Conservation gone wild in Florida

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In December 2012, the Florida Cabinet authorized the pursuit of $8 million to buy land for conservation. Certain special interest groups wanted as much as $300 million. More than 33% of Florida is already in government ownership (Federal, State, and local), set aside for conservation.

Enormous amounts of tax payer money have been spent to buy land for conservation. Enormous amounts of taxpayer dollars are being spent to maintain lands under conservation.

Florida faces difficult budgetary decision again this year in areas such as Medicaid, education, children, job creation and the disabled. Two bills have been offered to address the expansion of government owned land for conservation.  The bills titled “Purchase of Land by a Government Entity” are SB 584 – sponsored by Senator Alan Hays and HB 901 sponsored by Representative Charles Stone. Senate Bill 584 and House Bill 901 are identical bills. They call for any government entity to do four things before they use taxpayer money to buy more land out of the private sector for “conservation.” Those four things are:

1. Produce a current and accurate inventory of government conservation land already owned.

2. Have money in the current budget to maintain the land already owned.

3. Produce an estimate of the future costs of maintaining the proposed purchase.

4. For each acre purchased from the private sector by government, sell an acre back to the private sector.

According to Dan Peterson, Executive Director of PropertyRights.com, “These bills simply say, let’s consider the priorities of state spending and focus on people. Before, we use tax payer dollars to buy and maintain more land for conservation, let’s consider our current costs and future potential costs.” In an email Peterson provided the following information about the bills:

SB 584/HB 901 has three objectives:

1. Being good stewards of the land we own.
2. Being fiscally responsible and knowledgeable before we buy more land for conservation.
3. Insuring we keep the majority of Florida’s land under the ownership and control of private citizens who will care for and make the best use of land.

2. What do these bills do?

They require four things to be done before any purchase by government of land to be set aside for conservation:
a. It requires an accurate and current inventory be made public and,
b. It requires money to be in the current budget to maintain the land currently owned and,
c. It requires and analysis be made public estimating the on-going cost of maintenance
d. It requires the sale of land back to the private sector in an amount equal to the land to be purchased.

Why is the sale back to the private sector included?

According to Peterson, “As to the fourth point, private owners (for the most part) are better stewards of their property that government. They are more motivated to keep it up and improve its value. Also, every acre in government ownership is a non-revenue generating acre. Here’s is a way to generate more taxpayers without generating more taxes. The more land in private ownership, the more revenue is available to care for the needs of people.”

Peterson states these bills are not anti-conservation. “They are pro-stewardship of land and money. These bills do not prohibit additional purchases. It simply says, “Let’s consider what we currently have and ask if we can afford more?”, states Peterson.

Global Climate Status Report sent to Senator Reid and Speaker Boehner

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The Orlando, Florida based Space and Science Research Corporation (SSRC) announced the public release of the Executive Summary for its Global Climate Status Report for 2013. This scientific data based document provides political leaders, business executives, educators and the general public with a concise overview of the actual climate trends now present and an analysis of the Earth’s climate future based on these trends.

In the Executive Summary, the SSRC report authors show convincing evidence that the Earth’s atmospheric and oceanic temperatures are on a long term temperature cool down as a result of the just started reduction in the Sun’s energy output. Called a “solar hibernation,” this rare and powerful natural cycle of the Sun has been shown to bring long and potentially dangerous cold climate eras to the planet.

Using data form numerous researchers and science organizations, in addition to the SSRC’s own research, the Executive Summary spells out with detailed charts of climate trends, what is actually happening with the climate.

According to SSRC President, Mr. John L. Casey, “This report was planned for some time. Clearly though, its release at this time is intended to put some reality into the ongoing Congressional debates about to begin on the administration’s proposed new carbon taxes and other regulations supposedly designed to stop man-made global warming.”

“The government’s release of its own draft climate assessment report continues to show our government is on the wrong track for addressing climate change and is still shackled to the disproved greenhouse gas theory of climate change. As is well known, however, past predictions about the climate using that theory have been all wrong, global warming ended years ago, and now a new cold climate has arrived. The general public and our leaders need the truth about climate change at their disposal before making long term decisions about climate change for government policy and managing their day-to-day lives. This next climate change to a potentially dangerous cold climate needs to be well understood by all so they can best prepare for what is coming,” notes Casey.

“I am sending letters and copies of the report to Senate President Harry Reid and Speaker of the House John Boehner as well as other leaders at the federal and state level,” states Casey.

The Executive Summary is now posted for public download from the SSRC web site. The full Global Climate Status Report, will be available for a fee when published on March 4, 2013.

Democrats Against Sustainable Development and Smart Growth

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If you go to your city, county, school board or state official website you will see words like “sustainable development” and “smart growth”. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) uses these words on its website. The FDEP website states, “The goal of the Sustainable Initiatives programs is to promote sustainability in Florida businesses, schools and homes. Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future populations to meet its needs.”

Another example is the University of Florida sustainability website. The about page reads, “Simply defined, sustainability is meeting contemporary needs without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs. More comprehensively, it means looking at the issues and problems facing our world with a new perspective – one that focuses on three interdependent areas of concern: ecological preservation, economic viability, and social justice.” Note the words “social justice”.

Florida even has a Sustainability Institute, whose mission is to address, “Direct threats, such as sea level rise and extreme weather events, and indirect risks linked to our region’s status as a global destination and trade center, place Florida on the front lines of the fight against global warming. ”

So why are Democrats, especially progressive ones from California, against sustainable development and smart growth? Answer: It is all about taking away property rights.

