Tillerson Embarassment

Those of us concerned with climate change are especially concerned with the nomination of former Exxon chief Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State. Well, Rex Tillerson was just confirmed by the US Senate. Donald Trump is the least liked president ever for this point in a term. And, Rex Tillerson is now the least…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/30/tillerson-embarassment/

Public Opinion On Patriots, The Wall, Obamacare, Trump Taxes

Two Polls came out a few days ago, but I’m afraid that the news cycles have been swamped and they may have been missed. Here are some simple graphics. Plenty more data can be found at Public Policy Polling, and see RM on MSBNC below for more.

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/30/public-opinion-on-patriots-the-wall-obamacare-trump-taxes/

The Norms of Society and Presidential Executive Orders

The title of this post is based closely on the title of a statement posted by my friend Stephan Lewandowsky, representing the Psychonomic Society. The post is the official statement by this scientific society responding to President Trump’s recent activities, and it begins, Last Friday was Holocaust Memorial Day, which falls on the day of…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/30/the-norms-of-society-and-presidential-executive-orders/

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

It sounds a lot like two hands clapping, but quieter, because you can only do it by slapping your thumb against a couple of your other fingers and not to hard. This, of course, leaves open another important philosophical question. Is a thumb a finger? A while back my friend Massimo Pigliucci took Neil deGrasse…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/29/what-is-the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/

Can you be forgiven for committing a horrible crime if you have a brain tumor?

Asking for a friend… But seriously, this is a real question. For example, several years ago, Herbert Weinstein tossed his wife out the window of their Manhattan apartment, after killing her, following an argument. He was well known to be a non violent person, and there was really no good reason for him to murder…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/27/can-you-be-forgiven-for-committing-a-horrible-crime-if-you-have-a-brain-tumor/

The Lady in the Statue Has Died: RIP Mary

Mary Tyler Moore has always had a certain amount of grace, and just now, she had the grace to wait until a reasonable time after the spate of celebrity deaths that captivated the Internet for weeks to pass on to the great Newsroom In The Sky. She played Laura Petrie on the Dick Van Dyke…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/25/the-lady-in-the-statue-has-died-rip-mary/

Scratch Programming For Kids, By The Cards

Last October I reviewed Scratch Programming Playground, by Al Sweigart. You will recall that Scratch is a programming language that uses drag and drop elements to construct a program. Individual objecgts, including “sprites” that can move around on the screen, as well as static graphic elements, sounds, etc. get their own code, and this code…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/25/scratch-programming-cards/

Judith Curry Is In With The Koch Brothers

I’m only just digesting this, but it appears that Judith Curry, climate scientist turned anti-climate change activist (more or less) has joined the Koch Brothers front group “Cause of Action“. How do we know this? Because she has filed an Amicus Brief (2017.01.25 Mot. for Leave to File, Nos. 14-cv-101 14-cv-126 (D.C.))( on behalf of…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/25/judith-curry-is-in-with-the-koch-brothers/

Natural Resources Committee Democrats Respond to Trump’s Advancement of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines

This is a press release from the Natural Resources Committee Democrats, US House of Representatives concerning President Trump’s decision and actions to push ahead with two highly controversial petroleum pipeline projects. These projects had previously been stopped because they did not meet environmental standards, or because they violated tribal agreements. It is still quite possible…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/25/natural-resources-committee-democrats-respond-to-trumps-advancement-of-the-keystone-and-dakota-access-pipelines/

Why is the US Government turning back to petroleum when clean energy means JOBS JOBS JOBS?

The solar energy field now produces the larest share of jobs in US Power generation. There are 374,000 jobs i Solar right now, compared to fewer than 190,00 in coal, gas, and oil. This corresponds to shifts in the amount of electricity produced by these various sources, as indicated in the Department of Energy graph…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/24/why-is-the-us-government-turning-back-to-petroleum-when-clean-energy-means-jobs-jobs-jobs/

Palpable History: Dictator’s Voice, Dictator’s Words

It is a good idea to occassionally experience history. This helps us understand ourselves, and our possible futures, better. Much of this is done through reading excellent texts. For example, I’m currently reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Goodwin’s objective is to contextualize Lincoln by looking at…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/24/palpable-history-dictators-voice-dictators-words/

A response to Trump’s gag order on scientists

From ClimateTruth.org, in response to Trump gag orders on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): “President Trump and his administration have ignored scientific reality, and now they’re trying to hide it. “Merely five days into Donald Trump’s presidency, the administration is silencing the agencies tasked with protecting our…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/24/a-response-to-trumps-gag-order-on-scientists/

Will Claims Of Voter Fraud Lead To Voter Suppression?

