Worthy of Trust

Crudely
U.S. crude-oil production grew by more than one million barrels a day last year, the largest increase in the world and the largest in U.S. history.
...
Most of this new production is coming from dense shale-rock formations, such as the Bakken Shale in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas. In recent years, the oil industry has developed techniques to hydraulically fracture, or frack, these shales, freeing up previously trapped oils. (WSJ, 6/12/2013)

This exciting new technology which has the potential to free America from its dependence on Middle East oil is banned in Vermont, thanks to the efforts of the state's governor, Bill McKibben....


Vividly
Perhaps the most vivid example of this came Tuesday afternoon, when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg rolled out his $19.5 billion plan to “prepare for the impacts of a changing climate,” with proposals ranging from coastal levees to the protection of hospitals. Last year, Bloomberg cited climate change as his main reason for endorsing President Obama’s reelection, praising Obama’s “major steps to reduce our carbon consumption.” But speaking Tuesday from a Brooklyn greenhouse damaged last fall by Hurricane Sandy, Bloomberg addressed the inevitability that rising temperatures and sea levels would bring even worse.

“By mid-century, up to a quarter of all New York City’s land area, where 800,000 residents live today, will be in the flood plain,” he said, and “40 miles of our waterfront could see flooding on a regular basis just during normal high tides.” We no longer have the luxury of ideological debate, he said. “The bottom line is we can’t run the risk.” (Mayor Michael Bloomberg quoted in Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 6/11/2013)

Maybe Mayor Bloomberg, a native of Massachusetts, doesn't realize it, but NYC ain't high ground. Lower Manhattan was created by bringing in fill, lots and lots of fill. We think the idea of flood protection for the city makes sense, but don't build in the flood plains and then complain that global warming is the culprit....when it floods.


Red Zone
The Obama administration has concluded that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons against the opposition seeking to overthrow him, U.S. officials said Thursday, crossing what President Barack Obama has called a ‘red line’ that would trigger greater American involvement in the crisis.

The officials said earlier intelligence assessments that indicated Assad likely used such weapons had now been corroborated. However, the officials said the administration has not determined how it will respond. (Washington Post, 6/13/2013)

The "red line" now having been crossed, Assad can expect a strong response from the Obama administration. Likely to take the form of a sternly worded letter to be personally delivered by SOS Kerry. That'll show 'em.