Author: Serkadis

Article Tags: John O'Sullivan

Climate Change, the Sun and the Albedo Effect

A new study by a leading climate change expert proves clouds and solar radiation better explain global warming than do greenhouse gases – including carbon dioxide.

Climate researcher, Jeffrey A. Glassman, PhD presents a compelling new analysis, ‘The Cause of the Earth’s Climate Change is the Sun‘ that uses respected peer-reviewed data that indicates the sun, not human emissions of greenhouse gases, control our planet’s climate. By employing the data as used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this study cleverly refutes key IPCC conclusions, including those drawn from Lean (2000).

The analysis finds something is clearly amiss with the IPCC model of the Earth’s climate. Glassman identifies a gaping hole of understanding about clouds where the IPCC fails to represent notable peer-reviewed cloud theories (notably Svensmark’s). Critics have accused the UN of politicising the man made global warming debate with unsubstantiated advocacy while it possesses poor levels of scientific comprehension of Earth’s climate. It officially has ‘low’ or ‘very low’ understanding of 9 of the 12 variables that impact climate (including solar climate forcing).

Below is a summary of Glassman’s key findings:

Source: climate-change.suite101.com

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Article Tags: Doug L. Hoffman, Headline Story, World Temperatures

Climate scientists have decided that as much as half of the heat energy, believed to have built up on Earth in recent years, is hiding somewhere it can not be found. By measuring the radiative energy input at the top of Earth’s atmosphere, scientists have a pretty good idea of how much energy is entering the planetary environment—the problem is figuring out where it goes. The most likely place is in the deep ocean, whose waters form a huge potential storage place for heat. Because energy is exchanged between the atmosphere and the ocean, this heat can resurface at a later time to affect weather and climate on a global scale. It has been suggest that last year’s rapidly occurring El Niño may be one way the “missing” solar energy has reappeared—the implication being more sudden El Niño events may be on the way.

Oceans contain around 80% of the climate system’s total energy, so ocean heat is a good measure of what is happening with Earth’s climate. According to a Perspectives article in the April 16, 2010, issue of Science, “Tracking Earth’s Energy,” science has been unable to to properly track energy within Earth’s environmental system. Kevin E. Trenberth and John T. Fasullo , both scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), warn in the new study that satellite sensors, ocean floats, and other instruments are inadequate to track this “missing” heat. They fear that it may be building up in the deep oceans or elsewhere in the climate system. “The heat will come back to haunt us sooner or later,” says Trenberth, the lead author. “The reprieve we’ve had from warming temperatures in the last few years will not continue. It is critical to track the build-up of energy in our climate system so we can understand what is happening and predict our future climate.”

As noted on the NCAR site, a Science Perspectives piece is not formally peer-reviewed, but is reviewed by editors of the journal. Science reportedly invited Trenberth to submit the article after an editor heard him discuss the research at a scientific conference. Trenberth and his co-author, Fasullo, focused on what they call a central mystery of climate change. Why, since 2003, have scientists been unable to determine where much heat energy Earth receives from the Sun is going. According to the NCAR site:

Click source to read FULL report from Doug L. Hoffman

Source: theresilientearth.com

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Article Tags: Book, James R. Barrante

Synopsis

Human beings are not very bright. The power output of the human brain is about 40 watts, and that is indeed pretty dim. We definitely are all dim wits. This book was written for dim wits � from one dim wit to another, as they say. Its primary purpose is to address the controversy affectionately known as global warming. Written by a physical scientist with over 40 years of teaching experience, the book contains very little personal opinion, has no political agenda, and is loaded with well-documented and scientifically tested facts concerning the greenhouse gases and climate change. It contains material that you will want to share with your children.

Global Warming for Dim Wits is written in simple language. Every attempt has been made to present the material in a way that the average person not trained in science will understand. It is the intent of this author that by the time you finish the book you will be convinced that:

Source: universal-publishers.com

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We’ve seen the trailer for the PSP version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. This time, let’s have a look at the first screenshots for the game on the DS.
 
 
 
 

It’s practically a bare week this week for the video game releases, but at least we’ve got the Monster Hunter Tri offering from Capcom to put some saving grace in the list. Hope you’re up to some

Filed under: Government/Legal, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

According to a report by Automotive News, Toyota is ready to pay the $16.4 million fine levied against the company by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration… on one condition: the company wouldn’t be required to admit wrongdoing. If the NHTSA goes for that, apparently it can stuff its coffers; if not, the report suggests there’s a chance Toyota could appeal the fine on the day it’s due, Monday, April 19.

