MEDIA BIAS IN FAVOUR OF GREENIE SCARES

"For nearly four years, network news programs have presented a skewed view of global warming and the Kyoto treaty that liberal environmentalists claim would cure it. Those same newscasts have all-but ignored the negative economic consequences that ratifying Kyoto would have on the U.S. The network coverage also largely ignored scientific evidence questioning global warming theory, while touting dramatic claims of liberal environmental activists.

To document how network news has slanted the global warming debate, researchers with the Media Research Center's Free Market Project analyzed all 165 news stories about global warming aired on the three broadcast network evening newscasts and two cable news shows between January 20, 2001 and September 30, 2004. Among the major findings:

* Global Warming More Dangerous Than Kyoto Treaty: Three times as many network stories (46 percent) featured dramatic reports about global warming's potential impact than mentioned the downside of signing the treaty (12 percent).

* NBC, CBS and CNN Ignore Specific Cost of Kyoto: The cost to American taxpayers of adopting the Kyoto provisions have been estimated as high as $440 billion annually. ABC and the Fox News Channel were the only two networks that told viewers about the potentially crippling price tag. Even those were brief mentions in larger reports. NBC, CBS and CNN failed to pass on this essential information. No story on any network was devoted solely to discussing the treaty's economic impact. Broadcast news shows mentioned polar bears three times as often as they discussed any cost attributed to signing Kyoto.

* Bipartisan Opposition to Treaty Unreported: Only one of 165 news stories mentioned that the Senate had voted unanimously 95-0 against Kyoto. Forty-nine stories on all five news programs cited President Bush's blocking or pulling out of Kyoto without mentioning the unanimous vote. That unanimous resolution included Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, though that is never discussed either. The Fox Report was the only show that included this key information about the Senate opposition.

* No Science Debate Allowed: Broadcast news programs presented the claims of liberal environmentalists that global warming is a given, that mankind is to blame for it, or both, 55 percent of the time (77 stories). That's six times more often than they showed valid scientific objection to global warming theories.

* Fox Report the Best News Show, NBC Nightly News the Worst: The best show for covering climate change was the Fox Report. It reported the cost of Kyoto and was the only show to mention the Senate vote opposing the treaty. It also made effective use of experts on both sides. Sixty-four percent of the NBC Nightly News climate change stories were pro-Kyoto - more than any other program. Only three of those stories raised questions about the science behind global warming.

* ABC's Bob Jamieson the Best Reporter, NBC's Robert Hager the Worst: The best reporter was ABC World News Tonight's Bob Jamieson. Jamieson was the sole broadcast reporter who included the costs of signing the climate treaty. Reporter Robert Hager's January 8, 2004 story earned him the title as worst reporter. Hager undermined an interview subject by referring to him as being "with a think tank funded in large part by big oil companies."

The MRC's Free Market Project report concludes with four recommendations. First, news organizations must provide a balance of experts and opinions on both sides of issues in their stories. The global warming stories show that is a major problem. Secondly, news shows need to explain the cost and impact of significant proposals like the Kyoto Treaty. Third, the networks need to be more skeptical of comments made by environmentalists, just as they are skeptical of comments from the business community. Lastly, networks need to find a way to monitor coverage over time so they can track their performance on these key concerns.

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GREEN STEAM

This is one "Green" car I would like to see. Not only does it make more sense than most but I have always been a steam buff. You either "get" steam or you don't. These guys don't care a hoot about the environment of course. They just use it as a pretext for having fun

Have you heard the one about the new green car proposed by British researchers? Using the latest technology, it will be capable of up to 320kmh and runs on steam. It sounds like a joke, but a British design team hopes a prototype steam racer it is building could change public thinking about alternative energy.

The designers of the Inspiration racer aim to smash a long-standing steam land speed record and will put their vehicle through its paces in the middle of the year. They argue steam could also be a viable energy source for everyday motor vehicles because it releases less carbon dioxide (CO2) and almost none of the toxic nitrogen oxygen (NOx) compounds produced by regular engines. "Steam-powered vehicles have potential that today's internal combustion engines lack," the British Steam Car Challenge team said in a statement. "It is hoped that the project will create interest among the next generation of engineers and designers to work towards cleaner and safer forms of transportation, both public and private."

Looking a little like a green Batmobile, Inspiration's power source is a modern take on an old concept. At its heart is a steam turbine capable of producing about 225kilowatts when it is operating at 12,000 rpm. Propane gas is used to heat water to about 400 degrees as it passes through a steam generator. The steam leaves the generator under high pressure and is fed into four nozzles on a two-stage turbine arrangement. The pressure of the steam creates the velocity to power turbine wheels. These turn gears, which in turn drive the car's wheels. The boiler section is in the centre of the car directly behind the driver's seat. There are four separate boilers, which can run independently.

Inspiration's designers hope the vehicle will be able to smash a 1906 record for the highest land speed achieved by a steam-powered vehicle. The record was set by Fred Marriott, who reached a speed of just over 205kmh. Inspiration's developers hope their machine will go as fast as 320kmh.

They said that while a gas/steam engine as used by their vehicle still used fossil fuels, it could be used in "green" commuter cars because it produced fewer harmful pollutants, such as CO 2, carbon monoxide (CO) and NOx, than regular engines. "While hydrocarbon-fuelled external combustion [steam] engines also produce CO 2 and H 2O [water], the process can be more tightly controlled and the production of CO can be drastically reduced," they said. "And, since external combustion engines can operate efficiently at much lower peak temperatures and pressures, the production of NOx compounds is virtually eliminated."

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Many people would like to be kind to others so Leftists exploit that with their nonsense about equality. Most people want a clean, green environment so Greenies exploit that by inventing all sorts of far-fetched threats to the environment. But for both, the real motive is to promote themselves as wiser and better than everyone else, truth regardless.

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