Hurricane-Climate Polling; Plan B Decision

There are two things you've gotta read today on the politics and science front. First, check out Matt Nisbet's analysis of polls on hurricanes and global warming. A current Zogby poll is getting attention, but one single poll never really means anything from a scientific perspective. What Nisbet shows, though, is that when you look at all the polls on this subject--many of which have dubious question wording--the following conclusion emerges: "Outside of the scientific and technical debate, the power of the events and the many political claimants connecting the storms to global warming likely promoted public belief in the connection to global warming." Depending on the poll question wording, members of the public generally aren't right to think this, but that's not the point. The point is, many of them do. Meanwhile, the FDA has decided to make Plan B available over the counter, but has drawn a silly ...