Science

Ben, you're breakin'my balls here Ben...

It's astronomy NOT astrology gooberhead. Astrology is the belief that the alignment of the stars and and planets influence your personality, love life, etc. Only mush brained people believe in that crap.

The only thing I spiritually link to is peanut butter M&M's. Oh, and really good New England clam chowder.

Wikipedia routinely posts at the top of their articles that certain information may not be relied upon, but for the most part it is checked for factual reliability. I don't know what universities you are referring to because I have seen several students who attended at either UT and Maryville College who used these pages as source materials. Your professor may very well have not allowed YOU to use them, but that does not mean it was that particular university's policy. That is simply your opinion and indeed not a fact.

How a tornado is judged on the Fujita scale is no longer surveyed by the amount of damage any more. If you had ever taken the time to read any of the recent articles published by several different scientific websites or informational guides you'd have known that. Tornadoes are now gauged by several different factors, but most importantly by computers that take measurements using the advanced weather system known as Doppler Radar. Perhaps once again you should take the time to read before you make an argument which is again sadly enough, incorrect. I do not dismiss others simply because they are ignorant of the subject matter. I simply show them the correct information so they might see the truth, or have the better sense to read more about the subject they are discussing. My mind is always open and very broad in scope when it comes to understanding new ideas. The only true sign of a small mind my dear is that of someone who constantly defends a position for which they have no real knowledge or understanding because they choose to believe in opinion rather than the facts that are so readily available to them. I am not always right all the time. I freely admit when I am mistaken, and have not made fun of any one. I'm afraid that honor goes solely to you. I often use sarcasm as a way to get a point across, and nothing more. If you took that offensively then that is your own incorrect assumption. If you actually spent half your time genuinely trying to see fact instead of offering up opinions and half-truths as gospel, perhaps you’d spend less time believing that every discussion between us is a reason to argue in the first place. If I had posted a rivalry today you would have chosen the side opposite of me simply to do so. For no other reason than to disagree with me. That’s not logic, that’s just asinine. I however would have chosen the side that simply makes more sense or is more in line with my own beliefs whether they be political, religious, or otherwise. For someone your age I expected you to be more level-headed and mature, but yet so far you’ve only been content with showing how childish and immature someone can be by name-calling and blanket disagreement. I have a thirteen year old nephew who shows more maturity and composure, but in the interest of familiarities I will offer this. Let us agree to disagree.

Ben, denial is ALWAYS an option dude. Loosen the tin foil hat up a little bra. :D

I can't believe I am about to say this, but I'm afraid TNinfidel is correct big ben. You seriously need to lay off of the "conspiracy theory" type attitude. It's not as if N.O.A.A. has some secret part of their organization planning on the spread of misinformation in order to take over the world or hold us all ransom for... ...(Holding right pinky finger to side of mouth)one billion dollars!! They are gatherers and keepers of scientific proof. How could they possibly benefit from lying? The fact is that they do not. They only benefit from putting out true statistics.

