Discussion Board

Bear in mind that humans have not been present for most of earth's history.

plus, we're only estimating temps for a large % of earth.... not empirical information available historically

http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/41db10b6 ... c4e47.html

At least until enough tipping points get passed, and then everything just kinda cascades downward into a vicious spiral.

Wasn't it not long ago, the magazines were warning us about a new ice age?

The sun is our only main heat source. Can we be sure that it stays exactly the same temperature? What about its cycles and sunspots. If the sun has long term temperature trends, both increases and decreases, does anyone doubt that this would affect earth's temperature.

I'm not suggesting that mankind should be slovenly about energy preservation or anything, but let's not put mankind at the center of the operation of the solar system. Physically, we are not significant, but spiritually we are highly significant.

Let's not forget that there are ulterior motives to global warming. There is a lot of power to be had from this movement, and the people who already have it will gain even more. Further, it could unnecessarily impoverish Americans into third world status by manipulations of monetary "solutions."

Be responsible for preserving energy, use clean energy, but don't fall for global warming, when just a few decades ago, we had a new ice age. The earth cannot turn on a dime, when it comes to megatrends within the solar system. There is far too much inertia in temperature and heat capacity. The sun can change temperature over time, and the earth has to follow that trend. There is no escaping that truth, but another truth is that powerful people will use anything to increase their power, including trumping up "global warming."

Or doing everything possible to discredit the science.

Anyone can discredit science, or build it up, too. Many scientists do not go along with global warming. How can they be discounted out of hand? Can it be that they are all wrong, and only the pro-warming folks can always be correct?

We all agree that summer follows spring, and that 2+2=4. However, a more sophisticated propostition goes beyond what we can see with great facility. I cannot be brought to think that each and every scientist who says there is no global warming is on the payroll of mega-corporations. Many scientists simply disagree with global warming. It seems to be more of a belief system, because of truly conflicting evidence.

As I was saying earlier, we had the major news magazines bring us the news of the impending ice age. I'm sure this notion came from some rather prestigious scientists. That was not that long ago, and I remember well the news headlines.

It seems we are heading two directions at once. Given that from the scientific community, I find it difficult to come to any conclusion. I do know that Antarctica was, before man came upon the scene, quite a bit warmer than it was a couple of hundred years ago. That raises questions in my mind.

We hold, I believe, however incorrectly, that man is in the center of the solar system, as far as the "controls" go. We are little nothings in comparison and contrast with the relationship with the sun and the earth.

Still, I strongly believe in the responsible use of energy, and finding applicable uses of that kind of energy. I do not believe that we should have a "czar," or other person with dictatorial powers; that is not American. The days of the District of Columbia dictating to us have almost come to an end, given the financial horrors of the future. Energy conservation will have to be accomplished by people in their everyday lives. The magic of the marketplace will run that far more smoothly than will the clumsiness of government.

The government was in charge of gasoline distribution back in the 1970s. How well I remember that. It was not something the public will stand for, for very long. The gas lines were often three blocks long, because the government didn't know how the distribution system worked. The concept of one power in Washington D.C. directing the day-to-day operations of people's energy is incomprehensible. They simply are not equipped to do that, and they don't have the input to direct them, the way the marketplace works nicely everyday.

There can be regulations in the kind of energy to be used, but small companies should be encouraged to be the ones from whom we get our energy. Otherwise, we'll end up with Haliburton type companies dominating us, with the government's hearty approval. Haliburton can lobby Congress, but the small energy companies cannot. That is why I do not favor the concentration of power in the hands of the very few. That is too much like Alexander Hamilton for my taste. Give me Jefferson anyday.

Behind every crisis, real or imagined, or trumped up by our mass media, there is always a large, concentrated entity out there who will buy Congress' favor, and we will have to do what is dictated to us, while they make obscene profits. In the end, the only ally the "little people" have is the freedom to act in their own interests to better themselves. This why I remain highly skeptical of global warming -- the power that it will give to to people who are themselves quite greedy. The other reason is global cooling.

In the west, during the late 1800s, the same thing happened with the railroads. They bought Congress, and Congress gave them extraordinary power in the west, to the point that they became governments themselves. The then governor of California, Hiram Johnson, started reforming state government as an answer to the powerful railroads. He gave us the famous California propositions, initiatives, and recalls of politicians. From this, the people had the power to fight back against the powers granted by the federal government to powerful corporations.

Yes, we do need to be mindful of what energy we use, and no, we don't need bullying centralized powers dictating to us as if we were little children. America is all about freedom, not dictatorship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpv5kFMcq8I

Nuff said.