Hello World, welcome to Hussman's blog.
I have no idea how it will develop, or even if it will, but I will now take my turn and provide the world with my insights and wisdom so it can be used for the betterment of mankind, or at least find a way to kill an extra five minutes or so each day.
As this is my maiden post, I suppose I should find some interesting or novel way to present information relating to my daily life. On the spur of the moment, I have decided the following.
Daily Rant
Yesterday I saw, for the first time in my scientific career, convincing evidence that there may be a direct effect of human industrialization on the global weather temperature. Using information from ice core samples, tree rings, and known temperature records, a plot was shown comparing the mean temperature compared to the value obtained in 1960-1970. The data show the mini-ice age in Europe during the 1300-1500 period, as well as known fluctuations caused by volcanic activity.
The most troubling trend was a clear upward movement of the average temperature starting from 1950.
These data were not manipulated; they were gathered by strict adherence to the scientific method, and viewed objectively as closely as possible.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't trivialize the carbon problem. But I placed it lower on the list of Environmental Problems of the World than I did groundwater pollution, CFC's, NOx and SOx. I have always been rather skeptical of the greenhouse gases causing appreciable temperature differences (at least differences that couldn't be reproduced by any global event such as a a volcanic eruption or global climate shift) because, like CO2, water is infrared active and has a much higher composition in the atmosphere. Thank Dr. Mains (my physical chemistry professor) for that perspective, but it turns out that he may be wrong.
Before, my stance has always been "It's like smoking, it can't help, but we aren't going to kill the planet. Besides, the next ice age is due in a thousand years..." My motivation was to solve the other environmental problems before being concerned with this one.
But now, I believe that it's justified to take a proactive approach to reduce carbon emissions to previous levels (at least such that the earth can scrub her atmosphere as quickly as we pollute it). IMHO, the carbon sequestration problem should be elevated to a higher priority status, and I have been made a little less foolish.
Did I learn something new today?
I learned how XML can be used by .NET and Microsoft Office, which will allow me to proceed with conviction on a project's development path.
Did I meet an interesting person?
Not so far
Have I learned anything that may be useful for my daily life?
Do not drive down Almond Street in Los Altos from 7:50 am to 8:30 am each morning during the school year.
Hobby Update
Racquetball: Game scheduled with Ed today, current match record, 1-0
Chess: Still awaiting rematch with Greg
Guitar: Spent better part of last two weeks working on Paganini's Caprice No. 5. Must practice Christmas songs for lunch tomorrow.
Farewell Reader, have a good day.
Hussman
