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The media doing what it does best these days, feeding us disinformation
Summary: At some point during the 1970's a large part of the mainstream media decided to abandon journalism to become the Ministry of Truth. Advocacy journalism, instructing the peons and elevating their consciousness. The slo-mo but accelerating business disaster that resulted followed — loss of audience, fading profits, layoffs — should not detract from their considerable success at mastering the techniques of propaganda. This post does a post-mortum on one example. For more information see the links to related articles at the end.
The original FM articles about climate change discussed the selling of global warming. These were greeted with cries of the "science is settled." After 44 points describing the debate among scientists (see my posts here, literature citations here) we return to the original theme — with an example of skilled agitprop. Professionals at work, keeping America misinformed.
This post discusses three articles:
- "Sea Ice Ends Year at Same Level as 1979", Michael Asher, Daily Tech, 1 January 2009
- "Statement related to Daily Tech article of January 1, 2009", published at The Cryosphere Today
- "Is the Cryosphere Crying Wolf?", Nina Shen Rastogi, Slate, 10 February 2009 — Disinformation about the 1st two.
Also note the follow-up to this post: George Will: climate criminal or brave but sloppy iconoclast? 23 February).
As usual, we will examine each in sequence.
(1) The Daily Tech article: polar sea ice unchanged since 1979
"Sea Ice Ends Year at Same Level as 1979", Michael Asher, Daily Tech, 9 January 2009 — "Rapid growth spurt leaves amount of ice at levels seen 29 years ago." Excerpt:
Thanks to a rapid rebound in recent months, global sea ice levels now equal those seen 29 years ago, when the year 1979 also drew to a close.
Ice levels had been tracking lower throughout much of 2008, but rapidly recovered in the last quarter. In fact, the rate of increase from September onward is the fastest rate of change on record, either upwards or downwards. The data is being reported by the University of Illinois's Arctic Climate Research Center, and is derived from satellite observations of the Northern and Southern hemisphere polar regions.
Each year, millions of square kilometers of sea ice melt and refreeze. However, the mean ice anomaly — defined as the seasonally-adjusted difference between the current value and the average from 1979-2000, varies much more slowly. That anomaly now stands at just under zero, a value identical to one recorded at the end of 1979, the year satellite record-keeping began.
… Earlier this year, predictions were rife that the NorthPole could melt entirely in 2008. Instead, the Arctic ice saw a substantial recovery. Bill Chapman, a researcher with the UIUC's Arctic Center, tells DailyTech this was due in part to colder temperatures in the region. Chapman says wind patterns have also been weaker this year. Strong winds can slow ice formation as well as forcing ice into warmer waters where it will melt.
… In May, concerns over disappearing sea ice led the U.S. to officially list the polar bear a threatened species, over objections from experts who claimed the animal's numbers were increasing.
Update: Cryosphere Today posts a graph of daily global sea ice area from 1979 to now here.
(2) A response posted at The Cryosphere Today
Excerpt from "Statement related to Daily Tech article of January 1, 2009", published at The Cryosphere Today, published by the Dept of Atmospheric Sciences at the U of Illinois (no author listed, undated) — Emphasis added in red.
One important detail about the article in the Daily Tech is that the author is comparing the GLOBAL sea ice area from December 31, 2008 to same variable for December 31, 1979. In the context of climate change, GLOBAL sea ice area may not be the most relevant indicator.
… Observed global sea ice area, defined here as a sum of N. Hemisphere and S. Hemisphere sea ice areas, is near or slightly lower than those observed in late 1979, as noted in the Daily Tech article. However, observed N. Hemisphere sea ice area is almost one million sq. km below values seen in late 1979 and S. Hemisphere sea ice area is about 0.5 million sq. km above that seen in late 1979, partly offsetting the N. Hemisphere reduction.
… Arctic summer sea ice is only one potential indicator of climate change, however, and we urge interested parties to consider the many variables and resources available when considering observed and model-projected climate change. For example, the ice that is presently in the Arctic Ocean is younger and thinner than the ice of the 1980s and 1990s. So Arctic ice volume is now below its long-term average by an even greater amount than is ice extent or area.
(3) From the above nuggets Slate brews a stew of disinformation
Excerpt from "Is the Cryosphere Crying Wolf?", Nina Shen Rastogi, Slate, 10 February 2009 — Comments are inserted into the text. Emphasis added in red.
For the past month or so, news has been circulating around the Internet that global levels of sea ice — i.e., the floating ice that forms on top of ocean water — are back to where they were in 1979. In particular, Arctic sea ice, which was supposed to be melting rapidly, reportedly "rebounded" in 2008. This argument, which originated on the Website Daily Tech, rests in large part on the reported "rebounding" of Arctic sea ice in 2008 and is being held up by climate-change contrarians as a "gotcha" to Al Gore-ish Chicken Littles. Scientists who study the cryosphere, however, say that the latest data on sea ice does nothing to refute global warming — unless you willfully misread it.
In her powerful opening, Rastogi refers to Asher's "arguement" — she puts rebounding in quotes (indicating doubt) — and implies that Asher gives a "gotcha" rebuttal to Al Gore (more on this below). As we will see, the experts she cites at The Cryosphere Today confirm Asher's statement, there was a rebound, and he does not discuss the wider implications of sea ice trends.
Back to Slate:
… Now, let's go back to the Daily Tech article. It states: "Earlier this year, predictions were rife that the North Pole could melt entirely in 2008. Instead, the Arctic ice saw a substantial recovery." First of all, the predictions that the article refers to were in regard to summer sea ice — no one is claiming that the Arctic will see ice-free Christmases anytime soon. Also, the scientific community isn't nearly as unified as the article suggests; predictions as to when those watery Arctic summers might commence range anywhere from 2013 to 2100. Some scientists said it was possible that the summer of 2008 would be ice-free, but those statements weren't made as decisively as the Daily Tech piece asserts.
Asher said "predictions were rife that the North Pole could melt entirely in 2008. Rastogi's qualifier of "decisively" seems intended to weaken the accuracy of Asher's statement. Was Asher correct? Here are four examples of predictions about the melting ice.
(a) "Expert: Arctic polar cap may disappear this summer", Xinhua, 29 February 2008 — Excerpt:
"The polar cap in the Arctic may well disappear this summer due to the global warming, Dr. Olav Orheim, head of the Norwegian International Polar Year Secretariat, said on Friday. … "If Norway's average temperature this year equals that in 2007,the ice cap in the Arctic will all melt away, which is highly possible judging from current conditions," Orheim said.
(b) "North Pole Could Be Ice Free in 2008", ABC News, 27 April 2008 — Excerpt:
"The set-up for this summer is disturbing," says Mark Serreze, of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). A number of factors have this year led to most of the Arctic ice being thin and vulnerable as it enters its summer melting season. … "There is this thin first-year ice even at the North Pole at the moment," says Serreze. "This raises the spectre – the possibility that you could become ice free at the North Pole this year."
(c) "North Pole May Be Ice-Free for First Time This Summer", Aalok Mehta, National Geographic, 20 June 2008 — Excerpt:
Arctic warming has become so dramatic that the North Pole may melt this summer, report scientists studying the effects of climate change in the field. "We're actually projecting this year that the North Pole may be free of ice for the first time [in history]," David Barber, of the University of Manitoba, told National Geographic News aboard the C.C.G.S. Amundsen, a Canadian research icebreaker.
… But the North Pole's current plight stems from a much more startling reduction in sea ice that took place last summer. That extensive melt shattered all previous recordsand destroyed a significant portion of the Arctic's multiyear ice. "We lost 65% of the ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere all in one year," Barber said. "So it was a whopping decrease. We didn't even think it was possible for the system to lose so much ice all at once."
