It is common....

Thoughts while reading Empirical Statistical Downscaling (benestad et al 2007)

"It is common to focus on anomalies in ESD work...." This statement is a pet peeve of mine whenever I see it. Just because a method is common, does not mean it is right. Just because it is common, does not mean the concept it easy to learn.It also does not mean that it should be everywhere. An anomaly needs to be different from something and that "something" is a definition or an assumption which does not always seem logical to me. For example, a 30 year average temperature from 1940 to 1970 is just an average. It is not THE temperature. Such a concept does not exist. I understand that there has to be consistency between scientists and how they compare data. But ... it just bothers me and I have to get back to my paper.

I found myself thinking yesterday, how odd it is that we separate climatology according to months. I wonder why it is not centered around the equinoxes which occur on the 20th, every three months.