The smart so bright I gotta wear shades.
President-elect Barack Obama has selected two of the nation’s most prominent scientific advocates for a vigorous response to climate change to serve in his administration’s top ranks, according to sources, sending the strongest signal yet that he will reverse Bush administration policies on energy and global warming.
The appointments of Harvard University physicist John Holdren as presidential science adviser and Oregon State University marine biologist Jane Lubchenco as head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which will be announced tomorrow, dismayed conservatives but heartened environmentalists and researchers.
Sorry, no room for deniers at the inn.
I’ve been a big supporter of those who want to make changes because of “Global Warming.”
BUT, I’ve never really been that concerned about “GW.” My concerns were smaller; I always thought that air without pollution smelled nicer, birds are better than no birds, sunsets made by nature instead of toxic gases were prettier, walking next to electric cars was more calming than listening to a street full of 12 year old good old America V-8’s.
Why can’t we do the right thing for the sweet smelling, quiet reasons instead of the big doomsday ones? Why do we always have to wait till be get to the cliff edge before changing direction? Why do suppositories work best for hemorrhoids? Why did I just ruin this heretofore OK article with that silly nonsense?
Global Warming = ManBearPig
As much as I appreciate a good South Park reference, you’re wrong, Ghost.
It’s so fucking tiring to go over the same old thing, over and over again, so I’ll be brief. Global warming is real, the vast majority of scientific minds know that it’s real, and the only ones who seek to deny it are political hacks who want to deny it because it doesn’t fit with their fuck-the-environment, free-market capitalism viewpoint.
Stop trying to create a false reality to coincide with your beliefs. Or, more succinctly – STFU.
I can’t take much more of this global warming.
Why is it conservatives are always so dumb that they point to a story about random cold weather and use that as proof positive that global warming is false despite all the actual science?
I wonder if some of these people, every night, stop believing that the sun exists.
It’s probably the same reason that Liberals point to a story about random warm weather and use that as proof positive that global warming is true.
It’s not called global warming, Ferris. It’s actually global ‘climate change,’ one of the predictions of which is that storms are going to be more frequent and more severe.
So, pointing out the record snow fall in Las Vegas is actually anecdotal evidence for climate change, not against it, though by no means does it prove anything all on its own.
In other words, anything more extreme – more cold, or more hot – than its ever been is probably a sign that the times, they are a’changin.
Also, SaveFerris, the earth revolves around the sun, not the other way. Most scientists agree.
Ah yes the global-warming-is-a-myth-because–somwhere-it’s-cold-out argument. Also in the news: The Earth is flooding because it’s raining out, and the sun has somehow been destroyed because look how dark it is. I’ve personally noticed the vanishing of all coffee from the world, because look — is there any more in this mug? No, it is gone. Coffee is gone.
No wait, look now. See? no coffee. That’s twice; the evidence is mounting.
I don’t doubt that all of the garbage put in the air by mankind is bad but I am in no rush to implement some of the extreme overhauls of the economy that people like Al Gore advocate (yet don’t implement in their own lives). I agree actions are beneficial and needed but why not admit there is a certain amount of hysteria in some of the diehard global warming believers Oliver?
“Sorry, no room for deniers at the inn.”
Way to feed the conservative martyr complex!
And for this earth revolving around the sun theory of yours, ed, the debate is open on that front: http://www.fixedearth.com/
I don’t doubt that all of the garbage put in the air by mankind is bad but I am in no rush to implement some of the extreme overhauls of the economy that people like Al Gore advocate (yet don’t implement in their own lives)
Examples, please, Wile E. Thanks in advance.
Ah cripes, Ed, don’t do that. ‘Al Gore has a big house, owns a plane, blah blah blah.’
Last week, it snowed here in Houston. Currently, it’s 79.
1950′S – 1970′S: Not all doctors agree that smoking cigaretts are harmful to your health. There is a vigorus debate.
The only doctors disagreeing were paid by the tobacco industry.
1970’s – now: Not all scientists agree that global warming is happening, or that it is man-made. There is a vigorus debate.
The only scientists disagreeing are paid by the oil industry.
Find me a paper published in a real science journal authored by a real scientist that wasn’t funded by the oil industry & I’ll eat my shorts!
MrGreyGhost: “Global Warming = ManBearPig”
Anyone who uses South Park as a scientific source should be neutered.
The “global warming/climate change” movement has more in common with religion than science.
As others noted, EVERYTHING that happens is cited as proof that “climate change” is real. Strong hurricane season? Proof. Few hurricanes? Proof. Average hurricanes? Proof. Warmer than last year? Proof. Cooler than last year? Proof.