(d) "Exclusive: Scientists warn that there may be no ice at North Pole this summer", The Independent, 27 June 2008 — Excerpt:
Seasoned polar scientists believe the chances of a totally ice-free North Pole this summer are greater than 50:50 because the normally thick ice formed over many years at the Pole has been blown away and replaced by huge swathes of thinner ice formed over a single year.
… "The issue is that, for the first time that I am aware of, the NorthPole is covered with extensive first-year ice – ice that formed last autumn and winter. I'd say it's even-odds whether the North Pole melts out," said Dr Serreze.
… Ron Lindsay, a polar scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, agreed that much now depends on what happens to the Arctic weather in terms of wind patterns and hours of sunshine. "There's a good chance that it will all melt away at the North Pole, it's certainly feasible, but it's not guaranteed," Dr Lindsay said.
Back to Slate:
As for the "substantial recovery" claim — well, sea ice always "recovers" in the winter, in the sense that it grows back after it melts. And, yes, September 2008 did show more ice than September 2007 — but the Lantern would argue that going from the worst summer on record to the second-worst is nothing to crow about."
Again notice the how Roastogi attributes emotionalism to Asher — "to crow about" — with no quotes, since it is her invention. And finally she gets to the point of Asher's article: that ice cover was similar to its extent 30 years ago. It's not just the primary point of his article, it is almost the only subject discussed.
Back to Slate:
… The "miraculous recovery" argument makes the classic mistake of confusing short-term changes with long-term trends. The rate at which sea ice melts or freezes is determined by a complex mix of variables: not just atmospheric temperature but also wind patterns, ocean currents, saline levels, and the amount of open water surrounding the ice. So looking at a single data point is bound to skew your analysis if you ignore the clear and persistent long-term changes, as this blog post wittily demonstrates.
Rastogi uses a false quote to exaggerate Asher's words. Asher says nothing about a miraculous recovery; the only adjectives he uses are "rapid" and "substantial". Then more dancing by Rastogi, as she ignores Asher's valid observation that whatever the "trend" the levels were unchanged point-to-point. The logical rebuttal to his observation would be to show that the "clear and persistent long-term" trend, which she does not even attempt (perhaps for good reason).
Back to Slate:
The Daily Tech piece also sows confusion about the meaning of global ice levels. In a global-warming scenario, it's possible that Antarctic sea ice might rise as Arctic sea ice plummets. Looking at the combined ice area of both regions doesn't tell us much about the effects of greenhouse-gas emissions, as this response to the Daily Tech item — written by the scientists whose data the piece cites — explains. …
Attributing to Asher things he did not say — and then than rebutting this fiction. Asher does not "sow confusion about the meaning of global ice levels" because he does not discuss the meaning. The closest he comes to such a thing is the conclusion (a brief factual statement of the recent public policy actions about bears).
Rastogi is "a writer and editor in Brooklyn, NY" Obviously a skilled writer, as she writes 1100 words about Asher's 360 word article and manages to effectively disguise that the point of his article is correct. That's a professional at work!
Email from Michael Asher:
For the record, neither Rastogi nor Slate contacted Dailytech in regards to their article, and in fact refused us any rebuttal or reply when we learned of it independently.
This raises an important point, one that shows why the mainstream media has lost its vigor: allowing Asher to post a response at Slate would generate free content and buzz — and contraversy. Readers. Media lives and dies by the size of its audience. Slates preference for the ideological purity of its pages over traffic is a bad sign for its longevity as a business.
Also note Asher's comment posted below.
With such disinformation saturating the mainstream media, we see a possible explanation for the oddities of comments on the FM site by pro-AGW (anthropogenic global warming) enthusiasts. Articles like Rastogi's supply no factual basis for their beliefs, so their comments seldom provide any. Instead Rastogi gives both the illusion of certainty and a feeling of righteousness.
The science will sort itself out eventually. Until then I believe we should adequately fund climate science research — including review of research (as done in new drug approvals), and prevent public policy mistakes based on incomplete or premature conclusions. For more about these recommendations see My "wish list" for the climate sciences in 2009.
Propaganda, like this Slate article, is part of the problem, not the solution.
For more information from the FM site
To read other articles about these things, see the FM reference page on the right side menu bar. Of esp relevance to this topic:
Some posts on the FM site about disinformation and propaganda:
- News from the Front: America's military has mastered 4GW!, 2 September 2007
- 4GW at work in a community near you, 19 October 2007
- The media discover info ops, with outrage!, 22 April 2008
- Successful info ops, but who are the targets?, 1 May 2008
- "Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable", 8 June 2008 – About Debkafile
- Does reading Debkafile make us smarter, or dumber?, 15 June 2008
- Psywar, a core skill of the US Military (used most often on us), 26 November 2008
- Concrete evidence of government info ops against us, but it's OK because we are sheep, 2 December 2008
- Iran's getting the bomb, or so we're told. Can they fool us twice?, 16 February 2009
Some posts on the FM site about the sociology and politics of climate science:
- A look at the science and politics of global warming, 12 June 2008
- President Kennedy speaks to us about global warming and Climate Science, 7 August 2008
- "Aliens cause global warming": wise words from the late Michael Crichton, 15 November 2008
- My "wish list" for the climate sciences in 2009, 2 January 2009
- Apostasy against core leftist doctrine at the Huffington Post!, 13 January 2009
- Peer review of scientific work – another example of a flawed basis for public policy, 22 January 2009
- Obamaopens his Administration with a powerful act that will echo for many years, 4 February 2009
- Science in action, a confused and often nasty debate among scientists, 5 February 2009
- Richard Feynmann, one of the 20th centuries greatest scientists, talks to us about climate science, 12 February 2009
18 February 2009 12:22 am
I sometimes feel this site devotes disproportional attention to this issue, but it is understandable to want to provide a counterweight to any sort of assumption-based panic. It does seem that insufficient attention is devoted to the possibility that global warming might not be such a bad thing, either in and of itself or as a counterweight to global cooling, which has certainly happened in the past and been disastrous.
What is certainly true is that we live in the most propagandized culture that has ever existed, both in terms of quantity and quality, and that is not a good thing. All media are by definition middlemen, who by definition have their own material agendas, and they are not identical with the public interest, nor can they be.
Fabius Maximus replies: There is no rational basis for the selection of topics written about here, within the field of geopolitics. I write as the spirit moves me, until I complete my build-ships-in-a-bottle course. Then I begin a more socially useful hobby.
Climate change is significant on several levels. For its effect on the world, but also as an illustration of the decision-making process in America (its disfunctional observation-orientation-decision-action loop).
Andrew B permalink18 February 2009 4:47 am
"Earlier this year, predictions were rife that the NorthPole could melt entirely in 2008."
Don't you just love media-annointed experts? Just listen for them, then bet against what they say.
And as an aside from that, what are the chances that during the Holocene Climatic Optimum, that there was an ice free North Pole all summer given how much warmer that arctic was then than today?
Fabius Maximus replies: I consider this a bit harsh. First, these are real experts in any sense of the word. Second, there is strong temptation to make bold statements to reporters. Fame is a door to fortune and influence in our society, and journalists hold many of the keys. Giving them accurate answers about cutting-edge climate science — complex, nuanced, reflecting the uncertainties of a new field — means oblivion.
It's a reasonable gamble to make a big guess. No professional penalty for being wrong, media fame for being correct.
Tcobb permalink18 February 2009 5:01 am
1. Journalism started going down hill when they started giving out college degrees for it and the media gave preference to hiring those who have them.
2. Most people who have degrees in journalism have them because they didn't have what it takes to get a degree in say, electrical engineering. Its a minor leap above getting a degree in Transgender Studies.
3. Most journalists are scientifically illiterate.
–Enough said.
J Charles permalink18 February 2009 5:04 am
One would think that, in the absence of an anti-human/anti-civilization agenda, evidence indicating a lessening likelihood of catastrophic warming would be welcomed as a dodged bullet; the level of hostility leveled at any such evidence is clear indication of the fervent climato-religious zeal held by the AGW 'enthusiasts' (fabulous ironic term!).
