Author Topic: On global warming (Read 1180 times)

Shuckins · « **Reply #45 on:** August 08, 2002, 05:23:29 PM »

Midnight,

So I stand corrected. Mount St. Helens was the second largest volcanic event of the 20th century.

The main question remains; What effect has this event had on the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global warming? Most of the exponential temperature increase being discussed so breathlessly in some of these posts has taken place in the last two decades.

Let's not start pulling our hair out until we can accurately quantify all of the factors involved. All that most scientists can agree on is that human activity is having some impact on global warming. What they cannot agree on is how large that impact is.

Regards, Shuckins

CptTrips · « **Reply #46 on:** August 08, 2002, 05:38:21 PM »

Ohh I'm sure all the tree huggers are right. I'm sure that all those academic weenies who would do anything to get another research grant and avoid actually having to go out into industry to get a job wouldn't over exagerate a problem. I'm sure public scare tactics have never been used to attain political goals.

But I'm old enough to remember a lot of the same "scientists" telling us we might be entering a new ice age. Remember? Mid-70's? I remember that scaring the crap out of me as a kid. I even saw a rerun the other day of that old show "in Search Of" where they were talking about that theory and showing paintings of glaciers plowing down Manhatten in the year 2000. I was laughing my bellybutton off.

Who's right? I dunno. I do know its prolly easier to milk off some juicy goverment research dollars when you can get a nice froth of fear and dread whipped up in the voting public.

Regards,
Wab

Wlfgng · « **Reply #47 on:** August 08, 2002, 05:47:43 PM »

good point.

I have to add that if we always wait until scientists 'know' what's going on it'll be too late. Good or bad.

But the thing is that we'll probably never know in our lifetimes.

Thrawn · « **Reply #48 on:** August 08, 2002, 05:53:08 PM »

It's not a good point at all.

Cripes, if you want to go with such a falacious agruement. Why not go with this one. Who has more to lose and is more concerned about their financial situation. Scientists or energy companies.

Wabbit, that is one sad assed conspiracy theory.

midnight Target · « **Reply #49 on:** August 08, 2002, 06:05:19 PM »

Really, research aside, why the fight against this notion? It is pretty clear that things are warming up, and that humans have had "some" effect.

Whether you have trust in the research that has been done to this point or not the above is pretty indesputable fact. We have groups like the EPA, NASA and NOAA saying that this issue is real. These aren't environmental wackos!

Scientists who fudge the numbers and establish theories that don't stand up to scrutiny following publication have much less chance of keeping their job. These NASA, EPA and NOAA guys probably want to keep working. Publishing bugus theories won't help.

So lets assume that the threat is real and it will affect future generations. Now what?

I think we should care even if its just our Grandchildren we will be assisting.