Category: Science & technology

Categories
Environment Science & technology

[574] Of global dimming and haze

I poked my nose in lowyat.net a few hours ago. To be exact, being the political animal that I am, I browsed their real world issues section. Interesting stuff is being discussed over there, especially about religion. Unfortunately, the discussion is massive and I simply lack the will to read all of it. A few skips and hops later, I ran across a topic on global dimming.

I’ve read about that phenomenon before in the papers and at realclimate.org but never quite understood it. So, I had put it at the back of mind so that I may check it out sometimes later for better comprehension. I never did that until I saw the posting at lowyat.net. So, I did a little online research on it. Soon, I started to wonder, is there a relationship between and the ?

Hmm?

Global dimming got the attention it deserved after the September 11 attack. Almost all aircrafts were grounded for a few days and the sky was free from steel flies for the first time in decades. It was during this time that scientists observed a minor increase in daily temperature variation.

Now, after being four years in Michigan, I do think Kuala Lumpur is extremely hot. But, after I crashed into DAP’s little sedated protest that were full of police officers, I got engaged into a conversation with a stranger.

Like all people, when there is nothing to talk about, they talk about the weather. And goddamn, we did exactly that. He said that that day, Kuala Lumpur was less hot than usual. I didn’t agree with his statement but already dazed with the haze along with the fact that I didn’t know him, I would rather be agreeable rather than starting an awkward moment by second guessing him.

Right now however, I think he was right. Yet, by eyeballing the data, it doesn’t seem like it.

I visited Weather Underground and went straight for Kuala Lumpur’s reading for August for every year beginning at 1998 and ending at 2005. If you do want to eyeball the data or even conduct a complete analysis, the data is at 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

If you did a complete analysis, do give me a howler. What you should be looking for is a decrease in temperature variation to link dimming to the haze (the idea is, the haze blocks the sunlight and hence, reduces the average temperature during the day and increases the average temperature during the night).

For warming, it’s a general rise in temperature, naturally but this should be a secondary objective.

I can’t see any change in variation or even a rise in temperature though the rain does give me a problem. I simply can’t observe the real effect by having the ceteris paribus rule being violated. I suppose I could do a difference-in-difference analysis but I’m far too lazy for real econometrics at the moment.

I have however sent an email about a possible link between the haze and global dimming. I extremely look forward for a reply from them.

For an introduction to global dimming, Wikipedia is an excellent choice.

Categories
Economics Environment Science & technology

[565] Of spurious carbon emission reporting?

I’ve just read a piece written by Beth Romulo and published by Philippines-based Manila Bulletin Online regarding the new Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate.

I have no problem with the article save one point:

The new agreement is not intended to replace the Kyoto protocol, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick explained, when the agreement was announced, but to complement it, by bringing in the developing countries, and offering them the most modern technology to help lower emissions. Despite the fact that the US did not ratify the Kyoto pact, it has proceeded voluntarily and been able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 0.3 percent while the EU’s 25 members have increased to 3.4 percent.

Wow. According to him, the US has been able to reduce carbon emission by 0.3%. Moreover , that sentence that touches on US vs. EU emission is written as weaselly as it could be written.

Why is it spurious?

The author says that there is a drop but fails to give the time frame. Is it year to year basis? Is it 2005 against 1990?

According to BBC, “the US carbon dioxide emissions have increased to more than 15% above 1990 levels.” Moreover, Washington Post says the US 2004 emission level has increased by 1.7%.

I could give him a benefit of a doubt and assume he meant a reduction for the year 2005 (despite that there are 5 more months before the year ends). However, mind you at the same time that the US targets 18% reduction in emission intensity, not reduction of 18% of emission level. There is a huge different in intensity and level and this is where the US has been able to do. The US has been able to reduce the intensity and I think the author of the article us confused with the two terms.

More about emission intensity from the same article by Washington Post:

Connaughton, the chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and other administration officials said they are focused on obtaining practical commitments industrialized countries can meet without damaging their economies. He said that although some G-8 countries are struggling to meet their goal of bringing greenhouse gas emissions down to 1990 levels by 2012, the United States is on track to fulfill its pledge to reduce its carbon intensity — how much emissions are rising relative to overall economic growth — 18 percent by 2012.

