Global Warming??

I find it interesting that Al Gore and the global warming crowd are out in force duiring August, but during the cold winter months, they go into hibernation! Let's look at global warming objectively for a moment.

When it comes to global warming, there are at least four separate questions that must be asked:

(1) Is the planet warming?

(2) If the planet is warming, is human activity (like CO2 emissions) causing it?

(3) If the planet is warming, is it bad overall?

(4) If the planet is warming, we’re causing it, and it’s bad, would the policies commonly advocated (e.g., the Kyoto Protocol, legislative restrictions on CO2 emissions) make any difference and, if so, would their cost exceed their benefit?

My answers to the above:

(1) Yes, the planet is warming. The average daily temperature is 1.2 degrees warmer in 2008 than it was in 1908.

(2) Human activity could be responsible for some of the increase. It is pure speculation as to how much of the 1.2 degree increase is due to human activity. To be safe, lets blame us for 1/2 of the increase, or .6 degrees. Scientific evidence shows that the earth undergoes a natural heating / cooling cycle that spans hundreds of years between cycles (like a longer version of our yearly seasons), so it's safe to say that this natural cycle is also responsible for at least 1/2 (if not much more!) of what we measure as a temperature increase compared to 100 years ago.

(3) However anyone answers this question is purely speculation. This is where the hype comes in. Scientific evidence would say that within minor variations, a slightly warmer climate is more beneficial for life than a slightly cooler environment. What is the ideal average daily temperature for our environment? Is it the temp of 1908? Is it the temp of 2008, which is 1.2 degrees warmer? Is it an even higher temp? Or is it an even lower temp? This is all hypothetical.

(4) Let the politics begin!! Does it make sense to build a hybrid car that gets slightly better fuel milage, all in the name of global warming, when building that car uses significantly higher amounts of energy and resources than a standard car? Does is make sense to punish the owner of a suburban with gas guzzler taxes, when that suburban might carry 9 family members around town, while a small car might be a daily commuter for a single person? This is the crazy, politically correct world we live in, where people have no interest in looking at the real evidence! ARRGGHH!