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rolf westgard

rolf westgard's picture
st Paul, MN
Commenter for
4 years 1 week

Recent Comments

Posted on 04/23/13 at 12:58 am in response to Why it’s increasingly likely Michele Bachmann will retire

gives me a headache.

Posted on 04/15/13 at 06:09 pm in response to Wine-growing regions moving toward the poles; Côtes du Yellowstone, anyone?

So far the first four IPCC Assessment forecasts have been way off, forecasting too much of an increase in temperatures. So be careful about loading up on vineyard property in Greenland.

Posted on 04/12/13 at 02:39 am in response to Why is state health and human services spending growing so fast?

Well stated, John Ellenbecker.

Posted on 04/09/13 at 07:48 pm in response to Global temp trends may have paused, but hold off on the champagne awhile

Global temperatures from January 2011 through February 2013, as reported by the Climate Data Center, are below the lowest estimates from each of the four Assessment Reports issued by the IPCC since its founding. Temperatures from 1997 to the present are warmer than in the preceding decades, but have not risen since 1997 despite a continuing rise in atmosphere green house gases. I don't know why, and nobody else does either.

Posted on 04/10/13 at 09:23 am in response to Global temp trends may have paused, but hold off on the champagne awhile

There are indeed vast amounts of GHGs going into the atmosphere. But the main feedback loops seem to be preventing any rise in atmospheric temperatures. As Stanford's Nobel physicist put it recently, "carbon dioxide is a non-poisonous gas, essential to life, and better yet, destined for capture and recycling by plants."

Posted on 04/14/13 at 07:03 pm in response to Global temp trends may have paused, but hold off on the champagne awhile

Global temps are at a standstill.

Posted on 04/08/13 at 09:05 am in response to GOP hopes Keith Downey will stabilize shaky state party

One of the many things Republicans don't realize is just how many jobs are created by government programs. They also need a little less Fox News and a little more Krugman.

Posted on 04/05/13 at 06:01 am in response to Legislative ‘Big Four’ don’t draw headlines but are key in shaping Minnesota budget

I feel fortunate to be represented by Senator Cohen.

Posted on 04/14/13 at 07:29 pm in response to For Keystone XL foes, oozing Canadian crude in Arkansas spill is black gold

Pipelines are the safest and most economical way to transport oil and gas. We have a few hundred thousand miles of them and they operate with few problems.

Posted on 03/26/13 at 02:24 pm in response to Transition Towns show benefits of planning for energy 'descent'

here which will help as we face a long term future of scarce fossil fuels. To really make a difference, I suggest that we need to raise the price of fossil fuels, especially gasoline and coal burning. That means very unpopular choices like taxes on energy use.
We avoid those hard choices with faith in things like roof top solar panels which really don't do much at high cost. Then IMO there are the $2 billion+ boondoggles like Cape Wind off Cape Cod, and the Ivanpah solar project in...