On Thursday, the Energy Information Administration announced that the nation’s carbon emissions rose 1.7 percent in 2004 — but that amounted to a 2.6 percent drop in carbon intensity, because the U.S. economy grew 4.4 percent that year. The rate of increase in U.S. carbon emissions more than doubled from 2003 to 2004 because of heightened economic activity.

Now, I’m not saying reducing in emission intensity undesireble. Quite the contrary, any reduction is good to me. But this Beth Romulo needs to recognize which is which or else, misinformation might be spread out whenever he writes anything about greenhouse gases emission.

Categories
Science & technology Solar car

[553] Of solar race, blogs and GPS

Michigan has been racing in the American Solar Challenge for eight days now and is currently, seems to be first in the Canadian prairie though on the record, Minnesota is the leader. As Michigan has said, it is too close to know for sure who really is first.

I’ve been following the race right here from Malaysia, keeping an eye on various teams’ blog and GPS tracker provided by organizer. I think is the first race ever in which I’m dependent on various solar teams’ blog and the GPS system. The usage of both tools might have happened before but for me, this is the first time I actually see the utilization of both tools.

Those blogs give a more accurate view of what is going on in the race from each competing team’s viewpoint. More importantly, those blogs give a more up-to-date report on the situation compared to the official site, which save the GPS trackers are updated only so often.

It’s true that those blogs are only updated once a day but with blogs visitors leaving useful comments behind, the blogs are practically being updated continuously.

If you are interested the official site is at NASC 2005. They have the GPS tracker here.

The leading blogging teams are, not in order…:
Michigan
MIT
Missouri-Rolla
Minnesota

Go Blue! Eh!

Categories
Books & printed materials Economics Liberty Photography Science & technology

[519] Of freedom to arms

I made the following posting on ReCom.org and thought, hey, I’ll post this on my blog too. And thus begun the Clone Wars have. =p

About a year or so ago, an assault rifle ban introduced by the Clinton administration lapsed. Many predicted an increase in crime with the ban lapse. And it has been a natural experiment ever since. My econ professor said during the day of the lapse, America is a great country, but it’s a weird one. With the regression analysis of firearm on crime in mind, I agreed with him then.

However, despite the prediction, according to NYT here (reg. req.), crime has not risen, at least not significantly from what I understand from the article. Really surprising to me and it only strengthens my opinion on the freedom to arm. Do note however that the assault rifle ban was somewhat ineffective because it banned a subset of firearms.

I’m kind of divided on whether we should have free access to firearm (or at least easily obtained license like those of vehicle licenses) or we should ban firearm from the public altogether. One part of me thinks we should be allowed to own firearms (I’ve held a “senapang patah” a few times but never fired it) or we should all be happy with the current status in Malaysia.

In my opinion, if all private citizens were to be allowed to arm themselves, then those bag-snatchers, thieves, etc would have to think twice or thrice before they act. Furthermore, to those who are in love of CS, Quake, Doom, etc, shooting is fun! You must agree!

At the same time, I’m a green and I find myself quite irritated seeing another hunting season on the horizon.

In the light of this finding by NYT, what is your opinion on freedom to arm?

Nevertheless, I’m quite ignorant of the current firearm status in Malaysia. If anybody has some info to offer, do share it.

This is a modified version.

p/s – presenting to you, two presents I give to me (yes, I’m that sad).

I chose Creative Zen Micro over IPod because:
1. Everybody has an IPod, or two. I want to be different.
2. Zen Micro, for USD 220 offers 5 GB of space, FM radio, recorder (able to record radio broadcast and voice!) and the best thing that IPod lacks, replaceable battery!Behind the mp3 player is my left hand. Behind my left hand is Rifkin’s The European Dream. I found out about the book from Boris. I’m currently reading In Praise to Slowness. With all due respect to Carl Honore, despite some appealing ideas, my economic sense disagrees with many of the author’s points.

Categories
Kitchen sink Science & technology

[509] Of Google Maps

Lo and behold!

My place is somewhere in the red circle. Almost the whole Ann Arbor, at Google Maps, if you are interested.