Gerard permalink18 February 2009 5:07 am
There has been no warming on average in the US rural sites in over 111 years. It is all urban heat island effects. The data has been summarized in a little YouTube video. It may be simple but it is a very valid study. Think of what the data show.
Fabius Maximus replies: For something of this complexity and importance I only look at studies with a much higher level of expert analysis. Even with my minimal knowledge of climate trends, I would expect to see warming over the past 111 years as northern hemisphere temperatures rebound from the Little Ice Age.
In any case, this is not a thead on which to debate global warming. The subject is coverage of climate science by the mainstream media — or perhaps media manipulation as a broad topic.
JorgXMcKie permalink18 February 2009 5:16 am
I think it says a lot about Global Warming and climate science in general when the response to any failed prediction is such an article. Real science advances by hypothesis, prediction, and falsification. Accept that your prediction failed or you hypothesis was falsified and move on. Fix the problem. Deal with contradictory data. The AGW crowd is having none of that. Ipso facto not science.
Fabius Maximus replies: Let's not tar an entire field because of the actions of a few. There is a great deal of excellent climate science being done, outside the media's 3 ring circus. For examples see the FM Reference Page on Science & nature – studies & reports.
Clark permalink18 February 2009 5:45 am
The problem with climate science journalism arises primarily from the climate scientists themselves. In other areas of science reporting, the writing might be scientifically illiterate and sensationalized, but there are usually quotes from those enthusiastic about the science in question, and those skeptical of the approach or the conclusions.
However, there are a very vocal group of climate scientists (and non-scientific activists) who really circle the wagons if anyone tries to upset the AGW applecart with even mild questions or observations. And there are a lot more who seem to maintain normal scientific skepticism in their work, but won't risk airing that skepticism in public. Some of this is likely based on self-interest in terms of grants, papers and prestige, but I am sure some of it is due to the vicious trashing skeptics receive from the vocal minority. Heck, James Hansen and others want those who even question AGW put on trial.
brian permalink18 February 2009 5:47 am
I'll tar an entire field, and for one simple reason. They aren't scientists, they're politicians.
All of the science pointing to CO2 as the driver of "global warming" has failed to pan out. When reality contradicts your scientific predictions, you typically do one of two things: re-work your hypothesis, or re-evaluate your data to see if you made any errors.
However, what the IPCC does is get the AP and Reuters to publish stories about how everything's melting, when evidence to the contrary is staring us right in the face.
Fabius Maximus replies: This is just silly. What is your basis to "tar an entire field" and say "they aren't scientists"? Do you know all of them, have studied their work? Most of them? Any? Does this include the scientists studying the influence of solar cycles on Earth's climate, who are opposition to the group running the IPCC?
Gerard permalink18 February 2009 5:49 am
I am a scientist and it is very easy to see how the media may not cover any science well. Data analysis is very boring. You just want someone to tell you what it means.
I spent many, many hours checking data for that little video and trying to decide how to best analyze it. Experimental design is very important and even under the most controlled conditions, a poorly designed experiment may give useless data. Climatologists can't set up controlled experiments and must depend upon observation and modeling. If the data collection systems are not completely reliable or consistently controlled (and most of the surface temperature stations might fall under that classification) it makes it all the more difficult to make accurate models. We really can't say what will happen next year let alone the next hundred.
But accuracy may not be so important to the media. The media like things to be dramatic, and I hate to say it, the more outlandish the prediction (the ice is all going to melt and we are all going to die) the more dramatic it is and sells the story so much better.
Fabius Maximus replies: Why not write it up and post it on a climate science blog, with the video as an insert? It might be a generational thing, but I don't take a YouTube video seriously. Or any video or TV for that matter (I don't even have a TV, just a monitor). (With one exception about TV: I bought the Miami Vice Season One DVDs as a source of fashion tips).
Pete permalink18 February 2009 7:20 am
Tcobb, well-said (comment #4). Despite being a scientist, and thus allegedly fitting the stereotype of being generally impenetrable and poor at speaking or writing, I am the exception. I love to write, and do so well-enough to be a journalist. I once applied to Medill School at Northwestern University, and was rejected – to my disappointment but eventual pride. I wear that as a mark of distiction now, given the shoddy record of journalists these days, when so many have abandoned their critical role as our nation's fourth estate in favor of naked partisanship, infotainment and the like. Michael Crichton warned of the increasing irrlevency of the mainstream media as far back as the early 1990s in a series of talks he gave; he was ahead of the curve on that one. He went on to write about science as fear-mongering in his book "State of Fear."
Fabius: I have not read in some time, if ever, a better summary description of the failings of modern journalism than your first paragraph. Well done! Keep on building that ship in a bottle… it looks to be a good one.
Leper permalink18 February 2009 9:11 am
The pursuit of profits is another potential cause of the modern decline of journalism.
Media organisations are profit-maximising companies, whose customers are advertisers and whose products are conduits to the population. In order to maximise its income from advertising, a media organisation must increase the number of people who see/hear the advertisements they publish. This is commonly achieved by manipulating the content they publish to better attract viewers. Stories of doom and gloom, sex and titillation, and irrelevant entertainment events are substituted for content to attract viewers. Detailed and in-depth analysis of issues is simultaneously rejected, as it is seen as boring and unlikely to attract viewers. This reduces the quality of the journalism produced by the mainstream media, which now intends to entertain and not inform.
Reducing the quality of journalism found in the mainstream media also makes it easier to spread disinformation and propaganda, especially if the media is a willing participant. This isn't to say that traditional journalism is dead, just that its often less profitable than entertainment masquerading as journalism. People will still seek "good" journalism, however, they will have difficulty locating it the mainstream media channels.
18 February 2009 1:37 pm
The climate science reporting fiasco has gotten pretty bad when one has to resort to a "he said/she said" analysis about sea ice. Another indication of bad climate reporting was a very well respected climate scientist taking it to reporters on his blog earlier this week:
An Egregious Example Of Biased News Reporting, Roger Pielke Sr, 15 February 2009
There are more climate scientists like this one trying to get their knowledge and viewpoints disseminated but finding it very difficult – a great read by an eminent climate scientist describing the situation can be found here:
"Climate Science: Is it currently designed to answer questions?", Richard S. Lindzen (MIT Program in Atmospheres, Oceans and Climate), 29 November 2008 — Conference paper, posted at arXiv.
Unfortunately, the sea ice type of journalism from the larger media outlets will continue. I see no solution to this other than finding other sources of information and analysis.
Fabius Maximus replies: Thanks for links to these articles! Also note this: "Scientists must rein in misleading climate change claims", Vicky Pope (head of climate change advice at the UK's Met Office Hadley Centre), op-ed in the Guardian, 11 February 2009 — "Overplaying natural variations in the weather diverts attention from the real issues".
John permalink18 February 2009 1:59 pm
What worries me about AGW and climatology is that suppose they are wrong. The entire field of climatology would be radically discredited. Careers would end. Tenures would be denied and so forth. I have no doubt that many climatologists are hard working and sincerely believe in AGW. The fact, remains, however, that their careers depend on it being true. Worse still, their findings are being taken and exagerated by those with political agendas. Read the UN report on Climate Change sometime. The actual report is quite circumspect on the likelyhood and severety of global warmning. It was written by scientists. The exectutive summary, however, was written by political people and contains all of the outlandist claims.
Perhaps the scientists are right about AGW. Time will tell. But the fact is that it is pretty obvious that they are engaging in serious group think and have created a situtation where they have a vested interest in their theory being correct. Those are not conditions for good science. If they are right, it will be because they got lucky. If they are wrong, heaven help us with the damage it will do to the reputation of science and scientists. If AGW is proven incorrect, advocates for every crack pot theory from intelligent design to vacines causing autism will have a pat response "oh so you are telling me the science says my theory is wrong, just like it said global warming was correct". Sadly, they will have a point.