It is generally felt that Trump’s claims of voter fraud, especially, apparently, by illegal aliens — Or some kind of alien, not sure — could be a prelude, or excuse for some kind of widespread voter suppression campaign. In any event, these repeated claims were once thought of as an odd and embarassing bit of…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/24/will-claims-of-voter-fraud-lead-to-voter-suppression/

Trump’s orders = two steps back on climate change

The science is clear: Human caused global warming is happening and is serious. Building and expanding infrastructure to make it easier to burn fossil fuels is a very bad idea. The Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access pipeline were two such projects, and in recent years, the environmental community, politicians, and others managed to…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/24/trumps-orders-two-steps-back-on-climate-change/

A little humor to lighten your day, but in a presidential way

April 2016, white house correspondents dinner:

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/23/a-little-humor-to-lighten-your-day-but-in-a-presidential-way/

The Orderly Transition of Twitter

I’m not sure this has happened before, and most people are unaware, so I thought a quick note was in order. If you were previously following the President of the United States on Twitter, when it was Barack Obama, you followed @POTUS. Twitter has created an account called @POTUS44, which is for President Obama. You…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/23/the-orderly-transition-of-twitter/

Reading Around Trump Induced Depression

This is not a time to be distracted, to turn away from politics, to eschew activism. In fact, if you are an American Citizen, you have to look back at your life and recognize that you screwed up, in two ways. First, whatever time you spent agitating and activating and acting out, turns out, was…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/20/reading-around-trump-induced-depression/

The American Auto Industry Moves South: West Wing vs. Donald Trump

The West Wing Version: Josh, Toby, Leo, and Donna are in Leo’s office. They have just gotten word that a major auto manufacturer plans to build a plant in Mexico, and will likely close a corresponding plant in Michigan. Josh is pacing, Leo is behind his desk, Donna is standing near the door, and Toby…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/19/the-american-auto-industry-moves-south-west-wing-vs-donald-trump/

How ants navigate homeward – forward, backward, or sideward

I’ve got this press release that will be of interest to many: An international team including researchers at the university of Edinburgh and Antoine Wystrach of the Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CNRS/Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier) has shown that ants can get their bearings whatever the orientation of their body. Their brains may be smaller…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/19/how-ants-navigate-homeward-forward-backward-or-sideward/

Sitting in Richard Nixon’s Chair

Yes there are Nixon-Trump similarities. But in the end, probably not many. (A lot of Congresspersons boycotted his second inaugural, by the way). Also, for those who are not familiar with Watergate, I’ll tell you this: The medium to worst case scenario of Trump’s election, which would include Russian Hacking and possibly the Trump Dossier…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/17/sitting-in-richard-nixons-chair/

Should I get a Google Pixel?

My current phone, a Google Nexus made by Motorola, is still working fine. I’m much more worried about Amanda’s Samsung, which is a nightmare. The storage on that phone is used up by Samsung proprietary gunk that can’t be removed, and she can’t insert a microSD card because the phone will not operate as an…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/17/should-i-get-a-google-pixel/

My other blog

Did you know that I also blog here? If anything happens to my scienceblog, that is where I will be.

