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Aliens Cause Global Warming
Caltech Michelin Lecture ^ | January 17, 2003 | Michael Crichton

Posted on 12/11/2003 1:44:39 PM PST by Dan Evans

Edited on 01/02/2004 6:36:11 PM PST by Sidebar Moderator. [history]

My topic today sounds humorous but unfortunately I am serious. I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming. Or to speak more precisely, I will argue that a belief in extraterrestrials has paved the way, in a progression of steps, to a belief in global warming. Charting this progression of belief will be my task today.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: carlsagan; crevolist; environmentalism; globalwarming; pufflist; sagan; science
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"Let's think back to people in 1900 in, say, New York. If they worried about people in 2000, what would they worry about? Probably: Where would people get enough horses? And what would they do about all the horseshit?"

As it turns out, the EPA is full of it, the New York Times prints it, and Steve Milloy maintains a daily chronicle.

1 posted on 12/11/2003 1:44:40 PM PST by Dan Evans
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To: Dan Evans
I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming.

Yeah, Crichton, one extra-terrestrial in particular is responsible for global warming and cooling:

Like we need you to tell us that.

2 posted on 12/11/2003 1:47:51 PM PST by dirtboy (New Ben and Jerry's flavor - Howard Dean Swirl - no ice cream, just fruit at bottom)
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To: Dan Evans
I have always gotten the distinct impression, from environmental extremists, that the only unnatural thing on this planet was man. Everything seems to add a positive component to the world, except man. We just don't fit in.

By logical extension; man, therefore, must have been dropped here from another planet (being so primitive & malevolent, we certainly did not bring ourselves).

I see this as a third alternative, after Creationism, and evolution.

I call it the Mother Ship theory.

3 posted on 12/11/2003 2:01:15 PM PST by laotzu
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To: Dan Evans
OUTSTANDING article. Well worth the lengthy read.
4 posted on 12/11/2003 2:13:23 PM PST by Sloth ("I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" -- Jacobim Mugatu, 'Zoolander')
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To: Dan Evans
This is an outstanding article.

Which will never be read by those who really need to read it. If you shoved it in front of their eyes, they'd screw them shut like a priest looking at porn.

Truly, global warming IS a religion.
5 posted on 12/11/2003 2:13:25 PM PST by Gorjus
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To: Sloth

Crichton for President!

6 posted on 12/11/2003 2:17:15 PM PST by Sloth ("I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" -- Jacobim Mugatu, 'Zoolander')
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To: Dan Evans
WOW! Wish I'd said that. Best thing I've read in weeks.

Scientific American really lost it in their review of "The Bell Curve." I read the book, and it had absolutely no relationship to the book SA reviewed. (The author did well to avoid the whole Bell Curve controversy, though it is one more example of his hypothesis.)
7 posted on 12/11/2003 2:22:40 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Uday and Qusay and Idi-ay are ead-day)
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To: Dan Evans
Reality is only consensual agreement.

What we believe is what is real.

8 posted on 12/11/2003 2:36:26 PM PST by UCANSEE2 ("Duty is ours, Results are God's" --John Quincy Adams)
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To: Dan Evans
Excellent article - thanks for posting! Bookmarked.
9 posted on 12/11/2003 2:41:54 PM PST by 11B3 (Liberalism is merely another form of mental retardation.)
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To: UCANSEE2
What we believe is what is real.

As separate individuals, we can hold two contradictory beliefs at once. I, one and you, another. Which is real?

10 posted on 12/11/2003 2:44:27 PM PST by RightWhale (Close your tag lines)
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To: Dan Evans
This is real series! Can you please provide the condensed version?
11 posted on 12/11/2003 2:46:07 PM PST by cinFLA
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To: Sloth
Crichton for President!

I'll second that!

12 posted on 12/11/2003 2:47:32 PM PST by RightWhale (Close your tag lines)
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To: Dan Evans
Excellent article!

One caveat, though.

In contrast, science held different values-international in scope, forging friendships and working relationships across national boundaries and political systems, encouraging a dispassionate habit of thought, and ultimately leading to fresh knowledge and technology that would benefit all mankind.

By definition, science has no values other than the pursuit of truth. The author decries the politicization of science, but here he is saying that "real science" holds what are indisputably political values. Perhaps most scientists hold these values, and I even personally agree with most of them. But that doesn't make them scientific.

Science, like pure capitalism, has no values. Both are merely efficient methods of achieving certain goals. Those goals can be good or evil.

A scientist who vehemently disagreed with all these values could still do perfectly valid scientific research. It's not politically correct to bring it up, but some of the experiments done by the Nazis on humans had significant scientific value.

13 posted on 12/11/2003 2:49:36 PM PST by Restorer
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To: Dan Evans
This article should be required reading for all members of Congress - each month. Science has an enormous impact on our lives, and has huge potential to radically change things for better or worse within a generation or two. We MUST have scientists acting like scientists, not partisan politicians.
14 posted on 12/11/2003 2:53:17 PM PST by Ancesthntr
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To: farmfriend
ping
15 posted on 12/11/2003 2:54:49 PM PST by Libertarianize the GOP (Ideas have consequences)
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To: Dan Evans
Bump.
16 posted on 12/11/2003 2:55:16 PM PST by Madame Dufarge
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To: Dan Evans; AAABEST; Ace2U; Alamo-Girl; Alas; alfons; amom; AndreaZingg; Anonymous2; ...
Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

17 posted on 12/11/2003 2:56:11 PM PST by farmfriend ( Isaiah 55:10,11)
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To: laotzu
I call it the Mother Ship theory.

So does Louis Farakkhan! lol

18 posted on 12/11/2003 3:00:47 PM PST by Fledermaus (Fascists, Totalitarians, Baathists, Communists, Socialists, Democrats - what's the difference?)
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To: Dan Evans; *puff_list; Leisler
Excellent read. Michael Crichton deconstructs the hot air blowing from the "scientific community".

19 posted on 12/11/2003 3:00:54 PM PST by metesky (Kids, don't let this happen to you!)
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To: Dan Evans
Zing!
20 posted on 12/11/2003 3:01:15 PM PST by BossLady (Every time a celebrity complains......a Freeper gets their wings.......)
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