And this matters because...

I am, admittedly, quite far from proclaiming myself to be any sort of expert when it comes to climatology. I am, however, somewhat perplexed that this manages to get the kind of attention it still does.

For starters, this is a forecast. I'll start putting greater stock in these things when people actually figure out how to predict the weather accurately beyond the next couple of days.

The other thing that bothers me is how eager the MSM seem to make this a huge issue. A research team has made a revised prediction regarding the upcoming hurricane season. Among the mind-blowing changes are a staggering increase of 7 hurricanes (made Dec. 2007) to a whopping 8!

I have never lived in a hurricane zone and I can understand the need to plan for the inevitabilities of inclement weather. I just can't stand the sensationalism that often accompanies it. Has anyone really stopped to think why we're making news about weather events that haven't even happened yet? Have enough people really considered the corners we might be trapping ourselves in by getting too caught up in our own rhetoric?

I'll tell you what... when all the proverbial poop hits the fan and calamity ensues, I'll be among the first to eat my words and admit I was wrong. In the meantime though, keep your excitement to yourselves because I have plenty of more important things to worry about.

A humble proposal

If we have morons who are going to spout garbage like this, then maybe they should take the lead on the issue and get started with themselves. If anything, they can not only meet their ridiculous goals but rid us of their stupidity. Win-win.

Whither thee, Newspapers?

Every morning, I wake up around 4:30 so that I can pack up my kids and deliver newspapers with my wife. While not the most glamorous job by any means, it brings in some welcome cash and will allow us to meet some financial goals a heck of a lot sooner than if we didn't. I have to wonder, though, about the longevity of the newspaper in an increasingly digital and 'green' world.

Think about it for a second. I and many of my early-morning comrades deliver a thick, folded stacks of newsprint and advertisements every morning. Most of the ads are likely ignored by a majority of readers, and the news is from the day before and has usually been reported on on TV and 'teh interwebs.' What then drives the need to receive a new edition of the local paper each and every morning? Sudoku puzzles? The comics? The infamous Sunshine Girl?

While I take a copy for myself every morning, I find that I spend more and more of my news-gathering time on the internet. I find it far more informative to consult a variety of online sources, including a growing number of blogs, to get my daily dose of info... and I can do it right at my desk and with very little effort on my part.

In an age where I constantly hear about how horrible I am for not doing enough for the environment, combined with the continued dominance of digital media, how is it that the traditional newspaper can survive? I don't doubt that others have pondered the very same conundrum, but instead of seeing a revitalization of the paper all I see is a realization that we might as well keep on doing what we're doing. For now.