Ollie permalink18 February 2009 2:16 pm
Letter of Ex-communication.
Sadly, as a documenter of anti-global warming propaganda, you are now recieving your ex-communication letter for heresy. The global warming community has comnfirmed the consensus scientific fact that the Globe is Warming due to man-made Carbon Dioxide emissions alone ove the last 50 years. This is correlated by most scientists in all fields of endeavour.
Remember they are legion and will ensure you never get or continue to have tenure at any research institution, especially since you will be unable to get any sort of funding by arguing against what is a fait accompli. The Earth is warming, this is completely understood. You have turned your back on us, we now do the same for you.
Your attitude is irrational at best and at complete odds with the scientific establishment, and with the Presidents of the all the primary world countries, for that matter. In addition, you will lose all funding for your articles bearing any so-called facts denigrating the policy and fact of global warming. No peer-reviewed scientific magazine will ever again look at you work for publication.
Sorry, but the scientific establishment and its consensus has been damaged. You are directly held responsible for this and will no longer be able to talk to the community of true researchers and will be shunned for such behavior. Surely, Mr. Gore will be visiting you in your re-eduaction camp over the next few decades to correct your misconceptions. Remember a Nobel Prize trumps all and ensures the truth is correct and invariable.
Sincerely, with all due regrets, you are hereby ex-communicated from the world scientific community,
LOL, I could not resist! But expect this type of reaction from the "True Believers".
Fabius Maximus replies: No need to guess; just read the comments on the FM site's articles about climate science.
Matt Jones permalink18 February 2009 2:28 pm
"At some point during the 1970's a large part of the mainstream media decided to abandon journalism to become the Ministry of Truth. Advocacy journalism, instructing the peons and elevating their consciousness. The slo-mo but accelerating business disaster that resulted — loss of audience, fading profits, layoffs — should not detract from their considerable success at mastering the techniques of propaganda."
Isn't this a bit of an exaggeration? Are the business woes of the mainstream media a direct consequence of the politicization of their reportage? There seem to be some who think that technology and related shifts in generational preferences for news sources have something to do with it.
18 February 2009 2:33 pm
FM wrote: "There is no rational basis for what gets written here.."
Wait a minute, that's MY business model;-).
Besides wondering if there is or isn't global addition of heat due to people burning stuff… there's also the possibility, at least, that we would not discover same because much of the heat could be used up evaporating water, which might explain this cheery article at TomDispatch: "Burning Questions: What Does Economic "Recovery" Mean on an Extreme Weather Planet?", By Tom Engelhardt, posted at TomDispatch, 17 February 2009.
And of course without proper historical data, we don't really know what the cause if any of all this drought is.
What does seem certain to me, unfortunately, is that whatever we do about the banks, or the carbon issue, or anything, the equation of human population/arable land/fossil fuels/fresh water simply does not solve at the current scale indefinitely. Something has to give.
Fabius Maximus replies: There may be no "cause", in the usual sense of the word. The 20th century might just have had unusually pleasant weather in some areas (e.g., western US, Australia), that are now experiencing normal climatic cycles.
Ollie permalink18 February 2009 2:41 pm
I am in complete agreement with you that this is a propaganda campaign.
The original seminal research for this hypothesis is from a problem research study. The problem with using data that has been heavily edited to conform to a hypothesis and then used as a projection is a fallacy. If the data can not be consistently used to provide a model that fits historical data over say the last 2,000 years then how can you use it to project over the next 10 years, or 100 years, or 1,000 years?
This is an example of the most lackadaisical "science" foisted on us by a so-called NASA scientist. It is a horrible example of the worst sort of science done in recent years. It does not even follow the scientific method of posting all facets of the experiment and data so that it can be re-examined and re-executed by other scientists to prove the validity of the research done. Most scientists consider this type of modeling speculation at best, not proof of trends.
This is the basis of a scientific consensus? I shudder to think of what this implies about our scientific community. That media, scientists, and politicians see this as a way to get votes, funding, and power is not really surprising.
Read Jerry Pournelle's and Larry Niven's "Fallen Angels" for a discussion of just this kind of situation. You will understand after having read it. It shows just such a global warming conspiracy gone off beam and causing an Ice Age, because of poorly done science, propagandizing by radical environmentalists and political people trying to capitalize on the hysteria for votes and power, and frantic anti-warming measures hastily instituted to stop global warming, without thought to unintended consequences. Oh, and it was written in 1981 or around then.
John permalink18 February 2009 3:16 pm
That is a good point. The point of a scientific theory is not only to predict the future but explain past data. I have yet to see a AGW model that explains past climate changes like the warming that took place around 3000BC or the little ice age in the 1500s.
underscore permalink18 February 2009 3:20 pm
Man, journalists are getting a beating here. I think Leper had it half right–news media is a business and needs to sell a product. That crazy guy on TV never sold OxyClean by saying 'well, it works about a third of the time if you get the mixture right, and even then there's strong research disputing the fact that oxygenation has a clear impact on stain removal, and even then, there's no clear data in 70% of households.' The consumer wants clear statements and prizes brevity and concision, which seem antithetical to the nuanced treatment that responsible science deserves. Try giving a reporter a long winded answer with a lot of qualified statements and see if you get quoted. As Gerard and FM have pointed out the nature of news media pushes experts and reporters towards bold uncompromising statements.
On top of that, journalists have the misfortune of being human, which includes proclivity towards laziness, simplification, and bias. Anyone who is immune to these behaviors needs to switch fields and becomes journalists. Thankfully some unlicensed plumbers with no journalistic background are becoming reporters, so we may now be reversing the insidious trend of preference towards a college education and field experience when hiring for news outlets.
I'm not going to pretend that 90% of what I read in newspapers and see on TV (can't afford the Miami Vice DVDs) doesn't make me want to scream about ethical reporting to the nearest person or chair. But that being said, without reporting, however imperfect, who's there to disseminate any information, true or false? And at what point do we no longer have to be responsible consumers? Why do we trust their claims any more than those like 'number one wireless network in America' or 'recommended by four out of five dentists'? Thankfully, there are blogs like this that centralize counterpoints to the media's daily briefings, and we're lucky that such information activists exist. But I can't for the life of me see why the general public doesn't feel the need to hop on the internet, read some studies and reports, and investigate for themselves every time they hear a sweeping claim like "the ice caps will disappear."
Andrew B permalink18 February 2009 3:30 pm
Matt Jones #19: "Are the business woes of the mainstream media a direct consequence of the politicization of their reportage?"
YES! I really like the NY Times analytical coverage of politics and science and sports and business. But I cannot stand their tenditious and slanted reporting, spiced with periodic outright treasonable "leaks" of sensitive government information. Were it not for the latter, I would subscribe to get the former.
"There seem to be some who think that technology and related shifts in generational preferences for news sources have something to do with it."
My generation (those born circa Watergate) and those younger do not have new sources for news. Bloggers are in general not reporters or journalists. Reading a newspaper on the internet is not a viable business model for the newspaper. You-Tube videos are in general not news. Us Weekly is not news. The free "Metro" tabloid is not not a real newspaper. Facebook updates and Twitter posts are not news. Talk radio is not news. My generation is in general abysmally ignorant of actual news and events, civics, science, and math, which is why they are so easily manipulated by the players of the media-entertainment-politcal world.
Ael permalink18 February 2009 5:12 pm
I note with interest that the article on sea ice fails to mention that they are comparing *September* 1979 global sea ice to January 2009 global sea ice. It is the difference between summer and winter in the northern hemisphere. A straight January 1979 to January 2009 comparison provides a somewhat different assessment.
