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One Engineer’s Perspective on Global Warming
Engineering.com ^ | 8/12/2014 | David Simpson

Posted on 08/14/2014 6:10:20 PM PDT by tbw2

Many scientists and non-scientists are discussing "Global Warming" (or as it is increasingly being called "Anthropogenic Climate Change" or ACC). ACC would simply be an interesting topic for discussion if it were not for the politicization, polarization, and sensationalism that have accompanied the science.

(Excerpt) Read more at engineering.com ...


TOPICS: Science; Weather
KEYWORDS: agw; climate; climatechange; globalwarming; globalwarmingscare; manmadeglobalwarming
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One of the most detailed discussions of the problems with climate models, the 97% consensus argument and data that global warming models are based on
1 posted on 08/14/2014 6:10:20 PM PDT by tbw2
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To: tbw2

It is refreshing to read something produced by one whose education far surpasses the vast majority of out so-called climate scientists.


2 posted on 08/14/2014 6:23:04 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: tbw2

For another engineer’s view, see:
http://rps3.com/Pages/Burt_Rutan_on_Climate_Change.htm

Rutan is rather more blunt about Global Hot Air than Simpson.


3 posted on 08/14/2014 6:23:57 PM PDT by Boundless (Survive Obamacare by not needing it.)
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To: tbw2

Every scientific field I’ve ever worked in has had people of divergent opinions, even fields which most people consider ‘settled.’ Only with ‘climate’ issues have I ever heard one side deride another with ‘lone nut’ appellations. I first heard it in 2003. Clearly some sciences are more equal than others.


4 posted on 08/14/2014 6:31:06 PM PDT by posterchild (It takes a politician to declare a settled science.)
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To: tbw2

Good read. Long but informative.


5 posted on 08/14/2014 6:32:05 PM PDT by Robert DeLong (u)
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To: tbw2

Interesting post, will bookmark for later.
To me, it’s so obvious that GW is all about govt control of the masses. Once you realize their motivation, it all flows from there.


6 posted on 08/14/2014 6:36:15 PM PDT by nascarnation (Toxic Baraq Syndrome: hopefully infecting a Dem candidate near you)
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To: tbw2

Now THAT is a rebuttal to AGW, not the nay saying I see here so often on FR. It is a must read, bottom line, the models used by the AGW crowd are worthless.


7 posted on 08/14/2014 6:52:59 PM PDT by Paradox (Unexpected things coming for the next few years.)
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To: tbw2

Being trained as an engineer myself, I am always amazed when I encounter people with about the same level of training as I have had who believe this crap.

I know one guy who is a metallurgist (PhD) who has swallowed this hook, line, and sinker.


8 posted on 08/14/2014 6:53:48 PM PDT by sauropod (Fat Bottomed Girl: "What difference, at this point, does it make?")
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To: tbw2

“The politics are particularly insidious. Governments are doing real harm to their economies by mandating that “40 percent of the national power supply will come from renewable sources,” or “CO2 emissions from power plants must be reduced by 30 percent” or “Cap and Trade” or “Carbon Taxes.” The tone of the majority of engineers in the www.eng-tips.com discussions has been “Show me how raising my taxes, utility costs, and fuel costs will impact the climate that my grandchildren will live in.” The only response is to trot out yet another computer model running on adulterated data with a potentially biased calibration.

The politicians and press may have convinced some portion of the general public that this proposition is supported in the science, but they are quite a ways from convincing the preponderance of the engineering community. While I can’t find any “skeptics” who have become “warmists” or “warmists” who have become “skeptics,” there have been a large number who have gone from “its not my field, and I don’t have time to think about it” to very skeptical. Fewer of the uncaring masses have moved into the warmist camp.”

Leave it to an engineer to search out the rat in the theory. Great analysis of the “models” and the selection of which of many competing models to publicize. It’s all a big ideological con job, the social Darwinism of the 21st century. Also there is a lot of money in it.

I’m only disappointed in his characterization of the position I lean to as “extremely skeptical”. “Sure the climate is changing, it is always changing”.


9 posted on 08/14/2014 7:05:39 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: tbw2

Being an engineer myself... I say “deal with it” when it comes to climate change. The amount of energy I would need to actually change the climate of this planet is so massive that humans are simply not capable of producing the amount of energy required.

We can’t control the sun. We can’t control volcanoes and earthquakes. We can, however, control our response to them. So the earth warms up a few degrees over 100 years. PLANT A SHADE TREE IN YOUR YARD!!! Install an air conditioner. If the planet cools a few degrees turn the heat up. Buy shorts. Crops can be easily replanted in different zones. We will never run out of water if the political will was there to install desalinizing plants all along the coast.

BUT, nope. Liberal solutions require massive government, taxes, control, and misery.


10 posted on 08/14/2014 7:33:44 PM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: tbw2

ping


11 posted on 08/14/2014 7:40:20 PM PDT by woweeitsme
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To: nascarnation
Actually, it started out as a purely corporate-greed tactic. The infamous Enron was making money on the trading of SO2 credits, but wanted to expand. Someone there figured out that, if they could do with CO2 what they were doing with SO2, the sky was the limit. The rest is history. Even the stupid/ignorant SCOTUS has denoted CO2, the key gas absolutely necessary for the maintenance of life on Earth*, is a pollutant! Crazy!

* Without Co2, there is no vegetation/flora; without vegetation, there is no animal/fauna life, either, since all animals either live on vegetation or live on animals that do.

12 posted on 08/14/2014 7:48:50 PM PDT by expat2
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To: Organic Panic

Excellent!


13 posted on 08/14/2014 8:08:16 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono (NRA)
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To: Organic Panic
Being an engineer myself... I say “deal with it” when it comes to climate change.

I am actually less skeptical than most here about AGW. But in the end, the final truth is that _if_ its real, it is extremely unlikely that we will ever be able to do anything about it. Like Lomborg, I think we'll just have to deal with it.

14 posted on 08/14/2014 8:15:24 PM PDT by Paradox (Unexpected things coming for the next few years.)
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To: Organic Panic

Nice post. I’m going to save it.


15 posted on 08/14/2014 8:30:46 PM PDT by US_MilitaryRules (The last suit you wear has no pockets!)
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To: Boundless

Good stuff from Burt Rutan.


16 posted on 08/14/2014 8:32:58 PM PDT by Yardstick
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To: tbw2

Bookmark


17 posted on 08/14/2014 9:00:14 PM PDT by Techster
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To: tbw2

Good read even for this old uneducated antique.

But there is a street sense that many of us antiques use in everyday life that has worked for millions.

I don’t put much faith in the opinions or conclusions of so called scientists who are willing to ruin careers of skeptics simply for questioning methodology of the research.

I don’t put much faith in name callers who attempt to discredit all who disagree with them. There has even been suggestions to arrest those who question or disagree.

Just what is to be gained and by whom? Often that paints a really good picture showing motive.

It appears to me that this whole thing is about creating a revenue stream for national and world government types.


18 posted on 08/14/2014 9:06:12 PM PDT by Joan Kerrey (The larger the government, the smaller the people)
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To: tbw2

Bookmark


19 posted on 08/14/2014 9:12:09 PM PDT by aquila48
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To: tbw2

Bookmark


20 posted on 08/14/2014 9:12:40 PM PDT by aquila48
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