Fire up those "adjustments" to the models.

Professor Dr. Jan Esper's group at the Institute of Geography at JGU used tree-ring density measurements from sub-fossil pine trees originating from Finnish Lapland to produce a reconstruction reaching back to 138 BC.

In so doing, the researchers have been able for the first time to precisely demonstrate that the long-term trend over the past two millennia has been towards climatic cooling.

But note: The trend is faint as hell over 2000 years.

‘We found that previous estimates of historical temperatures during the Roman era and the Middle Ages were too low,’ says Esper. ‘Such findings are also significant with regard to climate policy, as they will influence the way today's climate changes are seen in context of historical warm periods.’

Honestly, no they won't. Religion cares not for the whims of science.

Thanks to OgreGunner.

Posted by: Ace at 01:40 PM | Comments (276)
Post contains 169 words, total size 1 kb.

Bipartisan, bitches.

The CNN headline says the move is a "purely political gesture." Here's the full CNN headline: "In a purely political gesture, House Republicans vote to repeal President Obama's signature health care reform law. "

That's not even the most biased headline on ObamaTax you'll read today.

At Politico, five governors have declared they won't expand Medicaid per ObamaTax's requirement (a requirement struck down by the Supreme Court).

How does Politico report the news that five southern governors indicated their decision?

Southern governors secede from Medicaid

Secede, I get it. Like the Civil War. Because they hate blacks.

Because, you know, opposition to ObamaTax is racially "intolerant."

more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:37 PM | Comments (232)
Post contains 154 words, total size 2 kb.

I saw Morris talking about this last night. He's a smart man, but I don't know if he's right about this in all of its particulars. I don't think a treaty can abridge a freedom guaranteed to US citizens.

But who knows what a weak man like Justice Roberts is willing to say to keep the NYT being nice to him.

Either way, I'm against it.

Now, per Morris, and per the article linked below, the Senate will not pass this. However, Morris warns, the Senate will not even consider it until the lame duck session-- and so, for six or seven months, Obama can behave as if the treaty is in effect.

more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:18 PM | Comments (238)
Post contains 331 words, total size 2 kb.

What? Huh?

Yup.

Just so you understand: Some people in the area afflicted by the derecho went without power for a week. People were, understandably, hopping mad at the power companies for taking so long to get the juice turned back on.

Turns out, they're the real victims, and will be billing customers a special charge for the power they didn't/couldn't use.

Some of you [in Maryland] will see an extra charge in your next electric bill because Pepco and BGE lost money when they couldn't charge customers to deliver power during the storm outage.

...

Only regulators in Maryland allow utilities to recoup lost billings by invoicing customers directly.

"Not good. Not good at all, that's not a good thing," said Maryland power customer Alice Jenkins "I must call Pepco and ask them about that."

"It's the law," said Pepco spokesman Bob Hainey. "It's called bill stabilization."

Hainey asked whether this reporter was capable of understanding the online explanation at Pepco.com of the Bill Stabilization Adjustment and declined to comment when he realized he was on the record.

"I'm not talking anymore," Hainey said. "I hear you typing."

Thanks to @benk84

Posted by: Ace at 11:10 AM | Comments (381)
Post contains 234 words, total size 2 kb.

Ding.

Video at the Blaze, with some kind of "Magic Mike" parody of Obama (Note: I have no idea what the hell this is). Then some gags:

Well the record-breaking heat that has been affecting the rest of the country now is starting to hit Los Angeles,” Leno began, “I was sweating like President Obama trying to spin the latest unemployment numbers!”

“It was so hot, Eric Holder was smuggling water pistols,” he continued. “That’s how hot it was!”

I'm always curious about what the actual American public knows, obviously. We don't count. We're mutants. We know a lot. We follow this every day (well, not weekends for me, and not before the crack of two!).

But what do non-mutants know?

Based on this they seem to know about Fast and Furious, seem to understand there's something wrong there, and seem to know that the story about unemployment is not the media's preferred "We're still adding jobs, how great is that?!"

So that's something.

Speaking of funny: Mary Katharine Ham's introduction at Hot Air is pretty funny.

Finally: Blogger works for site everyone always thought she worked for anyway

...

As for what I’ll be able to accomplish here, I think we can safely say that we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals.

I just ask that you never hold me accountable for any of that. Cool? Cool.

Posted by: Ace at 10:37 AM | Comments (163)
Post contains 323 words, total size 2 kb.

So Mitt Romney went to talk to the NAACP today. I didn't see the whole speech but it seemed like reasonably good stuff. He focused on family, jobs and education. I didn't see but there were reports he received a good bit of applause when he promised to defend traditional marriage.