The leader of these progressive Democrats is Rosa Koire, ASA, who is a forensic commercial real estate appraiser specializing in eminent domain valuation.  Her twenty-eight year career as an expert witness on land use has culminated in exposing the impacts of Sustainable Development on private property rights and individual liberty.

Koire is on the Board of Directors and Executive Director of The Post Sustainability Institute. The Post Sustainability Institute was established to study the impacts that “Sustainable Development” and “Communitarianism” have on liberty.  The intent is to track the progression of the sustainability movement and to forecast the most likely outcomes if it proceeds unchecked.

Koire became involved in 2005 when she was elected to a citizens’ oversight committee in Santa Rosa, Northern California, to review a proposed 1,300 acre redevelopment project in which 10,000 people live and work. Her research into the documents justifying the plans led her, with her partner Kay Tokerud, to challenge the fraudulent basis for the huge Gateways Redevelopment Project. The City, in an attempt to block Koire from exposing the project, removed the neighborhood in which Koire and Tokerud’s properties were located from the redevelopment area.

Koire and Tokerud fought on, however, not wanting to abandon the thousands of business and property owners still in the area. They formed a business and property owners association and a non-profit organization (Concerned Citizens of Santa Rosa Against Redevelopment Law Abuse) and were able to raise nearly $500,000 in donations and pro bono legal work to sue the City of Santa Rosa to stop the project. The court case, Tokerud v. City of Santa Rosa, lost in Superior Court but the court ruled that they could continue, and they appealed to the San Francisco First District Court of Appeals where they lost again in 2009. The three years of litigation fighting eminent domain and the redevelopment project succeeded in delaying the project while the economy collapsed–the City has failed to implement its plans, but still has the power of eminent domain over the 1,100 acre area until 2018.

Koire is the author of the book “Behind The Green Mask“. In the book Koire states:

No matter where you live, I’ll bet that there have been hundreds of condos built or planned in the center of your town recently. Over the last ten years there has been a “planning revolution: across the US. It was the implementation of Growing Smart.

Your commercial, industrial and multi-residential land was rezones to “mixed use”. Nearly everything that got approvals for development was designed the same way: ground floor retail with two or three stories of residential above. Mixed use.

Very hard to finance for construction, and very hard to manage since it has to have a high density of people in order to justify the retail. A lot of it empty and most of the ground floor retail is empty too. High Bankruptcy rate. Two areas like this in Jacksonville Florida – off Gate and Southside where Three Forks Restaurant is? And at Town Center mall. [My emphasis]

Florida has been run by Republicans for over a decade. It was during that decade that “sustainable development” became the cause of the party and those elected at every level. All in the name of the taking of property to insure social justice for future generations.

Time for Florida to Pull the Plug on Electric Vehicles?

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The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report in 2012 that has received scant media attention. The report titled “Effects of Federal Tax Credits for the Purchase of Electric Vehicles” takes a critical look at government subsidies for electric vehicles (EV).

Proponents argued for tax subsidies on the promise that EVs would reduce gasoline use and emissions.

The CBO report states, “[T]he [tax] credits will result in little or no reduction in the total gasoline use and greenhouse gas emissions of the nation’s vehicle fleet over the next several years.”

The CBO notes, “At current vehicle and energy prices, the lifetime costs to consumers of an electric vehicle are generally higher than those of a conventional vehicle or traditional hybrid vehicle of similar size and performance, even with the tax credits, which can be as much as $7,500 per vehicle. That conclusion takes into account both the higher purchase price of an electric vehicle and the lower fuel costs over the vehicle’s life.”

The following chart provides an overview of the CBO findings:

According to the US Department of Energy – Alternative Fuels Data Center, Florida has 351 charging stations. These EV charging stations are concentrated in the cities of Orlando, Tampa and Miami/Dade. Nearly all of the state charging stations are part of the California based ChargePoint Network. According to its website, “ChargePoint customers include large corporations such as Google and SAP; utilities such as Orlando Utilities Commission…” NovaCharge, LLC is the distributor of charging stations in the Southeast United States and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. According to the NovaCharge website it is, “[D]edicated to enabling a better environment for future generations by supporting zero-emissions transportation infrastructure.”

Florida is home to several early adopters of EVs. Among them is the Fahs family – Fran and Ron.  Fran is also owner of  Tallahassee based Green Energy Marketing and Consulting, LLC. Fran created the Electric Vehicle Initiative (EVI) website and has become an activist for expanding the use of EVs in Florida and across America.  The EVI website states, “For years we have wanted to do something substantial to help the environment. Empowering people to take control of their transportation costs while taking a big chunk out of global warming is our desired contribution.”

In a personal email Fran Fahs stated to WDW, “With the recent attack on the Algerian oil field, the mega-storms and mega fires of the past years, I think that many more people understand that the time has definitely come to reduce our dependency on oil. It is evident from the environmental degradation that we see in our world that these environmental costs that will be passed on to the taxpayers, represents a subsidy to oil producers, since we, and not they, are paying for these high environmental costs of mining that oil from the ground.”

The common thread in all of these EV initiatives is to “help the environment” and “reduce transportation costs”. The CBO report appears to fly in the face of both of these goals. Continued subsidizing of EVs has no measurable effects other than using taxpayer money to fund credits for those who would have bought their EV anyway. Taxpayers are also subsidizing the costs of the charging stations.

It is commendable to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. That has been the stated goal of the Department of Energy since its inception. That goal has been elusive. However, another report by the US National Intelligence Council projects energy independence for America as achievable within 20 years. The path to energy independence is due to two new technologies – fracking and horizontal drilling.