Fabius Maximus replies: It fails to mention this because your statement is not correct. The excerpt from The Cryosphere Today, published by the Dept of Atmospheric Sciences at the U of Illinois is quite specific on this point: "One important detail about the article in the Daily Tech is that the author is comparing the GLOBAL sea ice area from December 31, 2008 to same variable for December 31, 1979."
Update: Note Ael's gracious apology in comment #43 below. More like Ael and the internet would be a more fun and informative place.
18 February 2009 6:14 pm
FM note: This comment is from Mike Asher, the author of the Daily Tech article
Comment #25: "the article on sea ice fails to mention that they are comparing *September* 1979 global sea ice to January 2009 global sea ice. It is the difference between summer and winter…"
This is incorrect; the original article compared Dec 1979 levels to Dec 2008. Furthermore, even had we chosen to use September data, the results would have still been valid, as we compared based on the _anomaly_ level (which is seasonally adjusted), rather than the raw amount of ice itself.
This is one of the many points Rastogi got wrong. What she did state correctly, however, was that a single year's ice recovery does indeed say nothing about anthropogenic global warming. By the same tokenr, the melting of the past 150 years says nothing about it either. The cryosphere has been melting since the end of the last ice age, some 20,000 years ago…and over most of that period, it was doing so substantially faster than it is today. Global warming or not, we would expect the North Pole to eventually do what it has done in past interglacials — vanish entirely.
Note Ael's gracious apology in comment #43 below. More like Ael and the internet would be a more fun and informative place.
Steve W from Ford permalink18 February 2009 6:46 pm
You advise not tarring an entire field for the foolishness of the few and there is some wisdom in that entreaty. However I recall reading of the first results of project Argo last year. This is the project that has released approximately 3000 buoys around the globe that periodically dive to 1000 meters float along there for 8 to 10 days then go on down to 2000 meters while also recording the water temperature before rising to the surface and radioing the results to a satellite. The project had entered it's fifth year with rather "distressing" results showing that the oceans were cooling slightly rather than heating as the AGW proponents had postulated. So what did the good scientists speculate was the problem? They opined that the instrumentation had some unknown error that caused it to misread the "true" temperature.
Now, true, this was their first reaction and they will probably get it sorted but it says something fundamental about how biased your belief system is when your first attribution is that the 3000!!!! robots you have plying the oceans are, somehow, wrong because you just can't believe the results.
It makes me wonder just how deep down the "rabbit hole" many of our scientists are and how difficult it will be to accept clear data showing their error. I do not have your faith in human nature. I personally believe many will obfuscate the truth in order to delay the inevitable denouement.
Duncan Kinder permalink18 February 2009 6:50 pm
There has been a lot of talk lately about the decline / incipient demise of the newspaper. Given the media's performance since at least Whitewater, would this be a bad thing.
The only thing I need to read in my local paper is the obituaries. I can survive without coverage of the local pumpkin festival and the latest car crash.
Fabius Maximus replies: You imply that whatever replaces the mainstream media will be as good or better. That is quite a leap of faith. Also, local self-government requires local news. If you or do not follow it, we are either a serf or relying on the industry of our fellow citizens (deadweight).
18 February 2009 9:06 pm
In 1968 I took a job as a police reporter and discovered that police reporters were very well informed but did not share what they knew with their papers. At the same time I was impressed with the determination of editors to verify what passed for information that went into the paper. City Hall reporters, like police reporters, were remarkably well informed about their beat and careful to keep their knowledge from the public, to preserve their access. My newspaper career did not last long but it cured me of my obsession with reading them. Gave up the NYT Sunday in 1985 and the rest of it by 1990. Curing myself finally of the WSJ. The problem with journalism today is not TV or internet. Its simple: the reporters all went to college, increasingly, woe to us, "good schools", which means they have opinions on everything, do not know how to drink,and are not really friends with anyone who knows anything.
Matt Jones permalink19 February 2009 11:04 am
Andrew #24 — Understand your position and preferences on news sources. Don't believe this tells us much about the broader population. FM's assertion that the current business woes of the mainstream media arise from the quality of their reporting remains a mere assertion.
Fabius Maximus replies: Great point. I have changed the text. "That resulted" now says "that followed."
underscore permalink19 February 2009 4:54 pm
FM: "Can anyone explain what this means? What is "my man-centered hypothesis"?"
a confusion of anthropogenic for anthrocentric? Really, your man-centered Christianity agenda betrays you FM.
But back to the debate over media, I'm not convinced that we've seen a decline in good reporting. If anything, media is just more accountable now than it was in the past giving us the illusion that it's gotten worse (though it probably hasn't gotten better). Was the Spanish-American war build up any more ethical than the way the news media rallied behind Iraq? I bet if we had the inclination we could find some great articles assuring us that phrenology was the future of hereditary science, allowing us to identify disease and mental attributes before they manifested. I don't think Hearst or Pulitzer were any less sensational than what we have now. At best, we've had eras of good newsmen (the Cronkites, Bernsteins, what have you) rather than eras of responsible news giving credence to both sides of the debate.
That being said I don't we should pack it in and call it quits with mainstream news just because they're lazy, incompetent, and dominated by the strongest interests of the day. They always were. But sticking to the obituaries and lamenting college educations certainly doesn't seem like it's going to change anything for the better.
Fabius Maximus replies: Thanks for the explanation. It was a troll making a dumb joke — or just ignorance on display. Either way to be ignored.
Re: media. All powerful points. Perhaps we're just returning to mean of journalism after a brief period of unusually good performance.
I would put Bernstein at the beginning of the decline. Acting as a passive conduit for a senior FBI offical working against the President is neither heroic or journalism in my opinion. The "back story" was as important as what they told us.
Ael permalink19 February 2009 5:08 pm
I apologize to Mr. Asher for misreading his article.
When I examined the source data graph, I initially compared January 1979 to January 2009. These two data points don't show the two same levels at all. However, if you compare December 1979 to December 2008, they do match. Thus, the effect of winter/summer is not an issue.
I am not sure of the usefulness of picking two data points 29 years apart, but if one does, they do, indeed, match.
Fabius Maximus replies: Thank you for this very gracious behavior of a kind too seldom seen on the Internet.
Asher's article was important in several ways.
(1) Most important: showing that ice accumulation in the south offsets much or all (dependign on the period examined) of the melting in the Arctic. As the articles I quote show, the mainstream media creates global warming hysterial by selective citing facts, omiting to mention key contrary data.
(2) As a follow-up report. Did the media publishing the polar ice forecasts I cited do follow-up articles about the actual outcome — to reduce the hysteria fed by their "warnings"?
(3) As a simple demonstration (still requiring 300+ words) that climate trends are not as simple to prove as the general media usually portrays them (it requires use of statistical tools).
(4) Also important, this casual treatment of statistics has been shown to be a weak point of the climate science literature by expert statisticians.
(I don't have time now to give the citations for #3; you can find them here).
19 February 2009 8:24 pm
Ah, the global warming issue. Turns out science isn't really as irrefutable a proof as it should be! What it comes down to is the people's perception of the matter, and there's nothing so tangible as a genocide or mass destruction of some sort to make people feel like they're impacted in some way. "To heck with science if it didn't directly impact me," they would say. For a lot of folks, asking them to subscribe to global warming is like asking them to take a leap of faith. That's a tough one when the indomitable art of science is supposed to be driving this leap!
That the mainstream media is biased comes as no surprise to me, in fact I think it's an existential requirement in a "free press." However I also think that, sometimes, the media serves up disinformation simply because it doesn't understand what it's talking about. Or else it is being toyed with by a particularly adept politician like Obama.
Has anyone else noticed the media's fallacy in equating post-partisanship with bipartisan politics? It drives me crazy because the mainstream explanation is so intuitive that everyone just accepts it, which is fine except that it's wrong! Post-partisanship is a tremendous promise that I don't want to see go to waste just because no one "gets it." Being a rookie, this last week I've been busting my butt blogging about this.. I would really appreciate any comments! FM you're so lucky to have such a passionate commenter base ^_^


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CSS training - intermediate
Expert-led training courses
Our hands-on intermediate CSS training is fantastic - small class sizes, highly interactive and taught by experts.
