At the ever-entertaining Watts Up With That, well-known global warming skeptic Roger Pielke Sr. links to the following graph: In a challenge to a NASA/GRL study released last week that shows a sharp decline in Arctic sea ice coverage, Pielke Sr. writes: Since 2008, the anomalies have actually decreased. No, I'm not kidding! That's hisContinue reading “Denier “Science”: How to Miss the Forest for the Trees”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
Agnosticism: Sweeping the Nation
Well, maybe not the nation, but agnosticism does seem to be sweeping the Internet. Maud Newton, a leading book blogger, a novelist, and probably something else in her spare time for money, agrees with me that agnosticism has gotten a horrifically bad rap, from atheists and believers alike, and in Book Forum writes a defense.Continue reading “Agnosticism: Sweeping the Nation”
The Writer vs. the Artist
One of Tennessee Williams' most accomplished (and least appreciated) plays is the last one he wrote, Vieux Carre. It's worth reading just to experience Williams characterize himself as a young man, living in New Orleans, encountering the human wrecks he would glorify in his immortal Streetcar. A month or so ago Hilton Als of TheContinue reading “The Writer vs. the Artist”
Weeping for What Does Not Matter
The long-winded but extra-smart Sharon Asytyk ruminates on the meaning of Michael Jackson's death: Michael Jackson is not Michael Jackson the pop star, or Michael Jackson the boy from the silly Jackson Five, or Michael Jackson the child abuser – he’s simply an empty space of fame into which we can pour our need forContinue reading “Weeping for What Does Not Matter”
Sierra Water: It’s Cleaner Than You Think
That's according to an ER doc and professor at UC Davis named Robert Derlet, who has been testing water at the most popular Sierra wilderness sites for years for the Wilderness Medicine Society. Here's a study on the subject he authored a few years ago for the WMS, and here's a terrific story about hisContinue reading “Sierra Water: It’s Cleaner Than You Think”
Obama Frames Climate Change
The Obama administration is coming back from the G-8 meetings with no agreement from other nations — both European and developing — on reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases such as CO2. This has not been clearly reported; as so often seems to happen these days, the clearest statement on a murky news situation comes notContinue reading “Obama Frames Climate Change”
Larry King Turns Out to be a Very Likable Guy
Had a chance to interview Larry King last week. He's doing a book tour, and so took questions for fifteen minutes from me at CNN, followed no doubt by fifteen minutes with another reporter from some other part of the country, and so on. Still, I found myself liking the guy, despite his hunger forContinue reading “Larry King Turns Out to be a Very Likable Guy”
Fish and Sheep Know Globe is Warming: Why Don’t We?
Talk to climate change skeptics, and they will take you into the weeds of global temperature measurement, the supposedly overlooked importance of the sun, and so on. They will invariably cite the obvious fact that global temps have risen and fallen over the eons. But they will not mention that the glaciers and plants andContinue reading “Fish and Sheep Know Globe is Warming: Why Don’t We?”
Arctic Ice Trends Sharply Downward: Few Notice or Care
It's frankly shocking to me how many people I encounter who still cling to the idea that the globe is not warming, despite vast scientific libraries of evidence to the contrary. Here's the latest example, from data compiled by NASA and ICESAT: For more, see NASA's story New NASA Satellite Survey Reveals Dramatic Arctic SeaContinue reading “Arctic Ice Trends Sharply Downward: Few Notice or Care”
Palin to Run on Oil Development Platform in 2012
Really. Outside of her flaming display of hurt feelings, it's about the only thing that makes any kind of sense in her resignation "statement" (if we are so generous as to characterize it in that way). (You'll have to ignore the eccentric capitalization and odd verb choices; clearly, Palin without a speechwriter is like BushContinue reading “Palin to Run on Oil Development Platform in 2012”
Kit Stolz 