WDW has asked for comments on the CBO report from Florida proponents. When they are received this column will be updated.

Scientists release study of role of Carbon Dioxide on Climate Change

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H. Leighton Steward, geologist, environmentalist, author, and retired energy industry executive, in an email states, “Following a presentation by myself and ultimately several other scientists that represented both views of the role of carbon dioxide (CO2) in potentially causing catastrophic global warming, a group of the scientists organized a team of voluntary, non-paid scientists to perform an in-depth analysis of the peer reviewed literature and decide for themselves what they believe to be the major cause or even significant causes of global climate change.”

The volunteer group of 20 scientists that have no current ties to any of the energy industries and comprise a uniquely objective and interdisciplinary team, includes members educated in mechanical and electrical engineering, chemistry, geophysics, astrophysics, mathematics, geology and climatology. Several of the members are PhD’s.

“This review began in February of 2012 and the members have used disciplined problem identification and root cause analysis processes, honed from their many years of dealing with life threatening safety issues, notes Steward.

Steward states, “I have been informed that The Right Climate Stuff team is about to release its interim conclusions on Wednesday, January 23rd so to view their report visit www.TheRightClimateStuff.com around mid-morning that day. The results will also be posted on the co2isgreen.org website.

On January 23rd there will be a formal panel discussion at the National Press Club where the team will be represented by team leader, Dr. Harold Doiron. Steward will also be a member of the panel discussion. The intent of the panel is to provide balanced coverage of the discussions on climate change (formerly global warming.

The panel on the broader energy picture begins at 5:30 p.m. EST and the climate panel begins at 7:00 p.m. at the National Press Club, 529 14th St NW. Please come. Herb Hunt and John Hoffmeister will be on the earlier panel.

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Federal Judge Shoots Down EPA Global Warming Rule

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On Jan. 11, 2013, Judge Ralph Beistline of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska issued a decision striking down the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) final rule designating more than 187,000 square miles of critical habitat for the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The designated area is larger than the state of California.

According to Becky Bohrer from the Huffington Post, “The federal government declared the polar bear threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2008, citing melting sea ice. The move made the polar bear the first species to be designated as threatened under the act because of global warming.”

The designation was challenged by the oil and gas industry, the state of Alaska and by several native Alaskan groups. Although the judge upheld the rule against 10 claims by the plaintiffs, the court found that the agency failed to explain why inclusion of such a large area of critical habitat was justified. The court explained that FWS:

“…cannot designate a large swath of land in northern Alaska as “critical habitat” based entirely on one essential feature that is located in approximately one percent of the area set aside. The Service has not shown and the record does not contain evidence that Unit 2 contains all of the required physical or biological features of terrestrial denning habitat [primary constituent element], and thus the final rule violates the APA’s arbitrary and capricious standard.”

The court also found that FWS failed to follow applicable procedures under the ESA by not providing the state of Alaska with adequate justification for not incorporating the state’s comments into the final rule. As a result of the decision, the critical habitat rule was remanded to the agency for further consideration.

Bohrer reports, “U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said [Judge] Beistline made the right decision, calling the bear populations ‘abundant and healthy’.”

“The only real impact of the designation would have been to make life more difficult for the residents of North Slope communities, and make any kind of economic development more difficult or even impossible,” Murkowsky said in a statement.

US Government: Fracking is the Future

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The US National Intelligence Council has released its latest report Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds.

The report states:

“Experts are virtually certain that demand for energy will rise dramatically—about 50 percent—over the next 15-20 years largely in response to rapid economic growth in the developing world. The US Energy Information Agency anticipates steadily rising global production through 2035, driven primarily by a combination of OPEC production increases and larger unconventional sources. The main or references scenario of the International Energy Agency also posits growing global production of key fossil fuels through 2030 (about 1 percent annually for oil). Much of this increased production—and recent optimism—derives from unconventional oil and gas being developed in North America. The scale-up of two technologies, horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, is driving this new energy boom. Producers have long known shale “source rock”—rock from which oil and natural gas slowly migrated into traditional reservoirs over millions of years. Lacking the means economically to unlock the massive amounts of hydrocarbon in the source rock, producers devoted their attention to the conventional reservoirs.” [My emphasis]

“Once the industry discovered how to combine hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the vast gas resources trapped in shale deposits became accessible. The economic and even political implications of this technological revolution, which won’t be completely understood for some time, are already significant,” stated the report.

“In a tectonic shift, energy independence is not unrealisticfor the US in as short a period as 10-20 years. Increased oil production and the shale gas revolution could yield such independence. US production of shale gas has exploded with a nearly 50 percent annual increase between 2007 and 2011, and natural gas prices in the US have collapsed.”

US has sufficient natural gas to meet domestic needs for decades to come, and potentially substantial global exports.

Service companies are developing new “super fracking” technologies that could dramatically increase recovery rates still further.

The report concludes, “The prospect of significantly lower energy prices will have significant positive ripple effect for the US economy, encouraging companies to taking advantage of lower energy prices to locate or relocate to the US. Preliminary analysis of the impact on the US economy suggests that these developments could deliver a 1.7-2.2 percent increase in GDP and 2.4-3.0 million additional jobs by 2030.“

Read the entire report:

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds by

Indian River Pulls out of Florida Seven/50 Project

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Following a lengthy session of public comment and discussion, the Indian River County Commission in Vero Beach, FL voted 4-1 in favor of removing the county from the Seven/50 project which is a seven county, fifty year sustainability initiative. Commissioners Solari, Davis, Flescher and Zorc voted to remove the county from the project.

