"Mr. President, That's Not True"

From a blog I read recently:

In the continuing debate over human caused global warming, this is an interesting perspective towards Mr. Obama's 'settled science' on climate change...

We, the undersigned scientists, maintain that the case for alarm regarding climate change is grossly overstated. Surface temperature changes over the past century have been episodic and modest and there has been no net global warming for over a decade now. After controlling for population growth and property values, there has been no increase in damages from severe weather-related events. The computer models forecasting rapid temperature change abjectly fail to explain recent climate behavior. Mr. President, your characterization of the scientific facts regarding climate change and the degree of certainty informing the scientific debate is simply incorrect.

Here's who the scientists are.

Global Warming?

Global Warming? Climate Change? What is really happening? Is it as bad as some (Al Gore, etc.) have made out?

Experts at Britain's top climate research centre have launched a blistering attack on scientific colleagues and journalists who exaggerate the effects of global warming.

The Met Office Hadley Centre, one of the most prestigious research facilities in the world, says recent "apocalyptic predictions" about Arctic ice melt and soaring temperatures are as bad as claims that global warming does not exist. Such statements, however well-intentioned, distort the science and could undermine efforts to tackle carbon emissions, it says.

In an article published on the Guardian website, Dr Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, calls on scientists and journalists to stop misleading the public with "claim and counter-claim".

She writes: "Having to rein in extraordinary claims that the latest extreme [event] is all due to climate change is at best hugely frustrating and at worse enormously distracting. Overplaying natural variations in the weather as climate change is just as much a distortion of science as underplaying them to claim that climate change has stopped or is not happening."

Frugal or Cheap?

Many times men are accused of being cheap at Christmas when it comes to buying gifts. Perhaps we deserve the reputation? However, I would propose that most men would simply say (and be right) that they are doing their part to help the planet by reducing consumerism. We're trying to conserve resources for the next generation. We're trying to get others to think of the disadvantaged. However, somehow I have a sneaky suspicion that these noble goals are missed by women. In fact, how many wives have thought of their husbands like the man in this story?....

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After being away on business for a week before Christmas, Tom thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift.

"How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk.

She showed him a bottle costing $50.

"That's a bit much," said Tom, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.

"That’s still quite a bit," Tom groused.

Growing disgusted, the clerk brought out a tiny $15 bottle.

Tom grew agitated, "What I mean," he said, "is I'd like to see something real cheap.”

So the clerk handed him a mirror.

Liberal Environment Plan is a Sham!

The Liberal party plan for climate change is not about climate change at all. After much suspicion and speculation that the plan will not do what it is intended to do, the truth is coming out. Many have thought and said that this is just a tax grab to fund more Liberal programs. Well, hear it is from the Liberals themselves...

Mr. Dion spent four days in the West last week insisting it was not his intent to punish any one region for his environmental fantasies. But on Thursday, on an online news site for northwestern Ontario, Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff admitted that Green Shift was not an environmental proposal, but rather "the most aggressive anti-poverty program in 40 years," designed to "transfer wealth from the oil patch to the rest of the country."

The West is going to get ripped off - despite being the main thing that is holding the Canadian economy together. We can always clean up our act more on the environment. Ripping off one part of the country and saying it is fair and revenue neutral is lying. If you want to see the environment improve - this isn't the plan.

Shopping Anyone?

With the price of oil at all time highs, it is getting depressing going to fill up! Not only that, the Comox Valley had the highest price in the province this past week. How can that be when the Lower Mainland has about 10 -12 cents of transit tax that we don't have! ARRGGH. One good thing coming out of this is that because Canada has a lot of oil, our dollar has been steadily rising. Analysts are predicting it will go higher which should make imports of all kinds a bit cheaper. I don't think it will balance it off totally, but it will help. Global Insight chief economist Dale Orr: (click on the link for the whole story)

Based on the historical relationship between the price of oil and the price of the
loonie, a more reasonable level for the currency would be as much as $1.10 US,
he said in an interview....

80 MPG 1987 Ford Mustang

In the face of rising oil and gas prices, it is amazing the power of innovation that God has enabled mankind to do. Perhaps Arab oil sheiks should tremble when the innovation and technology begins to roll out hybrid, hydrogen, electric, solar and other super efficient vehicles.

Maybe Ford should take a look at Doug Pelmear’s 1987 Ford Mustang before the 2010 Mustang rolls off the assembly line. According to him he has been able
to re-engineer his Mustangs engine to produce 400 Horsepower and 500 Torque while improving his gas mileage to an astounding 80 Miles per gallon. He created the car to compete in the $10 million Progressive Automotive X Prize which is a
“race” to find an affordable, marketable automobile that gets at least 100 miles per gallon, or its equivalent

Pretty amazing?! Hopefully it is true - you can check the rest of the story here.

Will a 'Green Shift' make any difference?

Assuming you buy the rhetoric around global warming and climate change, you may be thinking that the Liberal Party's 'Green Shift' is great stuff. But when you really look at it (check out the link to see the big picture) will it really make a difference? Oh well, we're still glad we bought this in April when gas was cheap at 1.20 a litre.