Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

Swedish feminist women wear hijab in Iran to show submission, a Limerick.

The feminist Swedes in Iran

want business, must principles ban.

“Women hijab must wear,

show submission, so there,

and show they’re inferior to man.”

The Swedish Trade Minister Ann Linde and other female members of the Swedish Government walked before Iranian President Rouhani on Saturday in Iran wearing Hijabs, in deference to Iran’s oppressive and unjust modesty laws which make the Hijab compulsory — despite Stockholm’s promise to promote “a gender equality perspective” internationally, and to adopt a “feminist foreign policy” in which “equality between women and men is a fundamental aim.”

In doing so, Sweden’s female leaders ignored the recent appeal by Iranian women’s right activist Masih Alinejad who urged Europeans female politicians “to stand for their own dignity” and to refuse to kowtow to the compulsory Hijab while visiting Iran.

Alinrejad created a Facebook page for Iranian women to resist the law and show their hair as an act of resistance, which now numbers 1 million followers.

“European female politicians are hypocrites,” says Alinejad. “They stand with French Muslim women and condemn the burkini ban—because they think compulsion is bad—but when it happens to Iran, they just care about money.”

The scene in Tehran on Saturday was also a sharp contrast to Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin’s feminist stance against U.S. President Donald Trump, in a viral tweet and then in a Guardian op-ed last week, in which she wrote that “the world need strong leadership for women’s rights.”

Trade Minister Linde, who signed multiple agreements with Iranian ministers while wearing a veil, “sees no conflict” between her government’s human rights policy and signing trade deals with an oppressive dictatorship that tortures prisoners, persecutes gays, and is a leading executioner of minors.

“If Sweden really cares about human rights, they should not be empowering a regime that brutalizes its own citizens while carrying out genocide in Syria; and if they care about women’s rights, then the female ministers never should have gone to misogynistic Iran in the first place,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.

The government has now come under sharp criticism from centrist and left-wing Swedish lawmakers, who said the ministers should not have deferred to “gender apartheid.”

The spillway at the Oroville Dam fails. Blame Climate Change, not the politicians. A Limerick.

The spillway at Oroville Dam:

The “permanent drought” was a scam.

“No more need for repairs,

if it fails, no one cares.”

“It’s Climate Change. Blame Uncle Sam.”

In May of 2016 California Gov. Jerry Brown made some of the state’s temporary water restrictions permanent. The executive order, in response to the state’s drought, permanently bans wasteful practices like hosing sidewalks and washing cars with hoses that don’t have shut-off nozzles.

“Californians stepped up during this drought and saved more water than ever before,” Brown said in a statement. “But now we know that drought is becoming a regular occurrence and water conservation must be a part of our everyday life.”

Meanwhile, the concerns for the existing dams faded. They would never be filled to capacity again, so why worry about emergency spillways? Regular maintenance and repair work, not of an emergency nature was delayed yet another year, and resources were diverted to other priority items, such as a Satellite program to monitor Climate change if disaster should strike and Donald Trump, perish the thought, would be elected.

This was in the middle of the last El Niño, and temperatures had only one way to go, up, and with that increasing capacity to hold water vapor. Now the El Niño has been replaced by a La Niña, the temperature are getting back to normal, the 19 year pause is back, and now the excessive humidity is raining out over the Pacific West.

This should not have come as a surprise. The Great flood of 1862 was worse. The Oroville Dam spillwater empties out in what is Sacramento river, and flood control by building dams has been successful to avert major flooding like that. Politicians have short memories and even less sense of history. The climate changes all the time. We are now raining out from a very temporary temperature rise, and we know that eventually our descendants will have to face another ice age. More CO2 may delay that inevitability by a few hundred years, but the long term trend is down. 2016 was still on of the 1000 coldest in the last 10000 years.

On Climate Change. What can we learn from the snow?

Having a snow day here at State College, and watching the birds feast on theseeds in the feeder, remembering the temperature was in the fifties yesterday my thoughts went back, way back to a time when I was trying to figure out why it was so hard to calibrate a temperature programmed gas chromatograph when analyzing samples from -40C to 275C. During the cryogenic phase water vapor froze on the inside of the oven, and when the oven temperature then rose through the melting point of water, temperature rise took a pause until all the ice was evaporated. As a result, calibration could vary widely dependent on the humidity and how long the oven was in the cryogenic state.
The weather has been unusual this year. After a long drought the Pacific coast has been hit with a seemingly unbroken string of storms, carrying moisture all the way from the Philippines, resulting in record rain and snow. Likewise, in the Atlantic there have been a string of strong storms going from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up to Greenland or Norway, and the storms are still roaring. From time to time the temperature has been reported to be up to 30 degrees warmer than normal, and it has been raining as far north as Svalbard.

