A baby's prayer

NASA predicts

On July 9, 1971, the Post published a story headlined "U.S. Scientist Sees New Ice Age Coming." It told of a prediction by NASA and Columbia University scientist S.I. Rasool. The culprit: man's use of fossil fuels.

The Post reported that Rasool, writing in Science, argued that in "the next 50 years" fine dust that humans discharge into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel will screen out so much of the sun's rays that the Earth's average temperature could fall by six degrees.

Sustained emissions over five to 10 years, Rasool claimed, "could be sufficient to trigger an ice age."

Aiding Rasool's research, the Post reported, was a "computer program developed by Dr. James Hansen," who was, according to his resume, a Columbia University research associate at the time.

So what about those greenhouse gases that man pumps into the skies? Weren't they worried about them causing a greenhouse effect that would heat the planet, as Hansen, Al Gore and a host of others so fervently believe today?

"They found no need to worry about the carbon dioxide fuel-burning puts in the atmosphere," the Post said in the story, which was spotted last week by Washington resident John Lockwood, who was doing research at the Library of Congress and alerted the Washington Times to his finding.

Hansen has some explaining to do. The public deserves to know how he was converted from an apparent believer in a coming ice age who had no worries about greenhouse gas emissions to a global warming fear monger.

This is a man, as Lockwood noted in his message to the Times' John McCaslin, who has called those skeptical of his global warming theory "court jesters." We wonder: What choice words did he have for those who were skeptical of the ice age theory in 1971?

People can change their positions based on new information or by taking a closer or more open-minded look at what is already known. There's nothing wrong with a reversal or modification of views as long as it is arrived at honestly.

But what about political hypocrisy? It's clear that Hansen is as much a political animal as he is a scientist. Did he switch from one approaching cataclysm to another because he thought it would be easier to sell to the public? Was it a career advancement move or an honest change of heart on science, based on empirical evidence?

If Hansen wants to change positions again, the time is now. With NASA having recently revised historical temperature data that Hansen himself compiled, the door has been opened for him to embrace the ice age projections of the early 1970s.

Could be he's feeling a little chill in the air again.

Trying to keep my friends alive a little longer.

Challenge to Scientific Consensus on Global Warming: Analysis Finds Hundreds of Scientists Have Published Evidence Countering Man-Made Global Warming

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new analysis of peer-reviewed literature reveals that more than 500 scientists have published evidence refuting at least one element of current man-made global warming scares. More than 300 of the scientists found evidence that 1) a natural moderate 1,500-year climate cycle has produced more than a dozen global warmings similar to ours since the last Ice Age and/or that 2) our Modern Warming is linked strongly to variations in the sun's irradiance. "This data and the list of scientists make a mockery of recent claims that a scientific consensus blames humans as the primary cause of global temperature increases since 1850," said Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Dennis Avery.
Other researchers found evidence that 3) sea levels are failing to rise importantly; 4) that our storms and droughts are becoming fewer and milder with this warming as they did during previous global warmings; 5) that human deaths will be reduced with warming because cold kills twice as many people as heat; and 6) that corals, trees, birds, mammals, and butterflies are adapting well to the routine reality of changing climate.


Read more; http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,176495.shtml

Third Annual Monty Python Day

Knights, cardinals and bearded ladies have been swarming round the grounds of Doune Castle as fans marked the third annual Monty Python Day. Built by Robert Stewart in the 14th Century, the keep appeared as Castle Anthrax in the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Since then, thousands of devout fans have made their way to the castle, outside Stirling. Tickets for this year's event were restricted to 500.

Fans who made their way to the jamboree of Python-themed silliness, took part in a coconut conga and the Python Idle talent competition. Also in attendance was original cast member Carol Cleveland.

Coconut shells, which were used by characters in the film to mimic the sound of horses, were a feature as Python pilgrims showed up to clip-clop their way about the grounds.

Billed as the "silliest yet", dozens of actors performed scenes from the film and the TV series, including the dead parrot sketch, at key locations around the castle.

The first Monty Python Day was held at Doune Castle, six miles north-west of Stirling, in 2005 to mark the 30th anniversary of the film.

Nick Finnigan, of Historic Scotland, which hosts the event, said: "For the first one, we made it an open public event, but 1,400 turned up.

This just in

'Students First In Line' Program To Offer Job Training At Needy Schools

The nation's poorest schools will receive extra government funding to teach their students skills like rifle assembly and precision marching.

A message to Dar-al-Islam

Thumbelina and Radar

The world’s smallest and tallest horses respectively.

Where are they now? -Alf

These days Alf is living in a beautiful cabin in Montana.

100 Person Flashmob Randomly Chasing After People

This TV-show name is "Tensai Takeshi no Genki ga deru Terebi" (TV taking heart with Genius Takeshi, known as Genki TV). TV host is Takeshi Kitano.

This clip is called 'Troop of One Hundred', where a 100 people chase after random strangers and you see their reactions. Totally harmless but their reactions are priceless.

For a translation of what they're shouting (thanks Digg):

- For the 1st and 2nd guys, they shout: "Here come the tsunami!!" (tsunami da!)
- For the 3rd guy they shout: "it's that guy!!" (aitsu da!)
- Nothing for the 4th guy
- Last scene: "Heads up! (danger)" (abunai!)

The Exploding Whale

Cat high on cocaine

A cat in Sydney's eastern suburbs was taken to a vet high on cocaine and benzodiazepines.

The eight-month-old Himalayan cat arrived at the Double Bay clinic on Monday morning with dilated pupils and a racing heart after being accidentally locked in a cupboard overnight, Fairfax newspapers reported.

It was having trouble walking, was easily startled, paced incessantly and was too anxious to have a thermometer inserted into its rectum, said a report in this month's edition of Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.

The owner was adamant the cat had not been exposed to drugs, mouldy food or toxic plants.

But when the vet phoned the owner's wife, she admitted the cat could have licked "plates of cocaine" which had been served at a dinner party two days earlier.

A drug screen also revealed benzodiazepines in the cat's system.

The owner was counselled and allowed to take the cat home as there is no legal requirement for vets to report such cases to the police.

© 2007 AAP

Censored Porn

Stolen from Rodger.