Today, May Day, is celebrated in many different ways throughout the world. I've always been a bit confused about May Day and as I did some research into it, I understand why. It isn't a uniformly celebrated holiday and its orientation varies widely depending on the country.
The earliest origins of May Day were celebrations honoring the Roman Goddess of Flowers, Flora. Also, at that time, was the celebration of Maiouma which occurred every 3 years as a festival honoring Dionysus and Aphrodite. It was known for its licentiousness and took place throughout the night with banquets and orgies.
Through the centuries, various countries and regions have held celebrations more-or-less coinciding with the 1st of May that were focused more on the transition of the seasons into summer. Other things were sprinkled in which honored various local traditions.
In the late 19th Century, the Communist Party International decided to celebrate International Workers Day on May 1 to commemorate the Haymarket Affair in which a labor protest in Chicago ended in a bloodbath after someone threw a bomb at the police who were trying to break up the protest. The result was 7 police officers and 4 civilians dead with dozens more wounded. The protest was an attempt to get an 8-hour workday established as the norm. The event served to unify labor into a more cohesive force on the American industrial scene.
Today, May Day in the U.S. has both "green" elements (those related to the beginning of summer) and "red" elements (those related to the Communist International Workers Day). In either case, it isn't something I care to celebrate. I suspect though, with he growth in influence of communists within the Democratic Party and their current emphasis on the end-of-the-world scenario they pose in relation to global warming, (at least 2 candidates have put a time limit on a worldwide government response to combat it) I wouldn't be surprised to see a growing number of May Day celebrations that include both red and green aspects. It just seems to fit. One more reason for me to dislike the term....
Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Wood Smoke and Fireplaces
The smell of wood smoke fills the air this time of year. When you live in an area with abundant trees, I suppose it is to be expected. To me, it seems barely cold enough for an open fire in the fireplace, although I have always found them to be attractive, both visually and as a way to warm yourself after coming in from the cold outside.
We didn't have a fireplace growing up; instead, we had what I recall as panel-ray wall heaters. They were natural gas, or propane fueled and mounted in the wall. They were great to back up to and warm yourself, or as a child, lie on the floor in front of while watching the television.
Once they moved to town, Grandma and Grandpa had a fireplace. They usually didn't light it unless company was coming over. It was always the first place I'd go after saying my "hellos" to everyone -- over to stand in front of the fire and visit with Grandpa across the room in his recliner. I think he enjoyed watching the flames dance among the logs. Sometimes he would have me bring in more wood, or stir the fire to get a better flame going.
When we lived in Nebraska we had a couple of fireplaces. The house we live in now actually has a couple of fireplaces. The house was built in 1956, but sometime later, the chimney's were capped and the roof extended over where they once stood so that now, the fireplaces are merely decorative. I have thought at times it might be good to re-build those chimneys and open up the fireplaces.
Years ago we went to a Shaker Village in Kentucky. The main hall was a multi-floor building full of fireplaces. I can't begin to imagine how much wood was required to keep them going all of the time. Those fireplaces were the only source of heat, but also the location of the cooking activities which went on from before dawn until darkness every day of the year.
No one cooks their food in the fireplace anymore. Now they are as much for ambiance as anything. They aren't necessary for heat and in fact often allow more heat to escape when not in use than they produce while burning. Most of them weren't particularly efficient.
Some places have banned construction of fireplaces in new homes. Politicians in those places have fully accepted the idea that burning wood is bad for the environment. I have to admit the smoke can sometimes make breathing a bit unpleasant. Their concern is for the release of carbon into the atmosphere and the resulting impact toward global warming. I don't think they quite understand how that particular carbon has been released and recycled for thousands of years in the carbon cycle. The crazy thing is how those politicians fly around the country in their jets which release carbon from fossil fuels which is carbon that has been taken out of the carbon cycle until released back in by those flights. I just shake my head at their behavior.
We didn't have a fireplace growing up; instead, we had what I recall as panel-ray wall heaters. They were natural gas, or propane fueled and mounted in the wall. They were great to back up to and warm yourself, or as a child, lie on the floor in front of while watching the television.
Once they moved to town, Grandma and Grandpa had a fireplace. They usually didn't light it unless company was coming over. It was always the first place I'd go after saying my "hellos" to everyone -- over to stand in front of the fire and visit with Grandpa across the room in his recliner. I think he enjoyed watching the flames dance among the logs. Sometimes he would have me bring in more wood, or stir the fire to get a better flame going.
