Global warming 'past the point of no return'

UK's Independent is today running an interesting front page story on the newest satellite data indicating that global warming is 'past the point of no return'.

A short sampling of the juicy bits for those too lazy to click and RTFA:

Hehe, though beachfront property prices here in Costa del Sol (for the geographically challenged, think sunny Spain and the Mediterranean) are currently outrageous, looks like they might not be very smart long-term investments ...well, that's hardly news, anyway.

Oh well, might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Though today was actually the first rainy day in three or four months, darn ...a bit premature this year if you ask the locals. Even had thunder

 

So that means winter will be warmer in Chicago?

If so, I say we can't warm the globe fast enough!

 

Global warming is made up by the lberals and the liberal media to help forward the homosexual agenda and to try to ban the bible.

 

HOLY CRAP FERRET!!!!

That was the best example of conspiracy I have seen in a long time....Great Job!

 

Most journalists seem to lack training in science and statistics that would let them intelligently question some of these claims. There is a great little book called "How to lie with statistics." that makes a good starting point if you want to learn more.

 

Hehe, while one can only hope ferret's comment was in jest, let's not let this descend into a general slug fest

I've learned over the years that there is a very specific list (say, half a dozen items long) of over-polarized subjects that are best avoided arguing about when talking with my American friends ...suffice to say that general perceptions on this side of the Big Pond are often somewhat different

Anyway, interesting article, and sort of goes hand in hand with the record-sized Antarctic ozone hole also in news today

 

99% of statistics are incorrect

 

Let's certainly hope so I've visited Chicago several times and while it's a great city and the Sears Tower certainly offers a magnificient view, what's with the winters? With the wind chill "bonus" it can feel colder by Lake Michigan than above the Arctic Circle in Lapland

 

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
-- Benjamin Disraeli

Guys & gals, while it's hip and all that to speak of statistics, you may wish to note that in this particular article, there aren't many statistics (aside from one non-related computer simulation), just satellite data about an ice mass the size of Australia breaking up to an unprecedented extent in recorded history so far In other words, RTFA before posting

 

You bet. Nothing like waking up Jan/Feb to hear the TV weather guy spouting off something about "with the wind chill it will feel like 40 below zero" to get your day off to a good start....

 

What do you class as recorded history so far.

Since we started taking records or from the evidence discovered through drilling through the polar caps and such.

 

Both, I think from reading the article: since the context implies a multi-thousand year scale, that means drilling through polar caps and whatever else planetary scientists get their kicks from ...but it also mentions they started explicitly tracking the Arctic ice sheets in the 70s:

 

Im in no doubt that were in for a huge climate change.

The earth has been pretty stable for enough generations now, it seems something is overdue.

Even if something drastic happened like the polar caps melting bringing on an ice age, there is a good chance the human race could survive it. im not talking about everyone but enough to keep us going. There have been ice ages before whilst humans have been around. Saying that though, we could be in for a massive ice age turning earth into an ice planet for the next million years or so.

 

Global warming doesn't matter...in 700 million years we'll be gone like the dinosaurs...nature will just write another algorithm.

 

An awesome web site for researching these claims is http://www.junkscience.com/

 

Guys the energy companies did a study and guess what? There is no global warming, even the president says so.

Anyone who says that we should decrease the use of fossil fuel or lower emissions is a communist hippy, or even a terrorist. If we start worrying about global warming (which doesn't exist) then terrorists have won.

Stuff like fuel efficiency is for queer and commies, only queers worry about stuff like that, real men don't care about the environment. Sissies worry about trees and nature and stuff.

Anyone who criticizes the US for using so much oil is just jealous, they wish there countries weren't such pussies, and they wish they could just take the oil like we do.

 

We all need to switch to Nuclear Power Now.

 

that is funny for so many reasons...

 

No Nuclear power is for sissies too, have to stick to coal burning power plants, and energy from oil, black gold Texas tea

who gives a shit about those polar ice caps , and the stuff that lives up there, so what if the warming ocean, kills off the coral and there are massive species extinction.

Animals are for pussies, anyone who says stuff like try we should "try to clean up the environment" is most likely gay and is just trying to get you to help make it so that gay marriage and abortion is mandatory for everyone.

The only people who worry about the environment are the sinners who are scared of the apocalypse, and think they are going to get left behind when the rapture comes.

But if you play your cards right and support the president, you all will be in heaven with me looking down laughing at those homos swimming around with skin cancer.

 

It already is. I've lived here my whole life and it doesn't get nearly as cold as it did 20 years ago.

I can usually bust out my clubs in late February now!