Despite a broad scientific consensus that human-caused global warming is under way, deniers continue to question the basic science — and even call warming scientists "fanatics" and "jihadists," as Cal Thomas did in his Wednesday column.
Who’s being extreme here?
Far from "circling the wagons," as Cal claimed, climate scientists have issued clear, reasonable rebuttals to most anti-warming arguments, I point out in my Friday column. Those explanations aren’t hard to find for those who care to look. But the same denial arguments persist — as I’m learning anew in the responses to my column.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
It wasn’t the Wichita school district’s idea to propose annexing land from the Circle school district. The Bel Aire City Council asked USD 259 to make the proposal because it doesn’t like its city split between two school districts. The council will decide whether Wichita pursues the annexation. But if it gives the go-ahead, the process likely will be contentious. Circle’s superintendent said her school board would oppose the annexation. If so, that would cause it to go to mediation and then, possibly, to the State Board of Education for a decision. Wichita taxpayers also will need to know more about why it is in their best interests to expand the district and help pay to build new schools.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The purpose of the military surge in Iraq was to give the Iraqi government some breathing room to reach political solutions. But the new National Intelligence Estimate released Thursdayconcludes not only that there hasn’t been political progress thus far, but that there’s unlikely to be much progress in the near future.
The estimate did determine there has been some measurable improvement in Iraq’s security situation, but that it has been uneven and that violence will remain high during the next six to 12 months. Overall, the estimate confirmed the quandary America is facing: If we continue the surge, there won’t be significant improvement. But if we withdraw, we’re likely to lose what limited progress we have made. Which bad option is better?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, was cited by Washington Post columnist George Will as an example of “the war-is-irretrievable faction” of Congress. He reported how Boyda left a hearing of the Armed Services Committee “because retired Gen. Jack Keane was saying things Boyda thinks might ‘further divide this country,’ such as that Iraq’s ’schools are open. The markets are teeming with people.’” He quoted Boyda explaining: “There is only so much you can take until we in fact had to leave the room for a while . . . after so much of the frustration of having to listen to what we listened to.”
Will was equally critical of militant war supporters in Congress who desperately grasp at any evidence that the tide is turned in Iraq.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
As planemaker to the world, Wichita deserves a world-class air show. To be sure, it gets that at each McConnell Air Force Base open house, which again drew thousands of people last month with its fearless fliers and plane displays. But the community also needs to keep building its signature Wichita Flight Festival, which is back at Jabara Airport today through Sunday.
The festival’s mission isn’t just to entertain, though it does that with name aerobatic acts that treat the sky as their stage. It also celebrates a story unique to Wichita, how its aviation pioneers such as Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman and Bill Lear built an industry. “The whole event is built on our history,” festival director Janet Wright recently told The Eagle editorial board.
That need “to honor and to educate,” as Wright also put it, rightly has kept city leaders committed to the festival, despite its unexpected $189,000 shortfall last year and past conflicts over its entertainment and former name. “We expect it’s going to grow,” Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer told the editorial board.
This year’s schedule highlights women pilots now and in the era of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, and offers kids’ activities and more than 40 aircraft on display, along with tonight’s kickoff concert by the Commodores. “It provides something for everyone,” Brewer said.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
