It looks like the Trump administration is working on shutting up climate scientists and others in the government that don't conform to its ideology. The early moves included requesting a list of personnel who've worked on climate science from the Department of Energy (the department, to their credit, refused to comply (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/12/13/energy-dept-rejects-trumps-request-to-name-climate-change-workers-who-remain-worried/?utm_term=.22e212e58922)). The reinstatement of the Holman rule (http://federalnewsradio.com/congress/2017/01/blast-past-house-reinstates-rule-targeting-agency-spending-employee-salaries/) also looks suspiciously like setting up a tool to be used to silence troublesome voices in government. There have been some other moves as well, like imposing gag orders on federal agencies (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/24/1624523/-Trump-s-government-gag-order-blocks-agencies-from-talking-to-Congress) ("Trump bans EPA employees from giving social media updates" (http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/315876-trump-bans-epa-employees-from-giving-social-media-updates)).
Now, it looks like just shutting federal agencies up isn't enough. "National park deletes tweets about climate science" | The Hill (http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/315961-national-park-service-deletes-tweets-about-climate-science) -- Twitter link (https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/824022641757523968)
Explanation of the title: "Memory Hole" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_hole)
Hmmmm! One of the tweets from Badlands National Park claims that 20 pounds of carbon dioxide results from the burning of one gallon of gasoline. Someone help me out here....Gasoline weighs something on the order of 6.5 pounds per gallon but releases 20 pounds of CO2....WTF. ??? I must have flunked physics 101 when the lesson was about creating more mass from less mass.
A chemical reaction takes place in which oxygen from the atmosphere combines with the carbon in the gasoline (burning = oxidation). Oxygen that wasn't in the gasoline to begin with. Gasoline is mostly hydrocarbons, and hydrogen weighs considerably less than oxygen (source (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/contentIncludes/co2_inc.htm)).
The CDC hasn't been shut up yet, as far as I know. Instead, it looks like they're trying to play ball with Trump: "US health officials cancel climate conference; don't say why" | AP (http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2017-01-23-US-MED--Climate%20Conference-Canceled/id-29f2d3acb53f493a95b5086fc3dd5099)
"EPA Freezes Grants, Tells Employees Not To Talk About It, Sources Say" |
Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/environmental-protection-grants-staff_us_5886825be4b0e3a7356b575f)
QuoteThe Environmental Protection Agency has frozen its grant programs, according to sources there.
EPA staff has been instructed to freeze all its grants ― an extensive program that includes funding for research, redevelopment of former industrial sites, air quality monitoring and education, among other things ― and told not to discuss this order with anyone outside the agency, according to a Hill source with knowledge of the situation.
An EPA staffer provided the information to the congressional office anonymously, fearing retaliation.
It's unclear whether the freeze is indefinite or temporary as the agency transitions fully to the Trump administration; the Senate has not yet confirmed Trump's pick for EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt. It's also not clear the immediate impact the grant freeze would have on programs across the country, since EPA grants are distributed at varying intervals and frequency.
[. . .]
The Huffington Post also received a message that was reportedly sent to staff Monday that seems to cover the current agency guidance on talking to the press in general, not just about the directive on grants. The memo states that the agency is imposing tight controls on external communication, including press releases, blog posts, social media and content on the agency website.
[Continues . . .] (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/environmental-protection-grants-staff_us_5886825be4b0e3a7356b575f)
All looks like classical Orwellian stuff, with a touch of Kafkaesque, to me.
Quote from: Recusant on January 25, 2017, 01:01:16 AM
A chemical reaction takes place in which oxygen from the atmosphere combines with the carbon in the gasoline (burning = oxidation). Oxygen that wasn't in the gasoline to begin with. Gasoline is mostly hydrocarbons, and hydrogen weighs considerably less than oxygen (source (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/contentIncludes/co2_inc.htm)).
It bothers me, this clinging of different elements.
I don't think it's advantaged me or any of mine.
I've appealed to and been ignored by the usuals
I've appealed to the Orange, he sympathies
Some anonymous national park employees have launched their own "alternative" Twitter feed that Trump can't touch:
https://twitter.com/AltNatParkSer?s=03
Quote from: Firebird on January 25, 2017, 01:49:28 PM
Some anonymous national park employees have launched their own "alternative" Twitter feed that Trump can't touch:
https://twitter.com/AltNatParkSer?s=03
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FDaveGlos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FC2-m1MgW8AATLMG.jpg&hash=60ba52cfde6ce9b47fed6e9c4dfb79a2f3bcee05) (http://s778.photobucket.com/user/DaveGlos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/C2-m1MgW8AATLMG.jpg.html)
Like it!
Quote from: Recusant on January 25, 2017, 01:03:19 AM
The CDC hasn't been shut up yet, as far as I know. Instead, it looks like they're trying to play ball with Trump: "US health officials cancel climate conference; don't say why" | AP (http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2017-01-23-US-MED--Climate%20Conference-Canceled/id-29f2d3acb53f493a95b5086fc3dd5099)
Fair enough. Thank you for the reference.