have lost their jobs and are now struggling to make ends meet. And we have been angered by the ineptitude of the BP executives who allowed this tragedy to happen and could not care less if the Gulf Coast ever recovers.

The attitude of corporate greed and environmental irresponsibility has once again reared its ugly head, this time in the state of California, where on Monday, a deceptive ballot initiative called the California Jobs Initiative qualified for the state's November ballot.

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GOP celebrates Gulf disaster

by Joan McCarter

The gods of sloppy e-mailing smiled upon HuffPo today, when GOP communication strategists accidentally included the outlet in a series of e-mails crowing about the fantastic PR that Bobby Jindal got today. The specific news report that had party operatives celebrating was a local Fox Channel 8 report on an event held by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal calling on President Obama to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. "Watch the video -- you can't beg for a better package than that," writes a top Louisiana GOP spokesman to a communications staffer at the Republican National Committee. "Good perspective on moratorium from the gov and locals." The package is, to be sure, a PR coup. Jindal, local officials and workers worried about the effect of the moratorium rip into Obama, pleading with him to reconsider. Peter Duet, in a thick Louisiana accent, tells the assembled crowd that he is a single father and that his daughter recently asked him why he works so much at Port Fourchon. "Baby, so daddy can take you to Wal-Mart and buy you toys," he says, explaining that he won't be able to buy his daughter toys -- or food, for that matter -- if Obama doesn't reverse his decision. "This is literally all that is being talked about in the Gulf -- gives good perspective," writes the RNC official, looping in a number of other RNC operatives, along with HuffPost. In every crisis is an opportunity, but only Republicans could be making political hay out of the destruction of the Gulf Coast ecosystem and the way of life of fishermen, oystermen, shrimpers, tour-boat operators, restauranteurs, and many more by attacking Obama. There's no question that the oil industry has been important to the region's economy. There's also little question that the oil industry is now in the process of destroying a huge chunk the Gulf economy. You could also conclude that the GOP communication strategists might as well be Big Oil communication strategists. These e-mails show that the Republican National Committee certainly shares the goals of Big Oil--lifting the moratorium and damn the Gulf Coast and all of its people.

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The Zombie Lies of Climate Change Skeptics (Chicago Trib. ed.)

by Steven D

Want examples on how mercenary Climate Skeptics distort the truth and use the same old lies to further their agenda?  Lies that have been disproved over and over again but keep popping out of their graves like zombies.  Look no further than the Chicago Tribune on June 1st:

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I didn't run today

by hold tight

(Cross-posted on my blog Natural History Now) I didn't run today. I'm a wuss. I was signed up for a 5k with the Evaro Mountain Challenge ('dogs must have their owners on leash'), a fund-raiser for the Evaro Community Center. The low last night was 36 (degrees F), and the forecast temperature at noon was 42 with a high of 50 this afternoon. Late this morning here at home in Florence, we had a rain and snow shower, although the temperature was in the upper 40's. I have been fixated on temperatures and running for quite some time now.

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