Does This Type of Thing Really Advance the Debate?
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On the other side, does this really advance the discussion?
I hesitate to even bring this up but the Global Warming debate continues and will continue to do so. No news flash, right? Temperatures have been quite hot in the Southern Plains and so people are tending to believe in global warming. But, this article from Shreveport opines for folks to think again. On the other side of the spectrum, Greenpeace urged politicians to fight Global Warming at Mt. Rushmore. Then in the Northeastern US, people are wondering what happened to summer. The UPI blames the cool stretch in the northeastern US on the solar cycle. In India, the debate recently heated up in the Telegraph regarding malaria rates in Calcutta and how it relates to Global Warming. Speaking of India, the Times of India reports that India and China resisting the call from the G8 to reduce Global Warming causing pollutants. This raises the question of whether or not it will do any good whatsoever for everyone to curb emissions if the two fast growing economies don’t play ball. So, the debate goes on as it should, in my view.
This type of Hyperbole may sell magazines but I think it just creates divides and does not work toward proper analysis
My reluctance to even bring this to you is because, when I do so, someone always incorrectly calls me a “global warming denier,” which is not accurate. My suggestion is that all data should not be ignored and not dismissed even if it does not fit your preconceived notions. But, alas, there are those unethical types out there that insist on printing borderline libelous things if you don’t walk in lock step with your position, regardless of where you fall. Do you know that there are people out there who will take your private conversation and then print it on line with ommissions and additions and present it as truth without your knowledge or consent? They often masquerade as journalists. Probably not illegal but certainly not ethical, cool or honest. For the record, I have never said that I am a Global Warming Denier. All I ask for is a complete and open discussion by all sides and I say it raises red flags when one side wants to cut off all discussion. And there is no reason why it cannot be a civil discussion. In fact, that would probably be helpful. I tend to get a little po’d when I am attacked falsely. It’s hard not to do so and I should do better at that, especially considering there are those out there who use clever techniques to create illusions out of truth. I think that qualifies as propaganda. Anyway, I also think that it would be politically expedient for all sides to agree that developing alternative energy sources is a great idea…for different reasons to different people, but it is an answer to many questions. Regardless of which side you fall on, I’d encourage not sticking your head in the sand.
Ironic photo-Topekans Work to Save the Water Works from Water
On This Date In History:
These days, whenever there is a case of flooding somewhere, then immediately people start pondering whether or not it is the fault of global warming. Truth is, flooding has been going on in the nation since it’s inception and if there were any Native Americans around who lived before the Europeans landed on the shores, they too would probably have flood tales to tell. For instance, on This Date in 1951, rivers in Eastern Kansas crested at what was their highest levels to that time. Some 25 inches of rain fell across the region from June through July 13 with the final 6 inches between July 9 and July 13 being the nail in the coffin. Two million acres of farmland was flooded as rivers crested between 4 and 9 feet above flood stage. Manhattan, Topeka and Lawrence were greatly affected. The photo above is from Topeka. On the Kansas river refinery storage tanks caught fire and exploded and travelers on trains were stuck on board for as many as four days. The flooding resulted in the development of reservoirs and levees which were credited with lessening the affects of the next record flood in 1993.
Flooding in the Midwest is not new. In fact, I would submit that development along the rivers have more to do with any increased flooding than climate change. All across the nation, less rain in more time have been known to cause greater flooding than previous events due to development that simply wasn’t there during previous events.
Here is a photo gallery from the 1951 flood in Kansas City, Topeka, Manhattan and Lawrence.
Famous Billy The Kid Photo
On This Date In History: While I’m not certain that it was a Friday, July 13 was still unlucky for William Henry McCarty. He is thought to have been born around 1860 in New York. It is unknown who is father was. His mother, Catherine McCarty moved to Indiana in the 1860′s and to Wichita Kansas in 1870 where she was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. She moved to the warmer and drier climate of Santa Fe where she married William Antrim. Since there were two people named Billy in the house, she called her son Henry. His mother died in 1874 and his step-father wanted nothing to do with him so he sent him to a foster home where he had to earn his own keep. He wasn’t too keen on washing dishes and such, so he turned to the dark side. He fell in with horse thieves and such and eventually got into a fight with Windy Cahill, whom he shot dead. Rather than face murder charges he fled. He teamed up with a man named Jesse Evans and went to Lincoln County, New Mexico and took up with forces pitted against John Henry Tunstall. He changed his name to William H. Bonney. Tunstall ended up taking in “the kid” as he thought he was just the product of a troubled life. Billy the Kid ended up killing Sheriff Brady, among others and became a notorious outlaw. Pat Garrett became sheriff of Lincoln County and at one time was friends with Billy the Kid. It is known “the kid” was shot in the dark, but it is said he was shot in the back by Garrett, who by then I suppose was a former friend, on this date in 1881. That event didn’t prove too lucky for Garrett either.
