SmartPlanet: Gap in Weather Satellites [While Secret World Spends Madly]

In the future, Hurricane Sandy is invisible By Tyler Falk | October 28, 2012, 7:28 AM PDT With 60 million people expected to be impacted by Hurricane Sandy, days of advanced notice have allowed the New York governor to issue a state of emergency, evacuations to take place along the Atlantic coast, and (at least …

Chuck Spinney: USGS Intelligence with Integrity on Climate Change

Below is a USGS press release describing some fascinating geological research into the effects of climate change — a huge drought — on the demise of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom around 4200 years ago.  This is one extreme climate event occurred well before man contributed significant CO2 to the atmosphere.  It is also a interesting example …

Dophin: Intelligent Life at Washington Post (Blog) — True Costs Snapshot

Every once in a while, there is a flash of intelligence at The Washington Post. This short blog illuminates both the true costs of various options around carbon emissions, and the importance of considering “360 degree” trade-offs. Sucking carbon dioxide out of the air: Neat idea, but impractical Posted by Brad Plumer at 03:01 PM …

Chuck Spinney: Investigating NATO’s War Crimes Against Libya

Investigations Around Libya NATO’S Craven Coverup of Its Libyan Bombing by VIJAY PRASHAD, Counterpunch, March 15, 2012 Ten days into the uprising in Benghazi, Libya, the United Nations’ Human Rights Council established the International Commission of Inquiry on Libya. The purpose of the Commission was to “investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in …

John Robb: Libertarians Give Up Sea, Focus on Honduras

Libertarian seasteaders give up on the sea, focus on autonomous regions starting with Honduras. Former “Seasteaders” Come Ashore To Start Libertarian Utopias In Honduran Jungle Forgoing the plan to build independent floating cities away from chafing laws, some libertarians—led by Milton Friedman’s grandson, no less—have found something better: desperate countries willing to allow the founding …

David Brin: Three-Quarters Climate Change Man-Made

Three-Quarters of Climate Change Is Man-Made An independent study quantifies the human and natural contributions, with solar radiation contributing only minimally Quinn Schiermeier and Nature Magazine Scientific American, 5 december 2011 Natural climate variability is extremely unlikely to have contributed more than about one-quarter of the temperature rise observed in the past 60 years, reports …