When we lived in Nebraska we had a couple of fireplaces. The house we live in now actually has a couple of fireplaces. The house was built in 1956, but sometime later, the chimney's were capped and the roof extended over where they once stood so that now, the fireplaces are merely decorative. I have thought at times it might be good to re-build those chimneys and open up the fireplaces.
Years ago we went to a Shaker Village in Kentucky. The main hall was a multi-floor building full of fireplaces. I can't begin to imagine how much wood was required to keep them going all of the time. Those fireplaces were the only source of heat, but also the location of the cooking activities which went on from before dawn until darkness every day of the year.
No one cooks their food in the fireplace anymore. Now they are as much for ambiance as anything. They aren't necessary for heat and in fact often allow more heat to escape when not in use than they produce while burning. Most of them weren't particularly efficient.
Some places have banned construction of fireplaces in new homes. Politicians in those places have fully accepted the idea that burning wood is bad for the environment. I have to admit the smoke can sometimes make breathing a bit unpleasant. Their concern is for the release of carbon into the atmosphere and the resulting impact toward global warming. I don't think they quite understand how that particular carbon has been released and recycled for thousands of years in the carbon cycle. The crazy thing is how those politicians fly around the country in their jets which release carbon from fossil fuels which is carbon that has been taken out of the carbon cycle until released back in by those flights. I just shake my head at their behavior.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
A Tentative Spring and Extreme Climate Change
As I look around the countryside of Northeast Texas I see trees that are almost completely leafed out, flowers blooming in profusion and grass that is waist deep. The birds are singing and the skies are blue, but there is definitely a chill in the air.
Just this week as I watched the weather map I saw that places like Amarillo were in the 90's on Monday and in the 30's by mid-week. The front-range of Colorado saw as much as a foot of snow in places. Wyoming faced a blizzard.
Is it global warming? -- well, proponents of the theory that this is all the fault of mankind polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gasses claim that global warming is a misnomer -- it should be called "extreme climate change". I think the answer is that yes, we are going through some extremes in climate variation but, I don't accept that it is caused by the activities of mankind.
Should we as humans be aware of the potential impact of our activities on the climate? Absolutely. We should always be cognizant of our role as stewards of this planet. After all, we are certainly the dominant species. We are fulfilling the role assigned to us in the Biblical book of Genesis to have dominion over the earth -- to conquer it. But, we are not always the best stewards of the resources in our care. Often, our activities are very short-sighted. That short-sightedness is symptomatic of the corporate Quarterly Report focus that drives the activity of most major corporations.
In recent years there has been much written about the role of livestock in generating greenhouse gasses. Many studies have been conducted that showed they either were the worst culprit or they had little or no impact. Outcomes seem to be driven by the source of funding. Perhaps the answer is to take a common-sense look at it.
An easy example is that of cattle on the high wind-swept plains of the central U.S. Today it is cattle, whereas in ancient times it was buffalo, elk and other grazing species. In total, I suspect there is very little difference in the numbers. Historically, the grasslands were maintained through grazing activity and periodic wildfires. I don't see much difference today except that much of the livestock is more confined and much of the land has been converted to cropland which should mean a greater amount of carbon is stored.
If there is a place where human activity has impacted global warming it is in the cities. Asphalt and concrete are reflective surfaces that return heat to the atmosphere rather than soaking it in. High concentrations of automobiles generate various gasses that could contribute to the warming -- just look at the smog over most of our major cities. Trees and grass have been replaced by buildings and roadways. Yet, we never hear of articles pointing the finger at cities as the problem in spite of the fact that temperatures in the cities are often higher by several degrees than the surrounding countryside. No, the finger is always pointed at rural activities -- even to the point of wanting to regulate the amount of dust that can be released by the act of plowing or driving down a dirt road.
I think the problem is envy. After all, it is city folk writing the articles.
But, as to this seemingly very tentative Spring this year? I suspect it is part of the millennial cyclicity of our planet's climate. Or, perhaps it is George Bush's fault since he didn't support the Carbon Tax..... That's what the media and the current administration in Washington would want us to believe I'm sure.
Just this week as I watched the weather map I saw that places like Amarillo were in the 90's on Monday and in the 30's by mid-week. The front-range of Colorado saw as much as a foot of snow in places. Wyoming faced a blizzard.
