NASA hiding climate data; Challenging Chicago's handgun ban; Abortion center - "sacred work"

1) Researcher: NASA hiding climate data The fight over global warming science is about to cross the Atlantic with a U.S. researcher poised to sue NASA, demanding release of the same kind of climate data that has landed a leading British center in hot water over charges it skewed its data. Chris Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said NASA has refused for two years to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act that would show how the agency has shaped its climate data and would explain why the agency has repeatedly had to correct its data going as far back as the 1930s. "I assume that what is there is highly damaging," Mr. Horner said. "These guys are quite clearly bound and determined not to reveal their internal discussions about this." The numbers matter. Under pressure in 2007, NASA recalculated its data and found that 1934, not 1998, was the hottest year in its records for the contiguous 48 states. NASA later changed that data again, and now 1998 and 2006 are tied for first, with 1934 slightly cooler. ..His fight mirrors one in Europe that has sprung up over the the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit in the UK after thousands of e-mails from the center were obtained and appear to show researchers shaving their data to make it conform to their expectation, and show efforts to try to drive global warming skeptics out of the conversation. The center's chief has stepped down pending an investigation into the e-mails. The center has also had to acknowledge in response to a freedom of information request under British law that it tossed out much of the raw data that it used to draw up the temperature models that have underpinned much of the science behind global warming. Mr. Horner suspects the same sort of data-shaving has happened at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), another leading global warming research center. See: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/03/researcher-says-nasa-hiding-climate-data/ 1a) Take back Al Gore's Oscar, 2 Academy members demand in light of Climategate No, it wouldn't do anything for the environment. But two Hollywood conservatives (yes, there are some) have called upon the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to rescind the prestigious, profitable gold Oscar statuette that it gave ex-Vice President Al Gore et al two years ago for the environmental movie "An Inconvenient Truth." See: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/12/al-gore-oscar-global-warming.html?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell 1b) Webb warns Obama on Copenhagen trip President Barack Obama should be wary of committing the U.S. to any binding climate standards at a global conference this month without congressional input, one senator warned. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) sent a letter to the president late last week warning Obama against agreeing to any binding climate change agreement during a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark this month. "I would like to express my concern regarding reports that the Administration may believe it has the unilateral power to commit the government of the United States to certain standards that may be agreed upon at the upcoming [conference]," Webb wrote to Obama. "Although details have not been made available, recent statements by Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern indicate that negotiators may be intending to commit the United States to a nationwide emission reduction program," Webb added. "As you well know from your time in the Senate, only specific legislation agreed upon in the Congress, or a treaty ratified by the Senate, could actually create such a commitment on behalf of our country." See: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/69957-webb-warns-obama-on-copenhagen-trip 2) 38 states support challenge to Chicago handgun ban LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska and 37 other states are supporting a challenge to Chicago's ban on handguns. The U.S. Supreme Court said earlier this fall that it would hear the lawsuit four people filed challenging the city ban. One of the plaintiffs, Otis McDonald of Chicago, said he wants to own a firearm within city limits so he can protect himself in his home. Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning says he and his fellow attorneys general want the high court to protect the constitutional right to bear arms and make it clear that cities and states have to follow the court's earlier rulings. The goal of the Illinois lawsuit is to require state and local officials to follow the Supreme Court's 2008 ruling that eliminated Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban. See: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/38-states-support-challenge-to-chicago-handgun-ban.html 3) Abortion Center in Michigan Advertises Abortion Business as "Sacred Work" Detroit, MI (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion center in Michigan is drawing guffaws from pro-life advocates for a new series of video advertisements touting its abortions as "sacred work." The ads from Northland Family Planning Centers of Michigan follow comments this week from a pro-abortion religious leader saying abortion is a "God-given right." The new video with the comment is part of a series of videos highlighting their abortion services and states, "We believe in the goodness of our work." Woe to those to call good evil and evil good… …Matthew Archbold of the Creative Minority Report blog noticed the new ads and said they say they want abortion to be a "normal experience." "Sadly, that is true as there have been over 45 million abortions since its legalization as the video points out," he says. But the Northland representative goes further and says abortion is also "a sign of strength courage and responsibility to thoughtfully consider whether or not to bring new life into the world." New life is brought into the world at the point of conception. It is a sign of responsibility not to engage in activity that makes this possible if you are not prepared to deal with the consequences. It is NOT a sign of strength, courage, and responsibility to murder a human being. See: http://www.lifenews.com/state4623.html 4) Sarah Palin Stars as Heroine in New Children's Book While Sarah Palin is certainly making waves with her own best-selling book “Going Rogue,” the former governor and vice presidential candidate is also in the spotlight with a cameo appearance as a heroine in the recently released children’s book “Help! Mom! Radicals Are Ruining My Country!” In the book written by Katharine DeBrecht, “Governor Sarah” (a character based on Palin) attempts to help two young boys hold onto their dream of a swing-set business which is struggling as a result of high taxes, heavy regulations and 246 czars. …The book also touches on the former governor’s life in the limelight and shows the boys “ruffling through their bills” when they see a special report on the TV. “We have breaking news just in from a 37-year-old man who lives in his parents’ basement that Governor Sarah’s mother is actually an alien,” the excited anchor woman said. “And from this exclusive source, we can confirm that Governor Sarah feeds her children dog food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”’ And with a moral in every children’s story, the boys learn that it is “mean” to spread rumors about people and that Governor Sarah “seems like a nice lady” and thus feel for a really nice girl in their class who is running for student council and bound to be the victim of malicious and untrue gossip. See: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/12/01/sarah-palin-stars-heroine-new-childrens-books/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+foxnews%252Fentertainment+%2528FOXNews.com+-+Entertainment%2529