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/16/my-other-blog/

The Science of Spiteful Donald Trump

This is a descriptive model of Donald Trump’s behavior, which ultimately works out to a prediction that Donald Trump won’t last very long. In an evolutionary sense, at least. I’ve found that many people use the term “spite” incorrectly. Many assume it has to do with vitriol or nastiness, or otherwise, is motivated negative behavior…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/16/the-science-of-spiteful-donald-trump/

The House Should Demand That Trump Apologize For John Lewis Insults

A lot of people are just catching up on who John Lewis is. One way to do that is to read his memoir, Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement. He’s He is a senior African American Representative to the House who was famously involved in the civil rights movement of the 1960s,…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/15/the-house-should-demand-that-trump-apologize-for-john-lewis-insults/

Write Computer Games In Python

Ah yes, I remember it well. “Hammurabi, Hammurabi, I beg to report to you, In Year 1, 0 people have starved. 101 people came to the city The population is now 124 We harvested 4.5 bushels per acre We planted 998 acres of wheat But rats at 300 bushels of wheat You now have a…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/14/write-computer-games-in-python/

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source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/13/trump-poll/

Is the California Drought Over?

My friend Peter Gleick tosses this question aside and informs us that there are actually better questions. Is California having a wet year? How does the snowpack look? Are the reservoirs filling up? Will the groundwater recharge? Will the forests in the Sierra recover with all this precip? Will farmers get all the water they…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/13/is-the-california-drought-over/

There is no way to sugar coat this: Trump is a Russian asset.

The story that I outlined on this blog on November 10th was widely known in the US intelligence community and has been developed and elaborated upon in numerous stages. Pretty much everything we need to know is now known, and we await the appearance of the videos currently in possession of Russian agents, and some…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/13/there-is-no-way-to-sugar-coat-this-trump-is-a-russian-asset/

The Russians Are Coming!

Remember that movie? I mainly remember it because I was a kid in Gloucester when it was being filmed. Anyway, here they come again. This happened today on C-Span. Here's the moment Russia Today took over the C-SPAN1 feed. Unclear what happened. RT aired for about ten minutes before C-SPAN1 came back. pic.twitter.com/mhWVgCoFxF — Timothy…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/the-russians-are-coming/

President Obama makes Vice President Biden Cry!

And you too!

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/president-obama-makes-vice-president-biden-cry/

What Does Rex Tillerson Get Out Of Being Secretary Of State?

He’s trying, in the hearings, to not let it look this way, but the truth is that he and Exxon Mobile stand to benefit a great deal from a Tillerson SOC. Also, Russia will benefit a great deal. Putting it a slightly different way, Tillerson’s appointment makes the most sense of you replace “Trump” with…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/what-does-rex-tillerson-get-out-of-being-secretary-of-state/

Some good science and thinking related books for you

A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos This is a concept that has always fascinated me, ever since reading some stuff about the Periodic Table of Elements. Check it out: Over the last forty years, scientists have uncovered evidence that if the Universe had been forged with even slightly different properties, life as…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/some-good-science-and-thinking-related-books-for-you/

Evangelicals and Climate Change

The term “Evangelical” is a bit of a moving goal post. But, there is a strong association between Evangelical and getting climate science totally wrong in a way that is actually materially damaging to our planet and to future generations. So, it is not hard to be angry at Evangelicals because they are ruining it…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/evangelicals-and-climate-change/

Is Mad Dog Mattis Getting Cold Feet?

Probably not, but it is worth brief consideration. Mainstream media is reporting that USMC General James Mad Dog Mattis’s Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense is stalled because Mattis is no show. The reason for the cancellation of his appearance is at this writing a mystery, but it is known that it was the…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/12/is-mad-dog-mattis-getting-cold-feet/

Dear Blue State Republicans: You got screwed bad

Many bad things happened at the Trump news conference. Many bad things. Many many. Unbelievably bad things, I tell ya. But one thing that happened, as bad as the rest of the things, and covered by the Washington Post, has not gotten sufficient attention. President-elect Donald Trump twice suggested at his news conference that states…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/11/dear-blue-state-republicans-you-got-screwed-bad/

Is Donald Trump A Russian Asset?

It has been suggested that President Elect Trump has been compromised by Vladimir Putin and/or the Russian Intelligence agency. This allegation suggests that Putin and/or the FSB have information, including video of unsavory sexual activities of some sort (loosely defined) and documentation of inappropriate business activities, that could be used to blackmail the future United…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/11/is-donald-trump-a-russian-asset/

LED vs Metal Halide in the Warehouse

As a warehouse manager or owner, it is up to you to ensure that your warehouse operations are running at it’s most efficient levels possible. One way you can at least start thinking about the benefit LED will bring to your warehouse is by comparing it to the most common technology other than LED found in warehouses today; which is metal halide (MH). Another common lighting technology often used in warehouses is high-pressure sodium, but they are virtually the same when it comes to their inefficiencies. So to simplify, we will just compare LED vs MH, but keep in mind that it is also (mostly) true for LED vs HPS warehouse lights too!

