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John Christy, Climate Scientist, to President’s Council on Environmental Quality (May 13, 2015, testimony)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- June 2, 2015

“On average the models warm the global atmosphere at a rate three times that of the real world.”

“The climate is something we can’t predict. The policy is based upon theory that needs a whole lot of correction to it.”

John Christy, Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), has received numerous awards for his development of satellite-based temperature monitoring (with Roy Spencer).”

Dr. Christy recently testified before the Committee on Natural Resources on the subject, “CEQ Draft Guidance for GHG Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change Committee on Natural Resources.” Pertinent excerpts follow:

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The basic question under consideration here is to understand whether there is a causal relationship between the carbon emissions generated by a single proposed federal project and possible climate change related to those emissions.

Self-Service Becomes Institutionalized: 1971–84 (Part 4 of 4)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 29, 2015

[Editor note: This post completes a four-part history of the rise of self-service filling stations in the United States. Part I examined the discovery and early regulation of this new marketing strategy; Part II covered 1947–51; Part III reviewed the period 1950–70).]

“Government intervention unintentionally promoted self-service. The gasoline shortage of 1974 educated motorists to serve themselves to reduce waiting in line, and the seller’s market deteriorated the quality of service. Regulatory minimum wage and overtime pay scales, which had been steady for years, jumped 25 percent in 1974 and covered more stations.”

Prior to regulation under the Economic Stabilization Act and the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act (1973–81), independent gasoline retailers were foiling the ambitious expansion plans of the majors with their low-cost service and discount prices. Central to this success was self-service. …

Self-Service Takes Hold: 1950–70 (Part 3 of 4)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 28, 2015

“In the late 1960s, Mobil, Humble, Sun, Texaco, and Cities Service began self­-serve experiments. A reason behind the move to (capital-intensive) self-serve marketing by majors was the increasing cost of labor from the manpower drain of the Vietnam War and minimum wage and hour regulations.”

“More and more self-service bans were being challenged; five had been rescinded in 1968, and maverick dealers were converting to self-serve in illegal states to dare a court suit. By 1970, it was just a matter of time before motorists had the self-serve option coast to coast.”

In the 1950s, independent marketers of privately branded gasoline effectively competed against high quality, well adver­tised major brands by offering lower prices and maintaining high-volume, low-cost operations. It was the independent that popularized the tracksider, self-service, multi-bay pumps, and, now, premiums.  …

Self-Service Erupts — and Established Dealers Go Political (1947–51)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 27, 2015

Self-Service Gasoline: Legalizing Freedom (New Jersey, Oregon hold out)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 26, 2015

Memorial Weekend and Driving Season: Motor to a Better Environment!

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 22, 2015

“No Regrets” Climate Policy: Doing Much by Doing Little

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 19, 2015

Carbon Taxation: Remembering When Ken Green (AEI) Went from Aye to Nay

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 13, 2015

Texas Fight! Abbott, Cornyn, Cruz vs. EPA’s Clean Power Plan

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 8, 2015

The Brave Judith Curry (one plus the truth equals a majority)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 6, 2015