Is it global warming? -- well, proponents of the theory that this is all the fault of mankind polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gasses claim that global warming is a misnomer -- it should be called "extreme climate change". I think the answer is that yes, we are going through some extremes in climate variation but, I don't accept that it is caused by the activities of mankind.
Should we as humans be aware of the potential impact of our activities on the climate? Absolutely. We should always be cognizant of our role as stewards of this planet. After all, we are certainly the dominant species. We are fulfilling the role assigned to us in the Biblical book of Genesis to have dominion over the earth -- to conquer it. But, we are not always the best stewards of the resources in our care. Often, our activities are very short-sighted. That short-sightedness is symptomatic of the corporate Quarterly Report focus that drives the activity of most major corporations.
In recent years there has been much written about the role of livestock in generating greenhouse gasses. Many studies have been conducted that showed they either were the worst culprit or they had little or no impact. Outcomes seem to be driven by the source of funding. Perhaps the answer is to take a common-sense look at it.
An easy example is that of cattle on the high wind-swept plains of the central U.S. Today it is cattle, whereas in ancient times it was buffalo, elk and other grazing species. In total, I suspect there is very little difference in the numbers. Historically, the grasslands were maintained through grazing activity and periodic wildfires. I don't see much difference today except that much of the livestock is more confined and much of the land has been converted to cropland which should mean a greater amount of carbon is stored.
If there is a place where human activity has impacted global warming it is in the cities. Asphalt and concrete are reflective surfaces that return heat to the atmosphere rather than soaking it in. High concentrations of automobiles generate various gasses that could contribute to the warming -- just look at the smog over most of our major cities. Trees and grass have been replaced by buildings and roadways. Yet, we never hear of articles pointing the finger at cities as the problem in spite of the fact that temperatures in the cities are often higher by several degrees than the surrounding countryside. No, the finger is always pointed at rural activities -- even to the point of wanting to regulate the amount of dust that can be released by the act of plowing or driving down a dirt road.
I think the problem is envy. After all, it is city folk writing the articles.
But, as to this seemingly very tentative Spring this year? I suspect it is part of the millennial cyclicity of our planet's climate. Or, perhaps it is George Bush's fault since he didn't support the Carbon Tax..... That's what the media and the current administration in Washington would want us to believe I'm sure.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Healing Reign
I had resolved a few weeks ago to quit writing about the extreme heat and wind. I'm breaking my resolution. At 3:53 p.m today it was 110 degrees in Amarillo with winds at 21 gusting to 31 and relative humidity of 4%. I'm seriously considering a trip to Phoenix to cool off. It is miserable outside.
I walked outside earlier to take care of a couple of things that needed done and decided to beat a retreat back in the house. I don't think I left any skin, but, in a matter of minutes I probably lost 3 lbs. through evaporation! I think it would be a cinch making jerky out there. Just hang it on the fence for a couple of hours......
I was thinking earlier that it was probably a lot like this during the dust bowl. There were a couple of differences then; the air was filled with blowing dirt because of poor farming practices and they didn't have air conditioning. I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't do some plowing to increase the particulate matter in the air so maybe a raindrop would have a chance of forming! Well, with 4% humidity that's not likely. Especially when you consider the dew point is at 20 F. I don't think it's going to form any dew tonight let alone a raindrop.
Water restrictions are becoming common across the area. So far most cities and towns are at stage one. It won't be long until they move to stage 2 though if the weather doesn't break soon. That will mean mandatory restrictions.
Floods in the north, tornadoes across the eastern half of the nation, unprecedented drought in Texas and other parts of the Southwest; sounds a bit apocalyptic doesn't it? Perhaps it is a sign that God wants us to turn to Him for relief. I know that in this part of the world the prayers are going up pretty regularly. The problem is, it is mostly prayers for rain, not a true healing of this land. Maybe God would listen more if we didn't look to Him as a "Genie" to grant our wishes and instead saw Him as the sovereign Creator that He is. We need to seek forgiveness and healing, not just rain. That will come when we fall to our knees before Him and submit to His reign -- not our own.
Chris
I walked outside earlier to take care of a couple of things that needed done and decided to beat a retreat back in the house. I don't think I left any skin, but, in a matter of minutes I probably lost 3 lbs. through evaporation! I think it would be a cinch making jerky out there. Just hang it on the fence for a couple of hours......
