Comment Great idea! (Score 1) 367
Then we go into a Maunder Minimum and the skiing conditions will certainly improve.
Comment Coldest first half in the US since 1993 (Score 1, Informative) 552
Latest from the NOAA site:
The contiguous U.S. average temperature for the first half of 2014 was 47.6F, 0.1F above the 20th century average. This ranked near the middle value in the 120-year period of record, and marked the coldest first half of any year since 1993.
Just sayin'.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/
Comment The system worked perfectly for me (Score 1) 142
I retired from the Federal Government at the end of 2006. I never had any problems getting the information I needed about my upcoming retirement and the money started coming in right on time. Given all the failed modernization efforts I witnessed during my government career, I would hope they get a new system up and running before they do anything to the current one.
Comment Re:old story for this physicist (Score 3, Interesting) 226
I was in a similar position once, but I hooked on with the US government as an engineer and did my last 15 years as a mathematician. Comfortably retired now.
Comment How inconvenient is this, then? (Score 1) 1105
Submission + - EPA Methane Report Supports Fracking (ap.org)
gmfeier writes: The EPA has significantly lowered its estimate of how much methane leaks during natural gas production. This has major implications for the fracking debate, but puts the EPA at odds with NOAA.
Comment Is it tasty? (Score 1) 260
Went out last night and had an amazing prime rib. If lab-grown meat would taste like that, I'd be all over it.
Comment The Federal Government always needs statisticians (Score 1) 416
I spent the last half of my career with the Feds as a statistician after working as an engineer for the first 15 years (MS degree in Physics). It pays a lot better than teaching and the retirement benefits are pretty good, especially the health care. You don't make all that much to start, but, if you have something on the ball, you can move up easily. The only disadvantage is you have to work where the job is.
Comment FWIW, that quote was not part of my submission (Score 5, Interesting) 545
It just magically appeared. I am no more fond of it than you are.
Submission + - Scientific literacy vs. climate change belief (nature.com)
gmfeier writes: An interesting study reported in Nature Climate Change indicated that concern over climate change did not correlate with scientific literacy nearly as much as with cultural polarization.
Comment Re:Barry Hughart (Score 1) 1244
Bridge of Birds has the best ending of any work of fantasy I have ever read.
Comment Designated blower? (Score 1) 706
Helps all the drunks start their cars.
Comment A lot of theories will be going down soon (Score 5, Interesting) 80
I suspect that we have fallen into a trap similar to the Ptolemaic system. Just because it works mathematically doesn't mean the universe is obligated to actually match the predictions. I wonder if there is an underlying false assumption that is causing all the current uncertainties. Simply put - has the speed of light been absolutely constant since the big bang? If not, a lot of things look entirely different.
Comment Danegeld, anyone? (Score 2) 167
Didn't work then, doesn't work now.
Comment Because Steve doesn't like it? (Score 1) 1162
N/T
