View climate change over long term

In the aftermath of the Cancun Climate Change meetings, I would direct readers to http://www.accuracyproject.org/recordtemps.html, listing the record high and low temperatures by state.

Here is an overview of record highs (all were 100 degrees F. or higher). Before 1900 two states (Colorado and Oregon); 1901-1940 30 states; 1941-1980 seven states; 1981-2006 (last reported record high) 11 states. For record lows, 1981-2009 (last reported record low) 24 states. Among the 24, Colorado (record high, 1888; record low, 1985; and, Maine, record high, 1911; record low, 2009.

In some cases, the record high and low temperatures were relatively close less than 10 years difference. All this is to say that, in my opinion, extrapolating temperature data over relatively short periods of time may not lead to valid conclusions. Committing the U.S. government to forking over billions of dollars internally and in subsidy to relatively poorer countries for climate change projects based on short-term extrapolations does not appear to be a sound decision.

William M. Slater

Mundelein