Hot Fun In The Summertime

Hot off the presses is this Ragister Opinion piece by two professors on the Greenhouse Effect, err Global Warming, err Climate Change.

Iowa View: More extremes seen as climate changes

It's not an Iowa View when one of the authors, Don Wuebbles wobble but they don't fall down,  is from Illinois and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The opening paragraph does nothing to make their case -- Summer 2012 is barely a week old, but already Iowans are wondering if we’re headed for a record setting season. Temperatures in Des Moines have flirted with 1934’s record of 102 degrees. It’s been a hot start to 2012.

The record was from 78 years ago, which shows it's not unprecedented.

Not only did Des Moines not hit 102, the warmest it has been this summer is 100.

That's the first time the Capitol City has reached the century mark in nearly 6 years (2006).

The rest of the piece by the Chicken Little's tries to blame climate change for extreme weather and the damage caused by storms.

However, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Extremes, released on March 28 and states, “There is medium evidence and high agreement that long-term trends in normalized [property] losses have not been attributed to natural or anthropogenic climate change.” 

This just in -- June was below normal for tornadoes.

The warning coordination meteorologist for National Weather Service office in Johnston says, We really are below normal. We haven’t had any so far in the state.

Damn you climate change, oh the humanity.

The opinion piece concludes with the usual fiberal talking points -- renewable energy, powering more homes with wind and solar energy; build a Midwest high-speed passenger rail system and make bicycle riding a safer option for commuters.

In lieu of the extreme weather, that last option doesn't appear to be a safe one.