Comments on: Handicapping the race for House Science Committee chairman

By: Googaw

Googaw — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:07:49 +0000

Which of these three believes that the earth is 6,000 years old?

By: josh

josh — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:38:14 +0000

there you go again.

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:48:01 +0000

DCSCA –

Not funny. Go rent “Interplanetary”.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:16:24 +0000

Dana Rohrabacher.

James Sensenbrenner.

Lamar Smith.

Dinosaurs all.

The anti-science party that openly cultivates the silliness of Planet Earth being all of 6,000 years old; the party with elected officials publicly refuting the Big Bang and embracing brontosaurus flatulence as a source cause for global warming has no business leading a science committee in the Congress of the United States.

By: Bennett In Vermont

Bennett In Vermont — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:03:19 +0000

Even if I am wrong(or rather, if the non-alarmist scientists are wrong), mitigation will be far less expensive than imposing third world status on the first world via carbon schemes to drive the cost of energy up to that of “renewable” energy sources. As much as it is preferable, we simply cannot supply our nation’s energy needs (domestic and industry) without fossil fuels.

I am all for continued development of wind, solar, nuclear, and anything else that adds to the plus side of our energy balance, but so far it looks like everything that’s being implemented (or even in the planning stage) will only cover about 3-5% of our current energy needs.

Germany is backing WAY off from their “total commitment” to green energy as they see the real cost of the energy that gets produced via wind farms.

I’ll stop commenting after this as, other than addressing the correctness or anti-science nature of Congressman Smith’s statements, it is straying off topic. I’ll end with a link that Dark Blue Nine (whose comments I have always enjoyed reading) will probably have an issue with.

Again, everyone should look at the data themselves and decide if it is wise to bankrupt our country based on climate models that cannot predict 3 years in advance, much less 20 or more.

Here is the long term temperature history as determined from Greenland’s GISP Ice Cores:

http://c3headlines.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b58035970c01287656565a970c-800wi

Make of it what you will.
“And yet it moves”

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:56:59 +0000

Lest I be misunderstood here, Jeff’s topic was handicapping the chairmanship race, not stating who we want to win. As my late uncle, a close student of the equine arts put it, place and show often pay better than win.

RGO –

As so many of my Native friends face their own nations’ Day of Mourning, I just want to mention the great, great space comedy “Interplanetary” in Shock-o-rama.
Be sure to get a copy for your holiday viewing.

By: vulture4

vulture4 — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:54:52 +0000

Curiosity (first lander with capability for radiation measurements) apparently reported radiation levels on the Marian surface “similar to those on the ISS”, and “about half what was measured in space”. Typical ISS exposure rates are 15-30 REM/yr. This is still much higher than typical background levels on the ground on Earth but is usually considered acceptable for up to a year or so on the ISS. While chronic (several years) low-dose radiation exposure such as this would increase long-term cancer risk somewhat it would not cause acute medical problems that would interfere with the mission. The prime risk in spaceflight is disintegration of the vehicle, so people in this line of work are usually willing to accept some risk.

BTW high-time airline pilots have higher radiation exposure as well, and SFAIK no one keeps track of them in any specific way. The high rate of cataracts in high-time high-altitude pilots may be related to cosmic ray exposure.

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:49:06 +0000

PS V4

By the way, you’re not including all types of particles when you speak of the variability in irradiance.

You also need to look closely at the angle of luminence between the Earth and Sun.

Raging Moderate.

By: Robert G. Oler

Robert G. Oler — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:40:13 +0000

“Bennett In Vermont”

what if you are wrong? RGO

By: Googaw

Googaw — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:51:24 +0000

I love the “grinch” business too. Romney’s comment seems to be apropos when it comes to astronaut fans. They think of the feds as Santa Claus, a never-ending source of accountability-free goodies. Anybody who suggests that the feds should stick to funding things in this area that are actually important to national goals such as security, science, and encouraging real commerce, are “the grinch” who is “stealing” (i.e. refusing to fund) the freebies.