By converting to LED from metal halide, you will realize the number one reason why companies are converting: energy savings. In fact, energy savings by converting away from metal halide to LED could be up to 75%, which is surely a lot of energy savings especially for high lumen output lights often found in warehouses and factories.

On top of energy savings come along a range of other benefits, and all LED really is, is a bunch of benefits when you convert to it from MH (and other outdated technologies).

How about we go over those other benefits, along with the energy saving a little more in-depth, and show you why an LED warehouse system is the obvious winner in virtually every position when comparing it against metal halide technology.

LED won’t ever flicker. A flickering light can be distracting and even annoying if around it for long enough. Since most workers are on the job for 7-8 or more hours a day, this is an inevitable flaw in a lighting system. Since LED is made in a way they will never flicker, if you commonly have this issue (which you probably do if you use metal halide lights), LED will rid the issue entirely, for good. No longer how old an LED is in its lifespan, it will never flicker. Ever!

LED won’t buzz either. Along with flickering comes buzzing, which can be equally distracting. Since LED will also never buzz, you can rid this issue from your warehouse for good as well. No more buzzing, flickering lights for your warehouse!

LED offers quality traits. LED is simply much more able to be defined as quality through various traits it has.

For starters, it has a much longer lifespan. Now while this doesn’t directly relate to light output or anything, it surely is a huge benefit. By having a longer lifespan (by 2-3 times with LED), you realize two benefits. For one, you can reduce the amount of replacement lights you need to buy which can get pricey. Secondly, you get to reduce the amount of time you need to pay someone to replace burnt out lights, which gets pricey in high ceiling warehouses and facilities.

Another quality trait is that LED has a much lower lumen depreciation, which is the main cause of underlit areas in a lighting design when illuminated with metal halide.

Very low energy consumption compared to MH lights. The very first benefit that we talked about at the start that LED will bring when converting away from metal halide lights is the major energy savings you will realize.

Metal halide is so inefficient compared to LED that converting will save you up to 75% in energy savings. This in and of itself (not including longer lifespans, lower maintenance costs, and rebates that LED brings along with it), will bring you a positive ROI. This is exactly why it's the main reason companies are converting, and that is without all of the other benefits that LED will bring to your facility.

Concluding words

Now you have been presented the facts, and yes they are facts. Although the technology may seem like a no-brainer or “too good to be true,” don’t be fooled by that way of thinking. Instead, embrace the facts that LED is a near superior technology for almost any commercial or industrial application it is put in.

To recap, LED warehouse fixtures will bring you lower overhead through reductions in energy usages, higher quality of lights, and many man more benefits.

The only downside is the initial investment is higher, but coming down at an increasing rate as the technology develops. But, even if it does cost more initially the benefits (both cost and quality) allow you to realize a positive ROI, which in turn means the lights pay for themselves and then some. Meaning, overtime you will save much more by choosing LED high bays and lights in your warehouse facility than you would by purchasing metal halide lights. Go with LED, assume the benefits, and watch your overhead go down and get paid for having lights; not the other way around!

source http://my-led-lighting-guide.blogspot.com/2017/01/led-vs-metal-halide-in-warehouse.html

AMOC Amok: Global Warming Bad News

You already know abut the North American Conveyor current. Briefly: The major ocean currents happen because the equatorial ocean is warmer, and since water (unlike land) can move (though not as fast as air) the dissipation of this heat across the surface of the Earth results in warm water moving, at the surface, north or…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/06/amoc-amok-global-warming-bad-news/

Will Trump Appear On The Cover Of Vogue?

Donald Trump is meeting, this morning, with the editor of Vogue and the owners of Vogue’s overarching publishing company. This can only mean one thing. We will be seeing The Donald on the cover of the famous magazine sooner than later. Anna Wintour came to my office at Trump Tower to ask me to meet…

source http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2017/01/06/trump-cover-vogue/