I was thinking earlier that it was probably a lot like this during the dust bowl. There were a couple of differences then; the air was filled with blowing dirt because of poor farming practices and they didn't have air conditioning. I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't do some plowing to increase the particulate matter in the air so maybe a raindrop would have a chance of forming! Well, with 4% humidity that's not likely. Especially when you consider the dew point is at 20 F. I don't think it's going to form any dew tonight let alone a raindrop.
Water restrictions are becoming common across the area. So far most cities and towns are at stage one. It won't be long until they move to stage 2 though if the weather doesn't break soon. That will mean mandatory restrictions.
Floods in the north, tornadoes across the eastern half of the nation, unprecedented drought in Texas and other parts of the Southwest; sounds a bit apocalyptic doesn't it? Perhaps it is a sign that God wants us to turn to Him for relief. I know that in this part of the world the prayers are going up pretty regularly. The problem is, it is mostly prayers for rain, not a true healing of this land. Maybe God would listen more if we didn't look to Him as a "Genie" to grant our wishes and instead saw Him as the sovereign Creator that He is. We need to seek forgiveness and healing, not just rain. That will come when we fall to our knees before Him and submit to His reign -- not our own.
Chris
Friday, June 27, 2008
Road Time
I learned from a good friend of mine this week some facts that have convinced me that Global Warming is real. He revealed these things to me as we traveled in search of new customers. We were prospecting in some "sparse" country and there was lots of road time between stops. Let me see if I can remember:
- My friend said that he believes that Global Warming is responsible for warping the lenses in his glasses. It seemed to him that with each passing day the distortion became worse and worse. It was getting so that he was going to need new glasses because of the distortion. Upon reflection, I realized that I had been experiencing similar problems.
- My friend also said that it seemed to him that Global Warming had caused his arms to shrink. It was getting so that they were hardly long enough to hold reading material at the proper distance for clear viewing. I knew without a doubt that he was correct because I had been noticing the same thing for several years now.
- We both noted that the heat caused drowsiness as well -- particularly about 2:00 in the afternoon. We determined to call this the "siesta effect" of Global Warming. It seemed that the "siesta effect," although normally confined to environs south of our location, had moved northward and was affecting us on a regular basis.
We began to discuss some of the pro's and con's of the obviously real effects of Global Warming. Following are some of our observations -- not necessarily grouped in any special order.
- Because of a warmer climate due to Global Warming, we should experience longer lives. This is because the Greenhouse gases have replaced significant quantities of oxygen in the atmosphere (the reason for the "siesta effect"). Therefore oxidation should be slowed and our lives therefore extended.
- Global Warming also should extend the hotpant/haltertop/bikini season. We determined that in spite of the visual pleasures it could have detrimental effects on our longevity since both of us are married.
- We noted as well that Global Warming should extend the growing season throughout the world and therefore alleviate the hunger problems that we have been hearing so much about.
- Global warming also should reduce heating bills in the winter. This would provide a significant savings during those months. On the downside though, the summers would be extended and it is likely that the increase in the cooling bills for those months would more than offset the savings in the winter.
- An additional advantage of Global Warming might be the extension of football season until February or even March. Well, by that time it's almost spring so why don't we just make football season year-round. We could do the same for baseball as well. That would give us many more choices of sporting events to view throughout the year. Golf also would be a year-round sport. There won't be concerns of losing that little white ball in the cowpasture during a snow storm. There won't be any.
I am sure there are other observations that some of you have made that support this theory of Global Warming. Please feel free to share them in the comments.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
I'd Offer a Penny for Your Thoughts if I Could...
I would be interested in the thoughts of anyone who would care to comment on the subject of Global Warming.
1) Do you think Global Warming is really happening?
2) If so, is it caused by man's activities?
3) If so, is there anything we can do to stop it?
4) If so, do you expect catastrophic results?
5) Do you think Global Warming is just a racket made up by Al Gore and other crazies?
6) Do you know what the Kyoto Protocol is?
7) Should the U.S. sign the Kyoto Protocol?
8) Are bio-fuels better than fossil fuels?
Just curious. Any comments would be appreciated.
1) Do you think Global Warming is really happening?
2) If so, is it caused by man's activities?
3) If so, is there anything we can do to stop it?
4) If so, do you expect catastrophic results?
5) Do you think Global Warming is just a racket made up by Al Gore and other crazies?
6) Do you know what the Kyoto Protocol is?
7) Should the U.S. sign the Kyoto Protocol?
8) Are bio-fuels better than fossil fuels?
Just curious. Any comments would be appreciated.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Forcast is Smog over L.A.
The smog will certainly thicken (heh, heh)!
