One just for those who haven't seen it yet, and then one that made me smile
New analysis counters claims that solar activity is linked to global warming
· Study undermines climate sceptics' arguments
· Correlations 'inconsistent' with temperature rise
James Randerson, science correspondent
Wednesday July 11, 2007
The Guardian
It has been one of the central claims of those who challenge the idea that human activities are to blame for global warming. The planet's climate has long fluctuated, say the climate sceptics, and current warming is just part of that natural cycle - the result of variation in the sun's output and not carbon dioxide emissions.
But a new analysis of data on the sun's output in the last 25 years of the 20th century has firmly put the notion to rest. The data shows that even though the sun's activity has been decreasing since 1985, global temperatures have continued to rise at an accelerating rate.
The solar hypothesis was championed publicly in March by the controversial Channel 4 documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle.
The programme has been heavily criticised for distorting scientific data to fit the sceptic argument and Carl Wunsch, a professor of physical oceanography at MIT who featured in the programme, later said that he was "totally misled" by the film makers and that his comments were "completely misrepresented".
The new analysis is designed to counter the main alternative scientific argument put forward by the programme - that solar activity may be to blame for global warming.
"The temperature record is simply not consistent with any of the solar forcings that people are talking about," said lead author Mike Lockwood at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
"They changed direction in 1985, the climate did not ... [the temperature] increase should be slowing down but in fact it is speeding up."
Global temperatures are going up by 0.2 degrees per decade and the top 10 warmest years on record have happened in the past 12 years.
REST OF ARTICLE
Aaaaaand . . .
Harry Potter and the Asda apology
· Asda faces Harry Potter embargo
Graeme Wearden
Tuesday July 17, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Asda has apologised to Bloomsbury for accusing it of holding children to ransom over the price of the final Harry Potter book.
The embarrassing climbdown came after the UK publisher refused to supply Asda's order of 500,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, citing an unpaid bill. This threatened to leave the supermarket chain with hundreds of thousands of disappointed customers.
Asda, which is owned by Wal-Mart, said this afternoon that it "apologised unreservedly" for releasing a statement in which it accused Bloomsbury of "blatant profiteering" over the book.
REST OF ARTICLE
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Yes, because completely undercutting legitimate booksellers in order to make yourself a nicer sales margin isn't even more blatant profiteering on your part, you thick fucks. Apparently the independent booksellers are seeking a high court injunction against Asda/Tesco et al. undercutting their prices - and if they succeed, which I bloody hope they do (fuck you Tescopoly), it may require a monopoly enquiry. Which could take two years. During which time the book wouldn't be published.
Now that would be hilarious.