If you've read Michael Crichton's novel "Jurassic Park," then the first few pages are probably something that stuck with you. Charlton Heston read them for Rush Limbaugh's radio show several years ago and when you combine Crichton's words with Heston's voice -- wow!

Anyway, the introduction talks about the arrogance of scientists and their belief that they can control the natural world. The story of "Jurassic Park" is that such beliefs are without substance and quickly lead to tragedy.

Of course, when presented in this fashion, many scientists will dismiss this attribute as fanciful and without basis in fact. But then we get statements like this from this weekend's Washington Post Magazine on global warming featuring "silenced" NASA scientist James Hansen:

Hansen thinks we have less than 10 years to make drastic cuts in greenhouse emissions, lest we reach a "tipping point" at which the climate will be out of our control.

If the climate has ever been "in our control" then I'd like to know who to complain to about it raining the day after I've paid $10 to have my car washed.