The vote was a direct result of the work of the Indian River TEA Party and concerned citizens educating friends, family members and neighbors on the dangers of regionalization and sustainability initiatives especially in regard to the infringement on the property rights of individuals.

According to Danita Killcullen, “The task force meeting I attended was frightening, with Kristin Jacobs as Chair with the Republican Mayor of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, who I’ve known for several years, seated at her right.  At the end of the meeting I asked Mayor Rosanne Minnet if she agrees with all we saw and heard today and her answer was, ‘Oh, yes… It’s happening right now!’ They are very far ahead of us and we have much ground to make-up.”

The Indian River TEA Party in an email states, “It is our hope that this one vote will be a shot heard nationwide as similar initiatives are either in place or are planned for communities in every state. Much work lies ahead in balancing the need to maintain our natural resources while upholding the individual liberties we hold dear. To that end, please consider becoming a more active part of your local government as we believe our elected officials truly desire increased public involvement. ”

“The vote today affects the unincorporated areas of Indian River County only and not the City of Vero Beach, Sebastian or other townships. These communities will remain a part of the Seven/50 project unless residents speak out and ask their leaders to follow the lead of Indian River County,” notes the Indian River TEA Party board of directors.

To learn more about the history and intent of “sustainable development” click here.

Florida based Earthquake Prediction Center Ends Successful Test Program Early

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The recently organized International Earthquake and Volcano Prediction Center (IEVPC)  announces today that it has stopped its internal earthquake test program early because of a near perfect record in its predictions and the vital need to begin saving lives immediately. The IEVPC has just achieved an almost flawless level in earthquake prediction as demonstrated in the first three tests of its Catastrophic Geophysical Event (CGE) Monitoring and Warning System (CMWS). As a result, the IEVPC has decided to stop further evaluations and immediately begin notification of governments around the world of its now verified ability to predict large destructive earthquakes with a high degree of certainty.

According to Chairman/CEO Mr. John L. Casey, “We can no longer hold back in letting the earthquake prone nations of the world know that a proven system for highly reliable prediction of large earthquakes now exists. These geophysical dangers routinely kill thousands of people around the world every year, while at the same time destroying homes, businesses, and infrastructure, thereby extending the damage and suffering for many thousands more. The need to cut short our internal test program, originally planned for almost twenty earthquakes, is obvious. We now have a process for earthquake prediction that is so reliable that it must immediately be put into place wherever lives are at risk. The decision we have made to stop evaluation of our CMWS is similar to important drug testing programs. It is not unusual for promising new drugs to have testing stopped abruptly if the initial results are so compelling and people are dying every day without the drug. Likewise, we have decided we must not wait any longer but must aggressively get out the word about our capabilities.”

“What we need now is for nations of the world to recognize that it is a myth that earthquakes cannot be predicted and to begin to establish communication networks and standardized monitoring systems in known high risk zones. Other international groups are also coming out with effective tools for earthquake prediction. They, like us, realize that CGE’s can be predicted because of recent advances in technology, especially satellite sensor technology, and because of the integration of many prediction techniques and precursor signals into a single predictive process. Once in place, we believe we can maximize the time people have to prepare for these destructive events by providing months, weeks, and days of advance notice. While we will doubtless continue to improve our process for quake detection, there is no longer a need to continue the test program. At the same time, there is an overwhelming humanitarian need to end it,” notes Casey.

Casey states, “In September of last year I was approached by some of the world’s best seismologists in earthquake prediction to create this new organization that would integrate their combined skills, techniques, and decades of experience. They came to me because of my success in climate change prediction and especially how it relates to variations in earthquake and volcanic activity. Under the leadership of Director of Research Dr. Dong Choi, we have been busy assembling the best and brightest in earthquake prediction under one roof. That effort has now paid off. Many people worldwide will ultimately benefit from this initiative.”

In the past two months, the IEVPC concluded three separate tests in different areas of the world included the following:

1. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. This test resulted in the correct prediction of timing and location of a major earthquake event that resulted in an amazing ten earthquakes ranging from M4.6 to M5.8 over a short eight day period spread along a fault line to a distance of about 1,500 km. Eight of the quakes hit within the first two days. These temblors, in combination, replaced the IEVPC’s previously predicted single quake of M7.5-M8.8. Mercifully for the people of Kamchatka and the Pacific Rim, as the substantial energy of the quake being monitored by the IEVPC approached the surface, it dispersed among several faults lines off the east coast of Kamchatka during October 14-22, 2012. This quake in its final form of multiple powerful quakes produced no known loss of life. Had a single quake struck, thousands of lives might have been lost because of direct quake effects and the generation of a Pacific-wide tsunami. Several IEVPC Associate Scientists were involved with this prediction including Dr. Z. Shou, Dr. M. Hayakawa, Dr. A. Bapat and Mr. V. Straser under the leadership of IEVPC Director of Research, Dr. Dong Choi.

2. Celebes Sea of Northern Indonesia. As a result of IEVPC precursor analysis conducted by lead investigator and Director of Research, Dr. Choi, a large oceanic quake (M6.0) was correctly predicted and took place on October 17, 2012 at the location and within the time frame estimated. Because of the deep ocean nature of this isolated quake’s epicenter, no damage or loss of life was recorded.

