Fear and ignorance, Hume concludes, are the true source of superstition. They lead a blind and terrified public to embrace any practice, however absurd or frivolous, which either folly or knavery recommends.

The knaves today, of course, are the would-be high priests of the global warming orthodoxy, with former US vice-president Gore as their supreme pontiff.

As Hume points out, the stronger mixture there is of superstition, with its ambiance of ignorance and fear, the higher is the authority of the priesthood.

As with the Church in the Dark Ages or the Inquisition during the Reformation, they denounce all doubters, such as Evans or Britain’s Gilbert Monckton as dangerous heretics, outliers in Gore’s phrase: or as willing tools of the evil enemy of a healthy planet, Big Oil.

This was not written by a global warming skeptic: Somewhere along the line, global warming became the explanation for everything. Right-thinking people are not supposed to discuss any meteorological or geophysical event — a hurricane, a wildfire, a he…

Viewed broadly, it appears that humans are environment-destroying creatures by nature.

Which puts us in the same boat as every other form of life…

Maxx on August 4, 2008 at 10:23 AM

Actually, Maxx, I made a complete screw-up in forgetting about the 10% above water. The actual difference is about 6.4% increase, which is offset by the melting ice reducing the temperature of the surrounding water, and reducing its volume. As you correctly pointed out, the net result, at just above freezing, would be little or no change in overall level.

Therefore, when it melts it reduces its water displacement by about 3.6% (4 x 90%).

OldEnglish on August 4, 2008 at 9:26 AM

That would not be correct OldEnglish. Displacement remains the same in the frozen state or liquid state. But of course the water does expand when frozen, that’s why it floats.

Say you don’t believe me? Try this experiment. Fill a glass with ice cubes, then fill the glass to the brim with water. Note that the water level does not change as the ice cubes melt.

Yet, the ice caps still continue to melt…. oh the horror

I experimented with a glass of ice water and my conclusions are melting ice does not raise the volume of water in the glass.

If we are expecting rising waters, what happens when we have receding waters?
Vacation rentals or Timeshares?

Kini on August 3, 2008 at 11:45 PM

Actually, when water freezes it expands by about 4%. Frozen water (iceberg) floats with about 90% of its mass underwater. Therefore, when it melts it reduces its water displacement by about 3.6% (4 x 90%).

Global Warming, eh? Who can I sue?

heldmyw on August 3, 2008 at 10:08 PM

Global Warming, eh? Who can I sue have committed?

(FIXED)

That simple point made me discount just about everything else said.

Yes, we are rapidly approaching a global population of 7 billion, and that will increase to 9 billion shortly.

But, why are we, just 365 million, the only ones who are being demanded to “save the planet?” China gets a pass? They are the largest polluter in global history. And India and Russia are not all that far behind. And we are the only bad guys?

Any intelligent Conservative understands that we should leave things better than when we found them…basic hiker/camper/hunter rule. It isn’t because Gore told us. it is because it is the logical and intelligent thing to do, if we wish to hike the same trails, camp the same valley or hunt the same game tomorrow.

But, anyone who thinks the answer is to have us retrograde back 100 years and stop our economy, start buring candles and cow dung instead of powering the World engine of progress, something we have done better than any other country in the history of the world, well, they’re nuts.

We also need to address the dangers of global warming. Thankfully, I have a plan.

Large nuclear bombs are thought to have the ability to create so much smoke and dust in the atmosphere that they would create a nuclear winter. So we have our answer.

Nuke a couple of the largest population centers in enemy nations, like Iran, or Venezuela, and we kill two birds with one stone. We eliminate people who want us dead, and we act decisively to reduce Global Warming. It’s a win win situation for us.

In a couple years, the increased clouds will thin out, and eventually dissipate. Then we nuke someone else who has gotten on our nerves. Someone who has always opposed us, and fought us in every good thing we’ve ever done. Someone who’s traded with dictators illegally, and who has demonstrated a real disdain for international law. Someone like France.

We can do this, and we can do it together.

Has any nutcase who responded to the initial quote above even read the full article?

freevillage on August 4, 2008 at 1:28 AM

Article? Read? When did this happen?

Nutcase?!!??!

Just remember when someone talks about windmills, that these projects are actually powered by YOUR TAX MONEY…not nature!!

landlines on August 4, 2008 at 2:11 AM

If all that is correct, then #uck Welfare Queen Pickens.

Has any nutcase who responded to the initial quote above even read the full article?

freevillage on August 4, 2008 at 1:28 AM

Yep, read the article… guy who wrote it is a loon too…

His premise is that Global warming is a fact, but that is somthing else… didn’t question the initial sceince, just the later allegations… sad really for someone who is commenting on “Science”.

Just remember when someone talks about windmills, that these projects are actually powered by YOUR TAX MONEY…not nature!!

Has any nutcase who responded to the initial quote above even read the full article?

freevillage on August 4, 2008 at 1:28 AM

No need. We already know that Al Gore is a hypocritical hoaxster and that his followers are nuts.