Update on CRU Climate Scandal

Quick update:
Last week, following the leak of hundreds of emails and documents which seem to indicate the massaging of data in order to make it conform more to their agenda (see links previous post) scientists at the East Anglia University Climate Research Unit (one of the leading climate research organizations in the world, upon whose recommendation many of the new policies regulating greenhouse gas emissions have been formed) have released their data files to the public.
It appears that a lot of it was messy, inconsistent, and totally useless.

Here are a couple of links to some discussions of one of the mast damning files, the HARRY_READ_ME.txt file, which is basically a three year log of a CRU tech's struggle to make sense of their climate modeling program. Keep in mind that the CRU bases its predictions on this program's results, and this is influences its recommendations to governments.

(Note: Some of the people writing these discussions are pretty upset and sometimes express themselves...colorfully.)

You can read the file itself here (it's very long):
Link

Here is a discussion of some of the more troubling points in the file:
Link

I have not heard much about this in the mainstream media, but the HARRY_READ_ME.txt file was the second most searched for item on Google a few days ago, so word is getting out somehow.
Read the file, the discussions, peruse some of the coverage on the internet, and see what you think.

Evidence of Global Warming Hoax? You Decide.

Anyone interested in the climate change debate should check out these links here. I doubt you'll hear the media give this much coverage, so you'll have to learn about it yourself.



http://www.google.com/trends/hottrends?q=*&sa=X&date=2009-11-20

http://www.climatedepot.com/

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/20/AR2009112004093_pf.html

A Quandry

If all of my friends say not to give in to peer pressure....what do I do?

More Thoughts on the Way to Class

Stairs cut into a hillside are a restriction.
They say, "Hey! You can't go up the hill there! Only here! This is the only place you can climb this hill, buddy!"
Don't put limits on me like that.

Beginnings

The man's journey began simply enough: a single step, which turned into another, and then another, and then before he knew it he had walked a thousand miles.
The child's life began simply enough: a single breath, a single year, which was followed by another, and then the years kept coming, and before he knew it, the child had lived an entire life.
The woman's love began simply enough. A single thought, which became a hope, which became a dream, which became a dream come true. And then before she knew it, she had loved more deeply than she had ever known.
The man's betrayal began simply enough. A passing glance, an impure thought, a quiet conversation. And then before he knew it, he had thrown away everything that was most precious to him.
Be mindful of your beginnings; every one of them has an end.

A Call to Arms?

There is something wrong with the church today. We are fractured. We are disunited and suspicious of one another. Why is this? It is the work of Satan, the deceiver. He has come among us and confused us so much that we have lost sight of the enemy, and we think that it is us. What can a Captain do with an army that turns upon itself? And what can the true enemy do but sit back and laugh at all of us with our swords turned upon one another? The army of God stationed here on earth is paralyzed with infighting and we wonder why the world is becoming increasingly dark. Do you know why? Because the light of the world is too busy arguing over which one of us is the real light to go out and shine. We must stop this pointless, time-wasting bickering. We must unite.

    I am not so naive as to think we could do away with all denominations and just be Christians. Though I long for that with all my heart, I know that as long as there is more than one man in the world, there will be more than one way of seeing things. An army is made up of many companies, and each might have its own way of interpreting the field manual. But as long as they are all loyal to the same Captain and follow His orders, then they are all on the same side. And this is the only division that really matters: loyalty to the Captain of our salvation, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible only distinguishes between two kinds of people: the church and the world; those who believe that Christ is God, and those who do not. If you believe that Christ is God, and that He came into the the world to save sinners from their sins, that He died and was buried and rose again the third day and accomplished the work He came to do, then there is one thing I can say to you: Welcome, brother.

    When the eunuch asked Philip if he could be baptized, what did Philip say? Did he ask him who all he thought was going to Heaven? Did he care whether the eunuch thought they should have harps in the synagogue or not? Did he ensure he understood the five points of Calvinism? No. He asked him a simple question: Do you believe? The eunuch's answer was, Yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And that was enough. Philip stopped that chariot and baptized the man. Why worry about who we think is going to be in Heaven? We'll find out when we get there! And I don't remember seeing the name Calvin anywhere in the Bible, so I don't really care what he thinks. All we should care about is what Jesus said, and then following that.