3. Myanmar. On November 11, 2012 a M6.8 quake struck central Myanmar near the location predicted with the magnitude and in the time frame as internal IEVPC estimates had forecast. Twelve lives were lost based on initial figures released by the government. Leading the initial precursor signal analysis and early detection of the Myanmar quake was renowned Indian seismologist Dr. Arun Bapat. Dr. Choi was also involved in this quake’s analysis and used other signals to confirm Dr. Bapat’s preliminary conclusions. The final opinion arrived at was for a potentially catastrophic geophysical event (CGE) which would strike central Myanmar within two weeks after November 6, 2012 and would have a magnitude between M6.5 and M7.0.

In his assessment of the Myanmar test CEO Casey explained, “I am of course delighted at the success of Dr. Bapat and Dr. Choi in their trial prediction of the Myanmar quake. Dr. Bapat is one of the most distinguished leaders in this field and his history making prediction of the Myanmar quake is only one example of the talent that resides in the IEVPC.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to know whether the Myanmar quake would happen since the IEVPC process had not been evaluated for an inland quake before. Issuing a warning was out of the question for what was then an unproven method with such a short time-span to strike, in a country with little or no effective earthquake reaction training for its citizens. It would have been grossly irresponsible. Issuing a public alert ran the risk of possibly causing panic throughout the country, resulting in far more deaths than that seen in the remote areas where the quake epicenter was located.”

From Dr. Bapat we have, “The fact that the Myanmar quake struck as predicted, and that it did so along with the Celebes Sea quake and the Kamchatka quake event has given us enough justification to end the test program early. Mr. Casey and Dr. Choi have done a great service to all by asking those like myself with many years in the field of earthquake prediction to come together to end the myth that these destructive earthquakes cannot be predicted. I believe we are now at that point in human history.”

Dr. Choi added, “We have had a remarkable level of success in our very first three tests. Further, they included diverse geophysical situations. The Kamchatka event was a traditional off shore Pacific Rim oceanic trench fault type. The Celebes Sea quake was a central oceanic deep ocean event with no companion fault. The Myanmar event was an inland quake with an associated known fault line.

What is important to note is that our process worked correctly in three distinctly different geological areas. This gave us another reason for ending the test program quickly. If our process had worked only for one type of quake and not others we might have had to stop and reevaluate our process. That is no longer required. It’s time to put our program for earthquake prediction in the field and start saving lives.”

Mr. Casey echoes Dr. Choi’s comments with, “This level of success in our predictions for Kamchatka, the Celebes Sea and Myanmar carries even more significance when one realizes all our work has been done in a start-up phase on a shoestring budget. A greater level of prediction success and improved warning notification time can be achieved for a state, region, or nation with requisite funding of global and on-site monitoring teams from the IEVPC.

In the special case of Kamchatka where we issued warnings during much of 2012, we remain concerned for the potential of another major seismic event and all should remain vigilant in that unique region of the planet where there is a history of powerful earthquakes. Our Russian colleagues are, however, well versed in parametric precursor analysis similar to what we employ.

We have also provided them additional information to detect a new unexpected earthquake and quickly react should that highly unstable area produce another threat. In any case it was gratifying to see the positive level of reaction to our warnings demonstrated by Russian geologists, Ambassador Kislyak’s office in Washington, and by President Medvedev’s trip to Kamchatka in August. While there he checked on the status of earthquake preparedness. We will nonetheless continue to keep Kamchatka on an active but lower alert status over the next year until relative stability returns. We believe a major earthquake will remain a serious threat for Kamchatka residents for some time.

Beginning this week we will start a systematic program for raising the capital needed to expand our operations out of our start-up phase and notify every nation that has to deal with CGE’s that we are here and able to help protect their people. The IEVPC has demonstrated that a new era in reliable earthquake forecasting has arrived.”

ABOUT IEVPC

The International Earthquake and Volcano Prediction Center is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA. The primary research facility is in Canberra, Australia with branch offices of cooperating scientists and researchers planned for the USA, India, China, and Japan. The IEVPC is a non-profit science research organization dedicated to the mission of protection of people through early prediction of Catastrophic Geophysical Events (CGE) such as earthquakes, associated tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The IEVPC web site is at www.ievpc.org.

Climate Depot: Extreme Weather Report 2012

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Climate Depot and the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow presented a comprehensive report at the UN climate conference titled, “Extreme Weather Report 2012“. The following are excerpts from the report:

The man-made global warming movement has officially shifted from runaway global warming fears over to extreme weather fears. This strategic shift has been in the works for years as global average temperatures have stalled by up to 16 years. First there was a transition from “global warming” to “climate change” and now to “global climate disruption.” Some have suggested “global weirding” others have suggested a “new normal.”

At the opening of the 18 annual United Nations climate summit being held in Doha, Qatar, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, urged governments around the world to “do something about” extreme weather. “We have had severe climate and weather events all over the world and everyone is beginning to understand that is exactly the future we are going to be looking about if they don’t do something about it,” Figueres explained at the opening of the annual UN climate summit.

In June of this year, Democrat Rep. Henry Waxman (Ca) blamed CO2 for wildfires in Colorado and floods in Florida. “It’s time to stop denying science. Extreme events like the wildfires in Colorado and the floods in Florida are going to get worse unless Republican-controlled Congress changes course soon,” Waxman explained.

Global warming proponents claimed that 2012 was a ‘new normal’ in climate with “unprecedented” weather events. Former Vice President Al Gore summed up this view when he wrote: “Every night on the news now, practically, is like a nature hike through the book of Revelations.

Sen Boxer (D-Calif), the chair of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee declared: “Hurricane Sandy has shown us all what the scientists sitting right in this room said the day I got the gavel, & they told us exactly what would happen and it’s all happening.”

Scientific studies & data counter these claims.

