The Most Intelligent Statement Made on Global Warming (IMO)...

[gindie]

...was expressed by the head of NASA, Michael Griffin, this past week during an interview.

"I have no doubt that global -- that a trend of global warming exists. I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with. To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change. First of all, I don't think it's within the power of human beings to assure that the climate does not change, as millions of years of history have shown, and second of all, I guess I would ask which human beings -- where and when -- are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take."​

 

[travelover]

I heard him on NPR. To me, he sounded like he was tip toeing through a mine field to make sure he maintained the party line and did not upset his masters in the White House or their sponsors in industry.

 

[dumpster56]

I hate being cold, how about you?

 

[SamHouston]

Michael Griffin is a heretic according to the Prophet Al Gore and all the members of his Church of Global Warming.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

good rationalization that optimal climate. is the issue just that the climate is changing or are we also allowed to question the rate at which it is changing or can we even consider other changes humans have made in the terrain (cities, highways, destruction of forests, etc.) which make it difficult if not impossible for natural adaption during even normal climate change, assuming that's what this is.

love the spin that it might be arrogant to think: who are we to wrestle with something as big as climate. since when is indignation so much more dignified than admitting how small we are and how stupid & greedy we've been.

 

[kcowan]

Clearly he is walking a tightrope between what his scientists say and what his masters in DC want. But his statement is political and philosophical so what exactly are his credentials for that?

What I worry about are the dumb*ssed government moves like encouraging more use of corn for ethanol. Or giving a grant to buy a Prius.

 

[SamHouston]

What I worry about are the dumb*ssed government moves like encouraging more use of corn for ethanol. Or giving a grant to buy a Prius.

Those are exactly the kinds of things that scare me to death now that Gore has managed to turn the question of global warning into a political tool. Politics and common sense seldom mix.

 

[Freein05]

Michael Griffin must enjoy seeing the air he breaths. No one has said man is the only cause of global warming. Man now is a major contributor to global warming. I watched the guy on PBS. He is a politician. He is also trying to get all the money he can so we can send man/women to the moon again and to Mars. So if more government money is spent to control global warming there is less money for another moon shoot. Please tell me why we want to spend 2 billion dollars to go to the moon again. There is not much demand for condos on the moon.

Just look at and breath the air in any major world city and tell me that bad air caused by man is not bad for your or the earth. I find it hard to understand how people don't understand all pollution is bad!

 

[eridanus]

What I worry about are the dumb*ssed government moves like encouraging more use of corn for ethanol. Or giving a grant to buy a Prius.

The Prius grants balance the grants made for SUVs a few years ago.

Corn ethanol is a joke.

 

[dex]

There was a follow up on this story on NPR about the statement .
I just got back from mountain biking and am too tired to write more

 

[Zathras]

How disturbing. He should read more science journals.

 

[HFWR]

A program on "climate change" produced by WFAA in Dallas...

Search page WFAA.com

 

[travelover]

Those are exactly the kinds of things that scare me to death now that Gore has managed to turn the question of global warning into a political tool. Politics and common sense seldom mix.

If global warming is indeed a serious issue, and I believe it is, it must be dealt with politically. In fact, it will require cooperation not just within the US, but between every nation which significantly contributes to CO production. Politics is how things get worked out with a minimum of pain for all parties involved -like it or not. Even GWB seems on board now with the reality of global change.

 

[SamHouston]

If global warming is indeed a serious issue, and I believe it is, it must be dealt with politically. In fact, it will require cooperation not just within the US, but between every nation which significantly contributes to CO production. Politics is how things get worked out with a minimum of pain for all parties involved -like it or not. Even GWB seems on board now with the reality of global change.

What I meant was that Al Gore has turned it all into a political tool for his personal gain, a way to stay "relevant" while out of office, etc., a way to stay in the media, and especially a way to stay in good with the Hollywood crowd and an anti-American Europe. Much like Michael Moore, Gore has become a tool of those who love to hate this country.

My definition of "politics" in this sense is full of negative connotations, of course. I refer to the kind of politics that end up wasting money because no one wants to cross party lines to do the right thing or where politicians are more out to get benefits for themselves and their constituents than they are out to solve any problem.

I agree that governments will have to co-operate if progress is to be made when it comes to cleaning up the air, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think that they can be trusted to do the job efficiently or even, dare I say it, honestly. And I sincerely believe that European governments are using the whole issue to keep their anti-Americanism stirred up. And, IMO, Al Gore is as much a part of the problem as he is part of the solution. When he starts "walking the walk" instead of just "talking the talk" I will be more inclined to listen to him.

 

[cantlogin]

Loving a country and loving a government are NOT the same thing.

 

[SamHouston]

Loving a country and loving a government are NOT the same thing.

True, but one often leads to the other.

 

[bpp3]

True, but one often leads to the other.

I'd have guessed the opposite, myself.

 

[SamHouston]

I'd have guessed the opposite, myself.

That's not impossible, of course, but I think it would only be the case for actual citizens of a country if it happens much...not for citizens of other countries who are much more likely to see this country's government as representative of everything about it and to take their cues from that limited perspective.

 

[travelover]

What I meant was that Al Gore has turned it all into a political tool for his personal gain, a way to stay "relevant" while out of office, etc., a way to stay in the media, and especially a way to stay in good with the Hollywood crowd and an anti-American Europe. Much like Michael Moore, Gore has become a tool of those who love to hate this country.

