It's rather bang-on topic, but a few searches of kisrael agree with my memory that you haven't linked to Michael Crichton's Caltech speech a year ago, which made some rounds in blogs last week, on the topic of consensus science, notably the Drake Equation and the SETI prospects it implies, Nuclear Winter, and Global Warming:
http://www.crichton-official.com/speeches/speeches_quote04.html
Have you read it? I don't expect that it'll change your mind, but it should at least stimulate The Skeptic Within.
Enjoyed the Crichton piece. Since you and Kirk enjoy real science, here are extremely helpful links that I've collected for our sailing. Much goes into influencing wind, weather and climate patterns. It helps to use these on a regular basis to understand weather around the world:
Plymouth State Weather Center Hourly 4-panel Summary
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/4panel_sum.html
<a href="http://vortex.plymouth.edu/gEWir.mpg">Weather in motion chart</a>
<a href="http://www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/hnl/cphc/pages/cphc.shtml">Central Pacific Hurricane Center</a>
<a href="http://hurricane.terrapin.com/">Hurricane and Storm Tracking</a>
<a href="http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/sathts_pac_500_00.gif">SFSU.edu Satellite wind charts</a>
<a href="http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/gwir_00.gif">SFSU squall chart GOES WEST (reload)</a>
<a href="http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/real-time/eastpac/winds/archive/wg9visX-1.html">low level visual winds</a>
<a href="http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/gwir_00.gif">Pacific Ocean infrared</a>
<a href="http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/noaa/noaa.gif">USA noaa gif</a>
<a href="http://www.weathersite.com/index.cfm?lp=hurricanesnow.cfm">Weathersite Current Weather Forecast</a>
<a href="http://www.oceanweather.com/data/">Oceanweather, Inc. - Current Marine Data</a>
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/weather/satpic/wsatusa.htm">USAToday.com maps and satellites</a>
<a href="http://geosun1.sjsu.edu/105/exped8/10.html">Wind Patterns on a Rotating Earth</a>
<a href="http://www.Marineweather.com">Marineweather.com</a>
<a href="http://www.Intelicast.com/Sail/">Intellicast.com - Sail</a>
<a href="http://partners.search.msn.com/partner.asp?q=Marine%20weather%20maps&co=15&FORM=WEBTV&cfg=WEBTV&ba=0&v=1&un=doc&RS=CHECKED&pid=msntv&cp=65001">MSN search for Marine weather maps</a>
<a href="http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2003/0803/Aug26/Aug26.html">weather links: Latitude 38 / Lectronic edition</a>
<a href="http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/wcsathts_snd_ir_00.gif">wind velocity pressure maps</a>
<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/news/951526.asp?0bl=-0">WARNING:</a> underwater volcano that could be a danger for mariners in the Aleutians
sorry for the excessive length of above. I've collected and helped friends find ways to access weather for years. Raised by an astrophysicist who put satellites in space, I've had a real interest in what makes the earth tick, click and whirl :) ..... Rennie