Month: August 2010
The Reverend Bayes Visits Russia
In a post last week, I discussed how Bayesian analysis could help with determining whether certain events are due to climate change — and by the same token, how events can help reinforce the evidence for climate change. The Russian heat wave is a case in point. As the Economist explains: According to Geert Jan …
Continue reading “The Reverend Bayes Visits Russia”
CONTINUE READINGA Beet Generation
On Friday, a federal judge revoked USDA’s approval of Roundup-ready sugar beets. Sugar beets are planted on ten million acres in ten states. The order was based on USDA’s failure to perform an environmental impact statement prior to the approval. Given that USDA’s raison d’etre is promoting agribusiness, it’s not surprising that environmental concerns are …
Continue reading “A Beet Generation”
CONTINUE READING20 Worst Environmental Destroyers of All Time
My friend and colleague Steve Bainbridge picks up on a list going around Red Blogistan, concerning the supposed “20 Worst Americans of All Time.” Steve’s a conservative Republican, and has no love for progressive politics, but even he says, “I find the collated list pretty much of a joke. It reflects the partisan passions of the …
Continue reading “20 Worst Environmental Destroyers of All Time”
CONTINUE READINGTell Your Reverend To Go Jump In The Lake
Dan, your post is thoroughly persuasive to me, but I’m not sure that it would persuade many climate skeptics. There are two reasons for this: 1) You assume that there is at least a 50/50 chance of climate change occurring. That is a highly conservative assumption — except for climate skeptics. Most climate skeptics are …
Continue reading “Tell Your Reverend To Go Jump In The Lake”
CONTINUE READINGThe Reverend Bayes Visits Lake Mead
Land Letter reports that Lake Mead has continued to recede in the face of an 11-year drought, as we are apparently heading into a La Nina period that will probably continue the drought. This will put some pressure on adaptation measures, particular in terms of Las Vegas: For Las Vegas, which draws 90 percent of …
Continue reading “The Reverend Bayes Visits Lake Mead”
CONTINUE READINGA Question on Agency Pre-emption of State Law
Dan, any reason to think that the powers that be will actually pay any attention to the ABA? As you know, the Bush Administration formally decided to ignore it regarding judicial appointments. On something like this, does the ABA have any status greater than your typical interest group? It would be interesting to see the …
Continue reading “A Question on Agency Pre-emption of State Law”
CONTINUE READINGAgency Preemption of State Law
Administrative agencies sometimes issue regulations that have the effect of overruling state law — and sometimes that is the sole effect of the regulation. This proved quite controversial during the Bush Administration, which used agency rulemaking efforts to cut back on state tort law. The ABA has a adopted a new resolution dealing with this …
Continue reading “Agency Preemption of State Law”
CONTINUE READINGClimate Change, Afghanistan, and the Model Penal Code
It’s hard to look at this week cover of Time and not want to remain in Afghanistan. That was probably the magazine’s intention. But let’s do a quick cost-benefit analysis here. I have argued elsewhere that we could save far more women from repression, violence, and brutality by taking all the money and effort we are …
Continue reading “Climate Change, Afghanistan, and the Model Penal Code”
CONTINUE READINGUpton Sinclair and Climate Change (Lack of) Policy
You know that things are getting bad when cool-and-collected Ann Carlson asks whether climate deniers and foot-draggers can sleep at night. It seems to me, though, that there is a pretty straightforward answer, courtesy of Upton Sinclair: It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. …
Continue reading “Upton Sinclair and Climate Change (Lack of) Policy”
CONTINUE READINGWhile Rome (Moscow) Burns, Pakistan and China Flood, Washington Does Nothing
Grim — almost apocalyptic — headlines seem to greet us daily. Pakistan faces the worst floods in almost a century, displacing millions from their homes and killing thousands. The UN is calling the floods “the greatest humanitarian crisis” the organization has ever faced. Russia swelters in unprecedented heat accompanied by horrific air quality. The average daily death …
Continue reading “While Rome (Moscow) Burns, Pakistan and China Flood, Washington Does Nothing”
CONTINUE READING