First steps of US on Global Warming

After a week of heated argument (and "boos") with other countries in Bali, US Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky finally agreed to an amended compromise statement. According to the NY Times,

The agreement notes the need for "urgency" in addressing climate change and recognizes that "deep cuts in global emissions will be required." Still, it does not bind the United States or any country to commitments on reducing greenhouse pollution.

CNN:

The EU wanted an agreement to require developed countries to cut their emissions by 25 to 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2020. The United States opposes those targets, along with Japan and Canada. The latest draft of the agreement removes the specific figures and instead, in a footnote, references the scientific study that supports them.

BBC:

The US and the EU earlier agreed that industrialised countries would not set firm emissions targets at this stage. The "Bali roadmap" initiates a two-year process of negotiations designed to agree a new set of emissions targets to replace those in the Kyoto Protocol.
...
The document coming out of the meeting, the "Bali roadmap", contains text on emissions cuts, the transfer of clean technology to developing countries, halting deforestation and helping poorer nations protect their economies and societies against impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels and falling crop yields. The roadmap sets the parameters and aims for a further set of negotiations to be finalised by the 2009 UN climate conference, to be held in Denmark.

So as far as I can tell, this is again an agreement with no teeth. The US has agreed to no tangible results whatsoever. It's progress in that we've agreed that Something Needs To Be Done and therefore are acknowledging that global warming is taking place, but all we've agreed to so far is to continue talking. Well, better that than nothing.

I'm dreaming of more white finals

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS WATCH COVERS AREAS NORTH AND WEST OF BOSTON...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE... WORCESTER AND SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS...HARTFORD CONNECTICUT... AND WOONSOCKET RHODE ISLAND.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND THEN BECOME HEAVIER SUNDAY MORNING. THE SNOW WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO SLEET SUNDAY MORNING IN CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND. A CHANGE TO SLEET EXPECTED IN WESTERN...CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AROUND MIDDAY...AND IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE DURING THE AFTERNOON.

THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO RAIN BY AFTERNOON IN BOSTON AND HARTFORD...AND IN AREAS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST.

THE VARIETY OF PRECIPITATION TYPES EXPECTED MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT EXACT AMOUNTS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS IN THE WATCH AREA CONTINUES.

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ACCUMULATING SNOW OF 6 OR MORE INCHES IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD OR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. ONE IS ALSO ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.

Weather...

For both here and work:

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

STEADY SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE WARNING AREA AROUND OR JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT AND QUICKLY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO MIX WITH SLEET SUNDAY MORNING BEFORE GOING OVER TO A MIXTURE OF SLEET...SNOW...AND FREEZING RAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE BY LATE IN THE DAY SUNDAY... WITH AROUND ONE QUARTER INCH OF ICE EXPECTED ON TOP. THE PRECIPITATION INTENSITY WILL TAPER OFF SIGNIFICANTLY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND/OR ICE ACCUMULATION IS FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Question of the day: What happens if a *second* day of finals gets snowed out?