What the Hell is Global Warming - and what is climate change?

I am pretty qualified to talk on this subject if you will bear with me for a moment...

As is tradition, I will first post some pictures of my kids, because that's what keeps me motivated (for you non-policy people it's called intergenerational equity - that just means taking care of the next generation).

So - what's my qualifications?

a) I recognize that global warming is the single biggest problem facing our future and the future of our children

b) I have degrees from colleges to support that I know what I am talking about (mostly - no one knows everything)

c) I want to talk to normal people about this problem that WILL effect most of us DRASTICALLY IN OUR LIFETIMES

I am not going to put in citations or anything like that so if you want more information, or clarification just ask me...

Now let me present to you some information...

BTW - I am going to use "GW" for Global Warming and "CC" for climate change - at least most of the time.

Global Warming IS happening and it CAUSES Climate Change

This is TRUE, it has been presented in the media as NOT TRUE by those who would gain by denying it - but it is TRUE - literally they keep one guy with scientific credentials in a cube somewhere and drag him out when they want to disprove Global Warming and Climate Change

I guess the next question would be "What is Climate Change?"

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is all these weird weather events - hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, no snow at Christmas, that we remember as different from whan we were kids, and those events that will begin to change our lives (more on that later...)

Let me give you a hint - regular changes in climate happen over EONS - long, long periods of time... anything that we can notice is not NORMAL. I can remember lots of Christmases with snow, summers that were mild (not when lots of people died due to the heat), now it seems always hotter, maybe the storms are stronger, I keep hearing about "weather records being broken" - those are the kind of events that describe CC.

Let's take Katrina for example - scientists are constrained about connecting Katrina to GW and CC because there is no conclusive proof. We all suspect it, probably even know it (and I have talked to some very well respected oceanographers who concur/agree) but no one will shout it out on the rooftops becuase they are concerned about their public reputations...

Let's consider the the transitive property -
if a=b and b=c then a=c,
then it is pretty simple right???

if global warming = increased sea surface temparatures (fact)

AND

increased sea surface temperatures = increased storm intensity (stronger storms)

THEN

GLOBAL WARMING = KATRINA/RITA

Remember Arlo Guthrie???

Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields.
Passin' trains that have no names,
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.

Good morning America how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.

(Steve Goodman - popularized by Arlo Guthrie)

Geez, I love that song -- but it gives you some food for thought right?
Here's a global view...



More later (wait till you see the pictures if what is going to happen)





"Since 9/11 we have seen sympathy turn to antipathy towards the U.S." (CNN reporter - 2006)