A NOAA-led team of scientists has found that the apparent increase in the number of tropical storms and hurricanes since the late 19th and early 20th centuries is likely attributable to improvements in observational tools and analysis techniques that better detect short-lived storms.
The new study, reported in the online edition of the American Meteorological Society’s peer-reviewed Journal of Climate, shows that short-lived tropical storms and hurricanes, defined as lasting two days or less, have increased from less than one per year to about five per year from 1878 to 2008.
“The recent jump in the number of short-lived systems is likely a consequence of improvements in observational tools and analysis techniques,” said Chris Landsea, science and operations officer at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami, and lead author on the study. “The team is not aware of any natural variability or greenhouse warming-induced climate change that would affect the short-lived tropical storms exclusively.”
[…]When the researchers discounted the number of short-lived tropical storms and hurricanes and added the estimated number of missed medium- to long-lived storms to the historical hurricane data, they found no significant long-term trend in the total number of storms.
Commenter James notified me that the Democrats have made the lovely Michele Bachmann their number one target! Please, I’m begging you all – considering sending Michele a small donation. She is my favorite House Representative. And not just because she’s the prettiest. Or because she’s the smartest. Or because she loves children the most. It’s because she loves Christian apologetics, social conservatism AND free market capitalism. She’s perfect!
You can view some videos of her passionate, articulate speeches here if you need convincing.
Here’s the full text of appeal for contributions:
Dear Friend:
Last month, I appeared on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News Channel. I was talking about the Democrats’ latest scheme to pick the taxpayer’s pocket to pay for a $1.5-billion slush fund for ACORN.Before getting into the meat of this terrible new anti-taxpayer proposal, Sean Hannity said that he considers me “the second most hated Republican woman,” second only to Governor Sarah Palin.
With Governor Palin taking a well-deserved step out of the spotlight, it appears that I may be absorbing even more of the liberals’ scorn.And, I’d really appreciate your support so that I can defend myself against their attacks.
I’m out there every day speaking the truth about their attempts to guide this nation into socialism:
Their government-run health care proposal that will put government bureaucrats in between you and your doctor and end up rationing care — and the most vulnerable will suffer first and most.
Their cap-and-trade national energy tax that will drive up energy costs for every American and send our jobs overseas.
Their spending spree that has pushed the national budget deficit over the $1 trillion mark for the first time in our history. We’re already closing in on $2 trillion and there’s no end in sight to their spending.
Their dozens of White House czars with power over your lives and futures and absolutely no accountability to Congress or the people.
And, speaking of unaccountable — when are they going to open up the Fed’s books to the public?
Their political patronage to groups like ACORN — doling out billions of your tax dollars and partnering with them to collect your private information for the Census.
But just as they did with Sarah Palin, the more I talk about the issues, the more they attack with below-the-belt personal hits. In fact, yesterday, a Minnesota paper gave a full column to a hit piece on one of my kids!
I’ll tell you the truth: Their sticks and stones will not stop me from going out and speaking the truth about their bad policies! And, your support really helps!God bless and thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann
Please help her out if you can! There is no one else like her!
MOSCOW, July 26 (RIA Novosti) – India launched its first nuclear-powered submarine on Sunday for sea trials, national media reported.
The launch ceremony of the 6,000-ton INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies) was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur, the Times of India said.
The submarine completes India’s nuclear triad, making it the sixth country after the U.S., Russia, China, France and the U.K. to have land, air and sea-based nuclear strike capability.
The submarine will be armed with torpedoes and missiles, including 12 ballistic missiles, and can also be armed with cruise missiles, the paper said. It is powered by an 85-MW reactor, and can reach a submerged speed of 44 km/h (24 knots). It will carry 95 crewmembers.
The long-running project to build the submarine, completed with Russian help, is part of a $2.9-billion plan to build five submarines.
The design was based on a Charlie 1 submarine that India leased from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. Sea trials and weapons tests will take place in the Bay of Bengal, and the submarine is expected to enter service in two or three years.
Did you miss the earlier story about Canada’s new free trade deal with Panama, and their tracking of 2 Russian Akula-class nuclear submarines off the east coast?
WINTERY KNIGHT 