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Sunday, April 02, 2006
Chillax over Global Warming
Washington Post columnist George F. Will:
"Eighty-five percent of Americans say warming is probably happening, and 62 percent say it threatens them personally. The National Academy of Sciences says the rise in the Earth's surface temperature has been about one degree Fahrenheit in the past century. Did 85 percent of Americans notice? Of course not. They got their anxiety from journalism calculated to produce it. Never mind that one degree might be the margin of error when measuring the planet's temperature. To take a person's temperature, you put a thermometer in an orifice or under an arm. Taking the temperature of our churning planet, with its tectonic plates sliding around over a molten core, involves limited precision."
Will says the biggest problem in debating global warming -- whether it is occurring, if it is a problem, what to do about it if it is -- is the pernicious influence of "big crusading journalism." Too often journalists don't bring context as much as personal opinions and what they wish were true to the major debates of the day. It's just too bad that sensible columns such as Will's too often get drowned out by the misleading stories.
Posted by Paul Tuns on April 2, 2006 in Science | Permalink
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Comments
I agree,
George Will is pretty good when he is
talking about the weather and baseball .
Lately I wish he’d stick to that ... ;>)
Posted by: nomdenet | 2006-04-03 10:04:53 AM
Will has nailed this one. 30 years ago most people in power didn't pay much attention to the scaremongering environmental radicals, and neither did the majority of citizens. Now they seem to have abandoned common sense for the "chicken little" syndrome.
Posted by: dirtman | 2006-04-03 11:26:12 PM
It is called junk science and it is very much a la mode today.
Posted by: Alain | 2006-04-04 12:19:03 PM
Climate Science, Scientology, what's the difference?
Both are fruitcake cults that seek to invent truth from nothing.
Global cooling was the 70's, now it's global warming. Maybe the scientists are playing Goldilocks. Maybe the climate will be "just right" circa 2030.
Posted by: Warwick | 2006-04-04 12:44:17 PM
"Climate will be just right in about 20 years: top scientists warn."
Scientists are sounding the alarm all over the globe - the climate will be "just right" in less than 20 years. Says Dr. Witheringham-Dropsnot of the University of Hoogivzadam "we used to be worried for a long time that the climate was warming, but now the much more serious problem of climate stability is looming".
Scientists fear that the perfect climate will put a permanent stop to all evolution on the planet, "and that would be very bad" said Dr W-D. "I mean, imagine among other things knowing that all the world's beaches and beautiful forests are going to just remain that way for good, I mean no longing for the good old days, no nostalgia with the kids and grandkids. Why take photographs any more?"
"It's just terrible." He added. "F**k it".
Indeed economists fear that the eco-tourism industry will be devastated. "Why would you hurry up to go see the polar bears?" said RBC Chief Economist Larry "Daddy" Warbucks "when you know they're not going anywhere. People will just stay home and watch TV."
The International Climate Change Panel will present a report to the Federal Governemnt demanding immediate action to change the climate. "Maybe we could pay Indonesia and Brazil to burn down all their forests" suggested Dr W-D. That way the eco-tourism industry would also benefit hugely from the disappearing forsets.
AP
Posted by: bcf | 2006-04-05 5:17:54 PM
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