Paying a fine without admitting wrongdoing is a standard practice, and we can understand Toyota holding out for that caveat if that’s what’s really happening. More perplexing is that the same report states that Toyota agreed to the fine in order to help it move on and rebuild its brand. If it can’t get what it wants and it appeals, and the NHTSA digs in for a fight – and remember, there’s a potential second fine on the horizon – we’re not sure how much the fighting-for-our-corporate-rights approach would help.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub Req]

Toyota reportedly set to pay $16.4M federal fine originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The latest images from the London Met Office, via AshAlerts.com, show the ash cloud extending in the direction of North America. No clue yet on whether it will be disruptive. It’s certainly something to watch though.

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What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and be taxed on 80 percent of it?

The biggest danger to your wealth isn’t a bubble in China or Europe – it’s the IRS. Since 1987, top earners have been taxed between 28 percent and 39.6 percent, a relatively low range compared to the 50- percent-and-above rates for most of the century. However, with enormous annual deficits and Social Security lurking around the corner like a mugger, the future promises a return to old tax norms.

Historical income tax rates reveal grim days ahead for US taxpayers. The federal income tax began innocently enough, in 1913, by imposing a 7 percent levy on the top bracket. But immediately with the start of WWI, rates exploded to 77 percent and continued at 73 percent even three years after the conflict. Then, taxes began slowly easing from 56 percent in 1922 to 24 percent just before the 1929 market crash.

The lower rates didn’t last long, though. By 1932, three years into the Great Depression, rates rose to 63 percent, peaking at 94 percent in 1945. Even now, more than 80 years later, the income tax has never returned to the 1929 level.

Capital gains taxes aren’t historically immune either. During the 1970s, the maximum rate on long-term gains reached almost 40 percent, according to the Tax Foundation. For the past 50 years, rates have hovered between 20 and 30 percent.

In the early years of the Great Depression, the US government spent extravagantly without anyone paying the bill – just like today. Naturally, this situation could not last forever then, and it will not last forever now. Someone will have to pay the piper, and it won’t be the bottom 50 percent of the population.

With the Bush tax cuts expiring this year, income taxes will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent for the top bracket. Though less likely, the expiration also threatens to raise capital gains taxes to 20 percent, with increased dividend taxes following suit. Next there are the new health care bill taxes, which will require an additional 16,000 IRS agents to enforce. Further, cap-and-trade won’t make life any easier.

On the horizon, the outlook is even darker with the proposition of value-added taxes (VAT). VAT works like a backdoor sales tax. Essentially, every time a producer of goods purchases raw materials, he must pay a percentage tax. When the producer sells his goods to a wholesaler, the wholesaler pays another percentage.

It sounds bad already, but here’s the worst part. Each company down the supply chain gets a tax discount based on the next company’s tax payment. Through this method, every firm in the chain has an incentive to make sure that the next one pays the full amount. If they don’t, then your company is left holding the bag.

In other words, the VAT makes every businessman an agent of the IRS. In the end, the higher cost of goods is passed down to consumers. However, unlike sales taxes, consumers will never see the bill directly on their receipts. This makes VAT far more politically efficient and insidious.

At this point, high taxes are the only way out of the long-term debt crisis – unless the Federal Reserve wants to see double-digit inflation. Mild Clinton-era taxes expected by most won’t solve the problem. A 4 percent income tax hike is not going to repay trillions of dollars in debt. Betting on the bull market isn’t a good plan either. America would need decades of unprecedented growth to escape unharmed. The US needs more than a bull market – it needs a miracle.

If taxes are hiked to the stratosphere, a market recovery will do little for the wealthy. The fruits of a bull market will be difficult to enjoy with exorbitant taxes. Even if market conditions become more favorable, the tax environment will drastically change soon.

In a sense, there is more opportunity in the middle of a low-tax recession than in a boom with cutthroat rates. Waiting for a stock market recovery is a losing decision tax-wise. The best way to grow your wealth is to earn it sooner rather than later.

Now is the moment to utilize excess funds wisely and invest to fill the gap for future shortfalls. While taxes are still low, a window of opportunity is open. There’s no better time to find top-notch investments and make a profit while the going is good.

Regards,

Vedran Vuk
for The Daily Reckoning Australia

Similar Posts:

• Playing the Tax Credit Card
• Naturally the Feds Want to Raise as Much Money as They Can
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• Dodge Taxes Legally… Become Treasury Secretary
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Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

The Mullin Automotive Museum celebrated its grand opening this last week with a black tie event for media and distinguished guests. Of course, museum founder Peter Mullin will tell you that his new museum isn’t just about cars. The 50,000 square foot facility, located in Oxnard, CA, was built as a homage to the art deco period, and plenty of historic artwork and furniture can be found throughout the building.