This is for both Mama Kaz and Tninfidel. It really is very amusing to read your rebuttals. The fact of the matter is that I do not present an air of superiority, but that YOU exude an air of inferiority. Why? I believe it is because you cannot argue against the facts that are presented, so you simply offer up an opinion instead. You feel inferior in thought because you have been shown that despite your “gut feelings” you believed to be true, they were in fact erroneous and ill conceived. In high school and college I competed in both Cross Examination and Lincoln-Douglas style debates. I am used to finding facts and presenting them in the most convincing way possible. In most cases I did use sarcasm because it comes so naturally to me. If you perceive that as an air of superiority then it is your own fault for making such an incorrect assumption. Debate precludes the idea that one side will prevail over the other. As I know you understand this concept it simply frustrates most of you to realize that in most of these arguments I have presented the most factual accuracy, logical consistency, and strategic framework in order to present the best case possible. In other words, your side may have had more people, but it certainly has not had the best arguments. Most people don’t like to lose or feel as though they have no grounds for their beliefs. The fact of the matter is that my style of debate is often geared to enforce that feeling. The more passionate and heated the other side becomes the more vulnerable they are to mistakes. This is simply how I debate. If you cannot take a little spirited rivalry then why are you even here? And as for Tninfidel. You don’t know me in the least. Although I appreciate the fact that you acknowledged fact instead of fiction you too assumed an air of superiority or “elitist attitude”. You are wrong. As I stated before it is simply my style of debate. If one takes it as superiority or elitist, that is theirs and your misconception. I am not at all surprised that Mama Kaz wishes me to stop presenting my arguments, and even resorts to “name calling” in effect because that is what most people like her do. Upon realization of defeat or draw in a debate they simply act out by telling the other to “shut up” or “name calling”. Because that is all they are left with. So long as I have a voice to debate, I will. I invite anyone here on this site to challenge me. I welcome it, but come prepared with facts and logic in order to best me. If all you have to offer against my balanced and strategic representation is a “gut feeling” or opinion, then you’ve lost sight of what it really means to debate an issue.

None of you know exactly how I react or what I am thinking while in the midst of typing this very sentence. So let me tell you. I am very calm, cool, and collected. I know that probably disappoints most of you. You more than likely believe that I am in some sort of uproar or am furious with contempt and anger. I cannot help but laugh while I am typing. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a seasoned debater I was taught to control the urge to show or allow my adversary to see such emotions. I was taught to present the facts in the most logical and subtle way to convey a sense of depth and knowledge. Whereas most of you probably believe the winner would be the one who raised his/her voice the loudest. That is not debate. That’s a screaming match. There is a difference. Here’s a surprise Mama Kaz, whether you realize it or not. I am having fun. A lot actually. At your expense. While I too believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, opinions do not win arguments or debates. In fact, more often than not, they lose them. Logic, facts, and a contextual framework for the argument itself are what win debates.

While it is true I am educated this does not preclude that I am under the belief of superiority. I am very proud of my education and knowledge. I will not be otherwise. Does this make me an elitist? No. Does this make me egotistical? Perhaps, but at least I am willing to admit it. I have faults just as everyone else does, but the difference between you and I is that I will not use those faults as an excuse to try to silence someone else with whom I disagree. Neither will I commit to a game of “name calling”. You may have felt inferior, and in feeling this way decided to lash out the only way you know how, but I will not feel sorry for you. I will in fact continue to present my arguments despite your childish actions no matter what you say, or how you say it.

Anyone actually read all that crap Rick wrote?

Dude, less is more.

May I also suggest an "ignore" feature?

Then allow me to go even further. I have never said I am any better or more intelligent. What I have said time and time again is that if you expect to argue a point do not base your arguments on unfounded truths, innuendos, gut feelings, or likewise. It is both irresponsible and ignorant! Believe me when I tell you that so far NOTHING you have offered up as an argument recently is the LEAST bit impressive to me! It reeks of misinformation and assumptions. Which apparently seems to be all that you can offer. Let me know when you can argue a point while presenting something that resembles facts instead of “opinions”. As my father always said “Opinions are like a**holes, everybody has one and it stinks!”.

Neither is it yours so don't expect me to be quiet about anything I believe. If you don't like what I have to say and cannot offer an intelligent retort then I suggest you stop reading mine. I will do as I please.

Well, fortunately enough opinions are not facts. They are just that, opinions. And once again they are wrong. It seems as though many of you base your ideas on what most call "gut feelings" or "opinions", and they are almost always wrong. How many times must I ask all of you to read? Never base your ideas on others so-called opinions or suggestions. Make yourself informed so that when you decide to offer up some sort of retort or argument that it is actually based on factual information and not just a feeling you have. Going on a "gut feeling" normally only leads to one thing. The spread of misinformation.

