Nature, not humankind, controls climate, Gov. Little
By Jay Lehr and Tom Harris
“Climate is changing, there’s no question about it,” Idaho’s new Republican Governor Brad Little said on Wednesday at the Idaho Environmental Forum. “…We’ve just got to figure out how we’re going to cope with it. And we’ve got to slow it down. Now, reversing it is going to be a big darn job.”
Most of the periodic temperature increases and decreases observed in human history are consistent with variations in the average amount of energy that we receive from the Sun. The mild heating and cooling periods since 1900 (each less than 2 degrees Fahrenheit) reflect changes in solar activity rather the exponential increase in fossil fuel emissions. The Earth’s temperature increased from 1880 to 1935 as the Little Ice Age ended. It decreased from 1935 to 1980 and increased from 1980 to 1990, and has since leveled off. Temperature changes do not mirror emission changes.
Solar-driven temperature changes operate on time scales of ten to a thousand years and have resulted in temperature shifts spanning a total range of about 7 degrees Fahrenheit. These shifts arise from the fact that the Sun’s output is not constant, but changes according to both long-term and short-term cycles. These solar cycles, and their connection with the Earth’s climate, have been documented using the recorded history of sunspot cycles, aurora observations, radio-carbon dating techniques, and changes in solar radiance.
Periodic changes in the eccentricity of Earth’s orbit around the Sun, and variations in the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation and the direction of its axis influence how the energy received from the Sun is distributed. These are called Milankovitch cycles after the Serbian scientist who discovered them a century ago. Taken together, these cycles have resulted in our current era of recurring Ice Ages. We are now experiencing the high temperature end of the latest Ice Age cycle.
Continental positions also determine the distribution and circulation of heat on Earth and have a major impact on our planet’s climate over periods of 20 million – 100 million years, the time frames associated with plate tectonics or continental drift. Current continental positions are promoting a relatively cold era of recurring Ice Ages.
Finally, our position in the Milky Way Galaxy may be the longest period driver of climate change. As we pass in and out of the galaxy’s spiral arms, we are exposed to varying amounts of cloud-causing galactic cosmic rays, which may have very significant effects on Earth’s temperatures.
Global warming advocates want us to believe that, through our use of fossil fuels, humankind has become the master controller of Earth’s climate, overwhelming all natural drivers and leading to environmental catastrophe. This rewriting of climate history is surely the most pervasive and damaging example of scientific fraud ever.
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Dr. Jay Lehr is the Science Director of The Heartland Institute which is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Tom Harris is Executive Director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition
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To LOVE Them Is to KNOW Them: Seven Ways to Do the Hard Work of Really Loving Your Employees on Valentine's Day (and Beyond)
Showing love in the workplace is not only okay; if you're a self-determined manager, it's vital, says David Deacon. But it's not about flowers and candy or superficial praise. It's about knowing employees on a deep level and leveraging that knowledge to help them thrive.
Melbourne, FL (January 2019)—Valentine's Day is around the corner. If you're thinking of taking your team to lunch or bringing in heart-shaped cupcakes, go for it, says David Deacon: It's a nice gesture. But don't think your work is done...far from it. Loving your employees is an all-year-long endeavor and it involves a lot more than saying, "Thanks," or, "I care about you." It means pushing them to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
"Most managers try to show 'love' to their team in superficial ways, but few are truly committed to doing the hard work," says Deacon, author of The Self-Determined Manager: A Manifesto for Exceptional People Managers (Motivational Press, Inc., January 2019, ISBN: 978-1-62865-582-7, $19.95, www.selfdeterminedmanager.com). "Real love is tough, tiring work that you can never give up on. You must relentlessly be looking for ways to help them grow, thrive, and reach their full potential."
Self-determined managers intentionally create environments that allow, enable, and empower people to do great work. This is incredibly tough, which is why such managers are rare gems. And a big part of the job is knowing your employees.