A few years ago there was a prediction (was is Al Gore?) that Arctic Sea ice would be totally gone by the year 2015 and the following charts were produced as proof:

The charts seem to indicate that by September 2015 Arctic ice would be totally gone and all Arctic snow by summer 2014.

Yogi Berra said: “It is hard to predict, especially about the future.” So how are we doing?

Arctic ice started out with the lowest minimum since 2012 and is still at record low levels for this time of the year.

The total sea ice volume is also at a record low for this time of the year: (from DMI, Danish Meteorological Institute)

Couple this with the message that 2016 was reported the warmest year on record, and there seems to be plenty cause for alarm. But then it was reported by whistle blowers that the temperature data is homogenized to better align with climate models, in other words, falsified, so we may have to look for something that does not change over time, like temperature. Snow and ice have the characteristic of freezing and melting at the same temperature, al long as there is no change in what else is in the snow or ice, like soot or salinity.

With all this ice melting, what is happening to the snow? Checking Rutgers’ University Global Snow Lab ice charts it is clear that the fall snow cover is increasing, signifying an about 8% increase in the last 50 years, and surprisingly, a significant rise in the last 8 years.

This seems to hint it is getting colder.

Not so fast: what happens to the winter snow cover?

Again we see a slight upward movement, about 2% in the last 50 years.

The January 2017 result are in, and the snow cover was the 5th highest on record for January, so the upward trend continues, indicating the climate is getting colder.

But what happens in spring?

The story is quite different with the snow cover decreasing about 10% in the last 50 years.

That must mean the climate is warming.

Let us look at one more piece of statistics: The Greenland ice cover.

This fall has seen a lot of snow falling over Greenland, about double of normal, much like the rain falling in California, the result of a string of storms starting in the Philippines, raining and snowing i California, snowing out in the Western states, recharging themselves with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and finally snowing out over Greenland or Norway.

When the storms hit Greenland the temperature spikes, sometimes reaching 30F above normal, but it is still snowing!

This year the snow fallen over Greenland is larger than ever recorded. This means that al this new-fallen snow will not melt during the melting season, which means the snow albedo is higher this year and will cause less snow melt than in years when the albedo is lower

The albedo was constantly getting lower until 2012, and then it again snowed more than normal and the albedo recovered in 2013, from then continuing a downward trend. This year it will probably recover some more, leading to a year of ice gain over Greenland.

Why is the albedo decreasing? Blame China. The last few years they have been building one dirty coal plant every week, spewing out soot and sulphur compounds in spite of their claim to have the best scrubbers. This is the reason for the earlier spring snow melt.

The conclusion?

The effects of increasing CO2 is mush less than the effects from clouds and what the clouds reflect back into the sky and what they carry in the form of water vapor. We are now seeing the result of the end of the el nino, the raining out of the excess humidity, which happens when the earth again is cooling.

The 18 year pause is back, and is now 19 years.

Mass mooning in Chicago. No pictures please. A Limerick.

If mooning sheds light to the cause

it’s time for a sanity pause.

By your baring your butt

shows you’re anything but.

Insanity’s left. No applause.

And please: No pictures.

American golfing and Japanese gardening diplomacy. A Limerick.

First Lady MelaniaTrump revealed her interest in gardening as she accompanied Mrs Abe on a tour of Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden in Delray Beach, Florida, while her husband took the Japanese P.M. golfing.

This is golfing and gardening diplomacy at its best.

Melania Trump is an asset

With Japanese PM she has it.

In the garden’s still life

she was hosting his wife.

Diplomacy coup, Donald aced it.

On the meaning of words: If a word changes meaning, did the Constitution change?

Words matter. The meaning of words matter. Confusion reigns when words change meaning over time.

Thank God Senator Jeff Sessions is approved as Attorney General. He can now address the insanity caused by the word confusion that arises when words change meaning, and people are attacked for holding an understanding of what a word means that was mainstream just a few years ago. An example:

In the 30’s the great International Business Machines company was known for how they cultivated teamwork. One avenue was by singing company songs, to boost morale and encourage loyalty among their (all male) management and sales force. It worked, and IBM grew to be the giant it is even today.

Imagine this very serious body of IBM employees singing this song to the tune of: “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine“

We don’t pretend we’re gay.
We always feel that way,
Because we’re filling the world with sunshine.
With I.B.M. machines,
We’ve got the finest means,
For brightly painting the clouds with sunshine.

