People like to pick apart the history of science; let’s look at the history of the right wing pundits on climate issues. Rush Limbaugh didn’t believe in ozone depletion, either, but skin cancer cases still skyrocketed, unaware of his awesome authority on the subject. The only real issue was reducing the use of fluorocarbons–which was accomplished–but the Right fought kicking and screaming the whole way. To what end? A belief that the hippies and fuzzy-thinking nerds in science must always be wrong…nothing more.

Now look at how their position on climate change has changed over the years. (One can wade through archives of “Mallard Fillmore” to see this evolution for themselves.) At first, global warming was a “liberal fantasy;” now it is acknowledged as reality, but the cause is being argued. It can’t possibly be man-made! they cry; it must be sunspot activity! Or cow flatulence! Or axis wobble! Or a changing orbit! Or some cyclical event based on data we won’t show you because no one can understand it! Maybe it’s God’s wrath, unbeliever! It’s YOUR fault!

And again, to what end? Pat Buchanan is currently fantasizing that it’s all been an elaborate plot, of which all of Europe and Barack Obama have been conspirators, to enslave America!!!1

Because neoconservatives and their close relatives survive through fearmongering. Consequences be damned.

And you know the neocons have been right about everything else!

* unless you count “nuclear winter”, but that was a different thing

Tim - After your first post #2 I was going to suggest you check your facts. But after reading #18 I think you need to look up “fact”. You’ve already figured out it doesn’t mean “something someone told me”, but it also doesn’t mean “something someone told me and said it was true” or “something that’s true because I want it to be”.

The temperatures from this year and last year are facts. The causality between these trends and human activity is an interpretation of the facts, and what is actually being debated. The amount of carbon dioxide put out by all human activity for all of recorded history is less than what is produced by a single volcano.

If these beanbags in Copenhagen really believed what they were saying, they would have done that by teleconference, instead of coming in dozens of private jets and driving in escorted limousines. At least carpool, people!

You sound just like a bunch of Christians I know.

I chalk this all up to El Niño. Notice how that well-known phenomenon has disappeared from the conversation after “global warming” became the reason for all things meteorologically weird?

Oh, and when you encounter those who think we won’t have winters in the future, ask them how they intend to straighten the Earth’s tilt. I’d love to know.