Politics, Social Conscience and Science Make Strange Bedfellows

First things first, I've said it before and I'll say it again...THERE IS NO PROVED CO2 DRIVEN ANTHROPOGENIC GLOBAL WARMING GOING ON!!! At best, it's only a hypothesis...in reality it's only a myth...a legend...a fable.

The issue of global warming or climate change in terms of being human induced has become entirely a political-social-economic issue. There is NO (good) science being used whatsoever. This is a condition of propaganda in its finest form, pure and (not so) simple. We are being treated like gullible idiots...and as long as we just stand here and take whatever tidbits of predetermined information that they want to give us and buy it, hook, line and sinker...we really deserve the title of "idiot."

Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't either clean up our act or that we don't need to find alternative forms of energy...those are both logical conclusions that would be reached based upon just about any kind of reasoning at all. But, as a group (human beings) do we really need to be lied to in order change our thinking? "They" have made it into an issue in just the last couple of years that has gone from being something that could happen if...or, will happen if we don't...to it is now happening and we are all going to die from being scorched and desiccated. Our (worst) fears are being played upon in order to get what somebody else wants (fame, fortune...mostly fortune).

Science as a discipline is taking a big hit with this one. The word "noble" and "science" can no longer be linked as fact based truths have become a thing of the past. Anymore, the "truth" is just an apparition...fleeting and changeable and controlled by those who have the most to gain. And, for the most part, we are talking BIG money. The trick to all of this (as in any con game)...is to do with speed and deception. In this case, we are talking about a climatic process and geologic time, so speed becomes relative...but deception by any other name (and in any other time) is still...deception.

So, who has the most to gain?...and how are they all linked to each other? Let's travel back in time a bit, to the late 80's. Big hair and arena rock are coming to an end...grunge and hip-hop/rap are now taking over the music scene...the Regan era continues with GB at the Helm...we are about to go to war again Iraq...and some scientists noted (I hesitate to say observed) that there had been an increase in some greenhouse gases (particularly CO2) over the years and because 1988 was a particularly hot and dry summer in the northern hemisphere, the global warming hypothesis due to anthropogenic greenhouse effect was born.

These scientists were mainly climatologists back then...a group that, in the atmospheric science world anyway, was traditionally the poor stepchild in meteorological circles. Not much in the way of significant money was being throw towards these guys for research as short (or even, long) term impact from there results were considered minimal at best. But now there is the possibility of the global warming condition. And the ball starts to roll. Global climate models are put together and results are spit out. Depending on just how the models are "tweaked", the consequences for the climate down the road could be quite bleak. These dire prognosticates of the future were then cleverly shown to those who would naturally be most sympathetic...the environmental watch dogs like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. Some research money is diverted from these groups and their lobbying power starts to be applied to the congress.

It's the 90s now, Clinton and the ever over the top environmental activist Al Gore are now in Washington. Al, naturally, buys into the global warming scene quite easily as the dreadful consequences are just too horrific to ignore...and he is (or wants to be preserved as ) a nice, caring environmentalist. Government Super Funds are born in the middle 90s...with the biggest money being targeted for environmental purposes or research. More (research) money is now being diverted into the ranks of climatology...especially those studies that support global warming...than ever before in the history of the science. By the end of the 90s, climate scientists hardly have to work at all (comparatively) to write those grants proposals and tap into the mother load. If played right, this could mean funding for the entire career of a climatologist. And, not only climatologists were to benefit...just about ANY other scientist that supports the idea of global warming could gain valuable money and favors. No need for a background in atmospheric science here...all of a sudden, medical doctors, sociologists, economists, etc. are putting out "expert" studies supporting global warming.

Enter the big media. The end of the 90s up through the present, with the help of the ever developing and powerful tool known as the internet, has coincided with and dictated the most extreme forms of selling global warming to the masses. Just what does the media know about this subject...exactly dick! They only know what sells! And, as this subject is not really within the realm of sexual exploits, the next best thing to advertise is death and destruction. So the speculation begins. Warming means heat...heat means burn...burn means death - that's good. Heat can also infer drying which in turn means less (fresh) water...thirst...and also death - also good. It goes even further too whereas heat also leads to melting, as in the case of the ice caps, which ironically leads to more water production and to the oceans rising and to our loss of our beach side properties (or big coastal cities...take your pick). Also very good. And now, just to cover all the bases (and for those of you who are fans of the movies "An Inconvenient Truth" or "The Day After tomorrow") we can get enough melting of the fresh water ice caps to cause the "thermal-haline" circulation to slow down or stop, leading us into the next ice age. So, no matter what happens or for what reasons, all the bases are covered. It's also interesting that any change in climate, warm or cold, is a disastrous one. Nothing good could ever come from warming...EXCEPT LIFE!

The new millennium has been a virtual mega-blockbuster as far as global warming is concerned with world politics, economics, social structure, and science all coming together quickly with the help of the media - especially after the extra induced paranoia that 911 produced. As a matter of fact(or truth if you prefer), as much as 911 was a direct terrorist attack on the people of this great country, so is the giant train wreck that global warming is producing...only its effects are, just as in its name - global! Communication technology should be held highly accountable for this as the internet is literally inundated with global warming "stories" on an almost daily basis...lest we dare forget about it. Of course these fairy-tales always ramp up around the time that something legally/politically important (Massachusetts vs. EPA for example) or when Al Gore's movie is up for an Academy Award (or when Kyoto was coming up for a vote...or when someone's research grant is about to end..., or...). Public perception of global warming has almost completely been formed from the devastating headlines that they continually advertise...this generates more hits on the web page which leads to better ratings and on to more revenue. It has now gotten to the point where day-trading of commodities and futures (particularly oil) is affected by what global warming story has just come out. For the long term, anthropogenic global warming is now being taught in elementary and secondary schools as a physical fact (of life)! This is an outrage and should infuriate you...if nothing else because it is just (still) a hypothesis! It all boils down to appearances and what you get from advertising or the marketing global warming - and nothing else.

There is so much more to say about this subject and if you really want more, please read a couple of other rants concerning this subject called, "The Political Pseudoscience of Global Warming" and "Hot Hype and Hyperbole Are Killing the Good Name of Science" also listed on Associated Content's site. In the end, what I am say is this...Man-made global warming based on increased levels of CO2 - don't believe it! On the other hand, recycle whatever and whenever you can...try to use less oil and gas when possible and look forward to burning more corn in that engine of yours (in the form of ethanol)...look for advances in solar and wind energy...watch for further developments concerning hydrogen power (something that is presented as a relatively "new" idea...but which has actually been around for many decades). Alternatively, support responsible research and development of our own natural resources here in the USA. I know, that opposes the environmental issue(s) that will (or have) arise but, we can do if anyone can. We have one of the world's largest supplies of coal still buried underground and THE largest petroleum reserve(s) on the entire planet locked up in the rocks of western Colorado and Eastern Utah. I think that with conscientious planning we can ease ourselves out from underneath OPEC's death grip and into a new age of energy (and yes, new ways to make money)...and all without threatening the temperature of the earth. However, the Earth can and will do as she wants...when she wants, which means that the climate will always either be warming or cooling...but will never remain neutral. That's the way of nature. Don't let anyone try to extort something from you by using these methods of inducing fear. Remember, somebody is getting rich from all this...are you?