I have two simple questions for those who insist that anthropomorphic climate change is valid:
1) If things are getting worse, then by definition we are moving away from the “norm.” What IS the norm? What is the “correct” temperature for the earth?
That’s a tricky one. The globe’s history is one of constant change. There is no “natural state” for our climate.
2) If “climate change” is not a matter of faith for you, then I have another simple question: what sort of events would convince you that it is NOT true? What kind of things would persuade you that the theory is not true?
“True believers” get offended by that question, because it forces them to move out of the “faith” and into the “science” argument.
Glenn Reynolds has an observation that I find is very, very true: “I’ll believe that there is a crisis when those who say that there is a crisis start acting like there is a crisis.” Al Gore is not alone among the “climate change” alarmists who continue to live their lives as if they KNOW that their arguments are a crock.
J.
Global warming? Next thing you know they’ll be saying the world is flat.
The Goracle = Chicken Little.
Yes JayTea, if every scientist and Al Gore are not living in huts made of mud and powered by solar, global warming is bullshit!
Oh and fsr as your question. To number one, normal is “so human beings can keep on living near the shore of oceans and lakes without getting flooded out” and number two is “when the polar ice caps stop fucking melting!”
Jesse, 1) living near large bodies of water is a guarantee of flooding. Period. Storms, erosion, and a zillion other factors make flooding a fact of life. It’s simply the tradeoff for living near the water.
2) Have you checked on the Antarctic lately? Its ice cap has been steadily GROWING. Also, glaciers in Norway, the Himalayas, Greenland, Canada, California and Alaska are growing. Oh, and the Arctic ice cap gained about half a million square miles in the last year.
Welcome to the skeptics’ club, Jesse… it’s tough, to be constantly demanding actual scientific proof before accepting something as a tenet of faith, but in the end it’s more satisfying.
J.
Jay Tea,
Pundits, bloggers, and folks out on the street talk about the local weather as if it has anything to do with global warming because they don’t know what the eff they’re talking about.
I, for one, will cease to be alarmed by increasing CO2 levels and corresponding rise in average global temperatures when someone in the scientific community comes up with a reasonable mechanism other than human activity to account for the well-documented trends. (Preferably published in a peer reviewed, scientific journal. If you have a citation for that, by all means share.)
And don’t bring up the solar cycle or warming on Mars, because trust me, it doesn’t mean what you think it means.
Have you checked on the Antarctic lately? Its ice cap has been steadily GROWING. Also, glaciers in Norway, the Himalayas, Greenland, Canada, California and Alaska are growing.
I’m having trouble finding evidence for this. Is this a worldwide phenomenon? Is the earth really getting colder? I knew it! The libs are always wrong! But just to be sure, could you share your sources? Thanks in advance.
And don’t bring up the solar cycle or warming on Mars, because trust me, it doesn’t mean what you think it means.
Trust me. Nothing means what Jay tea thinks it means.
Jay Tea, if you’d like to prove me wrong, you can provide links to back up your arguments anytime.
Oh and Jay Tea, since it doesn’t appear to be obvious to you, I should point out that Glenn Reynolds calling Al Gore a dumb old stoopid head is not an argument for or against, well, anything.
Glenn Reynolds has an observation that I find is very, very true
Which makes it immediately suspect.
Jesus, do we really have to go over this again?
I,m 80 and well world travelled. critical climate change is not evident. normal warming and cooling is. reducing pollution is an option and is being done.thereis no “proof” that pollution causes earth to warm.
“2) Have you checked on the Antarctic lately? Its ice cap has been steadily GROWING. Also, glaciers in Norway, the Himalayas, Greenland, Canada, California and Alaska are growing. Oh, and the Arctic ice cap gained about half a million square miles in the last year.”
Yes, and that’s due to global warming. You see, when its -50 degrees, it is too cold to snow. The air is so cold it can’t hold any moisture. When the temperature climbs to -40 degrees, the moisture goes up, and it snows more, and therefore the glaciers grow.
Welcome to the skeptics’ club, Jay Tea. It takes a little more work to check the facts before swallowing what some industry paid scientist is trying to sell you, but it is worth it.
And again, when faced with actual facts, Jay Tea and his merry band of trolls runs away.
J- “The “global warming/climate change” movement has more in common with religion than science.”
So, should I be sending the human sacrifices to the Sun God, or the Snow God? That’s what the “global warming” debate is all about!
Okay, should I feel guilty about a burnt offering?