Hot air: What does global warming mean?

Manchester Union Leader ^ | April 22, 2003 | Editorial

[billorites]

ENVIRONMENTAL activists have succeeded in scaring much of the world into believing that so-called greenhouse gases are a potentially lethal threat to all life on Earth. Whether this is true is a question we don’t pretend to be able to settle in this space. It is a question that needs to be raised nonetheless. As a recent atmospheric phenomenon, global warming certainly has taken place. Whether this warming is permanent, dangerous, benign or beneficial, and whether it is primarily man-made or natural, are questions that remain unanswered.

As Robert Balling, professor of climatology at Arizona State University, said in congressional testimony in 1996, “many questions remain about the quality of all models, and the actual correspondence between the model output and the actual climate record is weak.”

A Harvard University study released last month pointed out that “the 20th century is neither the warmest century over the last 1000 years, nor is it the most extreme.” Researchers from Harvard and NASA determined that what is called the Medieval Warm Period (800-1300) was warmer than the 20th century and was followed by a Little Ice Age (1300-1900).

The recent warming trend began in the middle of the 19th century. Since then the earth’s temperature has risen less than one degree, and roughly half that warming came before the mid-20th century. Satellite and weather balloon data indicate a slight cooling trend over the past two decades.

Before activists and Presidential candidates go demanding a renewed commitment to the Kyoto Protocol and severe restrictions of human industrial output, we need better science to tell us what is really happening.

[DB]

Absolutely.

[Sam Cree]

I think this is a fascinating subject, weather in general is, really.

I wish they wouldn't keep referring to these people as "environmental activists," as they are no more concerned with the environment than "peace activists" are with peace. Their true agenda is more like socialism. I am trying to say that they adopt certain causes as tactics as a means of implementing the primary strategy of socialist domination.

"whether it is primarily man-made or natural, are questions that remain unanswered."

That is pretty well answered, IMO, since global warming has been, I believe, underway well before the industrial age. It's just not answered whether human activity is exaggerating it, or, if it is, by how much.

[TheRightGuy]

we need better science to tell us what is really happening

It is obvious. We aere in a state of global warming which will continue until the onset of the next ice age, which will continue until the next onset of global warming ... ad infinitum.

I seriously doubt the industrial age of the past 150 years, which comprises .00000375% of our planet's history, has had anything whatsoever to do with it.

[Sam Cree]

I am under the impression that most scientists don't particularly give credence to the idea that man is having much effect on global warming. Just that the ones who do get the publicity and the grants. Perhaps because they are allied with the PC world.

[DB]

You are correct.

[wayoverontheright]

What does global warming mean?

It means that if the anti-capitalists of the world can convince enough people to believe that our world is actually in danger, and that economic growth is the enemy, then the plowing will have been done for the sowing of the seeds of socialism.

[sr4402]

Whether this is true is a question we don’t pretend to be able to settle in this space. It is a question that needs to be raised nonetheless. As a recent atmospheric phenomenon, global warming certainly has taken place.

Notice the immediate lie. They say they are not going to settle the issue and then a direct statement as if it is a fact global warming certainly has taken place as if there is no debate. How disingenuous of the author. The author thinks he or she can dupe us into believing just because they pronounce such and such as a fact. To which my answer is WHERE'S THE PROOF?

Since the author doesn't give us any, the author goes into the trash can with other spinning idiots.

[mc5cents]

Notice the immediate lie. They say they are not going to settle the issue and then a direct statement as if it is a fact global warming certainly has taken place as if there is no debate.

BINGO! Correctamundo. A classic case of begging the question. I.e., assuming as fact that which is to be proven.

[boris]

From The Greening Earth Society

This temperature update presents the NASA satellite measurements of monthly temperature anomalies—the difference between the observed values and the 1979–1998 mean values. Global satellite measurements are made from a series of orbiting platforms that sense the average temperature in various atmospheric layers. Here, we present the lowest level, which matches nearly perfectly with the mean temperatures measured by weather balloons in the layer between 5,000 and 28,000 feet. The satellite measurements are considered accurate to within 0.01°C and provide more uniform coverage of the entire globe than surface measurements, which tend to concentrate over land.

March 2003: The global average temperature departure was 0.104°C; the Northern Hemisphere temperature departure was 0.085°C; and the Southern Hemisphere departure was 0.122°C.

Below: Monthly satellite temperatures for the Northern Hemisphere (top) and Southern Hemisphere (bottom). Trend lines indicate statistically significant changes only.

[ThomasMore]

Check here for the Oregon Petition Project. More than 17000 scientists have signed it.

[ThomasMore]

Here's some interesting articles as well....

Kyoto = Kick the United States

Kyoto collapses in The Hague

NASA extinguishes global-warming fire

and...  THESE

[billorites]

The Greening Earth Society is an excellent web site and I always enjoy reading their newsletters. I recommend people check out the link above. Given that they are funded by the electrical utilities, however, leaves them exposed to criticism that they're shills for the carbon dioxide lobby.

The American Meteorogical Society has a pretty measured take on the issues here.