LA residents told to cut showers as drought deepens
Wed Jun 6, 2007 5:20PM EDT
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles residents were urged on Wednesday to take shorter showers, reduce lawn sprinklers and stop throwing trash in toilets in a bid to cut water usage by 10 percent in the driest year on record.
With downtown Los Angeles seeing a record low of 4 inches
of rain since July 2006 -- less than a quarter of normal -- and with a hot, dry summer ahead, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the city needed "to change course and conserve water to steer clear of this perfect storm."
It is the driest year since rainfall records began 130 years ago....(complete article here)
_____________________________________
This is only going to become more and more common -- not because of global warming (a natural phenomenon) -- but because of the population pressure on arid regions. We as a country might want to consider some form of national planning and zoning (I know, that's very anti-capitalistic) to control 1) urban sprawl into prime agricultural areas, 2) environmental pressures -- we already see this on where concentrated livestock facilities can locate and it should be an important consideration in locating many industries, and 3) pressure on water supplies. We could avert a lot of future headaches and heartaches for our children with a little planning now. Sadly, we can't let our government lead such an effort. They are notoriously short-sighted -- just look at Social Security and the potential disaster our children and grand children face with that!
LA residents told to cut showers as drought deepens
Wed Jun 6, 2007 5:20PM EDT
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles residents were urged on Wednesday to take shorter showers, reduce lawn sprinklers and stop throwing trash in toilets in a bid to cut water usage by 10 percent in the driest year on record.
With downtown Los Angeles seeing a record low of 4 inches
of rain since July 2006 -- less than a quarter of normal -- and with a hot, dry summer ahead, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the city needed "to change course and conserve water to steer clear of this perfect storm."
It is the driest year since rainfall records began 130 years ago....(complete article here)
_____________________________________
This is only going to become more and more common -- not because of global warming (a natural phenomenon) -- but because of the population pressure on arid regions. We as a country might want to consider some form of national planning and zoning (I know, that's very anti-capitalistic) to control 1) urban sprawl into prime agricultural areas, 2) environmental pressures -- we already see this on where concentrated livestock facilities can locate and it should be an important consideration in locating many industries, and 3) pressure on water supplies. We could avert a lot of future headaches and heartaches for our children with a little planning now. Sadly, we can't let our government lead such an effort. They are notoriously short-sighted -- just look at Social Security and the potential disaster our children and grand children face with that!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Trivialities and Nonsense
It used to be that I could hardly stand Al Gore -- now I still can't stand him but I think he's hilarious...
Al Gore slams 'trivialities and nonsense' in news media
May 25 05:03 PM US/Eastern
Former US vice president Al Gore on Friday criticized the "trivialities and nonsense" of celebrity gossip in the media and called on people to focus instead on issues like Iraq and climate change....
...He lamented what he described as the "destruction of the boundary between news and entertainment"....
...recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in drawing attention to climate change....
The climate is a changing,
There's little doubt of that.
And there's lots of speculation
That Al will toss his hat
Into the race for President.
I doubt that is his goal;
His eye's on something bigger
To satisfy his soul.
He sees himself as savior
Of this place we call the earth.
And if we'll only worship him
It'll increase his net worth.
We must focus on his every word
'Cause it will serve him well;
And maybe even win him
The Peace Prize by Nobel.
But that's not all he's after.
He wants Hillary to win
So that she can name him
Ambassador to the UN
Where he will guide the nations
Through the future suffering
Until they bow before him
And proclaim him their king.
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." ___ Abraham Lincoln
Al Gore slams 'trivialities and nonsense' in news media
May 25 05:03 PM US/Eastern
Former US vice president Al Gore on Friday criticized the "trivialities and nonsense" of celebrity gossip in the media and called on people to focus instead on issues like Iraq and climate change....
...He lamented what he described as the "destruction of the boundary between news and entertainment"....
...recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in drawing attention to climate change....
The climate is a changing,
There's little doubt of that.
And there's lots of speculation
That Al will toss his hat
Into the race for President.
I doubt that is his goal;
His eye's on something bigger
To satisfy his soul.
He sees himself as savior
Of this place we call the earth.
And if we'll only worship him
It'll increase his net worth.
We must focus on his every word
'Cause it will serve him well;
And maybe even win him
The Peace Prize by Nobel.
But that's not all he's after.
He wants Hillary to win
So that she can name him
Ambassador to the UN
Where he will guide the nations
Through the future suffering
Until they bow before him
And proclaim him their king.
