Thursday, April 12, 2007
Global Warming Confusion
I actually grew dizzy last night while reading the local paper. In it, the CR Gazette had me sitting with pencil and paper "cipherin'" the latest global warming claptrap...
Because it's the on-line version, I can only re-post the bit that had me working harder than I usually work at the crossword puzzle trying to figure out:
Earth gets another special day; climate is its focus
By Cindy Hadish
The Gazette, April 11 2007
Given the news that both Mars (NASA reported also) and Jupiter are warming too, I don't know if they plan any action on those planets. They certainly sound like they're from there, though. Here's where my confusion and dizzy spell began:
(CAUTION! You may need a glass of water to splash on yourself later!)
Can I just get some of that intense downpour right now? On my face? I'm feeling dizzy again.
By the way...in case you think I parsed the story too conveniently, here's the entire section of the story that had me so confused...unedited:
Sunshine and clouds today, with rain and snow possible. A high temperature of 10-to-90 degrees. A low tonight of 10-to-90 degrees. Give or take...
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Because it's the on-line version, I can only re-post the bit that had me working harder than I usually work at the crossword puzzle trying to figure out:
Earth gets another special day; climate is its focus
By Cindy Hadish
The Gazette, April 11 2007
A new event this month to recognize the environment should not push aside Earth Day and Arbor Day, environmentalists say.Okay...so they want to have another day of people standing in parks (littering) listening to amplified (by electricity) speeches urging some kind of action.
Author Bill McKibben’s call to designate Saturday as National Day of Climate Action was intended to put a spotlight on global warming, said Jon Warnow, one of the organizers of Step It Up, a Vermont-based national campaign to recognize the climate action day.
Given the news that both Mars (NASA reported also) and Jupiter are warming too, I don't know if they plan any action on those planets. They certainly sound like they're from there, though. Here's where my confusion and dizzy spell began:
(CAUTION! You may need a glass of water to splash on yourself later!)
United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this month detailed potential effects of global warming, if reliance on coal and oil continues its pace.EEK! Scary stuff (like any other year).
With 1 degree of warming, the Earth will experience more wildfires, coral bleaching, flooding and storm damage.
More than 5 degrees will result in up to 3.2 billion people facing water shortages...Wait...ummm. With 1-degree we get flooding and storm damage (like any other year). With 5 degrees we get water shortages (like any other year).
20 percent of the global population affected by flooding and more heat waves in some cities, the report predicted.But I thought you just said we would get water shortages (like any other year)...so flooding too? How can you get flooding AND water shortages (like any other year)? And more heat waves in some cities? Which ones? After the extreme cold so far this spring, I could use a heat wave! Dizzy yet?
The Union of Concerned Scientists and Ecological Society of America spelled out how global warming will affect Iowa. The report states precipitation likely will increase in winter and spring by up to 30 percent and decrease in summer by 10 percent to 35 percent.So...flooding in the spring (like any other year) and decreases in the summer. With flooding and water shortages. Got that?
Summer rain likely will be intense downpours.Okay...so back to intense water downpours in the summer (like any other year). With flooding, water shortages, and...waitaminute...I have to scroll back up again...
Can I just get some of that intense downpour right now? On my face? I'm feeling dizzy again.
By the way...in case you think I parsed the story too conveniently, here's the entire section of the story that had me so confused...unedited:
United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this month detailed potential effects of global warming, if reliance on coal and oil continues its pace.Maybe we can get our local TV weather guys to have the same type of forecasts every day...that way, no matter what happens they'll never be wrong:
With 1 degree of warming, the Earth will experience more wildfires, coral bleaching, flooding and storm damage. More than 5 degrees will result in up to 3.2 billion people facing water shortages, 20 percent of the global population affected by flooding and more heat waves in some cities, the report predicted.
The Union of Concerned Scientists and Ecological Society of America spelled out how global warming will affect Iowa. The report states precipitation likely will increase in winter and spring by up to 30 percent and decrease in summer by 10 percent to 35 percent. Summer rain likely will be intense downpours.
Sunshine and clouds today, with rain and snow possible. A high temperature of 10-to-90 degrees. A low tonight of 10-to-90 degrees. Give or take...