The Dapper Pat Garrett
Garrett wrote a semi-successful book on his nabbing the notorious teenage outlaw but then failed at just about everything else he did. The public didn’t really embrace his celebrity too much as it was accepted he had shot “the kid” in the back. He ran for office several times for the Senate and various places for sheriff but lost every time. He had become friends with Teddy Roosevelt and in 1901 the President appointed Garrett as customs collector in El Paso. Roosevelt found out that Garrett had associated with some unsavory fellows and did not re-appoint him. Garrett became financially destitute and while working on a real estate deal of sorts, was shot to death…in the back of the head.
So…add avoiding shooting an outlaw in the dark to your list of things to avoid for the day.
SPC Severe Outlook Wednesday
Weather Bottom Line: Yesterday, I suggested not ruling out storms if the boundary waffled a bit. Well, it did and a short wave moved mainly west to east out of the bootheel of Missouri into our southern counties Sunday evening. Just south of the viewing area, there were a number of trees down. I saw on tv someone trying to make it sound like it was our viewing area but clearly, it was Bowling Green’s area. That shortwave’s approach probably buckled the boundary somewhat but its passing should have given it a kick farther south so today should be dry. The same tv person also tried to get all worked up about how steamy it would be….so it will be near 90. So what? It’s July. And, since we will be north of the boundary, I suspect that dewpoints will be relatively low…the 50′s perhaps? That’s not too steamy. Anyway, enough of the critique. Same story for tomorrow. A fairly significant front will drop down on Wednesday and that is when the SPC is advertising the potential for strong storms, though the boys there are more interested in Louisville and points to the north. While there may be some t’storm action, I think the most significant thing about the front will be that it will lower our temperatures to the low 80′s…perhaps upper 70′s to the north…and also lower humidity such that air conditioners may be able to take a break for the latter part of the week into next weekend.
DAY 3 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK RESENT 1
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0556 AM CDT MON JUL 13 2009
VALID 151200Z – 161200Z
…THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS LOWER GREAT LAKES/UPPER OH
VALLEY…
…SYNOPSIS…
BROAD UPPER TROUGH IS FORECAST TO BECOME ESTABLISHED FROM THE UPPER
MS VALLEY ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION AS SEVERAL SHORT WAVE
TROUGHS MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. PRIMARY SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE FROM NRN LAKE SUPERIOR/NWRN ONTARIO EWD ACROSS ONTARIO…WHILE
A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND SWWD ACROSS THE LOWER
OH VALLEY AND OKLAHOMA/NWRN TX.
…LOWER GREAT LAKES/UPPER OH VALLEY…
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ONGOING EARLY IN THE PERIOD ACROSS PARTS
OF LOWER MI AND INDIANA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LEAD SHORT WAVE
TROUGH AND MID LEVEL JET STREAK MOVING TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE NEWD TOWARD THE LOWER GREAT
LAKES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SWLY LOW LEVEL JET THAT WILL SLOWLY
SHIFT EWD DURING THE DAY. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THREAT MAY PERSIST
DURING THE MORNING…WITH INTENSIFICATION OF EXISTING CONVECTION
AND/OR REDEVELOPMENT OF STORMS IN THE WAKE OF EARLIER THUNDERSTORMS
POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON. STRONG DEEP LAYER VERTICAL SHEAR AND
SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY SUGGEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS THROUGH
THE EVENING HOURS.
…LOWER OH VALLEY ACROSS THE OZARKS INTO THE CENTRAL/SRN HIGH
PLAINS…
THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING NEAR
THE SWD MOVING COLD FRONT FROM THE LOWER OH VALLEY INTO THE SRN HIGH
PLAINS. STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES COUPLED WITH VERY WARM LOW
LEVEL TEMPERATURES DURING THE AFTERNOON WILL ENHANCE INSTABILITY. A
FEW STRONG/SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE BUT WEAK FLOW
ALOFT/VERTICAL SHEAR SHOULD LIMIT OVERALL COVERAGE OF SEVERE THREAT.
..WEISS.. 07/13/2009
