Guest Post by Willis Eschenbach
Of course, the media are advancing all kinds of claims about the current drought affecting much of the US, because it is the “worst in fifty years”. They claim that it is clear evidence of global warming, that it shows how much things have changed, that this is the face of global warming.
Figure 1. “Drought in Australia”, or as it is known there, “Australia”.
Does this drought show how things have changed? Yes, for the better. The US drought situation was worse in the 1950s. And before that, it was worse in the 1930s. And before that? Among the first entries when I google “megadrought are these:
Tree rings document ancient Western megadrought
Sierra Nevada 200-year megadroughts confirmed
Scientists find evidence of ancient megadrought in southwestern U.S.
I don’t want to minimize the suffering of those in the drought-affected areas. Droughts are bad news for the people affected. But this is not the worst drought in 50 years—it’s among the best droughts in 5,000 years. So the claim that big droughts are evidence of human-caused warming is a sad joke.
But that’s not my favorite drought joke. It’s this one:
As reported by Agence France Presse (AFP)
Iran drought part of ‘soft war’ by West: VP
The drought in southern Iran is part of a “soft war” launched against the Islamic republic by the West, the Fars news agency quoted an Iranian vice president as saying on Monday.
“I am suspicious about the drought in the southern part of the country,” Hassan Mousavi, who also heads Iran’s cultural heritage and tourism organisation, said at a ceremony to introdue the nation’s new chief of meteorological department.
“The world arrogance and colonist (term used by Iranian authorities to label the West) are influencing Iran’s climate conditions using technology… The drought is an acute issue and soft war is completely evident… This level of drought is not normal.”
You probably didn’t realize that the US was that Machiavellian. You didn’t know we were using our secret weather control technology to create a drought in Iran, while simultaneously not using the same technology to turn off the drought in the US.
That way, you see, we had hoped to throw off Iranian suspicion. We figured that if we had a drought at the same time our secret weather machines were causing the Iranian drought, the Iranians would be fooled into thinking that we couldn’t control the weather… but the crafty Persians are the representatives of an ancient civilization, they were too quick-witted to be taken in by that transparent ploy.
That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it …
w.
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thingadonta says:
July 17, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Air could be invisible because your enemy made it that way.
We have a maxim in New Jersey: “Never trust air you can’t see.”
Weather modification will become a part of domestic and international security and could be done unilaterally… It could have offensive and defensive applications and even be used for deterrence purposes. The ability to generate precipitation, fog, and storms on earth or to modify space weather, … and the production of artificial weather all are a part of an integrated set of technologies which can provide substantial increase in US, or degraded capability in an adversary, to achieve global awareness, reach, and power. (US Air Force, emphasis added. Air University of the US Air Force, AF 2025 Final Report, http://www.au.af.mil/au/2025/ emphasis added)
There was a drought in Queensland, Australia in 1897/98, which saw the least rain since 1888. I have written an ode to Mount Morris Station here: http://mountmorrisstation.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/mount-morris-station-its-an-experience/
And a couple of City Slickers have survived the experience.
Maybe someone has been using the secret weapon on AlGore that has caused the Gore effect.
I enjoy the humorous style, but I have two issues with the underlying logic.
1) “But this is not the worst drought in 50 years—it’s among the best droughts in 5,000 years. ”
Every year there are droughts around the US. Sure, we have not reached the level of the 1950’s drought or the 1930’s drought, but this is still a bad drought compared to a “typical drought”.
2) “The US drought situation was worse in the 1950s. And before that, it was worse in the 1930s. ”
But those droughts are done. This one is still unfolding. It is too early to say how this compares until we have an end — this one could potentially become the worst if it continues.