And the Beat Goes On
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Couldn't resist posting this photo from down under. Wow! No need to explain this one. Courtesy of Australia Severe Weather NOWCAST - Decent shot of rain for Wednesday and Thursday, drying Friday and Saturday with mild conditions. Rainfall could reach an inch or two in the two days locally with 2-4 inches in the mountains. Will be breezy at times too.
FORECAST - Wednesday: Increasing clouds. Areas of fog in the morning. Rain developing in the afternoon. Highs 45 to 50. Southeast wind 10 to 20 mph.
Wednesday night: Rain. Breezy. Lows around 45. South wind 15 to 25 mph.
Thursday: Rain. Breezy. Highs around 55. South wind 15 to 30 mph.
Thursday night: Rain in the evening...then showers likely after midnight. Lows 40 to 45. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
SEVEN DAY TREND - Brief break Friday Saturday and I still think we will top 60 degrees on Saturday. More showers after that with a possible cool down later next week but that is beyond the seven day. Farmer's Almanac predicts cold and snow the last week of the month so stay tuned.
OUTCAST - Okay, I don't mind everyone writing about the fallout of the great global warming debate and expressing their opinions. I try to be civil and at least present some of both sides so you can decide for yourself. But, lately some writers are referring to those that don't agree with the IPCC report and man caused global warming some very nasty names. The Boston Globe columnist, Ellen Goodman compares global warming skeptics with Holocaust deniers. Pete Conrad, local weather observer and faithful reader sent me these comments: What bugs me is that they call us 'deniers' which is absolutely wrong. We don't deny that global warming [ a fact ] is occurring ... what we say is that it isn't caused by man and that statements to that effect are 'opinions' not scientific fact! Main stream media and politicians continually misrepresent the debate. So what else is new!!! As you said in your last 'outcast', "Man should worry and take care of more immediate issues troubling our society" to which I would add "issues that man can do something about".
I will be fair and give you the link to one of her articles, No Change in Political Climate
and a rebuttal by James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal Denying the Future
And along those same lines I'll pass along this article:
Global-warming skeptics cite being 'treated like a pariah'
By Eric Pfeiffer
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
February 12, 2007
Scientists skeptical of climate-change theories say they are increasingly coming under attack -- treatment that may make other analysts less likely to present contrarian views about global warming.
"In general, if you do not agree with the consensus that we are headed toward disaster, you are treated like a pariah," said William O'Keefe, chief executive officer of the Marshall Institute, which assesses scientific issues that shape public policy.
"It's ironic that a field based on challenging unproven theories attacks skeptics in a very unhealthy way."
Two climatologists in Democrat-leaning states, David Legates in Delaware and George Taylor in Oregon, have come under fire for expressing skepticism about the origins of climate change. Oregon Gov. Theodore R. Kulongoski is publicly seeking to strip Mr. Taylor, widely known as the state's climatologist, of his position because of his stance.
"There has been a broad, concerted effort to intimidate and silence them," said Myron Ebell, director of energy and global-warming policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. "It's the typical politics of the hard left at work. I think these are real threats."
CEI, which previously listed Mr. Legates as an "adjunct scholar," has published multiple reports questioning the science behind global-warming theories and has been criticized for accepting donations from companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp.
Mr. O'Keefe said his organization doesn't deny the existence of global warming but questions the methods used by individuals and groups advocating for new government restrictions to combat the phenomenon.
"We have never said that global warming isn't real," Mr. O'Keefe said. "No self-respecting think tank would accept money to support preconceived notions. We make sure what we are saying is both scientifically and analytically defensible."
In an interview with local NBC affiliate KGW-TV, Mr. Kulongoski, a Democrat, said he hopes to take away Mr. Taylor's job title because his views do not mesh with the political opinions of most lawmakers in Oregon, including the governor.
"He is Oregon State University's climatologist. He is not the state of Oregon's climatologist," Mr. Kulongoski said. "I just think there has to be somebody that says, 'This is the state position on this.' "
Mr. Taylor was appointed to the position in 1991, when Oregon's legislature created a state climate office at the college. Mr. Kulongoski wants to change the position to a governor-appointed one. State Sen. Brad Avakian, a Democrat, is sponsoring a bill supporting such a move.
Read "More from the Hot Air Department" from 02/09/2007 Digest of the Patriot Post
You can open these as they are safe. Couldn't resist passing these tunes along so see, I'm fair!
I hope you don't feel guilty about those Valentine Day flowers. Better ask where they came from before you buy them. Read this piece from NEWSBUSTERSIf the shoe fits wear it I guess from reading this article. Can you believe Harper's magazine says that overweight people driving SUV's are contributing to global warming? Read and Weep here.
Good thing I'm on a diet so I am doing my part, now on to looking for a new vehicle. No wonder so many drivers of SUV's have dark windows so you can't see who is driving. Oh, and I didn't buy any flowers for Valentine's Day.
If it wasn't enough already, the heavy snow zones of western New York will pile up more snow tomorrow. A report from the area here.
OFF TOPIC - What's Up Doc? You must of heard about the lady last October that was arrested in Hillsboro after police seized about 150 rabbits at the residence of Miriam Sakewitz and discovered another 100 dead ones in freezers. Her trial is pending however she sneaked into the facility where authorities had impounded the bunnies and stole them back. So police went out for yet another rabbit hunt in Washington state and got them back (must keep them for evidence you know.) She is back in the slammer (new charges). Now of course with this great escape, the bunnies were integrated again and it could prove interesting in about 29 days or so. It is costing tax payers about $200 a day to keep these rabbits in custody. This will be one to remember for the Hillsboro Police Department I'm sure. What gets me is the logic of spending public funds to keep these critters until her trail. Holding one or two or three rabbits is one thing but 150? And maybe a few hundred more on the way? This ordeal is multiplying by the day. I mean think of it. Couldn't the police just video tape these bunnies, footprint them and then dispose of them in some humane way? They certainly have enough good luck charms for the Washington County Prosecutor to win this animal abuse case. Gads! These bunnies have been under police care for months now and even the Easter bunny only comes around once a year. Enough is enough I say. Next they will be building a great wall to keep the bunnies out of Washington County. Hey, you know why they built the Great Wall of China don't you? Watch this short video clip.
MY Quote of the Day - "Some things are just hard to believe but so is the truth." - Pat Timm
-- posted by Pat Timm @ 10:00 PM,
