Quote:To be honest, people are going to believe whatever scientists agree with what they happen to agree with. 


Personally I find it difficult to find credible a man who's organization claims Global Warming is a myth that receives all kinds of funds from Exxon-Mobil, Shell, and other gas companies.  I'm sure the other side will make the claim that scientists in support of global warming are getting funding from groups that would benefit.  And I'm sure that's true.  However, Singer was also a mouth piece for the tobacco industry, which makes it harder for me to believe what he says.  Especially when he made the claim that second hand smoke was not dangerous to human health.


I'm not sure the claims of 15 years of flat temperatures truly stands up to scrutiny or not. 


What I don't get is why your average person wants to believe that Global Warming isn't real so badly.  A switch to a renewable energy source would be a good thing for so many reasons.  Including the jobs that it creates, as well as the lower prices.  Reliance on foreign oil, and oil at all is a problem, regardless of whether you believe in Global Warming or not.  A more efficient source of energy would serve the average person in so many ways.

 

The 15 years thing doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

 

Like most things coming out of a Republican's mouth it can be viewed as either misleading or a flat-out lie.

 

What the 15 year thing is about is selective data points. 1998 was an exceptionally hot year and stands out from its surrounding sample points on a chart.

 

Here's an analysis with the charts. http://grist.org/article/global-warming-...d-in-1998/

 

Anyone who doesn't understand climate and statistics comes away saying, "SEE, THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING, IT'S ALL A LIBERAL CONSPIRACY, FOLLOW THE MONEY." (I'm still not sure what huge monied interest there is on the side of the 97%+ of scientists who accept the theories of anthropogenic climate change, but it's certainly easy to see the ones that are against it, namely the fossil fuel industry)

 

For those of us with a bit stronger education in mathematics there's a clear and frightening trend that can't be ignored.

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