Book your place now on to our CSS training course and develop your CSS skills to become a more confident web developer.
Intermediate CSS training dates in 2015
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The intermediate CSS training is part of our web development training programme of 5 courses - get a 10% or 20% discount when you book on any 2 or 3+ different courses respectively.
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The course lasts for 1 day (10:00-17:00) and takes place at our purpose-built training centre at the Webcredible offices in London. You will:
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A formal understanding of CSS allows developers to create leaner, more efficient & more maintainable stylesheets. The Intermediate CSS course is a comprehensive walk through of all aspects of CSS development & gives a great grounding in the language for all skill levels.
The CSS course topics are:
- CSS building blocks & fundamental principles
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This course is particularly suitable if you are:
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At a minimum, you'll need to understand the basics of CSS and how to write out simple CSS commands (e.g. to change font size or colours).
If the course seems too basic then check out our excellent responsive design & advanced CSS training which usually takes place the day after the intermediate course.
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The intermediate CSS training course is usually run by:
Paul McCarthy
Paul is Webcredible's Head of Web Development. He's one of the UK's leading experts in CSS and all aspects of accessible web development. Originally from a design background and with a vast experience of large scale design and development projects, Paul is able to expertly combine creativity with technical expertise.
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Our CSS courses are all run at our purpose-built training centre at the Webcredible offices in London.
All our training is run in a bright airy room with each person having access to a PC. You can also use our break-out area, with refreshments provided throughout the day.
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We've trained over 10,000 individuals across 2000 organisations, including:
We were delighted with the CSS training provided by Webcredible. The trainer's enthusiasm and knowledge impressed us greatly. We are now perfectly equipped to improve the online content for all our customers.
Ecommerce team leader, First Choice Holidays

subset: commoncrawl


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ok so it was worth doing just to get it over with…. but idk it was a drunken one so i really dont remember it and i think it was waaaaayyyy to much tongue on my part and def on his!!!! idk what's even happening with him…. BOYS SUCK!
Sammied07 has written 3 entries about this goal
i'm ready to have my first kiss! i want it to be something amazing and something i'll tell my kids, well the girls, but i want it to happen soon. i think i've waited pretty patiently for 17, 18 years on sunday. i think my first kiss will be with someone that i will end up dating so i've always just figured i can wait because i've always felt like i was never in the place to have a relationship. i've wanted to have one but i think inside i knew i shouldnt. i'm such an emotional roller coaster and i've never really felt confortable with who i am so why should i have a person in my life that would have to deal with that too. but this year i think i've finally grown into myself. i still have my insecurities but i feel like i'm not going to be up and do and i can really open myself up to someone. and every time i think of a relationship i've always felt that it is something that is very mature and i think i'm finally there.
so why do i always mess things up with guys? i always get close to something happening then i mess it up.


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NATE 2014 Conference
Sterling Rope will be exhibiting at NATE Unite 2014, the annual conference for the National Association of Tower Erectors in San Diego, California on February 25th and 26th.
We will be sitting on the discussion panel "Bringing Safety to New Heights", a town hall discussion about the future of safety in the tower industry, and showcasing the latest in safety and rescue equipment for the tower industry.
Stop by booth 419 and see some of the new new great products we are offering to the work-at-height community, including the Tech11, our 7/16" rope that meets NFPA General Use.


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Martina McBride
Gretchen Wilson, Bill Engvall Added to Controversial SeaWorld Concert Series
After several high-profile artists backed out of planned performances at SeaWorld last year, others are now stepping in to fill their shoes, including "Redneck Woman" singer Wilson and comedian Engvall.
MusiCares Tribute To Carole King Spans Generations, Genres
Steven Tyler, P!nk, Lady Gaga, Sara Bareilles, Zac Brown, Miranda Lambert, Miguel and Alicia Keys were among the many artists who paid tribute last night to one of the greatest songwriters of popular music.
Martina McBride Reveals Track List, Cover Art for 'Everlasting'
"I love soulful music and it just made sense to me to stretch a bit at this time and do something that fills my heart and allows me to explore a little bit," she said of her upcoming album.
Martina McBride Launches Own Label with Soul and R&B Covers Album, 'Everlasting'
"While this is a bit of a departure for me song-wise, stylistically I approached these songs the way I always have, which is singing with as much soul and emotion as I possibly can."
George Strait Sells Out The Final Show on His 'Cowboy Rides Away' Tour
Some 100,000 tickets are now sold for Strait's final tour date, which features a huge range of special guests. Find out who is on the bill — and which guests are performing on which dates throughout the rest of the 2014 tour.
George Jones Tribute Celebrates Life & Music of a Country Music Legend
Dubbed Playin' Possum: The Final No-Show, the Jones tribute concert lasted four hours and welcomed more than 100 artists to to perform 48 Jones hits.
George Strait Reveals His Only Regret
George Strait says he's got it pretty good and in a recent interview admitted that he really only has one regret about his career. George said that as an artist he used to write alot, […]
Train's Pat Monahan On The Likelihood Of Going Country
Monahan checked in from the road with Radio.com, and among the topics was the possibility of a country-leaning solo album. "The Nashville community, you can't slip something by them. They know if you're for real or not."
Murder Ballads: When Women Take The Lead
In recent years, murder ballads have taken on a whole new context, with women in the starring roles. Examples include songs by the Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Reba, Carrie Underwood, and Miranda Lambert.
Martina McBride Set To Perform After Rays Game
Martina McBride will be at the Trop on June 8 after the Rays face the Orioles and coming up later in the year she's set to perform during the National Women's Survivors Convention at the Gaylord […]


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Coleman, Fletcher Among 2013 Business Hall of Fame Inductees
Posted 2/15/2013 08:36 am
Updated 2 years ago
Thomas E. Boyer, W.C. "Buddy" Coleman Jr., William L. Cravens and Frank Fletcher Jr. are the 2013 inductees to the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business Hall of Fame.
The UA will induct the honorees tonight at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
The four will join 58 other members of the hall, established in 1999 to honor "exceptional business success." Selections are made by the hall's board of directors based on nominations it receives each year.
(More: Click here to read full profiles on each of the inductees.)
Boyer, of Amarillo, Texas, is owner and founder of Micro Images and a graduate of the business college at the UA, where he was an All-American basketball player.
Coleman, of Little Rock, was former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Coleman Dairy. He died in 2011.
Cravens, of Little Rock, is a certified public accountant and professional engineer who retired after a long career in banking and telecommunications management. He is a director of the Oaklawn Jockey Club in Hot Springs.
Fletcher, of North Little Rock, is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Frank Fletcher Companies, a holding company that owns or controls 20 separate corporations.
"This year's inductees represent the breadth of accomplishment by business leaders from Arkansas," Walton College Dean Eli Jones said in a news release.
"These individuals join the distinguished list of members of the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame who continue to inspire the future leaders of our state and of the nation with their outstanding achievements in a wide variety of business endeavors."
The University of Arkansas Business Hall of Fame is permanently housed in the atrium of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development at the Walton College on the UA campus in Fayetteville.
The selection process was chaired by Walton College alumnus Larry T. Wilson, chairman and chief executive officer of First Arkansas Bank & Trust of Jacksonville.
A nominating committee of 20 business leaders encouraged people throughout the state and beyond to make nominations, and then a selection committee of 12 business and community leaders reviewed the nominations and chose the inductees.
Criteria for selection included: the significance of the impact made as a business leader, the concern demonstrated for improving the community and the display of ethics in all business dealings. In addition, living inductees must be over the age of 60.


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Contests, in-game happenings, and various events held within World of Tanks.