As for the Icelandic eruptions that have caused such an inconvenience to air travelers in Europe, really? I understand that now is probably not the time to be planning a European vacation, but really? The last time Eyjafjallajokull erupted was some time in between 1821 and 1823. Before that it had erupted along with its sister volcano Katla in 1621. That’s almost 200 years between each eruption! If anything the two volcanoes seem to be on a pretty set schedule. There’s nothing abnormal about the eruptions themselves or the fact that Katla may be soon to follow. Volcanoes like these have the regular tendency to remain quiescent for years on end. So it is no big surprise that with the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull that earthquake activity has been on the rise or that other volcanoes in the region have suddenly become more active.

The weather has been no different in cyclical temperament than the occurrences of volcanic activity or frequency of earthquakes. Your statement “They are predicting a grim hurricane season and it seems to me that we are having more tornadoes in the F-4, F-5 range than what would be considered normal.” is unequivocally incorrect. Although the hurricane season does seem to be gearing up for a big year in 2010, the fact is that tornadoes are often the result of totally different weather patterns. We haven’t had an F5 tornado in over 2 years, the last occurring in late May of 2008. In fact, in the last 5 years there have been only… …drum roll please… …2 F5 tornadoes that have occurred in the United States. Two! That’s it!! Previous to the year 2008 the United States had not experienced an F5 tornado since the year 1999!! So how exactly is it Mama Kaz that you “feel” we’ve had more than normal? The fact is that we haven’t. It has actually been on a decline since the mid-1990’s. So far this year (2010) we have only had 288 confirmed tornadoes, which basically puts the U.S. on track to have fewer tornadoes again than the last 5 previous years. Albeit storm cells can freakishly cause an outbreak of nearly 100 at a time it is highly unlikely that it will. The last two such “outbreaks” occurred in May of 2004, and before that in April of 1974. That’s over 30 years apart! In effect you have a much greater chance of being struck by lightning than you do from experiencing an F5 tornado!! As far as F4 tornadoes in the United States we have only had 22 occur since 2006. Every year has seen five or less occur with the only exception being in 2008.

If you guys wish to post an argument, please base it on something other than a “feeling”. Try basing it on facts!! It makes it so much more interesting! By the way, all of this information came directly from Wikipedia who themselves source N.O.A.A. as the contributor for their information. Just in case you don’t know what organization that is, they are the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration. So they might know a thing or two about the weather as opposed to someone’s “feelings”.

Sources: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadoes_of_2010 )

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyjafjallajö;kull)

( http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/severe.php )

Rick, while I agree that a lot of what you have wrote regarding the science is fact, your seriously elitist attitude is not winning any friends. Settle down Beavis.

There's nothing abnormal about the frequency of earthquakes or volcanic activity recently. In fact it's just what scientists have expected. The earth goes through cycles as it always has. For now the earth is going through a warming period, or as it is popularly called “global warming”. As icecaps that cover the areas like Iceland’s volcanoes melt it reduces the weight of pressure being placed on the earth. Rock that usually would remain solid is now liquefying and turning into magma. This magma builds up and pressure begins to build to the point that it has no where to go, but up.

As for earthquake activity it has actually been on the decline in recent years. It has actually been estimated by the U.S.G.S. (United States Geological Survey) that the earth experiences about 18 major earthquakes (7.0-7.9), and one great earthquake (8.0 or more) every year.

Perhaps the report by the U.S.G.S. explains it best. The only reason the activity in recent years seems more frequent is because of the advancement in informational technologies. Cell phones, wireless communications, internet, GPS, etc. have all made the ingestion of media information almost instantaneous for us. On April 15th, 1912 the Titanic sank after striking an iceberg. My hometown of Athens, Texas did not report on the sinking until April 23, 1912. That’s 8 days. Over a week. If this had happened now you’d probably have seen the sinking on You tube a couple of times before the wreck ever hit the bottom of the ocean.

Source: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?categoryID=6&;faqID=110

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13583-melting-ice-caps-may-trigger-more-volcanic-eruptions.html

Ben, put the crack pipe down...

;o)