The cars, however, are the main attraction. More than 100 French automobiles with names like Bugatti, Delahaye, Delage, Hispano-Suiza, Talbot-Lago and Voison can be found in the museum. Immaculate restorations are featured alongside original cars from the legendary Schlumpf Reserve Collection. A collection of race cars takes residence on the second floor in a display that mimics the Le Mans pre-WWII.

Specifically for the grand opening, Bugatti also loaned the museum a collection of prototypes that led to the development of the Veyron 16.4. including the 1998 EB118 Concept, the 1999 EB218 Concept and the 1999 18.3 Chiron Concept. A beautiful EB110 SS and a brand new Grand Sport were also outside to greet guests.

Perhaps our favorite car on display, though, was an incredible 1937 Delahaye Type 145 V12 Coupe. It seems like such a beautiful car would be confined to carrying around dignitaries and celebrities, but in reality the gorgeous coupe raced at Le Mans and the German Grand Prix. Since purchasing the car in 2002, Peter Mullin has taken the car to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Pebble Beach Concours, and it has won Best in Class at both events.

The Mullin Museum is currently open to the public on Saturdays with a reservation only, so if you’re interested in going, call them up and get a spot as quickly as you can. Can’t make it out to the museum? You can see all of our photos from the event in the gallery below or hit the jump to read the press release for the grand opening.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Mullin Automotive Museum celebrates grand opening in style

Mullin Automotive Museum celebrates grand opening in style originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who was IKB, the German bank on the losing end of John Paulson’s Abacus bet?

Mike O’Rourke of BTIG explains, and points out why they’re pissed as hell about the bubble bursting.

One of the “victims” of this alleged fraud is IKB, a bank.  If any institution should know how to analyze credit, it’s a bank.  Even worse is that IKB is one of these serial carry-traders who purchased these types of instruments for the Structured Investment Vehicles and floated paper in the Asset Backed Commercial Paper market against them borrowing short and lending long (see chart).  Those are the institutions that truly put the system at risk.

 Finally, in this scenario, the “independent” third party portfolio selection agent claimed to be unsure of the client’s intentions.  It should not matter what the related party’s views or intentions are, whether long or short.  The fact is the agent’s very job description is to be unbiased and independent.  Instead, just like the ratings agencies, the collateral managers saw the profits that loomed rather than performing the task at hand.  If ACA had simply performed its task of comprehensively and independently evaluating the underlying RMBS, the deal would not have happened.  It is hard to believe they did not know the intentions for the pool when the higher quality subprime RMBS were replaced.  In addition, if AAA ratings were not handed out to everyone who applied, this deal (like so many others) would not have been done.

The chart says it all.

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Revisit [moritz.stefaner.eu] is a live visualization of Twitter messages (tweets) surrounding a topic that can be specificied by the users. The visualization can be used to create a unique “Twitter wall” at a conference or workshop, or as a dynamic ambient display at a company headquarters. In contrast to most existing Twitter visualizations, Revisit provides a sense of the temporal dynamics in the twitter stream, and emphasizes the conversational threads established by retweets and @replies.

When new tweets arrive, they are brought to the front and highlighted. Tweets that receive more attention – in form of retweets or @replies – move to the center of the stream and are displayed larger. The tweet’s connections to others (via retweets or @replies) are indicated with colored connections.

Other interesting Twitter visualizations:
. Tweet-o-Meter
. TweetCatcha
. Winter Olympics Treemap
. Mentionmap
. Trendsmap
. Concept Lens
. GoodMorning
. TwitterVision and TwittEarth
. Just Landed
. Twitt3D
. Social Collider
. Social Weather Mapping
. TwitArcs
. TweetWheel
. Twitter Blocks
. Pepsi Zeitgeist
. Twitter Blocks, Tweet Stats, Tweet Volume, Twitter Meter, Tweetpad, Twitter Counter

Boiling artichokes is one of the easiest ways to cook them. You can boil them plain or stuff them and boil them.

Prepare the Artichokes
Cut off the stems so the artichokes can stand upright in the pan. Next, remove the tough outer leaves near the stem. Rinse the artichokes in cold water and let dry. Cut about a half inch of the tops of the artichokes. If you won’t be using them right away, squeeze lemon juice over the artichokes to prevent them from darkening.

