Ragister Fear Mongering

The Ragister devoted a two page spread to Iowa's Changing Climate yesterday.

They presented it as a historical look at the weather in Iowa and the latest projections for the state.

They had a time line that showed a period from the 1880s to 1930s with an increase of temperature of 2.8 degrees.

This was attributed to increased solar radiation and a lack of volcano activity.

As someone who enjoys history, could the Industrial Revolution had any impact in that?

The cities were also covered by layer of dirty black smoke (from burning coal that was used to heat water so as to create steam to run the machines). The factories chimneys would continually belch out dark, dirty and poisonous smoke into the atmosphere, polluting it.
This blocked out most of the sun's light giving the city a bleak and gloomy look.

















The time line continued with the period of 1930s to 1980s that saw a decrease in temperature of 2.2 degrees.

This is attributed to increased volcanic activity. Volcanoes eject particles and gas into the air that block solar radiation and cool the atmosphere.

The historical time line from 1980s-2000s shows an increase in temperature of 1.4 degrees.

This is attributed to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Experts say solar radiation and volcano activity levels have not changed significantly.

The World Map of Volcanoes shows, by my count, 40 major eruptions between 1880-1930. 51 major eruptions from 1930-1980 and 45 major eruptions since 1980.

I think the problem may be the Ragister's experts.

As in May, they utilize the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS) .

Here's John Stossel on UCS...

The key word in "Union of Concerned Scientists" isn't "Scientists" — you don't need any particular degree or experience to join — but "Concerned," and the concerns in question are decidedly left wing. Its own website reveals that it developed out of a campaign to make students think that strengthening the American military was an illegitimate use of technology.

Indeed membership in UCS can be obtained for $25,$35 if you want the mousepad (is that eco friendly?).

ActivistCash.com has more on UCS, as does DISCOVERTHENETWORKS.ORG,
the Competetive Enterpriste Institute and Dennis Byrne.

Another Ragister expert is Iowa State University Professor Gene Tackle, who served on the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

This is a picture from Gene's web page



















I'm sure it's for showin' and not for goin' and the scientific community is united in that fact!

Takle was also part of a group that predicted Gore-BULL warming wouldn't be as severe in the central U.S. because of a "hole".

As for the IPCC, they don't even do their own research, instead taking papers and results from other bodies.

Meteorologist Christopher Landsea resigned because he saw it "as both being motivated by pre-conceived agendas and being scientifically unsound".

Tune in next month.