Filled up for $1.78/gallon

[Brucelee]

First off, as the article that I cited states fairly clearly, there is some evidence that the planet is "warming" to some degree and in some places. The amount/degree of warming and its impacts is FAR from a settled issue. It some sense, it depends WHERE and HOW your measure.

The leap from there to where most alarmists go is HUGE and simply not as "accepted" by the scientific community as the media would have you believe.

To me, the real issue is, IF warming is ocurring, how extensive/intense is it and what is a logical extension of the current trend lines (this is where those fuzzy climate models come in.)

More importantly, there is no hard evidence that I can see that suggests that this warming is induced by carbon emissions and/or if so, that we know to what degree. If our carbon emissions were the cause of warming, how did the planet start to warm long before we were generating these emissions?

To wit, based on what I have read, we began coming out of the "little ice age" in the 1800s, long before we were driving cars. If that is true, I find it funny indeed that we now look at the Porsche in your driveway and want to ban it.

Thoughts?

[Rail26]

I just traded in the Box. 1.78 clams a gallon, I can now afford my dream ride! I was thinking about putting a new exhaust, lowering it and do you think 10 ft wheels will fit or will I need spacers?

[z12358]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

First off, as the article that I cited states fairly clearly, there is some evidence that the planet is "warming" to some degree and in some places. The amount/degree of warming and its impacts is FAR from a settled issue. It some sense, it depends WHERE and HOW your measure.

The leap from there to where most alarmists go is HUGE and simply not as "accepted" by the scientific community as the media would have you believe.

To me, the real issue is, IF warming is ocurring, how extensive/intense is it and what is a logical extension of the current trend lines (this is where those fuzzy climate models come in.)

More importantly, there is no hard evidence that I can see that suggests that this warming is induced by carbon emissions and/or if so, that we know to what degree. If our carbon emissions were the cause of warming, how did the planet start to warm long before we were generating these emissions?

To wit, based on what I have read, we began coming out of the "little ice age" in the 1800s, long before we were driving cars. If that is true, I find it funny indeed that we now look at the Porsche in your driveway and want to ban it.

Thoughts?

Rich, I'd defer to the experts, especially if there's no reason to question their motives. I do understand that junkscience.com "take home" bullet points may be more digestible than actually reading the 928 articles (+ whatever more have been published since 2003) or spending 6 years on a PhD, but the easiest route is rarely the best.

Z.

[Paul]

Miscellaneous Incoherent Ramblings:

Wonder how much heat all of our highways have added? (Assuming they absorb more of the sun's energy than undisturbed Mother Earth.)

How about all the heat released by burning fossil fuel?

How about all the heat released by cooking our food?

How about all the hot air released by the increasing number of human beings (some more than others!!)?

I think Mother Nature ignores us and continues her cycles of Ice Ages, etc....

[Brucelee]

"I think Mother Nature ignores us and continues her cycles of Ice Ages, etc...."

Indeed!