I know no one's paying much attention now that it's a new fiscal year and the election is over, but in the first month of FY 2007, the US ran a deficit of $49mm, slightly more than the $47 million recorded last year. Both revenues and outlays were up about 12%.

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There's still 2 weeks left in the 2006 Hurricane Season which runs each year from June 1 to November 30. This is last year's record:

A record twenty-eight tropical and subtropical storms formed, of which a record fifteen became hurricanes. Of these, seven strengthened into major hurricanes, a record-tying five became Category 4 hurricanes and a record four reached Category 5 strength. Among these Category 5 storms were Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, the former the costliest and the latter the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.

The current forecast for 2006 is 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes.

28 named storms down to 11. 7 major hurricanes down to 2. I'm still waiting for an explanation from the environmentalists.

Now I don't know what the future holds in store for us like Al Gore does. Maybe he was just looking at bad data. Being one of those nutjob religious types, I'll just thank G-d we haven't had any disasters like we did last year.

Here's some more from the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Renowned Scientist Defects From Belief in Global Warming – Caps Year of Vindication for Skeptics.

Let's face it - there is no way the average Joe or Jane can really know for sure what the heck is going on, so convincing people one way or the other is a pure sales job.