    In Mark 9:38, John comes to Jesus and tells Him that they found a man who was casting out devils in Christ's name, but they told him to stop because he wasn't part of their little group; their little church. How could this guy be doing any good if he's not a member of our church? I mean hey, we're as good as it gets, we've got Jesus right here! But Jesus tells them to leave him alone. He said if the man was doing miracles in Christ's name, then He could not be against Christ. And if he's not against Christ, then he's on our side. What was important  to Jesus Himself, the One all of us are trying to please? It wasn't membership, it was His name. He cared about whether the man believed on Him and was doing these works in His name. He then goes on to say that anyone who does a good work, even if it is just giving a drink of water, in the Son's name is worthy of a reward in God's eyes. But the disciples must have touched on something important to Jesus, because He keeps going. He says in v. 42 that anyone who offends (trips up, vexes, rejects) one who "believes in me", it would be better for them in God's eyes to be dead. Because face it, this is what happens when you try to swim with a millstone on your neck. Then in v. 43-49 Jesus sounds like He's chastising the disciples. He tells them that they can worry all they want to about keeping themselves straight. Worry about their own hands and feet and eyes. But not once did Christ say it was alright to cut off another's hand and cast it into Hell. He says His followers should be focused on cutting out of their lives anything that would offend or hinder them, and as they do this, they will work towards becoming that salt of the world, the salt that preserves and flavors the world. But if the children's focus gets off, if they start trying to cut each other up instead of the sin in their own lives, then the salt has lost its saltness, and is good for nothing. So He sums it up in v. 50 and says that we should have salt in ourselves and "be at peace with one another."

"Graham, this sounds dangerously like you are saying, 'Hey, it doesn't matter what we believe, as long as we love Jesus,'" you might say. I do not mean to say that doctrine is unimportant. It is very important. You should strive to learn all you can about what the Bible says about everything, about what you believe and why you believe it, and what the proof for it is. Because there is a truth, and there can be only one truth or it wouldn't be the truth. But don't study the Bible so that you can beat someone over the head with it and win an argument. And don't forget that we should all be searching for the same truth. It seems that Christ is more concerned with you actually doing what He said to do and serving others than trying to convert everyone to your own particular denomination. Actions speak louder than words, so it might be that while the church is going about doing good, that people might become interested and ask what the reason is for the hope that is in us. This is when the knowledge of doctrine comes into play as you explain to this person what you believe and why.

   But let me ask you this: will me and you disagreeing with one another about how many mansions there are in Heaven, or about preservation and perseverance really hinder us from doing good works together? Will it stop us from feeding the poor or visiting the sick? Will it prevent us from really doing the Lord's work as one body?

    Let's change our attitude. Let's stop viewing fellow Christians who believe differently than we do as the enemy, as a danger. We need to remember that we are all on the same side. Let us have peace one with another.

The Rest of the Story

Ponder with me a moment; because if there's one thing wrong with this world, it's that people nowadays hardly ever find time for a good old-fashioned pondering. "Oh, that sounds delightful, Graham!" you say (and you probably say this with a British accent, because this really is the only way for you to use the word "delightful" without it sounding too ridiculous) "What will we be pondering?" Glad you asked.

Which do you think came first: the tongue depressor, or the popsicle stick? I know they are both the same thing, so I suppose it would be more correct to ask to which use the flat, roundy-ended piece of wood was put to first? Think of it: medicine has been around for a long time, but then, so has frozen water. Perhaps someone using the one decided it would be good for the other? I can almost see it now...

Maybe someone had their tonsils removed, and was eating large quantities of ice cream while still in the hospital. I have always heard this is what happens when you have your tonsils removed, but having never actually been through the procedure myself I can't say it with certainty. And why is it that people always list the ice cream as some sort of bonus for getting your tonsils out? "Yeah, I had my tonsils removed, but I got to eat a lot of ice cream!" Well, aren't you special. Look at me, I can eat all the ice cream I want without having minor surgery! Yay me!

Anyways, back the the story. So this person is in the hospital eating their ice cream. The doctor comes in to give them a routine exam (maybe they're about to be discharged. I don't know how these things work, and you probably don't either unless you happen to have worked in a hospital before the era of the popsicle stick).

"Good morning, Mr. Wiggins. How are you feeling this morning?"

Mr. Wiggins, between mouthfuls of ice cream, replies brightly, "Just fine, Doc! Say, this ice cream sure is swell. I always heard that hospital food was supposed to be terrible, but this stuff is great! A little hard and tough to eat with a spoon, but still great! What do you put in it?"

The doctor, wearing the bemused, understanding sort of smile that doctors put on when they aren't listening to a word you've been saying, pulls out his tongue depressor.

"Well, Mr. Wiggins, we'll just give you one last check-up, and then we can get you back home to Mrs. Wiggins."

"But, Doc, there is no Mrs. Wiggins. I told you, she left me for-"

"Isn't that nice. Now say 'aaaahh'."

With little real choice in the matter, Mr. Wiggins allows for his mouth to be examined. The doctor is satisfied.

"Well, Mr. Wiggins, the tonsils look fine. You'll be out of here in no time."

