An Inconvienent Truth

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Jan 2 2007, 08:02 AM) [snapback]369550[/snapback]</div>

Global warming will not warm everywhere equally, but it will cause more dramatic and intense variations. Colorado is seeing an unusually warm winter with record breaking precipitation this year. Three years ago, Colorado was in one of the worst droughts on record with rampant forest fires. This is consistent with global warming.

The comment "too late to do anything anyway" is specious. We have a choice between severe damage and horrific damage. If we care at all for our children and their children, the choice is obvious.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Walker1 @ Jan 1 2007, 05:53 PM) [snapback]369338[/snapback]</div>

Here in Oxfordshire, in the south of England, we always had snowfall at some time in the winter (January 1963 was a particularly cold month with day & night temperatures never rising above 0C ,32F). Night frosts were common in winter. I can't remember the last time I saw snow but I think it must have been well over 20 years ago.
Summer and winter temperatures have also been higher in recent years. July 2006 was the hottest month yet recorded and even the 2006 November and December were much warmer than usual. So far January has not had any frost, which is unusual and day temperatures have been around 10C.(50F) in the south of the UK.
Changes in climate therefore seem obvious and I find it odd that many people scarcely notice this or do not find it remarkable and certainly do not believe it is due to pollution.
It's hard to believe that public opinion will change in the near future although some of our politicians here seem to be making noises about the need to cut carbon emissions.

So give my vote to Al Gore, I see that when he was in office during the 1990s he did make efforts to bring about change, albeit unsuccessful.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jan 5 2007, 05:27 AM) [snapback]371172[/snapback]</div>

I couldn't agree with you more.

Our national weather service is predicting a high of 70 (f) for Saturday here in the Washington, DC area. If so, that will be an all-time record (for that date). Perhaps I'll put on shorts, barbeque, maybe mow the lawn. On January 7. I'm sure it will be a lovely day.

Whereas I am totally unsettled by this, the only press coverage talked about how nice the flowering cherry trees looked. But if we have a heat wave in the summer, oh yeah, then you'll see global warming articles.

So I think some of the issue is the common confusion beween weather and climate. The average person really doesn't get it, and can't figure out that a trend toward unseasonably warm winter weather is every bit as much a possible effect of climate change as is an unbearably hot summer. It's hard, in part, because it feels nice and clearly has some benefits, but can also be quite destructive. A summer heat wave, by contrast, is perceived as unambiguously bad. So, for winter warming, our brains are at odds with our senses. For most people, that's no contest.

 

On my local weather channel the newcasters comment to the weatherman about how he gets an A+ for the forecast and they constantly talk about how wonderful it is that it's warm. Every night I have to listen to this nonsense. Pure stupidity.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jan 5 2007, 12:19 PM) [snapback]371296[/snapback]</div>

Bingo. Just got off a conference call with the same tone - ain't this nice. Yes it feels nice, no it shouldn't be like this. Most people can't hold both thoughts simultaneously.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Jan 5 2007, 06:46 AM) [snapback]371181[/snapback]</div>

Likewise here in Raleigh. At least we are not in the middle of a drought as we were this time last year, but I've got to think this weather is damaging to trees and farms, and if nothing else we will have bumper crops of gnats and mosquitos here in a few months. I'll probably be mowing the yard, too, not that I want to, it's just kept growing and weeds are sprouting enough that it just looks that crappy. Freaky Strange.

 

I got a copy of the Farmer's Almanac in my stocking. I was shocked to find an article about the benefits of global warming, with an illustration of two people in beach chairs, basking in the sun. After realising it was not a spoof, my first thought was to burn it, but now I think the proper thing to do is add it to the compost.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Jan 3 2007, 12:14 PM) [snapback]370132[/snapback]</div>

Does anyone but me remember the Rego project? I think Gore had his hands quite full with reducing government spending, an effort he succeeded at tremendously. I don't consider him "idle" for those eight years. Up against a wall with environmental causes, perhaps, but certainly not idle.

We need another Rego project now. Or my kid's gonna be paying off China for the rest of his life.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Jan 8 2007, 10:04 AM) [snapback]372445[/snapback]</div>

That's probably a given, for my children's current ages. My grandchildren, on the other hand, might have a chance not to be paying it off, or at least I hope they do. The government debt is over a trillion, any ideas on private debt to China?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Beryl Octet @ Jan 8 2007, 10:16 AM) [snapback]372450[/snapback]</div>

No need to wory about it. Our fiscal policies are taking us to the point where, by the time your grandchildren are taxpayers, a roll of dollars will be worth about as much as a roll of toilet paper. On the bright side, that means the value of the foreign debt will be minimal.

Seriously, though, we're about the only major debtor nation in history that's been allowed to denominate our debt in our own currency. If worst comes to worst, we'll do what the Germans did after WWI, and hyperinflate the dollar-denominated portion of foreign debt away.

You'll know we're really in trouble if foreign debt holders begin demanding that the debt be denominated in their currencies or in some other acknowledged store of value.

Think of it this way: when Mr. Bush (W) took office, the dollar was worth about 1.2 Euros. Today, the dollar is worth about 0.8 Euros, on a good day. So, Mr. Bush managed to reduce the value of our then-existing foreign debt by about one-third, as viewed by the holders of that debt. Of course, he also managed to reduce the value of all US assets, as viewed by foreigners, by about a third. I don't think we've given him quite enough credit as the value-destroying President. All we have to is continue our policies along the path he's set, and the entire problem of our foreign debt will be solved.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Walker1 @ Jan 1 2007, 05:53 PM) [snapback]369338[/snapback]</div>

Do you mean the political statement for Gore'2008? Nice presentation of Gore. Most of his claims are based in science, but his interpretations are exaggerated to make political points for the greenies. :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Walker1 @ Jan 16 2007, 07:23 PM) [snapback]376612[/snapback]</div>

i know of 3000 ex-servicemen and women that would have agreed with you

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PLM @ Jan 16 2007, 05:55 PM) [snapback]376501[/snapback]</div>

And if Gore never runs for president again and his "interpretations" turn out to be correct...will you flip-flop or stay the course?