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." ___ Abraham Lincoln
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Bee Gone!
The following article from "The Independent" caught my eye:
Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007
It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.
They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.
The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives.
The alarm was first sounded last autumn, but has now hit half of all American states. The West Coast is thought to have lost 60 per cent of its commercial bee population, with 70 per cent missing on the East Coast.
CCD has since spread to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.
Other apiarists have recorded losses in Scotland, Wales and north-west England, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence of CCD in the UK."
The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".
No one knows why it is happening. Theories involving mites, pesticides, global warming and GM crops have been proposed, but all have drawbacks.
German research has long shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines.
Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause. ........
______________________________________
My first reaction to the headline was that it's one more flaky angle from the Global Warming Camp. However, after reading the article, I'm not so sure. First, we don't really know everything about this wonderful creation that we live on, or all of it's inhabitants. It is certain that what each of us does has an impact on the things around us. That is a basic rule of operation within this created order. It is certainly logical that this causal effect applies at all levels. It is something that we innately know -- our actions cause reactions. That innate knowledge is part of what motivates many to quickly accept the idea that Global Warming is a manmade phenomenon. On the surface, it makes sense. When we dig a little deeper, the arguments begin to unravel a bit. Perhaps this theory about the cause of declining bee populations will unravel as more research is completed, or perhaps not. Second, I do wonder where all the bees have gone. I just don't remember seeing as many in the last few years as I remember growing up.
Besides the potentially devastating implications to food production worldwide due to the lack of pollinators for our crops, I have a personal interest in this issue. What would my wife's fresh homemade sourdough biscuits be like without honey?!
Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007
It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.
They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.
The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives.
The alarm was first sounded last autumn, but has now hit half of all American states. The West Coast is thought to have lost 60 per cent of its commercial bee population, with 70 per cent missing on the East Coast.
CCD has since spread to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.
Other apiarists have recorded losses in Scotland, Wales and north-west England, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence of CCD in the UK."
The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".
No one knows why it is happening. Theories involving mites, pesticides, global warming and GM crops have been proposed, but all have drawbacks.
German research has long shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines.
Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause. ........
______________________________________
My first reaction to the headline was that it's one more flaky angle from the Global Warming Camp. However, after reading the article, I'm not so sure. First, we don't really know everything about this wonderful creation that we live on, or all of it's inhabitants. It is certain that what each of us does has an impact on the things around us. That is a basic rule of operation within this created order. It is certainly logical that this causal effect applies at all levels. It is something that we innately know -- our actions cause reactions. That innate knowledge is part of what motivates many to quickly accept the idea that Global Warming is a manmade phenomenon. On the surface, it makes sense. When we dig a little deeper, the arguments begin to unravel a bit. Perhaps this theory about the cause of declining bee populations will unravel as more research is completed, or perhaps not. Second, I do wonder where all the bees have gone. I just don't remember seeing as many in the last few years as I remember growing up.
Besides the potentially devastating implications to food production worldwide due to the lack of pollinators for our crops, I have a personal interest in this issue. What would my wife's fresh homemade sourdough biscuits be like without honey?!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Some New Links Added
Since I find myself repeatedly writing about climate change, alternative energy sources, ethanol, the weather, etc. I've added a few Links in my Links list. There's some interesting reading there if you have time to wade through it all.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Global Warming Again
I can't decide what to think about "global warming". I don't trust the media, I don't trust politicians, I don't even trust the so-called scientists. They all have an agenda they are pushing which biases their positions. I think there are certainly observations and measurements of climatological factors that indicate that the earth is in a warming cycle -- at least some areas of the earth. Is the warming man-made, or part of the natural rhythm of the earth's climate?
I had a lot of training in statistics when I was in college. The old adage that "the figures don't lie, but liars can figure" is appropriate to consider, and certainly relevant to the question of climate change. If you have a particular point of view that you believe to be correct, the research that you conduct will be conducted in such a way that you will likely prove your point -- especially in an area that has as many variables as the earth's climate. If you believe that the polar ice caps are melting, you will look until you find evidence that they are melting. If you believe that the earth is warming, you will look until you find evidence of warming -- even if you have to measure the temperature in a thousand locations to do it! All research begins with the biases of the researcher. They cannot be removed from the process. I know that you "scientists" out there will disagree with this, but keep in mind that your disagreement is a bias in itself.