"Gee, thanks Doc! Say, what are you gonna do with that stick thing?"
"Oh, this? Throw it way, I suppose."

"Can I see it? I just had an idea that could make eating this ice cream easier!"

"Well, I don't think I should-"

Mr. Wiggins, the light of invention bright in his eye, does not wait for the good doctor to finish his sentence and seizes the tongue depressor from his hand.

*splat*

"Look, Doc! I'm a genius!"

For His Mercy Endureth Forever

Remembering that I am  lower that dust apart from You.

Ever sinning against Your Holy Name.

Praying the prayer of so many times before.

Each time bringing an offering of broken promises.

Neverending mercy is given in return.

Tell me once again that I am forgiven, and that I am Yours.

Some Things are Always Good

Well, I feel like writing something...but it's late (or early, depending on how you look at it) so I don't feel like writing something long. So, I'll leave you with a beautiful piece of music. Give it a listen if you have nine or so minutes to spare. You won't be sorry.

Oh, And Lord, About Our Enemies...Ignore Their Heathen Prayers

I like this song, and this video is very entertaining. The girls on the platforms crack me up.

We used to have good music.

Some Have It Good

This evening I was feeling a bit down due to the fact that most of us in my Physics class have no idea what's going on at the moment. So while walking along and wondering what on earth was going to happen to me on this next test, I called up my brother to complain a little. Now, my brother is a nurse, and after I told him what was going on in my schooling he proceeded to tell me what was going on in his.

After a few minutes of conversation that would not be appropriate to post on this blog, he wrapped up his talk with this advice: 

"Well, Graham, if you're ever feeling down about physics, just be glad you're not wrist deep in part of someones body."

And suddenly the day was better.

Man After God's Own Heart: Part II

A bit shorter this time.

A few more aspects gleaned from chapters 18 and 19 of I Samuel. It says many times in these chapters that David "behaved himself wisely." Wisdom is crucial to a man after God's own heart, for God Himself is wise. He IS Wisdom. Wisdom would be the practical application of all that trust in God that you have. In fact, trust in God is essential for wisdom. In James, it says that we must ask for wisdom, but we must ask in faith. We have to trust that God will give it to us like He said.

"Behaved himself wisely." Why would it say this? Well, could one think of wisdom as knowing how to behave in any given situation? The Bible has all of these answers and is the only source of wisdom. So this is what we see: A man after God's own heart trusts God and is wise. Because he trusts God completely and views Him as his only source of any good thing, then he will recognize God as the only source of wisdom and diligently seek for it in His word like Proverbs says he should do. Also, he will ask for wisdom and believe that God will give it to him (again, complete trust). As a result, he will gain wisdom and will know how to handle himself in any given situation. He will be able to behave himself wisely.

What a great system.

The Reality Check

So, the other day, I was sitting at my computer and congratulating myself over the little cello and violin duet I had composed. In all seriousness, it really was nothing special, not even a whole page. But it looked so nice and professional, thanks to Finale Notepad2005, the program I used to transcribe it. And when Finale played it for me, in all its MIDI file glory, it sounded very nice. 

I was preening.

Then I see a link to a site where other Finale composers can go and upload their creations for people view and listen to and so on. 

"Well," I smugly say to myself, "since I really and truly am a composer now, I guess I should head over there and see what's what."

I log on, and do you know what I find?

I'll tell you.

A magnificent, seven movement symphony that is hundreds of pages of music and takes my breath away when I listen to it, MIDI sound or no. 

That someone just thought up.

Preening = end.

A Man After God's Own Heart: Part I

In my recent studying (the kind that matters) I have been focusing on David. The Bible calls him a man after God's own heart, and I want to find out what that means. Because that is the type of man that I want to be. So I'll be posting what I'm learning a little bit along for you to read and think about. This first post is really long. Just a warning.

In my first readings, I am struck with how often it says "The Lord was with David." I want the Lord to be with me. I want to feel Him leading and directing me. so I decided to study David and find out what it was that made him a man after God's own heart, and then seek to copy those characteristics. I don't think it is just one thing that gave David such a title, but rather the whole person that he was.

I have been reading the Psalms for weeks now, and the first thing I have learned comes from these poems, most of which were written by David. The entire first half of this book is one long cry out to God. David trusted God completely, and saw Him as his only source of strength, guidance, and protection. Whenever David was faced with a trial, his first reaction was to go to God for strength. When confronted with enemies, David cried to God for deliverance instead of trusting in his own strength and skill in war. Over and over again David refers to God as his Rock, his Strong Tower, his Strength and Deliverer. He knew where his protection was, he knew that strength could only come from one place.

So here I think we have the first characteristic of a man after God's own hear: complete trust in and reliance on God. A man after God's own heart must make god his first line of defense in a trial instead of a last resort. god must the his only source of strength and wisdom. Any advice received from man must be evaluated in light of God's Word and instruction.