Of course the media will not be focusing on that or the applause for charter schools, his invocations of faith or anything else. No, they will focus exclusively on his being booed for saying he'd repeal ObamaCare and that he will do better for blacks than Obama has.

While that sort of hackery is to be expected, a couple of outlets are going well over the line.

First, ABC News is all in on Obama (warning auto playing video).

After focusing on the booing, ABC drops in this little nugget.

Romney, a white Mormon whose father ran for president when blacks weren't even allowed to join the priesthood, told Obama's most reliable supporters that they have been let down by the country's first black president.

Well then.

If fathers and religion are on the table, I look forward to discussing the polygamy of Barack Obama Sr. and the racism of Jeremiah Wright. Oh wait, we can't do that.

The added bonus to the auto-play video on the ABC site? Each time Ive opened it up, it starts with an Obama ad hitting Romney.

Next is Donna Brazil. She says Romney shouldn't be surprised he was booed, after all "ObamaCare" is a derogatory term (video below the fold).

This of course will come as a surprise to Obama's campaign team.

Aside from Romney applause lines, what will the media ignore? Obama doesn't have the guts to go to a hostile crowd like this and give a speech. In fact, Obama won't even be addressing the NAACP convention. You'd think sending Job Biden in his place would be enough to turn them against him but it's probably not. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 08:31 AM | Comments (386)
Post contains 366 words, total size 3 kb.

OK, having made a jackass out of myself posting a premature death notice in the last thread, here's a great video I pulled from the sidebar a few days ago. It deserves to be distributed far and wide. It succinctly points out everything wrong with socialized medicine in general and Obamacare in particular in a little over 7 minutes.

Peter O'Toole approves this message.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 08:09 AM | Comments (61)
Post contains 70 words, total size 1 kb.

The Narrative takes a kick in the gut.

The average tax rates for American households reached a historical low in 2009, according to a report issued by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Indeed, federal taxes for American households averaged 17.4 percent in 2009, a historical low over the 1979 to 2009 period.

...

Those with the most income were hit the hardest: the four lowest income quintilesÂ’ before-tax average income dropped by five percent or less. But among the richest 20 percent, before-tax income dropped by 18 percent; in the top one percent, income fell 36 percent.

Further, those who made the most income also paid the greatest amount in taxes.

The highest quintile of income earners paid for 67.9 percent of all federal taxes paid by households, while the middle quintile paid 9.4 percent and the lowest quintile 0.3 percent.

Via lefty Adam Serwer who didn't seem to actually read the story.

Liberals love to point out that federal taxes are at a historically low level. They conveniently forget to note that it's because the economy is in the trash. How exactly increasing taxes on people doing relatively less well than before is going to create economic growth is a mystery whose answer is known only to people who think Paul Krugman is a fount of economic wisdom.

Speaking of Obama's tax hikes....Mitch McConnell offered Harry Reid a deal today. Two votes, one on Obama's tax hikes and another on the GOP plan to keep the current rates. Reid objected, thus blocking the vote Obama says he wants (but vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection this year are deathly afraid of).

Amazingly, Reid said the offer a vote was a filibuster. You can't make this stuff up.

Of course the predictable MSM spin will be: McConnell was simply pulling a stunt and the Republicans are responsible for all the gridlock in DC.

Related enough: Buzzfeed's Zeke Miller wonders "Can Barack Obama Win The Tax Fight Again?" To which I'd reply. "when did he win it before?".

Miller's point seems to be that Obama ran on tax hikes in 08 and won so that means the public is ok with tax hikes in general. I guess that makes sense if you're an Obama shill and think the only issue in the last election was taxes. Hint: It wasn't.

Personally, I'd look at point in time when the only issue on the table was tax hikes and see how things worked out. As you might recall, in 2010 (after the GOP midterm wins but while Congress was still controlled by Democrats) Obama agreed to an extension of the evil "Bush Tax Cuts". Not sure how that's a win.

Of course, be sure to check out Miller's hard hitting follow-up, "Obama Eats Ice Cream With A Spoon". Seriously.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:39 AM | Comments (223)
Post contains 508 words, total size 4 kb.

Happy Wednesday.

No news from me this morning. If you're interested, Hans Zimmer's entire Dark Knight Rises OST is available for listening here. It goes on sale on July 16. I still find myself listening to the Dark Knight.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 02:51 AM | Comments (312)
Post contains 47 words, total size 1 kb.

The Complete Guide to Troll Arguments

Ah who am I kidding - no one reads this crap. So how about some kittehs instead?

And for you freaky word-loving-nancy-boy-types here are part 2 and part 3. Let's just say that a certain Mr. A. Sullivan has practically made a career off of this argument.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 06:31 PM | Comments (419)
Post contains 913 words, total size 12 kb.