I'm a Realtor and a bridge player, a photographer and a blogger, a voracious reader and a couch potato. (Yes, very sophisticated training required for that last one!) I'm a hopeless gardener - and when it comes to climate science, I have zero training. All I know is from reading what real experts think on the subject.
What is out there, however, demonstrates to me that what the experts think they know is unclear. Here is a new article about a highly regarded expert who thinks that not only do we not have man made global warming - we don't have warming at all. We've got cooling!
Contrary to the commonly held scientific conclusion that the Earth is getting warmer, a scientist who has written more than 150 peer-reviewed papers has unveiled evidence for his prediction that global cooling is coming soon.
The hottest new trend in climate change may be global cooling, some researchers say.
Contrary to the commonly held scientific conclusion that the Earth is getting warmer, Dr. Don Easterbrook, emeritus professor of geology at Western Washington University and author of more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, has unveiled evidence for his prediction that global cooling is coming soon.
“Rather than global warming at a rate of 1 F per decade, records of past natural cycles indicate there may be global cooling for the first few decades of the 21st century to about 2030,” said Easterbrook, speaking on a scientific panel discussion with other climatologists. This, he says, will likely be followed by “global warming from about 2030 to 2060,” which will then be followed by another cooling spell from 2060 to 2090.
Are we really cooling? I have no idea whatsoever.
What I do know is this. Until we really have more hard data that we: a) have warming (or cooling), that b) we are the cause of that warming (or cooling) - and c) we can do something about it and d) it is fiscally sensible to do something about it, then we ought to sit back and observe.
If you want some advice about a bridge hand or how to frame a portrait, however - glad to assist!
Amen!
Posted by: Michael Valle | Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 08:43 PM
Same with the oil spill. Until we really know the full extent of the ecological damage that it may cause, it is prudent to simply do nothing. A BP spokesperson said that the effect would be minimal, so there is no consensus.
Also BP shouldn't have to pay a dime. If you don't like what's happening, then you are free to shop elsewhere. That's free market Capitalism unburdened by government regulations.
Posted by: jammen | Friday, May 21, 2010 at 08:02 AM