The latest peer-reviewed studies, data and analysis undermine the case that the weather is more “extreme” or “unprecedented.” On every key measure, claims of extreme weather in our current climate fail to hold up to scrutiny.

The report concludes, “Extreme weather events are ever present, and there is no evidence of systematic increases.”

Read the full study by clicking here.

Hundreds of thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes set to be released into the Florida Keys

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Daily Mail Online reports:

“Hundreds of thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes are awaiting federal approval for release into the Florida Keys as part of an experiment aimed at reducing the risk of dengue fever.

Mosquito control officials have requested the Food and Drug Administration’s sign off on the experiment that would be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Some residents of the tourist town of Key West worry though on how much research has been done to determine the risks of releasing genetically modified mosquitoes on the Keys’ fragile ecosystem.”

Read more by clicking here.

Citizens Want Florida Forever’s Land Grab Stopped

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On October 11 and November 5, 2012 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Acquisition and Restoration Council are holding open house events to allow the public to comment on how Florida Forever projects should be prioritized. The Department and the Council develop an annual ranking of statewide land acquisition projects to prioritize the distribution of funds. The ranking is under review and includes more than 100 projects on the Florida Forever priority list, as well as the new Florida Forever proposals.

Karen Schoen, a proponent of individual property rights, in an email states, “Florida Forever owns/controls enough land costing the taxpayer billions yearly. We must Stop Florida Forever and the artificial land grabs. Florida Forever will have 2000 people at the poles for a petition drive to get more money to buy more land. We must do the same.”

Schoen offers draft legislation to stop the funding of Florida Forever. The proposed act begins, “Relating to public policy, due process, and private real property; to strongly reject United Nations Agenda 21 and its ancillary programs; to prohibit the State of Florida and all of its political subdivisions from adopting and developing environmental and developmental policies that, without due process, would infringe or restrict the sovereignty of the State of Florida and private property rights of the owner of private property.”

“According to its Web site Florida Forever manages 9,900,000 acres already (owning 2.5 million acres which were purchased costing the taxpayer lost tax revenues) Florida Forever owns or controls 10% of the land in Florida. The Florida Forever map on their web site looks like the Agenda 21 bio-diversity map,” notes Schoen.

Diane Ross in her March 2011 column “The Florida Story” states, “Spread the word and expose corrupt conditions such as exist in Miami Dade County. Property owners in the remaining part of 8.5 square mile area, Hialeah and South Dade in Dade County, Florida have been subjected to attacks on their private property rights by the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) along with … Local Governments for Sustainability and various government officials.”

Ross stated, “Property owners are understandably distrustful of government using the arm of DERM (which is funded through taxpayer dollars, fees, fines and grants) to potentially confiscate their property. DERM declares people’s property a ‘wetlands’ without supplying documentation of soil tests and other criteria that are stated on their website. The documents have been requested from DERM but so far DERM has never presented any.”

“The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI ) has a commitment to ‘sustainable development’ throughout the world which in essence results in a private property land grab veiled in warm and fuzzy terms. ICLEI comes up with regulations and other ideas that restrict property owners from using their land. Their regulations include the Endangered Species Act, wetland regulations (as in Dade County) and a myriad of other laws governing the use of plants, animals, air, water, land and sea. ICLEI has infiltrated local governments in the USA and around the world,” reports Ross.

Ross found, “Harvey Ruvin, Miami Dade Clerk of the Court, was Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of ICLEI, a non-elected position. He is also Chair of the County’s Climate Change Advisory Task Force (CCATC). He, with the Mayor of Miami Dade County appoints the Financial Director. He also serves on the Executive Council of CCOC (Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corps) which discusses budgetary business for the 67 clerk offices in Florida. He has the power and contacts to help implement United Nations Agenda 21 policies that take people’s rights away in the name of the “environment.”

Pam Evans says, “Miami Dade County is run by a government that is proud to be a model city for ICLEI – a United Nations program implemented through local town councils, planners, mayors….”

Those unable to attend the public hearing are invited to provide their comments in writing via email to Jim.Farr@dep.state.fl.us or via US mail to Mr. Jim Farr, ARC Staff Director, Division of State Lands, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 140, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000. For more information about the ARC and current Florida Forever projects, visit:  http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/arc.htm.

Are Smart Meters a Dumb Idea?

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Citizens are gathering in Tallahassee next week to address placing smart meters in homes and rental properties across Florida. There is growing citizen concern about smart meters. Some have called smart meters “the 21st Century version of lead paint” and liken the radio waves emmitting from them as dangerous secondary smoke.

The Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) is holding a workshop on Smart Meters on September 20, 2012 from 9:30am – 5pm in the Betty Easley Conference Center, Commission Hearing Room 148, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL.

Pat Wayman from Sarasota, FL states, “I have personally been contacted by people who are becoming ill after a smart meter(s) was installed on their home. You can be assured we will pay for these both monetarily and physically. And meter readers will lose their jobs. For those who live in multiple units, you will receive continuous pulsed radiation from multiple smart meters – unless you can get them to stop installing these devices.”

The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC), an industry group, has released the below video titled “Separating the Facts from the Fiction about Smart Meter”.  PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, BC Hydro, PEPCO, BGE, FPL, as well as other utility companies and Smart Meter manufacturers like Landis and Gyr, Itron, Silver Springs Networks, GE, Aclara, are SGCC members.  Affiliate members are utility regulators like Public Utility Commissions from California, Colorado, Texas, and environmental groups like EDF and NRDC.

According to the Stop Smart Meters website:

This video attempts to counter legitimate Smart Meter complaints and serious problems. They start by saying there’s misinformation about Smart Meters floating about the internet (displaying a panic button) and they plan to set the record straight. “Let’s get down to business” is a key introductory phrase.