My training is in economics. Economics is a so-called social science. It is the study of the allocation of resources. It uses scientific methods to the extent possible. However, all economic problems are affected by huge numbers of variables. The larger the number of variables, the more inexact the conclusions. The large number of variables is one of the biggest problem with climatology. In economics, quite literally, the price of eggs in China can potentially impact the futures market for corn in the United States. Why? One possible scenario is that a high price for eggs in China could cause a shift in chicken raisers from meat production to egg production. This in turn could create a demand in China for imported chicken. Perhaps the chickens are imported from the U.S. as frozen, boxed chicken. The increased demand for chicken from U.S. suppliers could cause a price rise in chicken meat in the U.S. causing a shift in consumption by U.S. consumers from chicken to beef. In the feedlots of the U.S., corn is one of the primary feed ingredients. Therefore, the quantity of corn demanded would increase and the cash price of corn would increase -- at least temporarily until the farmers responded by planting more corn. The cash price increase would create a speculative increase in the corn futures market. An endless number of other scenarios can be concocted by any good economist that would provide the same or a different answer. It is likely that none of them are completely true.
Now all of that was said for this reason. How many variables affect the weather? Even solar flare activity affects the weather on earth. There is no way that scientists can know with certainty that human activity is causing global warming.
Al Gore has come to the forefront as one of the biggest "fear-mongers" of global warming. He's also making a lot of money in that role. Is he also running for President based on the questionable fears that he is creating in the American public? The general public notoriously follows the media. The media tends to give favorable treatment to the most liberal of ideas. It all just makes me suspicious.
It's time for the American people to take our country back from the vultures. If we don't, they'll soon be picking over our bones.
I had a lot of training in statistics when I was in college. The old adage that "the figures don't lie, but liars can figure" is appropriate to consider, and certainly relevant to the question of climate change. If you have a particular point of view that you believe to be correct, the research that you conduct will be conducted in such a way that you will likely prove your point -- especially in an area that has as many variables as the earth's climate. If you believe that the polar ice caps are melting, you will look until you find evidence that they are melting. If you believe that the earth is warming, you will look until you find evidence of warming -- even if you have to measure the temperature in a thousand locations to do it! All research begins with the biases of the researcher. They cannot be removed from the process. I know that you "scientists" out there will disagree with this, but keep in mind that your disagreement is a bias in itself.
My training is in economics. Economics is a so-called social science. It is the study of the allocation of resources. It uses scientific methods to the extent possible. However, all economic problems are affected by huge numbers of variables. The larger the number of variables, the more inexact the conclusions. The large number of variables is one of the biggest problem with climatology. In economics, quite literally, the price of eggs in China can potentially impact the futures market for corn in the United States. Why? One possible scenario is that a high price for eggs in China could cause a shift in chicken raisers from meat production to egg production. This in turn could create a demand in China for imported chicken. Perhaps the chickens are imported from the U.S. as frozen, boxed chicken. The increased demand for chicken from U.S. suppliers could cause a price rise in chicken meat in the U.S. causing a shift in consumption by U.S. consumers from chicken to beef. In the feedlots of the U.S., corn is one of the primary feed ingredients. Therefore, the quantity of corn demanded would increase and the cash price of corn would increase -- at least temporarily until the farmers responded by planting more corn. The cash price increase would create a speculative increase in the corn futures market. An endless number of other scenarios can be concocted by any good economist that would provide the same or a different answer. It is likely that none of them are completely true.
Now all of that was said for this reason. How many variables affect the weather? Even solar flare activity affects the weather on earth. There is no way that scientists can know with certainty that human activity is causing global warming.
Al Gore has come to the forefront as one of the biggest "fear-mongers" of global warming. He's also making a lot of money in that role. Is he also running for President based on the questionable fears that he is creating in the American public? The general public notoriously follows the media. The media tends to give favorable treatment to the most liberal of ideas. It all just makes me suspicious.
It's time for the American people to take our country back from the vultures. If we don't, they'll soon be picking over our bones.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Signs of Spring
There are definite signs of spring beginning to show. This morning I noticed the buds on my hybrid poplar trees were swollen and ready to open. The temperatures have been starting to reach into the high 70's during the day and some nights are staying above freezing. Some of the late winter weeds are beginning to show themselves. Today, as I drove across the Panhandle, I noticed that most of the geese had already moved north. There were very few left on the playas or in the corn fields.
