Global Hype

You knew it had to come.

On the heels of disaster, the agenda had to be moved forward. And you knew the Oregonian would be ready and willing, almost panting to help out.

So we see the big front page story in the Oregonian today:

Researchers Examine Link Between Hurricane Intensity, Global Warming.

Nice charts accompany the headline. They typical reader would take a look at the story, read a few paragraphs, and be left with the decided impression that yep, scientists say Katrina was caused by global warming.

The agenda is moved, another step in the long term effort to convince us all.

Turn to the back page and you'll find the entire page taken up by the text of the story. It almost demands that the typical reader not read it. Who wants to read all the scientific technicalities? We get the point - global warming brings big hurricanes like Katrina.

So, you can hardly blame the average guy for not seeing all the disclaimers:

"Scientists caution that it's unknowable at this point whether the damage these potentially more powerful cyclones will bring upon people would be from global warming - or the simple chance of where people choose to build and live."

"Hurricanes more powerful than Katrina swept the Gulf Coast long before global warming."

"Some climate scientists believe that natural cycles are driving the observed variability in hurricane freqauency..."

In fact, the story taken as a whole can be summed up:

"One researcher says global warming might increase hurricanes, but nobody is really sure."

Front page news, ladies and gentlemen, at least if you have an agenda to push.