Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility

For those we lost, We will not forget 09/11/2001

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
— The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776

“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)

“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008

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Global warming prevents hurricanes?

Published Wed, Apr 18 2007 9:21 AM
Technorati Tags: Global Warming

Another link from OrbusMax -- The Associated Press is reporting on yet another global warming study based on computer modelling. This one raises the possibility that global warming makes it harder for hurricanes to form. From the Star-Gazette:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The debate over whether global warming affects hurricanes may be running into some unexpected turbulence. Many researchers believe warming is causing the storms to get stronger, while others aren't so sure. Now, a new study raises the possibility that global warming might even make it harder for hurricanes to form.

The findings, by Gabriel A. Vecchi of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Brian J. Soden of the University of Miami, are reported in Wednesday's issue of Geophysical Research Letters.

Vecchi and Soden used 18 complex computer climate models to anticipate the effects of warming in the years 2001-2020 and 2018-2100.

Included in the results were an increase in vertical wind shear over the tropical Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans.

Vertical wind shear is a difference in wind speed or direction at different altitudes. When a hurricane encounters vertical wind shear the hurricane can weaken when the heat of rising air dissipates over a larger area.

Last year we were told, based on computer models, that global warming would increase the severity and frequency of hurricanes. This year we're told, based on computer models, that global warming might actually prevent hurricanes.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... computer models are not scientific evidence. They're really good at illustrating scenarios that might arise from your favorite pet theory, but they don't qualify as experimental evidence. A good programmer can write a model or simulation and make it do whatever he wants it to by adjusting the parameters, by ignoring or emphasizing various simulated processes and so on.

If we are to believe the latest models, then the previous models were wrong, because they omitted important factors. What other important factors have been omitted from the models that the IPCC uses? What other important factors have been omitted from the models used to scare us into destroying our economy by cutting back on energy usage?

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