Re: OT:Thanksgiving

"Pete Dashwood" <dashwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Judson McClendon" <judmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Alistair" <alistair@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Judson McClendon" <ju...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"tlmfru" <la...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Judson McClendon <ju...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Can we spell "G-L-O-B-A-L W-A-R-M-I-N-G?" May God protect us from such
"benefactors". Yes, I know, I'm about to be bombarded with tons of
"pseudo evidence" (long chains of "reasoning" based on partial science,
the sum of which can't be directly experimentally verified, and which
everyone will know is wrong in 10 or 20 years) to prove Global Warming
is "real" and definitely caused by humans.

Can we spell "glaciers melting all over the world, the Arctic ice cap
melting so quickly that it may be gone in 20 years, the Antartic ice fields
floating away to sea"? Can we come up with a reason other than global
warming??

The fact that such things have been going on without our help for a long
time suggests we aren't needed for it to happen, and probably are not
responsible,

Only PROBABLY, Judson. Do I detect an element of doubt in your
writing?

I have maintained from the beginning that we *don't know for certain* if global
warming is happening, and even if we did, we *don't know for certain* that
humanity is causing it. I never said that either one was absolutely not happening.
It is the global warming proponents who have no doubts, which in and of itself
is alarming, considering the uncertainty of the evidence. It is this absolute,
unshakable, blind belief, when the evidence doesn't warrant it that distresses me
most. Such attitudes are the antithesis of what the scientific attitude should be.

And please don't rate on about belief in God. The situations are completely
different. If I believe in God and there is no God, then I am no worse off;
I will die and never know it. If you don't believe in God, and He does exist,
you are in trouble that makes global warming look like a picnic, for eternity.

The situation with global warming is different. If you global warming advocates
are wrong, a vast amount of money will have been wasted and a lot of draconian
laws will have been passed, damaging personal freedom (a vastly important thing)
for no reason and no benefit. A total waste. But if global warming is happening,
we will know for certain at some point and will deal with it then. If global
tempratures have increased only one degree in a century, we aren't going to be
fried in another 50 years, or even 100 years, if it takes that to know. And it
would be expected that by then we would have better technology to deal with it
if necessary. If we blow ourselves up in a war in the meantime, it becomes moot.

As good a time as any. Except when it is too late.

The same could be said of imprisoning a person who you think is "probably guilty"
of serious crimes. You take drastic, vastly expensive action only when you know,
not when there is doubt.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

...And the winner is... NOT the Global warming lobby!

The above is a persuader as far as I'm concerned. I accept that the case for Global warming is definitely not made.

Yes, I saw "An inconvenient truth", yes, I live in a place that is extremely sensitive about the environment, yes, I have many
friends who are strong advocates of the case for Global Warming, but in this instance at least, I think Judson makes a valid case.

Nevertheless, whether the GWists are right or wrong, we should consider the possibility that there might be something in their
argument and seek further evidence. While that evidence is being obtained, it wouldn't hurt for all of us to be aware of our
actions, environmentally. Plant trees, recycle garbage, don't litter, don't rape the environment. If you enjoy fishing and
hunting, observe quotas, and don't take more than you and your friends and neighbours can eat. (point being: if the quota says 50
and you can only use 40... take 40.)

It is fair to say that an alarm has been rung.

We should not ignore it, but neither should we panic...

Thanks, Pete. I was beginning to think this whole debate was pointless;
that no one was going to be swayed. :-)

I agree with your assessment of what we should be doing. It is only the
drastic steps which may not be warranted, that I oppose.

I live in an area that was second (in the U.S.) only to Pittsburg, PA in
steel production for a long time, and there used to be a lot of strip
mining here for the raw materials. Such vast devastation of the environment
was unconscionably stupid and reckless. The EPA has done a lot of good, and
I applaud that. But in it's zeal has also done a lot of harm. To my mind,
the danger on both sides is when you become too zealous and unrestrained in
your thinking; absolutely certain and *have no doubt that you know exactly*
what should be done, when our knowledge is *always* incomplete. Stop. Think.
Realize our limitations. Use reason and common sense, commodities all too
lacking in today's world. But above all, act with humility, not hubris, when
contemplating things with vast cost and sweeping consequences that could be
wasted, damaging or even devastating. I see none of these attributes being
displayed by the global warming alarmists.
--
Judson McClendon judmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (remove zero)
Sun Valley Systems http://sunvaley.com
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."


.

Relevant Pages

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