The farmers are beginning to show signs of wanting to get into the fields and plow. I've seen a couple of tractors working the ground this week. There's always someone who wants to be the first to get the soil ready for planting. I guess it's time. In just a few short weeks they will be running full time to prepare the soil for the seed.
Spring Break from school is only a couple of weeks away. The kids are getting excited about what they will do and where they will go. I find it humorous that some families will use it as a last opportunity to go to the mountains to do some skiing. I'd rather go south where the flowers are starting to bloom, the days are warm, and the fish are ready to be caught.
Winter isn't over. We'll likely have a few more cold spells before spring truly arrives, but it is nice to feel the hint of it in the air. I'm sure the "hollyacademedia" will say that it is too warm, too early and that it is a sign that global warming is upon us. I suspect that it is just the natural rhythm and cycle of the earth.
Someone today told me that one of their greatest fears was global warming. They also thought we needed to get out of Iraq. Isn't that a sign of backward thinking? They are terrified of something that is a slim possibility for the distant future, but oppose proactively preventing terrorism on our soil (by attacking it at the root) which is a much more likely immediate threat if left unchecked. How did the people in this country get so confused? It would take volumes to address that question.
I think for now, I'll think about the coming spring.
The farmers are beginning to show signs of wanting to get into the fields and plow. I've seen a couple of tractors working the ground this week. There's always someone who wants to be the first to get the soil ready for planting. I guess it's time. In just a few short weeks they will be running full time to prepare the soil for the seed.
Spring Break from school is only a couple of weeks away. The kids are getting excited about what they will do and where they will go. I find it humorous that some families will use it as a last opportunity to go to the mountains to do some skiing. I'd rather go south where the flowers are starting to bloom, the days are warm, and the fish are ready to be caught.
Winter isn't over. We'll likely have a few more cold spells before spring truly arrives, but it is nice to feel the hint of it in the air. I'm sure the "hollyacademedia" will say that it is too warm, too early and that it is a sign that global warming is upon us. I suspect that it is just the natural rhythm and cycle of the earth.
Someone today told me that one of their greatest fears was global warming. They also thought we needed to get out of Iraq. Isn't that a sign of backward thinking? They are terrified of something that is a slim possibility for the distant future, but oppose proactively preventing terrorism on our soil (by attacking it at the root) which is a much more likely immediate threat if left unchecked. How did the people in this country get so confused? It would take volumes to address that question.
I think for now, I'll think about the coming spring.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Global Warming
Bundled from head to toe
He climbs into his truck.
The wintry blast has brought more snow
But the cattle must be fed.
It's been a tough winter
For the ranchers on the Plains.
The drifts are deep and just won't melt
Until the coming of spring rains.
He takes an axe to break the ice
Then climbs back in his truck
And sticks his hands up to the heater
To try and warm them up.
Then backing up his bale fork
To the lined-up rolls of hay
He thanks his Maker for the blessings
Of the nice warm summer days.
The cows are needing cake
'Cause calving will come soon.
Let's hope they don't start coming
For at least another moon.
As he's plowing 'cross the prairie
In his worn-out pickup truck
He thinks about his calling
And the life he might have chose.
But then he really didn't want to live
His life in some city or a town
Where folks are just confused
About the big issues in life
Like what it is that makes a family
And the value of a child,
The things that are worth fighting for
Like freedom and security,
How education starts at home --
Which takes us back to family.
And he just can't understand
Why there's all the crazy hype
About this thing called global warming
When he'd just like to get warm!
He climbs into his truck.
The wintry blast has brought more snow
But the cattle must be fed.
It's been a tough winter
For the ranchers on the Plains.
The drifts are deep and just won't melt
Until the coming of spring rains.
He takes an axe to break the ice
Then climbs back in his truck
And sticks his hands up to the heater
To try and warm them up.
Then backing up his bale fork
To the lined-up rolls of hay
He thanks his Maker for the blessings
Of the nice warm summer days.
The cows are needing cake
'Cause calving will come soon.
Let's hope they don't start coming
For at least another moon.
As he's plowing 'cross the prairie
In his worn-out pickup truck
He thinks about his calling
And the life he might have chose.
But then he really didn't want to live
His life in some city or a town
Where folks are just confused
About the big issues in life
Like what it is that makes a family
And the value of a child,
The things that are worth fighting for
Like freedom and security,
How education starts at home --
Which takes us back to family.
And he just can't understand
Why there's all the crazy hype
About this thing called global warming
When he'd just like to get warm!
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