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Labels: global warming
Friday, April 06, 2007
Today's Current Temp: 24 degrees
A bunch of global warming stuff today in the news with USA Today and our own Des Moines Register leading the charge with an editorial and a guest opinion piece.
The Register editorial today: National plan needed on climate change
USA Today: Scientists, governments clash as report reveals dangers of climate change
Looked at only briefly (like most things in the newspaper), the chart seems fairly dramatic.
"Holy moly! Look at how hot it's getting!"
Unlike a lot of people, I looked at the numbers along the bottom and left hand side of the chart. It only shows an increase of 1.2 degrees—over the last 150 years.
A chart of my income over the last 20-years would probably show the same kind of dramatic spikes and dips.
And “accurate measurements began” in 1860? Really? They could accurately measure the temperature around the globe in 1860?
We can barely do that today...so pardon my unscientific skepticism that we had super accurate thermometers placed in key areas around the world that could measure within a tenth of a degree.
And then there is the opinion piece by current Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie...a well-noted global climate engineer.
Action needed today to cut global-warming impacts
Ironically, Mayor Cownie co-authors the piece with a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists who are on record as opposing anything other than "organic" farming methods - which in my unscientific opinion, could lead to mass starvation and lower yields. Formed as a protest of the VietNam war (another highly scientific pursuit), they are currently leading the charge against bio-engineered farming techniques.
Read more about the UCS at ActivistCash.com.
Meanwhile, bundle up. That global warming is cold today.
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The Register editorial today: National plan needed on climate change
As a new installment of a United Nations report on global warming is released, sentiment for U.S. action moved to a new level this week following a U.S. Supreme Court decision on greenhouse-gas regulations.As that new installment is being prepared, it doesn't seem like the "consensus" on global warming is going well according to the USA Today story:
The question no longer is whether government and industry will act, but what form the regulations will take and where they will be written. For now, the states are taking the lead, but eventually the president and Congress must step up to the plate with a national global-warming strategy that is part of a global solution.
USA Today: Scientists, governments clash as report reveals dangers of climate change
BRUSSELS — After a marathon session that saw angry exchanges between diplomats and scientists, an international global warming conference approved a major report on climate change Friday.By the way, I love the chart included in the story. Take a look...
"We have an approved accord. It has been a complex exercise," conference chairman Rajendra Pachauri told reporters after an all-night meeting.
Several scientists objected to the editing of the final draft by government negotiators, the Associated Press reported, but in the end agreed to compromises. However, some scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change vowed never to take part in the process again, the AP reported.
Looked at only briefly (like most things in the newspaper), the chart seems fairly dramatic."Holy moly! Look at how hot it's getting!"
Unlike a lot of people, I looked at the numbers along the bottom and left hand side of the chart. It only shows an increase of 1.2 degrees—over the last 150 years.
A chart of my income over the last 20-years would probably show the same kind of dramatic spikes and dips.
And “accurate measurements began” in 1860? Really? They could accurately measure the temperature around the globe in 1860?
We can barely do that today...so pardon my unscientific skepticism that we had super accurate thermometers placed in key areas around the world that could measure within a tenth of a degree.
And then there is the opinion piece by current Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie...a well-noted global climate engineer.
Action needed today to cut global-warming impacts
By 2100, Iowa's summer climate would generally be more like that of current northwest Mississippi. Seasonal precipitation would increase in winter and spring by as much as 30 percent and decrease in summer by 10 percent to 35 percent. The number of days in Iowa above 90 degrees is projected to at least double, and heat waves could occur 15 to 25 times a year by the end of this century.Good...that would mean a longer time and better conditions in which to grow more ethanol-producing corn, right?
Ironically, Mayor Cownie co-authors the piece with a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists who are on record as opposing anything other than "organic" farming methods - which in my unscientific opinion, could lead to mass starvation and lower yields. Formed as a protest of the VietNam war (another highly scientific pursuit), they are currently leading the charge against bio-engineered farming techniques.
Read more about the UCS at ActivistCash.com.
Meanwhile, bundle up. That global warming is cold today.
-----------
-----------
Support the Advertisers that support GregAlan.net!
Official Release April 24th. Pre-order yours now!
WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete First Season (3 Discs)
Labels: global warming
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