I don't agree that Hollywood, Al Gore or Michael Moore hate America or are tools of hate mongers. I do believe that they present the liberal perspective, as is their right. Corporations and foreign governments spend heavily through lobbyists and advertising to influence public opinion and US law, as is their right. IMO, it is every citizen's obligation to be fully informed and make their own decisions.

Re anti-American Europe, I believe the current administration has done much to alienate the rest of the world.

Pew Global Attitudes Project: Introduction: 16-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey: U.S. Image Up Slightly, But Still Negative

 

[bpp3]

That's not impossible, of course, but I think it would only be the case for actual citizens of a country if it happens much...not for citizens of other countries who are much more likely to see this country's government as representative of everything about it and to take their cues from that limited perspective.

I don't think most people are that naive. I know quite a few non-Americans who idolize the US, but who aren't particularly fond of the government. I also know a lot of non-Japanese who quite like the country (culture, history, what have you) of Japan, but not the government. Ditto the UK. China. Ireland. Israel. Australia. Indonesia. Singapore. Peru. Ethiopia. France. Probably most places, come to think of it.

In fact, I really can't think of any country of which I have ever heard, "great government, shame the country sucks." Almost always the other way around.

 

[SamHouston]

I don't think most people are that naive. I know quite a few non-Americans who idolize the US, but who aren't particularly fond of the government. I also know a lot of non-Japanese who quite like the country (culture, history, what have you) of Japan, but not the government. Ditto the UK. China. Ireland. Israel. Australia. Indonesia. Singapore. Peru. Ethiopia. France. Probably most places, come to think of it.

Having spent more than a decade working in both Europe and a few countries that are considered "third world," I do think that many, many people are exactly that naive.

 

[SamHouston]

What I meant was that Al Gore has turned it all into a political tool for his personal gain, a way to stay "relevant" while out of office, etc., a way to stay in the media, and especially a way to stay in good with the Hollywood crowd and an anti-American Europe. Much like Michael Moore, Gore has become a tool of those who love to hate this country.

I don't agree that Hollywood, Al Gore or Michael Moore hate America or are tools of hate mongers. I do believe that they present the liberal perspective, as is their right. Corporations and foreign governments spend heavily through lobbyists and advertising to influence public opinion and US law, as is their right. IMO, it is every citizen's obligation to be fully informed and make their own decisions.
quote]
I don't believe that Al Gore hates this country.

I do believe that Hollywood and Michael Moore are thinking about their wallets and not what is best for their country. I sincerely believe that much of the anti-Americanism that we see around the world today is the product of buzzards like Moore and Hollywood producers. Moore is practically a god in France because of the way that he promotes what he sees as the failings of this country, however he has to twist the data to make his case.

 

[Celany]

well, that's certainly an interesting way to look at it. does anyone look at what global warming means, practically?
for instance, global warming = oceans rising = less land (correct me if I'm wrong here). it also = bye-bye manhattan. not to trivialize other parts of the world, like many of the lovely (but quite low) islands of the bahamas dissappearing, but manhatten going away would be a bit nuts, in terms of where is all that industry & what-not going to end up? the actual mechanical of relocating, say, wall street seem a bit crazy to me.

then we'd have to think about things like growing crops. I read an article somewhere about how they're having to rezone the growing areas in the US, for which plants can grow ok there, which plants need more nurturing, etc, because more & more delicate hot-house plants are being successfully grown farther north. so that means that the crop belts will creep up north (and down south, below the equator). which might be good for some people, but I would think it will be quite bad for others.

oh, and speaking of the equator, if it gets hot enough, won't most of the equator end up a big dessert? that would certainly suck, I think.

although I guess that canada might actually get balmly. the canadians might like that.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that global warming sounds like it'd cause a hell of a lot of chaos for pretty much everyone. who knows how it'll effect the food supply? and politics, & governments? and the every-day working-person, who just wants to get through the day...the average human will probably suffer the most. I shudder to think of what certain desperate already-scorched parts of africa will become like, if it gets even hotter.

I'd much rather we didn't play with it at all, & just found a way to stablize the climate, but that's just me.

 

[SamHouston]

I'd much rather we didn't play with it at all, & just found a way to stablize the climate, but that's just me.

I think we agree on the definition.

And that the problem needs to be minimized as much as possible.

But it, IMO, is being used as much as a political weapon as anything else at this point, a weapon by which some governments in the rest of the world seek to limit economic growth and power in the U.S. That's shameful, but I honestly believe that it is happening.

 

[Martha]

What I meant was that Al Gore has turned it all into a political tool for his personal gain, a way to stay "relevant" while out of office, etc., a way to stay in the media, and especially a way to stay in good with the Hollywood crowd and an anti-American Europe. Much like Michael Moore, Gore has become a tool of those who love to hate this country.

So cynical! I am not so sure. I have no reason to believe that he honestly cares about the global warming issue. Interesting article about him in Time magazine this week: The Last Temptation of Al Gore | TIME

"Our democracy hasn't been working very well—that's my opinion. We've made a bunch of serious policy mistakes. But it's way too simple and way too partisan to blame the Bush-Cheney Administration. We've got checks and balances, an independent judiciary, a free press, a Congress—have they all failed us? Have we failed ourselves?"