It is no longer global warming because it isn't.

It is climate change because it does.

Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely.

— Thomas B. Macaulay (1800-1859), Essay on Southey's Colloquies

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.


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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Well, George

George Lakoff thinks Superstorm Sandy was due to global warming. From where I come something must exist in order to be a cause. Since HADCRUT4 does not report any global warming for the last 16 years then global warming cannot be the parent, systemic or otherwise of Frankenstorm Sandy. To imply such is Frankenpoop.

According to Roger Pielke, Jr.: In historical context, Sandy sits alongside Carol, Diane and Hazel. One big difference however -- Carol, Diane and Hazel hit the US Atlantic coast within a single 13 month period in 1954-1955. Imagine that.

George seems to think we need to leave the oil, gas and coal in the ground so we don’t burn it and add CO2 to the atmosphere. Is the presumption that this will improve the climate?

Shall we reduce our CO2 levels to that of 1954-55? Would that be far enough into the past?

Should we go back to the levels of CO2 that were present in 1938 when the Long Island Express hurricane rolled through NYC? Lots of fires that year too(185,000). A lot fewer fires in 2012 so far.

Maybe we should reduce our CO2 concentrations to the levels present in 1900 when Galveston was flattened by a devastating hurricane. Lots of forest fires that year too.

Not back far enough? How about 1886 when the US was hit by 7 hurricanes - 2 of them of the major variety? CO2 levels were a lot lower back then. Oil refining was in its infancy.

Tell me, George. What year and level of CO2 did you have in mind when the weather was to your liking?

George mentions “0.8 degrees Celsius so far” as the temperature rise over the last century or so. Most of Antarctica is known to be cooling. Antarctica is bigger than the US. If we had as many thermometers in Antarctica as there are in the official US network for as long what do you think would happen to that .8 George?



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