Records we make, only to break.
Teaching the whole world to know,
I.B.M.’s line, will all the time, help to grow.
When things don’t look bright,
Our products make them right,
And keep on painting the clouds with sunshine.

Is that conclusive proof that the whole IBM sales force was exclusively gay in the 30’s?

Of course not, but that is the line of thinking the Democrats used to label Jeff Sessions a racist.

This is exactly why words must be interpreted in light of what the meaning of the word was at the time the words were written.

And this goes for the constitution too. All changes to the constitution must be made via amendments, not by redefining the meaning of words.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full, a song in Swedish and English.

As a little lad, my grandfather put me on his knees and sang this little lullaby. He was a skipper, having been both “on the Heat” and fishing on the banks of Iceland, so he sang it with emotions, slowly rocking as if we were sailing.

Update (8/5/2019): I have been singing it for my grandchildren, and somehow the text changed to “boil the kettle full” rather than boil the kettle so full. It sings better that way.

Update (9/15/2020) this was my grandfather’s schooner.

_DSC1349

This is how I remember it.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där kommer tre vandringsmän på vägen,
byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där kommer tre vandringsmän på vägen.
Den ene, ack så halt,
den andre, o, så blind,
den tredje säger alls ingenting.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
på himmelen vandra tre stjärnor,
byssan lull, koka kittelen full.
på himmelen vandra tre stjärnor,
Den ene är så vit,
den andra är så röd,
den tredje är månen den gula.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där blåser tre vindar på haven,
byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där blåser tre vindar på haven.
På Stora Skagerack,
på lilla Kattegatt
och långt upp i Bottniska viken.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där segla tre skepp uppå vågen,
byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
där segla tre skepp uppå vågen.
Den första är en bark,
den andra är en brigg,
den tredje har så trasiga segel.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
sjökistan har trenne figurer,
byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
sjökistan har trenne figurer.
Den första är vår tro,
den andra är vårt hopp,
den tredje är kärleken den röda.

Byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
de tre äro heliga ena
byssan lull, koka kittelen full,
de tre äro heliga ena.
Den förste är Gud Far,
den andre är Hans Son,
den tredje är den Helige Ande.

And now for the English translation:

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three wanderers are coming down the alley.
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three wanderers are coming down the alley.
The first one, oh so limp,
the second, oh, so blind,
the third one is mute, saying nothing.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
in heaven three stars are a-wand’ring,
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
in heaven three stars are a-wand’ring,
The first one is so white,
the second is so red,
the third is the moon, bright and yellow.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three winds blowing over the oceans.
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three winds blowing over the oceans.
On greater Skagerak,
on little Kattegat,
and far up in the Bothnian Bay.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three ships sailing over the ocean.
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
three ships sailing over the ocean.
The first one is a barque,
the second is a brigg,
the sails of the third are so tattered.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
the Seaman’s chest has triple engravings.
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
the Seaman’s chest has triple engravings.
The cross is for our faith,
the anchor for our hope,
the heart is for charity the crimson.

Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
these three are in one that are holy.
Byssan lull, boil the kettle full,
these three are in one and are holy.
The first is Father God,
the second is His Son,
the third is the Holy Spirit.

And here is the music score, as per Evert Taube.

State College broke the record for ice luminaries! A Limerick.

World record for lights in State College

for ice lanterns frozen with knowledge.

Up and down Allen Street,

see the lights, ain’t it sweet.

A record, will Guinness acknowledge?

The number of ice luminaries made by community members show State College broke the world record that was set in 2013 by Vuollerim, Sweden with 2,561 ice luminaries. The town in Sweden is located only 10 miles south of the Arctic Circle and has about 700 inhabitants, so that record was quite remarkable. John Stitzinger, a founder of The Make Space in downtown State College announced the total, 5,622., at the Light Up State College event Saturday night.

Way to go, State College. Go Penn State!!

From Sweden come the trolls, They are climate feminists, cold. A limerick.

From Sweden with love came the troll.

They must live in darkness, their goal.

Must reduce CO2

dark and cold, way to go.

They’re feminists, that plaid a role.

