Editor,
I read Tom Osborne’s column “When Ideology Trumps Facts”. He stated that he does not object to healthy skepticism, but was “shocked” about Michelle Hall’s skepticism about human-caused global warming. He then proceeded to denigrate her for having this view, going so far as to berate her intelligence and suitability for city council. Really? I suspect not too many Lagunans peruse the latest copy of Scientific American with their morning java or receive regular updates from the IPCC.
I don’t know Tom Osborne or Ms. Hall from a hole in the wall, but I do know politically motivated arrogant condescension when I see it. Ms. Hall cited Dennis McTighe, a noted local meteorologist whom Mr. Osborne is familiar with, as a scientific source for her view which does not seem unreasonable. Yet Mr. Osborne suspects Ms. Halls views are simply derived from her subjective conservative political ideology.
Mr. Osborne should look in the mirror and reflect on his own political ideology and how that relates to what he touts are scientific facts. Perhaps he may see the hypocrisy in his attack on Ms. Hall’s views. Better yet, instead of insulting the intelligence of others, please review the fundamentals of science and facts: The scientific method, hypothesis, theory and scientific law. Anthropogenic global warming is clearly not a proven scientific law. It is clearly not a fact. It may not even be a theory, just a hypothesis. A hypothesis that also may need to be restated considering that global warming stopped, or as the believers say, “went on temporary hiatus”, 20+ years ago.
There are many smart scientists on both sides of the issue and political ideology on both sides with no unbiased proven consensus. Regardless, consensus is not science especially when research is funded by politically motivated ideologies. As such, anthropogenic global warming is a belief system, not scientific fact. For 1,400 years scientific consensus believed the Earth was the center of the Universe. Those proving otherwise were incarcerated in Galileo’s case and executed in the case of Bruno. Albert Einstein said, “that genius abhors consensus because when consensus is reached, thinking stops”. From Galileo to Einstein, one scientist with proof trumps thousands of scientists who believe something to be true.
Clearly, one can be skeptical of global warming alarmists, yet still want to protect our natural environment.
Stephen Tygh, Laguna Beach
What he said!
What Howard Hills said!
The reason that the phrases “Anti-science” and ”Global Warming Deniers” are used is that the “Anti-science Deniers” ignore demonstrable evidence, and fabricate stories and “facts” that are not true.
For example, the claim
“global warming stopped . . . 20+ years ago.”
is NOT true.
Despite the fantasies of Global Warming Deniers, the earth continues to warm at the rate of 4 Hiroshima atomic bombs per second – running 24/7 – including the years from 1998 to present.
http://www.skepticalscience.com/4-Hiroshima-bombs-worth-of-heat-per-second.html
This measured/observed warming rate is via the Argo buoy system. http://www.argo.ucsd.edu/About_Argo.html
2005 was warmer than any previous year. Then 2010 broke the 2005 record. And 2014 is on track to beat the 2010 record. Data at:
NOAA/National Climate Data Center
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/monitoring-references/faq/anomalies.php
“The past 12 months—October 2013–September 2014—was the warmest 12-month period among all months since records began in 1880”
NOAA/National Climate Data Center
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/
2012 was the warmest year on record for the United States.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/ncdc-announces-warmest-year-record-contiguous-us
Sea level continues to rise due to thermal expansion and glacial melting. The rate of sea level rise has quadrupled since the 1870 to 1924 period.
Columbia University
http://www.columbia.edu/~mhs119/SeaLevel/
Glaciers continue to melt, and the rate of melting has accelerated since 1998.
World Glacier Monitoring Service
http://www.wgms.ch/mbb/sum13.html
Ocean heating has accelerated sharply since 1998. (Note: Over 90% of Global Warming ends up heating the oceans.)
Graph at:
http://www.durangobill.com/GwdLiars/GwdOceanHeat.jpg
Full peer reviewed paper at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50382/full
Up to date info at:
NOAA/National Oceanographic Data Center
http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/OC5/3M_HEAT_CONTENT/ (click on “2”)
Finally, temperature anomalies at all 3 primary temperature databases are currently setting new record highs. (Updated thru Sept. 2014)
http://www.durangobill.com/TempPictures/NOAAanomalies.png
http://www.durangobill.com/TempPictures/GISSanomalies.png
http://www.durangobill.com/TempPictures/HadCrut4anomalies.png
Thank you Mr. Tygh
[…] is in response to Stephen Tygh’s letter criticizing Tom Osborne’s article, “When Ideology Trumps Facts”. The only “common sense” […]
[…] is in response to Stephen Tygh’s letter criticizing Tom Osborne’s article, “When Ideology Trumps Facts”. The only “common sense” […]
A Scientist and a politician walk into a bar. The politician says ” No they didn’t”.
To Bill Butler:
If one were being objective one would agree that ignoring demonstrable evidence and fabricating stories and facts is done on both sides of the debate.
The original global warming theory was based on predictions of computer models. The global temperature predictions of the computer models proved false by the evidence. The hypothesis failed and was rejected. The hypothesis had to be restated from “global warming” to “climate change”.
To Les Miklosy:
A Scientist and a politician walk into a bar. The politician says ” No they didn’t”. The Scientist is funded by the politician and says “No they didn’t”