Does David show these attitudes in his life and not merely his poems? Is there action along with the pretty words? There is. The earliest account of David shows us how he acted as a result of his trust in God.

The story of David and Goliath is one that everyone knows, but it is a story that is rich with teaching. When David comes to the battlefield, he sees the giant taunting the army of Israel, and the "men" of Israel fleeing in fear. David is confused. Why has no one gone out and killed this Philistine? He is defying the armies of the living God. Why are these men afraid? Aren't we God's chosen people? Will He not fight for us?

David was willing to go, to fight. When Saul told him he could not because he was "just a youth", David responded by telling the king that he was not trusting in his own strength. He tells Saul of how God had already delivered him form a lion and a bear before this, and David was trusting in that same God. Listen to how he says it:
"The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."

Was Goliath and more dangerous than a lion or a bear? Was he somehow too big of a challenge for God? David didn't think so, and so strong must have been this show of faith and trust, that it convinced King Saul and he let David go. But first he tried to arm him with the weapons and armor of man. David put them off, however. Why? He said, "I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them." What a statement. What did David go with? What had he proved? God. God had proved Himself in that wilderness with the lion and the bear, and that was all the proof that David need to trust in Him completely. I Thess. 5:21 says we are to "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." David was holding fast.

So do you see how we need to follow this example? God has already proven Himself to us. You might not remember being saved from a lion or a bear, but we have an even better and surer proof than David did: the cross. This is where God proved Himself once and for all. Because of the cross, we can say boldly when we face our own giants " The Lord which delivered me out of the paw of sin and out of the paw of death, He will deliver me out of the hand of this trial that I am facing."

This is why David trusted in God, and this is why we also can trust in Him.

Eyes Forward

Something I wrote a while back:

Today in church the speaker took his message from Daniel 12. this is a prophecy of future things. It mentions tribulation for God's children, and some people are frightened by this. But why? does that come as a surprise to them? Did not Christ Himself say that "In this life ye shall have tribulation"? It's not like God suckered us in to His service and then sprung a nasty surprise on us. He told us at the outset that it was going to be hard. But He also said this: "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

These prophecies should not cause fear in God's people. In fact, we are to "comfort one another with these words." What could be comforting about a prophecy of persecution? The fact that the prophecy is being made. A God that knows the future is one who is in control of it. That is the comfort. We need not worry about the future because it's not in our hands; it's in hands much bigger and more capable than our own. The future should never frighten one who trusts in God, because the future is His. All of time is His. He created time, after all.

and this was what I thought was the message of Daniel. In chapter 12 the anger gives a prophecy, but it's not very clear. That's alright, though, because we don't have to worry ourselves sick over the specifics. It's enough to know that God knows exactly what is going to happen, and He already knows what He's going to do about it.

So what do we do? Verse 13:

"But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."

Virtuosity

Ok, I know that posting links is an "easy" way to beef up your post count, but this was just too amazing for me not to post. Just...wow.

A Moment of Classics

This is a song that I heard and liked today, so I thought I would share it with you. Yes, you. Right there. What, do you see anyone else around? I didn't think so. 

So here is the link: IT IS ALL THIS TEXT RIGHT HERE, SO CERTAIN PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE FINDING IT THIS TIME.

Enjoy.

Thoughts On The Way To Class

It was cold. A bone-chilling, breath-taking cold. The kind of cold that slowed the blood and slowed the mind until a man's only thought was that of getting warm again. But he walked on. He had been walking for a long time now; so long that it was a wonder he was still going. He felt like his legs should be hurting by now, but in such bitter cold he had ceased feeling anything in his legs long ago. Now they only moved as if by habit, like a pendulum set in motion and forgotten. Onward. One step more into deep, unfriendly snow. And another step. It was an unconcious action, one which was only given any thought when a particularly fierce gust of wind upset its rhythm. That was the worst part: the wind. You've heard of wind like knives? This was wind like axes. Spears. Large, two-handed broadswords with jagged edges swung by demons' arms. I suppose you've heard of howling wind as well. This wind did not howl. It was the raging battle cry from the throats of an army. It came charging down from the mountains like death on his pale horse.

Then there was the snow. Ah, the snow. A snow that grabbed at legs and limbs and would not let go without a fight. Each step struggle worth three.

Why would a man brave such cold and wind and snow?

He did not know. He had forgotten. 

He only knew that he must keep moving forward.

So call me dramatic.

A Favor

I really like this song and wanted to share. I am interested...so please leave a comment saying what emotion this song made you feel. I won't put mine here because it might influence yours. I will post it as a comment, though, so don't read the comments until after listening to the song. We'll see how this goes.