Trolls are very special creatures. They live in the deep forests of Sweden, do a lot of mischief, come out at night and you can see them in the dim moonlight of the most dense woods, but at the crack of dawn they disappear. No one have seen them by day. But for a true image, take a look at the John Bauer paintings. He must have seen them clearly.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 23: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump signs the first of three Executive Orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Monday, January 23, 2017. They concerned the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a US Government hiring freeze for all departments but the military, and “Mexico City” which bans federal funding of abortions overseas. Standing behind the President, from left to right: US Vice President Mike Pence; White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus; Peter Navarro, Director of the National Trade Council; Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor to the President; Steven Miller, Senior Advisor to the President; unknown; and Steve Bannon, White House Chief Strategist. (Photo by Ron Sachs – Pool/Getty Images)

The newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump went on a signing spree, signing several executive orders the first days of his presidency. One of them was to deny tax funds to international organizations that promote abortions. This didn’t sit well with the Swedes, so they took notice.

Sweden is a very egalitarian society , so naturally the government cabinet since many years must consist of 12 men and 12 women. It is now a very weak coalition between the Social Democrats and the Greens, and they have less than 40% support in the uni-parliament. The Sweden Democrats have 14% of the seats, but all other parties refuse to have any dealings with them, even the opposition. Climate control is the holy grail however of Swedish politics, so they managed to get along well enough to sign a Climate Bill that promised “zero net CO2 emissions by 2045”.

There are those who say that the Green Party vice prime minister Isabella Lovin trolled Trump. Maybe so, for she also tweeted

Isabella Lövin ‏@IsabellaLovin 17h17 hours ago Just signed referral of Swedish #climate law, binding all future governments to net zero emissions by 2045. For a safer and better future.

756 replies 12,339 retweets 25,595 likes

A remarkable response to a tweet from Sweden.

She also claimed “We are a feminist government”.

Well, if zero CO2 emissions is feminism I remain cold. Not even candlelight for Valentine!

Background: Sweden’s prime minister on Thursday criticized climate skeptics within the new Trump administration and warned that all countries need to “step up and fulfill the Paris Agreement.”

“The position we hear from the new administration is worrying” Stefan Löfven told The Associated Press after announcing an ambitious new climate law promising zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and a 70-percent cut to emissions in the domestic transport sector by 2030.

The Swedish minister in charge of climate policy, the Green party Isabella Lövin, urged European countries to take a leading role in tackling climate change, since now “the U.S. is not there anymore to lead.”

The new Swedish law sets long-term goals for greenhouse gas reductions and will be legally binding for future administrations.

Lovin said Sweden wanted to set an example at a time when “climate skeptics (are) really gaining power in the world again,” and felt encouraged by pledges by China and India to fulfill their commitments to the Paris Agreement.

China is “investing billions and billions of dollars in solar (…) it’s a game changer,” she said warning that “those that are still wanting to invest in fossil fuels will be ultimately the losers.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called climate change a Chinese hoax, has raised speculation that he might pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement.

The new Swedish law enters into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. It was developed after agreement from seven out of the eight political parties in parliament.

Oh, as to the picture of President Trump surrounded by only men, there was at least one woman witnessing the signing

The Muslim Clock boy is back! A loser, a Limerick.

The Radio Shack Clock boy is back:

A frivolous lawsuit attack.

But the judge cleaned his clock;

for the boy quite a shock!

All court costs and lawyers’ fees! Smack!

Background: Barack Obama surely know how to pick winners.

A 14 year Muslim boy finds a 30 year old alarm clock from Radio Shack, opens it and modifies it slightly so it can be used as a timing device for bombs. He shows it to his science teacher who tells him – Good, but don’t show it to anyone. He does carry it in class the rest of the day, and when it beeps (that’s the circuit you splice to the detonator) his English teacher freaks out and calls the police. He refuses to cooperate and gets arrested.

For this he got invited to the White House?After this ““severe psychological trauma”, meeting President Obama on social media and an invitation to the White House, where he meets the president Monday on the South Lawn at the astronomy event other equally traumatic experiences followed:

2. A meeting with Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, at a science fair;

3. Praise by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg;

4. Being named the beneficiary of a $20,000 fundraising campaign;

5. An invitation by a Canadian astronaut to visit;

6. An appearance with Dr. Oz;

7. Praise from MIT scientist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein for being “my ideal student”;

8. A proclamation by New York City of “Ahmed Day”;

9. A visit with Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide.

10. A visit with Turkey’s Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu;

11. A trip to the Middle East during which, as the Huffington Post described it, he “hung with Jordan’s Queen Rania”;

12. A visit to Mecca as an honored guest of Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (Source: http://www.wnd.com/2017/02/clock-boy-gets-clock-cleaned-in-free-speech-victory/#vp7tzO2jEo2clGro.99 )

In spite of these traumatic experiences the judge was not persuaded and ordered the boy to pay all court costs and the lawyers’ fees for the defense.

There is yet hope for America.