[Romo]

http://online.wsj.com/google_login.h...googlenews_wsj

[Jaws]

New climate change report.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science....ap/index.html

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Jaws

New climate change report.

Quite notable points in there include "edited by bureaucrats from 154 countries" and "the 12-page summary for policymakers will be edited in secret word-by-word by governments officials for several days next week and released to the public on February 2" Just those two points alone make the whole thing suspect, IMHO.

For what it's worth, IF BMW or any other company comes out with a hybrid car that resembles a nice shape and has a modicum of drivability improvements, I'm all over it. My truck is about 5 years old. If I could find another little pickup with a hybrid engine, BESIDES Ford, that's where my money is going. And for now, my money is my most powerful tool to ensure my grand kids will have a decent Earth to inhabit.

[ganeil]

Originally Posted by BiggieJ

all scientists agree that global warming is a man-made/accelerated phenomenon. why not just face the fact that we, as the human race are a powerful force that can alter the earth’s natural weather cycles. and with that much power comes that much responsibility.

You have been misinformed. There are plenty of scientists who dispute the idea that the warming the Earth is currently experiencing is the result of man's activities.

Most notable among these scientist are Richard Lindzen, a meteorologist from MIT, William Gray of Colorado State University, Fred Singer of University of Virginia, and Khabibullo Ismailovich Abdusamatov of Pulkovskaya Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by ganeil

You have been misinformed. There are plenty of scientists who dispute the idea that the warming the Earth is currently experiencing is the result of man's activities.

Most notable among these scientist are Richard Lindzen, a meteorologist from MIT, William Gray of Colorado State University, Fred Singer of University of Virginia, and Khabibullo Ismailovich Abdusamatov of Pulkovskaya Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

welcome back Neil from GA

[TommyBahama]

Katrina was not a global warming issue. the french caused katrina by building a major city on the gulf coast BELOW sea level. it was only a matter of time before New Orleans became a scuba divers wet dream.

for the last 50 years people have been saying that any hurricane regardless of its size would be a death blow to the city. Just like it is only a matter of time before Dallas gets hit by a major torando, will that be global warmings fault? if it happens every year for the next 15 years then yea it is, otherwise no its not.

[enwhykiid]

in a 100 years, the whole east coast will be underwater and the west will be destroyed by wildfires, what a wonderful world

[astra]

Originally Posted by enwhykiid

in a 100 years, the whole east coast will be underwater and the west will be destroyed by wildfires, what a wonderful world

ohhh, i don't want to move to the mountains, there are rednecks there!

[67bmer]

AlGore is a compete IDIOT!!!!!

That movie is a joke. It should be in the comedy section. I read that many of the people referenced in that movie are not even environmental scientists.

How does that idiot explain global warming on Mars?????

The sun provides the energy to the solar system that keeps it going. The sun goes through solar cycles. We are entering one now that is expected to be one of the largest in a long time.

BTW, an asteroid did NOT kill the dinosaurs either.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by 67bmer

AlGore is a compete IDIOT!!!!!

That movie is a joke. It should be in the comedy section. I read that many of the people referenced in that movie are not even environmental scientists.

How does that idiot explain global warming on Mars?????

The sun provides the energy to the solar system that keeps it going. The sun goes through solar cycles. We are entering one now that is expected to be one of the largest in a long time.

BTW, an asteroid did NOT kill the dinosaurs either.

Why are the CO2 levels higher than ever at this point??? Does that also come with the Sun cycles?
Do you really believe this plannet is environmentally OK? Go to the mountains around LA and look down toward the city...what do you see???

[IDENTITY_MOTORSPORTS]

I see smog people.

[noflash]

I think it's hard to convince a skeptic. Leave them be.

If you're not sure or not educated on the issue, you owe it to yourself to do a little research.

If you're already a believer, here's a link to help inform you on what you can do about it. Acting is the best thing you can do.
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm

[67bmer]

they are not heigher than they have ever been. They have been much higher in the past.

why is it always our fault?

Stop blaming America for everything that is wrong in the world and start crediting for what is right!

[cm3rc]

its just cold right now..

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by 67bmer

they are not heigher than they have ever been. They have been much higher in the past.

why is it always our fault?

