[Tarpon]

Sorry to inform you, they don't teach physical chemistry anymore. It is fundamentally the ignorance of the population and the "availability of information phenomena" that fuels these side trips into fantasy. Most people only repeat what they hear others say, and sadly "said on TV" is the unofficial ultimate source for most.

So there you have it, the WSJ spelled it out in more detail here. The WSJ refers to is as the "availability cascade", commonly known as the rumor mill. You can test the hypothesis by asking the next person you meet who is saying we are all going to die "How do you know this"? End your conversation with "I wonder why they never talk about the sun when discussing global warming".

What's further maddening, the proof is out there. Recently a satellite study was concluded and it found no unique signature for CO2 induced global warming. The paper is here, read the abbreviated short version. David Evans, a former supporter of the nonsense before he concluded this study, had set out to prove the unique CO2 signature was present. As with many things, he was wrong so he flipped sides.

[cogitator]

I'd put the 137-page paper (PDF) below up against Evans any month of the year. Point 1 of my profile explains why his point 1 is wrong; the paper below explains why the main point of his piece (I can't stretch far enough to call it an actual scientific paper, sorry) regarding tropospheric temperatures is probably wrong too.

Just found this paper today while searching for a response to your posting. I'll have to keep it in my files.

Climate Change and Tropospheric Temperature Trends

Sorry, it doesn't have an "abbreviated short version" (ASV). For a complex subject like this, ASVs gloss over a lot of important scientific information. Evans' piece is a fine example.