Weather, Water, Energy 9-12-06

Scientists reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say there's an 84% chance that ocean warming has been caused by human-induced climate change. The warmer water, of course, makes hurricanes more frequent and stronger. Since the studies are based on computer models, though, due to the inadequate number of years for real data, and since there's a 16% chance of being wrong and New Orleans winning the Super Bowl, skeptics and media prostitutes will surely still say the emperor is fully clothed. . . . The Christian Science Monitor continues its interesting series on the Juneau Icefield here. . . . This is an interesting piece as well, on a community in OR living off solar power, far from phone and power lines. Not as rustic as you might think (h/t Governing's 13th Floor). . . . Another tip from 13th Floor, a Houston Chronicle story on the difficulties Houston is having getting away from cars and toward pedestrian friendly areas due to its development rules. . . . And before we get too far from solar power, Science Daily point us to research via the American Chemical Society highlighting advances and making clear that the pooh-poohers may have to keep to their pooh to themselves soon . . . um, that's probably enough for today.