Voters like or don’t like, nothing more complicated than that

Amanda's article is good, but I tend to think that pundits and politicians vastly overinterpret election results. Everyone tries to figure out what "message" voters were sending, and just about everyone tends to find a message that, surprise, lines up with their own political predilections. For my part, I think the Dem victory on Tues. was a clear message from voters that I deserve a raise.

Really, though, I suspect the general public sends one of two messages in any given election: "eeennnh" (displeased) or "eh" (disinterested). Any interpretation beyond that tends to do little but reflect the interpreter's filter.

Some expected and key wins for Dems and enviros

Four governors' races with notable environmental angles have gone to the greener-leaning Dems, as expected.  

New York: Eliot Spitzer (D) pummeled John Faso (R)
Pennsylvania: Ed Rendell (D) trounced Lynn Swann (R)
Ohio: Ted Strickland (D) whipped Ken Blackwell (R)
Massachusetts: Deval Patrick (D) beat Kerry Healey (R)

Background on enviro angles here and here. Race results here.

Readers write in about GOP pollster Frank Luntz, whaling activists, and more

  Re: And Now, a Word From Our Detractor Dear Editor: I read your interview with GOP uber-flack Frank Luntz...

‘Climate sensitivity is not very high’–Thermal inertia of the oceans means the jury is still out

(Part of the How to Talk to a Global Warming Skeptic guide)

Objection: Taking into account the logarithmic effect of CO2 on temperature, the 35 percent increase we have already seen in CO2 concentrations represents about three-quarters of the total forcing to be expected from a CO2 doubling. Since we have warmed about 0.7 degrees Celsius so far, we should only expect about 0.3 degrees more for a doubling from pre-industrial levels, so about 1 degree total, not 3 degrees as the scientists predict. Clearly the climate model sensitivity to CO2 is much too high.

Answer: Even without addressing the numbers in this argument, there is a fundamental flaw in its reasoning.

‘Consensus is collusion’–Is climate science maturing, or should we reach for our tinfoil hats?

(Part of the How to Talk to a Global Warming Skeptic guide)

Objection: More and more, climate models share all the same assumptions -- so of course they all agree! And every year, fewer scientists dare speak out against the findings of the IPCC, thanks to the pressure to conform.

Dear Sir, you know about that global warming thing?

U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) yesterday sent the following letter to President George W. Bush, asking him to commit to working with the new Congress to pass meaningful climate change legislation in 2007.

The Senators are the incoming chairs of three important Senate committees on global warming: Boxer in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; Bingaman in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; and Lieberman in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The senators' letter to the President follows:

Umbra on eco-choices

Dear Umbra, While I usually love your column, I have to take issue with encouraging people to eat sushi. This...

Is hydropower really low-carbon? Time will tell

Back in early November, I noted information suggesting hydropower may not be as carbon neutral as we thought. The word "may" was deliberately chosen.

At the time, I received an angry email from a leading hydropower supporter, which included links to some studies suggesting the data for high emissions was cherry-picked, or didn't take net emissions into account adequately.

I soon found other studies dealing with these objections and suggesting significant net emissions from hydropower. At this point, I was reminded of the debate between warming deniers and climate scientists, except I was not sure which side was which.

The December 2006 issue of Nature contains a fascinating article on the subject: "The green image of hydropower may have been seriously overstated, warn Scientists." The key paragraphs:

A new essay from the man

Tom Engelhardt of the indispensable Tom’s Dispatch received permission from the editors of the New York Review of Books to...