"Once you understand your people's strengths, dreams, flaws, and other defining aspects, you can begin the deliberate work of bringing out their best performance," says Deacon. "This really is love, and like all love, it can be a mix of joy, frustration, exhaustion, and yes, ultimately, pride at their growth and progress."
Deacon says every self-determined manager should be doing the following:
Get very clear on what your employees are good at. Make it your job to have a good sense of each person's skills and be sure you can articulate them. This requires lots of awareness, watching, reviewing, and considering. It's not enough to say that someone is "a good salesperson." Instead, they are great at getting inside customers' heads or building a rapport for lasting relationships or have a natural charisma that creates goodwill.
"Make up your own mind and use your own words to figure out what your people do well," says Deacon. "Rehearse these thoughts in your head and be able to say them out loud, to each employee and to others."
Learn what drives them. Everyone hopes to get certain things from their work. It could be recognition, regard for their expertise, affirmation for their opinions, respect, friendships, perceived success, or something else. Your job is to get a good grasp on where each employee's motivation comes from, what gets them out of bed in the morning, what gets them to perform, and what excites them to make the extra effort. When you spend time observing and talking to your people, you can usually ascertain what drives them (and if not, you can always ask them).
Find out their ambitions and career goals. One team member may aspire to become a trusted lieutenant, while another is committed to rising up in an organization's leadership. Another person might want to gain a senior title, but only within his area of expertise. Most talented and ambitious people want to advance. But also keep in mind that while others are content in their roles and don't seek advancement or seniority, they don't want to stagnate. Pay attention to the ambitions of this hardworking group as well, and make sure they too have a sense of progress.
"Again, if you talk to your employees regularly, both in formal situations like performance reviews and also informally, you should know what drives them," says Deacon.
Help them shore up their shortcomings. Deacon says pointing out when your employees have done poorly is rarely effective, and, anyway, it's nearly impossible to articulate the details in a way that empowers an individual; these discussions usually just lead to defensiveness or defeat. Instead, create the environment where their weaknesses (most people have several) can be discussed in a spirit of joint problem-solving. Help them get the overall picture in their heads, to know how best to focus their efforts to be successful, and to recognize when they may need to ask for help.
Make it clear you're on their side. "Most of us have had managers who are over-critical, who take achievement for granted, who take credit for others' work," says Deacon. "Self-determined managers decide not to be like this. They start from the premise of being on the side of employees. This isn't about turning a blind eye to poor performance. Great managers will be critical, or push, or cajole when needed. They also make their team feel valued and appreciated. When you believe in your people and support them to be the best they can be, a little magic occurs. They will do better work than they knew they could, and better than you hoped."
Have a plan in mind for your people. The best managers have a good sense of where they believe each of their people should be headed. For each employee, look forward and ponder three thoughts: 1. Where might they be in a few years' time: perhaps a bigger job, a different role, or a larger team? 2. Do you have a clear view of what they need to learn now and what they need to learn next that will support their future growth? 3. Do you have a sense of responsibility and accountability for helping them make that progress?
"With great managers, the plan is mainly in their heads and they can tell you instantly what it is," says Deacon. "Not in the language of career frameworks and competency models, but in words that show what they see and appreciate and hope for and worry about for each of their people."
Hold them to high standards and hold them accountable for their success. Self-determined managers can be difficult to work for because they expect a lot from their people. Any employee who is less than engaged, hardworking, and committed will struggle. If your employee needs direction or mediation and has a good attitude, by all means give them the support and counseling they need to improve. But if you detect someone who doesn't care or lacks consciousness, make your expectations clear and firmly accept nothing less.
It's not easy to truly know your team, but it's a crucial part of being a self-determined manager. When you do this, you'll have a better understanding of how to cultivate outstanding performances, foster harmony, and unearth each team member's true potential.
"This Valentine's Day, commit to helping your team members discover their greatness, harness their talents, and achieve more than they—or you—thought possible," says Deacon. "There's no better way to show them some love."
