Confronting another failure in scientific communication - Antarctic’s Iceberg A-68

Around July 11th a trillion tonne chunk of Larson C ice shelf broke off and become the roughly 2,200 sq mile Iceberg A-68.  The news was reported by scientists observing the growing crack through the Project Midas website. 

Martin O’Leary a Research Officer at Swansea University and expert in ice flow modeling was quoted and has been re-quoted ad nauseum saying:

“Although this is a natural event and we’re not aware of any link to human-induced climate change, this puts the ice shelf in a very vulnerable position.”

http://www.projectmidas.org/blog/calving/

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Larsen C Ice Shelf - February 21, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAM0tZB0aIc

British Antarctic Survey

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Huge Antarctic iceberg finally breaks free - Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica 

July 12, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idPyXMM349o

British Antarctic Survey

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I understand there’s valid reasons for scientists being ultra-conservative in making connections, but that "no link" suggestion is simply weird, pollyannaish even.  Reads like it was penned by a Trump team member rather than a dedicated researcher.  Or, perhaps it was penned by someone deeply frightened by the Trump Administration and funding concerns.  

Before labeling me a scientist basher understand my years worth of blogging has been all about defending the solid integrity of scientists, and the work they have been sharing with a public that has a right to know the unvarnished truth without constantly being deluged by lies, slander and disingenuous distractions into irrelevance.  

{PS. Check out the latest news, once again exposing how all this 'Seepage' started: 

Utilities Knew: Documenting Electric Utilities’ Early Knowledge and Ongoing Deception on 

Climate Change From 1968-2017  http://www.energyandpolicy.org/utilities-knew-about-climate-change/

It’s true, I’m only a high school grad, class of ’73, but I’ve been actively keeping up on climate science developments and global observations ever since.  Does that give me the right to lecture experienced professionals on communicating science?  

Well if they continue spinning reality into an intellectual parlor game that ignores the existential crisis we have collectively created for ourselves, … if their message sidesteps common sense geophysical interconnections.  You bet !  

So long as I can support my indictment with rational arguments and valid evidence. 

This post will be about the mountain of evidence pointing to this recent calving event being part and parcel of an interconnected global climate engine that is being warmed by society’s fossil fuel burning emissions!  It will also spotlight other examples of gratuitous misleading words injected into reports purely for their soothing value and political cover.

Not having every single detail of every dynamic interconnection mapped out in it’s entirety is no justification for ignoring obvious dynamics and cascading consequences.

Diary 7/22/17 "Chat.Hotwhopper.com" What happened? Where are You?

I want to share something I posted over at the neglected Hotwhopper Chat room.  No it's not Sou who's done any neglecting.  Here's to looking at the person in the mirror.

What happened?

citizenschallenge 

12:17AM  in Latte Bar

It's really sad that nothing has happened here.  I keep looking in and nothing.  Out of all those hundreds, thousands of participants in the  "Denial101x - Making Sense of Climate Science Denial" MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)  https://www.skepticalscience.com/denial101x-videos-and-references.html.  Weren't these students and concerned citizens interested in communicating the truth and essence of climate science fundamentals to their fellow citizens?

Seems to me chat.hotwhopper.com was a perfect platform for students and other novices to science communication to come together to support and feed and strengthen each other.  People who felt an urge to add their own energy to the struggle of educating a people who don't want to learn.

Where are they?

Diary July 2nd, 2017 personal note and Village at Wolf Creek update

Just dropping by to say hello.  
At first I stopped posting because I needed to STOP.  

Too many train wrecks one on top of the other.  

Important matters with dark irreversible consequences, 
all very tragic and having a deep emotional impact on me.

Trump election; the astounding failure of vision and determination Democrats displayed in never getting Merrick Garland his Supreme Court hearing and vote; Bates’ malicious attack piece; the Fyfe 2016 fiasco paper that amounted to a stamp collection that produced a report that read like a Rorschach test; followed by a bit of related drama I still hope to write about, for the lessons it offers.

Rather than dance with a breakdown, 

it was time to put down the notepad and step away from the keypad, 

refocus on the work I do for pay, 

then after-hours, 

I shutdown my thoughts regarding things I’m absolutely impotent to do anything about.  As much as possible.

It was also time to focus full attention on this young dog who’s decided she owns me (my 1st) and our many (newly undistracted) walks over this forty acres I get to call my home.  Yeah, the universe has a strange sense of humor, but so it goes.

It was a good break for about a month, but with psyche mended or at least new acceptance of the profound failures we children of the intellectual enlightenment are guilty of, my thoughts won’t shut down completely.  I can't be blind to the world and if I can't be anything beyond a lone witness, so be it.  I heard a profound thought recently: "Hope is a survival strategy in hopeless times."  On we go.  (slightly edited 7/3/17 evening)