Facts? WeDon't Need No Stinking Facts!!

Hello Thinkers,

Before I get into my rant, I want to provide you all with a VALUEABLE public service announcement. You may be in a similar situation as the tuffster, owning a small library of analog video that you want to convert to digital format and DVDs. Over the break I purchased Pinnacle's Studio 10 and MovieBox USB. It allows you to connect a video camera (analog or digital), capture the content on a computer, edit it and burn a DVD. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!! I have spent DAYS working around the bugs in this P.O.S. and STILL cannot get it to function properly. According to CNET, this product is "very good," rating it at 7.1 out of 10. Funny thing though, according to the people who paid for this product and logged into the CNET site, this product is "abysmal," rated at 1.7 out of 10. If you want some insight on how to capture analog video on your computer, email me offline. For God's sake, don't buy Pinnacle Studio 10.

http://reviews.cnet.com/Avid_Pinnacle_Studio_Plus_10/4505-3670_7-31528139.html?tag=pdtl-list

Now for my philippic.

I'm a bit concerned about going to the well too often. Among the many worthy candidates of my disdain, I have been focusing on the Scam of the Century lately. But a recent imbecilic "Viewpoint" column from the January 10th Lawrence Eagle Tribune - And the blog from a "climate expert" from The Weather Channel have frosted my butt lately. And what do you have to do to be a "climate expert" anyway? I look out the window, there's some snow on the ground and the trees are blowing. Do I need a "climate expert" to tell me it's cold and windy outside?

First the article from my local paper. Brian Watson writes about The Scam of the Century (a.k.a. global warming) and uses some less than convincing arguments to promote his perspective. First, he talks about what he has seen locally:

"On a walk in the local woods one recent Saturday I saw more than a dozen painted turtles basking in the wetlands. That's an alarming site in mid-winter."

That's jim-dandy, but the article appeared on January 10th, meaning 'a recent Saturday' was at the best in early January, maybe late December. We don't know since he doesn't specify the date, but in any case winter begins on or about December 22nd, which makes 'a recent Saturday' prior to Wednesday, January 10th not "mid-winter." But who cares about facts when we are discussing The Scam of the Century anyway... Next, this author makes the ad hominem attack:

"There is no longer any significant scientific debate regarding climate change. Only a handful of scientists - most funded by the energy industry - along with the popular press, perpetuate the notion that doubt remains on this topic."

So a scientist who is funded by the energy industry is a tainted sell-out, but a scientist who is fighting for a government grant by being a "global warming" alarmist is as pure as the driven snow. Lastly there is this coup de grace that really drives the point home, silencing anyone who dare doubt that man made global warming will kill us all in 5 years or less.

"Have you ever met a teenager or college student who dismisses global warming? I'll bet not."

You know what? I bet he's right on that one....

So clearly, the global warming crowd cannot PROVE that my 8 cylinder car is cooking off the arctic ice sheet. So what is left? Why trying to shut them up, that's what. If you recall on this diatribe:

http://tuffbeingright.blogspot.com/2006/12/islams-holiday-message.html

I outlined how Sens. Rockefeller (D., W.Va.) and Snowe (R., Maine) told ExxonMobil to shut up and tow the line with global warming, or else. Why? Because the global warming crowd cannot win a fair fight in the arena of debate. Another recent example comes from a "climate expert" (you know I can't even type that without giggling anymore) from The Weather Channel. Heidi Cullen - oh excuse me, Dr. Heidi Cullen thinks that if any meteorologist does not follow the party line on "global warming," they should have their AMS credentials revoked:

"If a meteorologist can't speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS shouldn't give them a Seal of Approval. Clearly, the AMS doesn't agree that global warming can be blamed on cyclical weather patterns. It's like allowing a meteorologist to go on-air and say that hurricanes rotate clockwise and tsunamis are caused by the weather."

http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/?from=blog_nav_permalink&ref=/blog/weather/8_7877.html

Ironically enough, hurricanes DO rotate clockwise south of the equator. They are called cyclones.

CYCLONE - An area of closed pressure circulation with rotating and converging winds, the center of which is a relative pressure minimum. The circulation is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Here's another blog entry from Heidi Cullen - oh excuse me - Dr. Heidi Cullen showing that she is experiencing her own sort of "global warming."

"I've read all your comments saying I want to silence meteorologists who are skeptical of the science of global warming. That is not true. The point of my post was never to stifle discussion. It was to raise it to a level that doesn't confuse science and politics. Freedom of scientific expression is essential."

http://climate.weather.com/blog/9_11592.html

Of course! How stupid of me to assume that pulling AMS certification of a meteorologist who dare disagree with The Scam of the Century would stifle discussion. Oh well, the good doctor is still reasonably hot-looking, so I suppose her career as a Weather Channel meteorologist is safe.

And just for good measure, 'Blink' Pelosi has announced a new Global Warming committee:

"I promise to do everything in my power to achieve energy independence ... and to stop global warming," Pelosi said.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/01/18/D8MNUUOG0.html

Well Blink, you can start by telling Fat Teddy to let them build a windmill farm in the middle of the race course for the Seagram's Chappaquiddick Invitational. Then let's get some nuke plants sparked up, how about in San Fran?

And just in case you are wondering, it's snowing in Malibu:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cold18jan18,0,1404930.story?coll=la-home-headlines

And the oranges are freezing in Fresno:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070117/D8MN2K3G1.html

Global warming?? BRRRR!!!!