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February 23, 2007
Global Warning
 |
| I'm starting to grow tired of the media hype around global
warming and climate change. Just the other day I read a story about a new
invasion of France due to global
warming(Giant
Asian Hornets Invading France). The French are expected
to surrender ...again. Here is one of the first paragraphs... "Global warming has largely been blamed for the survival and spread of the Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, which is thought to have arrived in France from the Far East in a consignment of Chinese pottery in late 2004." It sounds to me like the Chinese pottery market in France is responsible for the giant hornets. Maybe we can all use some critical thinking instead of playing the "global warming" card whenever something needs explaining. This is beginning to sound like a religion. Since the hornets have survived since 2004 it might be an indication that France has had a few warmer years. Some people might also recognize that natural selection allows for species to adapt to new climates. But I don't think 3 years of French hornet infestation is the science needed to prove man's impact on the planet. Relating all forms of scary things to global warming seems to be the current fad. |
| Another recent example of alarmist concern is a news
story that global warming will cause an increase in hospitalization
of children due to fevers (Fever
Claim on Global
Warming). If temperature were a primary factor in children's health then we would expect more sick children in Arizona than in Botswana (85 degrees average temp. vs. 80 degrees respectively). We would also expect children that move from Botswana to Arizona to become less healthy. Of course there are many factors related to health. Most people recognize that nutrition and socioeconomic status are much greater indicators of future health than air temperature. That's why children in Arizona are healthier than those in Botswana. I'm growing increasingly wary of the forceful media attempts to make global warming "the issue". When I see the buzz words changing from "global warming" to "global climate change" I wonder if the issue is being positioned to survive science that contradicts the "warming" part in the coming years. The fact that the geniuses in Hollywood that brought us Britney Spears and Roman Polanski (who also invaded France) are solidly behind this effort just makes me more wary. Finally, I read a story that reports an effect of global warming may be that it's scaring kids, and making them believe their parents are destroying the environment (Global Warming Concerns Are Keeping Children Awake At Night). That story might be the most relevant of all three that I linked to. This whole thing is starting to sound like the Y2K bug, but without the convenient deadline for world destruction. |
Posted by Lon at February 23, 2007 12:00 AM
Comments
Ah jeez Lon, don't get me started.
Just tonight I attended a lecture about astronomy at the CARD center that got co-opted by the global warming argument. It happened because some "concerned" people from two lectures ago didn't like the matter of fact science about the sun that was presented then, and then argued with the organizers that the lecture was 'biased' and therefore had to have a global warming expert come in for an hour and present his view tonight.
Then one of the "concerned" people got up from the audience and made a speech about how we all have to "change our lifestyle". Expressing opinions is one thing, but hijacking a lecture series to foist your personal views on others is something else.
Meanwhile, back in regular space-time, that detour was followed by the regular astronomy lecture on black holes, quasars, and other energetic stellar objects.
Posted by: Anthony Watts at February 22, 2007 11:29 PM
Anthony,
I'm pretty bummed I haven't made it to any of that lecture series. I'm not so bummed I missed the last one.
I talked to Kris Koenig a couple of weeks ago about what happened to the lecture. He said he had mentioned in a lecture that global warming science was sometimes politically motivated. That got a couple of people upset.
Somebody filed a complaint with the lecture sponsor "Museums Without Walls" (essentially CSU Chico). The sponsor decided to have a special lecture where alternative views could be presented.
Just to put this in perspective, this is like having a lecture on The Galapagos Islands, and having the lecturer get challenged for not giving equal weight to Creationism. And then having the sponsor demand that time be given to refute evolution.
Or flip the argument and make it about a lecture on Christianity and the sponsor demands some time of the lecturer to present evolution.
Either way the sponsor kow-towed to the hip cause of today and political correctness. Sad.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at February 23, 2007 08:22 AM
Have you heard the "Pale Blue Dot" series on KCHO? It's a little like Earth and Sky, although it's locally produced. It's hosted by David Schlom, "Climate Change Expert" and physics teacher at Corning High School. Man, has this guy ever been drinking the kool aid!
They run this during Morning Edition, and every time I hear it, I feel like a goose on a foie gras farm.
Posted by: Alan Chamberlain at February 23, 2007 09:57 PM
Alan,
I haven't been able to listen to the radio. Unfortunately my transistor radio was not designed to work in the extreme heat we've experienced lately.
I have read recently that global warming might increase the quality of wine. It's the quality of whine I'm having trouble with.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at February 24, 2007 10:12 AM