Tis the season

Despite James Baker the holidays are in full swing around here. Friday was tree time, but this year we decided to cut our own. Although the neighbors had a pretty nice-looking one, we went to over to a local tree farm, where such practices are not frowned upon. The nice lady pointed us to the tree forest, pointed us to the saw, and scolded us for not being dressed warmly enough. Thanks for caring, mom. Buy hey, it was 13 degrees in Memphis that morning and had only warmed to about 30.

Any tree, 30 bucks. We wondered if that included the 50 foot tall pin oak in her back yard, trying to imagine dragging it back to the house. Anyway, it's fun to cut your own, but if you're thinking of going better hurry, the pickins are getting slim.

Speaking of the cold, someone sent this in email, and it seems fitting:



Speaking of global warming, November was the third straight month of below normal temperatures in Memphis. Senator Inhofe had a little climate change get-together last week and unveiled a global warming skeptics guide. But the quote of the event came from David Denning, an associate professor at University of Oklahoma. It was not picked up by the mainstreamers (Drudge claimed the CNN guy was asleep) but pointed out by Jon at Crushliberalism:

..received an astonishing email from a major researcher in the area of climate change. He said, "We have to get rid of the Medieval Warm Period."

This doesn't meet criteria for bombshell, since it's an anecdotal conversation unsupported by evidence and Deming is indeed associated with a think tank headed by Pete DuPont (just trying to beat the enviros to the punch).

But, if true it's extremely significant because the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the driving force behind the Kyoto Protocol, has based their entire construct on Mann's "Hockey Stick" temperature graph of the last thousand years. That study basically erased the "Medieval Warm Period", a consensus warming that occurred before Europe stole America from the Indians.

Political alarmism has no place driving scientific debate, but the Kyoto backers have tried to end debate by declaring an 'emergency'. It's the same tactic they criticize Bush for regards Iraq--he said the threat demanded an immediate response based on a consensus from the experts. While sneeringly lambasting that path of action it's somehow OK when it comes Kyoto.

BAH HUMBUG AND AWAY 12/9/06

Christmas trees are under attack, again. What? You say they shouldn't be in a public facility? Tell that President Bush, who just lit the national Christmas tree.

My suggestion...the airport should have allowed the Menorah then announced they'll be removing the trees in favor of a manger scene. Ok, ok. How about those big fake single candles you might see adorning a telephone pole in Mayberry? Surely a series of decorative candles couldn't offend anyone.