Prepare the Pot
Place about an inch of salted water in a large pot or Dutch oven. For more flavor, you can saute a bit of chopped garlic in some olive oil in the bottom of the pot and then add about an inch of vegetable broth instead of water. Put flame on medium heat and until it is boiling.

Cooking the Artichokes
Once the water is simmering, place the artichokes in the pot, bottoms down. Make sure they can stand upright. If they aren’t, you may need to trip the stem some more so they stand upright.

Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let boil for about 30-40 minutes. Large artichokes may take a bit longer and baby artichokes may take as little as 10 minutes so make sure to check every now and then to see if they’re done.

To find out if the artichokes are done, check to see if the inner leaves pull out easily. If so, they are ready. Take them out of the water and place them on a serving dish.

Let cool a few minutes and enjoy!

A Citroen divulgou as primeiras imagens e informações de seu novo conceito chamado de Citroen Metropolis Concept, um sedã hibrido de alto luxo e que será apresentado pela companhia francesa no Salão do Automóvel de Xangai.

De dimensões avantajadas, o Citroen Metropole Concept terá uma distancia de entre-eixos maior que o Mercedes-Benz Classe C e o novo Audi A8, e com os mesmos 2m de largura do Maybach 62. O conceito é inteiramente desenvolvido pelo estúdio do Grupo PSA de Xangai, e adotou a mesma plataforma utilizada pelo grupo nos modelos Citroen C6 e Peugeot 407.

Sua motorização hibrida combina o propulsor a combustão V6 de 2.0 litros a um elétrico que juntos, geram uma potencia de até 460 cavalos. De acordo com a companhia, seu desempenho é comparável a de um motor V8 de 4.0 litros, mas com reduzidos níveis de consumo e de emissão de CO2. O conjunto trabalha com uma transmissão de sete velocidades e dupla embreagem, além de um sistema de tração nas quatro rodas.

Citroen Metropolis Concept

Fonte: 4WheelsNews

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

It’s just six years old, but Britons have lived with it long enough to declare the Aston Martin DB9 their favorite car of the past 25 years. Great Britain’s drivers were asked to choose their favorite car from a list of 30 rides going back to 1985 and fully ten percent of them chose Aston’s middle-child coupe, said to be “synonymous with James Bond” even though he never drove one. Germany rounded out the podium spots with the Volkswagen Golf at number two, and the (Anglo-SaxonGerman) Mini at number three.

You can follow the jump for the press release on the survey. Or you can have a look at the DB9 Volante in the high-res gallery below and see if you can figure out why its hardtop sibling took home the trophy.

[Source: Direct Line]

Continue reading Survey: Aston Martin DB9 is UK’s favorite car of last 25 years

Survey: Aston Martin DB9 is UK’s favorite car of last 25 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back to work!

First, let’s note that the S&P is down about 4 points in early futures trading. Of course there’s still nearly 15 hours before the market officially opens, so… a lot could happen before then.

The pound is really getting slammed, and it’s speculated that it’s the result of some combination of election polls and the investigation of Goldman Sachs (GS).

Meanwhile, the news is going to be dominated by two things: The volcano (still crippling European air travel) and Goldman Sachs.

Also note, Goldman earnings come Tuesday. That should be interesting.

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It’s a fairly boring Sunday evening and we thought we’d make it a little exciting by showing you some new pictures of the 2011 Audi RS5. You can thank us in the comments section below. Enjoy.

Click here for pricing on the 2010 Audi A5.

Hit the jump for the updated high-res image gallery.

Refresher: Power for the 2011 Audi RS5 comes from a 4.2L naturally aspirated V8 making 450-hp and a maximum torque of 317 lb-ft. Mated to a standard 7-speed S tronic, the 2011 RS5 goes from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph (electronically governed).

2011 Audi RS5:

– By: Omar Rana

According to patent drawings dug up by AutoCar, General Motors will unveil a Chevrolet Volt-based MPV next week at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show. The vehicle will use the Volt’s Voltec powertrain, which has been designed to fit a range of vehicles.

That mean the Chevrolet Volt minivan will carry the same 16-kWh, “T”-shaped lithium-ion battery, which powers an electric drive unit, which is capable of driving the car electrically for up to 40 miles without using a drop of gas. A 1.4L 4-cylinder engine will allow extended range capability once the battery has been depleted.

We’ll have more info next week. Stay tuned.

Click here for more news on the Chevrolet Volt.

Chevrolet Volt MPV Patent Drawings:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar