A global warming skeptic has identified a possible reason for the slight increase in temperature as reported by land based reporting stations. It seems that in addition to these little bird house-like reporting stations that were once in open fields and are now in shopping mall parking lots and other heat sinks as the countryside has grown up around them, the stations, which once were whitewashed, are now painted, and it is claimed that investigation has shown that a painted station records a higher temperature than a whitewashed station. Of course the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association disputes the data, claiming that they are right and anyone who says they are not are nut cases, even though thousands of volunteers spent many years collecting the data. But a greater question than the truth or falsity of global warming is, why did they change from whitewash to paint when Washington has always had an unlimited supply of whitewash.
Where once was whitewash now is paint
The reasoning’s before us
Whenever there is voiced complaint
The governmental chorus
Will shout Not So! Your data’s wrong
And e’en should they admit it
You get the ripe old dance and song
Before you can submit it
Investigations make them blush
They’re often caught red-handed
Then out will come the whitewash brush
Then smile and claim they’re candid
They’re never wrong, they tell no lie
And therein lies the reason
That whitewash is in short supply
It’s always whitewash season