Conservative Musings

Will the Atom-smasher destroy the earth?

In an article in The Salt Lake Tribune regarding the "Large Hadron Collider", some scientists believe that this is very dangerous and it has the potential to destroy the earth.  However, the scientists performing the experiment feel they couldn't have made a mistake.  They are trying to learn the reason for the "big bang." 

                    Re: "I'm pretty sure hundreds of us didn't do this wrong," Larson said.  "As scientists we're often not good at communicating about things that can cause a lot of fear, but these fears are unfounded."
    Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays hit the Earth daily, with no disastrous consequence.
    "That alleviates a lot of the concern because we can't even begin to hope to reach the energy that nature is already reaching," he said."

This brings to mind another scientific catastrophe.  Global warming (or the new name "climate change").  There is a view that says that natural occurrences such as volcanoes do more to pollute the atmosphere than man-made pollutants. 

Am I the only one that sees a correlation here?

-Lady Colonel

Is your home being polluted by paper?

We have environmental groups for everything these days.  Greener fuel, emissions reduction, save the water, save the animals, the new "climate control" (which used to be global warming until they figured out that people were going to think it was weird when the planet got cooler, not warmer). 

Well, where is the group for getting rid of the largest polluter of them all - JUNK MAIL?  Does anyone have any idea how much useless paper we generate in this country alone?  While the Colonel and I try real hard to make sure we put that stuff in the trash can (yes, I know, we should recycle it...whatever) before it comes in the house, some of it still creeps in.  I find it everywhere and would someone please tell those companies who drive by and stuff our paperbox to please save themselves the trouble.  I don't want another piece of paper.  We have all this technology.  How about this idea.  Anyone putting out advertising could put their ad on their own website and if we want them, we will find them.  If they are intent on putting out something else, perhaps we could have an "ad site".  Companies could put their "junk mail" stuff on the site and if we wanted it, we could go look at the website and print it out, if WE wanted it.  That way, they would feel like they were doing their part and we could (shhh - don't tell them) ignore it. 

-Lady Colonel

Global Warming Consensus Eroding

The support for human-caused global warming continues to erode.  Anthony Watts is reporting that the American Physical Society, an association of 50,000 physicists,

"has reversed its stance on climate change and is now proclaiming that many of its members disbelieve in human-induced global warming."

It may be a bit strong to say that the APS has "reversed its stance."  However, the Physics and Society unit of the APS has recognized, it its July newsletter, that there is considerable disagreement among scientists as to the role of humans in climate change and has decided to open up scientific debate on the subject.

--Red

Hypocrisy In Action?

This kind of thing almost sounds like Al Gore and his home power usage.  Two multi-course meals, before talking about the world food crisis?  What a faux pas.

-Colonel Steve

Just Shut All Research Down

We've been hearing that we shouldn't drill for more oil because of how long it would take to come online.  They say we should be depending on developing alternate fuels (even if that would take just as long to come online).

Now comes the news that some solar energy projects are being halted over....get this....environmental concerns (via Instapundit).  Great!  So NO power is good power.

I think they'll even complain about the possible use of kudzu for ethanol (HT: 21st Century Paladin).  Not like we're using it for anything else.

-Colonel Steve

Latest From Al Gore

Speaking of hypocrites, have you heard the latest about Al Gore's mansion?  He's made his home more environmentally friendly.  I'm sure that really cost him some green stuff....money that is.

It's continuing to cost him more money as well, since he's using 1,638 kilowatt hours (kWh) MORE per month in electricity than before the improvement.  His home is now using, in the past year, 213,210 kWh of electricity.  Enough to power about 232 average homes per month.

I just went and did a little math.  If the numbers above are correct, an average home uses 919 kWh per month.  I figured from my past bills that I use almost twice that average myself.  People like Al Gore would label me an eeeevil polluter.  Yet it's OK for him.

I've been taught by the media that hypocrite = conservative.  Wrongo!  My dictionary says hypocrite = environmental wacko = Al Gore.

-Colonel Steve

Mitch McConnell's Interviews on Climate Bill

Mitch McConnell made the rounds last week on voicing his thoughts on the Climate Bill that was before the Senate.

Interview with Leland Conway, Friday June 6th.

CNBC's Kudlow and Company, Wednesday June 4th.

Interview with Hugh Hewitt, Wednesday June 4th.

Interview with Rush Limbaugh, Wednesday June 4th.

I really appreciate his thoughts on the bill.  His move to have it read aloud in the Senate was a great procedural move.  Definitely one of the key moves in sending it out of the Senate.

-Colonel Steve

Global Warming and the Sun

Tigerhawk makes a reference to a very good write up on planetary perspective.  One part of that concerns the sun's effect on the temperatures of the planets around it, specifically the Earth's temps.

What is very clear though, when you look at history, and the graph above, is that our earths atmosphere and resulting climate is extremely sensitive to variations in solar output. The sweet center point seems to be about 1365 watts per square meter of irradiance…what we consider as “normal” climate. Take 1.5 watts/sq. meter away, and we get significant cooling, harsh winters, cool summers, and increases in ice and glaciers. Add 1.5 watts,/sq. meter and we get hotter summers, mild winters, and melting of ice and glaciers.

We've been told through the years just how powerful nature is.  With God being taken out of the picture more and more by society, then common wisdom has to accept that nature is the most powerful force in the universe.  What are we mere humans compared to this vast natural power, represented by the sun in this case?  All this power, up against puny CO2 numbers?  So insignificant, if you ask me.

-Colonel Steve

Lieberman-Warner Bill

My previous post on this mentioned negative and positive news.  I'm glad the positive won out: "Dems Yank Global Warming Bill."  Now maybe S.2191, America's Climate Security Act of 2007, or anything like it, can R.I.P.  But I doubt that.

-Colonel Steve

Lieberman-Warner Bill

Mixed stories are now out there concerning the S.2191, America's Climate Security Act of 2007:

Negative:

Warner's greenhouse-gas bill clears first hurdle in Senate

Live Free Or . . . Lie?

Positive:

Drive a stake through the heart of the green boondoggle bill

Here's hoping the positive outlook, that it's going down in defeat, really does happen.

-Colonel Steve