Saturday, June 06, 2009

PSA 2: How Media and Fundies Distort Science

I was surfing the net this morning, catching up on the news that happened whilst I dreamt of electric sheep, and I ran across this article:

http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/06/nasa-study-shows-sun-responsible-for-planet-warming/

"...more evidence that any warming occurring on planet earth is coming from natural sources and is cyclic in nature–NOT from the evil capitalism that Al Gore, the UN politicians at the IPCC and other socialists love to blame."

Hrm, that's interesting, and 100% contrary to most peer-reviewed studies so far. And NASA released this study? So I did a little poking around.

http://www.dakotavoice.com/about/

Dakota Voice brings news and commentary of interest to conservatives and Christians. While most news sites see events through a secular worldview, Dakota Voice strives to maintain a biblical, Christian worldview. Whether the topic is religious or political, we seek to bring you information and insight without the taint of liberal bias which dominates most of the information market today.

Now, science is really the closest thing I have to a religion, so I'm immediately suspicious that someone is cooking the books, so to speak. If NASA did a study that found the Sun responsible for the changes we've noticed since the Industrial Revolution, surely the news of it would turn up somewhere other than a news source that seeks to maintain a Christian worldview. So I clicked the source link and read that article too:

http://www.dailytech.com/NASA+Study+Acknowledges+Solar+Cycle+Not+Man+Responsible+for+Past+Warming/article15310.htm


'"Thomas Woods, solar scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder concludes, "The fluctuations in the solar cycle impacts Earth's global temperature by about 0.1 degree Celsius, slightly hotter during solar maximum and cooler during solar minimum. The sun is currently at its minimum, and the next solar maximum is expected in 2012."'

0.1 degree Celsius, huh? That's like, a fifth of a degree Fahrenheit. That's some serious global warming there. I'd better kick up the A/C. But just for the sake of argument, let's just say good old Tommy might have been misquoted, and go to this article's source link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512120523.htm

"The fluctuations in the solar cycle impacts Earth's global temperature by about 0.1 degree Celsius, slightly hotter during solar maximum and cooler during solar minimum," said Thomas Woods, solar scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder. "The sun is currently at its minimum, and the next solar maximum is expected in 2012."

Hrm, no, not misquoted. Oh but wait there's more:

Over the past century, Earth's average temperature has increased by approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius (1.1 degrees Fahrenheit). Solar heating accounts for about 0.15 C, or 25 percent, of this change, according to computer modeling results published by NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies researcher David Rind in 2004. Earth's climate depends on the delicate balance between incoming solar radiation, outgoing thermal radiation and the composition of Earth's atmosphere. Even small changes in these parameters can affect climate. Around 30 percent of the solar energy that strikes Earth is reflected back into space. Clouds, atmospheric aerosols, snow, ice, sand, ocean surface and even rooftops play a role in deflecting the incoming rays. The remaining 70 percent of solar energy is absorbed by land, ocean, and atmosphere.

"Greenhouse gases block about 40 percent of outgoing thermal radiation that emanates from Earth," Woods said. The resulting imbalance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing thermal radiation will likely cause Earth to heat up over the next century, accelerating the melting polar ice caps, causing sea levels to rise and increasing the probability of more violent global weather patterns.

Emphasis mine. Witness the transformation in time-lapse typography:

From the original source article we go from the wordy-but-accurate:

The earth is warming, the Sun contributes heat, but we wouldn't keep it if it weren't for greenhouse gases. We're currently 33% above the highest levels we've ever been able to measure and we have a fairly good understanding of the correlation between amount of GH gases in the atmosphere and temperature.

To the media-generated fake debate:

There's some debate about whether it's the Sun or greenhouse gases that's causing global warming

To nutjob:

Look how these evil scientists lie to the American public.

Oh I looked, DakotaVoice.com, you betcha I did. And guess who is lying to the public?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Latest Project: Saving the Blueprints for Haus von Burkholder

We have the original blueprints for the house, and sadly, they look their age. I thought it might be nice if they survived a few years more, so I got some self-stick bookbinding tape and set to work. Scroll down for a slideshow of the progress I've made!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Happy News from the Folks

Dad wrote with some good news:

I am happy to announce that on March 14, 2009 my wife (Pat) took possession of her first Harley. We purchased her a 2009 Dyna Low Rider from Ozark H-D in Lebanon, MO. It is black & chrome with a windshield and some rockin’ Vance & Hines staggered Dual exhaust.

It is going to cost us a fortune in dental expense to keep the bugs cleaned off her teeth because we can’t get the grin off her face.

Let me bore you with a little history. I first met Pat in 1974 during her high school graduation. At the time I owned a 1972 Sporster all chopped & chromed out for a show bike. I’m not sure who she took the initial shine to me or the bike, but who cares. As it turned out whatever her original intentions she has journeyed on a 34-year love affair with me and my Harley’s that I wouldn’t have planned any other way if I had it to do all over again.

So join me in congratulating my partner and say a little prayer that she will have years of safe riding and fun with all our Harley friends.

So to the Love of my life I always say paint & chrome I can replace or live without… just bring you home safe to me.

Larry R. Branson
LadyHawke Kennels
Centertown, MO


I'd also like to add that I grew up hearing, "I would have driven Larry's Sportster, but his Low Rider is just too big for me." Looks like she finally grew up. Congratulations, Mom!

Update: Pictures! All links open in a new window.
Left
Right
Vroom!
They see me rollin

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

In Memoriam

Buzz, Kelly, Pops, Paw-Paw
Louis Edward Callais had many names.
But it didn't matter what he went by,
there was always something to learn from him:

up and down with the sun
breakfast is oatmeal
don't bid on a horse if the auctioneer is a sucker for puppy-eyed girls
always check to see exactly how many cats are in the sack
don't leave a tethered calf unattended
cows will come if you're bringing hay
hay don't rake and bale itself
tractors don't drive straight on their own
a nap never hurt anything
pigs' tails need grabbing at slop-time
two and two equal four
witches can fly through a keyhole
Three-Toes lives in the woods
always keep a candy poke nearby

I'll miss you, Grandpa.

Louis Edward Callais
May 26, 1921 - January 31, 2009

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New Year, New Blog Post

I figured it's about time for a new post, just a little update so y'all don't think we died. :) I just started school again on Tuesday, after a *cough* brief hiatus. So far, my biggest obstacle has been the weather, not parking. I get there early enough there's plenty of spaces left in the back 40, but it's so early the temperature hasn't had time to get up to reasonable numbers. (I'm looking at you, negative wind chill. Stop it.) Sooner or later I'll be working from home, as well. (Keep your fingers crossed for me, red tape is a pain in the behind.)

I don't have much news, so I'll leave you with a video that, if you have 17 minutes and 25 seconds, will blow your mind.



I highly recommend www.ted.com. There's something for everyone there, and all of it will amaze you.