Promoting Smart Meters IS their business.

Industry fiction: Smart Meters don’t know how you’re using power

FACT: Smart Meters “…can be used to pinpoint the use of most major household appliances. Such detailed information about the in-home activities of electricity customers can thus be used to piece together a fairly detailed picture of an individual’s daily life or routine.” SmartGridPrivacy See also: Privacy-Problems-Inherent-in-the-Smart-Grid

Industry fiction: “Most of the time your meter is idle”

FACT: One PG&E Smart Meter can transmit up to 190,000 pulses a day. PG&E’s Big Confession

Industry fiction: “Your power company has kept your data private for decades.”

FACT: PG&E released names, email addresses and private online conversations they gathered by deception to the media. They redacted PG&E and third party names, and emails and left open customer data, at the same time claiming privacy was a great value to them. PG&E’s spying may cost them

Industry fiction:”Smart Meters allow you to make choices that limit your bills.”

FACT: Over-billing complaints have been reported widely after Smart Meters are installed. Customers in Bakersfield CA were so outraged about overcharging they filed a class action lawsuit against PG&E. See complaints. See also:PG&E admits billing errors, offers scanty refund

Industry fiction: Science doesn’t support the claim that RF causes cancer

FACT: The World Health Organization classified RF radiation as a 2b Carcinogen, same as DDT and lead.

Industry fiction: A household radio transmits RF

FACT: A household radio receives RF, it is not an RF transmitter.

Industry fiction: Smart Meters create less exposure to RF radiation than a microwave, cell phone, wi-fi.

FACT: Daniel Hirsch, a UC researcher, has calculated that smart meters expose you to more than 100 times the full body, cumulative exposure as a cell phone. Daniel Hirsch report

Industry fiction: “Even if you cozied up to a Smart Meter all day, it would require you to snuggle up to one for 375 years before it would equal the exposure of having a daily 15 minute cell phone call over the course of one year.”

FACT: Smart Meters can exceed FCC safety guidelines (Sage reports)

FACT: Smart Meters can violate FCC conditions for installment

Industry fiction: Read the Hobbit instead of worrying that the” Smart Meter is the fourth horseman of the apocalypse that will wreak havoc on your life”

FACT: Lawsuits are being filed against Smart Meters in several states, California, Maine, Hawaii, Texas, Illinois and more. Utility Regulators in Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania are investigating Smart Meter related fires.

Smart Meters are designed to work in a mesh network, transmitting radio frequency (RF) radiation pulses from home to home. If too many customers refuse, the mesh system can fail. Having to provide customers a choice has become a serious problem for the industry. The industry, with support from regulators, are penalizing customers for non-compliance by charging them to opt out. The Smart Grid program which was initiated by the federal government, was designed to be offered, but not forced on customers.

Click here to read a Stop Smart Meters flyer.

RELATED COLUMN: FPL busts myths at SKA meeting

 

Danger: Energy Economic Zone Ahead

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Government is famous for wasting time and money all at the expense of taxpayers. The greatest waste has been attributed to the “green movement” and its efforts to save the planet by controlling human activities, such as emissions of CO2. This political and uniquely unscientific movement has led the Florida legislature to create comprehensive planning legislation, implement caps on carbon emissions and most recently create an Energy Economic Zone (EEZ) pilot project.

Sarasota County has established by ordinance an Energy Economic Zone. The first public hearings on the EEZ pilot project in Sarasota County are being held in September. Citizens and business will learn what the EEZ is all about. But what is end purpose of an EEZ? What will be accomplished by establishing an EEZ in Sarasota County?

My answer: The greatest expansion of local government power over your and my pursuit of happiness.

Here are ten reasons why I believe the Sarasota County EEZ will fail:

1. Any governmental expansion of power always meets with stiff public resistance and the EEZ is meeting stiff resistance. The EEZ has been denounced with bi-partisan support in Sarasota County. Neighborhood associations, anti-growth proponents and Democrats are standing shoulder to shoulder with TEA Party groups, 912 Project members and the Republican Party of Sarasota Executive Committee to denounce this project and its attempt to control the lives of citizens.

2. Economic zones do not work. County Commissioner Nora Patterson in an e-mail to an opponent of the EEZ states, “Our existing enterprise zone [in Newtown] is truly a depressed area and I can tell you in advance that the overall situation has not improved, in fact quite the opposite given the economic downturn.” So Commissioners know that enterprise zones do not work from the Newtown failure. Why throw good money after bad? Because it feels good to do so. The EEZ is being driven by ideology, not by any proven method to create jobs or expand the economy in Florida.

3. One of the purposes of the EEZ is to create energy efficiencies and thereby reduce energy usage. This is a FALSE premise as greater efficiency leads inextricably to greater energy usage. This phenomenon is called the “rebound effect”. Increasing the efficiency of lighting encourages us to illuminate more. This means that we need more energy, not less to meet future demand, expected to increase by 30% over the next decade. The EEZ concept is a fallacy, even if the five sitting County Commissioners believe in this fallacy, it is still a fallacy.

4. The incentives provided in the ordinance as currently written are not defined. This makes the ordinance open to broad interpretation by staff in its implementation. We have experienced what happens when bureaucrats are given the leeway to implement policy in Florida. This has happened with numeric water standards being imposed on the state by the Environmental Protection Agency. Placing Draconian standards on water quality to save us from ourselves. Standards that cannot be met!