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About the Author:
David Deacon is the author of The Self-Determined Manager: A Manifesto for Exceptional People Managers. He has been a human resources professional for over thirty years and passionate about how managers manage for almost as long. He has worked for a variety of the world's leading companies, including Credit Suisse and MasterCard, and has lived and worked in the US, the UK, and Asia.
A thought leader in the fields of learning and development, talent management, and leadership development, Deacon has influenced leaders and teams around the world and created better-managed companies as a result. Recognized by the Best Practice Institute as a "Best Organizational Practitioner" in 2014, he continues to drive impact through leading world-class talent management approaches in the companies where he works.
For more information, please visit www.selfdeterminedmanager.com.
About the Book:
The Self-Determined Manager: A Manifesto for Exceptional People Managers (Motivational Press, Inc., January 2019, ISBN: 978-1-62865-582-7, $19.95) is available at bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.
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Clearing Up 5 Myths About Wearing Braces
For many youngsters, braces are part of growing up. With a smile considered one of the building blocks to developing self-esteem and self-confidence, parents make the investment to straighten their child’s teeth. Nearly 4 million young people between the ages of 6 and 18 wear braces, according to the American Association of Orthodontics.
Also, statistics show more adults than ever before are wearing braces. But as the field of orthodontics changes and advances, candidates of all ages for braces can face confusion trying to sort fact from fiction.
“Orthodontics is so common now that some think they know all about it, but what they think isn’t always necessarily true,” says Steven J. Moravec (www.stevemortho.com), owner of Moravec Orthodontics and author of Going The Extra Smile: Merging Technology And Expertise For A Lifetime Of Smiles.
“Many others, such as parents of children needing braces, aren’t up to speed with the changes. They know some basics – what braces do, what you can and can’t do while wearing them – but there are a lot of myths out there that are so common that they’re just accepted as fact.”
Moravec clarifies five common orthodontic myths:
You need a referral from the dentist to see an orthodontist. “You do not need a referral,” Moravec says. “They think that because most people now belong to medical insurance plans or groups that require a referral from their primary physician to visit a specialist, and they think the same relationship exists between dentists and orthodontists. It doesn’t.”
You don’t need to see your regular dentist while in braces or clear aligners. “You definitely do,” Moravec says. “You need to see your regular dentist at least every six months, or as often as you did before starting braces. In fact, I’d say it’s even more important to see your dentist for routine cleaning and gum inspections when you are in braces than when you aren’t. Having braces makes your teeth a little more challenging to clean, and nothing beats a professional cleaning at your dentist.”
Braces are painful. “Here, technology comes in, making braces more comfortable than ever before,” Moravec says. “It used to be that the bands that went around the teeth had to be pushed on up into the gum line, and this would hurt. Today, we painlessly glue brackets onto the front of the teeth.”
Invisalign or clear aligner treatment takes longer than braces. “For most patients, this is not true,” Moravec says. “The movement of teeth is a physiological process. For most cases, the time to treat is very similar for clear aligners and braces. The biggest exception is patients that have deep bites, where the front teeth overlap and cover up the lower teeth. Correction of this does take longer with clear aligners.”
Orthodontics is always expensive, costing at least $5,000 to $6,000 every time. “The cost depends on the difficulty of the case,” Moravec says, “and many cases aren’t that difficult. The cost of treatment for minor cases can be as low as $2,000. If you have a more involved case, plan on a fee of between $5,000 or $6,500. But you are investing in a smile you will have for decades. How much did you pay for your car, and how long did that last?”
“Teeth are no different than any other part of the body; they change with age,” Moravec says. “What hasn’t changed is the importance of straightening them at a young age, but as many adults have seen, braces now work for them, too.”
About Steven J. Moravec, DDS, MS, MA
Steven J. Moravec (www.stevemortho.com) is the owner of Moravec Orthodontics and the author of Going The Extra Smile: Merging Technology And Expertise For A Lifetime Of Smiles. He graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and earned an MS in Orthodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He’s a board-certified Specialist in Orthodontics and a guest lecturer for the University of Illinois Department of Orthodontics and SureSmile
