Why we know Iraq is lying

In the New York Times, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice explains why Iraq is not believable in its protestation that it has no weapons of mass destruction.

—by Peter Sheerin at 8:18 PM {PermaLink}

Asteroid impact forecast

NASA has a new Web page devoted to predicting the risk of asteroid impacts with the Earth. Unfortunately, the page lists only the risks associated with asteroids we have found—not those that may be on a collision course that we haven't seen yet.

—by Peter Sheerin at 7:57 PM {PermaLink}

Cut the state payroll

When a private sector business finds itself faced with a budget deficit, the standard response is to cut costs, lay off workers, and close money-wasting divisions. Product prices are also usually reduced in order to compete better and fuel demand. So why can’t California do the same, instead of the opposite? A bunch of my co-workers are now without jobs because their magazine, New Architect, is no more. It is way past time for the state to shut down entire agencies that are not earning their keep or are duplicating functions of other local, state, and federal agencies.

The San Mateo Daily News asked just this question in its January 10th editorial, Cut the payrol. The paper couldn't help pointing out that one of Gov. Davis' first appointments was of Steve Peace—author of the fraudulent energy deregulation—as his chief financial officer.

—by Peter Sheerin at 7:32 PM {PermaLink}

Enviros get defensive about “Skeptical Environmentalist”

A reader pointed me to this nearly year-old article about the environmentalist attacks against statistician Bjørn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist. I'm posting this oldish link because of its timelyness. You should also read Mr. Lomborg’s response to the latest attack on him—a danish scientific community claim that his work is not science. This group uses the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as an example of proper science—a body that bases scientific proclomations on a vote of its members. A majority vote does not constitute scentific proof.

—by Peter Sheerin at 1:11 PM {PermaLink}

Activist Cash

Thanks to Tim from Santa Rosa for pointing out ActivistCash.com, which profiles groups which they feel are anti-consumer, detailing their financial information and political viewpoints. For instance, the site shows that the NRDC received more than $11 million from the Pew Charitable Trusts from 1991–2000—and more than $4 million from the EPA from 1996–2001.

—by Peter Sheerin at 8:00 PM {PermaLink}

Are Wildland Fires Fueling The Greenhouse?

Wildland fires are taking tons of carbon out of storage and feeding it into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, as reported by Science Daily. This is the preliminary result of a study from the National Center For Atmospheric Research: massive forest fires may be contributing to global warming.

—by Peter Sheerin at 1:02 AM {PermaLink}

Are Wildland Fires Fueling The Greenhouse?

Wildland fires are taking tons of carbon out of storage and feeding it into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, as reported by Science Daily. This is the preliminary result of a study from the National Center For Atmospheric Research: massive forest fires may be contributing to global warming.

—by Peter Sheerin at 12:55 AM {PermaLink}