5. The incentives are front loaded without regard to clearly defined end results. Under the current proposed ordinance businesses would be awarded incentive grants in addition to tax abatements for job creation. The business would promise to create new “green jobs”. This is a failed model, see reason #2 above. You and I do not pay a business until the job is done. In this case County government is so trusting that they will pay upfront for a promise of future job creation. The County has tried this recently with Sanborn studios. Sanborn Studios closed its Lakewood Ranch facility in December 2011 after just one year in operation. The company that promised to produce Hollywood movies, TV shows and create more than 100 jobs in Sarasota got a $650,000 grant from Sarasota County. It is good to learn from experience right?

6. The EEZ is “crony capitalism” writ large. Crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, and so forth. The proposed ordinance establishing an EEZ is the ultimate example of crony capitalism. Government picks the winners and losers, not the free markets. This always leads to corruption and political favoritism.

7. Government does not create jobs! The great myth is that government can via incentives create something from nothing. Jobs are created only when a business cannot meet the market demand for its products or services. That is an economic fact. What can government do to help create a market for a product or service? Nothing, absolutely nothing. What government can do best is to do the least. That is to say government is best that governs least. Protecting property rights is the role of government.

8. All of the County Commissioners are Republicans dedicated to limited government and the U.S. Constitution. The Republican Party of Sarasota Executive Committee passed a resolution condemning “local ‘sustainable development’ policies such as Smart Growth, Wildlands Project, Resilient Cities, Regional Visioning Projects, and other ‘Green’ or ‘Alternative’ projects.” The EEZ falls squarely into all of these categories! A copy of the full resolution was presented to each Commissioner.

9. The County’s attempt to establish an EEZ has led to at least one law suit. According to Kathy Attunes, “The EEZ and attached Enterprise Zone incentives are separate statutes. It can be argued that the Enterprise Zone statutes exist independently of the EEZ statute (377.809), and these state Enterprise Zone statutes apply independent of any local eligibility requirements and a $300,000 cap. The EEZ green standards and $300,000 cap are not outlined in the Enterprise Zone statutes; the statutes do not mirror each other. We are concerned that the EEZ statute and linked Enterprise Zone incentives are in conflict, which potentially sets the County up for litigation brought by businesses who have met Enterprise Zone criteria but not County EEZ standards. We do not want the BCC to proceed with a program that opens the door to a flood of untargeted Enterprise Zone tax breaks, and the possibility of having local control negated by state statute.” I agree more litigation will follow.

10. Finally, this is just bad public policy and a waste of taxpayer money.

There are many other reasons why the EEZ is bad policy for Sarasota County but in the interest of brevity I have listed only my top ten.

I do not need nor want government telling me how to save energy. I am perfectly able doing that on my own. If I wish to waste energy then I will pay an economic price for that behavior. That is how personal freedom and free markets work. Government forcing choices upon me is morally wrong. The EEZ is morally wrong!

The Fallacy of Energy Efficiency

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Across the world there is a concerted effort to reduce the use of energy via efficiency. This has grown into a political ideology dedicated to saving the planet by reducing each of our carbon footprints. For example, governments mandate CAFÉ standards to increase fuel efficiency. But what have been the actual results of these efforts?

Today we build engines that propel our aircraft, ships, trains and cars using much less fuel. However, to the chagrin of many who want to save the planet, as efficiency has increased so has the demand for more energy, particularly fossil fuels.

For example in Florida the state legislature has gone so far as to create a pilot program to create two Energy Economic Zones, one in the City of Miami and the other in Sarasota County, Florida. But to what avail? History tells us as we create greater efficiencies we then consume even more. But why does this happen?

In 2003 the Norwegian Institute for Consumer Research did a study titled The Fallacies of Energy Efficiency: The Rebound Effect? The study reports, “It has been observed that energy efficiency measures result in less than expected energy savings. This is usually ascribed to the so-called rebound effect . . . If you buy an appliance that is twice as efficient as your old one, the effective price of fuel is reduced to a half. As long as the elasticity of energy demand with respect to energy price is not zero, as would be quite unreasonable, there will be a pressure on energy demand.”

Remember: The elasticity of energy demand will never be zero.

In his Wall Street Journal column It’s Too Easy Being Green, David Owen laments, “A favorite trick of people who consider themselves friends of the environment is reframing luxury consumption preferences as gifts to humanity . . . Our capacity for self-deception can be breathtaking.”

Owen, as an environmentalist, notes, “Even when we act with what we believe to be the best intentions, our efforts are often at cross-purposes with our goals. Increasing the efficiency of lighting encourages us to illuminate more.” David is describing the Rebound Effect.
Efficiency is good. Efficiency makes available more goods and services to more people. As more people can afford an automobile because of manufacturing efficiencies the better for us all. That is what David realizes as he concludes his column. David states, “Relieving traffic congestion reduces the appeal of public transportation and fuels the growth of suburban sprawl. A robust market for ethanol exacerbates global hunger by diverting cropland from the production of food.”

Energy efficiencies lead to greater energy demand. Concepts like Economic Energy Zones, locavorism (only eating food that is produced locally), sustainable communities, electric cars, high speed rail, public transportation, green buildings, CAFÉ standards and alternative fuels are “breathtaking self-deceptions”.

As mankind finds better and cheaper ways to make things and provide services the broader will be the market as consumers like saving a buck. That is what drives us all. Getting more for less and as we can do we do more for less.

Man works in his own self-interests. That is called individualism. That will never change.

As Ronald Reagan once said, “Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success — only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, prosperous, progressive and free.”

Attached file:

Fallacy of Energy Efficiency