Check out the forums every day this week for fun Mystery Mayhem activities and prizes!
Rack up the damage and you can get a chance to see Fury on us!
Enter our sweepstakes and you and a friend could be headed to see the U.S. premiere of the movie Fury in Washington DC, courtesy of Wargaming!
We're welcoming Japanese machinery to World of Tanks update 8.10 in this month-long XP contest featuring 1,000 prizes!
Can you be top of the heap in the On Track to the AMX 50 B event? Plus: Winners of On Track to the Object 268!
MVP returns with a new format but the same big rewards for the best players. Do you have the confidence to be the best?
This weekend we're hosting a Scavenger Hunt that will take you to various places by land and air.
Once more, the skies are being invaded by North America's top World of Tanks eSports teams, and now is your chance to shoot them down for gold and glory.
This year, PAX Prime is even more exciting as NVIDIA debuts its World of Tanks 100k Open World Finals, brought to you live on Twitch.
The GeForce World of Tanks Open is headed for PAX Prime and Razer has teamed up with Wargaming to provide over $10,000 in prizes to celebrate.


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Humidity 93%
Winds 6.9mph
Humidity 93%
Winds 6.9mph
Feb 6, 2014 2:35 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI - The 5K "Rise and Shine" run/walk is the biggest fundraiser for Rise School in Corpus Christi.
The Rise School teaches early development to special needs and non-disabled students. The school currently has 18 students, but is looking to expand.
The walk/run will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2014 at 8:00 am at Whataburger Field. Participants can choose between a 1k or 5k walk & a 5k run.
For more information, visit the school's website by clicking here.
4 hours ago
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We are VERY excited to announce the birth of a new Modern Barn®! This custom Modern Barn will be built with wonderful clients in Bridgehampton. So begins our journey together!
Bridgehampton Custom Modern Barn®
Home Maintenance: Shingles
I have written about this before and I will probably write about it again because it's important. It's that time of year – Spring Cleaning is just around the corner and you might be thinking of ways to improve the appearance of your home. Truth be told: maintenance is important to longevity of any product.Continue Reading…
Use of Glass: Sliding Doors
Styles of Barn Doors and Uses
Barn Doors come in many styles – from the very modern to the very traditional. Period doors are also popular in certain circles. Many people call barn doors just "oversized doors." They can be made out of a variety of durable materials including wood, acrylic, other forms of plastic, glass and combinations of those materials.Continue Reading…
Barn Door Design
Wood Details – Interior
Modern Barn architecture uses wood products on the finishes of the interior. The Modern Barn uses wood in a variety of ways including doors, railings, paneling, siding, shelving, cabinetry, and trim. All are able to be painted, stained and polyed, or waxed. In the Barn, moulding details are generally painted. Wood details that are generallyContinue Reading…
Something Old, Something New
Kitchens – Where do you Stand? (Flooring)
But First, Coffee
Appliances that Work for You
If you've ever had a dishwasher, washing machine, microwave or other "essential" home appliance stop working – you know how much you rely on those every day machines. Today, those machines are more than just standard in a kitchen, they are essential to ease and convenience. To that end, these appliances are now available inContinue Reading…


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Toyota has expanded a massive recall of its vehicles to China and Europe, deepening a crisis that threatens to undermine the world number one carmaker's reputation and derail its financial recovery.
The Japanese car giant said on Thursday that it would start a recall in February for 75,500 RAV4 vehicles made in China between March 2009 and January 2010 over concerns about potentially faulty accelerator pedals.
Toyota, which had already announced a US recall and sales suspension affecting eight models and 2.3 million vehicles in the past week, is still unsure how many vehicles could be affected in Europe.
The recalls centre on fears that a fault in pedals could cause them to stick and cause acceleration without warning.
Toyota says condensation around the faulty pedals' arm can cause them to react slowly when a driver presses on them and in rare cases, pedals can get stuck.
Also this week, Toyota announced the recall of a separate 1.09 million vehicles in the US over concerns that floor mats could bend across accelerator pedals, causing sudden acceleration.
The latest recalls are in addition 4.2 million vehicles called back in late 2009 over floor mat concerns but some of the models in recalls overlap.
Toyota said it was near a solution and CTS Corporation which makes the pedal parts, is producing redesigned pedal assemblies that is said to fix the problem.
CTS also makes pedals for Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ford vehicles in China, but the company said pedals made for those manufacturers do not have the same design.
Still, Ford on Thursday halted production of some full-sized commercial vehicles in China because they contain CTS pedals.
Recovery in danger
The latest recalls and sales suspension in the US - Toyota's biggest market – could endanger the company's fledgling earnings recovery, Fitch Ratings warned on Thursday.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Awad reports on the impact of Toyota's safety recalls in the US
Fitch placed Toyota's credit rating of 'A+' on watch negative, meaning the rating could be downgraded. That could increase the interest rate Toyota pays on any debt.
"The recalls and sales and production suspension cast a negative light on Toyota's reputation for quality, just as the company emerges from an unprecedented downturn in the auto industry," Fitch said in a statement.
Toyota shares fell 1.8 per cent in Friday's morning session after the expanded recall, extending a losing streak that has seen its stock tumble 15 per cent in the past week.
In March of 2007, Toyota started getting reports of pedals being slow to rise after being depressed for acceleration. Engineers fixed the problem in the Tundra model early in 2008.
But troubles persisted in other models, eventually leading to the latest recalls.
Meanwhile, US politicians said they intend to hold a hearing on February 25 to review the complaints of the sudden unintended acceleration.
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get to at least the point where your specials wont miss and you wont be dodged, i believe 5.5 % hit and expertise, after that get as much block value as you can while still trying to increase your hit/exp. (after that point hit and exp has lower return although still good to have)
basically what im saying is if you have 900bv but only 2% hit thats very bad because your gona miss alot of your shield slams.
example in my threat set i have 9% hit, 10% expertise and 635 bv.


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Apple Shares Succumb to Panic Selling as Growth Slows (Update1)
(Story updated with conference call comments, dividend and share price.)
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Apple's (AAPL) stock slid more than 10% after the technology company's revenue trailed forecasts, earnings per share fell and profit margins shrank.
Apple generated revenue of $54.5 billion in its fiscal first quarter, up from $46.33 billion a year earlier but below analysts' forecast of $54.73 billion. It earned $13.81 a share, down from $13.87 a year earlier yet above analysts' estimate of $13.47.
Investors dumped the stock. Apple was down to as low as $457.30 in after-hours trading, compared with $514 at the close. During the regular session, the shares climbed 1.8%.The Cupertino, Calif.-based company, which has been stung by rumors of weaker demand, sold 47.8 million iPhones during the quarter, up from 37 million a year earlier. Speaking during Apple's earnings conference call, CEO Tim Cook shrugged off speculation of a drop in orders. "I know there's been lots of rumors about order cut," he said in response to an analyst's question. "I would suggest it's good to question the accuracy of any kind of build plans." Cook said Apple's supply chain is complex, relying on many sources. The Apple CEO said the company wouldn't sacrifice product quality for market share, echoing sentiments of Steve Jobs, the late co-founder and CEO. "The most important thing to Apple is to make the best products in the world that enrich customers' lives," he said in response to another analyst's question. "We aren't interested in revenue for revenue's sake." During its fiscal first quarter, Apple sold 22.9 million iPads, compared with 15.4 million a year earlier; 4.1 million Macs, down from 5.2 million; 12.7 million iPods, down from 15.4 million. Apple's gross margin was 38.6% compared with 44.7% in the year-ago quarter. For its fiscal second quarter, which ends March 31, Apple forecast revenue between $41 billion and $43 billion, a gross margin between 37.5% and 38.5%, and operating expenses between $3.8 billion and $3.9 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast revenue of $45.38 billion. The company's board also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $2.65 a share. -- Written by James Rogers in New York. Follow @jamesjrogers >To submit a news tip, send an email to: email@example.com.
