Dang, I guess Al Gore was right

Not to worry, folks.

There were big snowstorms in Denver this week, so that proves global warming is a hoax.

 

In fairness -- though I hate to inject logic or reason here, much less fairness -- the standard conservative/libertarian/Republican/Righty_Wingman take on global warming isn't that global warming theories must be false...We have proof that the Earth has heated slightly over the last 150 years or so.

But we don't have much in the way of reliable year-to-year data before that period, so there's no way to tell for sure what the data means. We also know that the Earth's climate, on a grand scale, is cyclical. There have been Heat Ages just as there have been Ice Ages, and man hasn't had anything to do with any of them.

There isn't any real proof that human activity is responsible for the latest warming trend -- though of course there isn't any proof that we arent responsible. Still, as one of the few right-wingers who still believes in small government, I'm hesitant to say the solution to what may or may not be a problem is lots and lots of bureaucracy and invasive legislation.

Still less do I think it's a good idea to commit ourselves to international treaties that will restrain our economy and leave our Chinese and Indian competitors free to emit whatever they please for as long as they please. (This, of course, is why President Clinton and a bipartisan majority of the Senate declined to sign the Kyoto Treaty in the first place.)

 

A bipartisan majority of the Senate also declined to sign the Kyoto Treay because they energy industry in this country bought the vote.
"There isn't any proof"?
Wow.

 

As one of the most staunch "government haters" on this board, let me say this...

Environmental protection is a VERY close second to security as a governmental responsibility. Mainly because society as a whole doesn't give a damn about future generations, and if governments don't take the lead, no one will.

 

Excellent point, and one I suspect we will be hearing from the secular conservatives -- as opposed to the religious right, some members of which, to their credit, will use the "stewardship" argument -- over the next few years.
Hell, TR was the country's first environmentalist, and it was Nixon who established the EPA.

 

Tell me, BYH, what would be stranger: The earth staying exactly the same temperature all the time or the earth having cooling and warming cycles (as it's had throughout its history)?

Also tell me this: Is higher CO2 levels the cause of slightly warmer temperatures or are warmer temperatures the cause of higher CO2 levels?

Also, has the sun been releasing exactly the same amount of energy daily or does solar activity have anything to do with warmer or cooler temperatures?

While we're at it, what percentage of all CO2 are humans responsible for?

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1375089.stm
Ask these people.

 

You're slipping, F_B. The only "scientists scold Bush on global warming" story you could find was from waaaay on back in 2001?

You're better than that.

And again, there's no question the Earth has been warming lately, and that SOME very smart people think we should try to do something about it.

But, as tony pointed out a couple posts above this, there's no proof of human agency behind the (geologically speaking) recent warming trend.

 

According to Gore's flick, EVERY peer reviewed scientific article concedes man is contributing to global warming. It's only the mainstream media giving voice to dissenters (with no peer review).

 

Even more interesting, wingman, is if you do the math of cause and probability. Scientists tell us that the earth has been around some 4 billion years. Those of the global warming faith (who 35 years ago were warning us of global cooling) are telling us that the last 30 years prove their claim.

Relatively speaking, 30 years out of 4 billion is about the equivalent of one-third of a second in a year.

 

Yup, and Gore's flick certainly has no agenda.

If something in a flick with an agenda is your guideline, then along those lines, according to the flick "South Park: Bigger, Better and Uncut" Canada is responsible for our kids learning swear words.

 

Jack,

I don't read any scientific journals, so I can't really argue there. I do remember reading a review of An Inconvenient Truth that pointed out that the peer-reviewed journals can tend to be echo chambers on controversial issues: The establishment view is X, so anyone writing Y -- even someone as smart and accomplished as, say, Bjorn Lomborg -- is bound to get turned away.

I do find it hard to believe that no peer-reviwed journal has published ANYTHING questioning human agency in climate change.

And as Tony keeps pointing out, there's no way to know for sure, because our sample size is absurdly small. I vaguely remember reading somewhere -- possibly in Bill Bryson's science book -- that the explosion of Krakatoa in the 19th century released more CFCs into the air than all manmade industry in the recorded history of the world.