Stop blaming America for everything that is wrong in the world and start crediting for what is right!

What's been higher?

[BMW F22]

Very, very interesting article


Bush administration in hot seat over warming
Lawmakers get survey of scientists, half of whom report political pressure
MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 4:59 p.m. PT Jan 30, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Democratic-controlled Congress on Tuesday stepped up its pressure on President Bush’s global warming strategy, hearing allegations of new political pressure on government scientists to downplay the threat of global warming.

Lawmakers received survey results of federal scientists that showed 46 percent felt pressure to eliminate the words “climate change,” “global warming” or similar terms from communications about their work.

The scientists also reported 435 instances of political interference in their work over the past five years.

Bush in his recent State of the Union address acknowledged that climate change needs to be addressed, but he opposes mandatory caps on carbon emissions, arguing that industry through new technologies can deal with the problem at less cost.

The intense interest about climate change comes as some 500 climate scientists gather in Paris this week to put the final touches on a United Nations report on how warming, as a result of a growing concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, is likely to affect sea levels.

The new allegations were made at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

Waxman said he and the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, had sought documents from the administration on climate policy, but were repeatedly rebuffed.

"The committee isn't trying to obtain state secrets or documents that could affect our immediate national security," said Waxman, opening the hearing. "We are simply seeking answers to whether the White House's political staff is inappropriately censoring impartial government scientists."

"We know that the White House possesses documents that contain evidence of an attempt by senior administration officials to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming and minimize the potential danger," Waxman added.

Waxman said his committee had not received documents it requested from the White House and other agencies, and that a handful of papers received on the eve of the hearing "add nothing to our inquiry."

Nearly half cited edits
The Union of Concerned Scientists, a private advocacy group, and the Government Accountability Project, a legal-assistance group that represents whistle-blowers, sent out the survey to 1,600 scientists. Surveys were returned by 308 scientists. Not all answered every question, but the survey found that:

43 percent of respondents reported edits during review of their work that changed the meaning of their findings.
46 percent felt administrative requirements that impaired climate-related work.
67 percent said the environment for federal government climate research is worse now than five years ago.
The groups urged lawmakers to ensure “scientists’ constitutional right to speak about any subject in their private lives and allowing scientists to make ultimate decisions about the communication of their research.”

“The new Congress must act to prevent the continued interference with science for political purposes,” said GAP attorney Tarek Maassarani. “A good first step would be for Congress to amend current whistle blower protections to specifically protect the rights of federal government scientists.”

Hearing witnesses included a NASA official and a former senior official of the office that coordinates the government’s climate programs. That former official, Rick Piltz, quit his job in 2005, charging that scientists’ climate documents were being edited by political appointees to tone them down.Administration officials were not scheduled to testify. In the past, the White House has said it has only sought to inject balance into reports on climate change.

At the hearing, Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, criticized the survey as self-selecting and flawed.

Allegations of political pressure have been at the center of a controversy involving James Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and one of the country’s top experts on climate change. Hansen had accused NASA of trying to keep him from speaking publicly about global warming, and the agency later backed off.

Climate legislation coming
Since Democrats took control of Congress this month, there has been a rush to introduce climate legislation.

In the Senate, Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was holding an open meeting Tuesday for her colleagues to express their views on climate change, in advance of a broader set of hearings on the issue.

Among those to make comments were two presidential hopefuls — Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill. Both lawmakers favor mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, something opposed by President Bush, who argues such requirements would threaten economic growth.

Boxer has offered the most aggressive bill, one that is touted as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by mid-century.

Obama and McCain are sponsoring a bill along with Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., that would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050. Another bill, offered by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., would halt the growth of carbon emissions by 2030 and then is expected to lead to reductions.

All three would require mandatory caps on greenhouse gas releases from power plants, cars and other sources. They also would have various forms of an emissions trading system to reduce the economic cost.

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to create a new select-committee to hold hearings and recommend actions on climate change. That proposal has been met with resistance from chairmen of committees with jurisdiction over various aspects of the matter, but nevertheless has indicated the new importance the issue has taken in Congress.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[DFW_M]

Ah, what do those scientists know

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/sci...ort/index.html