Bartholomew's Notes

Boing Boing‘s science editor Maggie Koerth-Baker ponders recent tornadoes in the USA:

In just five months, the United States has experienced more tornadoes than we often get in an entire year. And far, far more people have died. 2011 is already the deadliest year for tornadoes since 1953. As of May 23rd, 498 people have been killed. That’s a big jump from normal. I was born in 1981. In my entire lifetime, annual tornado deaths in the United States have only broken the 100-person mark three other years–1984, 1998, and 2008. Clearly, there is something different about this year. …The big question–Are tornadoes caused by climate change?–is made up of lots of little questions. And we don’t know all the answers to the little questions yet.

…The future of human life depends on how we respond to the risks of climate change. How we respond to those risks depends on how well the general public understands the messy world of real science.

But is Koerth-Baker missing something? WorldNetDaily editor Joseph Farah has taken time off from his Birther-mongering to proffer an alternative explanation:

Once again, we’ve seen the U.S. hit with a series of deadly superstorms following Barack Obama’s pledge to return Israel to pre-1967 borders.

Just days after Obama insisted Israel must give up lands it won through military victory with its enemies, some 200 people were killed by a tornado in Joplin, Mo.

There’s a pattern here.

We saw it in Katrina, when George Bush forced Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. In fact, as everyone from Israeli rabbis to U.S. senators have noted, it seems to happen every single time the U.S. pressures Israel to divide the land.

…It goes right back to Genesis and God’s pledge to bless those who bless the children of Israel and curse those who curse them.

I blogged on the “Israeli rabbis” who linked Katrina to Gaza here.

Obama’s speech was on 19 May, and the Joplin tornado was on 23 May; although Joplin had the highest number of fatalities in a single incident, the “series of deadly superstorms” actually began in February. I can think of better ways for an omnipotent deity to convey geopolitical preferences.

As for the possible role of climate change, Farah believes (or, rather, purports to believe – he’s essentially an opportunist) that scientists working in the field are embarked on a conspiracy to promote a “false religion“.

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