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Hello there! And welcome to the official online crib of British actor Gary Lucy. This is where you can keep up to date with me, and my family. Please feel free to look around and make yourself at home. Don't forget to let me know what your up to on my blog ..... but keep it clean.
Thank you once again for your support
PS "were not here for a long time....... were here for a good time !" Gary Lucy
Since cutting my teeth in sky1s Dream Team I haven't looked back. I spent 3 years playing a character called Luke Morgan in ch4s Hollyoaks and was lucky enough to win best newcomer at the soap awards following a ground breaking storyline. I then went on to play one of the lead roles in the colourful series Footballers wives. and then onto a role opposite one of my hero's Ray Winstone in the drama She's Gone.
Soon after I joined the boys in blue on itvs The Bill. After 4 years of chasing bad guys around the streets of south london it was time to say goodbye. I left the much loved cop show in the Autumn of 2009 having felt it was time for the next chapter. Since leaving I have appeared in a one off ITV drama Whatever it takes following and an episode working opposite Pauline Quirk in BBC's Missing. Throughout this time I've worked with some amazing people both in front and behind the camera and want to thank everyone for your support.
I will be keeping you up to date with all my latest news. I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far . . . its about to get a lot more bumpy ! Goodbye for now xx Gary Lucy


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Winsome Syrah TV Stand
Item # WX2-196711
- Google+
Add an additional $10.00 heavy/bulky shipping charge per each.
This item is shipped directly from the factory. To see the expected shipping date, please add to your Shopping Cart. Sorry, no express shipping available. We are unable to ship factory direct items to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or APO or FPO addresses.
This item cannot ship to Canada.
This item cannot ship internationally.
- Details & Specs
Winsome Syrah TV Stand. A timeless look made for today's technology.
Most of the time, we wonder what's on TV, not about what our TV is on. But if it's been a while since you've updated the look of your entertainment center, this attractive TV Stand from Winsome presents you with a prime time to do so!
Made with solid wood and over 30 years of Winsome know-how, it's a simple way to freshen up the family room decor without going broke. That's because Winsome doesn't just make furniture well, but they make it affordable too. Refreshing, isn't it?Prime-time special:
- Hardwood / beechwood / MDF + veneer construction, with a rich dark espresso finish
- Dual frosted glass cabinet doors for tidy concealed storage
- 4 internal shelves for all your components
- Perfect fit for plasma, flat panel and DLP screens up to 45" (and standard TVs up to 40")
- Measures 44 1/2 x 20 x 23 1/2"h. Assembly required.
- Reviews
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Find out howit works
We have a planfor every budget
Companies Mentioned
London, UK: Edison Investment Research, a leading international investment research firm, announces the initiation of coverage on Global Bioenergies (Alternext: ALGBE), a French company focused on developing unique biological processes for converting renewable feedstocks into hydrocarbons on an industrial scale.
Edison has today published a comprehensive report examining the investment merits of Global Bioenergies, focusing on the company's development programme for isobutene, which is due to be scaled up in an industrial pilot over the next two years. In the report, Edison industrials analyst, Mark Cartlich, argues that the investment case for Global Bioenergies is underpinned by the cash flow potential of isobutene alone. The aim of the pilot for isobutene is to prove the proprietary process is scalable. If successful, the unique patented technology will be licensed out to industrial partners, producing licence fees and ongoing royalties for Global Bioenergies. The intention is then to replicate this process for other olefins, where technological progress has already been made.
For the full report, see: www.edisoninvestmentresearch.co.uk/research/company/global-bioenergies
About Edison Investment Research Edison Investment Research is a leading international investment research company. The team of more than 110 includes over 60 analysts supported by a department of supervisory analysts, editors and assistants. Edison writes on more than 400 companies across every sector and its research is read by institutional investors, alternative funds and wealth managers in more than 100 countries. Edison, founded in 2003, has offices in London, New York and Sydney and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (www.fsa.gov.uk/register/firmBasicDetails.do?sid=181584). Edison is not a US investment adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edison's reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities.
For more information please contact: Mark Cartlich, Analyst+44 (0)20 3077 email@example.com
About Global Bioenergies Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies worldwide, and the only one in Europe, that is developing a process to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through fermentation. The company initially focused its efforts on the production of isobutene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks that can be converted into fuels, plastics, organic glass and elastomers. Global Bioenergies continues to improve the yield of its process and prepare the phase dedicated to pilot testing. The company recently replicated this success with propylene and butadiene and is looking to continue with other members of the gaseous olefins family, key molecules at the heart of petrochemical industry.
For further information please contact:Liliane BRONSTEIN, email@example.com+ 33 (0)1 6498 2050www.global-bioenergies.com
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This 10 hectares site in San would not have previously been
Sounds like a professional company, good luck
Is this the same Simplifile they partnered with in 2009?
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Dead Space movie to be penned by The Legend of Chun-Li writer
by Andrew Yoon, shacknews.com, Jul 19, 2013 1:45PM PDT
The long-in-stasis Dead Space movie is still happening. Read more
Dead Space team 'working on something else,' but franchise isn't dead
by Andrew Yoon, shacknews.com, Jun 15, 2013 2:00PM PDT
"Is that team working on a Dead Space game today? No they're not," Soderlund said. "They're working on something else very exciting." Read more
Field Report: Dead Space 3 'Awakened' DLC
by Timothy J. Seppala, shacknews.com, Mar 18, 2013 12:30PM PDT
Awakened, and Dead Space entirely as of late, thinks it's far more clever than it actually is. It's over-complicating and bloating things to the point of confusion and lost me along the way. Read more
Dead Space 3 'Awakened' DLC coming March 12
by John Keefer, shacknews.com, Mar 7, 2013 7:15AM PST
The adventures of Dead Space 3's Isaac Clark and John Carver will continue on March 12 when Electronic Arts launches the anticipated Awakened DLC for the game. Not much is known about the pack other than the vague blurb being posted with the new trailer. Read more
Dead Space writer says action focus of Dead Space 3 as 'inevitable'
by Andrew Yoon, shacknews.com, Feb 11, 2013 5:00PM PST
Antony Johnston, one of the writers for the first game, recently spoke about how the transition away from "old-school survival horror" was "inevitable" because of the universe Visceral Games had created. Read more
Dead Space 3 infinite mining 'not a glitch'
by Steve Watts, shacknews.com, Feb 11, 2013 7:30AM PST
EA has issued a statement that a seeming glitch in Dead Space 3 allowing for infinite resource-farming isn't actually a glitch at all, but rather a deliberate design decision. Read more
Dead Space 3 getting 'Awakened' DLC in March
by Steve Watts, shacknews.com, Feb 5, 2013 8:15AM PST
The first Dead Space 3 expansion is coming in March for $9.99. It will be called "Awakened." Read more
Dead Space 3 story trailer and a zealot's rebirth
by John Keefer, shacknews.com, Jan 31, 2013 11:00AM PST
The media machine is cranking for Dead Space 3 as we approach the launch of the game next week. A new trailer shows off a bit of the story as protagonist Isaac Clarke gets sent in to retrieve Ellie Langford and her team, and is led to Tau Volantis. Read more
Dead Space 3 producer details DLC, unlockable game modes
by Steve Watts, shacknews.com, Jan 30, 2013 11:30AM PST
Dead Space 3 will be getting an "additional story" weeks after launch, along with day-one DLC in the form of suits to wear. Exec producer Steve Papoutsis also detailed the various unlockable game modes. Read more
How Dead Space 3 builds claustrophobia in open spaces
by Timothy J. Seppala, shacknews.com, Jan 29, 2013 12:15PM PST
Dead Space 3 Executive Producer Steve Papoutsis talks about co-op, ice planets and meeting expectations. Read more