My OperaExciting climate news
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 4:41:21 PM
Long-time readers of this blog know that I have penned numerous posts on climate change since 2005. However, I have flip-flopped in my views like a fish out of water. First, I tried to counter the Al Gore inspired ‘We’re all gonna die!’ global warming rhetoric with science that was being ignored by researchers hungry for more government panic grants.
Later, I tweeked and refined my view based on new information from NASA satellites that study the Sun, the Earth’s albedo, and NOAA high altitude flight studies, just to make sure I didn’t sound like a complete fool. Luckily, I have remained only a partial fool, but everyone knows the climate is still a huge mystery, with hucksters on every corner trying to sell us their particular bill of goods.
Well, today we got a glimpse of the straight skinny on things, as scientists have finally figured out for sure what caused the ‘Little Ice Age’ in the middle of the last millennium. The BBC on-line news is reporting today that this frigid event that lasted for decades was the result of periodic volcanic eruptions. The first of these periods saw four large volcanic eruptions beginning in 1256, probably from known tropical sources, although the exact locations have not been determined.
Now, this just delighted me, because I have been fretting about the Milankovitch cycle of changes in the earth’s orbit and planetary tilt. The current 15,000-year interglacial warming period is due to end soon, at which point another 100,000 year ice age will begin. So much for global warming, and the panicked measures being proposed to arrest it. In this reality, the mile-high glaciers march out from the earth’s poles once again, destroying human civilization and most other species’ habitats in the process.
Humans desperately need to invent a thermostat to control earth’s temperature swings, and now we know how to do it: If it gets too hot, fire up the air conditioner in the basement with a few induced volcanic eruptions; and if it gets too cold, fire up the old fossil-fuel power plants, build a bunch of gas guzzling SUVs, and offer tax credits to citizens that build Hollywood-style hot tubs in the back yard.
Later, I tweeked and refined my view based on new information from NASA satellites that study the Sun, the Earth’s albedo, and NOAA high altitude flight studies, just to make sure I didn’t sound like a complete fool. Luckily, I have remained only a partial fool, but everyone knows the climate is still a huge mystery, with hucksters on every corner trying to sell us their particular bill of goods.
Well, today we got a glimpse of the straight skinny on things, as scientists have finally figured out for sure what caused the ‘Little Ice Age’ in the middle of the last millennium. The BBC on-line news is reporting today that this frigid event that lasted for decades was the result of periodic volcanic eruptions. The first of these periods saw four large volcanic eruptions beginning in 1256, probably from known tropical sources, although the exact locations have not been determined.
Now, this just delighted me, because I have been fretting about the Milankovitch cycle of changes in the earth’s orbit and planetary tilt. The current 15,000-year interglacial warming period is due to end soon, at which point another 100,000 year ice age will begin. So much for global warming, and the panicked measures being proposed to arrest it. In this reality, the mile-high glaciers march out from the earth’s poles once again, destroying human civilization and most other species’ habitats in the process.
Humans desperately need to invent a thermostat to control earth’s temperature swings, and now we know how to do it: If it gets too hot, fire up the air conditioner in the basement with a few induced volcanic eruptions; and if it gets too cold, fire up the old fossil-fuel power plants, build a bunch of gas guzzling SUVs, and offer tax credits to citizens that build Hollywood-style hot tubs in the back yard.
Peterpman45 # Tuesday, January 31, 2012 6:46:46 PM
Mad Scientistqlue # Tuesday, January 31, 2012 7:58:16 PM
Originally posted by pman45:
Sounds plausible to me!
Peterpman45 # Tuesday, January 31, 2012 9:52:30 PM
Stardancer # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 3:25:29 AM
Hope you're doing well, David, and stayin' warm during this strange winter season.
KimberlySqueakeyCat # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 5:51:29 AM
Originally posted by Stardancer:
its definitely been strange all over America this year. normally arizona and florida are about the same in temperature, sometimes arizona is higher, but this year, arizona has been much colder than florida.
Originally posted by Stardancer:
+1
DavidRavo # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 2:21:01 PM
For those of you who have purchased my book, 'Secret of the Immortals', you will know that the Maya did not invent the 'Long Count' calendar. The Pre-proto Skokians did (the predecessors of the Olmecs, whose giant negroid heads still dot the landscape in the Yucatan region of Mexico). The start date was 6 September 3114 BC (Julian Calendar), and was described as the 'time of darkness'.....
As for hot tubs, I disconnected mine to satisfy my 'Green Weenie' side about 10 years ago. I now drink copious amounts of Jack Daniels whiskey to stay warm and well lubricated.
As for the Mayas, they invented (maybe) Pulka, a fermented cactus juice, and sat around getting loaded, boasting about creating the calendar stele, ball games played with a rubber ball; and for inventing the hot tub, after discovering a Cenote filled with volcanically heated water (my speculation).....
Mad Scientistqlue # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 2:32:22 PM
DavidRavo # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 2:38:00 PM
KimberlySqueakeyCat # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 2:48:31 PM
Mad Scientistqlue # Wednesday, February 1, 2012 4:16:35 PM
devansdevans186 # Monday, February 6, 2012 9:56:45 PM
Prunes for lubrication............